China’s Guangzhou “to Invest USD1.47 Billion in Low-Altitude Economy”
Guangzhou announced a $1.4 bn aerospace investment fund, part of a broader low‑altitude economy push. The fund, sourced from the municipal government, state‑owned firms and financial institutions, will back the entire aerospace supply chain, from raw materials to heavy‑lift drones. The city also plans 500 new take‑off/landing sites, a test runway for ton‑class drones, and China’s first cross‑border low‑altitude logistics corridor to Hong Kong by 2026. Commercial drone‑based tourism flights along the Pearl River are slated for launch alongside eVTOL component upgrades.
Will Future Missions to the Moon Be Sustainable? It May Depend on Whom You Ask
Future lunar missions are shifting from short visits to long‑term presence, with NASA’s Artemis program targeting a sustainable foothold in the 2030s and private firms eyeing a lunar economy. The article highlights the moon’s fragile environment—rocket exhaust, dust plumes and...
Guetlein: CBO Is ‘Not Estimating What We’re Building’
U.S. missile‑defense program Golden Dome's leader Gen. Michael Guetlein criticized the Congressional Budget Office’s $1.2 trillion cost estimate, saying it vastly overstates the $185 billion budget he presented. Guetlein argued the CBO relied on legacy‑technology costs and lacked insight into the program’s...
Intuitive Machines to Acquire Goonhilly Earth Station and COMSAT to Scale Deep Space Network
Intuitive Machines announced a definitive agreement to acquire Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd and its U.S. subsidiary COMSAT, adding 44 antennas and deep‑space assets to its portfolio. The deal creates a vertically integrated space‑to‑ground network spanning the UK and the United...
USAF Orders First 14 T-7A Red Hawk Trainers From Boeing
The U.S. Air Force has placed its initial order for 14 Boeing T‑7A Red Hawk advanced trainer aircraft, a deal valued at roughly $219 million. The contract, issued after the Milestone C production decision, includes digital training systems, spares and support...
Golden Dome Chief Pushes Back on $1.2 Trillion CBO Estimate
Gen. Michael Guetlein rejected the Congressional Budget Office’s $1.2 trillion 20‑year cost estimate for the Trump‑initiated Golden Dome missile‑defense program, saying the analysis relies on outdated legacy assumptions. The White House has put the figure at roughly $185 billion, arguing the Pentagon will...
Europa Clipper and Juice Make Simultaneous UV Light Observatoins of Interstellar Comet 3I/Atlas
In November 2025 the Europa Clipper and JUICE spacecraft coordinated a rare simultaneous ultraviolet observation of interstellar comet 3I/Atlas as it passed between them. The dual‑view data captured hydrogen, oxygen and unusually high carbon emissions, with Europa Clipper imaging night‑side dust and JUICE recording...
AOC of Bestfly Aircraft Management Aruba Revoked
The Department of Civil Aviation of Aruba revoked the air operator's certificate (AOC) of Bestfly Aircraft Management Aruba on May 11, citing safety and compliance concerns. The revocation follows a suspension on May 5 and forces the company's commercial jets...
Merlin Launches Autonomous Flight System for Large Commercial Cargo Aircraft
Merlin announced Merlin Pilot for Commercial Cargo, an AI‑powered autonomy core that can be installed on any large cargo aircraft as part of its new Condor product family. The system is designed to fly autonomously while a safety pilot remains...
DRDO and IAF Successfully Test Indigenous TARA Glide Weapon Off Odisha Coast
On May 7, India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force successfully flight‑tested the Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) glide weapon off Odisha’s coast. TARA is a modular kit that attaches to existing 250‑kg bombs, adding a...
Romania Eyes Polish UAVs and Loitering Munitions
Polish defence contractor WB Group has signed an agreement with Romania’s aerospace firm ROMAERO to assemble and produce the GLADIUS unmanned aerial system for the Romanian Ministry of Defence. The deal, announced at the Black Sea Defence and Aerospace exhibition...
NASA Alters Artemis 3 Launch Vehicle Configuration
NASA announced that Artemis 3 will launch on the Space Launch System without its Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. Instead, an inert spacer built at Marshall Space Flight Center will occupy the ICPS interface, preserving the vehicle’s dimensions. The change reflects a...
