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Aviation Week's Robert Wall, Steve Trimble and Brian Everstine explore the U.S. Air Force's award of Collaborative Combat Aircraft production contracts to Anduril and General Atomics. Thank you to our sponsor, GE Aerospace. GE Aerospace is uniquely positioned to support the Defense sector, providing reliable high performance, innovative military engines, systems and services. Learn more at geaerospace.com/military-defense
Aviation Week's Sean Broderick and Guy Norris join Joe Anselmo to discuss new details released by the NTSB into the fatal crash of a UPS MD-11 last November including flaws in a Boeing safety analysis. Read Sean's story here, available for free through 2026: UPS Accident Probe Finds Trail Of Missed Clues
Aviation Week editors at the ILA Berlin Air Show ask what's next for the German Air Force fighter fleet after the collapse of the multinational FCAS program.
Mesh Feigenbaum, a managing partner at Engineered Metal Tech who is one of the world's leading experts on the gigantic forging presses that are critical for the worldwide aerospace and defense supply chain and author of two recent commentaries — “Aerospace's Hidden Bottleneck” in Aviation Week and “Rate Readiness at Risk: The Global Shortage of Large Hydraulic Forging Presses” in the Forging Industry Association magazine's May issue — joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss approaches the US government should consider to underwrite an industrial capability vital for national security as well as American economic prosperity; whether Airbus and Boeing will be able to sustain ambitious production including the US giant's goal of boosting the 737 rate to 70 jets a month; whether capacity is sufficient to sustain a surge in defense production; and what it will take to encourage US investment to as Europe and Asia step up.
Aviation Week editors discuss how Europe is reshaping its military and commercial aviation sectors amid growing security concerns.
Episode Summary In today's episode, Anna and Avery cover six major space and astronomy stories: the growing implications of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket explosion for NASA's lunar plans; China's surprise maiden flight of the Long March 12B reusable rocket plus the return of the Shenzhou-21 crew; Starship V3 being grounded by the FAA following Flight 12 — with SpaceX's IPO in the balance; the upcoming launch of NASA's Roman Space Telescope and its mission to find 100,000 new exoplanets; new research suggesting Earth remained a global magma ocean for up to half a billion years; and a stunning new Hubble image of galaxy M88 on a perilous journey through the Virgo Cluster. Story 1 — New Glenn Aftermath: NASA Moon Plans Under Threat Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket was destroyed on May 28 during a pre-launch static fire test at Launch Complex 36, Cape Canaveral. As of June 2, the damage to Blue Origin's lunar programme is becoming clear: the Blue Moon Mark 1 lander — scheduled to deliver Moon Base 1 hardware in autumn 2026 — now faces likely delays, and the crewed Blue Moon MK2 timeline may slip as a result. LC-36 is Blue Origin's only orbital pad; rebuilding will take considerable time. NASA had signed a new New Glenn launch agreement for Moon rovers just two days before the explosion. Sources: Space.com, Time Magazine, TechTimes (June 1–2, 2026) Story 2 — China's Long March 12B Debut + Shenzhou-21 Returns China's new Long March 12B rocket completed its maiden flight on June 1 from Jiuquan, deploying Qianfan constellation satellites in a no-advance-notice launch. The rocket — China's answer to the Falcon 9 — features a 20-tonne LEO capacity, a 5.2m fairing, kerolox propulsion, and dual independent flight computers ('dual brains'). No booster recovery on this flight, but planned for future missions. Developed in just 21 months. In other Chinese space news: the Shenzhou-21 crew (Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, Zhang Hongzhang) returned safely on May 29 after a record 210-day stay aboard Tiangong, landing in a Shenzhou-22 emergency rescue capsule after their original return craft was damaged by a suspected space debris strike. Sources: SpaceNews, Global Times, Xinhua (June 1, 2026) Story 3 — Starship V3 Grounded: FAA Mishap Investigation Following Flight 12 (May 22), the FAA has formally classified the Starship V3 debut as a mishap and grounded the vehicle. The Super Heavy booster failed its boostback burn and hard-splashed in the Gulf of America; one Raptor Vacuum engine on the upper stage also failed. SpaceX must complete an FAA-overseen investigation before Flight 13. This is Starship's seventh grounding in three years. A July–August