Today's Aerospace Pulse
Updated 3h ago
Atomic-6 launches ODC.Space marketplace for orbital data centers
Atomic-6 unveiled ODC.Space, an online marketplace that lets customers order orbital data center hardware from shared 1U units up to sovereign 42U racks. The largest rack configuration is priced at roughly $3.5million per month, with initial deliveries expected in two to three years.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Sierra Space raises $550M in private funding round
Here's How Much A Boeing 787 Costs Compared To An Airbus A350
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner family generally carries a lower list price than Airbus’s A350, with the 787‑8 at $248 million versus the A350‑900 at $317 million. However, operating costs per seat favor the A350, which averages $22.81 per seat‑hour compared with $25.86 for the 787‑9, though the high‑capacity 787‑10 drops to $19.54 per seat‑hour. Charter rates are comparable, ranging from $30,000 to $31,000 per hour for both aircraft. Airlines must balance purchase price, per‑seat efficiency, and ancillary expenses when selecting a wide‑body platform.
Citra Space Raises $15 Million Series A to Expand Platform for Identifying Objects in Orbit
Citra Space announced a $15 million Series A round led by Washington Harbour Partners to scale its space‑domain‑awareness platform. The Colorado startup, founded by former U.S. Space Force officers, aggregates data from ground and space sensors to create persistent fingerprints of orbital...
New U.S. Autonomous Squire Seaglider Conducts Test Flight
REGENT Defense confirmed that its autonomous Squire Seaglider completed a successful ground‑effect flight test in the United States on April 13, 2026. The wing‑in‑ground‑effect craft can travel up to 70 knots (about 81 mph), cover more than 100 nautical miles, and...
Global Airfreight Tonnage Drops 4% in March
WorldACD data show global air‑freight tonnage slipped 4% year‑on‑year in March, reversing the double‑digit gains recorded in January and February. The Middle East and South Asia (MESA) region bore the brunt, with a 21% volume drop, while Africa, Europe and...
Indonesia Approves US Request for Overnight Airspace Access
Not bad lah Indonesia… “The U.S. is seeking "blanket overnight access" for American military aircraft through Indonesian airspace, several media outlets reported on Sunday, adding that President Prabowo had APPROVED the proposal.” Let’s wait for confirmation.
Southwest Limits Passengers to One Power Bank per Flight Amid Safety Concerns
Southwest Airlines announced that, beginning April 20, 2026, each passenger may bring only one lithium‑battery power bank on board and may not charge it in‑seat or store it in overhead bins. The move follows a series of lithium‑battery incidents reported...
International Manufacturing Services (IMS) Exhibits at the CMSE Conference and Exhibiton
International Manufacturing Services (IMS) is exhibiting its latest RF and thermal‑management solutions at the 29th Annual Components for Military & Space Electronics (CMSE) Conference. At booth B22, IMS will showcase high‑power AlN resistors, RF‑optimized attenuators, splitters, and its ThermaBridge™/ThermaPlane™ ceramic...
Emerson Launches Innovative Software-Driven Method for High-Fidelity Aerospace RF Testing
Emerson unveiled the NI Channel Emulator System Software (CHESS) at the 2026 Space Symposium, offering a software‑defined RF channel emulation platform that works with NI PXI VST hardware. The solution recreates real‑time, high‑fidelity aerospace RF environments—Doppler, multipath, path loss—allowing engineers...
New Cabin & Quieter Operations: Why KLM's New Airbus A350-900 Is A Regulatory Survival Tool
KLM is introducing Airbus A350‑900 aircraft as part of a €7 billion (~$7.6 billion) fleet renewal to replace aging A330s and Boeing 777s. The new jets feature advanced sound‑insulating fuselage and quieter engines, helping the airline meet Dutch government limits on night‑time...
Serco Set for Direct Award for Naval Air Station Support
The UK Ministry of Defence plans to award a roughly £15 million (about $19 million) contract to Serco for engineering support and airfield services at Royal Naval Air Stations Yeovilton and Culdrose. The one‑year deal, with an optional second year, will be...
Delta Air Lines Unveils First New Delta One Suite in Premium Cabin Arms Race
Delta Air Lines introduced its first updated Delta One suite in a decade, slated for Airbus A350‑1000 long‑haul aircraft in 2027. The new suite adds three inches of length, a pillow‑top cushion, and more leg and knee room, targeting side‑sleeping...
