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:
FACC reported record 2025 revenue of €984.4 million, an 11.3% increase over the prior year, while EBIT surged 49.4% to €42.3 million, lifting the margin to 4.3%. The gains stem from the CORE efficiency program and the newly operational Croatia plant, which offset rising personnel and energy costs in Austria. Employee numbers remained flat at 3,907 FTE, highlighting productivity improvements. Management projects 2026 revenue growth of 5‑15% and plans further supply‑chain optimization.
NASA and Japan’s JAXA will broadcast the departure of the uncrewed HTV‑X1 cargo spacecraft from the International Space Station on March 6, 2026. The vehicle delivered roughly 12,000 lb of scientific experiments, supplies and hardware after launching on an H3 rocket from...
Handful of departures from DXB.... roughly 8–12 flights airborne or boarding right now, mostly recovery runs to Moscow, India and Europe while Emirates slowly restarts. https://dubaiairports.ae/flight-status?type=departures&from=2026-03-02
Amadeus IT SA is in advanced talks to acquire Idemia Public Security for an estimated €2‑3 billion, a move that would combine the airline‑tech group’s travel‑focused biometric suite with Idemia’s law‑enforcement and border‑control capabilities. Idemia PS brings core biometric algorithm IP...
Raytheon says its SPY‑6 radar family is already operating on a hot production line and is poised to shift into full‑rate production once the U.S. Navy grants final approval. Low‑rate initial production is nearing completion after extensive testing across the...
On March 2, 2026 Qatar’s Ministry of Defense announced that its air and naval forces shot down two Iranian Su‑24 Fencer attack jets while intercepting seven ballistic missiles and five drones aimed at the peninsula. The engagement was executed without...
NASA announced an accelerated Artemis schedule, adding a 2027 Artemis III mission and committing to at least one lunar surface landing each year. The agency will standardize the SLS‑Orion vehicle to a Block 1 configuration and test docking with commercial landers from...
SpaceX unveiled Stargaze, a space situational awareness service that taps the star‑tracker cameras on its roughly 10,000 Starlink satellites to monitor LEO objects. The company claims the constellation can generate up to 30 million observations per day, delivering hundreds of detections...
Indian private launch firm Agnikul released a 40‑second static‑fire video of its three‑engine cluster for the Agnibaan orbital rocket. The engines, fully 3D‑printed and driven by electric‑motor pumps, were calibrated to synchronize six pumps, six motors and six control algorithms....
Gulfstream Aerospace secured certification from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation for its G700 jet, clearing the way for deliveries within the country. The approval follows earlier certifications of the G600 and G500 models earlier in 2025, underscoring growing market...
Rocket Lab has finished in‑space commissioning of the twin ESCAPADE Mars orbiters, now operating at Earth‑Sun Lagrange Point 2. The company will hand operational control to the University of California Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory, which will conduct science activities before the...
Space‑based photovoltaics are poised for rapid expansion as commercial aerospace launches and AI‑driven data centers create new demand. Triple‑junction GaAs cells dominate today, but their reliance on scarce gallium, germanium and indium drives costs sky‑high. Industry leaders, especially in China,...
APT Satellite Holdings Limited is directly linked to China Satellite Communications Corp., a state‑owned subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. This ownership places the commercial operator at the heart of the sovereign‑commercial nexus, raising concerns that Chinese...
Here in Iceland, where 4 the first time, Sweden has taken command of a NATO Air Policing deployment. 6 x Gripens, 100 personnel plus counter drone and fighter controllers to protect airspace. "Need to make sure we are ready to...
On March 2, 2026, APT Satellite Holdings shares jumped more than 7% after reports that SpaceX is planning a permanent lunar manufacturing facility. The proposed moon‑based plant would use a multi‑kilometer electromagnetic catapult to launch satellites, potentially reducing launch costs...
Icelandair carried 1.6 million round‑trip passengers between Europe and the United States in the 12 months to September 2025, a 7 % increase that outpaced overall market growth. Across its 15 US‑focused routes the airline posted an average load factor of 81.2 %, but...