return-to-flight window is cited; a booster catch may be skipped on Flight 13. SpaceX's IPO (ticker: SPCX, Nasdaq) was filed May 20 with shares potentially trading from ~June 12. Sources: SpaceNews, Aviation Week, TechCrunch (May 27–June 1, 2026) Story 4 — NASA Roman Space Telescope: 100,000 New Worlds NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is on track to arrive at Kennedy Space Center in June, with a launch target of early September 2026 — ahead of its May 2027 commitment. Over its five-year primary mission, Roman is expected to discover ~100,000 exoplanets, hundreds of millions of galaxies, and billions of stars, generating a 20,000-terabyte data archive. Its Galactic Bulge Survey will observe ~100 million stars in underexplored Milky Way regions. Roman also features a Coronagraph Instrument to directly image nearby exoplanets and test techniques for future Earth-analogue imaging. Sources: NASA.gov, ScienceDaily, SciTechDaily (June 1–2, 2026) Story 5 — Earth Was a Lava World for Half a Billion Years A preprint from researchers at the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute (arXiv, June 2026) proposes that Earth's global magma ocean phase lasted up to 500 million years — far longer than previously assumed. Two key factors sustained the molten state: tidal heating from the newly formed, much-closer Moon; and a thick steam atmosphere that acted as a thermal blanket, slowing planetary cooling. The prolonged hot conditions would also have favoured the photochemical production of hydrogen cyanide — a key prebiotic molecule linked to the origin of RNA and amino acids. Sources: Universe Today, Phys.org (June 1, 2026) — preprint on arXiv Story 6 — Hubble Images M88 on a Perilous Virgo Cluster Journey NASA/ESA Hubble's June 2026 Picture of the Month features Messier 88 (M88/NGC 4501), a spiral galaxy 63 million light-years away in Coma Berenices. M88 is on a long inward journey through the Virgo Cluster, with a supermassive black hole ~100 million solar masses at its core. Ram pressure stripping is already depleting its cold gas reserves, visible as compressed gas on the galaxy's leading edge. In ~200–300 million years, M88 will make its closest pass to M87. Observed as part of Hubble program #18103 (PI: D. Thilker). Sources: NASA Science, ESA, ScienceDaily (May 29–June 1, 2026)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support.Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Become a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click HereThis episode includes AI-generated content.
Listen in as Aviation Week's James Pozzi and Alex Derber discuss the key themes shaping this year's Engine Leasing, Trading & Finance (ELTF) Europe conference.
Bank of America analyst Ron Epstein joins Aviation Week editors to discuss the 777X program's long-term outlook after news that it will likely not be certified until 2027, and how Airbus will respond. Thank you to our sponsor, Siemens. When aerospace leaders need trusted engineering and design solutions, they turn to Siemens comprehensive solutions. From design to delivery, our solutions support you throughout the entire product lifecycle. Learn more at siemens.com
From the cancellation of RIAT to Turkey's newly announced ICBM, Aviation Week's Robert Wall and Tony Osborne navigate the evolving European defense scene. Thank you to our sponsor, GE Aerospace. GE Aerospace is uniquely positioned to support the Defense sector, providing reliable high performance, innovative military engines, systems and services. Learn more at geaerospace.com/military-defense
Aviation Week editors Guy Norris, Robert Wall and Graham Warwick discuss the state of X-planes, how they have historically performed and what challenge the next X-plane program should take on.
Vern Raburn's attempt to mass-produce low-cost airplanes was a flop. Was Eclipse the forerunner to today's air mobility ventures? Guest columnist Richard Aboulafia and retired editor Fred George join Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo and Graham Warwick to explore Raburn's legacy after his passing in late April. --- At Space Tech Expo USA, the Space Tech Challenge Awards, Roundtables, and STAR Pavilion connect execution-ready innovations with government agencies, prime contractors, and commercial operators actively seeking them Learn More
Aviation Week editors discuss how space control is front and center for the U.S. Space Force, allied services and adversaries.
As the CFM Leap program nears its 10th anniversary of entering service, Aviation Week's Lee Ann Shay, James Pozzi and Dan Williams examine the ramp-up, MRO network, reliability and forecast for this popular engine that powers the Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737 MAX and Comac C919.
