Industry News
In This Section
News about the aerospace industry curated by AIAA staff
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Airbus Helicopters Uncrewed VSR700 Completes First Test Flight Campaign
2 November 2023
Aviation Week reports that Airbus Helicopters’ uncrewed VSR700 rotorcraft “has completed its latest flight test campaign, demonstrating its ability... -
NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft Passes First of 10 Asteroids on Trip to Jupiter
2 November 2023
AP reports that on Wednesday, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft “encountered the first of 10 asteroids on its long journey to Jupiter.” The spacecraft “swooped past the pint-sized Dinkinesh, about 300 million miles (480 million kilometers) away in the main asteroid belt beyond Mars.” -
RAeS Article: AI, Autonomy, and Human-Machine Teaming Become Rising Forces of Change in Aviation
1 November 2023
Machines that can surpass human intelligence? Today’s artificial intelligence (AI) systems promise to outmatch certain aspects... -
JetBlue Predicts Pratt & Whitney Engine Issues to Ground Aircraft through Next Year
1 November 2023
FlightGlobal reports that JetBlue Airways “expects six of its Airbus A321neos to be grounded by Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engine problems by year-end... -
Space Force Assigns 21 Launch Missions to ULA, SpaceX as Part of NSSL Phase 2 Contract
1 November 2023
Space News reports that on October 31, Space Systems Command “announced 21 launch missions have been assigned to United Launch Alliance and SpaceX as part of the National Security Space Launch... -
Embraer Sees Backlogs Rise in Q3
31 October 2023
Aviation Week reports that Embraer “delivered 28 executive aircraft and 15 commercial aircraft during the third quarter (Q3) of 2023, up 30% from 33... -
NASA Safety Panel Expresses Concerns About ISS Transition Plans
31 October 2023
Space News reported that a “NASA safety panel expressed concerns about NASA’s plans to shift from the International Space Station to commercial successors, including funding for an ISS deorbit vehicle.” During its October 26 public meeting.... -
HAL to Produce Forgings for CFM International LEAP Engines
30 October 2023
FlightGlobal reports that Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and Safran have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for HAL to produce engine forgings... -
SpaceX Launches 22 More Starlink Satellites
30 October 2023
Spaceflight Now reported that the first of two Falcon 9 missions SpaceX “is planning for Sunday carried into orbit the largest batch of second-generation Starlink satellites... -
Northrop Grumman Remains on Track to Fly B-21 Raider Before End of 2023
27 October 2023
FlightGlobal reports Northrop Grumman said that it “remains on track to fly the secretive B-21 Raider stealth bomber before the end of 2023... -
SpaceX’s Starship Faces US Review on Path to Launch Resumption
27 October 2023
Bloomberg reports that the US Fish and Wildlife Service “initiated a formal review of the upgrades SpaceX has made to its Starship launch system... -
USAF Conducting “Ground Taxi Activities” with B-21 Raider Ahead of First Flight
26 October 2023
Inside Defense reports the US Air Force said that it is “conducting ‘ground taxi activities’ with the B-21 Raider ahead of the bomber’s first flight.” -
Cosmonauts Find Radiator Coolant Leak on ISS During Spacewalk
26 October 2023
Spaceflight Now reports that two Russian spacewalkers “floated outside the International Space Station Wednesday and isolated a leaking radiator as planned, apparently causing residual coolant... -
StandardAero Commences CFM56-7B Test Capabilities at Dallas Facility
25 October 2023
Aviation Week reports that US maintenance provider StandardAero “has commenced test services for the CFM56-7B engine at its engine hospital shop close to Dallas/Fort Worth... -
NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter Achieves Longest Flight in 18 Months
25 October 2023
SPACE reports that NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter “conducted its 63rd Mars flight on Thursday (Oct. 19), covering 1,901 feet (579 meters) of ground in the process.” That was “its longest distance since Flight 25... -
Airbus Helicopters Opens 3D Printing Center
24 October 2023
Aviation International News reports that Airbus Helicopters “has opened a new 3D printing center at its Donauwörth, Germany site... -
USSF Prioritizing Modernization of Spaceports
24 October 2023
Space News reports that the need to “modernize US spaceports has been discussed for years, but major upgrades have yet to materialize.” With $1.3 billion in projected “funding for spaceport... -
Value of Older Commercial Aircraft Increases as New Models Experience Problems
23 October 2023
