DLR–ONERA–JAXA Trilateral Meeting and ONERA–JAXA High-Level Meeting Held in France
DLR, ONERA, and JAXA held a trilateral meeting in Modane, France, on May 13 to advance aeronautics research collaboration. Prior to the meeting, ONERA and JAXA also held a high-level meeting in Palaiseau, reaffirming the importance of international cooperation in aviation.
Keeping NASA Flying: Ground Crews Ensure Aircraft Readiness
From high‑speed research flights to high‑altitude science campaigns, NASA depends on aircraft that perform at their best and the ground crews who keep them mission ready. At NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, specially trained maintenance crews are essential to keeping the agency’s aircraft flying safely and reliably. This year, NASA added two […]
NASA Announces Realignment to Accelerate Mission Delivery
Editor’s Note: This advisory was updated May 22, 2026 to include a retirement. NASA announced Friday an agencywide realignment to increase mission focus and move out on the National Space Policy. These changes position the agency to better deliver on the nation’s highest‑priority objectives with speed and efficiency. During the Ignition event in late March, […]
NASA Announces Winners in University Aeronautics Competition
A South Dakota State University team took first place at NASA’s fifth annual Gateways to Blue Skies Competition, which challenged student teams to address a critical element of U.S. aviation: aircraft maintenance. This year’s competition, RepAir: Advancing Aircraft Maintenance, asked teams of postsecondary students to develop innovative systems and practices that could advance commercial aircraft maintenance […]
NASA Invites Media to Annual Lunabotics Robotics Competition
NASA will hold its 2026 Lunabotics Challenge Tuesday, May 19, to Thursday, May 21, at the Astronauts Memorial Foundation’s Center for Space Education at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Links to view the Lunabotics competition live can be found on the agency’s Lunabotics page. The competition is slated to run between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day. Media are invited to attend the […]
From 12 to 22 May, NLR-Marknesse will serve as the host location for NATO’s annual exercise dedicated to improving drone counter-measures. During this event, military personnel, tech experts, and innovators from across the Alliance will gather in the Noordoostpolder for a counter-drone exercise. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) represent an ever-growing challenge in modern conflict. During […]
Meet the Fleet: NASA Armstrong Continues Legacy of Flight Research
NASA’s home for experimental flight is welcoming more flyers to its already high-performing fleet as it continues to support science and aeronautics test missions – continuing the legacy of pioneers like Neil Armstrong. NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, added multiple aircraft this year: two F-15s supersonic jets, a Pilatus PC-12 utility plane, […]
Cornell Students Aid NASA with Drone Safety in Sky
A team of Cornell University students are turning heads within industry and the federal government with the results of their research into creating a national air transportation management system in which thousands of drones could safely operate together. NASA is sponsoring their work through the University Student Research Challenge (USRC), which provides grants to college […]
Several NATO member states are looking to commission the development of a new type of helicopter. This is intended to replace the current medium-lift helicopters in ten to fifteen years’ time. As part of one of the exploratory projects, led by the Italian company Leonardo, experts from NLR have conducted an in-depth analysis of the […]
Deep tech startup Reduciner introduces novel technology to turn captured carbon into sustainable fuels
Press release 5 May 2026
Reduciner’s innovative technology addresses one of the most difficult challenges in climate change mitigation: how to turn unavoidable industrial emissions into an asset. For industrial customers, it offers a cost-efficient way to profitably use captured CO₂, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and improve competitiveness in a low-carbon economy. Raising 3.6 million euros in its initial funding round, Reduciner plans to build its first industrial-scale pilot, a 1MW facility in Finland, to begin the commercialisation of its technology.
Reduciner, a deep tech startup
Finland and Australia looking to join forces on quantum technologies
Adelaide, Australia 30 April. A delegation from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is at the Quantum Australia Conference to discuss potential areas of collaboration with Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, under VTT’s new ‘Quantum Leap’ project. The Quantum Leap project will focus on the practical implementation of quantum computing, including quantum software, error correction and mitigation, and components to make quantum computers more energy efficient, reliable and scalable.
