White House Releases Space Nuclear Policy
The White House unveiled a six‑page space nuclear policy (NSTM‑3) on April 14, directing NASA, the Pentagon and the Department of Energy to develop low‑ to mid‑power nuclear reactors for orbit and the lunar surface. NASA must begin work within 30 days on a 20‑kilowatt reactor, with a goal to launch the first space reactor by 2028 and a lunar version by 2030. The policy calls for parallel design competitions, a two‑design selection by NASA, and a 90‑day defense briefing on payload uses. It also tasks DOE with a rapid assessment of the nuclear industrial base.
Defense Firms Unveil New Satellite Designs for Orbital Warfare
U.S. defense giants BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin announced accelerated programs to develop maneuverable satellites for orbital warfare. BAE unveiled the Ascent platform, a 2,200‑kg payload, refuelable space tug, targeting a classified pathfinder launch in 2027. Lockheed detailed its Next‑Generation...
Q&A: Aerospace Corp Flexes Its Data Advantage
Aerospace Corporation, the government‑funded research center, is leveraging its 65‑year legacy of spacecraft testing to build AI models that speed design and anomaly resolution. CEO Tanya Pemberton highlighted a new "government‑furnished talent" initiative that lets private firms tap the FFRDC’s...
Dismantling the Pipeline: How a 47% Science Cut Would Break the Systems That Make Human Exploration Possible
The White House’s FY 2027 budget request proposes slashing NASA’s Science Mission Directorate by roughly 47%, trimming the agency’s total budget to about $18.8 billion. Dozens of flagship missions—including New Horizons, Juno, the Roman Space Telescope, and the Dragonfly Titan probe—are slated for...
JetBlue Rumors? Now American? What a United Mega-Merger Would Mean
United Airlines is reportedly weighing two mega‑merger options—first a partnership‑turned‑potential deal with JetBlue, now a more ambitious tie‑up with American Airlines. A United‑American combination would create the world’s largest carrier by capacity and revenue, commanding roughly 40% of the domestic...
Senate Committee Advances Pilot Mental Health Bill
The Senate Commerce Committee unanimously advanced the bipartisan Mental Health in Aviation Act, directing the FAA to overhaul pilot medical certification and disclosure policies. The bill mandates voluntary mental‑health reporting, expands approved medications, and tackles backlogs in the special‑issuance process....
A Palace on the Moon
During the September 7‑8, 2025 lunar eclipse, photographer Tianyao Yang captured the Chinese Tiangong space station silhouetted against the Moon. He used orbital data from the China Manned Space Agency, converted to TLE format with the Planit Pro app, and selected a site in...
Canada Formalizes Subscriptions to Four New European Space Agency Programs
Canada has formally authorized participation in four European Space Agency initiatives—Moonlight, FutureNAV, ACCESS and ERS‑EO—through Orders in Council dated March 30, 2026. The decision follows a historic $664.6 million CAD (≈$448 million USD) infusion into ESA commitments, earmarked to secure contracts for at least...
Would A United, American Airlines Merger Shake Up The Airline Industry?
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby pitched a merger with American Airlines during a February meeting with former President Donald Trump, sparking speculation that the two carriers could form the largest U.S. airline by fleet size. The report sent United, American...
Fort McMurray International Airport Earns Top AirportNEXT Scores Across North America
Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM) achieved the highest all‑time AirportNEXT variable scores in terminal experience, transportation access and technology services among participating North American airports. The AirportNEXT Stakeholder Engagement Assessment, developed with Airports Council International‑North America, evaluates infrastructure, facilities and...
Ukraine Strikes Drone Production, Military Support Deal with Germany
Ukraine and Germany have sealed a strategic defence partnership that links German military aid with access to Ukraine’s cutting‑edge drone expertise. Germany will fund several hundred U.S.-made Patriot missiles and support co‑production ventures to boost Ukraine’s air‑defence and drone output....
Contec Opens Second Satellite Optical Ground Station in South Korea with Cailabs
Contec has opened its second optical ground station in South Korea, located at the Asian Space Park on Jeju Island. The site uses Cailabs’ turbulence‑mitigation laser technology and a TILBA‑OGS L10 terminal to improve space‑to‑ground data downlink. The deployment supports...
