Aerospace Social Media and Updates

US to Field 2,400 F‑35s, Becoming Fourth‑largest Air Force
SocialMar 7, 2026

US to Field 2,400 F‑35s, Becoming Fourth‑largest Air Force

The US is planning to build up a fleet of 2400 F-35s, which would make it the 4th largest global air force alone. https://t.co/YAnXK2vCUQ

By Craig Fuller
Belgium's UAE Evacuation Proves Civil Protection Mechanism Works
SocialMar 7, 2026

Belgium's UAE Evacuation Proves Civil Protection Mechanism Works

Belgium just airlifted 198 of their own + 39 citizens from other member states out of the UAE using the A330 MRTT via Muscat and Hurghada. This is why the Civil Protection Mechanism exists and it actually worked.

By Fahad Naim
Iranian Radar Strikes Expose Global Missile Defense Weaknesses
SocialMar 7, 2026

Iranian Radar Strikes Expose Global Missile Defense Weaknesses

Iranian Attacks On Critical Missile Defense Radars Are A Wake-Up Call Iran's successful targeting of prized missile defense radars in the Middle East highlights global vulnerabilities. Feature: https://t.co/vGqhORYAMn

By Tyler Rogoway
Overture Cabin Redefines Space: Taller Doors, No Middle Seats
SocialMar 7, 2026

Overture Cabin Redefines Space: Taller Doors, No Middle Seats

Overture cabin: - Entry door is 6’ 3”, 1” taller than 737, 10” taller than Concorde - Forward aisle height peaks at over eight feet, with a minimum of 6’ 8” - Last row aisle is 6’2”, about the same as a...

By Blake Scholl
Qatar Airways Launches Limited Feeder Flights to Doha
SocialMar 7, 2026

Qatar Airways Launches Limited Feeder Flights to Doha

From 8 March Qatar Airways will operate limited flights to London Heathrow, Paris CDG, Madrid, Rome, Frankfurt and Bangkok. These flights are ONLY for passengers whose final destination is Doha, the airline said in a statement.

By Bilqis Bahari
BlackSky Global Satellite Successfully Launched Into 467‑477 Km Orbit
SocialMar 7, 2026

BlackSky Global Satellite Successfully Launched Into 467‑477 Km Orbit

The BlackSky Global satellite launched on Electron on Mar 5-6 has been cataloged in a 467 x 477 km x 42.0 deg orbit, confirming successful launch.

By Jonathan McDowell
Iran's Missile Strikes Fall, Drones Persist via China
SocialMar 7, 2026

Iran's Missile Strikes Fall, Drones Persist via China

We've seen a confirmed drop in Iran's missile attacks, but drones remain the larger LT threat. The complication that I'll be following closely is China's role. With Chinese shipments of drone components still entering Iran, the US will have to...

By Peter Zeihan
Starship Flight 12 Slated for Early April Launch
SocialMar 7, 2026

Starship Flight 12 Slated for Early April Launch

🚨STARSHIP LAUNCH WINDOW UPDATE According to Musk we should see Starship Flight 12 in the first week of April.

By Felix Schlang
Russia's Comsat Failure Highlights Delayed Domestic Satellite Plans
SocialMar 7, 2026

Russia's Comsat Failure Highlights Delayed Domestic Satellite Plans

Russia's Ekspress-AT1 comsat shuts down mysteriously as Roskosmos is struggling to transition to domestic development of communications satellites. The replacement is promised at the end of 2030... if money available. Details: https://t.co/OeG1s4wfhC https://t.co/gjAig4ks29

By Anatoly Zak
AMAL Resumes Jeddah, Madinah Flights March
SocialMar 7, 2026

AMAL Resumes Jeddah, Madinah Flights March

Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) said AMAL by Malaysia Airlines will resume flights to Jeddah and Madinah from Kuala Lumpur starting 8 March 2026 following a brief period of limited flights due to the closure of Middle East airspace. Flights to...

