Industry News
In This Section
News about the aerospace industry curated by AIAA staff
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Joby May Perform Air Tours and Market Survey Flights before Starting Commercial Operations
25 June 2024
Aviation Week Network reports, “Joby Aviation may fly passengers on air tours and market survey flights before starting commercial air taxi operations, the company says. -
China’s Chang’e-6 Heads Home Carrying First-Ever Lunar Far Side Samples
24 June 2024
Space News reports, “China’s Chang’e-6 spacecraft is on its way to Earth to deliver samples collected from the far side of the moon. The Chang’e-6 service module likely fired its engines... -
Upgraded Bell CH-146C Mk II Griffon Performs First Flight for RCAF
24 June 2024
Vertical Magazine reports that the first Royal Canadian Air Force Bell CH-146 Griffon to have completed the CH-146C Mk II upgrade “has performed its maiden flight, the manufacturer has announced... -
Rocket Lab Marks Milestone with 50th Electron Rocket Launch
21 June 2024
Spaceflight Now reports, “Rocket Lab successfully reached a milestone that few commercial rockets achieved and at a pace that outperformed its competition. -
AeroVironment Successfully Flight Tests Heavy Fuel VTOL UAS
21 June 2024
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “AeroVironment (AV) has successfully demonstrated its JUMP® 20 uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) with a heavy fuel engine. The higher horsepower and lower fuel burn rate... -
ESA’s Ariane 6 Moved to Launch Pad for First Flight
20 June 2024
SpaceWatch.Global reports, “The Ariane 6 Launcher Task Force has announced that Ariane 6’s first launch attempt... -
FAA Approves Joby Aviation’s Use of In-House Software for Air-Taxi Operations
20 June 2024
Reuters reports, “Joby Aviation said on Thursday the FAA has authorized the use of the air-taxi maker's in-house software to perform tasks such as managing pilot workload and matching passengers... -
Starliner Return Delayed a Few More Days as NASA and Boeing Study Data
19 June 2024
Ars Technica reports, “NASA and Boeing will take an additional four days to review all available data about the performance of the Starliner spacecraft before clearing the vehicle to return to Earth, officials said Tuesday. -
Will the Air Force Proceed with a Next-Gen Fighter Jet?
19 June 2024
Defense One reports, “Delays in Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program and Boeing’s lackluster performance on its own defense efforts could be driving recent—and unexpected... -
Perseverance Rover Finds Mysterious Boulder “Never Observed Before” on Mars
18 June 2024
CBS News reports, “While exploring a crater on Mars that may give scientists insights into life that potentially once existed there, NASA said its Perseverance rover... -
Airborne Lasers Offer New Hope for Missile Defense Agency
18 June 2024
Breaking Defense reports, “Airborne lasers are back in the sights of the Missile Defense Agency — a decade after the first attempt to build a system collapsed, having swallowed 16 years and $5 billion... -
Blue Origin Permitted to Bid on National-Security Launches
17 June 2024
Defense One reports, “The Pentagon has picked three companies—Blue Origin, SpaceX, and United Launch Alliance—for its new satellite launch competition that was built to usher new entrants... -
Cessna Citation Ascend Completes First Test Flight
17 June 2024
Flying Magazine reports, “The second Cessna Citation Ascend test article has completed its first test flight, advancing development of the business jet program, according to Textron... -
Powerful Solar Storm Shows Radiation Will be a Real Challenge for Mars Colonists
14 June 2024
SPACE reports that a powerful solar storm in May 2024 created auroras on Mars that have provided scientists with crucial information that could aid future crewed... -
Aurora’s Centaur Aircraft Completes In-Air Data Collection
14 June 2024
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “Aurora Flight Sciences has carried out flight testing with its Centaur optionally piloted aircraft (OPA), based on a certified twin-engine general aviation aircraft. Centaur is equipped... -
Voyager 1 Reactivated in Interstellar Space
13 June 2024
The Washington Post reports, “NASA engineers have succeeded in breathing new life into Voyager 1 after the spacecraft, launched in 1977, went silent seven months ago. -
U.S. Special Ops Command Partners with Merlin to Automate C-130s
13 June 2024
Flying Magazine reports, “The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has awarded a $105 million contract to Merlin to build virtually autonomously operated C-130J Super Hercules... -
Virgin Galactic Retires Its Space Tourism Vehicle ‘Unity’ – Plans for Larger Replacement
12 June 2024