Atomic-6 Launches Orbital Data Center Marketplace
Atomic-6 unveiled ODC.Space, a marketplace that lets customers order orbital data center hardware as easily as an online purchase. The platform aggregates space‑industry suppliers, offering configurations from 1U shared units to sovereign 42U racks, with the latter priced at roughly...
Sophia Space and Kepler Sign Agreement to Demo ODC Tech
Orbital data‑center startup Sophia Space has signed an agreement with satellite operator Kepler Communications to demo its operating system, SOOS, on Kepler’s distributed in‑orbit compute network. The partnership will see Sophia upload SOOS to the network by year‑end for an...
Atomic-6 Unveils Online Marketplace for Orbital Data Centers
Atomic-6 announced ODC.space, an online marketplace that lets customers procure complete satellites for on‑orbit data‑center capacity. The platform offers both dedicated satellites and shared compute rentals, handling everything from component sourcing to launch and mission operations. Target customers include AI...
Orbit Is Filling up Fast. Now Comes the Awkward Bit: Pre-Empting and Handling a Crisis.
Earth’s orbital environment is nearing a tipping point as tens of thousands of new satellites are slated for launch, pushing low‑Earth orbit toward congestion. In 2023 Starlink alone performed roughly 300,000 collision‑avoidance maneuvers, and analysts warn that as many as...
Jet2 Launches First Flights and Holidays to Island of La Palma
Jet2 has launched its first scheduled flights and holiday packages to La Palma, adding the island as its fifth Canary Islands destination. The carrier will operate two year‑round weekly services from Manchester on Mondays and Fridays, with a second weekly...
Star Air Launches 70 Weekly Flights, Introduces First‑Ever Direct Mundra-Delhi NCR Route
Star Air has launched India’s first direct air link between Hindon (Delhi NCR) and the port city of Mundra, adding 38 direct weekly flights as part of a 70‑flight summer schedule. The new service makes Mundra its 32nd destination and...
KLM’s Sky High Wage Bill For Aircrew and CEO Is Proving Highly Controversial in the Netherlands
KLM’s aircrew wage bill is markedly higher than that of comparable European carriers, with pilots earning about 17% more and senior cabin crew up to 50% more. Despite a 2024 cost‑cutting plan that included 250 head‑office layoffs, staff costs rose...
Qantas' First A350‑ULR Rolls Out, Flights 2027
The very first Qantas A350-1000ULR for Project Sunrise just got its RR Trent XWB-97 engines installed in Toulouse . This aircraft (MSN 707) has now rolled out of final assembly and will start flight testing soon, with delivery expected late...
Artemis 2 Set Record: 413,145 Km From Earth
Artemis 2 was the furthest human voyage from Earth. Per the final JPL Horizons trajectory I estimate the max distance from the geocenter was 413145 km at 2304 UTC Apr 6 (about 4 km less and 1...
Etihad Massively Expands Mainland China Flights, Goes From One Route To Six
Etihad Airways is expanding its mainland China network from a single destination to six, increasing weekly frequencies from seven to 35 flights. The airline will launch five new routes—Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu and Shenzhen—between October 2026 and March 2027, all...
Artemis–Chinese Space Station Distance Might Exceed Estimates
Oh, but wait.... A preliminary check suggests the Artemis- Chinese Space Station max distance may be even larger. I'll have to do a more careful analysis
Ukraine’s Yuzhnoe Previously Built Massive Solid Rocket Boosters
Very interesting. Do we know anything about these rocket boosters? They are new to me. Ukraine's Yuzhnoe did build the RT-23 and R-39 solid missiles (2.4m dia) in the Soviet era.
ThinKom Unveils Space-Optimized ThinAir Nexus Aircraft Antenna
ThinKom introduced the ThinAir Nexus, a space‑optimized aircraft antenna that delivers multi‑orbit, multi‑constellation inflight connectivity in a footprint comparable to single‑orbit electronically steered antennas. The Nexus supports gigabit‑class throughput for GEO, MEO and LEO satellites and can be upgraded via a...
