Industry News
News about the aerospace industry curated by AIAA staff
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US Aerospace Manufacturers Join USAF’s Autonomous Fighter Effort
29 January 2024
FlightGlobal reports that three major US aerospace manufacturers “have confirmed they will participate in a US Air Force (USAF) effort to develop autonomous fighter aircraft.” -
NASA’s Ingenuity Has Taken Its Last Flight on Mars
26 January 2024
The Washington Post reports that the four-pound drone completed 72 flights before damaging its rotors during a landing last week. -
Gulfstream Plans to Deliver G700s in First Quarter This Year
26 January 2024
FlightGlobal reports that Gulfstream “is hoping that deliveries of its G700 can begin in the current quarter after slower... -
JAXA’s ‘Moon Sniper’ Missed its Mark
26 January 2024
CNN reports that Japan’s space agency “said Thursday that its ‘moon sniper’ robotic explorer landed 55 meters (165 feet) from its target on the lunar surface last week, calling it a ‘significant achievement’ despite problems... -
Blue Origin Receives USSF Funding for Integration Studies Related to New Glenn Launch Vehicle
25 January 2024
Space News reports that Blue Origin “has secured a contract with the U.S. Space Force for integration studies related to its New Glenn launch vehicle.” -
NASA’s X-59 Moves Past Delays Towards First Flight This Year
25 January 2024
Aviation Week reports that despite problems “that delayed the X-59 Low-Boom Flight Demonstration program from its scheduled flight debut in 2021, no obvious obstacles... -
Blue Origin, SpaceX Competition Boosts Supply Chain Companies’ Bottom Lines
24 January 2024
Bloomberg reports that as private space firms “like Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin step up rocket production... -
Pratt & Whitney Projects Peak Number of Grounded Aircraft to be Lower Than Previously Thought
24 January 2024
FlightGlobal reports that Pratt & Whitney “expects the peak number of aircraft grounded as a result of manufacturing problems with geared turbofan engines will be lower... -
NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter Comes Back Online on Mars After Communications Glitch
23 January 2024
SPACE reports that Ingenuity has officially “regained communication with ground control.” According to a January 20 NASA post, Perseverance “had conducted... -
X-59 Promises to Open a New Era of Supersonic Travel
23 January 2024
The Times (UK) reports the X-59, built by Skunk Works, “promises to open a new era of supersonic travel.” The X-59 “has been designed to fly faster than... -
Japan Becomes Fifth Country to Land a Spacecraft on the Moon
22 January 2024
ABC News reports “Japan became the fifth country in history to reach the moon” when one of its uncrewed spacecrafts “successfully made a soft landing on the lunar surface... -
Aviation Week’s Graham Warwick, Guy Norris Report on Bleeding-Edge Aerospace Technologies
22 January 2024
Aviation Week reported, “From hydrogen to nuclear fusion, Aviation Week’s Graham Warwick and Guy Norris report on the bleeding-edge aerospace technologies... -
Astronauts Arrive at ISS
22 January 2024
Reuters reported a four-man crew “arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) early on Saturday for a two-week stay... -
Astrobotic’s Peregrine Moon Lander Disintegrates in Earth’s Atmosphere
19 January 2024
The New York Times reports that a spacecraft that “was headed to the surface of the moon has ended up back at Earth instead, burning up in the planet’s atmosphere... -
B-21 Raider Flies Test Sortie from Edwards Air Force Base
19 January 2024
Aviation Week reports that a “Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider flew a test sortie from Edwards AFB, California, on Jan. 17, notching the second acknowledged flight... -
Astrobotic Announces Peregrine Reentry Plans
18 January 2024
Aviation Week reports Astrobotic Technology said that it is “projecting its troubled Peregrine lunar lander will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere over the South Pacific Ocean around 4 p.m. EST on Jan. 18, two days earlier... -
Boeing Finalizes Order for 150 MAX Jets from Akasa Air
18 January 2024
The Wall Street Journal reports that The Boeing Company has secured an order for 150 of its MAX aircraft to India’s Akasa Air, which will increase the airline’s order book to more than 200... -
Report: Space Investment Bounced Back in 2023, Increased M&A Expected into 2024
17 January 2024
CNBC reports that investment in the space sector “bounced back last year, rebounding closer to the record high of 2021... -
Repairs of Two Lufthansa Cargo A321 Freighters Near Completion
17 January 2024