The Wall Street Journal reported the value of 10-year-old planes, particularly the Airbus A320-200, has surged by 10% since August, recovering from the pandemic. -
NOAA Says Evidence of Rare Metals in Stratosphere Likely from Rocket Launches
23 October 2023
The Washington Post reports NOAA researchers collected and analyzed particles in the stratosphere that indicates the presence of rare elemental metals niobium... -
American Airlines Exceeds 3Q Profit Estimates
20 October 2023
Reuters reports on Thursday American Airlines posted its third-quarter earnings, which “beat estimates for third-quarter adjusted profit.” American “said bookings for the upcoming holiday season have been steady... -
Commercial Space Companies Warn Congress to Improve Regulations or US May Lose Spaceflight Lead
20 October 2023
Spaceflight Now reports that the three companies that “have flown people to space and back, Blue Origin, SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, joined two experts at a Congressional hearing... -
Rolls-Royce Pearl 10X Engine Passes 2,000 Hour Milestone
19 October 2023
Aviation International News reports that Rolls-Royce’s Pearl 10X engine “has now passed the 2,000-hour milestone in ground-testing.” Rated at “more than 18,000 pounds of thrust, the engine met its thrust objectives... -
NASA Conducts First in Series of Ground-Test Firings to Certify Upgraded RS-25 Engine
19 October 2023
Aviation Week reports that “NASA has conducted the first in a planned series of 12 ground-test firings to certify the upgraded Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25 engine... -
HondaJet Echelon Officially Launched at NBAA-BACE
18 October 2023
Aviation Week reports that Honda Aircraft formally “launched the HondaJet Echelon Model HA-480 light jet program during NBAA-BACE, announcing it has signed more... -
SpaceX Launch Marks a Tie of 2022’s Record Number of Launches
18 October 2023
Orlando (FL) Sentinel reports that a SpaceX launch “from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Tuesday night marked the Space Coast’s 57th launch of the year... -
Pratt & Whitney-Powered A320neo Groundings Start as FAA-Required Inspections Begin
17 October 2023
Aviation Week reports that groundings of Pratt & Whitney-powered Airbus A320neos “are climbing fast as operators remove engines for accelerated... -
EU Nations Eager to Expand Human Low-Earth-Orbit Presence
17 October 2023
Aviation Week reports that the first all-European private astronaut crew “is working toward a planned 14-day visit aboard the International... -
Amazon Launches Aviation Maintenance Career Training Program
16 October 2023
Aviation Week reported that Amazon has “joined widespread efforts to grow the aviation maintenance workforce pipeline.” -
SpaceX Launches Two Missions in One Day
16 October 2023
Orlando (FL) Sentinel reported that after abiding by NASA’s request “to give its Psyche mission on a Falcon Heavy launch its full attention this week, SpaceX lined up and knocked out a Falcon 9 launch just hours later on Friday.” -
European Airlines Say Sustainable Fuel Goals Could Lead to Higher Fares
13 October 2023
Reuters reports, “European airline chiefs said on Thursday the industry needs to make more money and may consolidate further to pay for sustainability targets... -
NASA Delays Test Flights of X-59 to 2024
13 October 2023
Aviation Week in paywalled coverage reports NASA “has pushed back the first flight of the X-59 low-boom supersonic demonstrator to 2024 after a series of subsystem issues encountered during check-out tests at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works... -
Boeing Flies Upgraded AH-64E Apache Attack Helicopter for First Time
12 October 2023
Defense News reports Boeing announced at the AUSA conference that it has “flown a new version of the AH-64E Apache attack helicopter with upgraded capabilities.” -
NASA Postpones Spacewalk Due to Coolant Leak from Russian ISS Module
12 October 2023
SPACE eports NASA officials have postponed a planned spacewalk from the ISS “as a precautionary measure after a leak of ammonia coolant... -
GA-ASI Completes Test of Small UAS Aerial Recovery System
11 October 2023
The Drive reports GA-ASI has “begun flight demonstrations of a system it’s developed that will allow small drones to be launched and recovered in mid-air... -
NASA Using SpaceX Falcon Heavy to Launch Psyche Mission
11 October 2023
The Orlando (FL) Sentinel reports NASA is using SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket “for the first time, aiming to send a probe... -
Joby Aviation Founder Says Electric Air Taxis Will be in Service by 2025
10 October 2023
The AP reports that in an interview, Joby Aviation founder JoeBen Bevirt said that its electric air taxis will be in service within two years. -
Virgin Galactic Completes Fourth Commercial Suborbital Flight
10 October 2023
