Augment Aero: Automated Airside Assistance
Augment Aero, founded in 2023 by former aerospace recruiter Elaine Harding, is developing AI‑driven augmented‑reality glasses to automate aircraft‑engineer admin tasks. The startup secured a £1.2 million ($1.5 million) UK grant and later attracted private investment after highlighting Boeing’s £1 billion ($1.27 billion) cap‑table loss. It has signed a development partnership with one of Europe’s largest airlines and pitched the technology to Ryanair, projecting up to $68.6 million in annual revenue gains. The company is now opening an EIS funding round for U.S. investors.
All Operational, Underdevelopment, or Planned Human Crewed Space Capsules
In April 2026 Orion’s Artemis II carried four astronauts beyond low‑Earth orbit, confirming that crew capsules now serve lunar missions as well as orbital ferry work. The active capsule fleet includes SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, Russia’s Soyuz MS, China’s Shenzhou, NASA’s Orion, and Blue Origin’s...
ResilienX Receives FAA BVLOS Waiver, Clearing the Way for Expanded ORION-X Operations
ResilienX secured an FAA Certificate of Waiver allowing its ORION‑X drone‑as‑a‑service platform to conduct beyond‑visual‑line‑of‑sight (BVLOS) flights without on‑site visual observers. The approval, enabled by a partnership with NUAIR’s FAA‑accepted surveillance network, was granted in January and integrated after roughly...
Electrofuels Are Slipping Through The Trump Chopper
Electrofuels are emerging as a viable alternative to conventional jet fuel, and Boston‑based startup Sora Fuel announced a $14.6 million financing round to accelerate its low‑cost direct‑air‑capture (DAC) technology. The company claims it can capture CO₂ for under $50 a ton—about...
Global Airlines Cancel Flights Amid Middle East Conflict
British Airways will permanently drop Jeddah and trim its Middle East schedule, limiting Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv to one daily flight from July 1 and cutting Riyadh to one flight from mid‑May. The airline will redeploy aircraft to add daily services...
DoD Seeks Expanded Investment in Counter-UAS Capabilities
The Pentagon’s Counter‑Drone Task Force is asking Congress for more than $580 million in FY 2027 research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) to accelerate counter‑UAS systems. The request targets rapid fielding of technologies that detect, track and neutralize small commercial drones that...
New NACO Report Highlights Value of Real Estate and Non-Aero Revenue
A new NACO white paper argues that airport real estate and non‑passenger revenues are essential for financial resilience, especially as nearly 90% of airport income remains tied to passenger traffic. The study shows the pandemic nearly erased earnings, highlighting the...
The Role of Defense Spending in Expanding the Space Economy
Defense spending is reshaping the space economy by providing a reliable launch market, fueling large‑scale satellite constellations, and driving demand for data and analytics services. The U.S. Space Force’s Phase 3 launch manifest and the Space Development Agency’s Tranche programs have...
Russia Cannot Sustain Antonov Transport Aircraft Fleet
Internal documents from the Dallas intelligence firm reveal that Russia’s Antonov transport fleet totals about 368 aircraft, with 143 requiring major repairs. The 308th Aircraft Repair Plant in Ivanovo cannot service these planes due to a lack of spare parts,...
Orion Heat Shield Faces Critical Test as Artemis II Nears Reentry
NASA’s Orion crew capsule is set to splash down tomorrow, marking the final re‑entry phase of the Artemis II mission. Engineers have been monitoring the vehicle’s ablative heat shield since pre‑launch, when experts warned that the shield’s performance could be a...
Ethiopian Airlines Marks 80 Years as Africa’s Aviation Anchor
Ethiopian Airlines celebrated 80 years of continuous service, growing from a single 1946 route to Africa’s largest aviation group with a fleet of more than 140 aircraft and a network that reaches over 140 destinations across five continents. The carrier’s...
American Airlines Cargo Expands Transatlantic Capacity Ahead of Summer Surge
American Airlines Cargo is boosting its summer 2026 schedule with up to 186 daily international widebody flights, including roughly 4,400 transatlantic services each month. London Heathrow will see the biggest increase, rising to 21 departures per day, while new routes...
Axalp Technologies Advances iSurface Composites Impact Monitoring Technology
Axalp Technologies has finished the main R&D phase of its iSurface composite health‑monitoring project, collaborating with Munro Technology, Z Prime and FHNW. The iSurface system embeds a conductive fiber interleaf and AI‑driven analytics to spot barely visible impact damage (BVID) in...
