First Cargo Launch From Repaired Site 31 Tomorrow
A cargo mission to lift off from the repaired pad at Site 31 tomorrow for the first time (details, updates): https://t.co/U0Mzlpkmer
United Trims 5% Capacity on Weak Routes Amid Fuel Surge
United Airlines $UAL plans to lower its capacity by 5% across less profitable routes in the near term in response to surging fuel prices - SA
EVTOL Progress Stalls: Uncovering the Delays
The big read: What the heck is taking the eVTOL companies so long? https://t.co/vX387k0LlX (via @elanhead)
Iran's Solid‑propellant SLVs Could Launch Sizable Payloads
While I can't rule out a low-payload stunt, Iran has several SLVs (including solid propellants) that could deliver a significant payload to these distances.
COTS Electronics Survive
Operators can use commercial off the shelf [COTS] electronics in satellites, with a mission life of 3-7 years. A radiation-hardened part can last 15 years. Many modern satellites use radiation tolerant parts. SpaceX, Planet Labs and Kuiper/LEO all...
Iran's 2000 Km Range Is Political, Not Technical
This is misguided. Iran’s 2000 km “ceiling” was a voluntary political limit, not a technical one. Many of us spent the past several years explaining that Iran could quickly build IRBMs if it chose to do so. It’s not my...
United Airlines Prepares for Worst, Hopes for Best
United Airlines plans for the worst and no doubt hopes for the best. Source: https://t.co/aZdWvhb1R5 https://t.co/vYd0VS4sw7
Lufthansa Blames Non‑EU Carriers for Asia Route Woes
Lufthansa CEO yesterday: “non-EU airlines (successful Asian, Gulf carriers, etc) are the problem, they’re the reason we barely fly to Asia, they’re why we struggle to fly East, it’s unbalanced, it’s unfair” and “we have lost towards South East Asia”...
Bird Strike Tears Radome Off, Plane Lands Safely
China Southern Airbus A330-343 (reg B-1062) on CZ3554 from Shanghai Hongqiao suffered a major bird strike shortly after takeoff... radome torn clean off, the crew declared emergency, returned immediately and landed safely with no injuries. This is one of the more...
Optimus+PV: First Self‑Replicating Von Neumann Space Probe
Optimus+PV will be the first Von Neumann probe, a machine fully capable of replicating itself using raw materials found in space
ITU Lacks Power; National Regulators Face Crowded LEO Orbit
The ITU is a UN treaty organization which has zero power to create or enforce rules. Regulators from specific countries (eg FCC) are tasked with enforcement. The treaties never contemplated tens of thousands of satellites in a small number of...
Swarm Drones Use Simple Neural Nets to Track Warm Targets
“optically-coordinated swarming drones with simple neural nets, that simply target anything warm and moving.” - are you paying attention yet?
Safety Margins, Not Altitude, Limit Low‑Earth Satellite Density
The barrier to how many satellites can be in a particular low Earth orbit is effectively the distance required to provide a "margin of safety" to avoid collisions. Filing with the ITU before others allows the system to claim a...
Iran's Missiles Reach 4,000 Km, Exceeding Prior Claims
Both missed, but still. “Iran’s targeting of Diego Garcia, about 4,000 kilometers from Iran, implies its missiles have a greater range than Tehran has previously acknowledged.” https://t.co/4Ll8mz9eNN
United Trims 5% Capacity as Oil Hits $175 per Barrel
United Airlines planning for oil to reach record $175/barrel, cutting 5% capacity https://t.co/SC3sCiQctU (via TAC/Intel)
SpaceX Snags GPS III, ULA Must Accelerate Vulcan
SpaceX looks to have picked up this GPS III launch off ULA . It is absolutely critical ULA drastically up the pace of Vulcan otherwise it is hard to see them being able to stay a thing. Add New Glenn...
