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.
WestJet will discontinue 16 U.S. routes, cutting about 13 % of its transborder seat capacity for 2026. The airline cites a sustained decline in leisure travel demand, with Canadian departures to the United States down 12.5 % year‑over‑year in 2025. Political friction, including tariff threats, has further dampened consumer sentiment. WestJet will drop routes from Calgary to Raleigh‑Durham, Edmonton to Atlanta and Nashville, and multiple West Coast connections, trimming its U.S. seat inventory by roughly 13 %.
Apollo moon rocks remain U.S. government property, making their purchase or sale illegal under federal law. A 2002 theft of 8 kg of lunar material resulted in an eight‑year prison term, underscoring the seriousness of the offense. NASA’s Lunar Sample Laboratory...
On February 28 1997 the BeppoSAX satellite recorded gamma‑ray burst GRB 970228, an 80‑second flash that was quickly localized. The precise coordinates enabled observatories worldwide to launch coordinated, multi‑wavelength follow‑up campaigns. A month later the Hubble Space Telescope imaged the fading afterglow and...
El Al Israel Airlines broke its Shabbat grounding policy on Saturday to launch an emergency evacuation of its fleet from Ben Gurion Airport amid ongoing Iranian missile strikes across the region. Twelve aircraft, including Boeing 787 Dreamliners and a 737...
Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence announced that its air‑defence forces successfully intercepted multiple ballistic missiles aimed at Ali Al Salem Air Base, with debris falling nearby but no casualties reported. The engagement demonstrates Kuwait’s active missile‑defence posture and its layered systems...
Maj. Thomas B. McGuire Jr. became the United States’ second‑ranking WWII fighter ace, tallying 38 aerial victories before his fatal crash on 7 January 1945 while attempting to rescue a fellow pilot. His rivalry with fellow ace Maj. Richard I. Bong, who...
Iran deployed a Shahed‑type one‑way attack drone that struck a radar installation at the U.S. Naval Support Activity Bahrain, a key logistics hub for the Fifth Fleet. Video evidence shows the low‑altitude UAV impacting the radar, though U.S. officials have...
The United Arab Emirates condemned recent Iranian missile launches after debris from an intercepted projectile killed a Pakistani civilian. The UAE warned Tehran that continued strikes could bring “grave consequences” and called for restraint and diplomatic de‑escalation. Iranian officials say...
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) has adviced passengers travelling to, from, or transiting to through parts of the Middle East to check their flight status directly with their respective airlines before going to the airport. The airport operator said airspace...
Malaysia Airlines has announced that its flights to and from Doha, Jeddah and Madinah have been cancelled from 28 Feb - 1 March due to the closure of airspace in parts of the Middle East. Flights from KL to London &...
Spirit Airlines is reportedly considering the termination of several West Coast flights to Las Vegas, a move that could include shutting its Las Vegas crew base. The airline’s shifting priorities suggest a focus away from short‑haul leisure routes. Meanwhile, United Airlines announced...
Iran’s initial response was fast: SRBMs hit US bases in the Gulf. Strikes on far bases like Jordan require MRBMs — as do strikes on Israel. Further retaliation and scale of damage hinge on stockpile depth: what was rebuilt after...
Delta Air Lines announced on Feb. 27 that it is exercising 34 previously held options for Airbus A321neo jets equipped with Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan engines. The exercise brings Delta’s total A321neo backlog to 290 aircraft, comprising 155 firm...
Video shows F-15C Bazs taking off on a sortie for today's operation. It is armed with AIM-7 Sparrows, not uncommon for IAFs F-15A-Ds. Still, a bit odd for the general mission. It also does not have external tanks. Possibly on...
British Airways will launch its first aircraft equipped with high‑speed Starlink Wi‑Fi in March, though the broader rollout timetable remains vague. CEO Sean Doyle highlighted "excellent progress" despite the system not yet being installed on any plane. The IAG‑wide contract...
The United States and Israel launched a large‑scale military operation targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities, as announced by President Donald Trump. Within hours Iran fired Fateh‑110 short‑range ballistic missiles toward Israeli territory, prompting full‑scale air‑defence alerts across the region....
The McDonnell Douglas MD‑11 uses a straight‑through duct for its tail‑fin engine instead of the curved S‑duct common on other trijets. This design preserves intake pressure, eliminates the heavy, complex duct structure, and allows a smaller horizontal stabilizer, boosting thrust and...
Bolivia’s C-130 Hercules crashed right after takeoff from El Alto Airport today... carrying new banknotes, rolled onto a highway, caught fire. At least 15 dead, 30 injured. Locals tried to grab the scattered cash, police had to use tear gas......
Strikes are occurring at sites throughout Iran. While these are likely targeting some time sensitive targets, many of these strikes would be used to prepare for aircraft operations over Iran. In other words, degrading and destroying what's left of Iran's...
The British Aerospace 146, launched in the early 1980s, was a four‑engine regional jet designed for short, noise‑restricted European airports. Its quad‑engine layout provided the thrust and redundancy needed for steep climbs and hot‑and‑high operations, while keeping the aircraft’s weight...
Israel achieved air supremacy over Iran in about the first 10-24 hours of the 12 day war. Not a single aircraft or pilot lost. Thanks to Israel, not only was there a great amount of air defenses destroyed, but there...
A few weeks ago @sam_lair noticed that Iran was deploying S-300s with no radars. A SAM with no radar is useless unless you can network data — and we know Iran doesn’t do that either.
In this episode of T‑Minus, host Maria Varmazas interviews Troy Morris, CEO and co‑founder of KMI, about the company’s successful in‑space demonstration of its articulated “tow‑truck” arms aboard the ISS. The demo involved over 200 days of testing, capturing unprepared...