Greek SCYTALYS Partners with Indonesia’s PTDI on Tactical Mission System for N219 and CN235
Greek defense software firm SCYTALYS signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia’s PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) to integrate its Mission Integration and Management System Airborne (MIMS Airborne) into PTDI’s N219 and CN235 maritime patrol aircraft. The modular, open‑architecture C4ISR solution...
Earth and Moon, Then and Now
In December 1968, Apollo 8 astronauts reoriented their spacecraft and witnessed the first colour view of Earth rising above the Moon’s far‑side horizon, a moment captured by Bill Anders and instantly became an iconic image. The photograph, known as “Earthrise,” symbolized...
Pratt & Whitney Secures $6.6 Billion F135 Engine Contract
Pratt & Whitney secured a $6.6 billion contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to supply F135 engines for Lots 18 and 19 of the F‑35 Joint Strike Fighter program. The award, which combines a $3.8 billion 2026 modification with a prior $2.88 billion award,...
April 9, 1959: The Mercury 7 Debut
On April 9, 1959 NASA introduced the Mercury 7, America’s first astronaut corps, after a rigorous selection from 508 candidates. The seven pilots—Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Walter Schirra, Alan Shepard, and Deke Slayton—became the public face of...
This Founder Helped Build SpaceX’s Most Powerful Rocket Engine. Now He’s Building a ‘Fighter Jet for Orbit.’
Portal Space Systems, founded by former SpaceX Raptor engineer Jeff Thornburg, announced a $50 million Series A round that values the startup at $250 million. The company is developing solar‑thermal propulsion, which concentrates sunlight to heat propellant and deliver high‑speed thrust for satellites...
Portal Closes $50M Series A
Portal Space Systems announced a $50 million Series A round led by Geodesic Capital and Mach33, with participation from Booz Allen Ventures, Ark Invest, AlleyCorp and FUSE. The capital will fund the first flight of its Starburst spacecraft on Transporter‑18 and a...
The State of Launch 2026
The launch market is hitting a capacity crunch as a million‑satellite data‑center constellation and monthly lunar missions drive unprecedented demand. Rocket Lab, Firefly Aerospace and ULA all report back‑logged customers and limited range availability on Florida’s Eastern Range, which supported...
Coptrz Named Exclusive UK Partner for Avy
Coptrz has secured an exclusive partnership with Amsterdam‑based Avy, becoming the sole UK distributor of Avy’s long‑endurance BVLOS drone network for emergency services and defence. The agreement adds Avy’s fixed‑wing Aera aircraft and Dock "drone‑in‑a‑box" system to Coptrz’s portfolio, delivering...
China: A Composite Material 26% Stronger for Drones, Planes and Rockets
Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in partnership with HKUST and Stanford, have created an AI‑enhanced tool that streamlines the design of fibre‑reinforced composite laminates. By employing balanced layer patterns—double‑balanced and triple‑balanced—the method delivers uniform properties while simplifying manufacturing....
Musk, Bezos, Both Cry To Trump’s FCC In Bid To Dominate Satellite Broadband
Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’s Amazon are locked in a proxy fight at the FCC over dominance of low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) satellite broadband. SpaceX alleges Amazon’s Project Leo violates orbital‑debris rules by launching satellites at excessively high altitudes, while Amazon...
What Do SpaceX, xAI, And X Have In Common? Is It Tesla?
Elon Musk completed a rapid February merger of SpaceX with his AI startup xAI, adding up to $75 billion to SpaceX’s already $2 trillion‑plus valuation. The combined entity is eyeing an IPO that could raise as much as $50 billion, using the merger...
BAE Systems Tests APKWS Laser-Guidance Kit on RAF Typhoon Aircraft
BAE Systems confirmed a successful test firing of its APKWS laser‑guidance kit from a Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon at the Warton flight‑test centre. The kit guided a rocket to a ground target at over six kilometres, demonstrating low‑cost precision...
Raytheon Secures $627m Patriot Air Defence System Deal From Netherlands
Raytheon, a business unit of RTX, secured a $627 million contract to deliver a Patriot air‑and‑missile‑defence "Fire Unit" to the Netherlands. The package includes a radar, fire‑control centre, multiple launchers, spare parts and logistical support, slated for deployment at the Dutch...
