Industry News
In This Section
News about the aerospace industry curated by AIAA staff
-
NASA, for the Time Being, is Unable to Move the Space Station’s Large Robotic Arm
29 September 2026
Ars Technica reports that engineers encountered issues with the International Space Station’s 58-foot-long Canadarm2 robotic arm and its mobile transporter following a routine…
-
Airbus A350F Completes Maiden Flight in Toulouse
29 September 2026
AeroTime reports that five years after Airbus first announced the A350F concept, its new-generation freighter completed its maiden flight September 29 from Toulouse Blagnac…
-
Starship Reaches Orbit for First Time on Flight 14
28 September 2026
The New York Times reports that SpaceX’s Starship reached orbit for the first time Monday during its 14th test flight, marking a major milestone…
-
Beta’s Electric Alia Completes Medical Missions Across North Carolina
28 September 2026
Aviation International News reports that Beta Technologies’ all-electric Alia CX300 is being put to the test for real-world medical and…
-
Google to Test Space-Based A.I. Computing With Experimental Satellite
25 September 2026
The New York Times reports that Google plans to send an experimental satellite into orbit next Thursday with enough computing power to answer simple A.I. queries…
-
Vertical Aerospace Opens Valo Assembly Centre, Eyes 1,000 Aircraft a Year
25 September 2026
Aerospace Global News reports that Vertical Aerospace has opened its new Aircraft Assembly Centre at Cotswold Airport, where it will begin manufacturing its Valo…
-
Starship Flight 14 Fully Stacked Ahead of Possible Monday Launch
24 September 2026
Spaceflight Now reports that SpaceX has fully assembled the Starship vehicle for Flight 14 at Starbase, stacking Ship 41…
-
Turkish Airlines Firms Up Major Order for 100 Boeing 737 MAX Jets
24 September 2026
AeroTime reports that Turkish Airlines has committed to purchasing 100 Boeing 737 MAX 8s, with options for 50 additional…
-
Exolaunch Signs SpaceX Deal for 2029 Starfall Mission
23 September 2026
SatNews reports that Exolaunch has signed an agreement with SpaceX for a dedicated Starfall mission aboard Starship in 2029, expanding the company beyond…
-
Electra Tests Ultra-Short Airport Operations With EL2 Demonstrator
23 September 2026
AeroTime reports that Electra has tested its hybrid-electric EL2 demonstrator from an adapted heliport at Virginia’s Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport as part of…
-
Expanded Industry Support Boosts ISS National Lab’s Orbital Edge Accelerator
23 September 2026
Upward reports that increased support from investors, sponsors, and industry partners is helping expand the ISS National Lab’s Orbital Edge Accelerator in its second year…
-
Northrop Grumman Adds Utah Manufacturing Capacity for B-21 Raider
22 September 2026
Defense Daily reports that Northrop Grumman has expanded its B-21 Raider manufacturing capacity with the opening…
-
Space Industry Confronts Growing Rocket Supply Crunch
22 September 2026
The Wall Street Journal reports that a shortage of available rockets is creating a scramble across the space industry…
-
Joby Completes Autonomous Coast-to-Coast Flight with Cessna Caravan
21 September 2026
FLYING reports that a converted Cessna 208 Grand Caravan equipped with Joby Aviation’s autonomy technology completed what…
-
SpaceX Launches 27 Starlink Satellites from Vandenberg
21 September 2026
An early-evening Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base added another 27 satellites to SpaceX’s Starlink constellation.
-
Honeywell Aerospace-Led Project Advances Hydrogen-Electric Propulsion
18 September 2026
A Honeywell Aerospace-led consortium of 18 European companies has advanced development of a megawatt-class hydrogen-electric…
-
NASA Plans New Starliner Missions, Support for Thruster Fixes
18 September 2026
NASA is preparing several moves aimed at keeping Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft flying, with Ars Technica reporting that the agency…
-
New Wingcopter 262 Targets Reconnaissance Missions with Six-Hour Endurance
17 September 2026
Wingcopter has introduced the Wingcopter 262, an all-electric reconnaissance aircraft designed for missions lasting up to six hours as…
-
China Completes Four Space Launches in Less Than 48 Hours
17 September 2026
China carried out four launches in less than 48 hours beginning Tuesday, with missions originating from the Jiuquan and Hainan spaceports…
-
GA-ASI Flight Test Validates Open Architecture for Autonomous Drone Missions
16 September 2026
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Tactical Air Support demonstrated an open-architecture approach to autonomous drone operations…
-
Roman Telescope’s Precision Trajectory Could Extend Mission to 22 Years
16 September 2026
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is on such a precise trajectory toward its observation post that engineers now estimate…
-
Merlin, Textron Explore Pilotless Aircraft for Defense Logistics
15 September 2026
Aviation News Daily reports Textron Aviation and autonomous flight developer Merlin are advancing an uncrewed cargo…
-
Air Force Secretary Confirms U.S. Has Deployed Space Defense Weapons
15 September 2026
Defense One reports the U.S. has publicly confirmed that it maintains space-control weapons in orbit, a rare acknowledgment…
-
Lockheed Martin Expands Vectis Drone Program with Four Additional Prototypes
14 September 2026
Breaking Defense reports Lockheed Martin is “doubling down on its internal investments” in the Vectis stealth drone program, announcing…
-
Antares Secures $161M DoD Award to Advance Nuclear Power in Space
14 September 2026
Payload reports Antares has won a $161 million DoD contract to advance nuclear power for space, which the company says is the largest…
-
Joby eVTOL Begins Week of eIPP Flights across North Texas
11 September 2026