Flying Magazine reports, “Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity space tourism vehicle has been retired after its seventh flight on Saturday, and it will be at least two years... -
DARPA Announces 6 New Designs for Uncrewed VTOL Military Aircraft
12 June 2024
SPACE reports, “The U.S. military could soon have new uncrewed aircraft that carry weapons and take off and land... -
Starliner Astronaut Mission Extended Through June 18
11 June 2024
SPACE reports “’@NASA and @BoeingSpace teams set a return date of no earlier than Tuesday, June 18, for the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. The additional time in orbit... -
FAA Unveils Air Taxi Airworthiness Guidance to Help Streamline Certification Process
11 June 2024
Flight Global reports “The Federal Aviation Administration has released proposed guidance intended to help developers of electric air taxis better navigate the type-certification process... -
Virgin Galactic Chalks Up 7th Commercial Sub-Orbital Space Flight
10 June 2024
CBS News reports, “Two pilots, a Turkish research astronaut and three private citizens rocketed to space and back Saturday aboard Virgin Galactic's Unity spaceplane, enjoying spectacular views of Earth and about three minutes of... -
FAA Requiring G500 and G600 Inspections Due to Engine-Mount ‘Quality Escape’
10 June 2024
FlightGlobal reports, “The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered inspections of the Gulfstream G500 and G600 fleet in response to a “quality escape” involving improperly installed... -
Boeing Starliner Docks with Space Station
7 June 2024
The Washington Post reports, “Boeing’s Starliner capsule, carrying a pair of NASA astronauts, docked with the International Space Station on Thursday... -
US Air Force Close to Having Rapid Electronic Warfare Update Capability
7 June 2024
Defense News reports, “The Air Force is 'very close' to being able to rapidly update electronic warfare systems with fresh battlefield data... -
First Launch of Ariane 6 Set for July 9
6 June 2024
Aviation Week reports, “After last year’s announcement of the June 15-30 window for the first flight of the Ariane 6 rocket, the European Space Agency... -
Archer Aviation Receives FAA Approval to Start Commercial Services
6 June 2024
Reuters reports, “Archer Aviation said on Wednesday the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted the company a certificate to begin commercial operations... -
SpaceX’s Starship Rocket Receives FAA Go-Ahead for Launch
5 June 2024
Reuters reports the FAA “on Tuesday said it issued a license for SpaceX's fourth flight of its Starship rocket system, another test mission along the company's path to building a reusable satellite launcher and moon lander. -
Joby Aviation Attains Autonomous Flight Developer Xwing
5 June 2024
Flying Magazaine reports, “Joby on Tuesday announced it acquired the autonomy division of Xwing, the developer of autonomous gate-to-gate flight software Superpilot, as it looks ahead... -
China’s Chang’e-6 Collects Moon Samples and Launches Them into Lunar Orbit
4 June 2024
Space News reports, “Material from the far side of the moon has begun its journey for Earth after Chinese spacecraft collected... -
Opinion: US Army Would Benefit from Drone Operator Branch
4 June 2024
Breaking Defense reports, “In this op-ed, John Ferrari explains why, despite the Army’s reservations, a new drone corps could be good for innovation.” -
Boeing Starliner Launch Rescheduled for June 5
3 June 2024
Space News reports, “NASA and Boeing have reset the launch of the company’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for June 5 after United Launch Alliance fixed a computer problem... -
Global Airlines Upgrade 2024 Profit Outlook as Travel Skyrockets
3 June 2024
Retuers reports, “Global airlines on Monday raised their profit forecast for 2024 and projected industry wide revenues just shy of $1 trillion... -
Space Debris from SpaceX Dragon Capsule Comes Down in North Carolina Mountains
31 May 2024
SPACE reports that a large piece of debris was found on a mountainside in North Carolina last week, suspected to be left over from the reentry of SpaceX's... -
USAF Working with Merlin Labs to Explore Autonomous Options for KC-135
31 May 2024
Defense Daily reports, “Boston-based Merlin Labs, Inc. said on May 30 that it is using data from flights of a KC-135 at MacDill AFB, Fla., ‘to better understand crew... -
Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test Cleared for June 1 Launch
30 May 2024
SPACE reports, “The first-ever astronaut launch of Boeing's Starliner capsule, known as Crew Flight Test, is ‘go’ for its planned June 1 launch, NASA announced... -
Sikorsky Performing Flight Trials for VTOL Tail-Sitter UAS
30 May 2024
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, is carrying out flight tests to mature the control laws and aerodynamics of a novel vertical takeoff and landing... -