CSA Catapult a Core Technology Partner Providing SiC Power Module for Project SONATA
The UK’s Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult has been named a core technology partner for Project SONATA, an ATI‑funded initiative to develop an on‑aircraft electric taxi system with regenerative braking. CSA Catapult will design, build and validate custom silicon‑carbide (SiC) power...
The Risks to Europe’s Space Push
Europe’s space sector is gaining momentum, driven by semiconductor leaders like STMicroelectronics targeting $3 bn revenue and a market projected to rise from $650 m to $2 bn by 2028. Ambitious projects such as OneWeb’s LEO constellation, Space Forge’s orbital material factory, and...
USAF Contracts AEVEX for Group 3 Autonomous Aircraft Delivery
The U.S. Air Force awarded AEVEX an $18.5 million contract to deliver Group 3 autonomous aircraft for One Way Attack missions. The agreement includes engineering and field‑service support and relies on additive‑manufacturing and 3D‑printing to speed production. AEVEX will use its 100,000‑sq‑ft...
Jet Aviation San Marino Adds Group's First ACJ220
Jet Aviation San Marino has taken delivery of the group’s first ACJ220‑100, the first of its type to be based in the Asia‑Pacific region. The VIP‑configured airliner, registered T7‑828, was built in 2024 and placed at Singapore Seletar in March...
The AI that Transformed American Warfare
The MAVEN Smart System is an AI‑driven weapon platform that not only pinpoints targets but also advises commanders on how to engage them. It has intercepted Iranian missile trajectories bound for Israel, located rocket launchers in Yemen, and tracked drug...
United Airlines Adds First-Ever Nonstop Flights From Continental U.S. To Sapporo
United Airlines is adding two Japan routes this winter, including a seasonal San Francisco‑Sapporo nonstop that will be the first nonstop service from the continental United States to Hokkaido, and a daily Chicago‑Tokyo Narita flight that will be the only nonstop...
Europe ‘Can’t Rely on the US’ for Its Space Sector, that Is Not a Bad Thing
Mark Boggett, chief executive of Seraphim Space, warns that Europe can no longer count on U.S. support to build a thriving space tech industry and must adopt a sovereign approach. Falling launch costs and advances like industrial 3D printing have...
Air Mauritius Eyes A321neo, B737 MAX for "Game Changer" Plan
Air Mauritius is evaluating the addition of narrow‑body A321neo and Boeing 737 MAX jets as part of its "Game Changer" turnaround plan. The airline believes these smaller aircraft will better match demand on routes to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Kuala Lumpur and...
Why Satellogic Could Be One of the Biggest Space Winners of 2026
Satellogic (NASDAQ: SATL) posted its first positive operating cash flow in Q1 2026, with revenue soaring 80% and a cash balance near $122 million. The firm added more than $30 million in defense contracts and is expanding its Aleph‑1 constellation, underpinning a projected...
Landspace Launches Improved Zhuque-2E, Long March 6A Lofts New Qianfan Satellite Group
China’s private launch firm Landspace successfully flew the upgraded Zhuque‑2E Y5, placing a 2,800‑kg payload into a 900‑km polar orbit and showcasing enhanced high‑mass capability. The rocket now delivers up to 4,000 kg to Sun‑synchronous orbit and 6,000 kg to low Earth...
UNICCON Group Showcases Indigenous AI and Autonomous Systems Drones Through Its Defence Subsidiary, Babasky Technologies.
UNICCON Group, via its defence subsidiary Babasky Technologies, has entered a collaboration with Nigeria's Defence Headquarters to develop and field indigenous AI‑driven autonomous drones and related security systems. The partnership builds on UNICCON’s prior AI work, including the Omeife humanoid...
EVTOL Investing: Ditch the Taxi, Buy the Blueprint
The urban air mobility market is polarizing between capital‑intensive, vertically integrated air‑taxi operators such as Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation, and a capital‑light OEM approach championed by Vertical Aerospace. While the TaaS players hold $2.5 billion and $1.77 billion in cash, they...
