SLS Costs 23× XB‑1, Draining Private Innovation Potential
The NASA SLS costs 23X the entire XB-1 program. Every time it launches. What could private innovators create had this capital not been confiscated by gov’t and pissed away? Each time SLS launches 23 XB-1s go up in smoke. We don’t hate these programs enough.
GE Aerospace Unveils Sustainable Fan Tech and Fighter
At the GE Aerospace booth during the Singapore Airshow 2026, it was more than just engines on display. From the CFM RISE Program’s open fan concept pointing to the future of sustainable propulsion, to the F110 engine that powers fighter fleets...
NASA's $650M SLS Ground System Overdue After Artemis I
NASA had literally three years after Artemis I to work on, and improve the SLS rocket ground systems. The annual budget for SLS "Ground Support Equipment" is around $650 million. It's completely unacceptable.
NASA's SLS Test Fails, Delayed Update on Ground‑system Issue
Yikes. NASA couldn’t even complete a test of the SLS rocket’s ground system seal for liquid hydrogen because something else broke with the ground systems. And they wait until 8 pm ET Friday to send an update on something they...
USAF Considers Mini‑Missiles to Defend Tankers
Mini Missiles Used To Shoot Down Incoming Missiles Eyed For USAF Tanker Fleet Tankers are increasingly vulnerable as enemy long-range missiles evolve, leading the USAF to explore 'hard kill' solutions. Story: https://t.co/B429nwNjht
Proton Rocket Launches Russia Weather Satellite with Iran TV Payload
The Proton launch of Russia's Elektro-L No. 5 weather satellite carried a secondary payload, Iran's Jam-e Jam 1 television broadcasting sat, also called Iran-DBS. Elektro-L-5 has a mass of 2120 kg; Jam-e Jam 1 is likely only 150 kg...
Beware Easy Fixes: Aviation Sustainability Isn't Simple
If it looks too good to be true then it probably is - beware those promising easy fixes to aviation's sustainability challenges, says RAeS Head of Research in a personal commentary #avgeek https://t.co/93rGLcXKZO https://t.co/JuC0jFsawu
Superpower Engine Sets Unprecedented Speed, Redefines History
Just held a Superpower technical review. This program has the feeling of history in the making. Not only has there never been an engine like Superpower, no one has ever designed an engine this way. Workflows are orders of magnitude...
Iridium Leverages L‑Band Spectrum to Counter Competitors
.@IridiumComm to market: Don't like our growth story? Well, I do happen to have some L-band spectrum here... @SpaceX @EchoStar @Viasat @space42ai @AST_SpaceMobile.https://t.co/Dl5XyXjk6X https://t.co/BvsN3zA7Q1
Rapid Supersonic Engine Development Demands Uncomfortable Discomfort
"Building a supersonic engine rapidly is like riding a horse. If you're comfortable when you're doing it, you're not doing it right." - Boom meeting
FAA Clears New Airspace for Starship Launches
FAA has completed the Final Tiered Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision for updates to airspace closures for additional launch trajectories and Starship landings at Starbase, TX. https://t.co/WvzFoXualX
OneWeb Boost
.@EutelsatGroup: OneWeb rev up 59.7% in 6M to Dec. 31; 600 aircraft have our connectivity hardware; hosted payloads, ground segment seen as fresh revenue sources; cancelling @Thales_Alenia_S GEO sat saves EUR 100M in capex, costs 60M in impairment charges.https://t.co/f8cngyWfes https://t.co/iWpscm5aIi
Crew‑12 Soars to ISS on SpaceX Falcon 9
Crew-12 Launches https://t.co/PlDPhkPt1o NASA/Aubrey Gemignani A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company’s Dragon spacecraft is launched on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Ha… https://t.co/XmbMWYpRhE
Blue Origin Unveils Ambitious New Lunar Mission Roadmap
I got a peek at Blue Origin’s new lunar plans. Here’s what I found: https://t.co/cOEKOK9aKd
SunExpress 737 Gear Collapse Highlights Ongoing Safety Concerns
Another landing gear collapse... this time SunExpress Boeing 737 at Antalya during taxi (XQ7646 to Gaziantep). Pax evacuated safely, no injuries. Airline quick with replacement flight. These incidents keep happening....
