MDA Space Reports 32% Revenue Growth in Q1 2026 as Backlog Conversion Accelerates
Canadian aerospace firm MDA Space posted Q1 2026 consolidated revenue of $464.1 million CAD (≈$343 million USD), a 32.2% year‑over‑year increase, driven primarily by a 41% jump in its Satellite Systems segment. The company’s backlog shrank to $3.7 billion CAD (≈$2.7 billion USD) as it converted work into revenue, while adjusted net income rose 32% to $50.7 million CAD (≈$37.5 million USD). Despite a 10% decline in GAAP net income due to amortization from the SatixFy acquisition, MDA reaffirmed its full‑year guidance of $1.7‑$1.9 billion CAD revenue and $320‑$370 million CAD adjusted EBITDA. The firm also highlighted a $40 billion CAD (≈$29.6 billion USD) opportunity pipeline across commercial and government markets.
AST SpaceMobile Pivots to SpaceX for Mid-June Launch of Three BlueBird Satellites
AST SpaceMobile announced that its next three BlueBird Block 2 satellites will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 in mid‑June 2026, after the April New Glenn failure left BlueBird 7 unrecoverable. The shift to SpaceX restores deployment momentum for the company’s low‑Earth‑orbit cellular broadband constellation....
Iran Campaign Demonstrates Need for More B-21s
Operations Midnight Hammer and Epic Fury highlighted the strategic value of long‑range bombers while exposing the limits of the current U.S. fleet of 19 B‑2s, 76 B‑52s and 46 B‑1Bs. The campaigns showed that sustaining high‑tempo strikes requires more modern,...
Summer Airfares Set to Surge as Jet Fuel Shortage Grips Market
Jet fuel prices have more than doubled since the Iran‑related conflict began, pushing U.S. Gulf Coast benchmarks above $330 per gallon—about 50% higher than pre‑war levels. The surge has forced major airlines such as Delta and American to record $2‑$4 billion...
Real Wireless Tapped by UK Spectrum Policy Forum for Lunar Connectivity Study
On May 7, 2026 the UK Spectrum Policy Forum commissioned Real Wireless to produce a three‑month study on the regulatory frameworks needed for lunar communications. The consultancy will chart spectrum demand, identify suitable frequency bands and propose rules that enable Earth‑ground, orbital...
What the Jet Fuel Crisis Means for Your Summer Flights and Travel Plans
Canadian summer air travel faces unprecedented turbulence as a U.S. travel boycott and a global jet‑fuel crisis converge. Airlines have slashed U.S. capacity—Air Transat will end all U.S. flights by June—while expanding domestic routes to capture displaced demand. Jet‑fuel prices...
UAE’s GCAA Grants Archer Restricted Type Certificate, Establishing Pathway to Restricted eVTOL Services
The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority has granted Archer Aviation’s Midnight eVTOL a Restricted Type Certificate, the first RTC issued to an eVTOL manufacturer in the region. The RTC creates a limited‑type airworthiness pathway that allows Archer to start commercial...
US’s Frontier to Expand on Ex-Spirit Markets, Look at Assets
Frontier Airlines announced plans to enter markets vacated by Spirit Airlines, targeting routes where Spirit has reduced service or exited entirely. The ULCC is also evaluating asset acquisitions, including potential aircraft leases or purchases, to support the expansion. Management cited...
Multiple Russian, Chinese, and American Satellites in Maneuvering Dance in Orbit
Recent reports document a series of proximity operations involving military satellites from Russia, China and the United States. Russia’s Cosmos‑2581, 2582 and 2583 flew within roughly 3 m of each other in low‑Earth orbit, while the U.S. inspector satellite USA‑325 and...
State Spending €128m on Helicopters that Cannot Lift Groups of Soldiers, Committee Told
The Irish State has approved a €128 million (≈ $140 million) contract for four H145 helicopters that lack the medium‑lift capacity required to transport groups of combat soldiers. Senator Gerard Craughwell warned the defence committee that the 2022 commission report explicitly called for two...
PROFEN and Azercosmos Expand Satellite Services Across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa
PROFEN, a Turkish satellite communications provider, and Azerbaijan’s Azercosmos have signed a cooperation agreement at SAHA Expo 2026 to use capacity on the Azerspace‑1 and Azerspace‑2 GEO satellites across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The deal leverages PROFEN’s ground...
