Know What's Happening in Aerospace
Know What's Happening in Aerospace
NASA faces steep FY2027 budget cuts, overall funding slashed to $11B
The White House’s FY2027 budget request proposes a 23% reduction to NASA’s total budget, bringing it down to roughly $11 billion. The Science Mission Directorate would see a 47% cut, dropping from $7.25 billion to about $3.9 billion.
Delta Air Lines diverted its Seattle‑Taipei flight to Anchorage after passenger Malcolm Martin used a racial slur and threatened a flight attendant, prompting a Level 3 threat designation and cockpit lockdown. An FBI affidavit shows Martin was charged with interference with crew members and faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The incident follows a similar Delta diversion in January, highlighting a pattern of escalating unruly passenger behavior on long‑haul routes.
China’s Shenzhou‑21 crew performed a seven‑hour extravehicular activity on March 16, installing a space‑debris protection device on the Tiangong station. The EVA marks the mission’s second spacewalk, the 26th overall for Chinese astronauts, and brings commander Zhang Lu’s total to...
Manufacturers are accelerating counter‑drone (CUAS) development as nations rush to buy systems for battlefield and homeland protection. Recent Middle‑East flare‑ups, including the US‑Israeli strike on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory attacks, have underscored the growing threat of uncrewed aerial systems highlighted...
Archer Aviation reported a Q4 2025 net loss of $188.9 million and a full‑year loss of $618.2 million, while ending the year with a record $2 billion liquidity cushion. The company confirmed its Midnight eVTOL fleet is on schedule for piloted flights in...
Researchers at Norway's SINTEF have built a hydrogen‑fuel‑cell drone that swaps its battery for a lightweight hydrogen tank, delivering multi‑hour flight endurance. The prototype can inspect long stretches of power lines, conduct search‑and‑rescue missions, and map terrain, offering a cheaper,...
On February 12, 2026, the U.S. Army delivered its first AH‑64E Apache helicopters to the 1st Armored Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Bliss. The aircraft mark the unit’s shift toward a Heavy Combat Aviation Brigade, featuring upgraded sensors, networked...
ALL.SPACE announced on March 18, 2026 that its electronically scanned antenna terminal received the industry’s first certification for simultaneous multi‑orbit connectivity on SES’s O3b mPOWER MEO constellation. The ESA can track GEO, MEO and LEO satellites concurrently without mechanical parts, offering...
In this episode, Colonel Andrew Menchner, Deputy Commander of Space Systems Command (SSC), explains how SSC acquires, builds, and fields critical space capabilities—such as GPS, missile warning, and satellite communications—for the joint force, allies, and partners. He highlights the command’s...
Amid the escalating Iran‑U.S. conflict, widespread airspace closures have forced carriers to cancel or reroute flights across the Middle East and Europe‑Asia corridors. Despite these disruptions, Cirium’s On‑Time Performance Review 2025 ranks Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier Saudia as the world’s...
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and the U.S. Air Force completed a landmark autonomy flight test using the MQ‑20 Avenger. The exercise demonstrated that the unmanned jet can coordinate complex combat maneuvers without human input, showcasing the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA)...
Air Seychelles will temporarily resume nonstop Mahé‑Paris flights from 22 March to 29 April 2026, operating three times weekly using a leased Etihad Boeing 787‑9 Dreamliner. The carrier’s own fleet of A320neos and Twin Otters cannot cover the 4,871‑mile sector,...
The European Space Agency announced a €50 million incentive to encourage the use of Ariane 6 or other European launchers for its ALADDIN demonstration missions, part of the LEO Cargo Return Services program. Up to €420 million per contract will be awarded, split...
Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths speaking to CNN's Becky Anderson: the key to keeping flights moving at DXB during the recent suspension was the outstanding teamwork from all parties... airport, airlines, ground handlers, emergency services. IMO: it’s easy to criticise when...
Qatar Airways evacuated four Airbus A330 wide‑bodies from Doha to Tarmac Aerosave in Teruel, Spain, after the Iran‑Qatar conflict shut Qatari airspace in late February. The deep‑storage facility, known for housing aircraft long‑term, offers protection from desert sand and corrosion....
