Viasat, Galaxy 1 Communications and L2 Aviation to Bring Avionics Integration to Advanced Air Mobility
Viasat announced that L2 Aviation has joined its Velaris ecosystem through Galaxy 1 Communications, bringing deep avionics integration and certification expertise to Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and uncrewed aviation. The partnership embeds satellite connectivity into certified avionics architectures, moving AAM from demonstration projects toward regulated, everyday operations. Galaxy 1’s Distribution‑Partner‑as‑a‑Service (DPaaS) model will handle provisioning, billing and compliance, extending Velaris’s reach across the industry. Together, the three firms aim to create a certifiable, scalable connectivity platform for future urban air mobility.
AIAA, Aerospace Corporation Launch ASCEND 2026 Classified Day
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is hosting its first ASCEND 2026 Classified Day on May 18 at The Aerospace Corporation’s Chantilly, Virginia headquarters. The closed‑door session will feature a keynote by NRO Director Chris Scolese and senior leaders from...
AIAA Launches 30/30 Program to Spotlight Top Aerospace Young Professionals
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has launched the 30/30 recognition program, inviting nominations through June 15, 2026 to honor 30 early‑career aerospace professionals in their 30s. Winners will be showcased in the October‑December issue of Aerospace America...
IAI–DCX Radar Facility Groundbreaking Held in Tamil Nadu
Israel Aerospace Industries’ ELTA Systems and Bengaluru‑based DCX Systems have broken ground on a radar manufacturing plant in Shoolagiri, Tamil Nadu. The joint venture, ELTX Systems Private Limited, will complete construction by April 2027 and start production shortly thereafter. The facility will...
Call for Counter-Drone Tech to Protect Infrastructure Receives High Volume of Proposals
UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) has opened a competition for counter‑UAS solutions to protect critical national infrastructure, receiving a high volume of proposals that delayed its assessment timeline. The feedback release has been pushed to 24 June 2026, with contracts expected to...
Qatar Airways Cargo Restores Freighter and Belly-Hold Services to Iraq
Qatar Airways Cargo announced the restoration of both freighter and belly‑hold services between Doha and Baghdad. A weekly Boeing 777 freighter will launch on May 7, followed by twice‑weekly passenger flights starting May 10. Combined, the routes will provide more than 115 tonnes...
Don’t Miss SGx 2026, Part of ASCEND – Washington D.C. | 17–18 May
SGx 2026: Inventing New Orbits will convene students, young professionals, and senior leaders from NASA, Blue Origin, Airbus, Northrop Grumman and other aerospace firms on May 17‑18 in Washington, D.C. The two‑day program blends TEDx‑style talks, hands‑on workshops, a National Geographic...
LATAM Cargo Launches Miami-Caracas Link
LATAM Cargo Colombia has launched a scheduled Miami‑Caracas‑Bogotá service, beginning operations on May 3. The route runs twice weekly, with flights on Sundays and Thursdays between Miami International Airport and Simón Bolívar International Airport before continuing to Bogotá. The carrier will...
US Air Force Expands E-7 Wedgetail Order to Seven Aircraft
The U.S. Air Force has amended its contract with Boeing, adding five more E‑7A Wedgetail airborne early‑warning aircraft for a total of seven. The $2.4 billion amendment, signed in March 2026, extends the program through 2032 with the first two prototype jets...
Ukraine Could Lift Arms-Exports Ban This Year as Would-Be Buyers Line Up
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he and Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov are drafting regulations to lift the country's ban on arms exports. The government aims to sign its first export contracts by the end of 2026, focusing on drones,...
AIRHART Platform to Expand and Scale Under Full Netcompany Ownership
Netcompany has purchased Copenhagen Airports' remaining stake in Smarter Airports, giving it full ownership of the AIRHART digital platform. AIRHART, an AI‑driven system that integrates data from multiple airport systems, is already operating at Copenhagen, Munich and Heathrow airports. The...
Ukrainian Pilots Are Breaking From Soviet-Era Tactics and Learning to Fly with a Western Mindset, Trainers Say
Ukrainian pilots are undergoing early‑stage flight training at a Royal Air Force base in the UK, starting on Grob Tutor prop planes before moving on to fast‑jet and eventually F‑16 programs. The month‑long course combines basic flying, English language instruction,...
