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:
SpaceX completed two Starlink missions within 24 hours, launching 25 satellites from Vandenberg and 29 from Cape Canaveral. Both Falcon 9 first stages were recovered, marking the 14th and 11th flights of the boosters after turn‑arounds of 32 and 27 days. The rapid reuse cadence supports multiple weekly launches and underpins SpaceX’s lead in the 2026 launch race, with 34 flights projected, far ahead of rivals.
Beyond Aero announced the completion of the Preliminary Design Review for its hydrogen‑electric business jet, moving the program into detailed engineering and validation planning. The review confirmed successful integration of gaseous hydrogen storage, fuel‑cell electric propulsion, and thermal‑management systems within...
South Korean rocket startup Innospace released its investigation into the Hanbit‑Nano maiden‑flight failure on December 22, 2025. The probe identified a rupture in the first‑stage combustion‑chamber assembly 33 seconds after liftoff, caused by a leakage from improperly sealed components. The leakage stemmed...
NASA released X‑ray computed tomography scans of asteroid Bennu samples on March 17, 2026, revealing intricate crack networks inside the material. The scans show that Bennu’s boulders are highly porous, a property that accounts for the low thermal inertia measured...
Unilode Aviation Solutions and cargo‑equipment maker SATCO have launched a joint MRO facility at Los Angeles International Airport, providing on‑site ULD maintenance and repair. The partnership also includes a long‑term agreement for Unilode to source SATCO’s fire‑resistant cargo nets, bolstering...
Demand for satellite constellations, lunar missions and private launches is surging, but the space supply chain lags behind, creating costly delays. The Aerospace Industries Association and PwC released a report outlining gaps and policy fixes, including a two‑way demand‑signaling system...
Top Aces’ U.S. subsidiary won a $33.2 million contract to train Argentine Air Force pilots on the newly acquired F‑16 fleet. The two‑year program, managed by the U.S. Air Force Security Assistance Training Squadron, includes classroom instruction, simulator work and live‑fly...
Open Skies Network has partnered with ASONE Park to build the United Kingdom’s first DronePort at St Merryn Aerodrome in north Cornwall. The aviation campus will host eVTOL, eSTOL and BVLOS drone operations, creating a multi‑use environment where traditional and emerging aircraft...
Viasat Inc. announced that its in‑flight connectivity solution has been selected for National Airlines’ three new Airbus A330 aircraft. The airline equipped the jets with Viasat’s GM‑40 Ka‑band terminal, delivering high‑capacity Wi‑Fi capable of HD video streaming and AI‑driven applications...
On March 17, 1958 the United States launched Vanguard 1, its second satellite and the world’s first solar‑powered spacecraft. The 3‑pound metal sphere, only 6.5 inches across, entered a high‑altitude orbit that has kept it aloft for more than six decades, making...
Airports are increasingly constrained by fragmented decision‑making rather than runway or gate capacity. SITA’s Total Airport Management platform connects data, teams, and partners in real time, applying predictive analytics to optimise operations and pre‑empt disruptions. Early adopters such as Abu...
Doncaster Sheffield Airport has reached a key milestone in its reopening plan as the UK Civil Aviation Authority published the initial findings of its Airspace Change Proposal, moving the process to public consultation. The airport’s preferred “Option 3” reduces the volume...
Revisiting one of the most haunting aviation stories I’ve ever covered: Japan Airlines Flight 123 — the deadliest single-aircraft crash in history. Part 1 of my series with Lars Perkins explores how a routine flight became an unimaginable tragedy — and...
KONGSBERG announced that its StrikeMaster missile launch vehicle will remain in Europe, citing strong interest from international partners. The system pairs Thales Australia’s Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle with a twin‑pack Naval Strike Missile (NSM) launcher, delivering rapid, land‑based precision strike...
The U.S. Department of Transportation has upgraded its Origin & Destination Survey from the legacy DB1B to DB1C. The overhaul expands the sample size to 40% of tickets, shifts reporting from quarterly to monthly, and adds advance‑purchase buckets, tax inclusion,...