Qatar Airlines is pausing cargo operations as the Iran strikes play out. Prices and transit times on Asia to Europe air freight spiking.
UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait airspaces remain CLOSED. (In addition to several other airspace closures elsewhere in region).
Allied concerns over U.S. dominance of F‑35 software have resurfaced after the Dutch defense minister suggested the jet could be “jailbroken” like a smartphone. While experts dismiss a built‑in kill switch, the United States still controls critical firmware updates through...
The 2026 commercial space logistics market now comprises three segments—ISS cargo resupply, lunar payload delivery, and orbital transfer services—each with distinct business models and risk profiles. As the International Space Station approaches deorbit around 2030, providers are scrambling for post‑ISS...
TAP Air Portugal will start nonstop service between Lisbon (LIS) and Orlando (MCO) on October 29, operating three times a week. The new flight uses the airline’s Airbus A330‑900 and adds Orlando as the ninth U.S. destination in TAP’s long‑haul...
Israel’s Fighter Force Stands To Be Far More Effective With Full USAF Tanker Support In A War With Iran https://t.co/wX9ErK4zHX
Bummer. No unique views that we would have loved to see in this mission around stage sep. I thought they would cut away but had hoped we would see a little more.
Belgian investigators released a preliminary report on SAS flight SK2590, which mistakenly began its takeoff roll on a taxiway at Brussels Airport on 5 February 2026. The crew realized the error at 127 knots, applied reverse thrust and brakes, and stopped...
Suborbital LAUNCH of Rocket Lab HASTE with the Australian DART-AE Scramjet at about 0000:00 UTC Feb 28 from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Virginia
Air India Express flight IX938, a six‑year‑old Boeing 737 MAX 8, experienced a nose landing‑gear failure during touchdown at Phuket International Airport on March 11, 2026. The aircraft, carrying 131 passengers, two infants and seven crew, came to a stop on the runway, prompting...
Hyundai Motor Group’s eVTOL arm Supernal announced a major workforce reduction, laying off 296 employees—roughly the bulk of its staff. The cuts underscore the subsidiary’s struggle to deliver a market‑ready electric vertical take‑off and landing aircraft despite five years of...
The U.S. Air Force officially designated Leidos’ Small Cruise Missile, known as Black Arrow, as AGM‑190A, confirming its transition to an operational weapon system. Test flights demonstrated a 200‑pound missile capable of over 400 nautical miles standoff range when launched...
Castlelake’s aviation leasing arm has fully repaid a $595 million aircraft‑backed security, marking the first complete repayment of an operating‑lease aircraft ABS since the COVID‑19 pandemic. The Castlelake Aircraft Securitization Trust 2021‑1, comprising 26 passenger jets, one freighter and 11 lessees across...
Bipartisan senators have reintroduced the Satellite Cybersecurity Act to address growing cyber and electronic‑warfare threats against commercial satellite constellations. Low‑cost systems such as Starlink now underpin military command, intelligence, logistics and civilian services, making them attractive targets. The article highlights...
Turkish Airlines publicly refuted claims that it had halted all flights to Iran, confirming that daytime services remain operational. Evening departures from Istanbul to Tehran were cancelled, but the airline framed these as routine operational adjustments rather than a strategic...
The Startup Space pitch competition celebrated its 10th anniversary at SATShow Week, cementing its role as a premier on‑ramp for emerging space companies. Founded in 2015 to fill a gap for early‑stage firms, the event now draws about 400 attendees...
Medium‑lift launch vehicles consistently miss original timelines, slipping two to seven years before first flight, with operational maturity typically requiring an additional 18 to 36 months. The article traces this pattern across four decades, highlighting Atlas V, Delta IV Medium, Delta II, Falcon 9,...
The Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency order revoking StarFlite Aviation’s Part 135 air carrier certificate after uncovering systematic falsification of pilot training records. Between 2019 and 2024, management entered false competency checks for at least ten pilots, including the chief...
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, home to the 3.2‑gigapixel LSST Camera, has begun its operational phase, issuing 800,000 real‑time scientific alerts in a single night. Its ten‑year Legacy Survey of Space and Time will image the entire southern sky every...
Japan Airlines has permanently deactivated the aisle seat in row 15 of its domestic Boeing 737‑800s by installing a custom cushion, effectively turning the seat into a fixed bulkhead. The row, normally three‑seater, now seats only two passengers, prompting viral online attention...
I see stories out today saying that China has 1,900 satellites. That's not true. Even if you include all Chinese satellites (commercial, military, civil), it only adds up to 1,187 operational satellites. In comparison, the US has 11,323 operational satellites....
85.5% moon tonight. Far from ideal. Prime window opens back half of March. Just another indicator not a showstopper. https://t.co/7gx76w2wrn
The Pentagon’s high‑energy laser counter‑UAS system mistakenly shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone operating near the Mexican border. The strike occurred without prior coordination with the FAA, prompting temporary flight restrictions in the Fort Hancock area. The mishap...
I guess we know who successfully placed the anti-SpaceX provision in the Cruz reauthorization legislation for NASA. https://t.co/O05CGCT5vM
Is Europe's proposed 'Drone Wall' the aerial equivalent of the Maginot Line? Exclusive analysis in March 2026 AEROSPACE #drones #NATO #Ukraine https://t.co/cWQRnTWlQr https://t.co/diKSD4Xblb
Drone That LOCUST Laser Shot Down On Border Was Small And Belonged To The Border Patrol The accidental shoot-down comes two weeks after a major airspace closure was prompted by the use of a laser weapon along the border. https://t.co/oIROt7ecXr
Key elements of NASA's lunar exploration architecture and milestones: (three dissimilar super-heavy launchers, two piloted lunar landers, one crew transport):