ESA and JAXA Team up on Planetary Defence, Ramses Mission to Asteroid Apophis
The European Space Agency and Japan’s JAXA have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to deepen planetary‑defence collaboration, launching the Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety (Ramses). Ramses will lift off in 2028 and rendezvous with asteroid (99942) Apophis ahead of its...
Lockheed Martin Fights Request to Ease 2018 Restrictions on Northrop Grumman’s Solid Rocket Business
Lockheed Martin has formally objected to Northrop Grumman’s petition to the FTC to lift a 2018 consent order that obligates Northrop to sell its solid rocket motors (SRMs) to competitors on a non‑discriminatory basis and to keep the SRM unit...
Northrop Flies XRQ-73 SHEPARD Hybrid Flying Wing for First Time
Northrop Grumman’s XRQ-73 SHEPARD hybrid‑electric experimental drone performed its inaugural flight test at Edwards Air Force Base, following a maiden flight in April. The aircraft combines a conventional turbine engine with battery‑powered electric motors, creating a flying‑wing platform designed for...
Indian Rocket Startup Skyroot Raises $60 Million in Private Investment Capital
Indian launch startup Skyroot announced a $60 million private‑investment round that lifts its total capital to $160 million and values the company at $1.1 billion. The round was co‑led by Sherpalo Ventures, backed by early Google investor Ram Shriram, and Singapore’s sovereign wealth...
The Rise and Fall of Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines, once the largest ultra‑low‑cost carrier in the United States, built its brand on $39 fares and aggressive marketing. After 34 years of growth, the airline abruptly ceased operations in May 2026, cancelling 9,000 flights and leaving employees in...
Pentagon Turns to AI Targeting to Help Troops Shoot Drones
The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit has launched the C‑UAS Close‑In Kinetic Defeat Enhancement (CiKDE) program to embed AI‑enhanced target recognition (AiTR) into existing remote weapon stations and eventually dismounted small arms. Phase 1 focuses on upgrading CROWS turrets to detect drones...
For 6 Days, NASA’s Mars Rover Battled a Rock
NASA’s Curiosity rover became entangled with a 28‑lb, 1.5‑foot‑wide rock dubbed Atacama during a routine drill on April 25. The rock clung to the drill sleeve, forcing engineers to spend six days employing vibration, arm reorientation, and spin to free...
A Light in the Dark
NASA released a striking April 3 2026 image from the Artemis II mission, showing Earth’s thin, sun‑lit limb against the darkness of space. Artemis II was the agency’s first crewed deep‑space flight, orbiting the Moon to test Orion’s life‑support, propulsion and navigation systems. The...
Senate To Press FAA On DCA Crash Safety Changes
The Senate Aviation Subcommittee will interrogate FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford on May 19 about the agency’s oversight lapses that contributed to the 2025 mid‑air collision near Washington’s Reagan National Airport, which killed 67 people. The NTSB’s final report highlighted systemic...
Shake It Off—NASA’s Curiosity Rover Gets Its Robotic Arm Stuck Inside a Rock on Mars
NASA’s Curiosity rover became stuck on April 25 when its drill arm lodged onto a 28.6‑lb, 1.5‑ft Atacama rock. After several failed shake‑and‑vibrate attempts, engineers tilted, rotated and spun the bit on May 1, freeing the arm and breaking the rock into...
Virgin Atlantic Suspends Dubai and Seattle Routes in Winter Schedule Shake-Up
Virgin Atlantic announced it will suspend service to Dubai and Seattle for the upcoming winter schedule. The airline said the cuts are part of a broader network optimisation aimed at improving load factors and profitability. The two long‑haul routes have...
Military Space Boom Meets Beltway Friction
Washington plans to more than double the Space Force budget to over $71 billion in FY2027, marking the largest peacetime infusion of funds into U.S. military space. While the budget promises a wave of contracts for satellite makers and launch firms,...
Cubic Secures Follow-On Contract for F-35 P5 Internal Subsystems
Cubic Defense has secured a follow‑on contract from Lockheed Martin to supply 140 P5 Internal Subsystems for F‑35 Lot 21 production aircraft. The deal expands the P5 Combat Training System’s live‑environment capabilities, enabling joint training while safeguarding sensitive data. Leonardo DRS...