Aviation International News reports Joby Aviation has launched a week of electric air taxi demonstration flights across the Dallas…
-
US Military Conducts First Live-Fly Orbital “Dogfighting” Exercise
11 September 2026
Aerospace Global News reports U.S. Space Command has completed its inaugural Apollo Maneuvers 2026 exercise, testing…
-
GE Aerospace Targets Major Fighter Engine Production Expansion
10 September 2026
Aviation Week reports GE Aerospace is working to overcome supply chain bottlenecks and introduce broad production system…
-
SpaceX Launches Classified U.S. Space Force Mission from Vandenberg
10 September 2026
SpaceX successfully launched its latest national security mission for the U.S. Space Force on Thursday, sending the classified…
-
Boeing Delivers 51 Jets in August as Dreamliner Handovers Decline
9 September 2026
Aviation News reports Boeing delivered 51 commercial aircraft in August, with a slowdown in 787 Dreamliner handovers contributing…
-
Space Force Launch Plans Grow by 91 Missions and Nearly $17 Billion
9 September 2026
Air & Space Forces Magazine reports the U.S. Space Force is preparing for a significant expansion of its launch program as demand…
-
PAL-V Reaches Key EASA Certification Milestone for Flying Car
8 September 2026
Aerotime reports Dutch flying car developer PAL-V has moved another step closer to bringing its aircraft to market after receiving European…
-
Isar Aerospace Makes History with Europe’s First Fully Commercial Orbital Launch
8 September 2026
Ars Technica reports Isar Aerospace achieved a major milestone for Europe’s commercial space sector Saturday, successfully launching its Spectrum…
-
Navy Details Plans for Carrier-Based Collaborative Combat Aircraft
3 September 2026
Defense Daily reports the U.S. Navy is offering new insight into its plans for a future carrier-based Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). A notice published this week…
-
SpaceX Falcon 9 Booster Completes 35th Flight in Starlink Launch
3 September 2026
SPACE reports a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 27 Starlink satellites from California early Wednesday morning (Sept. 2). It was the 35th flight for the rocket’s…
-
Sceye HAPS Completes First Transpacific Flight from U.S. to Japan
2 September 2026
Aerotime reports U.S. firm Sceye, which develops High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) for communications and surveillance, announced it has completed…
-
Astronauts Upgrade ISS Systems During Sixth All-Female Spacewalk
2 September 2026
SPACE reports NASA astronaut Jessica Meir and ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot completed a 6-hour, 49-minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station…
-
Airbus Flexrotor Begins European Maritime Surveillance Missions
2 September 2026
Aviation News Daily reports Airbus Helicopters has “commenced operational maritime surveillance missions” using its U030 Flexrotor uncrewed aerial system…
-
FAA Marks Milestone with Remotely Piloted Hybrid-Electric Cargo Aircraft
1 September 2026
Aerospace Global News reports, “The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced a significant milestone” in next-generation…
-
NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Launches to Explore the Universe’s Biggest Mysteries
1 September 2026
Ars Technica reports, “NASA’s $4.3 billion Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope” launched Sunday from Kennedy Space Center, beginning…
-
FAA-Backed LIFTOff Louisiana to Test Electric, Autonomous Aircraft
31 August 2026
Flying Magazine reports, “The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) said Thursday that it and its partners…
-
NASA, AeroVironment Move SkyFall Mars Helicopters Toward 2028 Mission
31 August 2026
Space News reports, “NASA and AeroVironment are moving ahead with the development of a set of helicopters to be sent to Mars…
-
Ariane 6 Carries Next-Generation European Weather Satellite to Orbit
28 August 2026
SPACE reports “Europe’s most powerful rocket flew again today (Aug. 27). An Ariane 6 launched the MTG-I2 weather satellite from…
-
FAA Mandates 787 Inspections After Wing Shim Issue Raises Fatigue Concerns
28 August 2026
Aerospace Global News reports the FAA has ordered inspections of 77 Boeing 787 Dreamliners worldwide after identifying improperly…
-
Roman Space Telescope Set for Aug. 30 Launch After 16-Year Journey
28 August 2026
Space News reports, “A NASA space telescope that promises to revolutionize cosmology and exoplanet science is ready for launch…
-
SpaceX Reaches 100-Mission Mark with Latest Starlink Launch
24 August 2026
Spaceflight Now reports the Starlink 15-20 mission represented the 99th Falcon 9 rocket launch of the year. Liftoff from pad 4 East…
-
French start-up to develop new firefighting aircraft
21 August 2026
Unrelenting wildfires across Europe have focused the minds of policymakers on the imperative to strengthen air power options to combat the deadly blazes now spreading faster and farther. French start-up Hynaero, with backing from several leading legacy aerospace groups, is stepping up its plans to offer an alternative to the ubiquitous but aging Canadair water
-
China to launch Chang’e 7 moon probe
21 August 2026
China aims to launch its Chang’e 7 moon mission on Aug. 24 to send a lander, a rover, a hopper and a wide range of science experiments to the lunar south.
-
Poland to remain in Starlink roaming region
20 August 2026
SpaceX has agreed to keep Poland within Starlink’s European roaming region after the country’s foreign minister threatened to reconsider roughly $50 million in annual payments to the company.
-
RFP issued by Indian government for transport aircraft
20 August 2026
The Indian government has issued a long-awaited request for proposals for a new fleet of transport aircraft to replace the Indian Air Force’s fleet of Antonov An-32s.