By Bilqis Bahari
Singapore Airlines Suspends Singapore‑Dubai Flights Until 2026
SocialMar 7, 2026

Singapore Airlines Suspends Singapore‑Dubai Flights Until 2026

Singapore Airlines has cancelled all flights to and from Singapore-Dubai until 15 March 2026 due to the geopolitical situation in the Middle East.

By Bilqis Bahari
Ukraine Hits Shahed Missile Hub at Donetsk Airport
SocialMar 7, 2026

Ukraine Hits Shahed Missile Hub at Donetsk Airport

Ukraine’s General Staff posted footage of a strike on Shahed storage and launch location in Donetsk airport with ATACMS and SCALP missiles. https://t.co/r3Dg02y4Ci https://t.co/pt5k00tXIW

By Rob Lee
Boeing 777X Promises Wider Cabin, Larger Windows for Comfort
SocialMar 7, 2026

Boeing 777X Promises Wider Cabin, Larger Windows for Comfort

The Boeing 777X will be Boeing’s next-generation flagship widebody. Its cabin introduces larger windows, a wider interior and redesigned overhead bins designed to improve passenger comfort on long-haul flights. Would you choose the 777X for your next long-haul journey?

By Bilqis Bahari
JWST Confirms 2032 Asteroid Won’t Hit Earth or Moon
SocialMar 7, 2026

JWST Confirms 2032 Asteroid Won’t Hit Earth or Moon

Remember the asteroid we thought might hit Earth or the Moon in 2032? New data from the JWST shows it will hit NEITHER. JWST's IR eyes are great for this because the asteroid is tiny and far, and thus, really dim....

By Astropartigirl
SpaceX’s Simple Plan: Moon, Mars, Robots, Multiplanetary Future
SocialMar 7, 2026

SpaceX’s Simple Plan: Moon, Mars, Robots, Multiplanetary Future

Explain like I'm 5. The SpaceX roadmap, from their children's book: • Moon, Mars, Beyond ✔️ • Making Life Multiplanetary 🔜 Mars ✔️ • Robots working it ✔️

By Steve Jurvetson
Qatar Airways Launches Repatriation Flights to Europe Amid Shutdown
SocialMar 6, 2026

Qatar Airways Launches Repatriation Flights to Europe Amid Shutdown

Qatar Airways to operate repatriation flights from Doha to Europe as air traffic stays shut https://t.co/ZSCBkVAHme

By Jamie Freed
Ukraine Feedback Boosts Merops, Guides US Drone Strategy
SocialMar 6, 2026

Ukraine Feedback Boosts Merops, Guides US Drone Strategy

Merops has performed well in Ukraine and the system has been continuously improved in response to feedback from Ukrainian drone units and adaptations in Russia’s employment of Shahed / Geran OWA UAS. It is a good example of how the...

By Rob Lee
SpaceX Executes Largest Starship Site Expansion Yet
SocialMar 6, 2026

SpaceX Executes Largest Starship Site Expansion Yet

🚨LAUNCH SITE EXPANSION: SpaceX is performing the largest expansion in its Starship launch site history. At the same time, Pad 2 is made ready for Flight 12, and Pad 1 is being updated. Parallel execution enables SpaceX to be faster than anyone else....

By Felix Schlang
Anduril Prioritizes Battle OS Over Platforms in Combat Race
SocialMar 6, 2026

Anduril Prioritizes Battle OS Over Platforms in Combat Race

"The thing that really matters is the autonomy behaviours that should be sovereign, because we can swap out vehicles.” How Anduril is building the battle OS first, platforms second as West races to rebuild combat mass #avgeek https://t.co/69i5ruKVXK https://t.co/nJuPlxPPGf

By Tim Robinson
NASA Justifies Sole-Source ULA Contract for Artemis Upper Stages
SocialMar 6, 2026

NASA Justifies Sole-Source ULA Contract for Artemis Upper Stages

It's happening. "This justification provides the rationale for contracting by other than full and open competition to award a sole-source contract to United Launch Alliance (ULA) to procure replacement upper stages for use in the Space Launch System (SLS) for the...