Protesters Push Portland to Investigate Firm that Appears to Supply Drone Tech to Israel
Portland anti‑war activists are urging city officials to investigate local AI firm Sightline Intelligence after cargo records showed its video‑processing boards shipped to Israel’s Elbit Systems, a major drone supplier to the Israeli military. The activists argue the technology violates...
Bridenstine Takes Over as Quantum Space CEO
Former NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine has been appointed chief executive of Quantum Space, a satellite‑maneuvering firm. Bridenstine says the role lets him return to national‑security work, leveraging his military and congressional experience. Quantum’s flagship Ranger vehicle can both refuel other...
Anduril Names Its SBI Team For Golden Dome
Anduril announced its partner team for the Pentagon’s Golden Dome Space‑Based Interceptor (SBI) program, naming Impulse Space, Inversion Space, K2 Space, Sandia National Labs and Voyager Technologies. The five firms join eleven other prime contractors working on the missile‑defense architecture....
May 5, 1961: The First American in Space
On May 5, 1961 Alan Shepard piloted the Freedom 7 capsule, becoming the first American to reach space. Launched from Cape Canaveral on an Army Redstone missile, the suborbital flight peaked at 116.5 miles (187.5 km) altitude and 5,180 mph (8,336 km/h). The 15‑minute mission was broadcast live,...
LEAP 71 and Sindan Partner to Develop Aerospace Systems with Computational Engineering Tools
AI‑driven manufacturing firm Sindan and UAE aerospace startup LEAP 71 have signed a strategic partnership to develop air‑breathing jet engines and space propulsion systems using LEAP 71’s Noyron computational engineering model and Sindan’s AI‑powered additive manufacturing platform. The collaboration aims to compress...
ESA Taps Edge Aerospace for Space Cloud Contract
Edge Aerospace, a Luxembourg‑based in‑space computing startup, has been awarded an ESA Space Cloud contract to develop an architecture and use‑case roadmap for orbital data centres. The study will assess commercial viability and identify civil, commercial and defence applications for...
Plaid Technologies Provides Update on Graphene Coating Initiative for Drone Systems
Plaid Technologies announced that it has supplied a batch of high‑purity graphene material to Dr. Ian Flint for testing as part of its collaboration with Graphene Nano Works. The partnership is evaluating graphene‑based coatings to improve thermal management, durability, radar...
Amazon Leo Prepares To Bring Satellite Internet Service To Kenya
Amazon’s Kuiper Kenya subsidiary has submitted a Network Facilities Provider Tier 2 licence application to the Communications Authority of Kenya, seeking regulatory clearance to launch its Leo satellite‑internet service. Kenya, which gained Starlink coverage in 2023, could soon host a second...
Navy EA-18Gs Over Iran, Venezuela Show Rise in Aerial Electronic Attack
The U.S. Navy deployed EA-18G Growler electronic‑attack aircraft over Iranian and Venezuelan airspace, highlighting a surge in aerial electronic warfare missions. The sorties were part of Operation Epic Fury and Operation Absolute Resolve, showcasing new jamming techniques against sophisticated air...
MH-60S Sea Hawks and AH-64 Apaches Destroy Six Iranian Boats
U.S. Navy helicopters, an MH-60S Sea Hawk and an AH-64 Apache, intercepted and destroyed six Iranian fast‑attack boats in the Persian Gulf. The engagement came after Iran launched a coordinated swarm of cruise missiles, drones, and small craft aimed at...
Shield Against Russia: European Rockets for F-16s
The Belgian Ministry of Defence confirmed that F‑16 fighters successfully tested Thales Belgium’s FZ275 70 mm laser‑guided rockets, which can shoot down hostile drones. The rockets, already in use in Ukraine, allow each aircraft to carry up to 28 munitions, providing...
India’s High-Altitude Logistics Drone Push Drives Demand as BonV Aero Launches Air Orca
BonV Aero has launched Air Orca, a heavy‑lift cargo drone engineered for extreme‑altitude operations, directly targeting the Indian Army’s high‑altitude logistics UAV programme. The Army plans to acquire 570 drones to close last‑mile delivery gaps in Ladakh and western border...
When It Comes to the Moon, We’ve only Scratched the Surface
Artemis II returned to Earth after a 10‑day mission that included a lunar flyby, marking the first time a woman and a non‑U.S. citizen have flown to the Moon. The flight demonstrated key Orion spacecraft systems and set the stage for...