SpaceX's 20th Crew Flight Delivers Valentine's to ISS
🚀❣️ Cupid's Crew is delivering the Valentines to the ISS. Dragon Freedom is en route for a Feb 14 arrival with NASA's Crew-12 astronauts. This is SpaceX's 20th flight of humans to orbit. https://t.co/MpufCmPn1J
Falcon 9 Booster B1101 Achieves First RTLS Landing
SpaceX's Falcon9 Booster B1101 successfully completes first Return To Launch Site, RTLS, landing at LC-40 at CCSFS, FL. 📷by @rpg571 https://t.co/uKq0saMaYW
Join the Team Building the First Independent Supersonic Engine
It’s not too late to be one of the fine men and women building the first independently developed supersonic jet engine. We are hiring a handful of R&D technicians and manufacturing engineers. If you want to work hard, have fun,...
All‑Economy Planes Won’t Halve Aviation Emissions, Warns Expert
If we made every airliner all-economy - could that slash aviation's emissions by 50%? Not so fast, argues RAeS Head of Research Naomi Allen, who warns against 'easy wins' to sustainability #avgeek https://t.co/tOVFLw7vLK https://t.co/bNd4bey0XQ
Falcon‑9/Dragon Launches First 2026 ISS Crew
Falcon-9/Dragon lifts off from Cape Canaveral carrying the first International Space Station crew of 2026 (USCV-12). It is 303rd mission of the ISS poject: https://t.co/z0hQPyE0Zn https://t.co/113UjWl1F5
Sunlight Converts Lunar Regolith Into Usable Oxygen
Sunlight Extracts Oxygen From Regolith Using Solar Chemistry https://t.co/7D6ySKDwz4 A solar concentrator is tested as part of the Carbothermal Reduction Demonstration (CaRD) project, which aims to produce oxygen from simulated lunar regolith for use a… https://t.co/oJ9ElSXJi0
Vulcan Centaur Reaches Orbit Despite Booster Glitch
LAUNCH at 0922 UTC Feb 12 of a Vulcan Centaur from Canaveral with the Space Force's GSSAP 7 and 8 satellites, and possibly other payloads. One of the GEM 63XL solid boosters malfunctioned but the vehicle was reportedly able to reach...
Two Feb 12 Launches Deploy Seven Satellites and a Weather Probe
LAUNCH at 0637 UTC Feb 12 of a Jielong-3 from the DFHT ship off Yangjiang, placing seven sats in orbit including Pakistan's PRSC-EO2 imaging sat. LAUNCH at 0852 UTC Feb 12 of a Proton from Baykonur with the Elektro-L weather sat.
Space Systems Command Confirms Two GSSAPs on USSF‑87
Space Systems Command says there were two GSSAPs on USSF-87. This is their response to my question on the matter last month. https://t.co/IqQ6LR4m9P
GE Aerospace Deploys Robots and Lean to Speed Repairs
GE Aerospace turns to robots and 'Lean' methods to tackle jet engine repair crunch https://t.co/0co9XBDhpz
Laser Weapon Airspace Closure Highlights Drone Policy Lag
Airspace Closure Over Laser Weapon Use A Glaring Example Of Drone Defense Policy Struggles After years of putting off the drone threat, the U.S. government is trying to do something about it, but policy is struggling to catch up. Story: https://t.co/VBGe87B1Ik
Air Force Denies Receiving Radar‑less F‑35s, JPO Stays Silent
Air Force Now Denies Receiving F-35s Without Radars The F-35 Joint Program Office had declined just earlier this week to confirm or deny a report that jets without radars were being delivered. https://t.co/HJUpX0g3Yl
ULA Encounters New Issue Despite Earlier Fix
Interesting situation for ULA. Not great to see after the previous issue that we thought was fixed.
B
Senate Cmrc approved the SAT Streamlining bill after RM Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Chr Ted Cruz (R-TX) reached agreement over "deemed granted" prvsn that originally meant FCC had 18 months to rule on a satellite appl or it wld be...
Vast Secures First ISS Private Astronaut
Vast just won its first private astronaut mission (PAM) to the ISS. Will be the 6th PAM. (Axiom's done 4 and got contract for the 5th last month.) https://t.co/wMfSkzsZTU NASA Admin Isaacman's own private astronaut missions, Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn, didn't visit...
NASA Chooses Vast for First Non‑Axiom Private ISS Mission
NASA has selected Vast for a private astronaut mission to the ISS no earlier than mid-2027. This will be the sixth such private mission to the ISS but the first by a company other than Axiom Space. https://t.co/AXHjd7a0xH
Engine Profits Unexpectedly Fund the Airplane They Doubted
Experts: Boom will never be able to finance building an airplane and an engine. Ironic reality: The engine is so profitable it finances the airplane. (In all fairness, neither experts nor I saw this coming.)
Overture Unveils Massive Dual‑layout Cabin Mockup
Overture has a unique cabin—larger than a 737 up front, about the size of a G650 at the back. Forward and aft cabins have different seating layouts. Team has finished the skeleton of a dimensionally-accurate mockup and will be adding walls...
