Know What's Happening in Aerospace
Know What's Happening in Aerospace
Artemis II crew prepares for historic lunar flyby
NASA’s four‑person Artemis II crew has passed the mission’s halfway point and is set for a five‑hour lunar flyby on April 6, skimming 4,000‑6,500 miles above the Moon’s far side to capture high‑resolution images of the Orientale basin and test Orion’s life‑support and navigation systems. The Space Launch System placed Orion into Earth orbit with 99.92% trajectory accuracy, and the crew will target a splashdown around April 10‑11.
Also developing:
Exlabs' ApophisExL mission, the first commercial deep‑space rideshare, has secured a second payload customer: Japan's Chiba Institute of Technology. The university team will launch two student‑built landers to touch down on asteroid Apophis during its April 13, 2029 close fly‑by. The mission already carries an Australian mapping instrument from Fleet Space and operates with design support from NASA’s JPL. Together with a growing roster of international probes, the private flight expands commercial participation in asteroid science and planetary‑defense efforts.
United Airlines announced a tactical reduction of less‑profitable flights and a suspension of service to Tel Aviv and Dubai after jet fuel prices nearly doubled. CEO Scott Kirby warned the carrier faces an $11 billion jump in its annual fuel bill...
The Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test & Evaluation reported on March 16, 2026 that the Space Force’s Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System (ATLAS) is not yet mature enough to retire the 1979‑era Space Defense Operations Center (SPADOC). Although ATLAS achieved operational...
Sweden’s Esrange spaceport signed a roughly $22 million launch agreement with the Swedish Armed Forces, earmarking the facility for military and allied satellite missions. The contract is part of a broader $100 million government investment to expand Sweden’s space capabilities through 2032,...
An international team led by Helena Faustino Vieira used JWST’s NIRSpec to study emerging young star clusters (eYSCs) in the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 628. The FEAST program targeted 14 eYSCs, detecting helium and hydrogen recombination lines, molecular hydrogen transitions, and strong...
The U.S. Air Force continues integration testing of the AGM‑181 Long Range Standoff (LRSO) cruise missile on a B‑52H Stratofortress, which was photographed over California carrying two inert missiles. The formation also included an NKC‑135R tanker and an F‑22 equipped...
🚨 IRAN COULD NOW HIT LONDON, PARIS OR BERLIN They just launched ballistic missiles at the UK-US base on Diego Garcia (around 4,000 km away). Even though the missiles missed, it shows they have much longer range than previously thought. Big European capitals...
Intercepting ballistic missiles is really hard. Iranian ballistic missile making through the air defense in the Southern Israeli city of Dimona
The Federal Aviation Administration’s Engineered Materials Arresting System (EMAS) is a runway safety feature that can halt an overrunning aircraft within seconds. Installed on 116 runways at 69 U.S. airports, EMAS uses crush‑able concrete blocks (EMASMAX) or recycled‑glass silica foam...
India’s civil aviation ministry lifted the temporary airfare caps that capped tickets between ₹7,500 and ₹18,000, effective Monday. The caps were introduced after IndiGo’s December disruptions and were removed as flight capacity normalises amid rising operating costs linked to the...
New high‑resolution photographs reveal a Lockheed Martin F‑22A Raptor equipped with stealthy external fuel tanks and twin equipment pods. The pods appear to house an infrared search‑and‑track (IRST) or similar optical targeting system, while the tanks feature low‑observable shaping to...
United Airlines $UAL plans to lower its capacity by 5% across less profitable routes in the near term in response to surging fuel prices - SA
United Airlines will debut its next‑generation Polaris suites on 787‑9 aircraft this spring, but the sliding privacy doors will remain locked open until the FAA grants certification. The memo to flight attendants confirms that door‑related safety procedures are on hold,...
China displayed the CJ‑1000 hypersonic missile at a September 3, 2025 parade, claiming a 6,000‑km range and Mach 6 speed. U.S. officials say the weapon widens a perceived gap in the hypersonic race, prompting accelerated testing of the Dark Eagle program.
Bahrain announced that its Patriot air‑defence system intercepted an Iranian drone over the Sitra district on March 9, preventing a direct hit on a residential area. The drone strike initially injured 32 civilians, including children, and was previously described by the...
Operators can use commercial off the shelf [COTS] electronics in satellites, with a mission life of 3-7 years. A radiation-hardened part can last 15 years. Many modern satellites use radiation tolerant parts. SpaceX, Planet Labs and Kuiper/LEO all...
NASA’s Artemis 2 mission rolled back to Launch Complex 39B on March 20 and is now positioned for a launch window opening April 1. The rollout followed a February‑March fix of a helium‑line seal that caused upper‑stage blockage and hydrogen leaks during earlier wet‑dress...
Airlines are deploying Boeing’s 777X ultra‑long‑haul jets as geopolitical tensions make traditional great‑circle routes unreliable. The aircraft’s 18‑hour range enables nonstop links such as Singapore‑New York and opens new possibilities between Australia‑Europe and Southeast Asia‑North America. Closed Russian airspace and volatile Middle‑East corridors...
Lufthansa, Europe’s flagship carrier, is piloting a "light cleaning" concept on short‑haul flights, cleaning only Business Class cabins while economy sections and lavatories are serviced on demand. The trial runs on 20 routes between March 16 and March 29, targeting...
Planet Labs posted a record $86.8 million Q4 revenue, a 41% year‑over‑year increase, and announced its first full‑year adjusted EBITDA profitability. The results, coupled with a 39% revenue outlook for FY 2027, lifted the company’s shares 25% in after‑hours trading.
