SpaceWatch Global
• James Hydzik
COSPAR has re-elected Dr. Pascale Ehrenfreund as president following its 2026 assembly in Florence, which drew approximately 3,000 attendees. The event covered a broad range of space research and operations, from planetary science to human spaceflight, underscoring the organization’s role as a convening forum for the sector.
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COSPAR has re-elected Dr. Pascale Ehrenfreund as president following its 2026 assembly in Florence, which drew approximately 3,000 attendees. The event covered a broad range of space research and operations, from planetary science to human spaceflight, underscoring the organization’s role as a convening forum for the sector.
Indian Air Force Rafale fighters have made their first appearance at Exercise Pitch Black, Australia’s premier multinational air combat exercise. During a five-hour sortie over the Northern Territory, an Australian KC-30A tanker refueled the Rafales for the first time, underscoring the exercise’s operational integration focus.
Finland and Sweden sent delegations to Australia’s Exercise Pitch Black for the first time this year, with both focused on fighter integration and maintenance. Their participation adds a new dimension to the multinational exercise’s role in developing operational coordination and sustainment practices.
Final observations from the Farnborough International Airshow examine how the Iran war is influencing arms sales and shaping aerospace and defense industry discussions. The review highlights the conflict’s relevance to procurement priorities and the broader defense-market outlook.
Thomas Sleightholm FlyNow, developer of pilotless electric aircraft aimed at air taxi, logistics and emergency-response use, has officially relocated its global headquarters to Riyadh. The move signals a tighter operational footprint in Saudi Arabia for an eVTOL strategy that targets commercialization-ready applications.
High activity
ArianeGroup has completed a wet dress rehearsal of its Themis reusable booster demonstrator at Esrange Space Centre in Sweden. The milestone advances ground verification for the program’s reusable propulsion and launch-system integration, paving the way for subsequent test activity.
High activity
Farnborough coverage underscored Europe’s widening defense commitments: the UK allocated £8.6 billion to GCAP and released £8.4 billion in existing Dreadnought submarine funding, while the EU approved €3.47 billion for Ukrainian military hardware. New autonomous aircraft and sovereign-production plans highlighted the industrial implications.
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