Marine Corps F-35Bs Arrive Radar‑Free Amid APG‑85 Delays
SCOOP: Marine Corps F-35Bs are set to deliver in Lot 17 without radars due to delays with the APG-85. Starting in Lot 18, all F-35s delivered to the U.S. military will be awaiting a radar. With @michaeldmarrow and @Diana_Stancy : https://t.co/6HIqluDOZx
Even Horses Evacuated as Qatar Airspace Closes
Qatar Airways Cargo operated two Boeing 777F flights from Riyadh to Liège, Belgium, carrying 147 horses (mostly Arabians and competition horses) after they were trucked out of Qatar due to the ongoing airspace closure... when even the horses are getting...
Iranian Fire Forces US F‑35 Emergency Landing, Confirming Threat
USAF F-35 Makes Emergency Landing After Allegedly Being Hit by Iranian Fire The F-35 was flying a mission over Iran when it was forced to divert. A video claiming to show the engagement points to a key threat we have highlighted...
IR Exaggerates Blasts; Shrapnel Does Damage, Jets Survive
1. Keep in mind that explosions look much bigger in IR because they oversaturate the sensor. 2. It's not the explosion that does the damage it is the shrapnel so where the warhead fuzes in relation to the aircraft plays a...
A‑10s Patrol Strait of Hormuz, Target Iranian Boats
A-10 Warthogs Are Prowling For Iranian Boats In The Strait Of Hormuz A-10s are executing one of the lesser-known missions they've trained to do for decades, hunting down Iranian fast attack boats and mine layers in the strait. https://t.co/PkTgNzVTsV
Balancing Space Benefits with Earth’s Environmental Protection
Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) has a new rpt: “Space for Progress, Earth for Keeps: An Integrated Framework for Space and the Environment" by Mary Guenther and Susie Quinn. On how "to maximize rewards from space and minimize atmospheric effects." https://t.co/jjoRxyItpH
ESA Chief Welcomes NASA's International Artemis Briefing in DC
At the ESA press briefing this morning, DG Aschbacher said NASA is bringing the international community together here in DC next week. He's looking fwd to learning about the new Artemis architecture incl Gateway. "A welcome opportunity" to see what...
ESA Restores Contact with Proba-3 Coronagraph After Month‑Long Silence
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher says at a press briefing that controllers have just managed to restore contact with the Proba-3 coronagraph spacecraft, which had been out of contact since last month. Recovery efforts underway.
SwissTo12 Scales to Eight HummingSats Annually with ESA Funding
Small-GEO sat builder @Swissto12, now w/ 7 sats in production (2 unnamed), uses @ESA investment to expand production capacity. Goal is 8 HummingSats/year. @SES_Satellites @viasat.https://t.co/9uOrjCLVKk https://t.co/bM1pA0m3hY
China’s Export Bans Jeopardize US Interceptors in Iran War
China’s export controls threaten US interceptors during conflict with Iran | Umair Ghori | https://t.co/ROnyomjH5J
Airlines Face Jet Fuel Shortage, Cancellations Loom
Airlines have been warned that they will face jet fuel shortages as soon as next month, risking flight cancellations
British Airways Equips 787‑8 with Starlink Wi‑Fi
British Airways has started the installation of Starlink Wi-Fi, with a Boeing 787-8 being the first aircraft fitted with the service. https://t.co/N76SCIMV14
Flights Cut Climate Impact by About 70%
"Reduced the average climate impact per flight by around 70%" Find out more with this AEROSPACE Insight blog https://t.co/FqT3Eno46y
NATO Pledges Swift Space Contracts, Bureaucracy Stalls Progress
.@NATO to commercial space: We're ready to move quickly on multi-orbit, multi-frequency and other fronts with contracts that spend years in our bureaucracy before closing. @NCIAgency @govsatcom @defis_eu.https://t.co/5dHFzsqHN6 https://t.co/9FZlet5yQq
Gulf Airlines Scramble Amid Iran War Airspace Closures
Live on @CNBC: The Iran war continues to be an agility test for the Gulf carriers, as airspace closures continue to limit operations & airlines look elsewhere for solutions to keep passengers moving. #aviation https://t.co/LnyWIPG8et
MI‑17 Quote Likely Refers to Bell 206, Not HIP Series
Not sure of the meaning of ‘MI-17’ being in quotes here, but this is surely not a HIP-series helicopter? Presumably something in the Bell 206 family.
Nihon University's Tenkoh
Nihon University's Tenkoh-2 cubesat, deployed from the HTV-X1 cargo ship on Mar 11, has been cataloged as object 68261, in a 495 x 501 km x 51.6 deg orbit.