Aviation Week's Graham Warwick and Ben Goldstein examine Joby Aviation's piloted New York City demonstrations and Unither Bioelectronics' hydrogen-electric Robinson R44 flights in Quebec as advanced air mobility moves closer to real-world deployment.
Aviation Week editors discuss just how much missiles have become central to the Pentagon's modernization strategy, the status of Golden Dome's Space-Based Interceptor effort, and what we observed at the Modern Day Marine expo in Washington. --- Thank you to our sponsor, GE Aerospace. GE Aerospace is uniquely positioned to support the Defense sector, providing reliable high performance, innovative military engines, systems and services. Learn more at geaerospace.com/military-defense
Aviation Week editors discuss the growth of MHIRJ's legacy CRJ use, maintenance and upgrades—and why United Airlines likes this aircraft.
Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo, Michael Bruno, Jens Flottau and Guy Norris discuss recent earnings updates from Airbus and Boeing that saw the duopoly shrug off the Gulf War but note persisting supply chain issues. A freighter battle between the two is also heating up.
Editors reflect on a busy period for defense, sharing insights on Quad-A, Sea-Air-Space, Aviation Week's MALMS, the latest Pentagon budget figures, and everything else you need to know on air and missile modernization.
Recorded live at MRO Americas 2026, Aviation Week editors and an analyst talk through the highlights of the big event and discuss MRO in the context of the current geopolitical climate.
The volunteer Aerospace Maintenance Council puts on its annual competition at MRO Americas, taking place this year April 21-23 in Orlando. Industry, military and student teams have been training for months to compete at this event, which is commonly referred to as the MRO Olympics. Hear guest Ken MacTiernan and Aviation Week editors discuss what's different this year and how to get involved in this not-to-miss event.
U.S. first-quarter earnings are typically a non-event, but not this year. Aviation Week editors look ahead to updates from airlines and OEMs and share what they will be watching for.
Aviation Week editors discuss the recent rescue operation of the Dude 44 F-15E crew, which marks a significant advancement in military innovation. --- From today's challenges to tomorrow's demands, Parker is helping shape the future of aerospace and defense. Email: DSD-info@parker.com.
Before you attend Aviation Week's 30th MRO Americas, being held April 21-23, hear editors describe the first one and what brought the industry together, as well as new features and highlights for this year. Learn more about MRO Americas 2026 in Orlando
Aviation Week editors covering commercial aviation and space convene to discuss how and why airlines are increasingly offering fast inflight Wi-Fi for free. Listen in to here Jens Flottau, Christine Boynton, Thierry Dubois and Robert Wall break it down.
Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo, Brian Everstine, Vivienne Machi and Steve Trimble delve into the winners and losers in the White House's $1.5 trillion defense spending plan. --- Today's aerospace and defense programs demand speed, precision, and resilience. A long-time trusted partner in the industry, Siemens empowers organizations to design, build, and sustain next-generation systems faster. Learn more at siemens.com today.
For more information, visit the Utah Statesman's website usustatesman.com or keep up on Instagram @utahstatesman
As NASA begins X-59 envelope expansion and Boom develops its first high speed engine, civil supersonic activity is at its highest since the retirement of Concorde in 2003. Aviation Week editors discuss the latest developments and the challenges that lie ahead.
The new administrator shakes up the space agency with plans for lunar base and sunsetting SLS. Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo and Irene Klotz speak with Redwire Space President Michael Gold about the developments.
Aviation Week editors discuss the increase in projected Golden Dome costs and what the fiscal 2027 Pentagon budget request may tell us about the umbrella program.
Conflict and fuel prices have battered air transport, but U.S. carriers are surprisingly confident. Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo, Christine Boynton, Jens Flottau and Lori Ranson discuss how the Iran war is affecting airlines in different regions and look ahead to potential ripple effects.
Aviation Week editors Robert Wall and Steve Trimble discuss the evolution of laser weapons that are now getting their first battlefield kills and are destined for new applications.
From the difficulty of daily operations to the potential for revised aircraft retirement timelines, Aviation Week's MRO team discusses the wide-ranging consequences for the aftermarket of the Iran war.
Aviation Week's Guy Norris and Tony Osborne are joined in Atlanta by vertical flight veteran Mike Hirschberg of H2 Advisors to discuss the highlights of this year's Verticon rotorcraft expo.