Advanced Air Mobility Is Moving Closer to Take-Off, but Who Will Be First to Fly?
Advanced air mobility (AAM) is shifting from prototype flights to certification, production and infrastructure build‑out. US eVTOL leaders such as Archer, Joby and BETA are advancing through the FAA’s type‑certification process while scaling factories and securing launch customers, whereas Chinese...
Noida International Airport to Begin Commercial Flight Operations in June
Noida International Airport (DXN) will launch commercial flights on 15 June 2026, following its inauguration by the Prime Minister and receipt of Aerodrome Security Program approval. IndiGo will operate the inaugural flight, with Akasa Air and Air India Express joining shortly. The...
Spirit’s Failure Shocked America – The Rest of the World Is Used to It
Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations, marking the first major U.S. carrier collapse in over two decades. The shutdown highlights the stark contrast between the U.S. aviation market, which has been stabilized by decades of consolidation, and regions...
Turkey Unveils Its Largest and Fastest Ballistic Missile
Turkey's defence firm ROKETSAN unveiled the TAYFUN Block 4 hypersonic ballistic missile at the SAHA 2026 expo, showcasing a 10‑meter, 7.2‑ton weapon capable of Mach 5+ speeds. The missile was displayed on an 8×8 wheeled launcher, and ROKETSAN confirmed that initial deliveries have...
US Army Fires Tomahawk Missile From New Typhon Launcher During Philippines Drill
The U.S. Army Pacific’s 1st Multi‑Domain Task Force and the Philippine Army Artillery Regiment test‑fired a Tomahawk cruise missile from the new Typhon launcher in Ilocos Norte, striking a target 995 km away in Nueva Ecija within 61 minutes. The launch was...
Otto Aerospace Appoints New CEO as Laminar Flow Jet Program Enters Execution Phase
Otto Aerospace named Scott Drennan as its new president and CEO, replacing Paul Touw as the company transitions the Phantom 3500 laminar‑flow business jet from design to execution. Drennan, formerly president and COO, led the jet’s preliminary design review and recent...
Hamilton Jetport Achieves ARGUS Platinum Rating
Hamilton Jetport has earned the ARGUS Platinum rating, the highest tier in the industry’s safety audit system. The rating places the charter operator in the top 5 % of more than 1,000 U.S. and Canada‑based operators. The audit, conducted over several...
Baykar’s Akinci: Local Participation and Export Freedom Drive $4.63 Billion Success Story
Turkey’s Baykar has turned its Akinci unmanned combat aerial vehicle into a $4.63 billion export success. Launched in 2019 and fielded by the Turkish Armed Forces in 2021, the UCAV relies on domestically produced subsystems, which eases export restrictions. Baykar’s co‑production...
EuroAtlantic Airways Appoints Former airBaltic Executive as CEO
Lisbon‑based wet‑lease and charter carrier euroAtlantic Airways announced Pauls Calitis, former airBaltic COO and interim CEO, as its new chief executive effective May 18, replacing Stewart Higginson who becomes non‑executive chairman. Calitis brings experience in fleet modernization and ACMI expansion, aligning...
Rolls-Royce Inaugurates MOD-Backed Additive Manufacturing Development Cell
Rolls‑Royce has opened a 350 m² Additive Manufacturing Development Cell at its Bristol site, funded by the UK Ministry of Defence. The facility uses metal powder‑bed fusion to produce critical components for next‑generation military aircraft engines. It is directly linked to...
ACI World Launches New Policy Agenda 2030
ACI World unveiled its Policy Agenda 2030, urging governments to overhaul outdated aviation regulations as global passenger demand surges. The agenda outlines four priority pillars—recognising airports as strategic businesses, expanding capacity through modern slot policies, reinforcing safety and security frameworks,...
Turkish Firm Wins Deal for 100,000 Kamikaze Drones with Undisclosed Country
Turkish defense firm Pasifik Technology signed a framework contract with an undisclosed nation for a package of 101,035 unmanned systems, headlined by 100,000 MERKUT FPV kamikaze drones. The deal also includes 10 ALPIN unmanned helicopters, 25 DUMRUL mini‑helicopters, 500 DELİ...
