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Magazine Issue

Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, April 1, 2026

VOL. 296 NO. 1 April 01, 2026
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Programs

virgin galactic delta-class ship being built
article

Virgin Galactic Poised For Delta-Class Spaceship Ground Tests

Mar 31, 2026
Virgin Galactic is set to begin ground tests of its first new-build Delta-class spaceship, paving the way for follow-on flight tests at Spaceport America in Q3.
Honeywell Caption – Odys’ Laila can fly for 8 hr. at 450 mi. range and provide 100 kW of electrical power to its payload
article

Honeywell Integrates Counter-UAS Onto Odys’ Hybrid-Electric VTOL UAS

Mar 31, 2026
Honeywell is mounting a counter-uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) on a long-range hybrid-electric uncrewed aircraft.
MQ-28
article

Boeing, Rheinmetall Partner To Offer Germany The MQ-28 Ghost Bat

Mar 31, 2026
Boeing and Rheinmetall have partnered to jointly market the MQ-28 Ghost Bat collaborative combat aircraft for Germany’s requirement by 2029.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches Oct. 15, 2025, from Vandenberg SFB, California, carrying the Space Development Agency's second Tranche 1 Transport Layer mission. Credit: SpaceX
article

SpaceX Secures Two SDA Missions Under Latest NSSL Award

Mar 31, 2026
The U.S. Space Force has awarded SpaceX two additional missions on behalf of the Space Development Agency (SDA) to launch no earlier than late fiscal 2027.
A view of the two elements of Gateway – power and propulsion element (PPE) and the habitation and logistics outpost (HALO). Credits: NASA
article

Intuitive Machines To Repurpose Gateway Element For Mars Mission

Mar 31, 2026
Intuitive Machines is working to repurpose the solar electric power and propulsion element (PPE) spacecraft bus of NASA’s paused lunar-orbiting Gateway space station for the agency’s Mars mission.

Daily Briefs

In Brief

Operations

A U.S. Air Force bomber laden with guided bombs takes off March 22 for operations in Iran. Credit: U.S. Air Force
article

U.S. Increases Defenses As Bombers Fly Over Iran

Mar 31, 2026
Commanders at U.S. and allied installations are calling for rapidly fielding more bunkers and increasing air defenses in Iran.
starlink
article

SpaceX Reports Loss Of Contact With Starlink Satellite

Mar 30, 2026
SpaceX has lost communication with a Starlink satellite on orbit following a March 29 anomaly, the company disclosed on social media March 30.
SLS
article

Countdown Begins For Artemis II Launch Attempt April 1

Mar 31, 2026
Countdown clocks at the Kennedy Space Center began ticking down toward launch of NASA’s Artemis II flight test.

The Debrief

toma
article

Debrief: U.S. Navy Eyes Alternatives To Venerable Tomahawk Missile

Mar 31, 2026
The BGM-109 Tomahawk still has a long future in the U.S. Navy’s procurement budget, but it could have company.

Funding & Policy

SSC Space
article

Sweden Plans Space Spending Hike

Mar 31, 2026
The Swedish government will use a traditional spring government budget update to boost its space spending plan, allocating additional funds to SSC Space.