Today's Aerospace Pulse
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket explodes, halting Moon‑base plans
A catastrophic explosion during a static‑fire test destroyed New Glenn’s sole launch pad (LC‑36) and will delay flights for months. The setback jeopardizes NASA’s Moon Base 1 lander and the scheduled 2026 launch of Amazon’s Leo broadband satellite constellation. No injuries were reported.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Disciplined Growth Acquisition Corp raises $150M in IPO
ESA Greenlights Two Budget-Friendly Earth Observation Missions
The European Space Agency has approved two new Scout‑class Earth observation missions—HiBiDiS and SOVA‑S—each limited to a €35 million (≈ $38 million) budget and a three‑year development window. HiBiDiS, led by Italy’s SITAEL, will use hyperspectral imaging to map understory biodiversity, while OHB Czechspace’s SOVA‑S will employ shortwave infrared sensors to monitor atmospheric gravity waves. Contracts are slated for signing by year‑end after Member State approval, marking the fourth and fifth missions in ESA’s agile Scout programme.
Bjorn’s Corner: Aircraft Structures Part 3. New Alloys with Issues
The article explains how stressed‑skin aircraft structures rely on aluminum alloys, starting with copper‑alloyed Duralumin used in the DC‑3 and later the zinc‑alloy 7000 series. While 7000‑series alloys offered higher tensile strength, they proved vulnerable to stress‑corrosion cracking and fatigue,...
Blue Origin’s Next New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Static Fire Test on the Launchpad
Blue Origin’s New Glenn suffered a catastrophic explosion during a static‑fire test on May 28, destroying the first stage and the company’s only launch pad. No injuries were reported, but the incident pushes the next launch, originally set for June 4, back by...
Blue Origin Rocket Explodes During Test in Latest Setback for Jeff Bezos-Owned Company
Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy‑lift rocket detonated during a hot‑fire test at Kennedy Space Center, destroying the launchpad but leaving all personnel unharmed. The anomaly comes just weeks after the company secured a $20 bn NASA contract to launch elements of a...
South Korea's T'way Air Rebrands as Parent Eyes 1H27 IPO
South Korea’s low‑cost carrier t’way Air has officially rebranded as Trinity Airways after receiving regulatory approval. The change follows a stock rename on the Korean bourse and aligns the airline with its parent’s broader growth strategy. The parent company has...
GKN Aerospace Leak Halts F-35 Cockpit Canopy Production, Threatening U.S. and Israeli Supply Chains
A cooling‑system failure at GKN Aerospace’s Garden Grove, California plant caused a 7,000‑gallon methyl methacrylate tank to overheat, prompting the evacuation of roughly 50,000 residents and suspending the output of F‑35 cockpit canopies destined for U.S. and Israeli forces. The...
Blue Origin’s New Glenn Set to Launch 48 Amazon Leo Satellites as Soon as June 4 in Largest Single-Rocket Payload...
Blue Origin’s heavy‑lift New Glenn is slated to lift 48 Amazon broadband satellites as early as June 4, marking the largest single‑rocket payload for the Leo constellation. The FAA closed its investigation of the third New Glenn flight after a cryogenic leak caused...
Korean Air Celebrates 50th Anniversary of the Seoul–Zurich Route
Korean Air marked the 50th anniversary of its Seoul‑Zurich service with a reception in Zurich, highlighting five decades of trade, tourism and cultural exchange. The airline introduced a new Boeing 787‑10 Dreamliner on the route from 2 June 2026, featuring upgraded Prestige...
Live Coverage: SpaceX to Launch 29 Starlink Satellites on Falcon 9 Rocket From Cape Canaveral
SpaceX will lift off on Oct. 22, 2024 at 8:57 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral to deploy 29 Starlink broadband satellites as part of the 10‑53 mission, expanding its low‑Earth‑orbit network beyond 10,000 spacecraft. The launch will use Falcon 9 booster B1085...
Mach+ Quarterhorse Drone Gets Funding Boost
The U.S. Defense Innovation Unit has boosted funding for Hermeus' Quarterhorse supersonic drone by $159 million, lifting the total contract potential to $219 million. The program will finance flight tests through 2027, focusing on high‑Mach payload delivery and release. On 26 May the...
Space Force Plans Nationwide Network of ‘Resilient Operations Centers’
The U.S. Space Force’s FY2027 budget proposes $1 billion for four resilient operations centers, with a long‑term goal of building up to ten distributed facilities across the United States. These centers are designed to keep space command‑and‑control functional during wartime attacks...