SpaceX Launches ESA’s EarthCARE Mission on Falcon 9
29 May 2024
Space News reports, “A Falcon 9 successfully launched an Earth science mission for Europe and Japan May 28... -
SNC to Develop Air Force’s ‘Doomsday Plane’ Replacement Using Digital Twin
29 May 2024
Breaking Defense reports, “Sierra Nevada Corporation’s behemoth task of converting Boeing 747 jumbo jets into militarized aircraft that can survive nuclear war will be no easy feat... -
Transitioning AAM Into Reality at AIAA AVIATION Forum
28 May 2024
The 2024 AIAA AVIATION Forum will be held 29 July–2 August in Las Vegas, and this year’s event aims to bridge the gap between visionary concepts and tangible technological reality. -
Helium Leak Presents No Safety Threat to Boeing’s Starliner Capsule According to NASA
28 May 2024
CBS News reports that engineers are confident the leak will not worsen in flight, and even if it does, the Starliner can safely launch June 1. -
KC-46 Deliveries Suspended Due to Boom Issue
28 May 2024
Aviation Week reports, “The U.S. Air Force has not taken delivery of KC-46 tankers from Boeing in more than two months as a new... -
SpaceX Launches 23 Starlink Satellites Marking 5th Anniversary of First Dedicated Starlink Flight
24 May 2024
Spaceflight Now reports, “SpaceX completed its third Falcon 9 launch in less than 48 hours with a mission from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. As with its launch... -
Air Force Says B-21 Flight Testing and Production ‘Continues to Make Progress’
24 May 2024
Flying Magazine reports, “The B-21 Raider ‘continues to make progress’ in flight testing and production, the U.S. Air Force said Wednesday. The stealth strike bomber... -
June 1 Set as New Target Date for Starliner’s Crew Flight Test
23 May 2024
SPACE reports, “Starliner and its rocket ride, a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V, rolled off the pad at Florida's Cape Canaveral... -
Joby Aviation Eyes Saudi Arabia for Electric Air Taxi Network
23 May 2024
Flying Magazine reports, “Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi manufacturer Joby Aviation is setting its sights on Saudi Arabia... -
Ariane 6 Inaugural Flight Attempt Scheduled for July 2024
22 May 2024
SpaceWatch.Global reports, “The Ariane 6 Launcher Task Force has announced that Ariane 6’s first launch attempt... -
SkyCourier’s Passenger-Cargo Combi Variant Approved by FAA
22 May 2024
Flight Global reports, “The Federal Aviation Administration has certificated a variant of Textron Aviation’s SkyCourier turboprop that can carry a mix... -
Aurora Unveils Updated High-Speed VTOL X-Plane Concept for DARPA
21 May 2024
Aviation Week reports, “Aurora Flight Sciences has unveiled a refined concept for a fan-in-wing high-speed vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) aircraft as it receives funding to proceed to a preliminary... -
SpaceX Starship Fueled Up Ahead of 4th Test Flight
21 May 2024
SPACE reports, “SpaceX just fueled up its giant Starship rocket, checking another box ahead of the vehicle's fourth test flight. The company performed a 'wet dress rehearsal' with Starship... -
Hermeus Begins Testing of Precooler Technology on Pratt & Whitney F100
20 May 2024
Aviation International News reports, “Hermeus continues its march toward hypersonic development with the testing of its precooler technology... -
Starliner Crew Flight Test Delayed Further Due to Ongoing Helium Leak Review
20 May 2024
Spaceflight Now reports that the shift in launch date is to allow more time to build in redundancy to account for the helium leak. The new target launch date... -
Biden Signs Comprehensive Aviation Safety Bill into Law
17 May 2024
Reuters reports, “President Joe Biden signed on Thursday sweeping aviation legislation that will boost U.S. air traffic controller staffing, increase funding to avert runway close-call incidents... -
Pentagon Planning Commercial ‘Space Reserve” to Support Military Satellites
17 May 2024
SPACE reports, “The U.S. Department of Defense is developing a plan to use the ever-growing American commercial space industry for national security purposes. -
Heart Aerospace Unveils Redesigned Hybrid Propulsion System
16 May 2024
Aviation Week Network reports, “Heart Aerospace has announced a redesigned hybrid propulsion system built around off-the-shelf turboprops and electric motors, as well as a series of related design changes... -
Opinion: After the ISS, America Must Continue to Lead in LEO, Cislunar to Maintain Supremacy
16 May 2024
Space News reports, "As the International Space Station (ISS) nears the end of its service life and the United States -
Textron eAviation’s Nexus eVTOL Aircraft Could Take Flight in 2025
15 May 2024