Chinese AI Claims to Track US Bombers over Iran
How a Chinese company said it used AI to track US bomber movements over Iran MizarVision tried to determine bomber movements based on aerial tanker positions and US attacks on key strategic sites https://t.co/DVBEPnYzj3 via @scmpnews
Angara-5M to Launch PTK Prototype by 2028
Upgraded Angara-5M rocket is now promised to fly with a development prototype of the PTK crew vehicle during a 2027-2028 period (a delay from 2025). Context and full story: https://t.co/ithnEIbQfV https://t.co/g9fUBxzoNz
ACS UK Showcases Customized Premium Cabin Interiors with OMNIA at AIX 2026
ACS UK returned to Aircraft Interiors Expo 2026 to unveil OMNIA, a unified showcase of customized premium cabin interiors. The display highlights an adaptive galley worktop that doubles usable crew surface, an autonomous lighting dimmer for independent lighting control, and...
What It’s Like to Be…an Aerospace Engineer
The latest episode of Dan Heath’s podcast "What It’s Like to Be…" features Swati Mohan, a NASA JPL aerospace engineer who helped guide the Perseverance rover through the infamous “seven minutes of terror” landing on Mars. Listeners hear how JPL’s ultra‑clean rooms...
The U.K. Just Spelled Out What a Carrington-Class Solar Storm Would Cost — and the Numbers Should Change Policy
The UK’s National Risk Register now quantifies a Carrington‑class solar storm as a trillion‑dollar threat, estimating $0.6‑$2.6 trillion in first‑year global damages and tens of billions of pounds in domestic losses. The country’s electricity sector alone underpins roughly $112 billion of GDP,...
Jazeera Airways Adds Air-Land Cargo Operation to Navigate Airspace Closures
Kuwait‑based low‑cost carrier Jazeera Airways has launched an air‑land cargo service from Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and Qaisumah‑Hafar Al‑Batin to bypass the closure of Kuwait International Airport amid the US‑Iran conflict. The cargo is processed by...
Key Senate Appropriator Rejects Proposed NASA Budget Cuts
Sen. Jerry Moran, chair of the Senate Appropriations Commerce, Justice and Science subcommittee, announced he will fight the administration’s proposed 23% cut to NASA’s FY2027 budget, aiming to keep funding near last year’s $24.4 billion level. He emphasized a balanced budget...
United’s Cheapest Business Fares Even Worse Than First Reported — No Flight Credit, And For Many Travelers No Miles
United Airlines has introduced a stripped‑down "Basic Business" fare that removes Polaris lounge access, seat selection, and ticket changes. The fare also eliminates mileage accrual for passengers without a MileagePlus credit card, and it no longer counts toward elite‑status flight...
Saudi Aviation Boom Raises Big Questions for the Middle East
Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector is entering a rapid growth phase, spurred by aggressive fleet expansion and the launch of the new national carrier, Riyadh Air. The surge will demand over 58,000 new pilots across the Middle East in the next...
UK to Help Belgium Build Electronic Warfare Centre
QinetiQ will help Belgium build a sovereign electronic warfare capability through a five‑year, multi‑million‑pound (≈$12 million) programme. A new memorandum of understanding authorises the UK firm to export its mission‑data expertise and establish a Joint Electromagnetic Warfare Support Centre modeled on...
Q&A: Building a Broadband Constellation for a Contested Space Era
Logos Space Services, founded by former NASA and Google executive Milo Medin, received FCC approval to launch up to 4,178 low‑Earth‑orbit broadband satellites operating in K‑, Q‑ and V‑band frequencies. The company’s private‑network architecture uses super‑narrow beams to boost capacity,...
Southwest Marginalizes Its Worst Onboard Experience
Southwest Airlines still flies roughly 300 Boeing 737‑700s that have not received the newer seats, power outlets, and cabin upgrades installed on its 800/8 series. The airline is rapidly retiring the -700 fleet, with 48 aircraft removed in 2025 and...
New Details Emerge on New Medium Helicopter Deal
The UK Ministry of Defence has finalized a £989 million (≈$1.26 billion) contract with Leonardo UK for 23 new medium‑lift helicopters under the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) programme. The deal, signed on 23 March 2026, covers not only the aircraft but also design integration,...