FedEx’s MD-11 Comeback to Start with Short Cargo Flight to Miami
FedEx announced a global repair campaign to return its 29 MD‑11 freighters to service after a six‑month grounding triggered by the UPS Flight 2976 crash. Technicians will remove wing‑mounted engine pylons at 16 locations and ship them to Indianapolis and...
Turkey, Japan Launch Defense Industry Partnership with Eye on Drones
Turkey and Japan signed a letter of intent to deepen defense‑industry cooperation, marking the first formal partnership between the two nations and opening the door to joint unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) projects. The agreement was sealed at the inaugural Turkey‑Japan...
ASCEND 2026 Program to Launch with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
ASCEND 2026 launches on May 19 with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman delivering the opening keynote. The week‑long event features more than 200 speakers from commercial space firms, national‑security agencies, NASA, and international partners. New event partners add a Classified Day with NRO...
Jet2 to Expand Summer 2027 Jersey Programme with Two New Routes
Jet2 announced that its summer 2027 Jersey programme will grow with two new routes from Birmingham and Bristol, adding three and two weekly flights respectively. The airline also boosted capacity from Manchester and extended the season to the end of...
SatVu’s New HotSat-2 Satellite Captures Cuban Attempts At Oil Refining
SatVu announced that its HotSat‑2 satellite has achieved first‑light, delivering high‑resolution thermal infrared imagery of three strategic energy sites: Jamnagar refinery in India, Gorgon LNG plant in Australia, and the Hermanos Díaz refinery in Cuba. The satellite detected Cuba’s attempt to...
SmallSat Europe Speaker Focus: Araz Feyzi, Kayhan Space
Kayhan Space, co‑founded by Araz Feyzi, launched its Satcat Product Suite in February 2025, delivering the first unified platform that merges real‑time space situational awareness with autonomous traffic coordination. The system monitors over 60,000 objects in orbit and claims to slash...
Tinker Brings the B-1 Back to the Fight
Tinker Air Force Base’s Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex completed a two‑year regeneration of B‑1B Lancer tail 86‑0115, returning it to combat‑ready status after storage at Davis‑Monthan. More than 200 Airmen and civilians replaced over 500 components and performed functional‑check flights...
Tinker Brings the B-1 Back to the Fight
The U.S. Air Force announced that Tinker Air Force Base has returned the B‑1 Lancer strategic bomber to active combat operations after an extensive maintenance and modernization effort. The upgrade program refreshed avionics, weapons integration and engine performance, restoring the...
ESA’s Space Rider Passes Critical Hurdles on Path to Spaceflight
European Space Agency’s Space Rider, its first reusable spacecraft, has cleared two pivotal milestones: a high‑temperature reentry test and a precision autonomous landing demonstration. The tests validate the vehicle’s thermal protection system and guidance, navigation and control software, bringing the...
Busy Summer on the Cards for Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport expects to handle roughly 11 million passengers this summer, a 2% increase over the previous year, with more than 3.5 million travelers each month and daily traffic surpassing 100,000. The surge is set to eclipse the airport’s prior record of...
Polish Defence Minister Calls for 24/7 Arms Production
Polish defence minister Władysław Kosiniak‑Kamysz urged the domestic arms sector to adopt 24‑hour, seven‑day production at the Defence24 Days conference. He highlighted the need to rapidly scale munitions, drones, and missile output as Poland prepares for a larger, high‑readiness force....
Two Blue Origin Operators Just Joined a MACH 2+ Air-Launch Platform
Starfighters Space (FJET) announced the appointment of two senior leaders from Blue Origin’s New Glenn program—Jose Arias as Vice President of Space Operations and Catrina L. Medeiros as Director of STARLAUNCH Operations. Arias previously slashed integration cycles from 76 to 13 days, while Medeiros...
Pentagon Tells Satellite Builders: Good Enough Now Beats Perfect Later
The U.S. Space Force is redefining satellite acquisition by making speed the top priority, urging contractors to deliver "good enough" capabilities now and improve them later. Gen. B. Chance Saltzman framed this as a shift from an all‑or‑nothing model to...