Aviation International News reports, “The Nexus eVTOL aircraft is coming together at Textron eAviation’s Wichita headquarters as the company prepares to begin flight testing its hybrid-electric Nuuva V300 cargo... -
Blue Origin to Restart Tourist Flights Following Almost 2-Year Pause
15 May 2024
Reuters reports, “Blue Origin will resume flights to space on Sunday, ending a near two-year pause of crewed operations following a 2022 mission failure. The NS-25 mission... -
Founder of Urban-Air Port Highlights Benefits of ‘Vertical Airfield’
14 May 2024
Aviation Week reports, “For the vision of urban air mobility to be realized, vertiports will have to maximize efficiency and passenger throughput while keeping costs as low as possible for vehicle operators... -
Sierra Space Prepares Dream Chaser for Pre-launch Trek to KSC
14 May 2024
Spaceflight Now reports, “Sierra Space is getting one step closer to finally seeing its Dream Chaser spaceplane reach the launch pad. The spacecraft completed... -
Eve Air Offers Preview on Progress in Building its eVTOL Prototype
13 May 2024
Aviation International News reports, “Eve Air Mobility this week released still images and video giving glimpses... -
SpaceX Has Nearly 6,000 Starlink Satellites on Orbit Following Sunday’s Falcon 9 Launch
13 May 2024
Spaceflght Now reports that the milestone comes as a result of the 34th dedicated Starlink launch of the year for SpaceX. “Liftoff of the Starlink 6-58 mission... -
Opinion: Finding and Retaining Talent in the Aerospace Industry
10 May 2024
Aviation Week writes, “Are you searching for new entry-level talent and thinking, 'Where did everyone go?' The talent is there... -
Archer Introduces ‘Automotive Style’ Battery Pack to Air Taxi Production Line
10 May 2024
Flying reports, “Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer Archer Aviation is ready to produce thousands of lithium-ion battery packs for its flagship Midnight... -
Finish Line for Dream Chaser Now in Sight
10 May 2024
Ars Techica reports, “There is still some work to do to prepare Sierra Space's Dream Chaser spaceplane for its first mission, but the company says the winged resupply craft for the ISS will soon ship to its launch site... -
Virgin Galactic to Fly VMS Eve More Frequently with Next-Gen Spaceplanes
9 May 2024
Space News reports, “Virgin Galactic says it will fly its existing “mothership” aircraft more frequently than previously planned with its upcoming Delta-class suborbital spaceplanes, allowing the company to defer development of a new plane... -
Starliner Removed from Launch Pad to Replace Faulty Rocket Valve
9 May 2024
SPACE reports, “Starliner and its rocket ride, a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V, rolled off the pad at Florida's Cape Canaveral... -
Pyka, Sierra Nevada Team Up to Offer Large Cargo Drone to US DOD
8 May 2024
Flying Magazine reports, “The companies behind an autonomous, all-electric, school bus-sized drone designed for contested military operations... -
US Space Force Turns to Commercial Satellites to Meet Demand for Global Insights
8 May 2024
Space News reports, “A U.S. Space Force online marketplace that taps into commercial satellite data has executed around $8 million worth of contracts over the past... -
US Marine Corps’ New Aviation Modernization Plan Taking Shape
7 May 2024
Aviation Week reports, “A new wave of investment in U.S. Marine Corps aviation has taken shape behind closed doors during the past 18 months, as the development of several new rotary-wing... -
Crewed Starliner Launch Scrubbed Due to Valve Issue
7 May 2024
Space News reports, “Controllers scrubbed the first attempt to launch Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner on a crewed test flight May 6 because of a valve problem with the rocket... -
Leonardo, Textron Pitch M-346 as Best Option for Navy’s Next Jet Trainer
6 May 2024
Janes reports, “Leonardo has teamed with Textron Aviation Defense to offer its M-346 jet trainer for the US Navy's (USN's) Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) program. The service's current jet... -
Boeing to Launch First Crewed Test Flight Tonight
6 May 2024
The Washington Post reports, “A decade after NASA awarded Boeing a contract to fly astronauts to the ISS, Boeing will finally attempt to fly its Starliner spacecraft... -
Joby Concludes Flight Testing with Pre-Production eVTOL
3 May 2024
FlightGlobal reports, “US air taxi start-up Joby Aviation has concluded the pre-production flight test programme that it launched four years ago, now transitioning into a production-focused... -
China Embarks on World-First Mission to Collect Samples from Far Side of Moon
3 May 2024
The Washington Post reports, “China on Friday embarked on one of its most ambitious space missions yet: the launch of a probe to retrieve samples from the far side of the moon and bring them back...