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is moving from niche to mainstream in business aviation, offering a drop‑in replacement that cuts lifecycle carbon emissions by 75‑80%. At NBAA‑BACE 2025, Avfuel and Bombardier highlighted that a 30:70 SAF‑jet fuel blend delivers significant emissions...
British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA) announced a new Future Flight working group during its 50th‑anniversary conference. The group will focus on urban and regional air mobility, providing member consultation, regulator outreach, and technology integration. Led by BBGA vice‑chair...
In September 1951 a US Navy AD‑1 Skyraider ran out of fuel and was forced to ditch off Point Reyes, Northern California. The aircraft’s pilot, Lt. F.C. Anderson, and his passenger, a 21‑year‑old Army private named Clint Eastwood, survived the...
During Exercise Iniochos 2026, NATO fighter jets—including French Mirage 2000s, Greek F‑4 Phantoms, Slovenian PC‑9s and Hellenic F‑16s—flew low‑level through the famed Greek Mach Loop. The multinational air drill, hosted at Andravida Air Base from 2 March to 23 March, featured a full...
The British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA) and the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) will terminate their dual‑membership agreement on August 7, 2026, after ten years. The split stems from an inability to align subscription‑fee structures. Members will no longer have...
Airhub Aviation has secured a base‑maintenance agreement with AerCap, the world’s largest aircraft lessor, to service AerCap’s fleet at its Siauliai International Airport facility in Lithuania. The contract covers a full suite of MRO tasks, including avionics upgrades, cabin reconfigurations,...
Capstone Jet Charter has launched an on‑demand charter brokerage that emphasizes advisory evaluation over a simple aircraft marketplace. Led by veteran Victoria Reina‑Duffy and backed by Guardian Jet, the firm vets operators, maintenance records, and mission suitability before recommending flights....
Signature Aviation inaugurated a 433 sq m private aviation terminal at Glasgow Airport on March 16, featuring an expanded lounge, VIP area, meeting space, showers and a dedicated screening room. The opening ceremony included senior executives from both companies and highlighted charitable donations...
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴. One thing that always fascinates me about space missions is this: SpaceX’s Starship does not fly to Mars in a straight line. It follows a Hohmann transfer orbit, an elliptical path around the Sun that...
Recent hostilities in the Middle East, highlighted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, have exposed a hidden vulnerability in Boeing’s supply chain. The disruption threatens the petro‑chemical feedstock needed for carbon‑fiber composites that underpin the 787 Dreamliner and...
Malaysia Airlines and Firefly rolled out fuel surcharges in phases from March 11 and March 25, while Batik Air Malaysia and AirAsia X have followed. Across Asia, carriers such as Cathay Pacific and IndiGo are taking similar steps, although Air...
Seven of the eight payloads from the KZ-11 launch cataloged in a 528 x 541 km x 97.5 deg sun synch orbit with 1030LT plane. The upper stage is in a 284 x 1059 km x 97.3 deg...
A bright fireball streaked across the sky over Hawke’s Bay early Thursday morning, prompting witnesses to think it was a plane or meteor. Observers from Wairoa to Napier reported a slow‑moving white object leaving a lingering contrail lasting up to...
A regional conflict with a global impact. Scandinavian Airlines has been forced to make multiple of short-term flight cancellations, including domestic flights within Norway, as “the entire European aviation system is now feeling the pressure from a sudden fuel shock”
SpaceX valuation then: $200B SpaceX valuation today: $1.25T SpaceX proposed IPO valuation: $1.7T My 2035 target? $30-50T.
Brazil’s aviation sector is entering a new era in 2026 as its three largest carriers—Azul, GOL and LATAM—have emerged from Chapter 11 restructurings, creating a more rational market landscape. The industry still wrestles with high fuel costs, extensive litigation and lingering...