By Eric Berger
Trump Claims Defense Firms Will Quadruple Weapon Production, Details Vague
SocialMar 6, 2026

Trump Claims Defense Firms Will Quadruple Weapon Production, Details Vague

Statement from Trump after meeting with RTX, Lockheed, Northrop, Boeing, L3Harris and Honeywell on munitions. Trump says: "They have agreed to quadruple Production of the 'Exquisite Class' Weaponry" but unclear what is new from previously announced agreements.

By Valerie Insinna
U.S. Airlines Skip Fuel Hedging, Margins Threatened by Iran Conflict
SocialMar 6, 2026

U.S. Airlines Skip Fuel Hedging, Margins Threatened by Iran Conflict

US airlines no longer hedge fuel costs. That could hurt margins if Iran conflict lingers - https://t.co/LvmzI2bxEL

By Jamie Freed
Private Jets Become Gulf Escape Route Amid Iran Tensions
SocialMar 6, 2026

Private Jets Become Gulf Escape Route Amid Iran Tensions

Private jets emerge as alternative way out of the Gulf as Iran conflict intensifies https://t.co/cwxGuY1dAP

By Jamie Freed
Ballistic Missiles Exit Space, Making Interception Nearly Impossible
SocialMar 6, 2026

Ballistic Missiles Exit Space, Making Interception Nearly Impossible

“Their ability to exit and re-enter the Earth's atmosphere makes them incredibly difficult to intercept.” 👏All missiles fired on ballistic trajectories travel through space, including the Iranian ones.👏

By Jeffrey Lewis
Ukraine Talks US, Gulf States on Acoustic Drone Defense
SocialMar 6, 2026

Ukraine Talks US, Gulf States on Acoustic Drone Defense

‚Ukraine is in talks with the US and several Gulf states about replicating Kyiv’s acoustic detection network to counter Iranian attack drones, according to people familiar with the matter.‘ https://t.co/ddTJ6sojt5

By Franz‑Stefan Gady
Software-Defined Satellite Factory Opens, First Lightspeed Launches This Year
SocialMar 6, 2026

Software-Defined Satellite Factory Opens, First Lightspeed Launches This Year

.@MDA_space: Factory for software-defined sats is now open; 1st @Telesat Lightspeed sats expected by year-end; @EchoStar liability for termination of D2D constellation has been paid in full; pursuiing multiple commercial/government constellations.https://t.co/GlbOBv9RT1 https://t.co/kfSe5lSe1k

By Peter B. de Selding
Boom’s Turbine Launch Isn’t a Pivot, It’s a Boomerang
SocialMar 6, 2026

Boom’s Turbine Launch Isn’t a Pivot, It’s a Boomerang

To all of those saying Boom has pivoted from supersonic jets to power turbines: please stop, this is an important misunderstanding. A pivot is when you switch from X to Y. Boom has added Y along the path to X. We're shipping...

By Blake Scholl
AI vs Ammo Shortage: Modern Air War Showdown
SocialMar 6, 2026

AI vs Ammo Shortage: Modern Air War Showdown

With AI and a full blown crisis in 'combat mass' and munitions stocks - are we at the point of horse versus tank or wooden ship versus metal battleship in air warfare? #drones #AI #avgeek https://t.co/6BD5jEJqW4 https://t.co/4o9i2XD90j

By Tim Robinson
Iran's Missile Stockpile and US Air Superiority Limits
SocialMar 6, 2026

Iran's Missile Stockpile and US Air Superiority Limits

I joined @BloombergTV to talk about two key issues that will shape the next phase of the war: the depth of Iran’s missile and drone inventory, and whether the US can establish more than localized air superiority over Iran. https://t.co/F6HeeJ3FM8

