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:
Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Cadenazzi joined a live event with Ryan Evans to assess the current state of the U.S. defense industrial base. The dialogue covered a surge of venture‑capital‑backed startups, the dominance of legacy primes, and the urgent race for critical minerals. Participants highlighted supply‑chain fragilities, the practical hurdles of policy implementation, and the strategic role of allies in scaling production. The session, hosted by Altana, concluded with a call for public ideas to strengthen America’s defense foundation.
Norfolk International Airport (ORF) has named Jerald Humphrey senior manager of airside operations. Humphrey brings more than two decades of United States Navy experience, most recently as air operations officer at Naval Air Station Oceana. He highlighted the airport’s growth,...
Oliver Wyman and IAWA released the second edition of Lift Off To Leadership, analyzing how women progress into leadership across aviation and aerospace. The study surveyed roughly 250 global leaders in 2025 and included executives from airlines, manufacturers, MROs, leasing...
SNC and Specter Aerospace announced a next‑generation supersonic aerial platform aimed at countering hypersonic missile attacks and dense drone swarms. The system promises significantly longer range than existing counter‑missile solutions, extending operational reach for joint forces. By operating at supersonic...
London City Airport outlined a plan to lift annual traffic to 9 million passengers, following 2024 government approval to increase capacity without adding flight movements. Aviation Minister Keir Mather visited the airport, meeting new CEO Andy Cliffe and frontline staff. The growth...
Canada and Japan have signed an Equipment and Technology Transfer Agreement (ETTA) to co‑develop defence projects and share technology, including space‑related capabilities. The deal aligns with Canada’s push to diversify away from US‑centric procurement and Japan’s move to expand its...
The U.S. State Department has cleared a $280 million foreign military sale to Jordan for Raytheon’s Ku‑band Multi‑Function Radio Frequency System (KuMRFS) radars and associated command‑and‑control, logistics, and training packages. The deal, led by RTX Missile Defense Technologies, includes generators, GPS...
ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) has released its first image of interstellar comet 3I/Atlas, captured on 6 November 2025, seven days after the comet’s perihelion. The picture shows a bright coma, an extended tail and fine structures such as jets, rays and...
ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) captured its first image of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS on 6 November 2025, when the spacecraft was about 66 million km away. The JANUS science camera recorded more than 120 images across a broad wavelength range, revealing a bright coma,...
A significant announcement coming from nasa right now about Moon landings. Simplifying the rocket/spaceship, increasing the number of Artemis flights, and launching them at least once per year. Meanwhile the SLS rocket is back in the barn getting its helium...
IAG Cargo posted a stable financial result for the year ended 31 December 2025, with commercial revenues edging higher and cargo volumes roughly matching 2024 levels. Cargo tonne‑kilometres (CTKs) showed modest growth while overall yield remained flat, underscoring resilience amid shifting trade...
Viasat and Rohde & Schwarz have teamed up to create a comprehensive NB‑NTN IoT test plan using the CMX500 one‑box signaling tester. The plan targets protocol, performance and RF validation to ensure chipsets, modules and devices meet 3GPP Release 17 requirements and interoperate...
The Dragon CRS-33 cargo ship made its deorbit burn around 0652 UTC Feb 27, and jettisoned the Boost Trunk at about 0710 UTC. The Trunk reentered over the Pacific near 127W 25N at ca. 0725-0730 UTC and the CRS-33 capsule...
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory demonstrated the JPL Additive Compliant Canister (JACC), a 3D‑printed titanium spring, on Proteus Space’s Mercury One small commercial spacecraft on Feb. 3, 2026. The spring unfolded from a 1‑inch stowed height to 6 inches, showcasing a single‑part mechanism that replaces...
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics released its 2026 Key Issues, outlining priority actions to preserve U.S. aerospace leadership across aviation, defense, research, and space. It calls for sustained NextGen funding to modernize the National Airspace System, clearer pathways...
