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
QuinStar Technology Recognized by Northrop Grumman for Strengthening Defense Industrial Base Through Innovation and Collaboration
QuinStar Technology was honored by Northrop Grumman at its Supplier Excellence Awards for Supplier Strategic Excellence, highlighting the company's pivotal role in the defense industrial base. The award underscores QuinStar’s contributions to next‑generation weapons, aircraft, missile‑defense, and space systems. Northrop’s supplier network supports over 100,000 jobs and generates more than $27.8 billion annually. QuinStar’s CEO emphasized its U.S.-based engineering, RF/mmWave performance, and disciplined manufacturing as essential to mission‑critical programs.
Almost Half of Everything Orbiting Earth Is Space Junk
Nearly half of all tracked objects orbiting Earth are classified as space junk, with 12,550 debris fragments representing 47% of the 33,269 known items. China is responsible for 34% of the debris, while the United States and the Russian‑aligned CIS...
Neo Space Group Selects ThinKom ThinAir Antenna for Multiple Airlines
Neo Space Group (NSG) has selected ThinKom’s ThinAir Ka2517 phased‑array antenna for installation on Saudia’s A320s and Riyadh Air’s upcoming A321neo fleet. Integrated by RAVE Aerospace, the kit will deliver multi‑orbit inflight connectivity through SES’s Open Orbits platform, offering up...
Stellar Entertainment Becomes Content Service Provider for Tigerair Taiwan
Stellar Entertainment has been appointed as the Content Service Provider for Tigerair Taiwan’s first inflight entertainment (IFE) offering across its A320 fleet. Working with Bluebox Aviation Systems’ wireless Wow platform, Stellar will stream Hollywood blockbusters, regional hits and popular TV...
AIX 2026 Points to Next Era of Cabin Innovation
The 25th Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) convened in Hamburg April 14‑16, drawing over 12,500 attendees and nearly 500 exhibitors, underscoring the cabin’s role as a key airline differentiator. The show highlighted premiumization, lightweight modular seating, and a shift in inflight...
Quantum Space to Build Spacecraft in Tulsa
Quantum Space announced it will establish a manufacturing line for its Ranger series spacecraft in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with production slated to begin in early 2027. The 25,000‑to‑40,000‑square‑foot facility will initially create about 50 high‑skill jobs and will be housed in...
Hyundai, KAI Move To Restart Supernal eVTOL Program
Hyundai Motor Group and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) signed a memorandum of understanding to restart Supernal’s electric vertical‑takeoff and landing (eVTOL) program. Under the deal, Supernal will lead aircraft design while KAI contributes development expertise, and both will collaborate on...
Drone-Killing Drone: Air Force Tests APKWS Laser-Guided Rockets on MQ-9
The U.S. Air Force and General Atomics successfully tested laser‑guided Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) rockets launched from an MQ‑9A Reaper drone at the Nevada Test and Training Range. All shots, including hits on aerial targets, were successful, proving...
Golden Dome Plan Would Cost $1.2 Trillion, CBO Finds
The Congressional Budget Office released a new estimate that the Golden Dome missile‑defense program would cost roughly $1.2 trillion over two decades, far exceeding the White House’s $185 billion budget request. The bulk of the cost—about $730 billion—is tied to space‑based interceptors, a...
Fenix Space Company Profile: Reusable Tow-Launch Access for Orbital and Hypersonic Markets
Fenix Space, a California‑based aerospace startup, completed a week‑long flight‑test campaign of its alpha prototype in May 2026, demonstrating tow‑launch separation and autonomous glider maneuvers. The company plans to launch commercial services by 2028, initially targeting hypersonic test flights and small‑satellite...
Perseverance Rover Snaps Selfie in Mars’s Western Frontier
NASA's Perseverance rover has taken a self‑portrait from the western edge of Jezero crater, marking the first selfie from that region on Mars. The image, captured by the rover’s navigation cameras, shows the rover’s mast and the surrounding basaltic terrain....
Russia Is Building Engines for Interstellar Travel While Nearly Two-Thirds of Rural Households Still Have No Indoor Plumbing — and...