SolidSail Mast Factory (SMAF) in Lanester, France, launched full‑scale production of carbon‑fiber‑reinforced polymer (CFRP) masts on 12 February 2026. The plant, a joint venture between Chantiers de l’Atlantique and five regional composite specialists, will fabricate masts up to 70 metres long, supporting sails...
Three U.S. Air Force F‑15E Strike Eagles were lost over Kuwait in an apparent friendly‑fire incident during Operation Epic Fury. All six crew members ejected safely and were rescued. CENTCOM confirmed the jets were shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses,...
Lufthansa has added an Airbus A380 to its centennial fleet, unveiling a bold blue livery featuring a 47‑meter crane motif and the dates 1926 | 2026. The aircraft was repainted over 34 days by 35 specialists at Shannon Airport, covering more than...
Teledyne FLIR Defense and Norway’s STORM Adapt Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding at EnforceTac 2026 to integrate FLIR’s SkyCarrier quadcopter and Black Recon micro‑UAS with STORM’s Rapid Adapt and Deploy System (RADS). The MoU creates a vehicle‑mounted, modular platform that...
On March 2, 2004 the European Space Agency launched the Rosetta‑Philae mission from French Guiana to rendezvous with comet 67P/Churyumov‑Gerasimenko. The spacecraft spent a decade traveling, using three Earth and one Mars gravity‑assist flybys to reach its target. In August 2014 Rosetta entered orbit,...
Starpath Space introduced Starlight Air, an ultra‑thin space solar panel that weighs just 73 g per square meter and sells for about $15 per watt. The panel uses a nanometer‑scale crystalline photovoltaic layer printed on a fabric substrate, delivering the same...
The Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) secured a four‑year contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to supply Recover Assist Securing and Traversing (RAST) systems to the Naval Air Warfare Centre. Curtiss‑Wright’s Mississauga plant will manufacture the equipment and provide field...
The UK Civil Aviation Authority released a Technical Concept of Operations detailing electronic conspicuity (EC) requirements for integrating BVLOS unmanned aircraft into shared airspace. Uncrewed systems must broadcast a 978 MHz ADS‑B signal and carry ADS‑B IN receivers, while crewed aircraft face...
Austria has commissioned BEACONSAT, its first military‑operated satellite, slated for launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in February 2027. The one‑year mission will monitor GNSS signals to detect jamming and spoofing, addressing growing navigation interference threats. The project is financed by a...
World Space Week 2025 set a participation record with nearly 50,000 activities in 102 countries. The surge reflects a shift from a niche sector to a global priority, as educators, governments and industry rally to prepare the next generation for...
The U.S. Space Force is advancing the Airborne Moving Target Indicator (AMTI) program to place space‑based sensors that can track aircraft, drones and missiles in orbit. Early prototype demonstrations have delivered detailed on‑orbit data, and the service is leveraging technology...
The United States confirmed its first combat use of low‑cost, one‑way attack drones against Iranian targets during Operation Epic Fury. footage released by CENTCOM shows the drones deployed by Task Force Scorpion Strike alongside precision munitions. The Pentagon is accelerating a program...
Ukrainian forces have begun fielding German‑made HX‑2 one‑way strike drones across multiple front‑line sectors, targeting Russian rear‑area support units such as repair brigades and road‑network crews. The HX‑2, introduced in late 2024, can travel up to 220 km/h and strike targets...
The U.S. Space Force has halted the $1.4 billion Satellite Communications Augmentation Resource (SCAR) program and is drafting a new acquisition strategy that moves away from a cost‑plus, single‑source contract. The original BADGER phased‑array ground terminals, awarded to BlueHalo/AeroVironment, were placed...
With the New START treaty expiring in February 2026, the United States lost its primary mechanism for on‑site nuclear verification, prompting a shift toward space‑based monitoring. The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit has launched the GHOST‑R program, a hybrid procurement effort...