By Becca Wasser
Lunar Landers Freed: Ditch NRHO, Embrace E
SocialMar 6, 2026

Lunar Landers Freed: Ditch NRHO, Embrace E

Without a requirement to dock in Gateway’s orbit things get more interesting for lunar landers. Say goodbye to NRHO and hello to EPO/CoLA? https://t.co/C8SSQ6A8bA

By Eric Berger
This Week's
SocialMar 6, 2026

This Week's

In this week's Rocket Report: • Artemis shakeup • SpaceX price hike • Russia repairs Soyuz launch pad • Japan's Space One now 0-for-3 • PLD raises $209 million https://t.co/WKoo20b4gS

By Stephen Clark
Emirates Hits 60% Capacity, Eyes Full Network Soon
SocialMar 6, 2026

Emirates Hits 60% Capacity, Eyes Full Network Soon

Emirates is already at ~60% capacity and expects full 140-destination network “within days”. 106 daily return flights to 83 cities, 30,000 passengers out Thursday alone, heavy boost on UK (11 daily/5 airports), India (22 daily/9 gateways), US (7 destinations). From shutdown...

By Fahad Naim
Friendly Fire Chaos: Mis‑ID Leads to F‑18 Shooting Down F‑15
SocialMar 6, 2026

Friendly Fire Chaos: Mis‑ID Leads to F‑18 Shooting Down F‑15

Terrible case of mis-ID, but given Qatari AF had splashed a couple of Su-24s- wonder if the uppermost threat was Iranian Fencers, Fulcrums or even Tomcats rather than drones, in pilots' mind?

By Tim Robinson
Low‑Cost Autonomous Munitions Could Restore Combat Mass
SocialMar 6, 2026

Low‑Cost Autonomous Munitions Could Restore Combat Mass

With #Ukraine and #Iran burning through stocks of missiles and drones at a staggering pace - can low-cost autonomous munitions bring back 'combat mass'? #avgeek https://t.co/6BD5jEJqW4 https://t.co/TCHXSbGlBW

By Tim Robinson
US Ignored Ukraine’s Drone‑War Expertise Before Middle East Conflict
SocialMar 6, 2026

US Ignored Ukraine’s Drone‑War Expertise Before Middle East Conflict

Strange that the US did not consult Ukraine, whose army knows how to counter attacks from thousands of cheap drones, before starting a war in the Middle East From @shustry and Nancy Youssef https://t.co/coBQlEyvzU

By Anne Applebaum
AI Compute Moves to Space for Unlimited Sun Power
SocialMar 6, 2026

AI Compute Moves to Space for Unlimited Sun Power

We just launched GPUs into orbit. Not satellites. GPUs. For the first time, NVIDIA H100 chips are being sent into space to train AI models under constant sunlight. Not as an experiment. As infrastructure. On Earth, AI is already pushing against hard physical limits: →...

By Pascal Bornet
U.S. Admiral Calls Kamikaze Drones Indispensable in Iran Conflict
SocialMar 6, 2026

U.S. Admiral Calls Kamikaze Drones Indispensable in Iran Conflict

LUCAS Kamikaze Drones Lauded As “Indispensable” By U.S. Admiral In Charge Of Iran War Cloned from the Iranian Shahed-136, CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper praised the drones and their performance so far. https://t.co/1jrLntEJUb

By Tyler Rogoway
Planet Labs Imposes 96‑hour Delay on Middle East Imagery
SocialMar 6, 2026

Planet Labs Imposes 96‑hour Delay on Middle East Imagery

Just got this from Planet Labs, they are delaying posting imagery from specific areas in the Middle East 96 hours due to operational security concerns: Reads in part: As part of Planet’s commitment to responsible data practices and the safety of personnel...