In February 2026 Rosatom unveiled a prototype plasma rocket engine that can generate six newtons of thrust using 300 kW of power and promises to shrink a Mars transit from eight months to about 30 days. The test was conducted in a...
Perseverance Stuns in New Selfie
NASA’s Perseverance rover released a self‑portrait assembled from 61 images taken at the Lac de Charmes outcrop on March 11, 2026 (sol 1797). The composite shows the rover’s mast training and a circular abrasion patch created to expose fresh rock for analysis,...
Vietjet Inks Strategic Tech and Airport Deals with India's GMR and Bird Group
Vietnam's low‑cost carrier Vietjet has signed strategic cooperation agreements with India's GMR Airports and Bird Group, targeting joint development of air routes, smart‑airport technology and ground‑handling services. The deals aim to deepen Indo‑Vietnam trade, tourism and logistics, building on Vietjet’s...
Okuma Corp Posts 31% Profit Jump as CNC Demand Surges
Okuma Corporation reported a 31% rise in net profit to ¥12.55 billion ($81 million) for the fiscal year, with revenue climbing 14.1% to ¥235.9 billion ($1.52 billion). The results underscore robust demand for its CNC machine tools as manufacturers seek higher precision and automation.
Two Overnight Launches From SpaceX and China
SpaceX lifted off from Vandenberg with a classified batch of National Reconnaissance Office satellites on a Falcon 9, marking the booster’s ninth flight and a successful drone‑ship landing. China followed with a Long March 6A launch from Taiyuan, adding up to 18 Qianfan...
Bayer and Bp Team up to Scale Camelina Crop for Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Bayer and bp have signed a long‑term agreement to scale the camelina oilseed crop under Bayer’s newgold™ brand, creating a dedicated feedstock pipeline for biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel. The partnership aims to meet a projected near‑tripling of...
China Launches Tianzhou-10 Cargo Craft to Resupply Tiangong Space Station
China sent the Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft aloft from Wenchang on May 11, 2026, using a Long March-7 rocket. The vehicle docked with the Tianhe core module of the Tiangong space station, delivering an extravehicular suit, consumables, propellant and scientific payloads....
ExoMars 2028 Structural Models Arrive in Cannes for Environmental Testing
On May 12, 2026 Thales Alenia Space completed integration of ExoMars 2028 structural models in Turin and shipped them to Cannes for vibration and acoustic testing. The models replicate the carrier and entry‑descent‑landing modules that will deliver the Rosalind Franklin...
Archer, Joby Expect to Begin Commercial Air Taxi Flights in US Cities This Year
Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation announced they expect to launch commercial air‑taxi services in U.S. cities later this year, under the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program. Archer has filed applications for about a dozen locations, while Joby is installing charging...
Pentagon Relents, Seeks Funds for E-7 Wedgetail
The Pentagon has filed a budget amendment to restore funding for the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail, the planned replacement for the aging E-3 AWACS, in the FY2027 request. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told the House Appropriations Committee the aircraft remains...
Read Word-for-Word: NASA Transcript Reveals Chilling 'Bogey' Sighting During Gemini Mission — Astronauts Describe 'Unidentified Object' In Orbit
A declassified transcript from NASA’s December 1965 Gemini 7 mission reveals that astronauts reported a mysterious “bogey at ten o’clock high” while orbiting Earth. Mission Control’s exchange shows the crew requesting visual confirmation, but the object was never identified and no further...
Stratom, AFRL Demonstrate New C-130 Cargo Handling System
Stratom demonstrated its Expeditionary Cargo Loader (XCL) on a C‑130 in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory. The remote‑controlled, tracked system can move up to 10,000 lb within a single 463L pallet slot, freeing space for two to five additional...
Air India Looks to Suspend Flights to Key Foreign Destinations Such as Chicago
Air India, owned by the Tata Group, announced it will temporarily suspend flights to several long‑haul destinations, including Chicago, as jet‑fuel prices remain elevated. The airline has already reduced frequencies on international routes by 5‑25% in May, with North American...
Star Catcher Company Profile: Space Power Infrastructure for the Next Orbital Economy
Star Catcher Industries, a Jacksonville‑based space‑infrastructure startup, is developing the first orbital power‑as‑a‑service network that beams concentrated solar energy to satellites using their existing solar arrays. The company announced a $65 million Series A on May 12, 2026, bringing total capital to $88 million...