MDA Space Taps UK-Based Spaceflux for Canadian Space Surveillance Observatories
MDA Space, after winning a $32 million Surveillance of Space 2 contract, has chosen UK‑based Spaceflux to supply optical systems and its Cortex AI platform for three new Canadian ground‑based observatories in Alberta, Manitoba and New Brunswick, slated for delivery by 2028....
How Cassini’s Final Months at Saturn Became the Most Scientifically Productive Planetary Mission Ever Flown and What It Taught Engineers...
Cassini’s five‑month Grand Finale, a deliberate plunge into Saturn, yielded unprecedented data on the planet’s interior, rings and magnetosphere before its controlled destruction on September 15, 2017. Engineers navigated 22 ultra‑close orbits through a previously uncharted gap between Saturn’s clouds...
Dynon Announces SkyView HDX Updates
Dynon Group unveiled a suite of updates to its SkyView HDX platform at SUN ’n FUN, targeting experimental and light‑sport aircraft. A new stand‑alone engine‑monitoring configuration launches with pricing from $4,909 for Rotax iS and $5,771 for Lycoming/Continental engines, offering...
SmallSat Europe Speaker Focus: Daniel Metzler, Isar Aerospace
Isar Aerospace’s 28‑meter Spectrum rocket completed a 30‑second sub‑orbital flight on March 30, 2025, making the company the first private firm to launch an orbital‑class vehicle from continental Europe. Since that brief flight, CEO Daniel Metzler has secured roughly $432 million in lifetime funding...
Coexpair Will Deliver Advanced Hot Press for Safran New Composites Development Lab
Safran Aircraft Engine has contracted Belgian equipment maker Coexpair to supply and install an advanced pneumatic heated press for its new Composite Development Laboratory in Villaroche, France. The press supports thermoset and thermoplastic processes such as RTM, SQRTM, compression molding...
Serbia to Jointly Produce Drones with Israel, President Confirms
Serbia announced a joint venture with an Israeli defence firm to produce combat drones, a move President Aleksandar Vucic described as a 50‑50 partnership. The collaboration follows Serbia’s recent $335 million purchase of Elbit Systems drones and a $1.6 billion deal for...
FTAI Aviation: A Multiyear Compounder
FTAI Aviation has evolved from a traditional aircraft‑leasing firm into a multi‑segment operator that combines high‑ROE leasing, a fast‑growing MRO business and a nascent power‑generation franchise. The Strategic Capital Initiative (SCI) raised $2 billion of equity, targeting up to 375 mid‑life...
Amazon Just Bought Its Way Into the Satellite-to-Phone Race — And the Real Target Is SpaceX
Amazon announced it will acquire satellite operator Globalstar, instantly gaining licensed mobile‑satellite spectrum, an operational L‑band fleet, and ground infrastructure that already supports Apple’s emergency messaging. The deal, structured as cash and stock, is slated to close in 2027 pending...
Crimson Edition King Air 360 Unveiled At SUN ’N FUN
Textron Aviation unveiled the Crimson Edition of its Beechcraft King Air 360 at the 2026 SUN ’n FUN Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida. The limited‑run model adds a custom interior of dark leather, Alcantara accents and crimson piping, plus a...
CSAF, CMSAF Visit 908th FTW
The Chief of Space Operations (CSAF) and the Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force (CMSAF) conducted an on‑site visit to the 908th Force Training Wing (FTW). During the tour they inspected the wing’s state‑of‑the‑art simulators, classroom spaces, and cyber‑range...
Collins Aerospace to Deliver Key Systems for US Army MV-75 FLRAA
Collins Aerospace, a unit of RTX, secured multiple contracts from Bell Textron to provide five critical systems for the U.S. Army’s Future Long‑Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) MV‑75. The components include main power generation, interconnect drive, SmartProbe air‑data, cockpit seating, and...
Icelandair Renews and Expands with ACL Airshop
Icelandair has renewed and expanded its partnership with ACL Airshop, signing a five‑year agreement to manage its unit load device (ULD) fleet. The contract adds dedicated fleet management for scheduled flights, short‑term ULDs for charters, global MRO services, consumables, logistics...