Aviation Week reports that Lufthansa cargo and conversion specialist Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) “said repairs to two of the operator’s Airbus A321... -
NASA and Lockheed Martin Unveil X-59 “Quiet” Supersonic Demonstrator
16 January 2024
Defense Daily reported that on January 12, NASA and Skunk Works “rolled out the X-59 ‘quiet’ supersonic demonstrator aircraft in Palmdale, Calif.” -
FAA Reviewing Boom’s Request to Conduct Supersonic Test Flights Using XB-1 Demonstrator
16 January 2024
FlightGlobal reports the FAA released an environmental assessment addressing the possible impacts of Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 demonstrator, which describes the company’s... -
China Won’t Beat US in Getting to the Moon, NASA Administrator Says
12 January 2024
SPACE reports, “NASA Administrator Bill Nelson is unconcerned that China will beat the United States in returning astronauts to the moon.” -
Airbus Sets Sales Record in 2023
12 January 2024
The Wall Street Journal reports Airbus set a record for the highest number of orders in a single year, with 2,319 gross orders last year... -
SpaceX Eyes February for Third Starship Test Flight
11 January 2024
Space News reports, “SpaceX expects to conduct the third integrated test flight of its Starship vehicle in February as it works to demonstrate... -
Elysian Aircraft Aims to Launch Electric Plane by 2033
11 January 2024
Aerospace America reports Elysian Aircraft, a Netherlands-based company, is planning to launch a “90-passenger... -
Following Propellant Leak, Engineers Look to Find New Mission for Peregrine
10 January 2024
Reuters reports Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander “has ‘no chance’ of a soft landing on the moon after springing a propellant leak in the first few hours of its journey in space... -
Boeing Revises Guidance for 737 Max Inspections
10 January 2024
The New York Times reports, “Federal regulators on Tuesday said Boeing was revising its instructions for how airlines should inspect its 737 Max 9, delaying the manufacturer’s effort... -
Peregrine Lunar Lander Suffers “Critical” Propellant Loss
9 January 2024
CNN reports Astrobotic Technology “said it is abandoning an attempt to put its Peregrine spacecraft on the moon less than 24 hours after the vehicle took flight” because the spacecraft... -
Business Jet Deliveries Forecasted to Rise 17% This Year
9 January 2024
Aviation International News reports, “Deliveries from the top-five business jet OEMs are forecast to jump by 17 percent... -
SpaceX Launches 23 Starlink Satellites
8 January 2024
SPACE reported, “SpaceX launched 23 more of its Starlink internet satellites to orbit on Sunday (Jan. 7).” As planned, “the Falcon 9’s first stage... -
FAA Orders Airlines to Ground Some Boeing 737 Max 9 Jets After Midair Emergency
8 January 2024
The New York Times reported that on Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered Alaska Airlines and United Airlines... -
Orbital Launch Activity Hit Record in 2023
5 January 2024
Aviation Week reports that the number “of orbital launch attempts last year rose by 20% over 2022, with 223 flights attempted and 212 reaching orbit... -
Air Corsica Finds Pratt & Whitney Canada Engine Reduces MRO Costs by a Third
5 January 2024
Aviation Week reports that maintenance costs “are reduced by almost one-third on the ATR 72-600 regional turboprop thanks to the latest iteration of its Pratt & Whitney Canada engine, the PW127XT... -
ULA’s Vulcan Centaur Rocket Set to Launch on January 8
4 January 2024
Gizmodo reports United Launch Alliance’s “202-foot-tall (61.6-meter) Vulcan Centaur rocket is set to launch from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral” on Monday, January 8. -
Elliott Aviation Delivers First King Air Upgrade
4 January 2024
Aviation International News reports that Elliott Aviation “has performed its first completion and delivery of the Garmin Autoland upgrade in a King Air B200.” -
SpaceX Launches First Satellites Designed to Connect Directly to Smartphones
3 January 2024
Space News reports that SpaceX “launched its first batch of Starlink satellites designed to connect directly to unmodified smartphones Jan. 2 after getting a temporary experimental license to start testing... -
Akasa Air Close to 150-Plane Order from Boeing
3 January 2024
Reuters reports that Akasa Air “is set to close an order for around 150 Boeing 737 MAX narrowbody planes, two sources said, its latest bid to tap the travel boom in the world’s fastest-growing aviation market.” -
SpaceX Test Fires Starship Booster Rocket
2 January 2024
SPACE reported that SpaceX “closed out 2023 with a fiery double test of its next Starship megarocket booster and spacecraft..., sharing some stunning videos of both vehicles... -
B-21 Raider Undergoing Flight Testing
2 January 2024
