Today's Aerospace Pulse
Blue Origin’s New Glenn suffers catastrophic engine failure during static fire
A BE‑4 methane/LOX engine on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket failed four seconds after ignition, causing a catastrophic explosion that destroyed the first‑stage booster and damaged Launch Complex 36A. No personnel were injured. An FAA‑led investigation, supported by the U.S. Space Force, is under way.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Disciplined Growth Acquisition Corp raises $150M in IPO
Space Force Modernization Push Runs Into Acquisition Workforce Shortfall
The Space Force’s push to modernize its space capabilities is being hampered by a critical shortage of contracting officers and financial managers. As the service moves from buying discrete hardware to fielding integrated warfighting systems, it needs acquisition professionals with new skill sets. A tailored training program has been launched, but hiring and onboarding remain slow. Recent civilian workforce cuts of roughly 14% have further strained the ability to execute fast‑track procurement despite ample funding.
And Now We Have “NASA Force”
NASA announced the launch of “NASA Force,” a two‑year term recruitment program in partnership with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. The initiative will bring top aerospace, software, and systems engineers into the civil service workforce to restore core competencies...
United Semiconductors Reserves Payload Space with Starlab to Advance Commercial-Scale In-Space Semiconductor Manufacturing
United Semiconductors has secured payload space on Starlab’s commercial space station to transition its micro‑gravity semiconductor crystal growth from the International Space Station to sustained, commercial‑scale production in low Earth orbit. The partnership leverages Starlab’s rapid, no‑assembly launch architecture and...
Air Freight Backlog Set to Gridlock Asia Airports Amid Middle East Conflict: K+N CEO
Air cargo originating in Asia for the US and Europe will soon pile up at regional airports as the expanding Middle East conflict grounds a sizable share of available capacity. Kuehne + Nagel CEO Stefan Paul warned that backlogs will materialise by...
Canada’s Space Commander on Protecting Satellites From Jamming and Potential Nuclear Risks
Brigadier‑General Christopher Horner, commander of Canada’s 3 Space Division, warned that a nuclear detonation in low‑Earth orbit would generate an electromagnetic pulse capable of crippling global satellite services. He highlighted that Russia’s electronic‑warfare jamming already extends into space, threatening commercial...
Why FlightPath3D Stays Ahead of Geopolitics for Aviation Map Clients
FlightPath3D, a leading 3‑D moving‑map supplier for more than 90 airlines, has built a rapid‑response system to update geopolitical changes on inflight displays. The firm monitors global disputes, executive orders and naming mandates, rolling out map revisions—such as the Taiwan...
Engine Issue Forces Emergency Landing at LAX
United Airlines forced a Boeing 787‑9 to return to Los Angeles International Airport on Monday after the aircraft’s left engine exhibited a malfunction, prompting an emergency landing about an hour after takeoff. Smoke continued to plume from the engine for...
Gulf States in Race Against Time to Repel Iran's Onslaught
Iran has intensified its drone campaign targeting the Persian Gulf, prompting neighboring Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states to scramble limited air‑defence interceptors. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait are accelerating purchases of Patriot, SAMP/T and other high‑altitude...
Gulf Interceptor Shortage Forces Costly Missile Reliance
The Gulf states are rapidly running out of interceptors. They have already burned through more than half their stockpile trying to stop low-cost Shahed drones, and soon they may have to ignore drones entirely to conserve missiles for ballistic threats. That...
T3 Defense Sees Surge in Air, Missile Defence Amid Regional Conflict
T3 Defense reports a sharp rise in demand for integrated air and missile defence and counter‑UAS solutions as the Iran‑Israel conflict intensifies. Government‑backed Operation Epic Fury has highlighted the operational use of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and swarms of attack...
Senate Tees Up NASA Reauthorization, Deputy Hearings
The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will markup the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2025, a bipartisan reauthorization bill that extends the International Space Station to 2032 and directs NASA to build a permanent lunar base. A separate hearing...