FAA Clears Hermeus Quarterhorse for Supersonic Flight Testing
Hermeus announced that the Federal Aviation Administration granted a Special Airworthiness Certificate in the Experimental Category for its unmanned Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 aircraft. The certification follows a detailed FAA inspection and clears the path for a dedicated supersonic flight‑test campaign....
Peraso Delivers Initial Production Shipment of 60 GHz Modules for Drone IFF Systems
Peraso Inc. has delivered its first limited‑production 60 GHz mmWave modules to Israeli defense contractor InTACT, marking a production‑readiness milestone for the company’s IFF technology. The modules, optimized for military identification‑friend‑or‑foe (IFF) use, combine Peraso’s hardware with InTACT’s protocol software and...
Quantum WIY Industries and Quantum Tencore Industries to Strengthen Air Defence and Ground Systems
Quantum Systems announced two new joint ventures under its “Build with Ukraine” programme: Quantum WIY Industries (QWI) to boost Ukrainian air‑defence with interceptor drones, and Quantum Tencore Industries (QTI) to scale unmanned ground‑system production. Both ventures partner with Ukrainian firms...
Europe Ramps up Autonomous Warfare Capabilities with German–Ukrainian Drone Production Pact
Germany and Ukraine have signed a cooperation agreement that enables the Auterion‑Airlogix joint venture to begin large‑scale production of thousands of mid‑range, heavy AI‑guided autonomous strike drones in Germany. The deal fulfills a February 2026 Munich Security Conference pledge and becomes...
Here Comes Starlink, the Next Telecom Giant
Starlink, five years into commercial service, is now reshaping the telecom landscape by offering ultra‑low latency broadband that rivals traditional GEO and MEO satellites. Its partnership with MVNO US Mobile marks a foray into fixed‑line bundling, while Asian markets see incumbents...
Diamond Launches Factory-Authorized Owner Training Program
Diamond Aircraft introduced Diamond Brilliance, a factory‑authorized training program for owners of its DA42, DA50 and DA62 models, unveiled at the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo. Developed with Take Flight Aviation, the curriculum covers real‑world operations, safety procedures and ownership...
Japan Moves to Institutionalize Drone Warfare as Manpower Shortfalls Deepen
Japan’s Ground Self‑Defense Force inaugurated two new offices – the Unmanned Defense Capability Promotion Office and the Unmanned Systems Office – to institutionalize drone and broader unmanned warfare. Though staffed by only 13 personnel, the offices will shape concepts, R&D,...
Delta Walks Back Climate Targets
Delta Air Lines has withdrawn its pledge to source 10% of jet fuel from sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2030 and recharacterized its 2050 net‑zero goal as an aspiration rather than a firm target. The revisions were posted on the...
AIAA CEO Mowry to Speak at Space Workforce Forum
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) announced that its chief executive officer, Michael Mowry, will speak at the upcoming Space Workforce Forum. The forum, organized by the Office of Space Commerce’s Policy, Advocacy & International Division, will take...
Orbital Starts Countdown to Space Data Centre Test
Orbital announced that its first satellite, Orbital 1, will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 in April 2025 to test sustained GPU operation in low‑Earth orbit. The mission, funded by a16z Speedrun, aims to prove radiation‑hardening, continuous solar power and space‑based cooling...
Germany's Eurowings Takes Off From Gatwick Airport
Germany's Eurowings, a Lufthansa Group carrier, launched two new Gatwick routes this summer, offering 13 weekly flights to Cologne and six weekly flights to Stuttgart. The services, operating from Gatwick’s North Terminal, mark Eurowings’ first UK connection to Cologne and...
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL Reaches ISS Carrying Tons of Supplies
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft completed its second flight to the International Space Station, docking on April 13. The vehicle was captured by the station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm at 1:20 p.m. EDT. The mission delivered several tons of scientific equipment,...
General Atomics Completes Pre-Ship Review for Space Force Weather Payload
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems announced on April 14, 2026 that its advanced EO/IR payload passed the pre‑ship review, clearing it for integration into the U.S. Space Force’s Weather System (EWS) satellite bus. The payload expands spectral coverage to 16 bands,...
Japan Delivers Its Sharpest X-Ray Telescope for FOXSI, a US–Japan Rocket Program to Observe the Sun
Japan’s Nagoya University has completed its most precise X‑ray telescope yet for the Focusing Optics X‑ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) program, a joint US‑Japan sounding‑rocket effort to capture high‑energy solar flares. The new optics achieve sub‑arcsecond resolution across a 0.5‑10 keV band,...