Defense News reported that the “B-21 Raider took to the air for the first time in November, nearly a year after its public debut in California. In 2024, the U.S. Air... -
L3Harris Approved to Produce Hypersonic Missile Tracking Satellites
21 December 2023
Space News reports the Space Development Agency approved L3Harris “to move into production on “16 Tracking Layer Tranche 1 satellites “designed to detect and monitor... -
Embraer Executive Jets Announces Doubling of its MRO Network
21 December 2023
Aviation International News reports that Embraer Executive Jets “is doubling its maintenance service network... -
Blue Origin’s New Shepard Rocket Successfully Launches
20 December 2023
AP reports that Blue Origin successfully “launched a rocket carrying experiments on Tuesday, its first flight since engine trouble caused a crash more than a year ago.” -
JSX Plans to Add Over 300 Hybrid-Electric Aircraft to Charter Fleet
20 December 2023
Aviation International News reports that on Tuesday, public charter operator JSX “announced its intention to acquire more than 300 hybrid-electric aircraft from three different manufacturers as part of its efforts... -
Blue Origin Delays New Shepard Launch
19 December 2023
SPACE reports that Blue Origin’s first mission “in more than 15 months was officially delayed on Monday (Dec. 18) after a last-minute scrub.” -
N3 to Add MRO Capacity in Expansion at Arnstadt Site
19 December 2023
Aviation Week reports that Rolls-Royce engine maintenance specialist N3 Engine Overhaul Services “is targeting the overhaul of nearly 200 engines next year and plans to expand capacity at its facility in Germany... -
NASA Previews Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser Demo Mission
18 December 2023
Aviation Week reported that NASA has “offered a preview of Sierra Space’s reusable Dream Chaser resupply demonstration mission to the International Space... -
Boeing’s 777 EcoDemonstrator Demonstrates Digital Taxi System
18 December 2023
Aviation Week reported that The Boeing Company’s current ecoDemonstrator, a 777-200ER, “demonstrated a digital taxi system... -
USSF Considers New Satellites That Feature Self-Adjusting Orbits, Threat Response
15 December 2023
Space News reports that the US military “has long relied on large, expensive satellites parked in fixed orbits above the Earth.” Some US Space Force leaders “believe it’s time to change that model in favor of more mobile... -
Germany Orders 82 Armed H145 Twin-Engine Light Helicopters from Airbus
15 December 2023
Aviation Week reports, “Germany has placed an order with Airbus Helicopters for up to 82 light-attack versions of the OEM’s H145 twin-engine light helicopter. In what is the largest order yet for... -
SpaceX Stands Down Both Falcon Heavy, Falcon 9 Launches
14 December 2023
The Orlando Sentinel reports that SpaceX “is standing down from attempting to launch its powerhouse Falcon Heavy for now, citing the need for ‘systems checkouts’ while weather... -
Southwest Airlines CEO Promises Carrier is “Absolutely Ready” for Holiday Travel
14 December 2023
Bloomberg reports that vowing to “avoid a repeat of catastrophic holiday delays that stranded thousands of passengers last year... -
Blue Origin to Resume New Shepard Suborbital Launches
13 December 2023
Space News reports that Blue Origin “has announced plans to launch its New Shepard suborbital vehicle on its first flight since a mishap more than 15 months ago.” -
Dassault Falcon Jet Announces $100M Expansion in Little Rock, Arkansas
13 December 2023
The AP reports that on Tuesday, Dassault Falcon Jet “announced a $100 million expansion of its facility in Little Rock that the jet manufacturer said will add 800 new jobs. -
ULA Vulcan Centaur Rocket’s Maiden Launch Delayed to January
12 December 2023
SPACE reports that the premiere “of the Space Coast’s newest launch vehicle, carrying a moon lander aiming for the first commercial touchdown, will likely slip to the beginning of 2024.” -
FAA to Set New Maintenance Requirements for Pratt & Whitney PW1100G Engines
12 December 2023
FlightGlobal reports that the FAA “plans to place new maintenance requirements on airlines after learning that more components... -
SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch of X-37B Space Plane Delayed
11 December 2023
SPACE reported that a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket “is poised to launch the X-37B space plane for the US Space Force on Monday evening (Dec. 11) after a one-day delay due to weather... -
American, Delta, United Driving MRO Spending in North America
11 December 2023
Aviation Week reported that the North American MRO market “is projected to account for 21.8% of the worldwide total from 2024-33.” This will “derive from more than 67,000 service events, according to... -
