FROM THE INSTITUTE
For 50 years, Lockheed Martin and NASA have collaborated to advance understanding of the solar system, designing, building, and operating the spacecraft and instruments that transformed planetary science into precise, data‐driven exploration. During the “50 Years of Deep Space Exploration” session at the HUB during AIAA AVIATION Forum and ASCEND in July, Whitley Poyser, Lockheed Martin’s Director of Deep Space Exploration Mission Segment, traced this partnership from its origins in 1975 through today’s ambitious missions – and offered a glimpse of what lies ahead.
Full Story (Aerospace America)
Tag: December 2025
Airbus Places Cold-Weather Takeoff Restrictions on A320neos Powered by PW1100G Engines
Aerotime reports, “Airbus has introduced new cold-weather takeoff restrictions for A320neo-family aircraft equipped with Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines, following operational issues reported in freezing fog conditions. The new restriction applies to aircraft powered by PW1100G engines and limits takeoffs during freezing fog when the visibility drops below 150 meters. Airbus said it has updated the ground-engine operating procedure for icing conditions, a change intended to reduce the risk of performance degradation during the most severe winter weather.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
Russian Launch Site Mishap Leaves Country’s Space Program in Limbo
The New York Times reports, “The launchpad Russia uses for sending astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station is out of commission after a mishap last week during the liftoff of a Soyuz rocket. The rocket itself headed to space without incident, taking three astronauts — Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev of Russia and Chris Williams of NASA — to the space station. But the force of the rocket’s exhaust shoved a service platform used for prelaunch preparations out of its protective shelter. The platform fell into the flame trench below.”
Full Story (New York Times – subscription publication)
Fuel the Next Generation: 2025 AIAA Foundation Day of Giving
On Tuesday, 2 December, join us in the Day of Giving to help raise $100,000 in support of these vital programs. Your contribution, of any size, will help launch the next generation of aerospace leaders. All donations made through the first week of December will go to the Day of Giving.
Supersonic Flight Has Potential to Reshape the NFL
Flying Magazine reports, “In December, Congress is expected to review legislation that would end the FAA’s 52-year restriction on commercial supersonic flight over land. A reversal of the ban could have big implications for America’s most watched professional sports league. This month, the Wall Street Journal reported that the supersonic test campaign of Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 demonstrator was “of particular interest” to the leadership of the NFL. The league has quietly kept a “close eye” on the progress of Boom and other supersonic developers for years, sources said.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Discovers Lightning on Mars
The New York Times reports, “It is shocking but not surprising. Lightning crackles on Mars, scientists reported on Wednesday. What they observed, however, were not jagged, high-voltage bolts like those on Earth, arcing thousands of feet from cloud to ground.”
Full Story (New York Times)