February 24, 2025

February 24, 2025

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20 TWENTIES

Tomorrow’s Trailblazers

By Lindsay Bjerregaard,Mike McClary15 min

SPACE

NASA Investigates the Promise and Peril of Moondust

By Garrett Reim10 min

DEFENSE

ERR POWER

By Steve Trimble10 min

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5657
20 TWENTIES

Tomorrow’s Trailblazers

Aviation Week Network recognizes 20 exceptional students leading change in the aerospace and defense industry.

By Lindsay Bjerregaard,Mike McClary15 min

5253
SPACE

NASA Investigates the Promise and Peril of Moondust

> FROZEN WATER MIXED INTO REGOLITH COULD SUSTAIN A SPACEBASED ECONOMY > HEALTH HAZARDS OF POWDERY LUNAR SOIL ARE AN OPEN QUESTION

By Garrett Reim10 min

3031
DEFENSE

ERR POWER

>THE U.S. AIRPOWER DEBATE OPENED BY THE NGAD HIATUS NEARS RESOLUTION > POWERFUL VOICES ARE CALLING FOR RADICAL CHANGE > USAF IS CONSIDERING A WIDE ARRAY OF NEW APPROACHES

By Steve Trimble10 min

2425
COMMERCIAL AVIATION

BUDGET BATTLES

> U.S. BUDGET AIRLINES EVOLVE TO COMPETE WITH ECONOMY PRODUCTS OF LARGER CARRIERS > STRUGGLING SPIRIT AIRLINES REBUFFS A THIRD MERGER OFFER FROM FRONTIER > SOUTHWEST WILL LAY OFF STAFF FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE ITS FOUNDING

By Christine Boynton,Lori Ranson9 min

1415
SUSTAINABILITY

COLD REALITY

> AIRBUS POSTPONES PLAN FOR AZERO-EMISSION AIRLINER > THE OEM DELAYS ITS HYDROGEN-POWERED AIRLINER 5-10 YEARS > SAF-FUELED ENGINE DEMONSTRATIONS WILL PROCEED

By Graham Warwick,Guy Norris,Thierry Dubois9 min

4445
MILITARY SPACE

QUIET PATHFINDER

> THE X-37B ORBITAL TEST VEHICLE IS SHAPING THE FUTURE OF THE U.S. SPACE FORCE > THE SERVICE IS USING THE SPACEPLANE’S DATA TO INFORM NEXT-GEN CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT > A NEW AUTOMATED SYSTEM TRACKED MILLIONS OF COLLISION AVOIDANCE OPPORTUNITIES

By Vivienne Machi8 min

4849
MILITARY SPACE

Reusable Spacecraft

Cape Canaveral and Los Angeles Originally designed for NASA, the X-37B is a reusable, uncrewed spaceplane now operated by the U.S. Space Force, whose two vehicles have so far spent nearly 4,200 days in space during seven missions (see table on p. 45), the latest of which is ongoing.

By Irene Klotz,Vivienne Machi7 min

6263
TECH TAKE

TECH TAKE

Autonomous Ag Aircraft Unveiled Uncrewed aircraft developer Pyka has unveiled the Pelican 2, its next-generation autonomous aerial application aircraft. First flown in mid-2024, and with increased power, payload and spray area, the upgraded aircraft has replaced the original Pelican Spray in production.

By Graham Warwick7 min

1819
BUSINESS

Airbus' Nagging Issues: Spirit, Satellites and A400M Sales

> A350F FREIGHTER SERVICE ENTRY SLIPS TO 2027 > CEO SEES MBDA AS MODEL FOR EUROPE’S SATELLITE OPERATIONS

By Jens Flottau,Robert Wall6 min

4041
DEFENSE

Slow Tejas Deliveries Trouble Indian Air Force Commanders

> ENGINE DELAYS ARE BEHIND THE TEJAS MK. 1A LATE SERVICE ENTRY > HAL IS PLANNING A DOMESTIC FIFTH-GEN FIGHTER FLIGHT IN 2028

By Tony Osborne6 min

FEBRUARY 10-232025 MARCH 10-232025