The SR-71A spy plane has disappeared from a California base since May 2026, coinciding with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's hints at rebuilding experimental X-planes and a silhouette resembling the legendary aircraft. The historic Blackbird, which once flew at Mach 3.2 and served as a research platform for extreme-flight technologies, may be involved in NASA's renewed focus on advanced flight research.
A Not Boring essay introduces Astro Mechanica, a startup founded by Ian Brooke that aims to revolutionize aerospace through new engine technology enabling supersonic flights at conventional prices. The piece explores how Techno-Industrials can disrupt entrenched industries and contrasts the innovation-focused engineering culture with Boeing's financialization-driven approach that prioritized spreadsheets over moonshot ambitions.