Airlines Slash Thousands of Flights Over Rising Fuel Costs
Scandinavian Airline SAS would cancel 1000 flights in April due to high oil prices, CEO Anko van der Werff told Swedish media Dagens Industri. The airline has already cancelled a few hundred flights in March mostly domestic routes in Norway...
Pentagon Tests China‑War Missiles in Gulf Strikes
For the Pentagon, there is benefit to demonstrating its missile capabilities in combat: The strikes on Iranian vessels from across the Gulf were conducted with the same types of missiles the U.S. is planning to use in case of war...
Rocket Lab Scores Timely Capability Win
Impressive win here for Rocket Lab: delivering the right capability at the right time. https://t.co/8vUinNNlgG
Artemis II Rollback to Launch Pad Tomorrow at 8 PM
Artemis II SLS/Orion rollback to the launch pad is now set for tomorrow, Thursday, March 19, at 8:00 *pm.* It'll stream on NASA's YouTube channel.
House Hearing Explores LEO's Future: ISS to Commercial Platforms
House SS&T will hold a hrg on Mar 25 at 10:00 am ET on The Future of LEO: From the ISS to Cmrcl Platforms. NASA's Joel Montalbano (Acting AA for Space Ops Mission Directorate), Dave Cavossa (CSF), Charlie Precourt (mbr,...
Congress to Examine LEO's Future Beyond the ISS
The House Science Committee's space subcommittee will hold a hearing next Wednesday on "The Future of Low Earth Orbit: From the ISS to Commercial Platforms". https://t.co/OyC3IQLGDd
US EVA-94 Spacewalk Begins on ISS at 1246 UTC
Spacewalk US EVA-94 is underway on the ISS. Astronauts Meir and Williams, in suits 3015 and 3003 and with SAFER packs 15 and 18 depressurized the airlock past 50 mbar at 1246 UTC, opened the hatch at 1251 UTC and...
Roskosmos Launches Parallel Cargo Missions to Recover ISS Supply
Roskosmos conducts a rather rare parallel cargo ship launch campaigns in Baikonur, with Progress MS-34 in early tests and Progress MS-33 on the pad, in an effort to make up the ISS resupply schedule after the November pad accident. Context:...
Air Seychelles Resumes Paris Flights via Leased Aircraft
Air Seychelles is getting creative in light of the current disruptions in the Gulf, as the airline will resume long haul flights to Paris, using a leased plane. https://t.co/hEGV5N7aEe
Teamwork Fueled Dubai Airport’s Rapid Recovery After Shutdown
Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths speaking to CNN's Becky Anderson: the key to keeping flights moving at DXB during the recent suspension was the outstanding teamwork from all parties... airport, airlines, ground handlers, emergency services. IMO: it’s easy to criticise when...
United CEO: JetBlue Deal Decision Amid 50% Travel Drop
United CEO Scott Kirby Says Buying JetBlue Is Up To Them — As Government Travel Falls 50% - View from the Wing https://t.co/SCDu2KV8hV
RAeS Hosts One-Day Conference for Hawker Hunter 75th Anniversary
Heads up! Celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first flight of the Hawker Hunter this July with a special one-day RAeS conference at @RAF_Cosford #avgeek https://t.co/hHJSpa5u8n https://t.co/F8FXPupIrK
JFK Near‑miss Highlights Critical Pilot Error
An EVA Air Boeing 777 & Air Canada Jazz Embraer E175 had a very close call at JFK airport, in what can only be described as a major pilot screw-up. https://t.co/bOAVUlfXyr
Expensive Drones Aren’t Foolproof, Costly Shahed Attacks Persist
Reality check: a ~$20k drone does not have a 100% success rate. @wilendhornets's numbers indicate that Shaheds can be stopped with ~95% effectiveness for ~$2k/shahed. So a single successful shahed attack actually costs ~$400k. Drones augment missiles. They don't replace them.
Vertical Aerospace Advances Valo Certification Amid Liquidity Risks
Vertical Aerospace activates automated battery pilot line, advancing Valo certification while cash burn and liquidity remain key risks; trade: buy after funding or regulatory milestones. — Viktor Kopylov, PhD, CFA More insights: t.me/si14Kopylov
Astronauts Repair ISS Solar Arrays, Extending 2032 Mission
Today, high above your head, 2 human beings will be working outside in the eternal emptiness of the universe. astro_chrisw (1st spacewalk) & astro_jessica (4th) are improving solar arrays. Needed, as the International Space Station will be up & working through...
