European Spaceflight
• Andrew Parsonson
Germany’s DLR plans to buy 80 Red Kite solid rocket motors from Bayern-Chemie to support future sounding rocket missions. The articles do not specify the contract value, delivery schedule or missions the motors will support.
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The UK is addressing corrosion affecting its F-35B fleet as it works to recover readiness after a major deployment last year. A short-notice commitment to bolster Middle East defenses added pressure, while officials say targets for improving fleet resilience have advanced.
Spanish airline AlbaStar has ceased operations and is considering an insolvency procedure. The available reports provide no details on the timing of any filing, the company’s liabilities or the status of its fleet and employees.
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Germany’s DLR plans to buy 80 Red Kite solid rocket motors from Bayern-Chemie to support future sounding rocket missions. The articles do not specify the contract value, delivery schedule or missions the motors will support.
Germany’s defense minister says the Future Combat Air System began with too much ideology and too little focus on contracts. As France proceeds alone, Berlin is weighing whether to join the rival Global Combat Air Programme, putting the future shape of European combat-air collaboration in question.
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The UK CAA has approved Amazon Prime Air operations over more densely populated areas of Darlington, while a separate Chorley demonstration showed ANRA, Wing, Manna and Lancashire Fire coordinating BVLOS flights through different traffic-management systems. Together, the developments highlight both expanded drone access and the challenge of managing multiple operators in low-level airspace.
The spacecraft propulsion companies will collaborate to provide electric thruster systems to European spacecraft manufacturers. The announcement points to a joint supplier offering in a market where spacecraft makers are weighing propulsion options, though the available report gives no details on system specifications, contracts or delivery timelines.
SkyUp Airlines has appointed Dmytro Popel as its incoming chief executive, subject to approval by Ukraine’s aviation regulator; he is already serving in the role on an interim basis. Outgoing CEO Dmytro Sieroukhov will become commercial chief for the wider Join Up! group as it reorganizes its leadership.
Rocket Factory Augsburg is targeting 2027 for the first launch of its RFA One rocket from SaxaVord spaceport in Scotland, according to the report. The spaceport is drawing interest from several companies for orbital and suborbital missions, as RFA discussed its plans with delegates from Germany’s aerospace research center DLR.
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