Tim Robinson
Editor in Chief, AEROSPACE, Royal Aeronautical Society
With aerospace, aviation and spaceflight at an inflexion point across multiple sectors and the speed of innovation accelerating, this is the most exciting time to be in the industry since the 1960s.
In 1969, three historic events inspired a generation to join the global aeronautical industry — whether as engineers, pilots, air law or human factors experts. The first flights of the Boeing 747 and Concorde, and the Apollo Moon landing, lifted eyes to the skies and fuelled a vision of a brighter future where flight connects and unites people worldwide.
Aerospace breakthroughs enable sustainability
Fast forward to 2024, and a range of breakthroughs across aerospace is redefining design, innovation and technology — attracting a new generation of visionaries. In civil aerospace, as jet engines make steady advances in efficiency, innovative designs such as long and thin ultra-efficient wings, blended wing bodies and supersonic deltas are being developed for future airliners.
Coupled with new fuels like sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), e-fuels and hydrogen, alongside improvements in contrail management, new airliners promise sustainable growth in air travel. This progress will enable more people globally to experience other cultures and connect face-to-face, meeting a vital human need.
The electrification of society and rise of
autonomous systems are unlocking a new
sector of flight in advanced air mobility.
Advancements in military aviation
In military aviation, for the first time in a generation, advanced fighter projects are underway around the world. Companies are developing cutting-edge technology in hypersonics, directed-energy weapons, advanced drones and artificial intelligence to strengthen air defences against growing technological threats.
Meanwhile, the electrification of society and rise of autonomous systems are unlocking a new sector of flight in advanced air mobility. These innovations include drones for emergency response, climate monitoring and logistics, plus electric VTOL air taxis, hybrid-electric commuter aircraft and airships designed for low or zero-carbon regional and urban air transport.
Heavy-lift rockets revolutionise space
Finally, in spaceflight, the advent of heavy-lift reusable rockets has drastically reduced the cost of launching payloads into orbit. This advancement opens up possibilities that once seemed like science fiction, such as orbital hotels and solar power stations that could provide cheap electricity. Additionally, we are looking at a return to the Moon within the next decade and Mars beyond that. The only limit today for flight is our imagination.