Exclusive Briefing: A Webinar with Rocket Lab
On May 25, Rocket Lab and Beyond Earth Ventures will host a one‑hour webinar aimed at investors, founders, and asset managers interested in the emerging space‑launch economy. The session will demystify launch as an infrastructure problem, explain how launch slots are...
Dufour Aerospace Demonstrates Long-Range Capabilities at UAS Forum Sweden
Dufour Aerospace showcased its Aero‑200 long‑range drone at the UAS Forum Sweden in Västervik, completing a demonstration flight that underscored the aircraft’s extended range capabilities. The event brought together logistics operators, regulators, and regional partners to discuss practical deployment pathways...
Laminar-Flow Aerodynamics & Efficiency Validated in Long Endurance Flight Campaign
Otto Aerospace completed a DARPA‑funded flight‑test campaign at White Sands, validating laminar‑flow aerodynamic technology on a long‑endurance unmanned drone. The test, conducted from Spaceport America with Swift Engineering support, confirmed predicted efficiency and demonstrated the potential for continuous airborne power...
Counter UAS Homeland Security Europe Returns to Address Evolving Drone Threats
The 4th Annual Counter UAS Homeland Security Europe conference will convene security, government, military and industry leaders this September to examine the accelerating threat of drones over critical infrastructure and public events. The agenda focuses on evolving UAS capabilities, urban...
Hydrix, NIOA Sign Manufacturing Deal to Advance Australian Counter-Drone Defence Capability
Hydrix has secured a binding contract with NIOA Group to design, develop and integrate a telemetry‑capable inert proximity fuze and kinetic effector for small uncrewed aerial systems. The deal, valued at AUD 1‑1.2 million (approximately US$0.66‑0.79 million), will ramp up in May 2026...
Hydrix Wins Key Counter-Drone Contract with NIOA Group
Hydrix (ASX:HYD) landed a counter‑drone payload contract with NIOA Group worth AUD 1‑1.2 million (≈ $660‑$792k USD). The agreement kicks off in May 2026, with a demonstration slated for December 2026 and design optimisation due by the March quarter of 2027. Simultaneously, Hydrix imposed a...
Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 4 Clears Major Design Milestone Ahead of Lunar South Pole Mission
Firefly Aerospace announced that its Blue Ghost Mission 4 has cleared the preliminary design review, a critical checkpoint in NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The dual‑spacecraft mission, featuring the Blue Ghost lander and the Elytra Dark orbital relay, targets...
SLS to Launch without Upper Stage for Artemis 3
NASA announced that the Space Launch System will launch Artemis 3 without an upper stage, using an inert spacer in place of the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. The mission has been re‑scaled to a low‑Earth‑orbit test of rendezvous and docking with...
SES Extends IRIS² Review as Consortium Reaches Initial Project Milestone
SES announced on its May 12 Q1 2026 earnings call that the internal review of the EU‑backed IRIS² satellite constellation will be extended, pushing the final go/no‑go decision to mid‑2026. The SpaceRISE consortium—SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat—has reached the “Rendez‑vous 1” milestone, but SES...
SpinLaunch to Collaborate with Aalyria for Network Orchestration
SpinLaunch announced a partnership with Aalyria Technologies to integrate the latter’s Spacetime network‑orchestration software into the Meridian low‑Earth‑orbit communications constellation. The collaboration will provide a vendor‑agnostic control layer that accelerates Meridian’s ground‑segment readiness and supports rapid deployment of LEO satellites...
Gilat Wins Big Military Contracts, Expands India Footprint
Gilat Satellite Networks reported a strong Q1 2026, highlighted by a $23 million follow‑on contract with the U.S. Army and a new electronically steered antenna award for a European defense customer. The company also sealed a partnership with India’s Nelco Limited...
To Replace Lost MQ-9s, USAF Eyes Next-Gen Reaper
The U.S. Air Force reported losing roughly two dozen MQ‑9A Reaper drones during the early phase of Operation Epic Fury against Iran. With the MQ‑9A production line shut down in 2025, the service is scrambling for short‑term replacements, eyeing the...
Eutelsat Shows Strong Growth in LEO Services and Mobility in Q3
Eutelsat reported third‑quarter revenue of 293 million euros ($343 million), a 2.3% decline on a reported basis but a 3% rise on a like‑for‑like basis. LEO‑driven revenue surged 65% year‑over‑year, propelling Mobile Connectivity up 27% to €45 million ($53 million). The company announced a...
