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:
The U.S. Army issued a sources‑sought notice for follow‑on Technical Assistance and Field Service Representative (FSR) support for the PAC‑3 missile‑defense system covering fiscal years 2027‑2029. The effort will provide integration, maintenance, and on‑call technical support for both PAC‑3 Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI) and Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptors and associated ground equipment used by U.S. forces and allies. Contractors must demonstrate direct technical expertise because the government lacks a Technical Data Package for the system. The performance period is slated to begin no later than Dec. 1 2027, with capability statements due March 17 2026.
The Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency launched the NOBLE (Nimble Options for Buying Layered Effects) acquisition framework, a five‑year vehicle running through March 27 2030. By consolidating multiple contracting authorities, NOBLE streamlines research, prototyping, and rapid fielding of missile‑defense technologies. The program targets...
American Airlines’ AAdvantage program is offering a limited‑time promotion that awards 500 bonus Loyalty Points per flown segment, up to a maximum of 5,000 points, for travel booked and completed by April 30. The bonus excludes basic‑economy fares, applies only to...
Germany’s Bundeswehr will seek parliamentary approval in late 2026 for a framework contract with KNDS to acquire up to 500 MARS 3 multiple‑launch rocket systems, reserving roughly half for its own forces while offering the remainder to NATO allies. The deal...
Aurrigo International, a Coventry‑based developer of autonomy software and autonomous vehicles, has been granted a ground handling licence at East Midlands Airport (EMA). The licence, issued under the Airports (Ground Handling) Regulations 1997 and CAA compliance frameworks, allows Aurrigo to provide...
Those who have argued that in Ukraine two degraded Soviet-era armies are fighting each other, and that their experience in unmanned warfare has limited relevance for our doctrine, force structure, and design — because NATO/US would fight differently, i.e. first...
The U.S. Navy awarded Northrop Grumman a $225.1 million contract modification to advance the E‑130J TACAMO aircraft, the next‑generation platform that will replace the service’s aging “Doomsday plane” fleet. The award covers design, development, and delivery of comprehensive weapons‑systems training materials...
Skyeton has equipped its Raybird long‑endurance UAV with an internal gamma‑radiation sensor, completing rigorous trials in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. The payload integration preserves aerodynamic balance and enables real‑time radiation data transmission over distances up to 2,500 km. In 2025 the...
Leonardo Helicopters UK has completed two short test flights of its Proteus autonomous rotary‑wing demonstrator, the final milestone of a £60 million Phase 3a RWUAS contract with the UK Ministry of Defence. The 3‑tonne, modular‑payload aircraft leveraged off‑the‑shelf components and a digital‑twin...
Cathay Pacific has cancelled Dubai and Riyadh flight services until 14 March. Customers who have booked to travel between Hong Kong - Dubai and Riyadh up to 14 March may rebook, reroute or refund their tickets without the usual fees...
Very cool demo here of a QRA turnaround- 10-12mins to rearm a Swedish AF Gripen C on Iceland Air Policing duty. #avgeek https://t.co/QnWx6mIx0d
LYNEports and the University of South Florida have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to combine the company’s AI‑driven digital planning platform with USF’s transportation research expertise. The partnership will target eVTOL route planning, network design, regulatory alignment, and infrastructure readiness...
"Definitely not exclude" standing up a Greenland Air Policing deployment in the future, says Danish Air Chief in an Arctic Sentry/NATO Iceland Air Policing press briefing. https://t.co/7KaxVG4yba
The Department of Defense transferred stewardship of the Blue UAS Cleared List from the Defense Innovation Unit to the Defense Contract Management Agency in 2026, turning the list into a scalable procurement marketplace. DCMA’s Special Programs Unmanned Systems‑Experimental Command now...
Next up, Commander Danish Air Force, Major General Jan Dam. RDAF deploying F-35s to Arctic Sentry. #NATO https://t.co/E5rfxfhINt
Day 2 of Swedish AF/ #NATO media trip with Director General Jonas G Allansson, Iceland, explaining how "the alliance is functioning very well" in the High North - with "Growing cooperation between Arctic allies" https://t.co/YzXdmbmfSS
Air Congo announced an aggressive intra‑African network expansion, adding routes to Johannesburg, Entebbe, Douala, Cotonou and Dar es Salaam between March and April 2026. The airline’s two new ATR‑72‑600s, leased from Ethiopian Airlines, are now expected in mid‑April due to testing and...