Companies Like SpaceX Want Electromagnetic Catapults on the Moon. Could They Be Used as Weapons?
A new American Foreign Policy Council report warns that lunar mass drivers—electromagnetic catapults proposed by SpaceX and smaller firms—could serve both civilian launch needs and as first‑strike weapons. The technology accelerates payloads without chemical propellant, promising cheap, high‑throughput logistics between...
NASA Releases Draft RFP for Landsat 10
NASA said today the "2026-2030 Landsat Science Team" met earlier this month in Sioux Falls to discuss future of Landsat incl Landsat 10. https://t.co/a5EQw1tBnh Ystrdy it released Draft RFP for Landsat 10. https://t.co/AKyiXgJWKy
Canada Picks Saab GlobalEye Over Boeing, Shifting Defense Supply Chain
Canada announced it will procure Saab’s GlobalEye airborne early‑warning aircraft, sidelining Boeing’s E‑7 Wedgetail and L3Harris’s Aeris X. The six‑plane deal, built on Bombardier’s Global 6500 platform, underscores Ottawa’s push to diversify away from U.S. defense suppliers and deepen ties...
GAMA Reports $6.85B In First-Quarter Aircraft Billings
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association reported 877 civil aircraft shipments in the first quarter of 2026, generating about $6.85 billion in billings. Airplane deliveries accounted for 667 units and $6.07 billion, while helicopters contributed 168 units and $788.5 million. Piston airplanes led the...
NASA Awards $200M+ Lunar Rover Contracts to Blue Origin, Astrolab and Lunar Outpost
NASA announced contracts worth more than $200 million each to Blue Origin, Astrolab and Lunar Outpost for lunar landers and rover systems, marking a major step in the Artemis program’s push for a permanent Moon base. The awards expand the commercial...
BAE Systems to Invest Big Money in US Facility Upgrades
BAE Systems announced a $135 million capital investment to upgrade its U.S. facilities in Austin, Texas, and Hudson, New Hampshire. About $85 million will modernize 65,000 sq ft of workspace at the Hudson campus, which focuses on electronic‑warfare design, development and testing. A $50 million...
Orbital Data Centers Must Tackle Chip Lifespan, Launch Availability, and Cybersecurity Challenges
Experts at SmallSat Europe examined the hype around orbital data centers, noting that space‑based compute promises unlimited energy but requires custom silicon and massive launch capacity. Dr. Paul Struhsaker warned that rapid AI ASIC turnover shortens chip lifespans to two...
IATA: Global Demand Down 3.4 Percent in April
IATA’s April 2026 air‑passenger report shows global demand fell 3.4% year‑over‑year, with the Middle East experiencing the steepest drop at 46.6% after the Israel‑US raids on Iran. Capacity in the region was trimmed by 37.2%, pulling the load factor down...
Garmin Adds SmartCharts To Garmin Pilot Web
Garmin announced that its SmartCharts terminal‑procedure charting system is now integrated into Garmin Pilot Web, extending the feature beyond the mobile app. The tool automatically tailors approach, departure and STAR data based on inputs such as aircraft type, runway and...
Canadian Consortium Led by NordSpace Awarded $3.2M From NGen for AI-Powered Space Propulsion Manufacturing
Markham‑based NordSpace Corp. is leading a Canadian consortium that secured CAD $3.2 million (≈US $2.4 million) from Next Generation Manufacturing Canada to fund an $8 million (≈US $5.9 million) AI‑powered hybrid additive‑subtractive manufacturing line for space propulsion. The partnership with Miltera, Pegmatis, Prime Powders and Bear Paw...
FAA Chief Tackles Controller Shortage and Modernization
We cover a lot of ground with @FAA_Bryan. Hear how he's managing FAA, attacking the controller shortage, equipment modernization, airline scheduling and airspace management. An insightful, newsworthy, important discussion. https://t.co/gkSU61NoYF
What’s The Latest With Global Airlines, That Strange Airbus A380 Startup?
Global Airlines, an A380‑focused startup, flew two New York round‑trips in spring 2025 under a wet‑lease with Hi‑Fly before parking its sole superjumbo for costly heavy maintenance. Since the aircraft entered long‑term storage, the company has weathered two dismissed UK winding‑up...