Sceye Completes 12‑Day HAPS Test, Paving Way for Stratospheric 5G Service
Sceye announced that its high‑altitude platform system (HAPS) balloon completed a 12‑day endurance flight, marking the end of its technology validation phase. The data gathered will inform upcoming commercial trials aimed at delivering 5G‑grade broadband from the stratosphere. The milestone...
Back to Normal? EL AL’s Bold Expansion Raises Bigger Questions About War, Risk, and the Skies Above the Middle East
Israel’s flag carrier EL AL is rapidly restoring near‑normal service, reopening routes to major European hubs and long‑haul destinations such as New York and Bangkok. The airline aims to operate about 40 destinations with roughly 660 weekly flights, signaling confidence that immediate...
Avianca Cargo Adds Quito-Miami Flights Using Amazon Capacity
Avianca Cargo has added a new Quito‑Miami service, operating five flights per week. The flights use lift capacity provided by Amazon Air Cargo, extending the partnership that began in 2025 with Bogotá‑Miami. The route is aimed at meeting rising demand...
FAA Moves to Cap O'Hare Flights at 2,800 Daily to Avert Summer Gridlock
The Federal Aviation Administration announced plans to cap daily takeoffs and landings at Chicago O'Hare Airport at 2,800, a pre‑emptive step aimed at averting a summer‑time gridlock. The move directly confronts a fierce gate‑war between United Airlines and American Airlines,...
Lockheed Martin Nails Historic Orion Splashdown With NASA, Paving Way for Moon Return
Lockheed Martin celebrated the successful splashdown of NASA’s Orion spacecraft, concluding the Artemis II mission that sent astronauts on a 10‑day journey beyond the Moon. The splashdown validates Orion’s deep‑space re‑entry capabilities and reinforces Lockheed’s role as the prime contractor for...
A Worst-Case Solar Storm Could Knock Out Satellites, GPS and Power Grids, Report Warns
Scientists from the U.K.’s Science and Technology Facilities Council released a 80‑page report outlining a worst‑case solar‑storm scenario that could recur every 100‑200 years. The analysis warns that a severe geomagnetic event could trip power‑grid safety systems, age or destroy...
PAL Adds More US Routes Through American Airlines Deal
Philippine Airlines (PAL) has expanded its codeshare partnership with American Airlines, adding new connections from San Francisco and Seattle to Miami and New York, plus five additional U.S. cities from Los Angeles. The U.S. Department of Transportation approved the amendment,...
Protolabs Joins Space Foundation at Space Symposium
Protolabs announced its partnership with the Space Foundation ahead of the 41st Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, where it will exhibit its aerospace manufacturing capabilities. The company highlights its ITAR‑compliant, AS9100‑certified factories in the U.S. and Europe, emphasizing rapid, high‑mix,...
Lufthansa Cargo Warns of Potential Delays as Pilots Strike
Lufthansa Cargo warned customers on April 13 that a two‑day pilots strike could delay shipments across its network. The strike, involving pilots from Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa Airlines and CityLine, is slated to end at midnight on April 14. While flights...
Proba-3’s First Results Are Already Rewriting What We Thought We Knew About Solar Wind
ESA’s Proba‑3 twin‑satellite mission has released its first scientific data, revealing solar‑wind speeds in the inner corona that far exceed existing model forecasts. The formation‑flying pair creates an artificial eclipse, allowing the ASPIICS coronagraph to observe the Sun’s innermost atmosphere...
Korean University Students Invited to Build UAM Aircraft and Plan Vertiports of the Future
South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority have launched the 2026 National University Student UAM Olympiad, inviting university teams to design urban air‑mobility aircraft and plan vertiport infrastructure. The competition runs from April 10...
M-17, Apache & Super Hercules– Unveiling IAF’s Playbook for US-Style CSAR Ops To Hunt Missing Pilot
In April 2026 a US F‑15E was downed over Iran, prompting a rapid combat search‑and‑rescue (CSAR) effort. Within 15 minutes a package of MC‑130J Combat King II aircraft and HH‑60W Black Hawks, escorted by fighter jets, was launched to locate...
Beyond the Runway
Israel‑based eVTOL maker AIR has delivered the first production version of its heavy‑lift cargo aircraft, a 550‑lb (249 kg) uncrewed platform designed for vertical take‑off and landing. The aircraft, featuring fold‑able wings, advanced electric motors and a larger cargo bay, is...
