March 23, 2026

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TECH TAKE

JAXA Plans Reusable Launcher Tests First flight of a small experimental version of a reusable launch vehicle has been scheduled for March by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The 24-ft.-tall, vertical-takeoff-and-vertical-landing (VTVL) RV-X is planned to make a short hop at the agency’s Noshiro Rocket Testing Center on the Sea of Japan coast.

By Graham Warwick8 min

DEFENSE

LIGHT UP

> nLIGHT’S 1-MEGAWATT LASER DEMO IS EXPECTED BY YEAR-END > ENDURING HIGH-ENERGY LASERS ARE NEARING COMPETITION PHASE > ISRAEL IS DEVELOPING AN AIRBORNE LASER FOR A BOEING F-15 FIGHTER

By Steve Trimble8 min

WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Iran War Means Different Fortunes for Airlines-But for How Long?

> CONFLICT FORCES MIDDLE EAST AIRLINES TO OPERATE MINIMAL SCHEDULES > EUROPEAN AND ASIAN CARRIERS BENEFIT

By Christine Boynton,Lori Ranson,Jens Flottau8 min

BUSINESS AVIATION

FASTEST FALCON

> DASSAULT GEARS UP FOR ULTRA-LARGE-CABIN FALCON 10X FLIGHT TESTS > AIRCRAFT AERODYNAMICS OPTIMIZED FOR HIGH SPEED > NEW BUSINESS JET TO INTRODUCE ADVANCED PILOT ASSISTANCE FEATURES

By Thierry Dubois,Robert Wall6 min

COMMERCIAL AVIATION

Geopolitical Effects on E-Commerce Spark Shifts in Air Freight

> FORECASTS SHOW THE SECTOR IS SET FOR LONG-TERM GROWTH > MORE REGULATION-LED EVOLUTIONS ARE EXPECTED

By Helen Massy-Beresford6 min

ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY

FA A eVTOL Integration Program Targets Shift to Operations

> EIGHT STARTUPS HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR EIGHT PILOT PROJECTS SPANNING 26 STATES > THE INITIATIVE IS VIEWED AS KEY TO DEVELOPING AN ECOSYSTEM AND DRIVING COMMUNITY ADOPTION

By Ben Goldstein6 min

COMMERCIAL AVIATION

Flight Cap Could Tame Chicago Airport Capacity Battle

> THE FAA CONFRONTS A SUMMER CAPACITY SPIKE AT O’HARE > AMERICAN SOUGHT TO OPERATE AS MANY AS 550 DAILY FLIGHTS AND UNITED UP TO 750

By Christine Boynton5 min

MARCH 9-222026

March 23, 2026

March 23, 2026

HYBRID DRIVE

By Graham Warwick11 min