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DefenseNews.com • Rachel S. Cohen

Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing set for Air Force secretary nominee plus two senior DoD posts

Frank Kendall, Heidi Shyu and Susanna Blume will testify at a joint confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on May 25. The session will vet nominees for Air Force secretary and two additional key Department of Defense positions, setting the leadership slate for Air Force and DoD execution.

2026-04-26T04:34:26.973495-07:00

New York Times

Study flags Earthly fungal survivability on Mars, challenging planetary-protection sterilization protocols

2026-04-25T18:56:09.182413-07:00

AeroTime

Ryanair exits Berlin Brandenburg (BER): closes base from 24-Oct-2026, halves capacity in winter 2026-27 amid rising airport char

2026-04-24T07:03:20.897240-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Space Force awards $3.2B contract set to 12 firms for Golden Dome space-based interceptor prototypes

2026-04-24T16:24:07.924039-07:00

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DefenseNews.com

Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing set for Air Force secretary nominee plus two senior DoD posts Frank Kendall, Heidi Shyu and Susanna Blume will testify at a joint confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on May 25. The session will vet nominees for Air Force secretary and two additional key Department of Defense positions, setting the leadership slate for Air Force and DoD execution.

2026-04-26T04:34:26.973495-07:00

Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing set for Air Force secretary nominee plus two senior DoD posts

New York Times

Study flags Earthly fungal survivability on Mars, challenging planetary-protection sterilization protocols Researchers identified a terrestrial fungal species capable of surviving radiation, extreme heat, and simulated Martian soil conditions. The finding raises a new contamination risk for Mars planetary-protection protocols—particularly those aimed at preventing forward contamination during spacecraft assembly and operations.

2026-04-25T18:56:09.182413-07:00

Study flags Earthly fungal survivability on Mars, challenging planetary-protection sterilization protocols

DefenseNews.com

Air Force says it can’t meet 2020 deadline to fully comply with new FAA rules Top Air Force service officials told lawmakers that the service will miss a 2020 deadline to complete full compliance with new Federal Aviation Administration regulations. The update underscores how new FAA rulemaking and compliance timelines are colliding with operational schedules for military aviation.

2026-04-25T18:04:27.658489-07:00

Air Force says it can’t meet 2020 deadline to fully comply with new FAA rules

DefenseNews.com

U.S. Transportation Command to extend pandemic-era support via commercial aviation contracts With the commercial aviation industry still reeling from the COVID-19 shock, U.S. Transportation Command is pursuing contracts with commercial air providers to help stabilize capacity and withstand the financial fallout. The move reframes DoD contracting as near-term liquidity and resilience support for carriers during the downturn.

2026-04-25T10:05:24.012202-07:00

U.S. Transportation Command to extend pandemic-era support via commercial aviation contracts

ch-aviation

US FEMA emergency charters sourced from foreign airlines spark pushback US FEMA’s decision to charter aircraft from foreign airlines for emergency operations has drawn criticism from industry stakeholders, highlighting friction between emergency procurement choices and U.S. carrier expectations.

2026-04-24T16:54:22.746541-07:00

US FEMA emergency charters sourced from foreign airlines spark pushback

SpaceNews.com

Space Force awards $3.2B contract set to 12 firms for Golden Dome space-based interceptor prototypes The U.S. Space Force selected 12 companies to develop space-based interceptor (SBI) prototypes under President Trump’s Golden Dome missile-defense initiative, awarding a total of $3.2 billion. The program targets an initial operational capability in 2028, even as the service frames boost-phase intercept affordability as a gating factor.

2026-04-24T16:24:07.924039-07:00

Space Force awards $3.2B contract set to 12 firms for Golden Dome space-based interceptor prototypes

AeroTime

FAA drops drone no-fly restrictions near ICE vehicles after court challenge The FAA withdrew drone restrictions around DHS/ICE mobile assets after a photojournalist challenged the rule in US federal court, according to reporting. The change follows lawyers’ arguments tied to newsroom access and enforcement scope around moving government assets.

2026-04-24T12:22:52.351006-07:00

FAA drops drone no-fly restrictions near ICE vehicles after court challenge

Via Satellite

SDA’s “need for speed” contracting model pushes commercial startups toward rapid delivery The Space Development Agency is leveraging tight timelines to issue contracts to a wide set of commercial partners at an unusually high pace, aiming to accelerate delivery while lowering costs, industry experts said. The approach underscores SDA’s push to shorten development cycles and drive faster results from the commercial base.

2026-04-24T11:20:31.063372-07:00

SDA’s “need for speed” contracting model pushes commercial startups toward rapid delivery

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Policy & Regulation News

Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing set for Air Force secretary nominee plus two senior DoD posts

Study flags Earthly fungal survivability on Mars, challenging planetary-protection sterilization protocols

Ryanair exits Berlin Brandenburg (BER): closes base from 24-Oct-2026, halves capacity in winter 2026-27 amid rising airport char

Space Force awards $3.2B contract set to 12 firms for Golden Dome space-based interceptor prototypes

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