Rohde & Schwarz and Viasat to Collaborate on NB-NTN IoT Test Plan for Connectivity Via Satellite
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 with Viasat’s satellite network. By consolidating R&D through certification, the partnership promises faster development cycles and higher reliability for IoT services in areas lacking terrestrial coverage. Initial test results will be showcased at MWC Barcelona 2026.
3D-Printed Spring Deploys on Small Commercial Spacecraft
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...
AIAA Announces 2026 Key Issues to Advance U.S. Aerospace Leadership
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 to Acquire Three Gulfstream Maritime Surveillance Aircraft
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)
[VIDEO] ESA Unveils OMLET System That Fires High-Power Lasers To Stop Orbital Collisions
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 Shakes up Its Artemis Program to Speed up Lunar Return
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 Shakes up Its Artemis Program to Speed up Lunar Return
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...
NTSB: ALERT Act Falls Short Of Safety Recommendations
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...
AF Week in Photos
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 to Expand India Operations, Plans Mumbai-Shanghai Service From May
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...
Starlink Will Provide Connectivity to Archer’s Midnight Air Taxis
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...
A New Chapter at FRAPORT: Terminal 3 and Condor’s Homecoming
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...
Republic of Korea Commits to Vertiports, UAM Infrastructure by 2028
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,...
UK Throwing Good Money After Bad in Watchkeeper Drone Retention
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 Set for Its First One-Year Human Spaceflight Mission, Confirms Pakistani Astronaut Flight
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 Becomes Tenth Candidate State for the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program
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...
We’re About to Turn Night Into Day. Is that a Good Idea?
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...
McLaren Racing Announces Etihad Airways as an Official Partner
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...
Aviation Training and Operations Readiness Lead
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...
Application Spotlight: Consolidated Helicopter Intake Duct Yields 80% Cost Saving
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...
Russians Are Starting to Loudly Complain About Ukrainian Drone Strikes
Russian media are publicly acknowledging a sharp rise in Ukrainian drone attacks, citing the interception of 151 UAVs in a single night on 17 February 2026. The raids have forced temporary shutdowns at twelve Russian airports and caused civilian disruptions, including fires...
Hackers Tricked by Fake Satellite in Groundbreaking Cybersecurity Sting
Researchers unveiled HoneySat at NDSS 2026, the first high‑interaction satellite honeypot that mimics an entire CubeSat mission, including ground‑segment software and orbital dynamics. In three public deployments, attackers issued 22 authentic flight‑software commands, attempting to access ground systems, extract telemetry,...
Space Force’s Top Guardians Share Their Stories
The Space Force held its fourth Polaris Awards ceremony at the AFA Warfare Symposium, honoring Guardians who exemplified the service’s core values of Character, Connection, Commitment, and Courage. Winners included Maj. Adriane Payn, who prevented a $300,000 loss by fixing...
ISS Aerospace & Anduril UK Partner to Integrate WASP Launched Effect Into Lattice Platform
ISS Aerospace and Anduril UK announced a partnership to embed the ISSOS WASP launched effect into Anduril’s sovereign Lattice command‑and‑control platform. The integration, completed in a single day, was validated with a flight test at ISS Aerospace’s Oxford facility. WASP...
Defence-Tech Startup Constelli Raises $20 Mn Led by General Catalyst
Defence‑tech startup Constelli announced a $20 million Series A round led by General Catalyst, with participation from 360 One Asset Management and existing backer Pravega Ventures. The capital will fund R&D for next‑generation electronic warfare and communication payloads across drones, ground systems, naval...
The UAE Successfully Launched Its First Hybrid Rocket
The United Arab Emirates successfully launched its first domestically built hybrid sounding rocket on 13 February 2026, achieving a 3 km altitude and safe recovery. Developed by the Technology Innovation Institute, the vehicle uses a nitrous‑oxide and solid polyethylene propulsion system...
Hitting New Heights: Turkish Airlines Aims for 1,000 Aircraft by 2036
Turkish Airlines celebrated its 500th aircraft delivery in late 2025 and unveiled an ambitious plan to double the fleet to 1,000 planes by 2036. The airline’s growth has accelerated from 100 aircraft in 2006 to 400 in 2023, reflecting a...