Singapore’s Ministry of Defence announced the purchase of three Gulfstream G550‑MSA maritime surveillance aircraft. The G550‑MSA, fitted with an AESA radar, electro‑optical/infra‑red sensor suite and self‑protection systems, will complement the recently selected Boeing P‑8A Poseidon and replace aging Fokker 50...
![[VIDEO] ESA Unveils OMLET System That Fires High-Power Lasers To Stop Orbital Collisions](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://orbitaltoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Geostationary_orbit_pillars.jpg)
The European Space Agency unveiled OMLET – Orbit Maintenance via Laser Momentum Transfer – a ground‑based laser system designed to nudge low‑Earth‑orbit debris instead of burning satellite fuel. The project has moved from feasibility to Phase A/B1 design, where engineers are...
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced a sweeping overhaul of the Artemis program, cancelling the costly Exploration Upper Stage and standardizing the SLS rocket configuration. Artemis III will now perform an Earth‑orbit rendezvous with commercial landers instead of a lunar landing,...
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced a sweeping overhaul of the Artemis program, cancelling the costly Exploration Upper Stage and standardizing the Space Launch System (SLS) configuration. Artemis III will now serve as a crew‑transfer mission, while Artemis IV becomes the first lunar...
The National Transportation Safety Board warned Congress that the proposed ALERT Act falls short of its safety recommendations following the Jan. 29, 2025 midair collision near Washington National Airport. While the bill would address some suggestions, it does not require...
The Air Force’s February “AF Week in Photos” series showcases a broad spectrum of activities—from flare‑testing on C‑17s and captive‑carry trials of the YFQ‑44A to joint Red Flag exercises with F‑35s and F‑22s. Images also highlight the MH‑139 helicopter modernization,...
China Eastern Airlines will launch a Mumbai‑Shanghai service in May, operating four weekly flights with an Airbus A330. The carrier also plans to revive its Kunming‑Kolkata route for the summer season. Its Shanghai‑Delhi flight, upgraded to a daily schedule, is...
Archer Aviation announced a partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink to equip its Midnight electric air taxis with low‑Earth‑orbit satellite internet. The integration will provide high‑speed, low‑latency connectivity for passenger Wi‑Fi and real‑time data links between aircraft, pilots and ground teams. Testing...
Jet2 has been crowned Britain’s favourite short‑haul airline in the Which? consumer survey, achieving a 76% customer satisfaction score. The Leeds‑based carrier was praised for reliability, value for money and service, while Ryanair fell to the bottom with a 55%...
Airbus blamed Pratt & Whitney’s geared‑turbofan (GTF) delivery delays for lowering its A320 production target to 70‑75 units per month by the end of 2027, down from the previously planned 75. The engine recall, caused by a powdered‑metal issue, has...
In this episode Ian and Jason discuss the stalled passage of the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act (ROTOR Act), which aims to mandate ADS‑B‑In across U.S. airspace and tighten reporting for Department of Defense exemptions after the Washington,...
In this episode, Claire Asher talks with Jamie Palmer, co‑founder and CTO of Icarus Robotics, about developing free‑flying, dexterous robots to assist astronauts on the ISS and future commercial stations. Palmer explains how the robots—essentially microgravity drones with manipulators—are being...
Frankfurt Airport’s privately financed Terminal 3 is set to open in summer 2027, offering state‑of‑the‑art technology, streamlined passenger flows and high sustainability standards. The new hub will become home to Condor, Germany’s second‑largest airline, which is moving its operations from existing terminals...
Chinese firm MizarVision posted high‑resolution satellite images showing U.S. F‑22 fighters at an Israeli base, sparking speculation that the pictures came from Chinese satellites. Analysts from the South China Sea Probing Initiative, led by Hu Bo, used satellite ephemeris and resolution...
South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport unveiled a roadmap to accelerate urban air mobility, pledging commercial public‑service UAM operations by 2028 and private‑sector services by 2030. The plan includes establishing safety frameworks, aircraft certification, and cybersecurity by 2027,...
Latest images of the An-225 at Hostomel.... the world’s largest plane has been a burned out wreck since the 2022 invasion. No restoration, just remains. Ukraine still talks about building a new one, but it’s not happening yet. The original is...
