Spaceflight Now reports, “SpaceX launched an uncrewed Cargo Dragon to the International Space Station early Monday on a resupply mission with increased importance after a transportation mishap derailed a flight by another U.S. cargo ship. Liftoff from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center happened on Monday, April 21, at 4:15 a.m. EDT (0815 UTC).”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX Space Station Cargo Launch (Launch occurs at 59:44)
(Spaceflight Now; YouTube)
Reuters reports, “Archer Aviation on Thursday unveiled plans for a proposed air-taxi network in New York City, in partnership with United Airlines, as it seeks to tap into the airport commute market in Manhattan. Shares of the air-taxi maker were up 7% in morning trading.”
Full Story (Reuters)
Space News reports, “Members of a NASA safety panel said they were “deeply concerned” about the safety of the aging International Space Station, citing long-running issues and funding shortfalls. During a public meeting of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) April 17, members expressed concerns about growing risks as the station nears its projected end in 2030.”
Full Story (Space News)
The Washington Post reports, “A distant planet’s atmosphere shows signs of molecules that on Earth are associated only with biological activity, a possible signal of life on what is suspected to be a watery world, according to a report published Wednesday that analyzed observations by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. The peer-reviewed report in the Astrophysical Journal Letters presents more questions than answers, acknowledges numerous uncertainties and does not declare the discovery of life beyond Earth, something never conclusively detected. But the authors do claim to have found the best evidence to date of a possible “biosignature” on a planet far from our solar system.”
Full Story (Washington Post)
Reuters reports, “General Dynamics said on Wednesday its Gulfstream G800 jet has received certifications from the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. The company had said in January it expected FAA certification for the jet in the first half of 2025.
Full Story (Reuters)
Aviation International News reports, “Recently, Bristow’s Dave Stepanek outlined why the helicopter operator has made such a big commitment to buying urban air mobility (UAM) aircraft that have yet to be certified. As Bristow’s executive v-p and chief transformation officer, Stepanek is responsible not only for sourcing these aircraft but also figuring out how they fit into the company’s far-flung operations in 19 countries.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 14, 2025 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) issued the following statement from AIAA CEO Clay Mowry:
“Congratulations to Blue Origin on its 11th human flight as the all-female crew roared beyond the Kármán line, a successful NS-31 mission. It’s an exciting time in history, witnessing the number of commercial astronauts growing to more than 50 people through the New Shepard program. We’re so inspired as we hear how each crew member has been changed when they return to Earth.”
Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell
About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. Visit www.aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 14, 2025 – Tucson, Ariz. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) announced the winners of the 29th Annual AIAA Design/Build/Fly (DBF) Competition:
Complete results are posted at aiaa.org/dbf.
This year marks DBF’s largest ever flyoff participation, with 1,200+ students on 97 university teams attending onsite. The flyoff was hosted by AIAA Corporate Member RTX in Tucson, Ariz. Teams from 14 countries participated in the flyoff weekend, including the U.S. with representation from 34 states.
This year’s flight objective was to design, build, and test an airplane to execute an X-1 Supersonic Flight Test Program, including the launch of an X-1 test vehicle – an autonomous glider with flashing lights. Teams also conducted a timed ground mission demonstration of the X-1 Flight Test Program.
“DBF is a highlight of the AIAA year,” said AIAA CEO Clay Mowry. “The students who compete here are the next generation of aerospace professionals. Congratulations to the winning teams!
“This year’s DBF mission is inspired by the Bell X-1 plane that Chuck Yeager flew when he broke the sound barrier in 1947. It was a feat once deemed impossible. The X-1 was powered by an XLR-11 engine build by Reaction Motors, a company spun out of the American Rocket Society, one of AIAA’s predecessor organizations in 1941. Our newly unveiled AIAA logo is inspired by the Bell X-1 breaking the sound barrier. We hope these students channel the X-1 spirit in their future careers to show the world what’s possible.” Mowry added.
Russ Althof, director of the DBF Organizing Committee, said, “We owe our thanks for the success of the DBF Competition to the efforts of many volunteers from RTX, Textron Aviation, and the AIAA sponsoring Technical Committees: Applied Aerodynamics, Aircraft Design, Flight Test, and Design Engineering. These volunteers collectively set the rules for the contest, gather entries, judge the written reports, and execute the flyoff.”
The 2026 AIAA DBF Competition will be held in April 2026 hosted in Wichita, Kan., by Textron Aviation.
Media contact: Rebecca B. Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270
About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram.
SPACE reports, “NASA’s next special delivery to the International Space Station has a launch date, but it’s going to be one for early-birds. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch an uncrewed Dragon cargo ship packed with tons of supplies on Monday, April 21, from the historic Pad 39A of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Liftoff is set for 4:15 a.m. EDT (0815 GMT), making it a predawn launch.”
Full Story (SPACE)
Breaking Defense reports, “The US Army has begun 3D printing swarms of small aerial drones for soldiers to train against, in anticipation of a decision on how to proceed with an initiative to cheaply and quickly mass produce drones, according to two senior Army leaders.”
Full Story (Breaking Defense)