Aerospace and Defense Supply Chain Firm Aeromed Snags Investment From Gemspring
Supply chain firm Aeromed has secured an investment from private‑equity firm Gemspring. The capital will back Aeromed’s recent acquisitions of HITEK Electronic Materials Ltd., NorcaTec LLC, and Kit Pack Company, Inc., expanding its capabilities across aerospace and defense components. The...
FAA Radar Data Program Launches at UAS Test Site
The FAA has launched its Radar Data Pilot Program at the Northern Plains UAS Test Site in Grand Forks, North Dakota, granting the first non‑federal access to an unfiltered radar data feed. The data will be fed into Vantis, the...
Airbus Super Puma: Power and Precision for Airtelis
Airbus’s H225 Super Puma, operated by Airtelis, proved pivotal in July 2025 when it fought the Les Pennes‑Mirabeau and Marseille wildfires, dropping roughly 500,000 litres of water with a 30‑metre sling. The same platform was later dispatched to La Réunion after a March...
Galaxy 1 Partners with Viasat to Deliver Rapid, Scalable and Securecommunications for Uncrewed Aircraft
Galaxy 1 Communications has teamed with Viasat to extend the Velaris satellite service for uncrewed aerial vehicles and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) platforms. The partnership leverages Galaxy 1’s Distribution Partner‑as‑a‑Service (DPaaS) model, providing a managed layer that simplifies provisioning, billing,...
South Korean Launch Provider INNOSPACE Eyes Canadian Expansion via Spaceport Nova Scotia
South Korean launch provider INNOSPACE has signed a Letter of Intent with Maritime Launch Services to explore hosting its HANBIT hybrid‑rocket system at Spaceport Nova Scotia. The partnership aims to bypass Naro Space Center’s slot scarcity and trajectory restrictions, giving...
UK Sends Warship and Drone-Busting Helicopters to the Eastern Mediterranean to Protect Brits and Allies in the Region
The United Kingdom has dispatched the Type‑45 destroyer HMS Dragon and two Wildcat helicopters armed with Martlet missiles to the Eastern Mediterranean. The warship’s Sea Viper system can launch eight missiles in under ten seconds and guide sixteen simultaneously, bolstering air‑defence...
From Bin Rage To Bomb Threats: The Rising Cabin Storage Crisis
Overhead‑bin space has become the newest status symbol in air travel, turning boarding into a high‑stakes competition. A recent JetBlue incident at Fort Lauderdale escalated when a passenger claimed a bomb in his bag after being denied bin space, prompting...
Arlanda Makes ATM History
Stockholm Arlanda has become Europe’s first airport to deploy the Established on RNP (EoR) arrival concept, a GPS‑based procedure that enables curved approach paths. Developed by Swedavia with air navigation provider LFV, EoR allows tighter aircraft separation and higher runway...
Five Moon Landings Target South Pole Water‑Rich Region
These 5 spaceships should land on the Moon this year; several near the South Pole, with rovers/hoppers to explore that little-known, always sunny, water-rich region. In order: @blueorigin's MK1 @intuitivemachines' IM-3 astrobotictechnology's Griffin-1 China's Chang'e 7 @fireflyaerospace's Blue Ghost Laying the groundwork for surveying, tech...
Decarbonisation Likely to End Cheap Airline Tickets
The end of cheap flights? How decarbonisation could up up putting up the price of airline tickets #avgeek #RAeSCommercialAviationSummit #RAeSCivilAviationWeek https://t.co/uPfVlkUuNF https://t.co/0RhCg9Gr45
A 690-Million-Kilometer Journey Through Space Ends for Australia's SpIRIT Mission
Australia’s University of Melbourne‑led SpIRIT nanosatellite has concluded its on‑orbit phase after more than 25 months, traveling roughly 690 million kilometres – the distance to Jupiter – and completing about 16,000 Earth orbits. The 11.5‑kg spacecraft outperformed its two‑year design life,...
Artemis II Fixes Helium Blockage, Validates Repairs, Replaces Batteries
Artemis II update: engineers determined that a quick disconnect seal obstructed the flow of helium in the ICPS upper stage. Repairs have been made and are now being validated. They're also replacing batteries, and a seal on the core stage...