Artemis Flight Day 8: “Bubble Wrap Nominal”
Artemis II’s Flight Day 8 focused on validating return‑flight operations as the Orion crew approached Earth. A minor bulkhead issue—likely expanded bubble wrap—was resolved, prompting Mission Control to confirm “bubble wrap nominal.” The crew conducted a manual tail‑to‑Sun maneuver to gather guidance,...
Sora Fuel Raises $14.6 Million to Produce Jet Fuel From Air, Water, and Clean Energy
Climate‑tech startup Sora Fuel announced a $14.6 million financing round to accelerate its air‑to‑fuel technology that converts water, ambient CO₂ and renewable electricity into carbon‑negative jet fuel. The Boston‑based company claims its integrated direct‑air‑capture process can capture CO₂ for under $50...
Sateliot Seeks €100M in Latest Funding Round
Sateliot, the Spanish low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) satellite operator, has opened a Series C round seeking roughly $108 million to finance the launch of 16 additional 5G‑capable satellites. The company already has six satellites in orbit and plans to add five more this year,...
The Airbus H125 in the Andes: Saving Lives at over 6,000 Metres
Two recent high‑altitude rescues in the Andes highlighted the Airbus H125’s unique performance. In January, Helicopters AR hoisted a Brazilian climber from Camp Cólera at nearly 6,000 m using a sling, then landed at 5,556 m to complete medical care. Weeks earlier, Rotortec...
Mastering Extremes: The UAS Trio that Could Tackle Latin America’s Diverse Needs
At FIDAE 2026 in Santiago, Airbus unveiled three uncrewed aerial systems—Flexrotor, Aliaca and SIRTAP—designed to meet Latin America’s varied terrain and mission sets. Flexrotor’s VTOL design and 12‑hour endurance make it ideal for wildfire monitoring and maritime ISR. Aliaca offers rapid...
EDGX Launches Sterna Satellite Payloads on SpaceX Transporter-16
EDGX successfully launched its first Sterna high‑performance data processing units aboard SpaceX’s Transporter‑16 mission, showcasing an AI‑powered edge computer designed for satellite constellations. The Sterna payload leverages Nvidia’s Jetson Orin NX, can dynamically scale power between 10 W and 45 W, and is...
A French High-Temperature Composites Sector for Technological Sovereignty
IRT Saint‑Exupéry, together with the Agence de l’innovation de défense, has launched the COMPINNOV HT+ project to develop high‑temperature organic matrix composites for aeronautics, space and defence. Within a year the consortium—spanning Safran, ArianeGroup, MBDA, CEA‑Liebherr, Specific Polymers and several SMEs—has...
The Complete Story of Voyager’s Interstellar Mission: How Two Spacecraft Built in the 1970s Are Still Rewriting What We Know...
Voyager 1 will cross the one‑light‑day threshold in November 2026, placing it about 16 billion miles from Earth and making round‑trip communications take nearly two days. The probe, launched in 1977, continues to send unique measurements of the heliopause and interstellar medium, revealing...
All Eyes on Orion’s Heat Shield: Artemis 2 Astronauts Will Hit Earth's Atmosphere at Nearly 24,000 Mph on April 10
NASA’s Artemis 2 crewed Orion capsule will begin its return to Earth on April 10, entering the atmosphere at roughly 23,840 mph (38,367 kph) from an altitude of about 75 miles. After the heat‑shield damage observed on the uncrewed Artemis 1 flight, mission planners opted for...
Vantor Unveils New Sat Classes: Vantage and Pulse
Vantor announced two new satellite classes—Vantage and Pulse—to boost both imagery resolution and revisit frequency. Vantage will deliver 20‑cm resolution images, with two satellites slated for launch in 2029, while Pulse, a smallsat fleet the size of a refrigerator, will...
A Cracked Heat Shield Rattled NASA After Artemis I. Now, Artemis II Will Put the Fix to the Test
NASA will put a revised re‑entry trajectory to the test on Artemis II after a heat‑shield crack was discovered on the uncrewed Artemis I flight. The crewed Orion capsule will plunge into Earth’s atmosphere at 32 Mach, using a direct‑entry path that avoids...