SPACE reports that Virgin Galactic “is preparing for its fourth commercial spaceflight mission.” Galactic 04 will “carry a three-person crew accompanied by the company’s head astronaut instructor, as well as... -
Wisk Aero Makes Autonomous eVTOL Flight from California Airport
9 October 2023
Aviation Week reports Wisk Aero has started "conducting test flights of its autonomous air taxi out of Long Beach Airport, California, which the Boeing subsidiary... -
SpaceX Launches 21 More Starlink Satellites from California
9 October 2023
SPACE reports that early Monday morning, SpaceX launched 21 more of its Starlink broadband satellites "atop a Falcon 9 rocket from California's Vandenberg Space Force... -
US Airlines Moving to Larger Aircraft to Combat Operating Challenges
6 October 2023
Reuters reports that United Airlines 110 aircraft order from The Boeing Company and Airbus this week is part of a trend of US carriers moving to larger aircraft... -
Elon Musk Believes SpaceX Can Land On Mars Three to Four Years from Now
6 October 2023
The New York Times reports that SpaceX founder Elon Musk “said the company could land a spacecraft on Mars three to four years from now.” In a Q&A session... -
Collins Aerospace Opens ‘The Grid’ in Illinois
5 October 2023
FlightGlobal reports that Collins Aerospace “has now opened ‘The Grid,’ a long-planned Illinois facility that houses its development of electric and hybrid-electric propulsion technologies... -
SpaceX Launches 22 More Starlink Satellites
5 October 2023
SPACE reports that SpaceX “launched 22 more of its Starlink internet satellites to orbit early this morning (Oct. 5), on the company’s 70th orbital mission... -
Reliable Robotics Completes Study for USAF Examining Autonomous Flight
4 October 2023
Aviation Week reports that Reliable Robotics “has completed a study for the U.S. Air Force examining retrofitting the service’s large multi-engine jets... -
Crew Readies for Virgin Galactic’s Fourth Commercial Spaceflight
4 October 2023
SPACE reports that Virgin Galactic “is preparing for its fourth commercial spaceflight mission.” Galactic 04 will “carry a three-person crew accompanied by the company’s head astronaut instructor, as well as... -
Boeing Plans to Set Record 737 Production Goal for July 2025
3 October 2023
Reuters reports that two sources with knowledge of the matter say Boeing “plans to push production of its bestselling 737 narrowbody jet to a record of at least 57 per month... -
NASA Seeks Comment from US Companies on Commercial Space Station
3 October 2023
Aviation Week reports that NASA is “seeking comment from US companies on requirements for the end-to-end development of commercial low Earth orbit destinations available to NASA... -
USAF Announces Desired Engine Thrust Range for Future CCAs
2 October 2023
Aviation Week reported that the US Air Force “has released a desired thrust range for a future family of uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) that calls for more engine power... -
SpaceX Launches 69th Orbital Flight of 2023 from Florida
2 October 2023
Orlando (FL) Sentinel reported that a SpaceX Falcon 9 “took off from the 39th time from Cape Canaveral this year, marking the 49th SpaceX flight from the Space Coast and 69th orbital mission... -
Overair Working to Complete First Air Taxi Prototype
29 September 2023
An article in Aerospace America describes Overair’s facility and examines the eVTOL aircraft the company is producing and the differences from... -
Blue Origin’s New Shepard Rocket May Fly Soon Following Closing of FAA Investigation
29 September 2023
The Orlando (FL) Sentinel reports that on Wednesday, the FAA “said it had closed its investigation into the flight of an uncrewed Blue Origin New Shepard rocket that ended with its booster destroyed... -
Rolls-Royce Runs Pearl 700 Engine on Hydrogen
28 September 2023
Aviation International News reports that Rolls-Royce has run a Pearl 700 business aircraft engine on 100% hydrogen fuel as part of a longer-term development... -
Three Astronauts Return to Earth, One After Setting US Space Record
28 September 2023
The AP reports that a NASA astronaut and “two Russian cosmonauts returned to Earth on Wednesday after being stuck in space... -
USAF Begins Testing of Joby Electric Air Taxi
27 September 2023
Aerospace America reports that on Monday, the US Air Force (USAF) held a ceremony to formally introduce personnel “to the first electric air taxi to be stationed at an American military base... -
Artemis II Launch Coming Together
27 September 2023
The Orlando (FL) Sentinel reports that the reigning title holder “for world’s most powerful rocket saw action on both its center core and its two solid rocket boosters... -
USAF Receives First Electric Passenger Aircraft Capable of Taking Off, Landing Vertically
26 September 2023
