What's happening: Airbus posts record FY2025 revenue and backlog
Airbus delivered 793 commercial jets and generated €73.4 billion in revenue, a 6% year‑on‑year rise. Adjusted EBIT reached €7.1 billion and the order backlog hit a record 8,754 aircraft, with total order intake climbing 19% to €123.3 billion.
Also developing:

Russia is courting domestic private investors to rebuild a third of its regional airports after expelling foreign operators such as Germany’s Fraport. The government has earmarked roughly $2.5 billion for the effort, betting on a 50% rise in passenger traffic over the next five years despite war‑induced economic strain. Domestic firms like Novaport, Airports of Regions and Basic Element are expected to shoulder most of the financing. Foreign participation remains unlikely as sanctions and political risk deter western capital.

Southwest Airlines announced it will upgrade its in‑flight connectivity by installing Starlink satellite internet on its fleet, beginning this summer. The airline already provides free, unlimited Wi‑Fi to Rapid Rewards members via T‑Mobile on more than 800 aircraft. Southwest plans...
The Alliance for Space Development’s March Storm space advocacy event returns to Washington, D.C. from March 16-18, 2026!
Thanks Dr. Stephanie Hare and @BBCNews for having me on the show. While data centres in space are experimental at this stage, there’s big payoffs if it works: faster, cheaper, and more sustainable compute than terrestrial alternatives. It sounds sci-fi, but...
The U.S. Air Force announced that its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program has incorporated an open‑architecture framework to support mission‑autonomous capabilities. The new architecture allows software modules to be added, updated, or replaced without redesigning the airframe, accelerating the deployment...

Nuclear power is poised to transform U.S. deep‑space and lunar missions, with NASA targeting a nuclear propulsion test by 2028 and a surface fission reactor on the Moon by 2030. While reactor designs and fuel supplies are mature, the real...
Shield AI has been chosen to supply mission‑autonomy software for the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme, entering the Technology Maturity and Risk Reduction (TMRR) phase after a competitive evaluation. Its Hivemind AI pilot has been integrated into...
U.S. Air Force airmen from the 452nd Logistics Readiness Squadron Aerial Port Flight loaded a next‑generation nuclear reactor onto a C‑17 Globemaster III for Operation Windlord on 15 Feb 2026. The load was coordinated with the 15th Airlift Squadron and the 62nd Airlift Wing,...
U.S. Air Force airmen from the 452nd Logistics Readiness Squadron loaded a next‑generation nuclear reactor onto a C‑17 Globemaster III for Operation Windlord on Feb. 15, 2026. The aircraft, coordinated with the 15th Airlift Squadron and the 62nd Airlift Wing, flew the reactor from...

Zenk Space performed a first‑stage static‑fire test of its Zhihang‑1 rocket on Feb. 11 from a mobile sea platform off Shandong, confirming engine ignition and thrust stability. The 50‑metre, three‑stage vehicle uses four CASC‑developed YF‑102 kerolox engines and can deliver 4,000 kg...

Qatar Airways announced a 14% cut to its spring 2026 London schedule, reducing total outbound flights from 951 to 818 between April and June. Weekly departures for the week of May 1 drop to 59, with Heathrow losing 11 slots and...

Azad Engineering reported a robust quarter, expanding margins and scaling top‑tier OEM relationships in high‑precision aerospace and turbine supply chains. The company’s order book now stands at roughly ₹6,500 crore, equivalent to 14.2 times FY25 revenue, providing strong visibility through FY28. With...

The Scottish Greens have demanded that the Scottish Government evict US military forces from Glasgow Prestwick Airport, citing over 550 landings since April 2025 as evidence of routine use. They plan to raise the issue in a parliamentary debate, arguing...

Lufthansa has begun scrapping one of its retired A380s, registration D‑AIMI, after mothballing six quad‑jets during the pandemic. The aircraft, which logged over 25,000 flight hours, was sent to Tarbes and later sold to a U.S. firm before its fuselage...
Airbus announced a major A400M upgrade at the World Defense Show 2026, targeting a payload increase from 37 tonnes to 40 tonnes through software and trim‑flight‑control enhancements. The company highlighted that 137 aircraft have already been delivered to ten customers, with 41...
Recent commentary reignites calls to privatize the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic control system, citing Canada’s NAV CANADA as a benchmark of efficiency and cost savings. The article argues that while Canada’s model reduced delays and operating expenses, the United...