Vulcan Launch Anomaly Reported, Payload Still Delivered
ULA statement re anomaly on this morning's Vulcan launch. Payload reached its destination nonetheless. https://t.co/J8cN2YByhj
Southwest Keeps Viasat Wi‑Fi on Line‑Fitted Planes
Reports quoting financial services firm William Blair suggest that Viasat’s inflight connectivity system will remain in play on linefitted aircraft at Southwest, even as it brings Starlink to aged jets. RGN has sought confirmation from Southwest. https://t.co/48cTJCGB56
ULA Labels Vulcan SRB Issue a Significant Performance Anomaly
ULA's comment on the "observation" (now "significant performance anomaly") seen on one of the Vulcan SRBs on this morning's launch: https://t.co/VePOoE0Ne4
Ariane 64 Launches 32 Amazon LEO Satellites From Guiana
First Ariane 64 heavy-lift rocket lifts off from Europe's Guiana Space Center with 32 Amazon Leo sats. Now wait about 1h29 mins for the start of deployment, which will take 25 minutes at 465 km. @Arianespace @Amazonleo https://t.co/NbkDvLrFjn
Defying Doubters: Engine Assembly Begins Next Month
Experts said Boom wouldn’t be able to build our own engine and we were cooked. First engine assembly starts next month. So we’ll find out pretty soon… https://t.co/HUAcBJ5BFs
India's Potential Record Defense Deal: 114 Rafales
India purchasing 114 Rafale jets. The biggest defense deal in India's history if it full goes through.
Southwest Unfazed by Antenna Drag, Mirrors Ryanair
Southwest not bothered by antenna drag or passenger take-up numbers as per Ryanair's dismissal of Starlink? #avgeek
Vulcan Launch Shows Possible Solid Booster Nozzle Failure
🚨 Vulcan Problems: Today’s ULA Vulcan launch from SLC 41 seems to have had some sort of solid booster problem. Possibly a nozzle burning through. The only official word from ULA is that they’ve made an “observation”. The sparks are clearly visible in...
Proton Rocket Launches Elektro‑L5 Weather Satellite From Baikonur
Proton rocket lifts off from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, with the Elektro-L5 weather satellite. DETAILS, UPDATES: https://t.co/XRGzszk0qi https://t.co/3ZESECT8GH
Farewell to ZA004: 787's Final Flight Marks End of Era
Had a chance to see ZA004 off this morning from BFI on her final flight to retirement. This 787 has seen a thing or two. What a journey. https://t.co/tcL4rZlLKH
Uncoordinated Counter‑Drone Laser Closes El Paso Airspace
Confirming earlier reporting: Airspace was closed by the FAA near El Paso late Tuesday after CBP personnel launched a counter-drone laser weapon without full inter-agency integration, officials say. That weapon had recently been transferred temporarily by the Pentagon to DHS. Airspace...
Beacon AI Showcases Pilot Assistance Autonomy Beyond Symposium
Outside of the Special Air Warfare Symposium, how Beacon AI is touting pilot assistance autonomy https://t.co/AK7QFrzgvz
Sierra Nevada, Northrop, General Atomics Team on Freedom Jet Bid
NEW: @SierraNevCorp is teaming with Northrop Grumman and General Atomics-ASI on its "Freedom" aircraft it is bidding for the US Navy's Undergraduate Jet Training System. First on @aviationweek https://t.co/Ch1Ml4EeZu https://t.co/nqyJQIievk
FPV Drones Weaponized by Criminals, Cartels, Terrorists
Read the latest (Feb 2026) edition of AEROSPACE to find out how FPV drones are now being used by criminals, cartels & terror groups. #drones #avgeek https://t.co/ojreumsvPo https://t.co/H6AVjtFYvB
Long March 10A Completes Soft Landing and Max‑Q Abort
Wait for it! Long March 10A: Soft landing ✅ Mengzhou capsule Max-Q abort test ✅ https://t.co/An8AKMlYm2
Marines Test Autonomous YFQ-42 Drone with Crewed Jets
YFQ-42 Fighter Drone To Test USMC's Autonomy 'Brain' Alongside Crewed Jets General Atomics' YFQ-42 has been selected the Marines to test how CCAs will think and fight with the MAGTF. Story: https://t.co/MfDHgGHDDf
MV‑22 Gearbox Failure Underscores Persistent Osprey Issues
The latest gearbox issue happened last week in Oahu with an MV-22 from the 1MAW. Not many details on the extent of damage, but the mishap shows that issues continue as the Pentagon touts progress https://t.co/twBLN0m8Hj