Aviation Week

The Federal Aviation Administration has approved SpaceX to proceed with the 14th flight of its Starship rocket, according to Aviation Week. The clearance allows the company to move ahead with launch preparations from its Texas site as the program continues iterative testing of the vehicle. Coverage focuses on regulatory approval and what the next test could show about the rocket's progress.

A European defense industry program has won backing from EU member states, according to Aviation Week. The support signals growing agreement among member governments on strengthening Europe's defense industrial base, a priority that has gained urgency amid security concerns on the continent. Details on funding levels and implementation timelines were not included in the initial report, but the endorsement marks a step forward for coordinated EU defense production efforts.

A team of Purdue University researchers is travelling this week to search for the missing plane of aviator Amelia Earhart, who vanished over the Pacific in 1937. The expedition is drawing attention as one of the latest efforts to solve one of aviation's most enduring mysteries, with observers watching to see whether the team can turn up new evidence of the aircraft's fate.

NASA has reportedly asked several former SR-71A staffers to help with a secret restart effort, according to Aviation Week. The SR-71 Blackbird, retired in the 1990s, remains the fastest air-breathing manned aircraft ever built, and drawing on the expertise of those who operated it suggests NASA may be exploring a classified high-speed flight project.

NATO has intensified its discussions on military space, according to Aviation Week. The alliance's growing focus on space reflects its recognition of the domain as critical to defense operations, alongside air, land, and sea. Details of specific measures or outcomes from the discussions were not provided.

Aviation Week reports that NASA has approached several former SR-71A staff members to assist with a classified effort referred to as a secret restart. The report has prompted surprise and curiosity among aviation enthusiasts, who are speculating about what the hypersonic-era Blackbird's veterans could be helping revive more than two decades after the aircraft's retirement.