Airbus is integrating its European MARS mission system, featuring the MindShare AI, into two Kratos Valkyrie combat drones for the German Air Force. The first flight is targeted for late 2026, with full operational capability expected by 2029. The Valkyrie...
The Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test & Evaluation reported that the Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System (ATLAS) still cannot meet the minimum viable capability required to retire the legacy Space Defense Operations Center (SPADOC). Although the Space Force approved...
Russia’s state‑owned Rostec announced that its High‑Precision Systems division has delivered a new, undisclosed batch of Pantsir‑S short‑range air‑defence missile and gun systems to the Defence Ministry. The vehicles passed required testing and were accepted by military inspectors. Pantsir‑S remains...
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby announced an aggressive growth plan despite oil prices climbing toward $175 per barrel, committing to take delivery of about 120 new aircraft this year and expanding hub infrastructure, especially at Newark. United’s cash reserves are...
Kraus Hamdani Aerospace announced it will unveil updates to its K1000ULE ultra‑long‑endurance unmanned aerial system at the 2026 AUSA Global Force Symposium. The platform is marketed as a dual‑role system delivering persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) and resilient communications for...
On March 20, 1991 Cuban Air Force pilot Orestes Lorenzo Perez flew his MiG‑23 to NAS Key West, seeking political asylum in the United States. After months of diplomatic deadlock, he raised $30,000 to purchase a 1961 Cessna 310 and,...
China Southern Airbus A330-343 (reg B-1062) on CZ3554 from Shanghai Hongqiao suffered a major bird strike shortly after takeoff... radome torn clean off, the crew declared emergency, returned immediately and landed safely with no injuries. This is one of the more...
Robert Zimmerman’s new title *Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8* chronicles the historic 1968 mission that first took humans around the Moon. The book is now released in three formats—print, ebook, and audiobook—each with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a...
Rocket Lab secured a $190 million contract with the U.S. Department of Defense, the company’s largest launch deal to date. The agreement funds 20 HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) flights over four years, making the suborbital Electron variant the primary...
Singapore Airlines is adding a second daily Gatwick‑Singapore service for the summer, expanding from three‑times‑weekly to daily flights between March and September. The new routes will be operated by Airbus A350‑900s with 253 seats across three cabins. Meanwhile, Avios has...
The ITU is a UN treaty organization which has zero power to create or enforce rules. Regulators from specific countries (eg FCC) are tasked with enforcement. The treaties never contemplated tens of thousands of satellites in a small number of...
I want a HondaJet carrier borne ASW aircraft and no I don't care how bad of an idea that is.
Ethiopian Airlines announced it will relocate from Terminal 7 to the new JFK Terminal One when the facility opens in 2026. The move makes the carrier the latest Star Alliance member to join the $19 billion redevelopment of New York’s flagship airport. Ethiopian’s...
United Airlines Accidentally Emailed Every Flight Attendant That They Were Moving To London [Roundup] - View from the Wing https://t.co/7FygmjmEoU
Two-stage is a helpful bit of data. Now more likely a two-stage IRBM derived from a solid SLV like the Zoljanah or Qaem-100/105.
Firefly Aerospace announced a record $159.9 million in annual revenue, up 163% from the prior year, after its Alpha Flight 7 launch. The surge lifted the stock 7% in pre‑market trading and underscored the company’s expanding role in the U.S. small‑satellite launch...
JetBlue Pilots Sue To Stop The United Partnership — Claiming It Violates Their Contract - View from the Wing https://t.co/wf5nzIHtpu
This is very good, although I tend to think the SLVs were always designed with use as IRBMs in mind so I regard that as equally likely given the very long distances involved.
Airbus lists the A320neo at $113.5 million in 2025, but airlines buying in 2026 typically pay 20‑50% less after negotiations. Discounts hinge on order size, delivery slots and broader market conditions, with large deals such as AerCap’s 100‑aircraft order securing deep...
A cargo mission to lift off from the repaired pad at Site 31 tomorrow for the first time (details, updates): https://t.co/U0Mzlpkmer
The big read: What the heck is taking the eVTOL companies so long? https://t.co/vX387k0LlX (via @elanhead)
Airbus DS Airborne Solutions (ADAS) celebrated a key milestone as its Heron 1 medium‑altitude long‑endurance UAS logged 10,000 flight hours supporting Frontex’s maritime surveillance over Malta. The European Border and Coast Guard Agency awarded ADAS a second four‑year contract in 2025,...
While I can't rule out a low-payload stunt, Iran has several SLVs (including solid propellants) that could deliver a significant payload to these distances.
This is misguided. Iran’s 2000 km “ceiling” was a voluntary political limit, not a technical one. Many of us spent the past several years explaining that Iran could quickly build IRBMs if it chose to do so. It’s not my...
United Airlines plans for the worst and no doubt hopes for the best. Source: https://t.co/aZdWvhb1R5 https://t.co/vYd0VS4sw7
Lufthansa CEO yesterday: “non-EU airlines (successful Asian, Gulf carriers, etc) are the problem, they’re the reason we barely fly to Asia, they’re why we struggle to fly East, it’s unbalanced, it’s unfair” and “we have lost towards South East Asia”...
Optimus+PV will be the first Von Neumann probe, a machine fully capable of replicating itself using raw materials found in space
“optically-coordinated swarming drones with simple neural nets, that simply target anything warm and moving.” - are you paying attention yet?
The barrier to how many satellites can be in a particular low Earth orbit is effectively the distance required to provide a "margin of safety" to avoid collisions. Filing with the ITU before others allows the system to claim a...
Both missed, but still. “Iran’s targeting of Diego Garcia, about 4,000 kilometers from Iran, implies its missiles have a greater range than Tehran has previously acknowledged.” https://t.co/4Ll8mz9eNN
