Aviation News Daily reports, “Embraer reported first-quarter revenues of US$1.4 billion in 2026, marking the highest first-quarter revenue in the company’s history. The strong performance reflects a 31% year-over-year increase, fueled primarily by growth in Defense & Security and Commercial Aviation activities.”
Full Story (Aviation News Daily)
Tag: May 2026
Rocket Lab Enters Golden Dome Missile Defense Program with Raytheon
Aerotime reports, “Rocket Lab Corporation announced that, in partnership with Raytheon, it has been selected to demonstrate advanced capabilities for the United States Space Force’s Space Based Interceptor program, a central building block of the Trump administration’s Golden Dome missile defense architecture.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
Take Advantage of Discount AIAA AVIATION Forum 2026 Registration Rates by 11 May
FROM THE INSTITUTE
AIAA AVIATION Forum explores the latest in aviation innovation, focusing on AI/autonomy, AAM, and hydrogen propulsion. It also covers fluid dynamics, applied aerodynamics, and electric aircraft technology, with nearly 1,000 technical sessions and 2,500 attendees from across the globe.
Northrop Flies XRQ-73 SHEPARD Hybrid Flying Wing for First Time
Aerospace Global News reports, “Yesterday, Northrop Grumman announced its XRQ-73 SHEPARD hybrid electric experimental drone has begun flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The aircraft conducted its maiden flight in April.”
Full Story (Aerospace Global News)
Technical Rigor, Professionalism, and Enthusiasm on Display at AIAA Region II Student Conference
FROM THE INSTITUTE
The 2026 AIAA Region II Student Conference, brought together more than 330 attendees and featured 105 student presentations. The event provided a valuable forum for students to showcase their work in a professional setting, receive real-time feedback from experienced practitioners serving as judges, and build connections with peers and professionals across academia, industry, and government. AIAA Region II Director Emeritus Kurt Polzin noted that “the conference creates an environment where students can refine their ideas, strengthen their communication skills, and gain confidence presenting complex work to a broader audience.”
Human Judgment in the Age of Autonomous Warfare: Why Congress Must Keep Human Oversight in Military Decisions
FROM THE INSTITUTE
As we navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of modern warfare, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a game changer. From analyzing intelligence and refining targeting processes to streamlining logistics and enhancing capabilities in autonomous platforms across various domains such as air, land, sea, and even space, AI is reshaping how we think about conflict. The potential advantages are significant: quicker decision-making, better situational awareness, and the ability to operate effectively even in chaotic environments.
ESA’s Space Rider Passes Critical Hurdles on Path to Spaceflight
SPACE reports, “Space Rider, a novel spacecraft concept from the European Space Agency (ESA), is advancing toward its first flight, with new milestones tackling two of the vehicle’s biggest challenges: surviving the heat of reentry and executing a precise landing back on Earth.”
Full Story (SPACE)
Wisk Aero Conducts First Flight of Second Generation 6 eVTOL Prototype
Flying Magazine reports “Boeing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) unit Wisk Aero is ramping up flight testing of its flagship Generation 6 air taxi. Wisk on Monday revealed that it completed the first flight of a second production prototype aircraft—a “test article” of the autonomous model it aims to certify with the FAA.”
Full Story (Fling Magazine)
Video
Wisk Aero’s Generation 6 aircraft
Wisk Aero | YouTube
Voyager Optimistic About Starlab as NASA Reconsiders Commercial Station Plans
Space News reports, “Voyager Technologies says it is ready should NASA change plans for supporting development of commercial space stations. In March, NASA outlined a proposed new direction for its Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations, or CLD, program. The agency, outlining its concerns that a commercial market for space stations had not emerged, said it was considering instead procuring a new “core module” for the International Space Station that commercial modules could attach to as a precursor to standalone stations.”
Full Story (Space News)
The Space Station’s Past and Future Converge at ASCEND 2026
FROM THE INSTITUTE
The International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory will bring a full day of programming to ASCEND 2026 on Tuesday, 19 May, plus nearly 60 technical papers on ISS utilization and space-based research expected to be presented on Wednesday and Thursday, 20–21 May. From microgravity-enabled medical breakthroughs to startup innovation in low Earth orbit (LEO), the ISS National Lab sessions are designed to show how researchers and commercial players alike are using the orbiting laboratory as an engine for science, technology, and a sustainable space economy.