FROM THE INSTITUTE
A growing number of states are taking proactive steps to marshal their public and private sectors and academia to grow the commercial space industry, offering…
Tag: May 2026
India’s Space Ambitions Take Center Stage at ASCEND as ISRO Wins AIAA’s Highest Honor
FROM THE INSTITUTE
At ASCEND in May, AIAA saluted India’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), with its highest honor, the Goddard Astronautics Award…
FAA Administrator Outlines Path to 777X Certification in 2027
Aviation Week reports, “FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford believes the Boeing 737 MAX will be certified by year’s end and suggested the 777X will follow, in 2027.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
New Glenn Rocket Destroyed in Fiery Prelaunch Test at Cape Canaveral
The New York Times reports a Blue Origin rocket exploded during a ground test at a Florida launch facility Thursday evening. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. as the company was conducting prelaunch testing ahead of a future mission.
Full Story (New York Times – Subscription Publication)
How to Accelerate the Space Industrial Base – And What Adversaries Can Teach Us
FROM THE INSTITUTE
A lively panel of leaders in the space industry took on the question of how the United States can keep its edge in space with competitors nipping at our heels. In fact, argued one panelist provocatively, we might actually want to take a few notes from adversaries.
Inaugural Global Leaders Space Exploration Forum Delivers Candid Conversations During ASCEND 2026
FROM THE INSTITUTE
AIAA hosted space leaders for the inaugural Global Leaders Space Exploration Forum to advance the technical, operational, and policy dialogue needed to ensure that humanity’s expanding presence in space is prosperous, safe, and sustainable. The gathering reflected a shared recognition that the window to establish durable frameworks for interoperability, safety, and long-term sustainability in LEO and the cislunar domain is open now.
Students Shared Research and Explored Aerospace Innovation at AIAA Region IV Student Conference
FROM THE INSTITUTE
The Department of Mechanical Engineering in the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing at Rice University hosted the 2026 AIAA Region IV Student Conference, 27–29 March. More than 200 high school, undergraduate, and graduate students from Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico to present original research, exchange ideas, and connect with peers and professionals in aerospace.
Electra Sees Demand for 16,000 Hybrid-Electric Aircraft in USA
Aerospace Global News reports, “Hybrid-electric aircraft developer Electra says the United States could support a fleet of up to 16,000 regional electric aircraft over the next decade, providing millions of travellers with alternatives to congested roads and inconvenient hub-and-spoke airline journeys.”
Full Story (Aerospace Global News)
Russian Cosmonauts Install Solar Telescope During ISS Spacewalk
SPACE reports Russian cosmonauts “worked to install and retrieve science experiments while on a spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Wednesday (May 27). Expedition 74 commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and flight engineer Sergei Mikaev spent 6 hours and 5 minutes outside the space station, conducting an extravehicular activity (EVA) that ran from 10:18 a.m. to 4:23 p.m. EDT.”
Full Story (SPACE)
Experts Say Space Nuclear Power’s Biggest Obstacles Are Logistical, Not Technical
FROM THE INSTITUTE
A workshop on nuclear capabilities in space dove into the opportunities and challenges that have surrounded this powerful technology since the first space race. The workshop at AIAA’s ASCEND event in Washington, D.C., was hosted by Brian Weeden, Director of Civil and Commercial Policy at The Aerospace Corporation’s Center for Space Policy and Strategy. It kicked off with a lively discussion of nuclear power in space, then transitioned into interactive roundtables on related topics.