Puntland's autonomous government revoked Daallo Airlines' flight permit for all regional airports on March 1, 2026, citing safety concerns and civil aviation violations. The decision follows incidents where Daallo flights were denied clearance, leaving Puntland lawmakers and passengers stranded in...
The aviation sector is moving from isolated legacy systems to open‑architecture platforms that enable real‑time data sharing among air traffic control, airlines, and airports. Searidge Technologies, a NATS subsidiary, showcased its Chorus platform powering tools like Intelligent Stand Manager, which...
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, drafted when space activity was limited, now faces criticism for its vague language amid exploding low‑Earth‑orbit constellations, AI‑driven satellite services, and emerging directed‑energy weapons. Legal scholar Cybel Ekpa argues that these technological advances create gaps...
In this episode, Spirit Electronics CEO Marti McCurdy explains how her company provides end‑to‑end semiconductor services—from custom ASIC design and foundry access to wafer processing, packaging, board assembly, and final box builds—for aerospace, defense, and the rapidly growing new‑space sector....
Copenhagen Optimization has installed two Better Airport modules at Brisbane Airport, delivering data‑driven forecasting and resource planning for security operations. The airport is simultaneously upgrading to CT Standard 3 screening, allowing passengers to leave laptops and aerosols in bags. Indonesia’s immigration...
European Cargo will open a new operational base at Teesside International Airport, launching five weekly Airbus A340‑600 freighter services to a major Chinese hub later this month. The route will move up to 375 tonnes of freight each week, providing...
Parallel Flight Technologies secured a Federal Aviation Administration 44807 exemption, allowing its Firefly hybrid heavy‑lift unmanned aircraft system to operate commercially across the United States. The clearance opens the platform for industrial missions such as sensor integration, wildland fire management,...
Russia’s secret Luch 1 and 2 satellites have been conducting prolonged proximity and rendezvous operations (RPOs) against European geostationary communications satellites since 2014. By positioning themselves within five kilometres of targets, they can intercept downlink signals and potentially capture command uplinks. While...
Iranian state media shows off underground drone fleet @CNN There is no way to know if the site still exists. A weird flex when they've lost 49 senior leaders, their air space is owned by U.S. and Israel, and...
The US‑Israeli air strikes on Iran on 28 Feb 2026 and Iran’s retaliatory attacks have reignited geopolitical risk for European carriers operating to and over the Middle East. While Europe’s overall exposure to the region remains modest, airlines are confronting immediate airspace...
Fuel Tech Inc (FTAI) reported a breakout 2025, with aerospace products generating $195 million adjusted EBITDA in Q4—a 66% year‑over‑year rise—and full‑year company EBITDA reaching $1.2 billion, up 38%. The Strategic Capital Initiative I secured $2 billion in equity and $6 billion total capital,...
Ukraine’s domestically produced FP‑5 Flamingo cruise missile achieved a landmark strike in February, hitting the Votkinsk missile‑production complex deep inside Russia. The missile, developed by startup Fire Point, boasts a claimed 3,000‑kilometre range and a payload of over one tonne,...
You guys liked the last Blue Ring picture so much, I felt that you deserve another one. This is the dedicated Structural Test Asset (STA) undergoing load testing at NASA's awesome Marshall Space Flight Center. So far...
On March 3 2026 IEC Telecom Group launched its first operations centre in Kuala Lumpur, becoming an authorized Starlink reseller for Malaysia. The hub targets the persistent “last‑mile” connectivity gap in rural Sarawak and Sabah and supports the country’s maritime and energy...
Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen outlined Artemis 2’s emergency protocols, emphasizing two pre‑launch abort options: a rapid egress from the launch pad or an abort‑seat‑style capsule ejection within five minutes of liftoff. He detailed post‑abort survival steps, including suit donning,...
U.S. Space Command, alongside USCYBERCOM, launched non‑kinetic operations that disabled Iran’s satellite‑based communications and sensor networks during the opening hours of Operation Epic Fury, which began on Feb. 28. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine said these coordinated space‑and‑cyber actions prevented...