UK Air Power Stretched Across High North, Indo‑Pacific, Middle East
NATO's High North, Indo Pacific or Middle East? How UK air power is getting pulled in different directions at once #avgeek #NATO https://t.co/yLs32QQPdj https://t.co/uPEQ5ZkJuu
DOT's New Allergy Rule Endangers Flight Safety
How the new DOT ruling on food allergies threatens air travel safety http://dlvr.it/TRcKjc Conditions #AllergiesImmunology
Delta Launches Austin‑Phoenix, American Faces Dual Front War
Delta Just Added Austin-Phoenix — And American Airlines Now Has A Two-Front War To Fight - View from the Wing https://t.co/nirDAUcOGS
From Patent Lawyer to Space CEO: Sleeping on Factory Floors
Before Elon Musk famously slept on the Tesla factory floor, Star Catcher CEO @theandrewrush was doing it at his previous company, Made In Space, as they worked to build the first space-ready 3D printer. "I hope that Elon has had better...
African Jet Fuel Prices Shifting Faster than Flights
In Africa, the cost of jet fuel is changing faster than you can fly https://t.co/39KuWJkWGP
White House Omits Gateway in Trump-Japan Lunar Cooperation Brief
WH fact sheet on Trump’s mtg with Japanese prime minister mentions lunar cooperation on pressurized rover and “the NASA-led Moon base,” but nothing about Gateway.
Rocket Lab Launches Japan's Synspective Radar Satellite
LAUNCH at 1810 UTC Mar 20 of a Rocket Lab Electron from Mahia, New Zealand, with a radar satellite for Japan's Synspective (probably the StriX-6 satellite).
Historic MSFC 4670 Test Stand Revives Space Launches
Awesome to see the historic MSFC 4670 test stand helping to make space happen again https://t.co/WwjjIcnBik
Airlines Brace for Jet Fuel Shortages, Not Price Spikes
Global airlines are preparing for "shortages", i.e. there simply is no jet fuel available. But they are talking about prices as a completely separate matter... Wow... https://t.co/FPxwGrm5c0
Air India’s 14‑Hour Flight to Nowhere Lacked Oxygen
Air India Made Passengers Endure A 14-Hour Flight To Nowhere — It Sent An Ex-Delta Plane Without Enough Oxygen For The Route - View from the Wing https://t.co/uvGIqJWgIP
Dozens of Drones Swarm Bomber Base in Multiple Waves
Re-upping this because apparently there were multiple waves of more than a dozen drones over one of our bomber bases last week. 😬
Drones Threaten B‑52 Fleet, Prompt Urgent Hardening
I have spent a good part of my career just getting people to believe this was actually happening. Now we are here. With 15 drones, you can lose roughly 1/4 of the B-52 force as it sits idle on the...
Blue Origin Plans 51,600‑satellite Orbital Data Center
"Blue Origin is the latest company to propose an orbital data center system, filing plans for a constellation of up to 51,600 satellites." via @SpaceNews_Inc https://t.co/yssLQmxsL8
Bezos Invests in Terminator SSO Sunlit Space Gold Rush
Jeff Bezos joins the gold rush to Terminator SSO (and permanent sunlight in space near Earth). https://t.co/QyGifj6ehT
SpaceX Begins 1 Million‑Satellite Orbiting Data Center Initiative
SpaceX To Start “Small” With 1 Million Satellite Plan for Orbiting Data Centers https://t.co/HCh6cfWm1c #SpaceEconomy https://t.co/PNf86RkEJs
Pilot Walks Away From Incident, Fails to Squawk 7700
This caught-on-camera incident was the feature of this week's episode of @flywithaopa's excellent There I Was podcast series. Great job by the PIC to walk away from it. The only thing I noted was it didn't seem he squawked 7700, which...
UK Must Adapt Air and Space Power Amid Escalating Threats
With conflicts & threats escalating in multiple theatres - Can the UK adapt its air & space power resources to meet the challenges? Analysis #avgeek #NATO https://t.co/vB6s61ktZ3 https://t.co/MEZDMDGcrf
Airlines Face Unprecedented Q1 Earnings Amid Fuel and Demand Pressures
Between TSA lines, fuel costs and the actual physical availability of jet fuel, I expect Q1 airline industry earnings reports to be awash in the word "unprecedented." And God help them if we see weakness in premium passenger demand given all...
SIA Launches A380 Service on Singapore‑Melbourne Route 2026
Singapore Airlines (SIA) will operate its Airbus A380 on Singapore–Melbourne flights from March 29 to October 24, 2026, replacing the Boeing 777-300ER on this service. SIA’s A380 aircraft are configured with 471 seats, comprising six Suites, 78 in Business Class, 44...