Rise Goes to Washington
NASA’s Artemis II crew—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen—completed a ten‑day lunar flyby in April 2026 and then traveled to Washington, D.C. on May 12 to meet congressional staff on the Capitol’s dais. The team displayed “Rise,” a...
SpaceX Prepares to Launch Next-Generation Starship, the Tallest and Most Powerful Rocket Ever Built
SpaceX announced the maiden flight of Starship V3, the tallest and most powerful rocket ever built, slated for May 19. The 407‑foot vehicle features new Raptor 3 engines, an upgraded Super Heavy booster, and a redesigned launch pad. The sub‑orbital test...
DOD Builds Framework for Faster Development and Deployment of Cruise Missiles
The Defense Department signed framework agreements with Anduril, CoAspire, Leidos and Zone 5 to develop low‑cost, containerized cruise missiles, with testing slated for spring 2026 and production aimed for 2027. A separate contract with Castelion will validate the Blackbeard missile, followed...
Artemis II Crew Meets with Prime Minister Carney Following Historic Mission
After a historic 10‑day lunar flyby, NASA’s Artemis II crew landed in Ottawa for a first‑ever official visit to Canada’s capital. Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the astronauts, highlighted the nation’s keen public interest, and praised CSA astronaut Jenni Gibbons for her CAPCOM...
USAF Apologizes After F-35 Triggers Sonic Boom Over England
The U.S. Air Force apologized after an F‑35A from RAF Lakenheath unintentionally broke the sound barrier, creating a sonic boom over eastern England during a routine training maneuver. Residents in Norfolk and Suffolk reported loud, explosive‑like bangs that rattled homes,...
Poland Says It Intercepts Russian Aircraft over Baltic Sea
Poland's air force intercepted a Russian Il‑20 reconnaissance aircraft over international waters in the Baltic Sea, labeling it a provocation. The aircraft flew without a filed flight plan and with transponders turned off, but did not breach Polish airspace. Defence...
US Space Command, Allies Crafting Ops Plan for Orbital Warfare
U.S. Space Command and a coalition of seven allies—including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, France and New Zealand—are drafting a joint concept of operations to defend orbital assets, with a target completion date by the end of 2024. The...
Golden Dome's Key Questions to Determine Its Success
The Pentagon’s Golden Dome program aims to create an integrated missile‑defense architecture that blends ground‑based radars, space‑based sensors and data‑routing software to detect and intercept threats before launch or in flight. The Congressional Budget Office now estimates the system will...
Leidos Lands $2.7B Dark Eagle Production Contract
Leidos secured a $2.7 billion full‑production contract from the Defense Department for the Dark Eagle hypersonic weapon, moving the program from an other‑transaction authority to a traditional FAR‑based award. The deal unifies the Thermal Protection Shield and Common Hypersonic Glide Body...
U.S. Air Force’s First Chief Modernization Officer Talks CCAs, Mass Production
Lt. Gen. Christopher Niemi was confirmed as the Air Force’s first chief modernization officer, a role that consolidates modernization efforts across the service. He told the Senate Armed Services Committee he is "bullish" on the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program,...
Boeing Reports Strong April With 57 Widebody Orders
Boeing announced on May 12 that it received 109 orders in April, including 57 widebody jets. The widebody commitments consist of 28 777X, 29 787 Dreamliner, and 52 737 MAX deliveries. The orders were disclosed in the company’s monthly orders...
Starship V3 and Launch Pad 2 Set for Debut Mission May 19
SpaceX has set May 19, 2026 as the earliest date for the debut of Starship V3, its third major iteration, launching from the newly constructed Launch Pad 2 at Boca Chica. The flight will evaluate a suite of upgrades, including higher‑thrust Raptor engines, revised...
NASA’s Planet-Hunting TESS Reveals Dazzling Night Sky
NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has released an all‑sky mosaic compiled from 96 observation sectors spanning April 2018 to September 2025. The image marks 679 confirmed exoplanets and 5,165 candidate worlds, filling gaps left by earlier surveys. TESS’s four‑camera system continuously...