Video of the Week: Inside the Engine Room - Lessons, Innovation and the Trent 1000 Reset
At the CAPA Airline Leader Summit, Rolls‑Royce senior VP Luke Mallows detailed the Trent 1000 programme reset, highlighting how early durability setbacks prompted a comprehensive redesign. The overhaul emphasized new materials, rigorous testing, and tighter airline‑OEM collaboration to restore reliability. Mallows...
How To Fly American Airlines’ Best Business (and First) Class Seats Within the U.S.
In March 2026 American Airlines will operate 2,016 domestic flights equipped with lie‑flat seats across its A321T, A321XLR, 777‑300ER, 777‑200, 787‑8, 787‑9 and select Flagship Suite aircraft. The compact A321T carries 30 First‑Class and 20 Business lie‑flat seats on four coast‑to‑coast...
Ontario International Airport Passenger Count 3.7% Higher in January as New Year Begins on a High Note
Ontario International Airport reported a 3.7% rise in January 2026 passenger volume, reaching 492,895 travelers. International traffic surged 64% to a record 66,281, while domestic numbers slipped 1.9% to 426,614. The airport added a new daily nonstop service to Boise...
Orbital Warfare Unit Gets Live Satellite to Practice Maneuvers
Guardians in the Space Force’s orbital warfare unit, Mission Delta 9, received a live satellite launched on Feb 12 as part of the USSF‑87 mission, giving them a realistic platform for offensive and defensive space‑maneuver training. The new asset replaces earlier on‑orbit...
U.S. Space Force Pivots to Hemispheric Security with SPACEFOR-NORTH Activation
The U.S. Space Force activated U.S. Space Forces Northern (SPACEFOR‑NORTH) on Jan. 30, 2026, shifting its posture from global support to dedicated homeland defense. Headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, the component serves as the space service arm of U.S. Northern...
Space Systems Command Awards $44.9M Systems Engineering Contract to LinQuest
The Department of Defense awarded LinQuest Corp. a $44.9 million cost‑plus‑incentive‑fee modification to its existing Space Systems Command (SSC) contract, raising the program’s cumulative face value to $810.7 million. The funding, split between operations, maintenance and RDT&E, will support additional systems engineering,...
Air Force Leaders Discuss Priorities for the Air Force’s Future Force Design
Senior Air Force leaders and industry experts convened at the Air and Space Forces Association’s 2026 Warfare Symposium to outline the Air Force’s Future Force Design. The initiative reorients acquisition toward integrated lethality, survivability and persistent connectivity rather than counting...
Pilot’s Widow Sues Boeing, GE Following UPS Crash
The widow of UPS pilot Dana Justin Diamond has filed a wrongful‑death lawsuit against Boeing, General Electric and maintenance firm VT San Antonio Aerospace. The suit, lodged on Feb. 25 in Jefferson County Circuit Court, blames design, manufacturing and upkeep failures...
NASA’s First Medical Evacuation Is Here. It Won’t Be the Last.
NASA conducted its first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station in January 2026 when astronaut Mike Fincke experienced a microgravity‑related health event. The entire Crew‑11 returned early aboard a SpaceX capsule because no spare crew‑ready vehicle was available. The...
The History of Satellite Ridesharing
Satellite ridesharing has evolved from occasional piggyback flights into a multi‑billion‑dollar industry by the mid‑2020s. The adoption of the CubeSat form factor and standardized deployers allowed dozens of small satellites to share a single launch, while brokers such as Spaceflight...
Redwire Emphasizes Defense Pivot and Maturing Capabilities in 2025 Results
Redwire reported a 10.3% revenue increase in 2025, reaching $335.4 million, with fourth‑quarter sales surging 56% year‑over‑year to $108.8 million. CEO Peter Cannito said roughly two‑thirds of revenue is now moving into production, especially its unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) portfolio. The company...