The McDonnell Douglas MD‑11 can stay aloft for roughly 12‑13 hours with a typical payload, covering up to 6,725 nautical miles. In ferry configuration, its range extends beyond 15 hours and 8,000 nm. Operational endurance varies with payload‑fuel trade‑offs, especially on...

AALTO HAPS, an Airbus subsidiary, announced that northern Australia will host its second Zephyr launch and landing site, dubbed AALTOPORT, following the successful 67‑day stratospheric flight in 2025. The company is calling Australian payload developers to join bilateral talks at...
@emirates has announced a series of aircraft deployments and cabin upgrades across its network as it expands the rollout of Premium Economy and enhances product consistency for customers. Under its ongoing retrofit programme, the airline is set to complete the upgrade...
Air Astana will resume direct services from Almaty to Baku from 15 March 2026, while increasing overall frequencies to the capital of Azerbaijan. The Almaty–Baku–Almaty route will initially operate twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays. Frequency will rise to three weekly...
China’s Mohe Satellite Data Receiving Station, the nation’s highest‑latitude ground facility, began operations on Dec 12, 2025. Leveraging its polar location, the station expands China’s remote‑sensing footprint by roughly 4 million km² and supports 25 land‑observation satellites. It processes over 24 satellite tracks...

@emirates February 2026 booking data shows Lunar New Year is no longer just about balik kampung. It is increasingly a launchpad for long-haul holidays. According to booking data released by Emirates for February 2026, travel to and from Malaysia during the...

Fun fact: 70% of the parts for the first Boom-made engine are finished and delivered. This is a stage 5 HPC blisk, one of the ~30% still being fabricated. https://t.co/NwmqU7HOAk
China’s Smart Dragon 3 solid‑propellant carrier rocket lifted off from a sea‑based launch ship off Guangdong, delivering seven satellites—including a Pakistani remote‑sensing platform—into sun‑synchronous orbit. The 31‑metre vehicle, capable of carrying up to 1.5 tonnes per flight, completed its ninth mission, marking the...
F-16s Find Balloons, Not UFOs, After Sunday Scramble: NORAD Alert F-16s out of California scrambled to hunt down mysterious targets over Nevada and California twice on Sunday. Story: https://t.co/oQhqC5oK7H
NASA is planning the next Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) for Thursday, Feb 19. Call to stations is tmrw (Tuesday) at 6:40 pm ET. Simulated launch time is 8:30 pm ET on Feb 19 w/4-hour window. https://t.co/KCJUL9c800

In early 2026 a handful of carriers stand out for offering the most spacious economy cabins, measured by seat pitch and width. ANA and Japan Airlines lead with up to 34 inches of pitch, while Emirates standardises 32 inches across its A350...
First of all, this is an epic photo. Second, I believe the successful launch (and hopefully) landing of Blue Moon will be a pivotal moment in the space community's recognition that there's a real commercial race to the surface. Third,...
New GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator Parts Reverse Engineered From ATACMS Ballistic Missile Tech Replacing GBU-57s dropped on Iran highlights issues that come from being locked into a single contractor, a which the Pentagon is trying to change. Story: https://t.co/P7JyrN8lCZ
Exoplanet atmospheric characterization has been dominated by the James Webb Space Telescope, but its high demand limits observation time. Researchers have introduced EXCITE, a balloon‑borne infrared telescope designed specifically for exoplanet climate studies. By flying on a high‑altitude gondola, EXCITE...
Passengers rejoice. Lufthansa has started selling all but three of the Allegris business class seats on board its new Boeing 787-9 twinjets, after clearing some key certification hurdles with the US Federal Aviation Administration. https://t.co/Taxf2bSwqN #PaxEx
Jonathan's Space Report No. 853 published at https://t.co/6gKV8Gl53V I have temporarily lost the capability to send this out as an email newsletter, so for the time being you'll have to access this on the website.
SAS pilots diverted a Stockholm‑Malaga Airbus A320 after passengers spotted a mouse aboard, turning the aircraft back after roughly two hours in flight. This marks the second rodent‑related diversion on a SAS Malaga route within eighteen months, following a similar incident...

