Breaking Defense reports, “Northrop Grumman will invest $2.5 billion of its own cash to accelerate production of the B-21 stealth bomber, with $200 million in investments slated to be executed this year, its chief executive said. The Air Force and Northrop in February finalized an agreement to increase the B-21 production rate by 25 percent, but CEO Kathy Warden’s comments on a financial earnings call today mark the first time the company has revealed what it plans to spend in order hit the ambitious goal.”
Full Story (Breaking Defense)
Tag: Aerospace News
New Glenn Grounded as BE-3U Thrust Issue Comes Into Focus
Aviation Week reports, “Blue Origin says initial data suggests one of two BE-3U upper-stage engines did not deliver sufficient thrust to dispatch the AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 7 satellite to its intended orbit. The power issue occurred on the GS2 upper stage’s second burn, Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said April 20. The issue has temporarily sidelined New Glenn as the company assesses what caused the malfunction.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
U.S. Air Force Extends A-10 Warthog Service Life to 2030
Reuters reports, “The U.S. Air Force secretary extended the life of the A-10 ‘Warthog’ attack plane until 2030, sparing the aging but beloved close air support aircraft that has played an important role in Iran from an earlier retirement deadline of 2026.”
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New Glenn Mission Falls Short, Raising Questions for NASA’s Artemis Plans
The New York Times reports, “A rocket built by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space company appeared to launch perfectly on Sunday, its booster even landing successfully on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean. A few hours later, however, it became clear that all had not gone well. The massive New Glenn rocket had failed in its primary task: putting a commercial satellite into the proper orbit. This is a setback not only for Blue Origin, but also possibly NASA. Although the space agency played no role in Sunday’s mission, it is counting on Blue Origin to support the Artemis moon program.”
Full Story (New York Times – Subscription Publication)
MQ-9B Passes Key Icing Tests, Boosting Operational Flexibility
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has conducted a series of flight tests aimed at certifying the MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) for Flight Into Known Icing (FIKI). The flight tests began last year, and all planned testing was successfully completed in early April from GA-ASI’s Flight Test & Training Center (FTTC) near Grand Forks, North Dakota, using a company-owned MQ-9B.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)
NASA Shuts Down Voyager 1 Instrument to Extend Mission
SatNews reports, “On Friday, April 17, 2026, engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) sent commands to deactivate one of the few remaining science instruments aboard Voyager 1. The decision to shut down the Low-energy Charged Particles (LECP) experiment was made to conserve the spacecraft’s dwindling power reserves, ensuring that the most distant human-made object can continue its historic journey through interstellar space for as long as possible.”
Full Story (SatNews)
AIR Lifts Off With First Flight of Heavy-Lift Cargo Drone
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “AIR has successfully completed the first flight of its Production AIR Cargo-Heavy Lift UAS, a VTOL platform designed with a payload capacity of approximately 550 lbs and a 70-cubic-foot cargo bay.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)
Video
AIR Cargo Drone Takes Flight
AIR eVTOL; YouTube; Framegrab
New Glenn Booster Completes Hot Fire as Blue Origin Eyes Sunday Launch
Spaceflight Now reports, “Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket roared to life in a critical pre-launch demonstration of its main engines Thursday, less than an hour after the Sun crested over the horizon in Florida. The seven BE-4 engines fired for about 20 seconds, at 7:45 a.m. EDT (1145 UTC). Engineers will now pore through the data and if everything looks good, the launch with AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird-7 satellite could take place as soon as Sunday, April 19.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
Air Combat Command Tests Anduril’s YFQ-44A CCA Prototype
Defense Daily reports, “Last week, the Air Force’s Experimental Operations Unit (EOU) at Nellis AFB, Nev., tested an Anduril Industries YFQ-44A Fury prototype Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), which flew from a company site in southern California to Edwards AFB, Calif., for the testing and back again, Anduril said on Thursday.”
Full Story (Defense Daily)
AIAA Design/Build/Fly Livestream Planned for 17–19 April
FROM THE INSTITUTE
The DBF experience won’t only be witnessed by those on the ground. AIAA is bringing the energy of the competition beyond the Kansas sky and into living rooms, labs, and classrooms worldwide. Viewers can tune into a livestream on AIAA’s YouTube channel on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 17–19 April, to witness the takeoffs, the tense moments, the triumphs, and the heartbreaks in real time.