Three U.S. F‑15E Strike Eagle jets were shot down by Kuwait’s air defenses in a friendly‑fire incident on Sunday. All six aircrew ejected, were recovered and are in stable condition. The loss occurred while the aircraft supported Operation Epic Fury,...
China’s Spring Festival Gala, Chunwan, remains the world’s most‑watched TV event, drawing over a billion simultaneous viewers and serving as a flagship soft‑power platform. Since 2009 the program has woven the nation’s space achievements into its performances, from the first...
Scott Solomon’s *Becoming Martian* examines how long‑duration spaceflight could reshape human bodies and minds, from microgravity‑induced vision changes to speculative reproductive research. The book arrives as U.S. space policy pivots from Mars to lunar priorities, keeping its relevance despite shifting political...
Abu Dhabi Airport... roughly ten flights are now open for booking at Zayed International Airport, including services to Moscow. it’s a sign that things are slowly getting back to normal after the chaos, but we’re not fully out of the...
Great to chat to Swedish AF chief Maj Gen Jonas 'Shaft' Wikman about Sweden's NATO Air Policing Mission in Iceland here at Keflavik AB. #avgeek https://t.co/KUhgWv1XcN
Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAT) announced a “Regulate First” strategy for Advanced Air Mobility, committing to a full regulatory framework before commercial operations begin. The move follows a high‑level meeting with Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau, where both sides examined airworthiness...
Cool display wall of previous NATO Air Policing missions and visitors here in Iceland. #avgeek https://t.co/qzXPxJ75NE
Iraq, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, UAE & Jordan make up a staggering 13.2% of scheduled flying capacity globally and the sheer volume flowing through the ME underscores its centrality to human transportation. https://t.co/yvNyuskXyH
Three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle jets were shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses in a friendly‑fire incident during Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. campaign against Iran. All six crew members ejected and survived, prompting Kuwait to acknowledge the...
Starlink is effectively confirming (or at least treating as a fait accompli) what I've been told previously, that the incumbent Viasat and EchoStar 2GHz licenses will be extended for a period of time beyond 2027
“All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition.” 🙏
San Francisco International Airport will close Runway 1 from March 30 to October 2 2026 for a six‑month repaving and taxiway upgrade. All arrivals and departures will be shifted to Runways 28 Left and 28 Right, while Runway 1 will serve as an auxiliary taxiway. The airport projects less...
While I share some concerns about key munitions being pulled out of INDOPACOM, folks should understand that even with full stocks of interceptors, the PLA Rocket Force is highly likely to be able to overwhelm U.S. and allied BMD in...
3 F-15Es shot down by friendly fire over Kuwait We continue to update our original story: https://t.co/bRgLdhX3sx
Middle East airspace closures have left 15 Gulf carrier jets grounded at London Heathrow, the continent’s busiest hub for the region. Emirates and Etihad each have three aircraft on the tarmac, while Qatar Airways accounts for six, including multiple A380s....
FlyOnE will commence electric vertical take‑off and landing (eVTOL) operations on the busy Perth‑to‑Rottnest Island corridor, adding to its existing schedule of up to 25 daily legacy flights. The company has already completed a proof‑of‑concept with electric test flights and...
Iran fired 1200+ projectiles at five countries in the first 48 hours. Most were drones. These saturation attacks aim to overwhelm air defenses and drain interceptors. $20-50k Shahed drones vs. $4.19M PAC-3 interceptors put US and its partners on the...
Middle East airspace closures have slashed global air cargo capacity by 18%, with Rotate data indicating that 13% of worldwide lift is directly impacted. The suspension of Gulf carriers such as Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad removed roughly 22,000 tonnes...
Starlink Mobile @ #MWC26 -showed a video call on D2D -10M monthly active D2D users today. -Mexican operator coming shortly -V2 constellation to provide 5G experience - 150 Mbps -V2 coming mid 2027 -NR NTN standard -1,200 satellites initially -“complementary” to terrestrial https://t.co/cxxT3XpFev