New Smart Airside Safety System at Bengaluru Kempegowda
Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport has deployed an integrated Smart Airside Safety System that combines AI‑driven computer vision, automated signaling and a central monitoring platform. The technology focuses on Cross Service Roads, where aircraft and ground vehicles intersect, replacing manual light...
U.S. Firm Develops Fuel that Gives Jets and Missiles More Range
CycloKinetics, Inc. officially launched on May 4, 2026, offering three drop‑in propellants—CycloJP for aircraft, CycloRP for rockets, and CK‑10 for missiles—that replace existing fuels while delivering higher energy density and cleaner combustion. The company, built on a 15‑year relationship with the Department...
Basalt Space and Bay Area Rivals Aim to End Starlink’s Constellation Monopoly
San Francisco‑based Basalt Space and other Bay Area startups are launching a "Constellations‑as‑a‑Service" model that lets governments and enterprises task their own small satellite swarms without relying on Starlink or traditional providers. The pitch emphasizes sovereign control over orbital capacity,...
Eve Air Mobility Builds Flight-Test Momentum with 50 Successful Flights
Since its maiden flight on Dec. 19, 2025, Eve Air Mobility has logged 50 successful test flights of its engineering‑prototype eVTOL, generating high‑fidelity performance data. CEO Johann Bordais says the milestone proves program maturity and readiness to deliver both aircraft...
Partners Selected to Prototype Autonomous Logistics Aircraft
Near Earth Autonomy has been awarded a Naval Air Systems Command contract to lead the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary Logistics (MARV‑EL) Increment 2 program, developing an autonomous logistics aircraft for the U.S. Marine Corps. The effort partners Bell Textron’s...
American Pilots Union Chief Says United CEO's Merger Idea Showed 'Bold Vision'
American Airlines pilots union leader Nick Silva praised United CEO Scott Kirby’s merger proposal as a "bold vision" that could transform the industry, but the Allied Pilots Association stopped short of endorsing a tie‑up. United recently withdrew its merger pursuit...
US Fast-Tracks New Ship-Killer Missile to Point at China
The U.S. Army is fast‑tracking Increment 4 of its Precision Strike Missile, an anti‑ship variant capable of striking maritime targets up to 1,000 km away and operating from HIMARS launchers. The system is designed for GPS‑denied environments and aims to fill a...
United Jet Hit Pole, Truck During Newark Landing Approach
United Airlines Flight 169, a Boeing 767‑400 arriving from Venice, clipped a light pole and struck a tractor‑trailer on the New Jersey Turnpike during its final approach to Newark Liberty International Airport on May 3, 2026. The aircraft landed safely...
The Short-Lived Airbus A380-800 Freighter Concept That Was Cancelled Before A Single Aircraft Was Built
Airbus unveiled the A380 freighter (A380F) in the early 2000s, promising a 330,000‑lb payload across three decks and a 5,600‑nm range. The concept attracted early interest from FedEx, UPS and Emirates, but shifting cargo market preferences toward smaller, twin‑engine aircraft...
UAE Skies Reopen, Impact yet to Be Seen
The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority lifted all flight restrictions on May 2, restoring normal air traffic over Dubai International and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed airports after drone attacks linked to the US‑Israel‑Iran war. OAG data showed regional capacity had fallen 34.7%...
In-Space Servicing and Satellite Inspection Market Analysis 2026
The successful five‑year life‑extension of Intelsat 901 by Northrop Grumman’s Mission Extension Vehicle‑1 has turned in‑space servicing from a concept into a viable commercial service. Operators are now paying for satellite inspection, propulsion pods, and end‑of‑life deorbit contracts to extend revenue, meet...
India “Pauses” BrahMos-2 Missile Program? 3 Reasons Why Delhi May Be Holding Its Hypersonic Dream: OPED
India’s joint venture with Russia to field the hypersonic BrahMos‑2 cruise missile has been put on hold. The pause stems from the missile’s steep $12.5 million unit cost, only marginal performance gains over the existing BrahMos‑1, and Russia’s unwillingness to hand...
South Korea Has Launched Its First Privately Built EO Satellite
South Korea successfully launched its first privately built Earth Observation satellite, the Compact Advanced Satellite 500‑2 (CAS500‑2), on 3 May 2026 from Vandenberg Space Force Base using a SpaceX Falcon 9. The 534 kg platform carries a high‑resolution optical sensor capable of 0.5 m panchromatic...