Aviation International News reports, “Eve Air Mobility has closed out a key phase of its eVTOL flight test campaign, accumulating 2 hours, 27 minutes, and 33 seconds of flight time across 59 uncrewed flights at Embraer’s test facility in Gavião Peixoto, Brazil.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Author: Lawrence Garrett
Varda CEO Foresees Space-Based Medicine Moving from Research Novelty to Manufacturing Mainstream
FROM THE INSTITUTE
Fresh off the reentry of its sixth vehicle over Australia and a newly announced commercial partnership with United Therapeutics, Varda Space Industries is positioning itself as a bridge between orbital research and real-world medicine, CEO and Co-founder Will Bruey said in a fireside chat Wednesday at ASCEND 2026.
Town Hall Calls for U.S. to Approach Lunar Development Like Real Estate Projects on Earth
FROM THE INSTITUTE
As the United States confronts its great power competition with China to the moon, NASA and policy and commercial space experts shared current thinking on how to accelerate developing the lunar environment — and why it matters.
Exploring Next Steps for On-Orbit Data Centers
FROM THE INSTITUTE
The volume of data generated in space is increasing every day, and the concept of orbital data centers to handle it is receiving considerable attention. At a HUB session during ASCEND, The Aerospace Corporation’s Kelley Litzner presented and fielded questions on this hot tech topic.
vLEO Gains Momentum as Space Force, Industry Weigh Dual-Use Potential
FROM THE INSTITUTE
vLEO is emerging as a serious option in future space architectures for national security and commercial missions, panelists said at ASCEND 2026 on Wednesday. “It’s the perfect time for vLEO to be coming into its own,” said Spence Wise, senior vice president at Redwire, citing a convergence of technical readiness, operational demand, and commercial interest.
ISS National Lab Provides Fresh Lens on Aging and Health, Sparking Space Medicine Programs Nationwide
FROM THE INSTITUTE
The biological research onboard the International Space Station (ISS) over the last 26 years hasn’t only benefited astronauts; it’s driven new understanding of human health on the ground.
SpaceX Targets 10,000 Launches a Year within Five Years
Reuters reports, “SpaceX aims to reach 10,000 launches annually within five years, but government officials will need to see improved reliability before approving such an expansion, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said hemet with SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell, who told him about the company’s ambitious goal. SpaceX conducted 170 launches in 2025 deploying about 2,500 satellites.”
Full Story (Reuters)
New Silicon Battery Partnership Targets Longer-Range Drone Delivery
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “Amprius Technologies and Matternet have entered a strategic collaboration to integrate high-energy density silicon anode lithium-ion batteries into autonomous aerial delivery platforms. The partnership has already deployed Amprius cells into Matternet’s M2 aircraft, a platform operating within urban drone delivery networks.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)
Pushing the Envelope: Licensing Process for Space Launches Catching Up to Demand but More Resources, Flexibility Needed
FROM THE INSTITUTE
The FAA’s approval process for regulating space launches is steadily improving due to recent streamlining efforts, but it must continue to evolve to sustain the dynamic ramp-up in activity in the coming years, government and industry leaders told ASCEND 2026.
Space Force Seeks More Innovations to Characterize Space Threats, General Says
FROM THE INSTITUTE
The Space Force, which is anticipating its biggest budget ever, must improve its “space domain awareness” as low Earth orbit becomes more crowded and adversaries pursue greater means to attack satellites and other assets, a top Space Force general told the ASCEND 2026 audience.