The New York Times reports the US Air Force announced Monday that it had “received its first electric passenger aircraft capable of taking off and landing vertically, a milestone... -
NASA Releases Industry Solicitation for ISS Deorbit Vehicle
26 September 2023
FlightGlobal reports that on September 20, NASA “released an industry solicitation for a platform the agency is calling the US Deorbit Vehicle (USDV) – which will be used to safely return the aging ISS to Earth.” -
Only 55% of US F-35s Ready to Fly
25 September 2023
FlightGlobal reports that an analysis from auditors at the GAO found only 55% of the US military’s fleet of F-35 fighter jets were able to carry out assigned missions... -
FAA Proposes New Rule to Reduce Space Debris
25 September 2023
UPI reports that SpaceX “launched 22 satellites for its Starlink ‘constellation’ into low-Earth orbit late Saturday night as the Federal Aviation Administration proposed a new rule to reduce space debris from commercial flights.” -
Norwegian Air Force F-35A JSF Demonstrates Ability to Takeoff, Land from Highway
22 September 2023
The Drive reports that “Norway has become the first country to demonstrate the ability of the conventional takeoff and landing F-35A Joint Strike Fighter... -
NASA’s Artemis II Astronauts Head to Launch Pad for First Time
22 September 2023
Florida Today reports that on Wednesday, the four person crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission “had a first chance to practice what their launch day will feel like.” -
Austria to Replace Retiring C-130 Fleet with Embraer’s C-390 Aircraft
21 September 2023
Reuters reports Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner said on Wednesday that the country “plans to replace its retiring C-130 Hercules... -
NASA Developing Deep Space Optical Communications
21 September 2023
Detailing NASA’s development of deep space optical communications, Aviation Week reports, “Preparing for future human deep space exploration is not just about developing large rockets, new generations of spacesuits... -
FAA Approves BVLOS Flights for Zipline Cargo Drones
20 September 2023
Aviation Week reports that the FAA “has authorized Zipline International to perform beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights of its cargo drones.” -
NASA’s Rubio Discusses Record Time in Space
20 September 2023
Aviation Week reports that as his U.S. record-setting mission “aboard the International Space Station (ISS) draws to... -
Joby Aviation to Begin Manufacturing Air Taxis in Ohio
19 September 2023
The AP reports that the same Ohio river valley “where the Wright brothers pioneered human flight will soon be manufacturing... -
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Returning to Earth to Deliver Bennu Asteroid Sample
19 September 2023
CNET News reports that a pickpocketed piece “of a big asteroid named Bennu is on its way back to Earth.” NASA’s OSIRIS-REx is... -
FAA Reveals Wing’s Drone Delivery Network Plans
18 September 2023
Aviation Week reported that plans to “expand Wing’s drone delivery network throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area have been revealed... -
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Flies Through Coronal Mass Ejection
18 September 2023
Forbes reports that NASA’s Parker Solar Probe “has become the first spacecraft ever to fly through... -
FAA Reinstates Mexico’s Aviation Safety Rating to Highest Level
15 September 2023
The AP reports that on Thursday, the FAA “returned Mexico’s aviation safety rating to the highest level two years after downgrading it.” The change will “allow Mexican airlines to add new routes... -
FAA May Grant Launch License for Starship by October
15 September 2023
CNN reports that the FAA says it is “optimistic” that it “could allow SpaceX to launch its mega rocket, Starship, by the end of October.” Starship has been “grounded since its inaugural test flight... -
Wizz Air May Reduce Capacity as Much as 10% from Pratt & Whitney Engine Issues
14 September 2023
Aviation Week reports that Wizz Air “may need to reduce its capacity by 10% due to Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan (GTF) engine issues... -
Axiom Space Names Ax-3 Crew for Mission to ISS
14 September 2023
SPACE reports that Axiom Space “named the full crew of four people who will fly to the International Space Station on the Ax-3 mission no sooner than January 2024... -
L3Harris, BAE Systems Deliver First EC-37B Compass Call to US Air Force
13 September 2023
FlightGlobal reports L3Harris and BAE Systems have delivered the first EC-37B Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft to the US Air Force. -
Returning Crew-6 Astronauts Express Satisfaction with Scientific Opportunities Aboard ISS
13 September 2023
Aviation Week reports that just over a week “after returning to Earth after a 186-day mission to the International Space Station, three of NASA’s four Crew-6...