With the Trump administration still finding its way in space, NASA, Boeing and Lockheed Martin are proposing concepts for Mars exploration.

Hauling helium by airship, making the Airlander safer, Swiss drone delivers samples, E-volo unveils air taxi, Airbus going Voom in Brazil, NASA flies Prandtl wing.

In this week's Washington Outlook: Jeff Immelt urges business leaders not to count on government help, ATC reform may not tax GA operators, the NRO seeks more willingness to accept risk and the Air Force and FAA to start space traffic management pilot program.

The United Launch Alliance is close to choosing an engine for its Vulcan rocket between Blue Origin’s BE-4 and Aerojet Rocketdyne’s AR-1. Meanwhile Orbital ATK is pitching a solid rocket motor for the Air Force’s Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle launch system. Aviation Week editors have the details.

A California Republican congressman and former Reagan speechwriter recalls the close vote that saved the ISS.

No matter how vital space power becomes to the U.S., if it is relegated to a supporting role inside the Air Force, or any other service or agency, it will always receive short shrift.

For SpaceX, 100-flight reuse Falcon 9s, providing a hundredfold in savings, is on the company’s active agenda.

Aviation Week has won top honors in the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Awards, the business-to-business media equivalent of the Pulitzer Prizes.