SIA Boosts London Gatwick Service to Daily Flights
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has extended the suspension of its Singapore-Dubai flights to April 30, 2026 and will add more flights to London Gatwick from 3x weekly (March 31-July 02) to daily flights (July 3-Aug 29). The flights will revert back...
Legacy Satellite Makers Idolized Tradition, Ignored Cost Savings
Old school GEO satellites were assembled in a facility that housed the product in a "high bay" as if it was a giant religious icon. PhDs in bunny suits assembled the satellite piece by piece. The legacy manufacturers didn't believe...
F-35 Deal Sparks Worst Aviation Commentary on X
The worst military aviation commentary of all time from the masses on X is the F-35 deal today. (Maybe outside of the India-Pakistan stuff) That’s really saying something.
Reviving Apollo's Rare 8‑Ball Navigation Instrument
🎱 Peering inside the Apollo Lunar Module 8-Ball There are just two known examples in private hands, and Curious Marc's intrepid crew are trying to revive the remains of a damaged one (left). Mine is on the right, and the image...
Seven Cubesats Deployed by D_Orbit Since Nov 28
I had missed that @D_Orbit had deployed seven cubesats from the IONs launched Nov 28; deployment dates not given but 2 Lacuna and 2 Lemur were ejected on or before Feb 16 from Stellar Stephanus, and 2...
Crew's Log Reveals French Carrier's Exact Location
In case you haven't been following Le Monde's "Stravaleaks" reports — today the newspaper found the location of a French aircraft carrier because someone on board was logging their runs. https://t.co/vZjwJYppcn https://t.co/jt5Ob6kDT4
Space Force Still Lists Deorbited Haven Demo as Orbiting
Space Force failed to issue a decay notice for VAST's Haven Demo, which was removed from orbit on Feb 5. It's still in the US satellite catalog as 'in orbit'.
Space Warfare Mirrors 1930s Air Superiority Era
“Where we are today in space warfare is very similar to where air superiority was in the 1930s.” https://t.co/vdPDSKfwkt
India’s Fighter Quest Stumbles Over European Program Hurdles
India Joining One Of Europe’s Fighter Programs Is Anything But Easy India has an urgent need for new combat aircraft but the European next-generation fighter offerings may not be the answer. https://t.co/0P9ONW9sY3
F-35 Was Never Promised to Be Invincible
No serious person every said the F-35 was invincible. It was never sold as invincible. It was absolutely never designed to be invincible.
Allied Aircraft Losses: Daily in Iraq, Weekly in Serbia
Once out of hundreds if not over a thousand sorties is pretty incredible. The odds will always eventually be in the enemy's favor. Allies lost aircraft almost daily against the Iraqis and weekly vs Serbia.
Iran Claims IR‑guided SAM Downed US F‑35
If genuine: A pop up attack with an IR sensor tracking the F-35 from the ground. Likely seen flying by day Iran has small IR SAMs derived from Soviet AAMs like R-27T/ET. Might also be Saqr-1/2 (358/359) loitering SAM Q: why didn’t F-35...
Only One 328 Still Flying Scheduled Passenger Service
A 30-seat commuter first produced in the early ’90s, the 328 turboprop was the wrong plane at the wrong time for the market; only 107 were produced. This is what it's like to fly the only 328 in scheduled pax service:...
Iran Hits $100M Jet Used in U.S.-Israeli Bombings
Iran damaged a $100 million Fighter Jet… These sophisticated Jets are being used by Trump & Netanyahu to bomb schools and gas fields… They are being used to destroy indiscriminately. Billions wasted on senseless destruction… https://t.co/Dce6MJ7Q0V
ESA Cancels Mars Return Orbiter After US Budget Cut
.@ESA to shut down Mars Earth Return Orbiter after US budget decision; will meet @NASA next week on Artemis status; ESA-@defis_eu Iris2 negotiations with @SES @Eutelsat @Hispasat to wind up late April; ESA Launcher Challenge adapts to @orbexspace exit.https://t.co/TINqTgL6lQ https://t.co/uSutmbuWTG