The UK has extended the service of its Watchkeeper Mk 1 UAV fleet by two years, costing roughly £95.7 million. The eight‑aircraft loss rate and a £1.35 billion run‑up have left the programme plagued by reliability concerns. Maintaining the drones will consume about...
China announced its first one‑year human spaceflight mission aboard the Tiangong space station, selecting an astronaut from the Shenzhou‑23 crew to remain in orbit for twelve months. The Shenzhou‑23 launch is slated for April‑May 2026, following an early delivery of...
Utah has filed a proposal to join the FAA’s Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Integration Pilot Program, aligning with Arizona, Idaho, Oregon and Oklahoma. The state’s coalition partners include industry leaders Lockheed Martin, Joby Aviation and BETA Technologies to...
In this episode, Tom Patton talks with Dr. Belinda Merchan, Chief Scientist at Slingshot Aerospace, about how AI is transforming space warfare training. Traditional training relied on scripted scenarios, but Slingshot’s agentic AI uses physics‑based models and proprietary tracking data...
The FCC is reviewing proposals to launch orbital mirrors that would reflect sunlight onto cities, effectively turning night into day, while SpaceX is eyeing a constellation of up to a million satellites to serve as floating data centers. Proponents claim...
FYI, these are the horrible fatal wounds inflicted by Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine on the world’s greatest cargo aircraft, the Antonov An-225 Mriya. This is what we saw when we returned to the Hostomel airfield after the Russians were defeated...
There seems to have been a general attempt to restrict information about the whole 1st Multi-domain Task Force that operates Typhon and Dark Eagle. https://t.co/odFObLuaEz
McLaren Racing announced Etihad Airways as an Official Partner for its Formula 1 and United Autosports WEC Hypercar programmes starting in the 2026 season. The deal links the UAE’s national carrier with McLaren’s high‑performance racing platforms, emphasizing shared values of innovation...
The long shadow of Covid - how 5 years year on from the pandemic - some aviation professionals are still struggling to cope. Only in March 2026 AEROSPACE https://t.co/Mpa5ZPsFX8 https://t.co/KDDHedHkBp
For the full Whitehall #NMH chaos experience, we now need a prescheduled tweet from the PM saying that he "is delighted to announce the winner of New Medium Helicopter is the Black Hawk"
Wing, Alphabet’s drone‑delivery arm, is hiring a remote Aviation Training & Operations Readiness Lead to steer its rapidly expanding flight‑operations program. The role will oversee training, operational evaluations, and the transition to Part 108‑compliant, highly automated deliveries across two continents. Reporting...
I wonder if the way to speed up production of SLS, cancel EUS AND keep contractors (Boeing) happy to avoid a lawsuit is to simply order up more SLS rockets at a premium for cadence to offset the contract loss.
Today's Artemis announcement by Jared Isaacman is bold and necessary. Astute observers have recognized serious flaws in Artemis for years, but NASA officials have largely whistled beyond the graveyard. Now, possibly, that could change.
An aerospace OEM producing light‑helicopters replaced its traditional machined intake duct with a 3D‑printed carbon‑PEEK component. The additive‑manufactured duct consolidated multiple parts, cutting material and tooling costs by roughly 80% while also reducing weight and lead time. Performance testing confirmed...
So the big question, what rocket is going to launch Orion into LEO for Artemis III?! 👀 certainly they won’t waste an SLS rocket for a LEO mission.
NASA's Jared Isaacman just announced sweeping changes to the Artemis Program. Here's what is happening: https://t.co/Hq3zpK2fv2
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announces at a briefing this morning plans to standardize the SLS to a "near Block 1" configuration (no Block 1B) as part of efforts to increase flight rate.
55 YEARS AGO: The Soviet lunar lander for a single cosmonaut reappears in the Earth's orbit. Details on the site (subscription)... https://t.co/aJuVReTuyb
Is #DEI in aviation now DOA? One of the features in the latest (March) issue of AEROSPACE magazine #avgeek https://t.co/Mpa5ZPsFX8 https://t.co/lCIQE962vX
