Speaking Nov. 18 at an Air Force-industry event at Tinker AFB, Okla., Air Force acquisition chief Sue Payton talked about the desire for “good communication” and the need for the linkage between the service and the industrial base to be “strong” and “trusting” and “simple.” She explained, “When we hand industry a very complex set of requirements to meet, we’re just adding risk to our own delivery schedules and risk to cost growth.” In her view, “The real important thing is to deliver the first baseline system and then gradually spiral in and add more capability as you go in manageable bites.” (Tinker report by Brandice Armstrong)
Celebrating 100 Years of Liquid-Fueled Rockets
March 11, 2026
March 16, 2026, marks 100 years since Dr. Robert H. Goddard launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket. Over the past century, new and ever more capable liquid-fueled rockets have literally propelled humanity into space. Why liquid-fueled rockets?