Dr Anu Kärkkäinen, Research Manager at VTT, said that an essential part of the Quantum Leap Project
NASA, Boeing Advance Truss-Braced Wing Research in Test
NASA and Boeing have completed wind tunnel testing to study an innovative advanced aircraft design intended to improve aerodynamic efficiency. A truss-braced wing configuration, involving a long, thin wing with aerodynamically shaped structural supports, has the potential to reduce fuel and operational costs for future airliners, which is why NASA has collaborated with Boeing to […]
There’s no sign reading “home sweet home” in the hangar where the X‑59 now sits, but the sentiment is unmistakable among those tending to the quiet supersonic aircraft. Located at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, the X-59 hangar was built in 1968 but looks like new thanks to a full renovation and […]
ILT‑1 Engine Test Campaign Conducted at Łukasiewicz – ILOT
The engineering team at Łukasiewicz – ILOT has successfully completed an advanced test campaign of engines designed for propulsion modules of satellite platforms. The tests were carried out at the vacuum rocket engine test facility under conditions reproducing the space environment. The scope of the research included analysis of operational stability, thrust measurements, and detailed […]
Łukasiewicz – ILOT tests engines for an orbital rocket maneuvering stage
The test campaign of engines manufactured under a Łukasiewicz – ILOT license by Thaliana Space for the maneuvering stage (kick stage) of Maiaspace’s orbital rocket has been successfully completed. The quality of the campaign and the innovative propulsion system developed were deemed promising, which led Maiaspace to decide to continue its cooperation with Łukasiewicz – […]
Defence Forces and VTT strengthen their long-standing cooperation – aiming for stronger capabilities and improved security
Press release 27 April 2026
The Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd have signed a framework agreement on applied research and specialist services related to the defence system and performance.
VTT will offer the Finnish Defence Forces broad spectrum of research and high-level specialist services during the agreement period of 2026–2030. The goal of the cooperation is to produce topical and independent insights for planning, decision-making and development projects in the Defence Forces. The framework agreement covers services such as
NASA Celebrates Decade of University Innovation in Aeronautics
For 10 years, a NASA initiative has helped the agency produce breakthrough aeronautical innovations while fostering the aviation workforce of tomorrow – and the University Leadership Initiative (ULI) is still flying high, making awards with the potential to change 21st century air travel. Through ULI, NASA has supported more than 1,100 students at 100 schools, allowing them […]
NASA Releases Powerful LAVA Software to US Aerospace Industry
For years, NASA engineers have turned to a tool called the Launch, Ascent, and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) framework to solve airflow challenges that could mean the difference between mission success or failure. When engineers need to know how a spacecraft will navigate re-entry or whether a new aircraft wing design will create enough lift, they […]
NASA’s 777 Aircraft Returns Home with Science Flights on the Horizon
NASA’s Boeing 777 has returned to the agency’s fleet after undergoing heavy structural modifications as it transforms from a giant passenger plane into the agency’s next-generation airborne science laboratory. After a check flight and a three-hour transit from Waco, the aircraft returned to NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, on April 22. Since January […]
NASA, Organ Sharing Network UNOS to Study Faster Organ Transport
Editor’s Note: On April 23, we updated this story to acknowledge a change in the type of organ being used for testing. Every second counts in the life-saving world of medical transplants. To help address that urgency, NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, is teaming up with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) to explore faster, […]
NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft flies over the Mojave Desert in California in this April 14, 2026, image. The transition to flying with wheels up is a key milestone and an important step in the experimental aircraft’s test campaign. The X-59 has made its highest and fastest flights so far, expanding its operational range […]
R&D case: Next-gen fuselage and tail designs for hydrogen-powered aircraft
Project: FASTER-H2 (Fuselage, Rear Fuselage and Empennage with Cabin and Cargo Architecture Solution validation and Technologies for H2 integration) Hydrogen has the potential to reduce the aviation sector’s carbon footprint, bringing the industry closer to achieving net-zero emissions. However, transitioning to hydrogen (H2) will require significant changes in aircraft design to ensure the safe storage […]
As an applied research organisation in the field of aerospace, NLR holds a central position in the valorisation process of translating knowledge into value. Our goal is to ensure that our research findings are translated into practical applications that benefit society and the economy. This impact report features 20 articles about projects that collectively highlight […]
VTT-originated startup Proteins.1 launches to bring PCR-like amplification and simplicity to omics
Press release 16 April 2026
New Finnish deep-tech company aims to make ultra-early disease detection possible through single-molecule protein amplification, enabling the identification of molecular warning signals long before disease becomes clinically visible. The technology has the potential to shift healthcare from reactive treatment to true prevention, extend healthy lifespans, and reduce the global burden of cancer, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular disease.