New Study Using Chandrayaan-2 Data Again Suggests Ice in Crater Near Moon’s South Pole
Indian researchers have re‑analyzed Chandrayaan‑2 Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar data and identified strong evidence of water ice beneath the surface of several permanently shadowed craters near the Moon’s south pole. The most compelling signal comes from a 1.1‑kilometre‑wide crater...
Revolv Space Enters In-Orbit Servicing Market with Infinite Orbits Deal
Revolv Space, the Italian‑Dutch satellite hardware firm, has secured a contract with French in‑orbit services provider Infinite Orbits to supply its Solar Array Drive Assemblies (SADAs) for geostationary orbit (GEO) servicing missions. The deal marks Revolv’s first entry into the...
FAA Board Approves Boeing's Plan to Raise 737 Max Output to 47 Jets Monthly
Boeing received FAA board clearance to lift its 737 Max production ceiling to 47 jets per month, a step CEO Kelly Ortberg says will accelerate cash flow and debt reduction. The announcement lifted shares up to 3.7% intraday and follows...
Germany Pushes European Military Space Command Initiative
Germany has unveiled a proposal to create a European Space Component Command, to be hosted in Germany and open to allied participation. The plan seeks to coordinate military space operations across Europe, preventing redundant capabilities such as multiple satcom constellations...
FAA Grounds Starship/Superheavy Pending Completion of SpaceX’s Investigation
The FAA has grounded SpaceX's Starship and SuperHeavy launch system following a mishap on the May 22 Flight 12 mission, where the SuperHeavy booster experienced engine failure during its return to the Gulf of America. The agency requires SpaceX to conduct a...
Inside Nasa's Plans for a Lunar Base
NASA’s Artemis program is moving toward a permanent lunar presence, with a crewed landing slated for 2025 and a surface habitat to follow by the late 2020s. The agency plans to use the Lunar Gateway as an orbital staging point,...
Isar Aerospace Signs Agreement to Launch From Future Canadian Spaceport
German launch provider Isar Aerospace announced a letter of intent with Maritime Launch Services to conduct launches from a planned spaceport in Nova Scotia, targeting mid‑ to high‑inclination orbits for commercial and government customers. The deal follows a separate partnership...
SpaceX Starship From V1 to V4
SpaceX’s Starship program has progressed through four distinct vehicle families, moving from early atmospheric prototypes to the V3 configuration that debuted on May 22 2026. V3 introduced Raptor 3 engines, a redesigned Super Heavy booster, docking interfaces and propellant‑transfer hardware, marking a shift...
How Do RF Monitoring, Direct-to-Device Satellite Services, and Smartphones Affect Military Operations?
The Department of Defense’s 2018 restriction on device geolocation highlights how RF emissions, direct‑to‑device (D2D) satellite links, and everyday smartphones can expose military movements. Commercial firms such as HawkEye 360, Unseenlabs and AST SpaceMobile now sell space‑based RF monitoring and D2D...
Satellite Laser Communications Primer
NASA’s Artemis II mission demonstrated a laser‑based optical terminal that moved 484 GB of high‑definition video, images, and telemetry between Orion and Earth, marking the first crewed lunar‑distance use of satellite laser communications. Recent demonstrations such as TBIRD’s 200 Gbps downlink (4.8 TB in...
The Propulsion Imperative Behind Golden Dome
Golden Dome redefines U.S. missile defense by centering propulsion in a massive satellite constellation equipped with sensors, interceptors, and AI‑driven command nodes. The program envisions thousands of orbiting assets that must maneuver quickly and survive contested environments, making propulsion the...
Boeing Secures $854.7 Million U.S. Navy Contract to Build Four P‑8A Patrol Aircraft
Boeing was awarded an $854.7 million contract modification by the U.S. Navy to produce four P‑8A Lot 13 aircraft for foreign military sales customers. The deal also funds non‑recurring engineering to address supply‑chain shortages, software integration and hardware upgrades, with delivery slated...
USDOT, FAA Invest $835.8 Million for Air Traffic Control Facility Upgrades and Replacements Across U.S.
The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration announced a combined investment of $835.8 million to modernize the nation’s air traffic control infrastructure. Over $750 million will replace eight aging towers and TRACON facilities with state‑of‑the‑art structures, while the FAA’s...