Easter Europe Travel Spikes as Middle East Conflict Drives Demand
Ryanair's O'Leary sees surge in Easter bookings to Europe due to Middle East war https://t.co/TDpGBi7ecF
Japan to Do Vertical Tests of Its Own Grasshopper-Type Demo Stage This Month
Japan’s space agency JAXA is set to conduct two vertical take‑off and landing (VTVL) test flights of its 24‑foot RV‑X demonstrator later this month. The first hop, scheduled for March 6, will take place at the Noshiro Rocket Testing Center on...
U.S. Deploys Additional F‑35A and F‑15E Fighters
More U.S. Fighter Aircraft Heading To Middle East Additional F-35As and F-15Es will be arriving in the CENTCOM area of responsibility shortly. https://t.co/hkdnWi8tcM
FlightPath3D Swiftly Updates Maps Amid Geopolitical Disputes
Geopolitical tensions, disputed territories, and legal requirements are just some of the reasons why maps differ worldwide. It’s also why leading aviation map provider FlightPath3D has procedures in place to quickly address any required changes. https://t.co/tQ212Infl5 #PaxEx https://t.co/RdEe1Jfv1h
When Space Is Hot, Washington Holds a Match
Private equity is pouring capital into space and defense, reviving investor enthusiasm, but firms still depend on steady government funding to realize long‑term value. AE Industrial Partners, which backs Redwire, Firefly Aerospace and York Space Systems, highlighted that government contracts...
Airborne Battle Management Essential Across All DoD Priorities
New @CNASdc report: In "Eyes in the Sky," @PhilSheers explains why airborne battle management aircraft aren't just vital in the Middle East—they're essential for DoD's top priorities, from a war with China to defending the homeland. https://t.co/y2xBWinnY5
Next‑Gen Space Station Gets Major Life‑Support Upgrade
For our subscribers, a long read with exclusive details on the latest upgrades of the life-support system and food/water supply proposed for the next-generation space station. Full story is on the site... https://t.co/URv1wBb2k4
Hermeus Achieves First Flight of Mk. 2.1 Supersonic Aircraft
Hermeus successfully completed the first flight of its Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 supersonic demonstrator on March 2 at Spaceport America, New Mexico. The remotely piloted aircraft is powered by a Pratt & Whitney F100‑229 engine, marking a step up from the earlier Mk 1 flight at...
Force Still Fails to Institutionalize Ukraine War Lessons
Thank you @ChristopherJM for highlighting our piece. It’s painful to see that we are not institutionalizing available and relevant lessons and expertise from the war in Ukraine, across the force. We’ve made some great additions (LUCAS, APKWS II),...
Winter Breakthrough with Limited Resources Boosts NASA and ISS
This is legitimately impressive, in the dead of winter, with limited resources. It's also good for NASA and the ISS in general.
Kongsberg Discovery and Silicon Sensing Unveil Tactical-Grade North-Seeking MEMS Gyroscope
Silicon Sensing and Kongsberg Discovery have unveiled a tactical‑grade north‑seeking MEMS gyroscope, the SGH03, delivering navigation‑grade performance in a compact, solid‑state package. The device operates without GNSS or magnetometer assistance, making it resilient in GPS‑denied or magnetically hostile environments. Developed...
Future Airline Ticket Prices in a Net‑Zero Era
How Much Will a Airline Ticket Cost in a Net‑Zero World? #avgeek #RAeSCommercialAviationSummit #RAeSCivilAviationWeek https://t.co/xzQcwe0vS3 https://t.co/uCm2cq4upT
Thales Space Targets 7% EBIT Margin Amid Merger
.@thalesgroup: @Thales_Alenia_S rev rose 7.6% in 2025, on pace for 7%+ EBIT margin in 2027; merger w/ @AirbusSpace & @LDO_Space on track; @industriAll_EU unions pose conditions for accepting the deal. @esa @defis_eu.https://t.co/GarzC7tTBf https://t.co/8oHhgoms52
Russia Completes Repairs to Soyuz-2 Launchpad at Baikonur
Roscosmos announced that repairs to the Soyuz‑2 launchpad at Baikonur’s Site 31 are complete, enabling a Progress MS‑33 cargo flight to the International Space Station on March 22, 2026. The refurbishment involved 150 workers from four contractors, who painted 2,350 m², replaced attachment devices, overhauled...
