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SpaceNews.com • Sandra Erwin

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

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US FEMA emergency charters sourced from foreign airlines spark pushback

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

Via Satellite

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

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

AeroTime

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

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

News Timeline

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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

SpaceNews.com

Editorial: The governance gap for orbital data centers—certification as the missing prerequisite to scale Orbital data centers can’t scale on momentum alone: after more than two decades of watching industries grow, the missing link is certification that makes on-orbit sourcing, supply chains, and operating architectures predictable, certifiable, and repeatable. Without formal governance, deployment velocity will remain constrained by uncertainty.

2026-04-24T07:42:37.904461-07:00

Editorial: The governance gap for orbital data centers—certification as the missing prerequisite to scale

AeroTime

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Ryanair exits Berlin Brandenburg (BER): closes base from 24-Oct-2026, halves capacity in winter 2026-27 amid rising airport char Ryanair will shut its BER base from 24 October 2026, withdrawing seven aircraft and cutting service—effectively halving capacity from winter 2026-27. The carrier cites “chopelessly uncompetitive” operating conditions, including higher airport landing fees and the German air-traffic tax, with 210 jobs at risk.

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

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

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SAA Technical escalates corruption probe efforts as internal investigations flag theft and governance failures SAA Technical says it is intensifying efforts to root out corruption, theft and governance failures after multiple investigations exposed what the chairman calls “deep rot” inside the state-owned South African Airways Group maintenance subsidiary. The move follows renewed scrutiny of controls and accountability within SAA’s MRO operations.

2026-04-24T05:36:54.335764-07:00

SAA Technical escalates corruption probe efforts as internal investigations flag theft and governance failures

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Akij Bashir Aviation, a Bangladeshi start-up, secures an air operator licence to launch with a Boeing 737-800 Akij Bashir Aviation has obtained an air operator licence ahead of planned operations, positioning the Bangladeshi start-up to launch with a Boeing 737-800. The move signals a new entrant’s entry into the domestic/short-haul market using a single-aisle jet foundation rather than a broader initial fleet mix.

2026-04-24T00:23:17.298018-07:00

Akij Bashir Aviation, a Bangladeshi start-up, secures an air operator licence to launch with a Boeing 737-800

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Policy & Regulation News

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

US FEMA emergency charters sourced from foreign airlines spark pushback

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

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

News Timeline