Engel Austria unveiled a fully automated production line for composite drone rotor blades at JEC World, merging reinforcement placement, core injection, and final trimming in a single injection‑moulding cycle. The process uses carbon‑fibre‑reinforced thermoplastic tapes as load‑bearing skins and a...
McDonnell Douglas equipped the C‑17 Globemaster with a T‑tail to maximize rear‑cargo clearance and preserve elevator effectiveness during airdrop operations. The high‑mounted horizontal stabilizer, inherited from the YC‑15 prototype, also improves stall recovery and overall pitch stability. Combined with a...
The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that the first E‑7 Wedgetail airborne early‑warning aircraft, ordered in 2019, will now be delivered in 2026 after a series of setbacks. Officials traced the delay to a technology issue within Boeing’s certification process,...
Japan’s lunar‑transport firm ispace and Thailand’s Geo‑Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) have signed an MOU to study a Thai‑built life‑science payload for delivery to the Moon. GISTDA will lead design, development and project management, while ispace will provide...
The global space economy is set to surge from $630 billion in 2023 to $1.7 trillion by 2035, yet the legal framework remains fragmented and largely government‑centric. Private actors face a regulatory vacuum that could trigger lunar land grabs, inflate costs, and...
On March 18, 1965, Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov performed the first human spacewalk during the Voskhod 2 mission. He spent roughly 12 minutes outside the capsule before a suit malfunction forced him to depressurize and crawl back, narrowly surviving. While in...
The episode covers several aviation news items, highlighted by Surf Air Mobility’s partnership with Beta Technologies to acquire 25 electric CETOL aircraft for inter‑island service in Hawaii and a planned maintenance hub, and Beta’s participation in a U.S. DOT fast‑track...
China’s space agency has identified Aten‑class asteroid 2016 WP8 as the target for its first planetary‑defense kinetic‑impact test, slated for a December 2027 launch on a Long March 3B from Xichang. The mission will deploy two spacecraft—a kinetic impactor that will strike the asteroid...
NASA’s planetary science division received $2.54 billion for FY 2026, about $200 million less than the $2.72 billion allocated in the two prior years. The shortfall forces the agency to make "strategic choices" about which missions can continue, with particular uncertainty around the Venus...
The Boeing B‑1B Lancer, a long‑range strategic bomber, narrowly avoided cancellation after the Vietnam era left policymakers wary of heavy bombers. Reagan’s 1981 intervention revived the program, leading to the B‑1B’s first flight in October 1984 and operational deployment at...
The UK Space Agency and Ukraine’s State Space Agency have signed a memorandum of understanding, marking the first agency‑to‑agency space agreement between the two nations. The MoU commits both parties to collaborate on civil and commercial space projects, supporting the...
Korean Air has retired Airbus A380 service on 11 routes, leaving it with six super‑jumbos – the joint‑second‑smallest A380 fleet worldwide. The carrier previously operated ten A380s, scrapping four, and has already phased out the Boeing 747‑8i. The A380’s last regular European...
Air cargo supervisor TCE reports that leisure airlines continue to demand Total Cargo Management (TCM) services, a trend that accelerated during the Covid pandemic. Previously, cargo was a peripheral revenue stream, but airlines now view it as a core profit...
Vertical Aerospace activates automated battery pilot line, advancing Valo certification while cash burn and liquidity remain key risks; trade: buy after funding or regulatory milestones. — Viktor Kopylov, PhD, CFA More insights: t.me/si14Kopylov
GE Aerospace announced a €110 million investment to expand additive manufacturing, testing and machining capabilities across five European sites. The plan includes €77 million for Italy, €15 million for Poland, €10 million for the UK, €8 million for the Czech Republic and €3 million for Romania,...
Leonardo is positioning its M‑346 jet to capture a projected $21.9 billion market for light‑attack and trainer aircraft. The aircraft is seen as a cost‑effective replacement for aging trainer fleets and a cheaper alternative to high‑end fighters like the F‑35. CEO...
Japan has quietly moved its upgraded Type‑12 surface‑to‑ship missiles to Camp Kengun in Kumamoto, extending strike range to roughly 1,000 km—four times the original capability. The deployment, accelerated to the end of March, gives the Japan Ground Self‑Defense Force a counter‑strike...
Congress passed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, restoring SBIR and STTR funding for defense startups and extending the programs through 2031. The legislation ends a months‑long funding impasse that left the SBA's $4 billion seed pool exhausted, unlocking...
