Aviation News reports, “EHang has successfully completed the first flights of its EH216-S pilotless electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in Switzerland. This milestone demonstration in Quinto, Ticino marks a significant step forward by proving the capability of autonomous aerial mobility in challenging environments.”
Full Story (Aviation News)
Tag: aerospace engineering
SpaceX Breaks Rocket Reuse Record on 36th Falcon 9 Flight
Spaceflight Now reports, “SpaceX broke another rocket reuse record Thursday morning when it launched its most-flown Falcon 9 booster for a 36th time. It flew in support of the Starlink 10-42 mission, which added another 29 broadband internet satellites to the company’s low Earth orbit constellation.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
Video
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (Launch occurs at the 1:00:20 mark)
Spaceflight Now; YouTube
Recent Changes to AIAA Member Divisions
FROM THE INSTITUTE
At the most recent Spring Business Meeting in May 2026, the Council of Directors approved the reorganization and renaming of the Integration and Outreach Division (IOD) as the Aerospace Integrated Engagement Division (AIED).
AIAA Special Service Citations Awarded
FROM THE INSTITUTE
READ awarded 4 Special Service Citations last week at their spring business meeting.
Electra Partners with Signature, UrbanV to Advance eSTOL Regional Aviation
Aviation Week reports, “Electric aircraft startup Electra.aero has partnered with fixed-base operator Signature Aviation and vertiport developer UrbanV to build the foundation for a point-to-point regional air mobility ecosystem.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Space Force Broadens National Security Launch Pool with Relativity, Impulse
Space News reports, “The U.S. Space Force is widening the field of companies eligible to compete for national security launch contracts, adding launch startup Relativity Space and orbital transportation company Impulse Space to a roster of commercial providers as it looks to diversify how military satellites reach orbit.”
Full Story (Space News)
AIAA Honorary Fellow Jameson Died in June 2026
FROM THE INSTITUTE
Antony Jameson, a Texas A&M University professor in both aerospace engineering and ocean engineering, died 11 June, at the age of 91. His innovations in computational fluid dynamics form the basis for aircraft that are used from commercial airlines to the military.
U.S. Air Force Seeks Rapid Prototype for Supersonic Counter-Air Missile
Defense Daily reports, “As the Pentagon posits future confrontations involving advanced adversary aircraft and drone swarms, the U.S. Air Force wants rapid prototyping to develop and field 1,000 to 3,500 supersonic ground-launched counter air (GLCA) missiles with a unit cost of $500,00 or lower. Initially, the Counter Air Missile Program (CAMP) is to develop Enterprise Test Vehicles (ETVs) for the ground-launched counter air missiles.”
Full Story (Defense Daily – Subscription Publication)
NASA Issues Draft Solicitation for Commercial ISS Replacement
Aviation Week reports, “NASA released a long-awaited draft solicitation July 6 for industry partners to design, build and operate a commercial space station in low Earth orbit (LEO) to succeed the International Space Station”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Positioning Aviation in Multimodal Transportation at AIAA AVIATION Forum
FROM THE INSTITUTE
The growth of the Aviation in Multimodal Transportation Aerospace Integrated Engagement Committee has been exciting to watch. As the first Aeronautics Domain topic to evolve in scope and experiment with multiple engagement formats, their nonlinear approach has garnered participation from planners, platform developers, and researchers who look at aviation’s role in broader passenger pathways.