Dawn Aerospace Unveils “Loop” Refueling Network to Combat Orbital Obsolescence
Dawn Aerospace announced the Loop, an on‑orbit refueling network that standardizes a Docking and Fluid Transfer (DFT) port on SatDrive satellites larger than 10 kN. The system pairs a reusable Space Utility Vehicle with expendable Orbital Propellant Depots, turning propellant from...
SUN ’N FUN 2026 Kicks Off Today
The 52nd annual SUN ’n FUN Aerospace Expo launched today in Lakeland, Florida, offering a full day of aviation activities from morning forums to an afternoon airshow and evening concerts. Highlights include a Super Guppy presentation, a master‑plan briefing by...
Toray Will Supply Carbon Fibres for Syensqo’s Aerospace Composite Materials
Toray and Syensqo have signed a five‑year global agreement, effective January 2026, under which Toray will supply high‑strength, intermediate‑modulus carbon fibres for aerospace composite materials. The deal supports Syensqo’s portfolio of composite solutions across commercial and defence programmes. Executives from...
Amazon Makes Globalstar Deal Official, Shakes Up Satellite Sector
Amazon announced the acquisition of Globalstar for $11.57 billion, aiming to broaden its Leo satellite constellation and challenge SpaceX’s Starlink. The news lifted Amazon’s shares 2.7% to $246.33 and sent Globalstar stock up 10.2% to $80.30. Options activity surged, with call...
City of Peace
Volkswagen is negotiating with Israel’s state‑owned arms firm Rafael to retool its Osnabrück plant, employing 2,300 workers, for production of Iron Dome missile‑defence systems. The move follows a 2024 announcement that three German plants are at risk due to falling car...
Piper Introduces 7-Blade Propeller Option for M700 FURY
Piper Aircraft announced that a composite 7‑blade MT‑Propeller has earned EASA Supplemental Type Certificate approval for the M700 FURY, with FAA certification expected soon. The new propeller is designed to shorten takeoff runs, improve climb performance, and lower cabin noise. Piper...
Raytheon Delivers Patriot GEM-T Interceptors to Ukraine in $3.7 Billion Deal
Raytheon, an RTX subsidiary, has inked a $3.7 billion contract to deliver Patriot GEM‑T interceptors to Ukraine. The deal includes production support from a newly opened facility in Schrobenhausen, Germany, operated by the Raytheon‑MBDA joint venture COMLOG. GEM‑T missiles are upgraded...
Redwire Delivers Stalker Drones to U.S. Marine Corps in $20M Deal
Redwire announced it has secured more than $20 million in FY2026 Q1 awards to supply its Stalker unmanned aircraft systems to the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The deal includes the Marine Corps’ first purchase of the Advanced Navigation version of...
Slingshot Introduces AI-Powered Portal Platform
Slingshot Aerospace launched the Slingshot Portal, an AI‑driven platform that consolidates data from its Global Sensor Network, government tracking feeds, orbital object catalogs, and customers' proprietary sources. The portal delivers near‑real‑time monitoring, anomaly detection, and maneuver planning within a single...
European Airports Risk Jet Fuel Shortage by May Due to Hormuz Crisis
The war in Iran and the near‑shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz have pushed global oil prices above $92 a barrel, driving the average jet‑fuel spot price to $197.83 per barrel—99% higher than pre‑conflict levels. A Financial Times report warns that...
Synopsys Solutions Support NASA's Artemis Program with Spacesuit Analysis and Communication System Development
Synopsys, together with Electro Magnetic Applications (EMA) and Cesium, is providing NASA with advanced electromagnetic simulations to evaluate Artemis spacesuit charging and to model lunar cellular network performance. The partnership leverages Ansys Charge Plus for 3‑D electrostatic discharge analysis and integrates...
Airbus Backs Sarawak's Aviation Ambition, Sees Potential as Regional Hub
Airbus Asia‑Pacific president Anand Stanley announced strong support for Sarawak’s plan to evolve from a domestic airport hub into a regional aviation centre. The backing comes as the state‑owned carrier AirBorneo launched its first flight on Jan 2, operating 14 aircraft...