The Chinese spaceplane maneuvered from a 349 x 592 km orbit to a circular 588 x 597 km orbit at about 0050 UTC Feb 12. (Shown: perigee, average, apogee heights) https://t.co/X9FhHPTxwJ

Great weekend at @MunSecConf. The world is in transition, and it’s clear Space is incredibly relevant. I met with leaders incl @NATO_SACT and @DavidMcGuinty, and was inspired by remarks from @ZelenskyyUa, @vonderleyen, @Keir_Starmer and others on the critical need for...

Dutch Defence Secretary Gijs Tuinman told Dutch radio that the F‑35’s software could potentially be “jailbroken,” hinting at a future where the Netherlands might operate the jet without U.S. approval. He stopped short of confirming any concrete plan, noting the...
This Is A Nuclear Reactor Packed Into A C-17 Globemaster III Micro nuclear reactors are being seen as a way to get critical bases off the grid, but they could also have a major impact on civilian energy production. Story: https://t.co/KrommLR43d

Researchers from the University of Oxford and deflection startup OuSoCo used the HiRadMat particle accelerator to expose a Campo del Cielo iron meteorite sample to intense radiation, mimicking a nuclear blast. The sample first softened, then flexed and ultimately restrengthened,...
A new pre‑print from the Ariel‑JWST Synergy Working Group details how the James Webb Space Telescope and ESA’s upcoming Ariel mission can coordinate to study exoplanet atmospheres. The paper proposes joint target selection, simultaneous infrared spectroscopy, and shared data‑fusion pipelines...

The episode examines Frontier Airlines’ turnaround under new CEO Jimmy Dempsey, focusing on his four‑point strategy: rightsizing the fleet, tightening cost discipline, cutting cancellations and boosting on‑time performance, and deepening customer loyalty. Analysts debate the merits of increasing frequency on...

Britain’s new net‑zero roadmap, championed by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, proposes orbiting solar power stations to supply the UK with continuous, large‑scale electricity. The government‑commissioned study outlines ultra‑light satellites that convert sunlight to microwave beams, received by ground rectennas. Early...

The article presents a Roscosmos‑focused trivia quiz that highlights the agency’s Soviet heritage and its contemporary role in spaceflight. It notes that the modern Russian space agency was established in 1992 and that the Vostochny Cosmodrome was built to lessen...
The World Economic Forum and the Center for Space Futures released a report warning that orbital congestion has surged as commercial launches multiply, raising collision risk to 29% in certain altitude bands by 2032. The study, produced with the Saudi...

President Trump’s push to expand U.S. presence in Greenland highlights the island’s emerging role as a strategic gateway for space operations. High‑latitude launch sites in Greenland enable efficient polar and sun‑synchronous orbits, making the territory attractive to private launch firms...

Roskosmos resumes processing of the Progress MS-33 cargo ship in Baikonur in anticipation of the return to flight from the restored Site 31 after the service platform collapse last year: https://t.co/mN4Hi2mIUG https://t.co/dpnK9COwOB

The International Space Station will retire by 2030, prompting a surge of private firms racing to build replacement outposts in low‑Earth orbit. Vast Space plans to launch its single‑module Haven‑1 in early 2027, while Axiom Space is incrementally adding modules...

Moon dust, the fine fraction of lunar regolith, is uniquely sharp, abrasive, chemically reactive, and electrostatically charged, making it a multi‑domain hazard for human health and hardware. Apollo missions documented irritation to eyes, lungs, and skin, as well as accelerated...

The article surveys the most popular nonfiction titles that focus on space stations, highlighting memoirs, human‑factors science, and technical “how‑it‑works” books. It explains how these works prioritize lived experience, routine operations, and system explanations over pure engineering detail. The piece...

The episode explores SpaceX’s ambitious filing to launch up to one million satellites as an orbital data center, positioning the company toward a Kardashev Type II vision and highlighting regulatory waivers and the link to Elon Musk’s AI venture. It then...

NASA launched two sub‑orbital sounding rockets from Alaska’s Poker Flat Research Range to investigate the electrical dynamics of auroras. The BADASS mission reached 224 miles altitude to study rare black auroras, while the GNEISS mission deployed twin rockets to 198...