U.S. Marine Corps Launches Kamikaze Drone Program for Frontline Units
The U.S. Marine Corps issued a sources‑sought notice for a $50 million‑$75 million support contract aimed at its Organic Precision Fires‑Light (OPF‑L) loitering‑munition system. The contract will fund engineering, logistics, software and lifecycle services for the emerging kamikaze‑drone capability. OPF‑L is slated...
Apex Satellite’s Big Pivot: Why a Small-Sat Company Is Suddenly Building for the Pentagon and Orbital Data Centers
Apex Satellite announced two new spacecraft platforms, the Comet Mini and Comet XL, targeting the Pentagon’s Golden Dome missile‑defense architecture and emerging orbital data‑center markets. The Mini will deliver about 20 kilowatts of power, while the XL aims for up to...
Application Spotlight: 3D Printed Replacement Antenna Masts Save Decades of Combined Supply Wait Time
The US II Marine Expeditionary Force faced long‑standing shortages of replacement antenna masts for its Mobile User Object Systems (MUOS), as the original parts became brittle and costly to procure. Leveraging additive manufacturing, the Marines produced 3D‑printed mast replacements that...
Cathay Cargo Upgrades Booking Systems for Customer Modifications
Cathay Cargo has launched a Manage Booking upgrade that lets freight forwarders modify cargo bookings online. The new tools enable changes to shipper or consignee details, flight dates and shipment size, and provide a real‑time dashboard with cost‑impact visibility. Automated...
Wedding Fireworks Scare: EasyJet Flight Forced To Abort Landing At Paris-Orly
An easyJet A320 was forced to abort its landing at Paris Orly after a wedding procession set off mortar‑style fireworks directly beneath the aircraft’s final approach path. The captain performed a go‑around at roughly 500 feet, circling the airport before safely...
NASA Prepares for Artemis II Splashdown After Historic Moon Flyby
NASA is preparing for the splashdown of Artemis II, its first crewed lunar flyby, scheduled for Friday off Southern California. The four‑person crew—NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen—completed a record‑breaking loop around the Moon,...
A Maker of Pet Toys in Ukraine Turns to Killer Drones
Ukrainian pet‑monitoring startup Petcube pivoted to combat drones, launching Odd Systems and The Fourth Law to produce AI‑enabled FPV quadcopters. The drones integrate image‑recognition that spots tanks, artillery and soldiers, and use a YOLO interface that hands off the final...
Amazon: Could Globalstar Be the Missing Spark the Stock Needs?
Amazon’s shares have flat‑lined around $220 for 18 months while the S&P 500 rose over 10%, prompting investors to look for a catalyst. The company is reportedly negotiating a roughly $9 billion acquisition of satellite‑communications firm Globalstar, a move that could accelerate...
The Unsolved, Untold Mystery of Globemaster 49-244
On March 23 1951 a U.S. Air Force C‑124 Globemaster (tail 49‑244) vanished over the Atlantic with 53 passengers and crew, including Brigadier General Paul T. Cullen. The Air Force later disclosed that every aboard was attached to the Strategic Air Command on a classified...
Fargo Aircraft Services Joins Titan Aviation Fuels Network
Fargo Aircraft Services, operating at Hector International Airport since 2008, has joined Titan Aviation Fuels' FBO network. The partnership expands Fargo from pure maintenance into full‑service FBO operations, adding fuel, ground handling, hangar space and pilot amenities. Titan Aviation Fuels...
How War Has Made a 33-Year-Old the Czech Republic’s Richest Man
Michal Strnad, 33, CEO and majority owner of Czechoslovak Group (CSG), has become the Czech Republic’s richest man. CSG went public in January 2026 with a valuation of about €25 bn ($29 bn). The defence contractor posted €6.7 bn ($7.8 bn) revenue in the...
Kempegowda Trial Offers Glimpse of Future Era of Contactless Travel
Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, together with IndiGo, Digi Yatra and IATA, completed a first‑of‑its‑kind biometric proof‑of‑concept for international passengers. The trial demonstrated a fully contactless journey from ticketing through boarding using self‑sovereign identity and app‑to‑app data sharing. The success positions...
Sharjah’s Satellite Infrastructure Still Intact After Missile Attack: Space42
On April 7, 2026, a missile struck the administrative building of Thuraya Telecommunications in Sharjah. Space42, Thuraya’s parent, confirmed that satellite services and infrastructure remain fully operational. The attack injured two Pakistani nationals, but no disruption to customers was reported....