MQ-9 Reaper Demonstrates Precision Rocket Strike Capability
General Atomics and the U.S. Air Force demonstrated that the MQ‑9 Reaper can fire BAE Systems' Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II rockets. In a test on the Nevada Test and Training Range, the unmanned aircraft launched multiple rockets at...
BryceTech to Steer Investment and Innovation Conversation at ASCEND 2026
BryceTech will curate a two‑day track at ASCEND 2026 in Washington, D.C., designating May 19 as Investors Day and May 20 as Innovators Day. The program will showcase the firm’s 10th‑year Start‑Up Space Report, which documented $10.9 billion in start‑up space investment in 2025,...
NATO to Cultivate Vetted Counter-Drone Vendor Pool for Nations to Pick and Choose
NATO is launching a pilot marketplace that will offer 18 vetted counter‑drone (C‑UAS) systems for member nations to procure quickly. The alliance will invite vendors to pitch by mid‑May, select the solutions within two months, and aim to have contracts...
A Spark of Independence
ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover, slated for a 2028 launch to Mars, will feature the first European‑made Radioisotope Heater Unit (RHU) as part of the agency’s ENDURE programme. The RHU, which uses americium‑241 to generate heat, was prototyped by Perpetual Atomics...
Gideon Tanker Completes Its Maiden U.S. Flight Before Delivery to the Israeli Air Force
Israel’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that the first KC-46 Pegasus tanker, nicknamed Gideon, completed its maiden flight in U.S. airspace on May 4. The aircraft, built by Boeing, carries roughly 212,000 lb of fuel and is slated for delivery to the Israeli...
Space Force Awards TrustPoint $4 Million for LEO Navigation Demonstration
Space Force awarded Virginia startup TrustPoint a fully funded $4 million TACFI contract to demonstrate a GPS‑independent low‑Earth‑orbit navigation system. The company will build and launch a four‑satellite constellation and four ground stations within 12 months, conducting a live trilateration test. TrustPoint’s...
Soaring Showcases Autonomous Aerial Medical Resupply Capability During U.S. Army XVIII Airborne Corps 44th Medical Brigade Operational Validation
Soaring participated in the U.S. Army XVIII Airborne Corps 44th Medical Brigade field exercise to validate autonomous Class VIII medical resupply. The company deployed two M25 unmanned aircraft, each delivering up to 25 lb over a 10‑km round trip, and trained soldiers...
The NRO Just Quietly Flew Its 13th Mission in a Constellation Buildout Almost Nobody Covers — and the Real Story...
SpaceX launched NROL‑172, the 13th mission in the National Reconnaissance Office’s proliferated satellite architecture. The launch, from Vandenberg on a Falcon 9 with a recovered booster, is routine on the surface but marks the continued shift from a few large, expensive...
Spirit's Double Bankruptcies Cost $110M, Left 17k Jobless
Spirit Airlines filed bankruptcy twice in one year and spent $110M+ on advisors. The first Chapter 11 cost $33M and changed nothing. The second is at $80M (still billing) and ended in liquidation. 17,000 employees out of a job. The advisors will...
CRS‑34 Launch Faces Only 20% Weather Go
SpX says the weather forecast for this evening's (May 12) CRS-34 cargo launch to the ISS is just 20% "go." Launch is at 7:16 pm ET. SpX webcast begins 20 min pre-launch. NASA coverage begins 7:00 pm ET. https://t.co/nCHB1NY6nc Backup...
SmallSat Europe Speaker Focus: Gregg Burgess, Orion Space Solutions
Gregg Burgess, President of Orion Space Solutions, highlighted the company’s focus on very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellites at SmallSat Europe. Orion’s flagship DARPA Ouija nanosatellite aims for long‑duration VLEO operations while measuring ionospheric conditions. In March 2026 the firm...
