Check 6 Revisits: Atomic Ambitions—Destruction To Discovery
In the decades since two modified B-29s dropped atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, bringing World War II to a close, there have been many ideas about how the power of the atom might be harnessed for other uses, including space exploration and aircraft propulsion. On this episode, Aviation Week editors comb through our archives to discuss the legacy of the atomic bomb missions and the evolution of nuclear power in aerospace through to the present day—and beyond. “We hold in trust a power that is capable of unraveling the very fabric of our civilian…We have proved the destructive use, while the constructive applications are still in the realm of speculation.”-AW&ST, Sept. 1945 Check 6 Revisits delves into Aviation Week's more than 100-year archive. Subscribers can explore our archive here and read key Aviation Week articles related to this episode here: ‘Atomic’ Aircraft Development Seen Far Off By Industry Heads (Aug. 13, 1945) Army-Navy Post-War Plane Needs Seen Large Despite Atomic Bomb (Aug. 20, 1945) The Atom | New Source of Energy; A Tide In The Affairs Of Men (September 1945) Atomic Transports 15-20 Years Away (Feb. 6, 1956) Nuclear Reactor Tests Include B-36 Flights (Jan. 16, 1956) The Soviet Nuclear-Powered Bomber (Dec. 1, 1958) Skunk Works Reveals Compact Fusion Reactor Details (Oct. 15, 2014) Debrief: Signs Of Life For Russia’s Nuclear-Powered Cruise Missile (Aug. 18, 2025)
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How Politics Are Upending Airliner Orders
Is free trade over in commercial aviation, or it is all just smoke and mirrors? Aerodynamic Advisory's Richard Aboulafia joins Aviation Week’s Joe Anselmo, Jens Flottau and Dan Williams to discuss.
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Getting The Hook
Aviation Week's Brian Everstine, Robert Wall and Steve Trimble discuss U.S. naval aviation ahead of the annual Tailhook gathering and the surprise announcement that U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Allvin will be retiring.
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Why Everyone Is ‘Not’ Talking About Golden Dome
Aviation Week’s Vivienne Machi and Brian Everstine are back from their trip to the annual Space and Missile Defense conference. Here’s what was new or surprising, from counter-UAS to in-space mobility.
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How Starlink Became SpaceX’s Cash Cow
The Starlink satellite venture’s stunning success has brightened Elon Musk’s bumpy year, but has awakened China. Listen in as Aviation Week's Joe Anselmo, Garrett Reim, Irene Klotz and Matt Fulco discuss what has become SpaceX's cash cow. -- Since its inception in 1957, Aviation Week Network's Laureate Awards have honored extraordinary achievements in aerospace. Innovators that represent the values and vision of the global aerospace community have changed the way people work and move through the world. Nominations for Aviation Week Network's 2026 Laureate Awards are now open! Submit your nominations by October 16, 2025. Nominate here
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