Industry is seeing a dramatic shift in launch hardware as the spacefaring nations of the world prepare new rockets for peaceful and not-so-peaceful access to orbit and beyond.

There may be an explanation for the thin atmosphere that seems to come and go from Ceres, the largest of the Solar System’s main belt asteroids.

China’s first international hypersonics conference, held in Xiamen, amounted to a coming-out party for the nation’s swift progress in high speed flight research.

With the Trump administration still finding its way in space, NASA, Boeing and Lockheed Martin are proposing concepts for Mars exploration.

Hauling helium by airship, making the Airlander safer, Swiss drone delivers samples, E-volo unveils air taxi, Airbus going Voom in Brazil, NASA flies Prandtl wing.

In this week's Washington Outlook: Jeff Immelt urges business leaders not to count on government help, ATC reform may not tax GA operators, the NRO seeks more willingness to accept risk and the Air Force and FAA to start space traffic management pilot program.

The United Launch Alliance is close to choosing an engine for its Vulcan rocket between Blue Origin’s BE-4 and Aerojet Rocketdyne’s AR-1. Meanwhile Orbital ATK is pitching a solid rocket motor for the Air Force’s Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle launch system. Aviation Week editors have the details.

A California Republican congressman and former Reagan speechwriter recalls the close vote that saved the ISS.