Iran’s Radar-Silent Missile System Just Made Its Foreign Debut in Armenia
Armenia displayed Iran‑made Majid AD‑08 short‑range air‑defense systems during its May 28 Republic Day parade, marking the first known foreign export of the radar‑silent missile. The system relies on passive infrared guidance, detecting targets up to 15 km away and engaging them...
AI Is Quietly Transforming the Entire Aviation Industry
Artificial intelligence is reshaping aviation from cockpit assistance to airport ecosystems, with Airbus spearheading AI‑driven autonomy, predictive maintenance, and speech‑recognition tools. Airlines are leveraging machine‑learning to cut delays, optimise fuel burn, and turn terabytes of flight data into actionable insights....
Boeing Clears FAA Capstone Review, Lifts 737 Max Output to 47 Jets per Month
Boeing announced it has passed the FAA’s capstone safety review and will increase 737 MAX production from 42 to 47 aircraft per month, with a goal of 52 by early next year. The lift follows a 2024 production cap and is...
Zelenskyy Lands in Sweden for Major Defense Package and Air‑defence Talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Stockholm to meet Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, where Sweden is set to donate older JAS 39 Gripen C/D fighters and negotiate a purchase of newer Gripen E models. The meeting also launches talks on a broader air‑defence package...
FAA Orders SpaceX to Investigate Starship Booster Mishap, Halting Tests Ahead of IPO
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has ordered SpaceX to investigate a booster failure that occurred during the May 22 Starship test flight, grounding the vehicle until a FAA‑approved report is submitted. The move comes as SpaceX prepares for a mid‑June...
Europe’s Biggest Space Opportunity Comes After Launch
Europe’s space strategy must move beyond launchers to in‑orbit infrastructure such as logistics, servicing, and debris removal. D‑Orbit’s Stefano Antonetti argues that Europe already has a technical edge but its procurement still buys hardware, not services. He urges ESA and...
The UK Harnesses Digital Technologies for High-Rate Composite Manufacturing
At JEC World 2026, leaders from the UK and French aerospace composites sectors convened at the British Embassy in Paris to deepen bilateral collaboration. The event showcased UK innovators such as Cygnet Texkimp, iCOMAT and Loop Technology, highlighting high‑rate automated...
Russia Plans to Launch Crewed Spacecraft From Baikonur in July
Russia announced its first crewed launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome this year, slated for July 14, 2026. The mission will carry three astronauts, including two Russian cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut, marking the first joint Russian‑American crew launched from Kazakhstan...
NASA Picks Astrolab for Artemis Lunar Rover Mission
NASA has chosen California‑based Astrolab as one of two providers for a crewed lunar rover under the Artemis program. Astrolab’s CLV‑1 rover folds to about 2 m for launch, then expands to roughly 4 m on the Moon and can travel up...
Agreement Signed for Europe’s First 100 Percent Drop-In SAF Production Facility
NorSAF has secured an exclusive permanent licence from KBR to deploy PureSAF® technology, positioning the venture to become Europe’s first commercial‑scale facility that can produce 100 percent drop‑in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF/eSAF). The plant, slated for the Port of Liepaja in...
Airbus Next New Airplane Part 2. The Neo Success.
Airbus is planning its next single‑aisle aircraft to replace the A320/A321 family, with deliveries slated for the late 2030s. Recent upgrades to the A320neo and A321neo show the company’s focus on engineering efficiency and market responsiveness. The neo’s strong sales...
Malaysia Airlines Expands With New Boeing 737-8s: What Flyers Need to Know
Malaysia Airlines received its 18th Boeing 737‑8, the 200th Boeing aircraft in its fleet, arriving at KLIA on 24 May. The new jet, registered 9M‑MVR, seats 12 business and 162 economy passengers and introduces the wireless MHStudio entertainment system. It will...
The Royal Thai Navy Orders Two Airbus C295 in Advanced Transport Configuration
The Royal Thai Navy has placed an order for two Airbus C295 aircraft in an advanced transport configuration that adds surveillance and search‑and‑rescue capabilities. The planes will carry EO/IR sensor suites for day‑and‑night target detection and will operate from U‑Tapao...
Amazon Will Acquire Apple’s 20% Stake in Satellite Firm Globalstar
Amazon announced it will purchase Apple’s 20% equity and voting stake in Globalstar, the satellite communications provider. The acquisition follows Amazon’s $11.6 billion deal to buy Globalstar outright, adding roughly $1.1 billion of Apple‑owned shares to the transaction. Amazon will create a...