In the first quarter of 2026 ESA demonstrated Europe’s autonomous heavy‑lift capability with the successful four‑booster Ariane 6 launch. Copernicus‑3 radar monitored severe flooding in Bordeaux, while astronaut Sophie Adenot joined the International Space Station. A student team prepared a CubeSat...
Japanese defense giant Kawasaki Heavy Industries announced development of a Collaborative Support Aircraft (CSA) program, exploring two unmanned platforms: a missile‑like system and a conventional UAV‑type aircraft. The concepts are designed for launch from ground, naval vessels, and airborne carriers...
Today, high above your head, 2 human beings will be working outside in the eternal emptiness of the universe. astro_chrisw (1st spacewalk) & astro_jessica (4th) are improving solar arrays. Needed, as the International Space Station will be up & working through...
Spacewalk US EVA-94 is underway on the ISS. Astronauts Meir and Williams, in suits 3015 and 3003 and with SAFER packs 15 and 18 depressurized the airlock past 50 mbar at 1246 UTC, opened the hatch at 1251 UTC and...
AerCap announced its first direct Airbus order since 2017, committing to 100 A320neo family jets—23 A320neos and 77 A321neos. Forty‑five of the aircraft are converted options from last year’s Spirit Airlines deal, while the remaining 55 are brand‑new. Airbus will...
Roskosmos conducts a rather rare parallel cargo ship launch campaigns in Baikonur, with Progress MS-34 in early tests and Progress MS-33 on the pad, in an effort to make up the ISS resupply schedule after the November pad accident. Context:...
Air Seychelles is getting creative in light of the current disruptions in the Gulf, as the airline will resume long haul flights to Paris, using a leased plane. https://t.co/hEGV5N7aEe
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries completed flight demonstrations of AI‑powered mission autonomy for its ARMD UAV using Shield AI’s Hivemind Enterprise platform. The full development cycle—from AI design and training to hardware integration and flight—was finished in just eight weeks. Demonstrations took...
United CEO Scott Kirby Says Buying JetBlue Is Up To Them — As Government Travel Falls 50% - View from the Wing https://t.co/SCDu2KV8hV
Heads up! Celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first flight of the Hawker Hunter this July with a special one-day RAeS conference at @RAF_Cosford #avgeek https://t.co/hHJSpa5u8n https://t.co/F8FXPupIrK
The European Space Agency awarded OHB Sweden a contract to build 20 satellites for the EPS‑Sterna weather constellation, with six operational units at any time and two spares. The first six satellites are targeted for launch in 2029, and the...
An EVA Air Boeing 777 & Air Canada Jazz Embraer E175 had a very close call at JFK airport, in what can only be described as a major pilot screw-up. https://t.co/bOAVUlfXyr
Reality check: a ~$20k drone does not have a 100% success rate. @wilendhornets's numbers indicate that Shaheds can be stopped with ~95% effectiveness for ~$2k/shahed. So a single successful shahed attack actually costs ~$400k. Drones augment missiles. They don't replace them.
On 17 March 2026 the UK Space Agency refreshed its online guide of space‑skills and career resources, consolidating links to training, work‑experience and informational content. The updated list spotlights UKSpace101’s introductory portal, Airbus’s Springpod virtual experience for students aged 13+, Nuffield‑funded...
Free space lecture, RAeS Farnborough Branch, 18 March (with the IET) Skynet Stories https://t.co/cnpzx0gqO3 https://t.co/0kVai1yf4T
Jet AirWerks and Stratton Aviation have signed an agreement to disassemble CFM56‑5B/7B engines at Jet AirWerks' Engine Services Center, creating a dedicated pipeline for parts recovery and used serviceable material (USM). The partnership adds dedicated gantry space for Stratton and...
American Airlines has rolled out a major update to its mobile app that provides real‑time flight‑delay transparency. The new interface pulls data from multiple sources, including the airline’s own operations center and third‑party flight‑tracking services, to display expected departure and...
After extensive testing, the Royal Netherlands Navy has purchased twelve V‑BAT autonomous drones from Shield AI. The drones, fitted with radar and high‑resolution cameras, provide long‑duration, high‑altitude maritime reconnaissance and can operate without satellite connectivity. Control units are being installed...