AeroEngines Asia-Pacific just wrapped up in Hong Kong. Speaking from the event, Aviation Week editors Lee Ann Shay and James Pozzi and analyze what's trending in the region with special guest Lars Moeslein from HAECO.
Aviation Week's Robert Wall, Jens Flottau and Steve Trimble discuss the military operation in Iran, how it has disrupted commercial air travel and consider the ramifications for aviation.
Listen in as Aviation Week's Robert Wall, Brian Everstine, Vivienne Machi and Guy Norris reflect on program updates and other highlights from the AFA Warfare Symposium. Thank you to our sponsor L3Harris. L3Harris' Red Wolf and Green Wolf deliver an unfair fight by combining speed, extended range and lethality through kinetic and non-kinetic effects: https://www.l3harris.com/all-capabilities/l3harris-pack-launched-effects
Aviation Week editors discuss the recent sentencing of and ramifications for mitigating parts fraud risk, as well as actions companies are taking now.
Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo, Michael Bruno and Jens Flottau are joined by consultant Kevin Michaels to break down President Trump's latest tariffs and where the pain will be felt in the aerospace supply chain.
Editors are joined by Agency Partners' analyst Sash Tusa to discuss the fallout of the Munich Security Conference and Saudi Arabia's World Defense Show. Key Topics: Overview of Recent Defense Events The Future of FCAS and European Defense Cooperation Germany's Nuclear Ambitions and European Security Insights from the World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia's Defense Industrialization Efforts Find out more about Aviation Week's Defense Conference here
Aviation Week editors Guy Norris, Sean Broderick, James Pozzi and Lee Ann Shay hash over the shifts and challenges in the North American aviation engine market.
NASA is under new leadership with Jared Isaacman. Listen in as he answers questions from Aviation Week's Irene Klotz after eight weeks on the job in this special episode presented by Editor-in-Chief Joe Anselmo. --- Nominations are now open for the Space Tech Challenge Awards—could your solution be a winner? Find out more and apply here https://spacetechchallenge.aviationweek.com/ The Space Tech Challenge Awards connect execution-ready innovations with the government agencies, prime contractors, and commercial operators actively seeking them. From lunar operations to Mars missions, the space industry faces nearly 200 validated capability gaps. The Aviation Week Space Tech Challenge Awards recognize solutions already in development — prototypes tested and advancing toward deployment. Presented at Space Tech Expo USA, this program connects working technologies with government agencies, prime contractors, and commercial operators ready to integrate them.
Explore the dynamic world of mergers and acquisitions in the MRO sector from the booming aftermarket to the evolving engine market. Hosted by Aviation Week's James Pozzi with Meghan Welch, managing director and head of aerospace and defense investment banking practice at Brown Gibbons Lang & Company, and Michael Bruno, Aviation Week's executive editor for business.
Aviation Week's Robert Wall, Chen Chuanren and Brian Everstine report from the Singapore Airshow, sharing what they've been hearing about different military programs in the evolving geopolitical environment.
Recorded live at MRO Middle East in Dubai, Aviation Week editors and analysts talk capacity ramp-ups, regional workforce challenges and new engine MRO capabilities.
Listen in as Aviation Week's Guy Norris, Jens Flottau and Adrian Schofield sit down at the end of Day Two of the 2026 Singapore Airshow to break down what has—and hasn't—happened in commercial aviation at the event.
Listen in as Aviation Week's Robert Wall, Brian Everstine and Steve Trimble break down the Pentagon's new National Defense Strategy and what it means for the budget.