Purdue Polytechnic’s Unmanned Aerial Systems program has been chosen for the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems‑Collegiate Training Initiative (UAS‑CTI). The selection validates the school’s safety‑focused curriculum and aligns its coursework with upcoming federal regulations. Students will receive hands‑on flight, maintenance, and...
The Commercial Space Federation announced that Kelli Kedis Ogborn will serve as Strategic Advisor for Global Markets and Industry Engagement. Ogborn will spearhead efforts to broaden CSF’s international presence, forge strategic partnerships, and launch initiatives that accelerate commercial space growth....
Cirium’s latest data shows extensive disruption to UK‑Middle East flights as regional airspace closures persist. On 2 March, 74 UK departures to the Middle East were scheduled, but cancellation rates vary dramatically, with the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Bahrain seeing...
Rocket Lab successfully launched its seventh HASTE vehicle, delivering the DART AE scramjet‑powered aircraft for the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit on 27 February. The mission, dubbed “That’s Not A Knife,” marks the second DIU hypersonic test in three months and...
Tech giants are exploring space‑based data centres to power AI workloads. Elon Musk predicts feasibility within two to three years, while OpenAI’s Sam Altman dismisses the idea as premature. Google plans a test launch next year, and former Google CEO...
The non-space press missed the key elements of Isaacman’s revamp of Artemis. They perceived it as some sort of delay, which is wrong. Technically it was Sean Duffy who moved the lunar landing to 2028 last year. But in reality,...
People who are saying a Patriot battery shooting down a friendly aircraft is nearly impossible have no clue what they are talking about or any idea of the history of them doing just that. Not saying that is what happened...
AdlerAerospace and Czech partner TRL Drones have unveiled the TALOS‑J and TALOS‑E fixed‑wing interceptor drones, built from Ukraine battlefield lessons. The drones deliver missile‑class performance at drone‑class cost, using human‑supervised autonomy to engage fast, low‑cost UAV threats. Interception probability is...
Tragic Friendly-Fire Incidents Are Nothing New In Modern Air Warfare The loss of three F-15Es to friendly fire today is far from the first time similar combat accidents have happened in the post Cold War era. https://t.co/VdFAhNE7SB
What a debacle. They can't even promise to complete the "40 satellites equivalent of microns" until "first half of 2026" compared to "early 2026" previously. With no clarity on when any completed satellites will be ready to ship. Also dropped...
L3Harris announced that Kenneth Sharp, former Peraton finance chief, will assume the role of chief financial officer on March 16, succeeding Ken Bedingfield. Bedingfield will concentrate on the company’s Missile Solutions segment as it prepares for a late‑2026 spin‑off and...
Old school Herc action with SwAF C-130H. (Tp84). Set to be replaced in service by the Embraer C-390. #avgeek https://t.co/ZVCy9NCE7H
JAXA's HTV-X1 cargo ship will depart ISS on Friday, Mar 6, 12:00 pm ET. Watch starting 11:45 am ET. (Canadarm2 will unberth it the day before. No live coverage of that, only of the release on Friday.) It'll remain in...
NASA's MAVEN spacecraft captured the first direct evidence of lightning‑like activity on Mars by identifying a single, 0.4‑second whistler wave spanning up to 110 Hz in its ionospheric data. The signal, found among more than 108,000 measurements, required a rare combination...
Lots of useful detail in EchoStar 10-K on foreign assets transferred (see pp415-418). Outside Europe there's just SIRION-1 Australian filing plus licenses in Brazil, Chile & Mexico (but Brazil is specific to Lyra, Chile is non-exclusive, Mexico is GEO) https://t.co/mHJqFgkMzd
A sudden conflict with Iran has forced the closure of Persian Gulf air traffic, curtailing more than 90% of flights for Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad. The three Gulf carriers—often called the ME3—operate the world’s busiest transit hub, moving 182 million...
Senators Tim Sheehy and Jeff Merkley introduced bipartisan legislation requiring the FAA to equip more than 90 federal contract towers with Airborne Position Reference Tools (APRT). The Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act mandates installation within a year and provides...
