All articles tagged with #aerospace
The FAA has cleared Blue Origin to resume New Glenn launches after investigating NG-3’s mishap, which was caused by a cryogenic leak that froze a hydraulic line and created a thrust anomaly during the second-stage burn. Blue Origin has implemented nine corrective actions and is preparing NG-4, including integrated hotfire testing, with a new launch timeline to be announced.
SpaceX disclosed its finances for the first time ahead of a potential public listing, reporting $18.7 billion in revenue for 2025 (up 33% year over year) and $4.7 billion in the first quarter of 2026, highlighting the profitability of its rocket-launch and satellite internet businesses as it readies for an IPO.
SpaceX shareholders approved a 5-for-1 stock split ahead of its IPO, with Bloomberg reporting an adjusted per-share value of about $105.32 (down from roughly $526.59 pre-split); Bloomberg could not immediately verify the terms, and SpaceX did not comment. The move comes as SpaceX remains active, including the CRS-34 Cargo Dragon mission to the ISS and preparations for Starship Version 3, targeted for a flight no earlier than May 19.
LandSpace's Zhuque-2E Y5 successfully launched from Dongfeng, delivering a 2.8-ton payload to a 900 km orbit and signaling heavier-payload capability for China's private-space sector; the two-stage methane rocket uses four first-stage engines and a second-stage engine, with a 267-ton liftoff mass and 338 tons of thrust, following Zhuque-3's recovery test and underscoring momentum toward future large-scale constellations.
SpaceX stacked Starship Version 3 on its Starbase pad, making it the tallest rocket to date. The upgrade features higher-thrust Raptor 3 engines, a new reusable top structure, and three grid fins, positioning Starship for in-orbit refueling tests ahead of Artemis Moon missions. A tentative May 19 launch date hinges on final prep and FAA approval, with operations moving to a new pad and a self-destruct system to be installed.
Rocket Lab’s Q1 beat and optimistic outlook prompted Cowen and Needham to raise RKLB’s price target to a joint street-high of $120, underscoring robust demand for Electron and HASTE with 31 Electron/HASTE bookings and a $190 million HASTE order, plus 5 Neutron bookings and Neutron’s planned 4Q26 first launch. The Mynaric acquisition should expand European revenue opportunities, and SDA Tranche 3 revenue (~$82 million in 2026) adds to near-term growth, though margins may face pressure from mix. Despite a Moderate Buy consensus, the 96.25 average target sits about 9% below the current price, leaving room for potential upgrades or downgrades ahead.
Rocket Lab reported a strong first quarter 2026, beating earnings expectations as it posted a record $200 million in revenue, signaling solid demand for its small-launch and satellite services.
NASA’s X-59 experimental aircraft completed a series of envelope-expansion maneuvers over the Mojave Desert, including roller-coaster climbs, bank-to-bank rolls, flutter tests, and gear deployment, to validate stability, control, and structural margins for its quiet supersonic design aimed at enabling overland flight without a loud sonic boom.
NASA has released the Launch, Ascent, and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) CFD framework to the U.S. aerospace community, enabling faster, GPU-accelerated simulations of air flow around rockets and aircraft. The tool, used for Artemis mission analysis and other high‑fidelity aero problems, now lets researchers and companies run NASA‑grade simulations on modest hardware, supporting safer launches and broader design optimization across the industry.
Boeing reported a slimmer Q1 loss with revenue of $22.22 billion and an adjusted loss of $0.20 per share (vs. $0.83 expected); net loss was $7 million (0.11 per share). Commercial deliveries rose 10% to 143, while 737 Max output remains about 42 aircraft per month. The company expects FAA certification for the 737 Max 7 and 10 later this year, with deliveries starting in 2027, and saw growth in defense and services.
SpaceX and other space-focused stocks jumped after reports that SpaceX could file for an IPO later this week, with an implied valuation around $1.75 trillion and a potential $75+ billion raise, lifting firms including Firefly Aerospace, Rocket Lab, Intuitive Machines, Planet Labs, Sidus Space, and AST SpaceMobile.
EU researchers in the Bio.3DGREEN project have created bio-based graphene foams from renewable precursors that are light, highly porous, and capable of absorbing shocks. The goal is a sustainable alternative for damping and lightweight structures in aerospace, automotive, and marine applications, with additive manufacturing in early stages due to processing challenges such as specialized pastes and laser optimization.
Researchers using ground-based lidar detected a large lithium plume from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 upper-stage reentry ~62 miles up over Europe, marking the first observed upper-atmosphere pollution from space debris. As satellite constellations grow, such reentries could alter atmospheric composition and potentially impact the ozone layer, though the long-term climate effects remain unknown.
NASA Langley’s Self-Aligned Focusing Schlieren (SAFS) imaging uses light polarization to visualize airflows in wind tunnels, simplifying beyond traditional dual-grid schlieren setups. Since its 2020 debut, SAFS offers faster, cheaper, on-site flow visualization, captures complex shock structures around boosters, and is now used by 50+ institutions in 8+ countries, earning the 2025 R&D 100 Award and NASA’s Government Invention of the Year.
Boeing announced its Defense, Space and Security headquarters will move back to St. Louis from Arlington, reuniting the unit with the region that housed it from 1997–2017. The relocation aims to bring leaders closer to major engineering, production and manufacturing centers, with the St. Louis area employing more than 18,000 Boeing workers across three facilities. The move was celebrated by state and federal officials and follows last year’s 15-week machinists strike, which ended after voters approved a new contract.