Oval Air Show Features Unexpected KC-135 Model
KC-135 model in the Oval. So there's a VC-25B, B-2, F-35, F-22 and KC-135? https://t.co/rMEE6kvj9A
Abandoned Soyuz Pad Finds New Tenant After Four Years
It looks like four years of disuse have taken its toll on the Soyuz launch pad in French Guiana. Now, it has new tenant.
ICEYE Launches SAR-Powered Deforestation Monitoring to Counter Tropical Forest Loss
ICEYE launched a dedicated deforestation monitoring solution on March 3, 2026, using its synthetic aperture radar (SAR) constellation. The SAR‑based service delivers near‑real‑time, cloud‑penetrating imagery for the Amazon, Congo and other tropical basins, filling the gap left by optical satellites....
Tuition-Free A&P Program For High School Students Coming to Michigan
Jackson County Airport‑Reynolds Field in southern Michigan is establishing a tuition‑free Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) training school for high‑school students, targeting an initial cohort of 30 juniors and seniors. The program, slated to begin in September 2027, is funded by...
Standard Rule: Fire Two Missiles Per Target, Then Repeat
Worth remembering in all this debate about interceptor missiles vs drones/cruise missiles and stocks/reserves running out, that doctrinally the standard engagement RoE is always fire TWO missiles at every target. Then watch and fire 2 more to ensure a kill...
US Army's Missile Office Manages $43.7B in Middle East FMS
As of August 2025, the US Army's PEO Missiles and Space had 202 FMS cases in the Middle East, totaling about $43.7b. Slide from SMD Symposium: (no, I have no idea why the former flag of Afghanistan is on there)...
DRDO Conducts Successful Flight Trials of Very Short-Range Air Defence System
The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully completed three successive flight trials of its Very Short‑Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) from Chandipur’s Integrated Test Range on 27 February. The missiles intercepted high‑speed aerial targets across varied speeds, ranges and...
Navantia UK to Hire 35 Apprentices in Scotland
Navantia UK announced it will recruit 35 apprentices for its Scottish yards in Methil and Arnish, covering Level 2 and Level 3 programmes in electrical engineering, fabrication, welding and CAD design. The hiring supports the company's broader pledge to train 500 apprentices...
The World's 1st Private Space Telescope Just Spotted Its 1st Star. Here's What It Saw.
London‑based Blue Skies Space launched Mauve, the world’s first privately funded space telescope, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in November. On Feb 9 the satellite recorded its inaugural five‑second observation of the bright UV‑rich star η Ursa Majoris, demonstrating its capability to capture visible...
PwC Projects $127 Billion Moon Economy by 2050; Energy Infrastructure Cited as Primary Bottleneck
PwC’s latest Lunar Market Assessment projects the Moon’s annual revenue will reach $127.3 billion by 2050, roughly the size of Poland’s GDP. The report highlights that energy infrastructure, not transportation, is the chief obstacle to scaling surface operations. NASA’s Artemis program...
Ejection Training Unexpectedly Relevant Two Years Later
Apropos of nothing, Facebook reminds me two years ago today I flew backseat in an F-15E. Didn't think the ejection training would have relevance to current events two years later. https://t.co/kVxJj2kS3j
The Striking Differences Between Rolls-Royce & Pratt & Whitney Engines
Rolls‑Royce and Pratt & Whitney dominate different segments of the commercial jet‑engine market. Rolls‑Royce’s Trent family relies on a three‑spool design optimized for long‑haul efficiency, while Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbofan uses a two‑spool architecture with a reduction gearbox to...
US Confirms Hitting Iran’s Drone Carrier, Denies Own Carrier Struck
U.S. Central Command confirmed that its forces struck Iran’s domestically built drone carrier Shahid Bagheri during the initial phase of Operation Epic Fury, while dismissing the Revolutionary Guard Corps’ claim that a U.S. aircraft carrier was hit. The IRGC alleged four...