Flying Magazine reports on FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford discussing ATC modernization, MOSAIC, and hot-button issues facing general aviation.
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Tag: aerospace engineering
SpaceX Aborts Starship Test flight Moments Before Liftoff
The New York Times reports, “A last-second scrub aborted Thursday’s test flight of SpaceX’s Starship rocket. The countdown reached all the way to zero, and the engines started to ignite, but then everything was shut down. Elon Musk shared on X that some of the engines didn’t start, which triggered an automatic launch abort. “Next launch attempt hopefully in a few days,” he shared.”
Full Story (New York Times – Subscription Publication)
Professor Amy Pritchett Calls for “Team Autonomy” to Safeguard Global Airspace
FROM INSTITUTE
At AIAA AVIATION Forum 2026, Amy Pritchett, head of the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Penn State University, challenged the aerospace community to rethink how it designs autonomy for the global airspace system – shifting from a focus on “human vs. autonomy” to human-autonomy teams built on interdependence, shared responsibility, and explainable behavior.
Air Force Achieves First Live Missile Launch From CCA Wingman Drone
Breaking Defense reports, “A US Air Force wingman drone for the first time ‘successfully’ fired a live munition, an AMRAAM air-to-air missile, during a recent test, Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach revealed to Breaking Defense.”
Full Story (Breaking Defense)
Framing AI in Aerospace at AIAA AVIATION Forum 2026
FROM THE INSTITUTE
Gregory Roth, incoming chair of AIAA’s new Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Aerospace Applications Working Group and aerospace engineer at the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Air Platform Concepts Branch in Ohio, was pleasantly reassured with the approach to AI at AIAA AVIATION Forum 2026. The discussion around AI in Aerospace is now clearly in full swing.
SpaceX to Launch First Starlink V3 Satellites on Starship Test Flight
Spaceflight Now reports the mission will also test out a series of improvements to the launcher to help push it closer to full reusability. “Liftoff from Pad 2 at SpaceX’s Starbase facilities in southern Texas is scheduled during a 90-minute window that opens at 5:45 p.m. CDT (6:45 p.m. EDT / 2245 UTC).”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
AIAA Strengthens Connections with Student Branches
FROM THE INSTITUTE
AIAA has more than 270 student branches, including over 60 international student branches, and a total active membership of over 9,000 students worldwide. These branches connect students who share a passion for aerospace while fostering collaboration, professional growth and education development.
Soyuz Carries U.S. Astronaut and Two Cosmonauts to Space Station
Reuters reports, “Russia sent two cosmonauts and an American astronaut to the International Space Station on Tuesday from Kazakhstan, resuming crewed flights from a recently repaired launchpad with a rare joint attendance by the heads of NASA and Russia’s space agency.”
Full Story (Reuters – Subscription Publication)
FAA Clears Certification Path for Electra’s EL9 Ultra Short Aircraft
The Air Current reports the FAA has closed Electra’s G-1 issue paper, confirming Part 23 certification basis for its “Ultra Short” aircraft.
Full Story (The Air Current)
Falcon 9 Carries 27 Starlink Satellites to Orbit From California
Spaceflight Now reports, “The Starlink 15-14 mission will add another 27 broadband internet satellites to the low Earth orbit constellation … Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4 East happened at 6:28:17 p.m. PDT (9:28:17 p.m. EDT / 0128:17 UTC).”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
Video
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 27 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California (Launch occurs at the 29:59 mark)
Spaceflight Now; YouTube