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Magazine Issue

Aviation Week & Space Technology, October 19, 2026

VOL. 188 NO. 41 October 19, 2026
international space station in space

NASA has issued the request for proposals for Phase 2 of its Commercial Low-Earth-Orbit Destinations program to replace the International Space Station. The agency would like commercial platforms for which it is an important customer—but not the only one. The competition for the contracts will be both an opportunity and a stress test for the bidders. 

Credit: NASA

SPACE

International Space Station
article

NASA Opens Bidding For Next Space Station

Oct 16, 2026
Amid transportation uncertainties, NASA offers to remain travel broker for aspiring space station operators.
prototype of a low-Earth-orbit communications satellite
article

Space Emerges As Next Frontier In Turkey’s Aerospace Ambition

Oct 14, 2026
Can Turkey repeat in space the success it has had with drones on Earth? The answer should become clear in the next few years.

DEFENSE

Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle
article

Debrief: The U.S. Army’s Ever-Expanding Push For Autonomy

Oct 13, 2026
The U.S. Army announces a new autonomous warfare command and orders the creation of autonomous units as industry floods AUSA with drones and robotic systems.
hegseth speaking credit: Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
article

Podcast: 'We Happy Band Of Robots'—The Pentagon's New Command

Oct 13, 2026
Will Project Agincourt spur the new U.S. Autonomy Command to great things? Editors discuss the implications of the Pentagon's military autonomy efforts and the broader context of uncrewed systems in modern warfare.

MILITARY SPACE

data relay satellites
article

SDA Transport Satellite Constellation Grows Larger As Integration Lags

Oct 16, 2026
With more than 80 satellites aloft, the U.S. Space Development Agency faces an integration challenge as future users count on the forthcoming mesh network.

SUPPLY CHAIN

Parallel Flight Technologies’ Firefly is a hybrid heavy-lift drone in flight
article

U.S. Drone-Makers Confront The Cost Of Onshoring The Supply Chain

Oct 13, 2026
U.S. drone makers face rising expenses and supply chain challenges as Washington pushes to onshore critical components production.

COMMERCIAL AVIATION

Silk Way aircraft
article

SilkWay West Builds All-Cargo Fleet Amid Nearby Conflicts

Oct 14, 2026
Azerbaijan, aiming to seize opportunities presented by political conflicts around it, is building a new air cargo and business aviation hub.
inflight meal being served to passenger
article

Delta Air Lines And United Airlines Lead New Wave Of Unbundling

Oct 15, 2026
Roughly 10 years after major U.S. carriers began rolling out basic economy, they are introducing tiered fares in premium and first-class cabins.
FAA test footage of battery fire
article

Air Transport Struggles To Mitigate Lithium Battery Fires

Oct 14, 2026
Cabin equipment suppliers vie for a share in the growing market of lithium battery fire mitigation, offering bags that can contain the hazardous phenomenon.
contrails
article

Large-Scale Trials In Europe And Asia Boost Contrail Focus

Oct 15, 2026
Airlines, air navigation service providers and technology specialists are working on trials to assess the impact of contrail mitigation on decarbonization.

BUSINESS AVIATION

Skyband M100
article

Skyband Targets Bizav First With GPS Interference Mitigation System

Oct 12, 2026
Skyband's M100 uses Iridium's PNT service and an inertial sensor to detect GPS jamming and spoofing, targeting business jets first.

FAST FIVE

Johann Bordais, Eve Air Mobility CEO
article

Sounding Board: Johann Bordais, Eve Air Mobility CEO

Oct 14, 2026
Eve Air Mobility CEO Johann Bordais discusses the Eve-100's path to 2028 certification, production ramp-up, and industry consolidation.

TECHNOLOGY

electric regional aircraft
article

The Week In Technology, Oct. 12-16, 2026

Oct 13, 2026
Heart’s hybrid turbogenerator, CycloRotor propulsion testing, attritable turbojet lubrication and lithium-sulfur drone power.

COLUMNS AND OPINION

Visualization of the mechanism behind OpenAI’s claimed mathematical breakthrough.
article

How Should Engineering Schools Adapt To Artificial Intelligence?

Oct 15, 2026
What can students learn that will remain beyond AI’s reach decades from now?
workers during the investment casting process
article

Opinion: Why GE Aerospace’s CPP Acquisition Could Be A Masterstroke

Oct 15, 2026
The transaction addresses one of the most critical bottlenecks in modern gas turbine manufacturing: investment castings.
The Pentagon
article

Opinion: The Defense Race Has Shifted From Scale To Speed

Oct 16, 2026
Defense companies are increasingly competing on speed—how quickly they can learn, integrate new technologies and deliver usable capabilities.