Proteins.1, a new VTT-originated startup has been established to commercialise a technology enabling ultra-sensitive
Join us on 18–19 September 2026 for a unique two‑day anniversary event bringing together alumni, scientists, policymakers, industry leaders, international partners, and friends of VKI from around the world.
Founded in 1956, VKI has grown into a world‑class international education and research institute specializing in fluid dynamics, with applications in aeronautics and aerospace, turbomachinery and propulsion, and environmental and applied fluid dynamics. This anniversary is a moment to honour our heritage, celebrate our achievements, and look forward to the next decades of innovation.
The event is exclusively open to invited guests, VKI Alumni and VKI Staff.
Alumni received an invitation on Friday, 17 April 2026. The invitation includes an access code that allows registration for activities related to the 70th Anniversary.If you have not received the invitation or if you have misplaced the code, please contact the VKI secretariat (secretariat@vki.ac.be).
Programme
This preliminary programme gives you an insight of the two-days events. The full programme will be available soon.
Friday, 18 September 2026
This day will be dedicated to highlighting the strong partnerships the Institute has built over the years.
13:30 - 14:00 Registration
14:00 - 16:30 Plenary Session featuring long-term VKI partners from industry, politics, universities, research centers, and governmental agencies.
16:30 Reception
Saturday, 19 September 2026 - Alumni Day
10:00 – 12:00 VKI Alumni Association Board of Directors (for members of the Board only, invitation will be sent later by the VKI Alumni Association)
10:30 – 11:00 Registration and Welcome
11:00 – 12:00 Academic Session : Past Foundations, Future Directions
11:00 – 11:10 Welcome address Mr. Peter Grognard, Managing Director, VKI
11:10 – 11:20 Word from the VKI Alumni Association Dr. Cis De Maesschalck, President of the VKI Alumni Association and Capability Lead - Fluid Mechanics at Rolls-Royce
11:20 – 11:40 Shaping the Next 70 Years: VKI’s Strategy for the Future Mr. Peter Grognard, Managing Director, VKI Mr. Sven Van Loo, Executive Director for Institutional and Infrastructure Development
11:40 – 11:50 Educating the Next Generation: The Strategic Evolution of VKI’s Academic Programmes Prof. Jeroen van Beeck, dean of the faculty
11:50 – 12:00 Inspiring the Next Generation: Women Driving Innovation in Fluid Dynamics Prof. Delphine Laboureur, VKI professor and Chair of BeWise
12:00 – 13:00 Sandwich Lunch
13:00 – 14:00 Alumni Session: The VKI Community - Alumni Speeches
14:00 – 14:45 Roundtable: the future of VKI
14:45 – 15:15 Coffee break
15:15 – 16:30 VKI Alumni Association General Assembly Chair: Dr. Cis De Maesschalck, President of the VKI Alumni Association and Capability Lead - Fluid Mechanics at Rolls-Royce
Spouses and children are welcome to attend the following part of the programme
16:45 – 18:15 Visit of the labs
18:30 Bus departure from VKI to Hotel Van Der Valk Nivelles Sud
19:00 – 22:00 Alumni Dinner at Hotel Van Der Valk Nivelles Sud The Alumni Dinner consists of a cocktail reception followed by a three-course dinner, drinks included. The children's menu is composed of one meal and one dessert, drinks included. You will receive several menu options to choose from at a later stage.
22:00 Bus departure back to Brussels (stop at Waterloo, VKI, Brussels Center). The last bus stop is avenue Louise in Brussels near the IBIS Brussels Centre Châtelain.
