01
What changed in aerospace regulation and policy this week?
Government decisions, new rules and policy shifts reported this week.
02
President Donald Trump has announced new tariffs on drone imports and aircraft parts in the United States, effective as of August 2026.
Read at theverge.com ↗03
President Donald Trump announced new import tariffs on drones and UAS components, including a 100% tax on drones with thermal imaging or weighing over 25kg, and a 25% tax on smaller drones under 250g. The policy also imposes duties of 10-15% on drone components from South Korea, Taiwan, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, the EU, and the U.K. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick cited national security concerns regarding U.S. reliance on foreign drone technology.
Read at gizmodo.com ↗04
The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) reported on August 13, 2026, that Chinese entities, specifically the Purple Mountain Observatory, attempted to install ground-based space infrastructure in New Zealand for military intelligence gathering.
Read at theregister.com ↗What funding rounds and acquisitions happened in aerospace this week?
The week’s notable investments, financing rounds, acquisitions and strategic deals.
05
Archer Aviation acquired Wisk Aero, SkyGrid, and Insitu from Boeing, with Boeing receiving a 16.5% stake in Archer.
Read at techcrunch.com ↗06
SpaceX has officially completed the acquisition of AI coding startup Cursor as of August 2026.
Read at techcrunch.com ↗07
Intuitive Machines announced on August 13, 2026, that it secured a $600 million contract to build three geostationary orbit (GEO) communications satellites.
Read at spacenews.com ↗What products launched in aerospace this week?
Notable product launches, releases and platform updates from the week.
08
Firefly Aerospace is advancing the development of its Alpha launch vehicle, focusing on the next production block.
Read at nasaspaceflight.com ↗09
NASA announced the MAX POWER aerospace expo and airshow, scheduled for November 7-8, 2026, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Read at nasa.gov ↗What financial results were reported in aerospace this week?
Earnings, guidance and other financial results reported this week.
10
Telesat reported a net loss of $558.6 million for Q2 2026, including a $475 million non-cash charge related to government warrants for its Lightspeed satellite network.
Read at spaceq.ca ↗11
Norway's Government Pension Fund Global, the world's largest wealth fund, disclosed a 0.05% stake in SpaceX worth $1.22 billion as of June 30, 2026.
Read at thestreet.com ↗What court rulings and legal actions hit aerospace this week?
Court rulings, filings and legal actions reported this week.
12
India's ₹1 Lakh Cr Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) fund is under scrutiny after reports revealed that 15 of the 22 companies funded in the first ₹2,192 Cr round have links to members of the selection committee.
Read at inc42.com ↗What research was published in aerospace this week?
New research findings and studies published this week.
13
The Indian solar mission, Aditya-L1, has provided new data regarding the temperature of the Sun's corona.
Read at bbc.co.uk ↗14
The market research firm Novaspace released a report in Paris, France, in August 2026 projecting that the in-orbit services sector will generate $3 billion in cumulative revenue over the next decade.
Read at spacenews.com ↗What partnerships were announced in aerospace this week?
Partnerships, integrations and joint projects announced this week.
15
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded contracts to Spire Global and PlanetiQ.
Read at spacenews.com ↗1 of 2 partnerships events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.
What else happened in aerospace this week?
Developments from the week that fit none of the other sections.
16
Sifted published a list of 10 drone startups to watch in 2026, highlighting companies like Atlantic, EuroDrone, and Noso.
Read at sifted.eu ↗1 of 2 other developments events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.