NASA Says Hubble Telescope Will Resume Operation Following Gyroscope Issue
8 December 2023
SPACE reports that following a “string of setbacks concerning one of its directional instruments, the Hubble Space Telescope will get back to its job of capturing deep space images soon enough, NASA says.” -
Air New Zealand Considers Passenger Flights with Beta’s Alia Electric Aircraft
8 December 2023
Aviation Week reports that while Air New Zealand “plans to use its first electric aircraft for a cargo-only commercial demonstration, it will consider broadening its role... -
All V-22 Ospreys Grounded After Investigation into Crash Finds Possible Materiel Failure
7 December 2023
ExecutiveGov reports that the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) “is working with the U.S. Marine Corps to improve the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft’s survivability... -
NASA Celebrating 25th Anniversary of ISS
7 December 2023
ABC News reports, “NASA and its astronauts are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the International Space Station being in orbit.” -
Boeing Tallies Delivery of 46 737s in November
6 December 2023
Reuters reports that The Boeing Company “delivered 46 narrowbody 737s in November, sources told Reuters on Tuesday.” Last month’s total “brings Boeing’s single-aisle deliveries up to 351 units... -
SpaceX’s Next Starship Flight Expected to Include Propellant Transfer Demonstration for NASA
6 December 2023
CNBC reports, “SpaceX could attempt a key demonstration for NASA during the third test flight of its towering Starship rocket.” According to a NASA official, “the next Starship flight is expected to include ‘a propellant transfer... -
Richard Branson Says He Will Not Invest More Money into Virgin Galactic
5 December 2023
CNN reports that shares of Virgin Galactic, “the space tourism venture founded by Richard Branson, are plunging after the British billionaire said he has no plans... -
Dassault’s First Falcon 6X Business Jet Enters Service
5 December 2023
Aviation International News reports Dassault announced that on November 30, the company’s “Falcon 6X began flying for its new owner. ... Dassault did not reveal the identity or location of the 6X launch customer.” ... -
NASA Honors Former Acting Administrator Steve Jurczyk
4 December 2023
A press release from NASA read in part, “Former NASA Acting Administrator Steve Jurczyk passed away Nov. 23, at the age of 61, following a battle with pancreatic cancer. During his career, which spanned... -
Japanese Authorities Hand Over Pieces of Wreckage from USAF Osprey Crash
4 December 2023
The AP reported, “Japanese authorities handed over pieces of the wreckage from an U.S. Air Force Osprey that crashed off southwestern Japan to the U.S. military... -
NASA Working to Resolve Hubble Space Telescope Gyroscope Issue
1 December 2023
SPACE reports NASA on Wednesday confirmed that the Hubble Space Telescope “automatically entered safe mode on Nov. 23.” The reason behind the interruption... -
FAA Calls for Extending Length of Cockpit Voice-Recording Requirements
1 December 2023
Reuters reports the Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday “said it is proposing to extend the cockpit voice-recording requirements... -
NASA Aims to Work with Private Sector for Lunar Landings
30 November 2023
Aviation Week reports, “NASA soon intends to lift the curtain on a whole new strategy of turning to America’s private sector for the launch of a lunar lander with science... -
Aeronautic Groups Recognize Record Tamarack King Air Flight
30 November 2023
Aviation International News reports, “A Beechcraft King Air 350 equipped with Tamarack Aerospace active load-alleviating winglets set two records... -
SpaceX Makes Space Coast’s 66th Launch of the Year
29 November 2023
The Orlando (FL) Sentinel reports, “SpaceX chalked up another Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to mark the Space Coast’s 66th launch... -
Virgin Atlantic Jet Powered by 100% SAF Lands After Maiden Transatlantic Flight
29 November 2023
Reuters reports, “A Virgin Atlantic passenger jet powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) successfully completed a London-to-New York jaunt... -
China Makes Progress on Engine Program for Super Heavy Rocket
28 November 2023
Space News reports, “China is progressing with a program to develop full-flow staged-combustion-cycle methane engines to power its reusable Long March 9 super heavy-lift launcher.” -
German Air Taxi Firm Lilium Receives EU Approval for Electric Vehicles
28 November 2023
CNBC reports, “Lilium, a German air taxi firm, has received regulatory approval to design and operate its electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles...