FROM THE INSTITUTE
NOEMI Aerospace of Norway is targeting “this summer” to begin testing the propellors for a planned nine-passenger electric seaplane, with the goal of beginning commercial service in 2030, the company’s chief engineer said in an interview.
Author: Lawrence Garrett
AFRL, Newly Reorganized, Seeks to Take More Risk ‘Smartly’ to Speed Development
FROM THE INSTITUTE
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, which reorganized in late April, wants to take more risk and better integrate to move faster, according to the chief scientist of its new air warfare directorate. Speaking on a Monday panel here, Venke Sankaran said AFRL is focused on accelerating the speed of development while reducing costs, and advancing a range of next-generation technologies, from autonomy to hypersonics.
Five Companies, Five Frontiers: BryceTech Crowns Its First Start-Up Space Winner
FROM THE INSTITUTE
Finalists of BryceTech’s first-ever Start-Up Space Pitch Competition took the ASCEND stage twice – first to pitch their technology and market strategy before a panel of space and technology investors and then to share their vision with the broader ASCEND community.
Users, Not Hardware, Will Drive Growth for the Next Era of Space Healthcare
FROM THE INSTITUTE
The center of gravity in the space economy is shifting from hardware to users. That was the message from Voyager Technologies’ Manwei Chan during a recent ASCEND 2026 panel exploring the strategic pillars for in-space R&D expansion.
SpaceX Sets New Reusability Record with Falcon 9 Booster’s 35th Flight
Spaceflight Now reports, “SpaceX continued to push its Falcon 9 rocket fleet to the next level by flying its flight leader, tail number B1067, on a record-breaking 35th flight Monday morning. It launched SpaceX’s latest batch of Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station shortly before sunrise.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
Video
VideoFromSpace; YouTube
SpaceX launches on booster’s record-breaking 35th flight (Launch at 00:13 mark)
Airbus Introduces U145 Uncrewed Helicopter with AI-Powered Autonomy
Aerotime reports, “Airbus Helicopters has introduced the U145, an uncrewed variant of its H145 light twin, presenting a full-scale mock-up of the aircraft at the ILA Berlin airshow on June 8, 2026. The manufacturer said a maiden flight with a safety pilot on board is planned for the end of 2026, with entry into service expected at the start of the next decade.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
Explore Aerospace America’s Coverage from AIAA AVIATION Forum 2026
China’s Qianfan Constellation Reaches 200 Satellites in Orbit
Space News reports, “Construction of the Shanghai-led Qianfan constellation continued to accelerate this week with a pair of Long March launches, following on from two recent experimental flights. China launched Long March 6A and Long March 8 rockets Thursday and Friday respectively, adding 36 satellites to the project led by Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST), or Spacesail.”
Full Story (Space News)
USAF Eyes Low-Cost, Modular Successor to MQ-9 Reaper
The War Zone reports, “Modularity is a key area of interest as the U.S. Air Force formulates its latest set of requirements for a successor to the MQ-9 Reaper, according to Gen. John Lamontagne, the service’s Vice Chief of Staff. A modular design, both in terms of hardware and software, would help make the chosen platform more flexible and adaptable to different mission sets.”
Full Story (The War Zone)
Performance, Productivity, and the Potential Cost of Artificial Intelligence
FROM THE INSTITUTE
As a member of the AIAA AVIATION Forum 2026 Guiding Coalition, it was clear to Tracy Elving that a nuanced discussion about artificial intelligence had to kick off the forum. When asked about the core value of AI, some on the Guiding Coalition felt that it could provide solutions to ambitious technical challenges, while others argued it could enable engineers to do higher order tasks. A lack of consensus created a provocative opportunity.