Aviation Week

The Federal Aviation Administration has approved SpaceX to proceed with the 14th flight of its Starship rocket, according to Aviation Week. The clearance allows the company to move ahead with launch preparations from its Texas site as the program continues iterative testing of the vehicle. Coverage focuses on regulatory approval and what the next test could show about the rocket's progress.

A European defense industry program has won backing from EU member states, according to Aviation Week. The support signals growing agreement among member governments on strengthening Europe's defense industrial base, a priority that has gained urgency amid security concerns on the continent. Details on funding levels and implementation timelines were not included in the initial report, but the endorsement marks a step forward for coordinated EU defense production efforts.

A team of Purdue University researchers is travelling this week to search for the missing plane of aviator Amelia Earhart, who vanished over the Pacific in 1937. The expedition is drawing attention as one of the latest efforts to solve one of aviation's most enduring mysteries, with observers watching to see whether the team can turn up new evidence of the aircraft's fate.

NASA has reportedly approached several former staff members who worked on the SR-71A Blackbird to assist with a secret restart of the legendary Mach 3 reconnaissance aircraft program, according to Aviation Week. The move suggests the agency is drawing on institutional knowledge from decades ago, since few people remain with hands-on experience operating and maintaining the retired spy plane. The story is drawing wide attention among aviation enthusiasts and defense watchers.

NASA has awarded contracts worth $1.4 billion to 16 companies for enterprise support services. The awards, reported by Aviation Week, cover a range of business and administrative support functions across the agency. The companies' names and individual contract values have not been detailed in initial reporting, and NASA has not yet published a full breakdown of the distribution.

The White House has put forward its choice to lead U.S. Space Command, the military organization responsible for operations in orbit and beyond. The nomination, reported by Aviation Week, sets up a confirmation process in the Senate for the next commander of the Colorado-based command. Attention will likely focus on the nominee's background and priorities for military space policy.

NATO is asking all member states to contribute military space capabilities as the alliance works to strengthen its collective posture in orbit. The push, reported by Aviation Week, signals an effort to pool national satellite and space-domain awareness assets under alliance planning rather than relying on contributions from a few leading members.

NATO is intensifying its discussions on military space, according to Aviation Week. The alliance's growing focus on space as an operational domain signals preparation for potential threats to satellites and space-based infrastructure, though details of the talks were not provided.

Aviation Week reports that NASA has approached several former SR-71A staff members to assist with a classified effort referred to as a secret restart. The report has prompted surprise and curiosity among aviation enthusiasts, who are speculating about what the hypersonic-era Blackbird's veterans could be helping revive more than two decades after the aircraft's retirement.