Free Space Lecture by RAeS & IET, March 18
Free space lecture, RAeS Farnborough Branch, 18 March (with the IET) Skynet Stories https://t.co/cnpzx0gqO3 https://t.co/0kVai1yf4T
Cathay Pacific Extends Dubai, Riyadh Flight Suspension to April 2026
JUST IN: Cathay Pacific cancels passenger and cargo flights to Dubai and Riyadh until April 30, 2026 due to the volatile situation in the Middle East. Initially, the suspension of operations to these two destination was until March 30, 2026....
E-2D Hawkeye Deploys to Counter Iranian Drone Threats
Navy E-2D Hawkeye Radar Planes Appear To Be Rushing To The Middle East The E-2D is America's most capable platform for spotting drones and other low-flying Iranian threats that are wreaking havoc on Gulf Arab States. https://t.co/0X8hOJvdao
SLS/Orion May Return to Pad Thursday, Decision Tomorrow
Looks like SLS/Orion MIGHT roll back to pad on Thursday after all. They’ll decide tomorrow (Wed.).
New Airship Generation Revives Lighter‑Than‑Air Aviation
"There is a real sense of optimism that... a new generation of airships will return lighter-than-air flight to the heart of the wider aviation industry" #avgeek #aviation https://t.co/1KHaTWqAbF https://t.co/3dmKYCQIjJ
Boeing 737 MAX Crashes Kill 346, Shareholders Profit
346 People Died In Boeing 737 MAX Crashes — But Shareholders May Get Paid The Most - View from the Wing https://t.co/kIFkOJ6sXF
Build A Rocket Boy Splits From IOI Partners
Build A Rocket Boy is on its own with MindsEye as it separates from IOI Partners. https://t.co/eHIWuWWJh8
American Airlines Improves but Still Hides Delay Reasons
@americanair finally fixed one of the most annoying parts of flying, but only halfway… It’s a good start, but American should let everyone see delay and cancellation reasons. Right now, the only “hack” is to enroll in text alerts for every flight...
Telesat Allocates 25% of Lightspeed Capacity to Defense
.@Telesat: Lightspeed constellation to have 500 MHz of mil-Ka-band, about 25% of total capacity, to meet surging defense interest. 1st 2 sats launch in Dec, with 96 in orbit by end 2027, commercial service starts spring 2028. @MDA_space @SatixFy_satcom @NationalDefence....
Soyuz‑5 Test Launch Set for March 27, Officials Warn of Debris
Soyuz-5 rocket to fly its inaugural test mission on March 27, according to local authorities in the Yugra Region, warning population on fragments' impact; no confirmation from Roskosmos yet: https://t.co/DBcHRiQe36 https://t.co/wHpGAkKqBV
World's Ugliest Airplane Flies First, Kawasaki EC-2 Stands Out
The World’s Ugliest Airplane Just Flew For The First Time In a world of increasingly homogeneous- looking military aircraft designs, the platypus-like Kawasaki EC-2 is a radical outlier. https://t.co/m5g28IKfLn
Unmanned Airship Patrols NATO Borders, Reviving Lighter‑Than‑Air Trend
An uncrewed airship is now patrolling NATO's borders - is lighter than air back in fashion? #avgeek #aerospace #airships https://t.co/RYT6aotR7P https://t.co/F0PhTCX93d
Fuel Shock From Regional War Forces SAS Flight Cancellations
A regional conflict with a global impact. Scandinavian Airlines has been forced to make multiple of short-term flight cancellations, including domestic flights within Norway, as “the entire European aviation system is now feeling the pressure from a sudden fuel shock”
SpaceX Valuation Soars Toward $30‑50 Trillion by 2035
SpaceX valuation then: $200B SpaceX valuation today: $1.25T SpaceX proposed IPO valuation: $1.7T My 2035 target? $30-50T.
Green Rocket Glow Meets Moonrise in Desert Launch
For Saint Patrick’s Day, one of my favorite rocket launch photos… Black Rock Desert, NV The green glow comes from barium chloride mixed into the AP propellant. I planned the camera location in advance to bisect the moonrise, and then...
FAA Adopts Part 450 for Commercial Space Launches
The FAA has transitioned to the new Part 450 licenses for commercial space launch/reentry. https://t.co/HjK7RLvyJQ
Former PLA J‑6 Drones Now Stored as China Advances
In this case, I think it is more likely that these are J-6 drones formerly used by the PLA that have since been withdrawn and are now stored. Chinese drones have moved on…