For decades, we've told ourselves that manufacturing is something advanced economies naturally outgrow. That once you move into services, data, and software, heavy industry becomes optional, nice to have, but not essential. But from a national and economic security perspective, America can't afford to treat industrial capacity as a legacy asset it can outsource and revisit later—especially now. Hollowing out manufacturing doesn't just weaken supply chains. It introduces risk into systems that depend on precision, reliability, and readiness. The question isn't whether the U.S. can still build complex things; it's whether we've kept the muscle memory to do it at scale, in volume, and fast enough when demand shows up all at once. And the problem doesn't live in one place. It shows up across the workforce, the factory floor, and the balance sheet. A generation was steered away from the trades. Production systems were optimized for low-volume, high-complexity output instead of sustained throughput. Capital flowed toward financial efficiency rather than reinvestment in plants, tooling, and people. On paper, the industrial base still exists. In practice, it's been stretched thin by decades of offshoring, underinvestment, and policy drift. So how do you refocus a country after decades of offshoring? Chips, ships, pharma, manufacturing, defense programs, and aerospace production, and data centers are all pulling on the same constrained supply chains, the same limited pool of skilled labor, and the same aging infrastructure. Meeting that moment will take coordinated industrial policy, sustained capital investment, and a clear demand signal strong enough to justify rebuilding capacity at scale. So what does that actually look like, and how is the government trying to close the gap? In this episode, I sit down with Alex Krutz, CEO of Patriot Industrial Partners, who recently returned to industry after serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Manufacturing. We talk about what he saw moving through global industrial hubs, why the industrial renaissance is real—but fragile—and what actually has to change if capacity, resilience, and readiness are going to be rebuilt rather than debated. You'll also learn; Why moving “past” manufacturing creates economic and national security vulnerabilities The overlooked gap between high-tech capability and true industrial scale How workforce decline became a cultural problem, not just a skills shortage Why volume manufacturing—not innovation—is the hardest muscle to rebuild The role of government as a demand signal, not a market dictator When government equity stakes make sense—and when they don't Why shipbuilding, nuclear energy, and industrial gas turbines are resurfacing together How data centers and AI are quietly reshaping energy and manufacturing demand The coming collision between aerospace, energy, and MRO capacity Why reinvestment in tools, training, and facilities matters more than incentives alone A provocative idea to pull millions into manufacturing: tax holidays, paid training, and real upside What CEOs are actually worried about beneath the workforce headlines About the Guest Alex Krutz is the Managing Director of Patriot Industrial Partners and a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Manufacturing at the U.S. Department of Commerce. With more than two decades in aerospace and defense, Alex is known for leading complex manufacturing and supply-chain turnarounds across the industrial base—earning him the industry nickname “The Factory Doctor.” His work spans global performance-improvement engagements in the United States, Mexico, Canada, the UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, and Japan. Before his role in government, Alex founded Patriot Industrial Partners, a boutique advisory firm focused on value creation, operational excellence, and supply-chain resilience in aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing. In public service, he helped shape manufacturing and industrial policy at a national level, working closely with industry leaders across sectors including aerospace, energy, shipbuilding, and semiconductors. Alex's insights have been featured in publications such as Aviation Week, Forbes, and FlightGlobal, and he's been cited by outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and CNBC. He's also spoken at and contributed to conferences and executive forums hosted by institutions like Bank of America, JP Morgan, and Morgan Stanley. Connect with Alex on LinkedIn and send an email to alex.krutz@patriotindustrialpartners.com. About Your Host Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker, and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers, and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years' experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women's Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.
The Trump administration has started the clock on a near-total ban of foreign UAS and parts in the U.S. The surprise blanket ban has the potential to dramatically effect American customers and contractors alike—and not necessarily in a good way. Listen to Aviation Week's Michael Bruno and Bill Carey who are joined by The Drone Girl, Sally French, to explain what is happening and what it means.
Listen in as Aviation Week's Guy Norris and Graham Warwick report back from their annual pilgrimage to AIAA SciTech, sharing news of future aerospace technologies they learned about at the aerospace research forum. They also hear from Clay Mowry, the head of AIAA.
Aviation Week's Robert Wall and Garrett Reim are joined by Russ Matijevich, space industry veteran and a judge in the Space Tech Challenge Awards. Nominations are now open for the awards—could your solution be a winner? Find out more and apply here: https://spacetechchallenge.aviationweek.com/ The Space Tech Challenge Awards connect execution-ready innovations with the government agencies, prime contractors, and commercial operators actively seeking them. From lunar operations to Mars missions, the space industry faces nearly 200 validated capability gaps. The Aviation Week Space Tech Challenge Awards recognize solutions already in development — prototypes tested and advancing toward deployment. Presented at Space Tech Expo USA, this program connects working technologies with government agencies, prime contractors, and commercial operators ready to integrate them.