SOCOM on the Hunt for ‘Acoustic Rainbow’ Tech for Silencing Drones
U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has launched an SBIR solicitation for acoustic rainbow emitters (ARE) to silence tactical drones, aiming to cut acoustic signatures by at least 50%. The devices must weigh no more than 1 kg for Group 1 UAVs and...
![Southwest's Massive Expansion: 31 New Routes Launch Next Week [Map]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://static0.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/southwest-boeing-737-700-on-initial-climb.jpg?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop)
Southwest's Massive Expansion: 31 New Routes Launch Next Week [Map]
Southwest Airlines will launch 31 new routes between March 2 and 8, the most weekly additions among its peers. The rollout includes 25 domestic and six international services, five of which are brand‑new markets, marking the carrier’s first international flights from Indianapolis...
Space Data Meets Ground Troops: The Calian-ADGA Training Partnership
Calian Group and ADGA Group have signed a three‑year partnership to create advanced land‑training simulators for the Canadian Army, embedding full C5ISRT networks into synthetic battlefields. Both firms bring deep satellite communications and secure simulation expertise, ensuring virtual environments mirror...
UAvionix Adds ForeFlight Integration, Autopilot Coupling To AV-30-C
uAvionix released AV-30-C software version 3.2.1, adding ForeFlight integration and autopilot coupling for certified aircraft. Pilots can sync a ForeFlight‑planned route to the AV‑30‑C and let the autopilot follow GPS‑steered waypoints, with in‑flight edits reflected instantly. The feature requires an...
Vast and Axiom Awarded New Private Missions to ISS, Continue Work on Commercial Space Stations
NASA has awarded Private Astronaut Missions to Vast Space and Axiom Space for 2027, extending crewed flights to the International Space Station while both firms develop their own commercial stations. Vast will fly its first 14‑day ISS mission and launch...
Real-Time Radiation Tracking: Canada’s Newest Contribution to the Moon Race
The Canadian Space Agency has earmarked $5.5 million for Ontario‑based Bubble Technology Industries to develop the Canadian Active Neutron Spectrometer (CANS). The device will provide real‑time neutron radiation measurements for Artemis missions, addressing a major health hazard for astronauts beyond Earth’s...
Army Orders $186 Million in Switchblade Kamikaze Drones, Tank Killers
The U.S. Army has placed a $186 million delivery order with AeroVironment for two Switchblade loitering‑munition variants: the 600 Block 2 and the 300 Block 2. The 600 Block 2 brings advanced AI‑driven target detection and can operate from sea platforms, while the 300 Block 2 is equipped with...
In-Space Manufacturing Automated Platforms Market Analysis 2026
The 2026 market analysis shows free‑flying in‑space manufacturing platforms emerging as the commercial backbone of the broader in‑space manufacturing sector. Varda Space Industries has demonstrated repeatable pharmaceutical crystal production across five missions, while Space Forge proved orbital plasma generation for...
US Navy Awards $61m Contract Modification for Kratos BQM-177A
The U.S. Navy has awarded Kratos Defense & Security Solutions a $61.07 million contract modification to initiate full‑rate production of the BQM‑177A subsonic aerial target, delivering 70 units and associated RATO kits. The award brings the total value of the BQM‑177A...
Rogue Waves and Satellites: How Space Technology Is Changing What We Know About the Ocean’s Most Dangerous Phenomenon
Space‑based sensors, especially Synthetic Aperture Radar, have proved that rogue waves—crests over 25 m that appear without warning—are far more common than earlier statistical models suggested. The MaxWave SAR study in 2001 identified ten >25 m events in three weeks, prompting a...
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport Adds Striker® 6×6 ARFF Vehicle to Support Emergency Readiness
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in Puerto Rico has added an Oshkosh Striker® 6×6 Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicle to its all‑Oshkosh fleet. The 6×6 model brings a 3,000‑gallon water tank, 420‑gallon foam capacity, and advanced TAK‑4 independent...
UK’s New Medium Helicopter Deal Finalisation on Horizon, Alludes Leonardo CEO
Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani indicated that the UK Ministry of Defence will announce the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contract within days, ending weeks of speculation. Leonardo is the only bidder for the £1 billion (US$1.3 billion) programme, positioning the company to secure...