For Saint Patrick’s Day, one of my favorite rocket launch photos… Black Rock Desert, NV The green glow comes from barium chloride mixed into the AP propellant. I planned the camera location in advance to bisect the moonrise, and then...
The FAA has transitioned to the new Part 450 licenses for commercial space launch/reentry. https://t.co/HjK7RLvyJQ
AST SpaceMobile reported full‑year 2025 revenue of $70.9 million, hitting the top of its guidance, and disclosed a $1.2 billion minimum‑committed revenue backlog anchored by a $175 million prepayment from Saudi Arabia’s STC Group. The company raised over $3.5 billion, boosting cash to $3.9 billion,...
In this case, I think it is more likely that these are J-6 drones formerly used by the PLA that have since been withdrawn and are now stored. Chinese drones have moved on…
A 21st century Renaissance in lighter-than-air vehicles? Mark Piesling examines progress in airships #avgeek https://t.co/UvkccWNHnw https://t.co/LIzyTaTGGt
China’s Shenzhou‑21 crew completed a second seven‑hour EVA, installing a new space‑debris protection device on the Tiangong station. Astronauts Zhang Lu and Wu Fei performed the walk with assistance from the station’s robotic arm and fellow crew member Zhang Hongzhan. The mission also...
$ASTS just crossed the Rubicon With the largest commercial antenna ever deployed now operational, the technical risk is gone. Focus shifts to a production cadence of 6 satellites per month. Pitch by @CrossroadsOnX https://t.co/djAsgaqhct
New on the @AeroSociety YouTube channel - #eVTOL Aircraft Preliminary Design & Validation – A Case Study #avgeek https://t.co/gZ2cUoDiih https://t.co/2eFUq9flrb
A tweet‑sourced report claims that the Shahroud Space Center in northeastern Iran was heavily damaged by U.S. and Israeli air strikes, with 27 sites hit and roughly 70% of its facilities destroyed. Another tweet alleges that the Soviet Union’s 1974...
After roughly 20 years, British Airways will be returning to Melbourne, Australia, thanks to a new fifth freedom Dreamliner route. https://t.co/LHsAw9hksw
Falcon 9 now in parking orbit. There are now 10020 Starlinks in orbit (although 25 of them are still attached to the Falcon 9 for another 50 min or so, until the stage's circularization burn and satellite deployment).
German startup Isar Aerospace is set for the second flight of its Spectrum launch vehicle, dubbed “Onward and Upward,” from Andøya Space in Norway on March 19. The mission marks the rocket’s first customer payload flight, carrying five CubeSats and a...
Yaogan 50-02 cataloged in a 731 x 945 km x 142.0 deg orbit; upper stage did an orbit lowering burn to 573 x 836 km.
Cracking the Code of Slow Flight: Engineering Bird-Style Takeoff via @ZappyZappy7 #EmergingTech #Innovation #Technology #Tech https://t.co/NJlmpkZBdY
Air India flight AI102, an Airbus A350‑900 en route from New York JFK to Delhi, diverted to Shannon Airport in Ireland after passengers reported floor vibrations at 33,000 feet. The two‑and‑a‑half‑year‑old aircraft, originally built for Aeroflot, landed safely around 4:30 am, and...
#WhosNext? Airline Pilots? Scientists Build Humanoid #Robot That Can Pilot a Plane. (Futurism) #AI #Robotics https://t.co/bcdVuA59Ro https://t.co/i6r9BkJ6uY
EA-18G Growler With Split Load Of New And Old Jamming Pods Seen Supporting Iran Strikes A Pentagon report says the new pods are still having significant teething issues even though they are being used in active conflicts. https://t.co/5jlBt3Hm2w
The ongoing Middle East conflict has disrupted the Gulf’s role as a global aviation super‑connector, forcing Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways to curtail services. A recent drone strike at Dubai International Airport compelled Emirates to cancel flights and even reroute...
The Air Force has adjusted its B-52 radar upgrade plans, pushing some capability (and the radome redesign) out for future increments amid delays and cost overruns: https://t.co/8C4uYpv0UU