By Tyler Rogoway
Engineering‑Manufacturing Collaboration Cuts Engine Blade Lead Time
SocialMar 6, 2026

Engineering‑Manufacturing Collaboration Cuts Engine Blade Lead Time

The magic happens when engineering and manufacturing work together to solve a problem. Today Boom team shaved six+ weeks off our engine blade manufacturing schedule. https://t.co/6fsH5k9odj

By Blake Scholl
Rocket Lab Launches BlackSky Gen3 Imaging Satellite
SocialMar 6, 2026

Rocket Lab Launches BlackSky Gen3 Imaging Satellite

LAUNCH of Rocket Lab Electron from Mahia at 2353 UTC Mar 5 carrying a BlackSky Global Gen3 imaging satellite

By Jonathan McDowell
Helios Laser Claims Debunked: It’s Actually ODIN Dazzler
SocialMar 5, 2026

Helios Laser Claims Debunked: It’s Actually ODIN Dazzler

I don't believe any of this is true. I have seen on big outlets and influencers hyping this up. I don't believe HELIOS is even deployed to the region nor has it downed a drone in combat nor would it...

By Tyler Rogoway
Senate Commerce Committee to Vote on NASA Deputy Nominee Thursday
SocialMar 5, 2026

Senate Commerce Committee to Vote on NASA Deputy Nominee Thursday

Following today's nomination hearing for Matt Anderson to be NASA Deputy Admin, the Senate Commerce Cmte will vote on his nomination (and several others) next Thursday, Mar 12, at approx 11:30 am ET. It's in the Capitol (S-216) so likely...

By Marcia Smith
CENTCOM Calls LUCAS Drones Indispensable Amid Inquiry
SocialMar 5, 2026

CENTCOM Calls LUCAS Drones Indispensable Amid Inquiry

Our Howard Altman asking about the use and efficacy of LUCAS drones at the CENTCOM presser today.

By Tyler Rogoway
Boom Launches 200k‑sqft Denver Plant for 1‑2 GW/Year Turbines
SocialMar 5, 2026

Boom Launches 200k‑sqft Denver Plant for 1‑2 GW/Year Turbines

Boom is building a 200,000sqft factory in Denver where we will build 1-2GW/year of turbines from raw materials. First equipment arrived today. https://t.co/HijqLgjsBL

By Blake Scholl
Total Air Supremacy over Iran Not yet Achieved
SocialMar 5, 2026

Total Air Supremacy over Iran Not yet Achieved

The Misconception That Air Supremacy Has Been Achieved Over Iran While there are areas where air superiority exists over Iran, total air supremacy has not been achieved, which should be no surprise. https://t.co/jOLoFEFr1r

By Tyler Rogoway
Grateful for a Privileged Flight on a Special Aircraft
SocialMar 5, 2026

Grateful for a Privileged Flight on a Special Aircraft

What a privilege to fly this special aircraft this afternoon. Many thanks to Matt Jones and the team at @spitfiresdotcom for inviting me to join you today. https://t.co/Wfv0WW0GYH

By Tim Peake
New AI‑Driven Weapons Define Future Warfare
SocialMar 5, 2026

New AI‑Driven Weapons Define Future Warfare

AI-enabled kill chains, swarming drones, high-energy lasers and stealth clusters...the weapons pummeling Iran," my latest @DailyMail https://t.co/5DPTssFCRC World War I introduced the tank and large-scale air combat. World War II debuted radar, jet aircraft, and the atomic bomb. The Gulf War...

By John Spencer
Globalstar Posts Record 2025 Revenue, Targets Two SpaceX Launches
SocialMar 5, 2026

Globalstar Posts Record 2025 Revenue, Targets Two SpaceX Launches

.@Globalstar: Record 2025 rev, hoping for 2 @SpaceX launches this yr, only certain of one. @Apple @MDA_space @RocketLab @ITU.https://t.co/SDDwWZZM9C https://t.co/Cr479jj1du

By Peter B. de Selding
Interceptors Primarily Target Missiles, Not OWA Drones
SocialMar 5, 2026

Interceptors Primarily Target Missiles, Not OWA Drones

It’s an important point to raise. Most of the interceptors folks are concerned with are likely used on ballistic missiles not OWA drones.

By Michael Kofman