USAF Develops Ship‑killing Hypersonic Missile for Pacific
New Version Of Bomber-Launched ARRW Hypersonic Missile Is A Ship Killer The USAF is moving to start work on a new ARRW variant able to hit moving targets with an eye toward future fights in the Pacific. https://t.co/Ha4IqOtVXL
Build Engineers Own Engine Modules From Concept To Test
Traditionally, engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain are siloed. Engineering throws drawings over the wall to mfg/supply chain. At Boom our Build Engineers are empowered—and own whole engine modules from concept through test stand.
AST SpaceMobile Posts $14.7M Q1 Revenue, Reaffirms $150‑200M 2026 Outlook
AST SpaceMobile posted $14.7 million in first‑quarter revenue, driven by U.S. government contracts and gateway hardware sales, and reiterated its 2026 revenue target of $150‑200 million. The company’s $3.5 billion cash pile and a $1.2 billion commercial pipeline underpin optimism, while Alphabet’s stake drops...
Son Reveals Dark Childhood Fears of Jet Pioneer
"He thought his silly little boy would probably kill himself" - Sir Frank Whittle's son, Ian Whittle, recalls growing up with a genius in the family in new film #avgeek https://t.co/PZ96OhF4uC https://t.co/EYAm42nEES
Austria Scrambles Eurofighters After US Special Ops Incursion
U.S. Air Force Special Operations Aircraft Accused Of Austrian Airspace Incursion Austria says it scrambled Eurofighters two days in a row to intercept U.S. military aircraft, likely U-28As operated by Air Force Special Operations Command. https://t.co/7Q94ohzM3A
Space42, Sindan Team Up to Test Autonomous Systems with Satellite Connectivity
Space42 and Sindan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly test satellite‑communication solutions on autonomous aerospace platforms. Announced at Make it in the Emirates 2026, the partnership aims to validate real‑time connectivity in operational conditions and aligns with the...
Bolt-M Autonomous VTOL Achieves 40‑minute Flight
Bolt-M: #Autonomous VTOL Air Vehicle With 40+ Minute Flight Time by @spaceandtech_ #Drone #EmergingTech #Technology #Innovation https://t.co/6LWTrD2BS4
AST SpaceMobile Aims for November Milestone, 45‑60 Birds Launching
"AST SpaceMobile ... expects to reach this milestone by November, according to a slide in its earnings presentation. It previously projected 45 to 60 of its next generation birds will launch this year." https://t.co/u3hzhbRey8 via @mobileworldlive
EU Doubles Down on Carbon Tax for International Flights
The European Commission announced it will push ahead with extending its Emissions Trading System to all flights departing the EU, including long‑haul routes to non‑European destinations. A review slated for July aims to ensure a level playing field and could...
SpaceX Installs Starship Flight Termination System for May Launch
After Monday's WDR, SpaceX is destacking Starship to install its Flight Termination System ahead of a launch attempt next week, perhaps as soon as next Tuesday, May 19. https://t.co/7d8AbWKE4M
Lufthansa Group Acquires Majority (90%) Stake In Italy’s ITA Airways
Lufthansa Group is exercising its option to raise its ownership of Italy’s ITA Airways from 41% to 90%, paying €325 million (about $350 million) in a deal slated for June 2026. The transaction, subject to EU and US antitrust clearance, should close...
Israel Sends Iron Dome Batteries and Crews to UAE Amid Iran War
Israel has transferred Iron Dome anti‑missile batteries and personnel to the United Arab Emirates, according to U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee. The move underscores a deepening defense partnership under the Abraham Accords as the Iran‑Israel war heightens regional security concerns.
AST SpaceMobile Posts $14.7 Million Q1 Revenue, Reaffirms $150‑200 Million 2026 Guidance
AST SpaceMobile announced $14.7 million in first‑quarter revenue, driven largely by U.S. government milestones and gateway hardware sales. The company reaffirmed its 2026 revenue target of $150‑200 million, citing a $1.2 billion commercial pipeline and a $3.5 billion cash position.
Satair Acquires Unical Aviation and Ecube, Forming Global USM Powerhouse
Satair, an Airbus subsidiary, has completed the acquisition of Unical Aviation and its subsidiary ecube, forging a global leader in used serviceable material (USM) and aircraft lifecycle solutions. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the deal expands Satair’s footprint across...