Delta Is Eliminating This Perk for Passengers — And It’s the Only Airline Doing It (So Far)
Delta Air Lines will stop providing free snacks and beverages on economy flights under 350 miles, affecting roughly 9% of its daily schedule starting May 19. The move is framed as a consistency effort but is widely seen as a...
Airlines Are Grappling with Dwindling Supplies of Jet Fuel
Airlines are confronting a sharp decline in jet‑fuel availability after the near‑total shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for both crude oil and refined products. The blockage has halted the export of Gulf‑sourced jet fuel, driving prices...
Luxembourg Air Rescue to Complete MD902 to H145 Transition
Luxembourg Air Rescue (LAR) announced it will finish swapping its legacy MD902 Explorer helicopters for a fleet of Airbus H145 aircraft by the fourth quarter of 2026. The transition involves six new H145s, funded partly by a €30 million ($32 million) government...
Uzbekistan And China Explore Possible Space Cooperation
Uzbekistan’s space agency, Uzcosmos, met with Chinese Ambassador Yu Jun to explore cooperation on space technology. The talks highlighted China’s civil‑space expertise as a catalyst for integrating space tools into Uzbekistan’s agriculture, water management, and infrastructure planning. Both parties discussed joint...
Roadmap for a Space-to-Space Economy
The space industry’s growth is now limited by orbital congestion rather than launch capacity, as low‑Earth‑orbit satellites double every two years. This bottleneck drives up propellant use, shortens mission lifespans, and raises costs. Analysts propose a space‑to‑space (S2S) economy built...
Odin Space Opens U.S. Office in Los Angeles
Odin Space, a British startup that maps sub‑centimeter orbital debris, announced the opening of its first U.S. office in Los Angeles, led by former Iceye CEO Jerry Welsh. The office will serve commercial and government satellite operators needing data on debris...
SYPAQ Systems Announces Successful Delivery and Entry Into Service of Corvo X
SYPAQ Systems delivered its Corvo X small‑uncrewed aerial system to the Australian Army, marking the entry into service under the DEF129 Small Uncrewed Aerial System Program. The rollout includes a multi‑year sustainment contract covering spares, maintenance, training and future upgrades. Corvo X...
AirData UAV Joins the Commercial Drone Alliance Ahead of Historic Part 108 Rule
AirData UAV announced its membership in the Commercial Drone Alliance as the FAA prepares to implement the landmark Part 108 Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) rule later this year. The rule will impose rigorous pre‑flight, in‑flight, and post‑flight documentation, risk...
Volarious VIGIL V1 Airborne Drone Detection Payload
Volarious, a Singapore‑based drone technology firm, will exhibit at AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2026 in Detroit (May 12‑14) showcasing its V‑LINE PRO tethering system that stretches drone flight from minutes to multiple hours. The company will also debut the VIGIL V1 airborne drone detection payload, which provides...
Anthropic to Consider Using SpaceX Orbital Data Center Satellites
Anthropic announced it will purchase the entire capacity of SpaceX’s new Colossus 1 terrestrial data center, delivering more than 300 MW of compute power for its Claude AI suite. The agreement also gives Anthropic early access to SpaceX’s planned orbital data‑center satellites,...
Starfighters Hires Blue Origin Veterans to Accelerate Air-Launch Platform
Starfighters Space has recruited two former Blue Origin New Glenn managers—Jose Arias as vice president of space operations and Catrina Medeiros as director of operations for its Starlaunch air‑launch service. Arias previously cut integration cycle time from 76 to 13...
Pierce Aerospace Selected to Build Remote ID Network for NASA, Paving the Way for Drone and Air Taxi Flight in...
Pierce Aerospace has been selected by Metis Technology Solutions, the prime contractor for NASA’s ARTS program, to deploy its YR1 and YR2S Remote ID sensors across Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. The multi‑year effort will feed real‑time...
Chinese Laser Weapon System Spotted in the UAE
A Chinese vehicle‑mounted laser counter‑drone system, likely the Guangjian‑21A, was photographed at Dubai International Airport, marking its first visible deployment in the United Arab Emirates. The system, showcased at the 2022 Zhuhai Airshow, is designed to engage low, slow, small...