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Space Development Agency’s Second Tranche 0 Mission
SpaceX is targeting Saturday, September 2 at 7:25 a.m. PT (14:25 UTC) for a Falcon 9 launch of the Space Development Agency’s second Tranche 0 mission to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, Transporter-7, Iridium OneWeb, and eight Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The space vehicles launched during this mission will serve a part of SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, a new layered network of satellites in low-Earth orbit and supporting elements that will provide global military communication and missile warning, indication, and tracking capabilities.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=SDA-Tranche0B
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBeJVN-0t2I
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
Sep 2, 2023
NGC 7023: The Iris Nebula
These cosmic clouds have blossomed 1,300 light-years away in the fertile starfields of the constellation Cepheus. Called the Iris Nebula, NGC 7023 is not the only nebula to evoke the imagery of flowers. Still, this deep telescopic image shows off the Iris Nebula's range of colors and symmetries embedded in surrounding fields of interstellar dust. Within the Iris itself, dusty nebular material surrounds a hot, young star. The dominant color of the brighter reflection nebula is blue, characteristic of dust grains reflecting starlight. Central filaments of the reflection nebula glow with a faint reddish photoluminescence as some dust grains effectively convert the star's invisible ultraviolet radiation to visible red light. Infrared observations indicate that this nebula contains complex carbon molecules known as PAHs. The dusty blue petals of the Iris Nebula span about six light-years.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html?
USSF enlists 16 new Guardians for future Space Force Honor Guard
Aug. 30, 2023
The U.S. Space Force enlisted 16 new Guardians on Aug. 30 to stand up the Space Force's Ceremonial Honor Guard program; each member was intentionally boarded and selected to serve as the program's initial cadre.
“Teamwork, professionalism, excellence – honor guard members represent all these qualities,” said Katharine Kelley, Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Human Capital. “We are proud to stand up a service-specific guard who will soon render military honors for our Nation’s veterans and fulfill joint requirements.”
While it is a Department of Defense requirement that each service have the capability to render military honors, an honor guard also serves as a showcase of military service to the American public.
“The Space Force has been laying the foundation of its history and heritage for almost four years now. The honor guard is an important piece to representing who we are and what we do for our nation,” Kelley said.
The future stand-up of the Space Force Honor Guard is also a big step toward creating positions for enlisted Guardians to professionally develop outside of their career field.
“The honor guard program, alongside other special duties, will allow our Guardians to take a step away from their career field to gain a fresh perspective,” said Chief Master Sgt. Abifarin Scott, Chief, Space Force Enlisted Force Development. “Our enlisted Guardians must be well-rounded to be better leaders and space operators.”
After completing a 12-to-24-month rotation with the honor guard, this initial cadre will bring lessons learned and experiences with them into the operational Space Force and train into a new career field.
The Space Force Honor Guard will begin rendering military honors and representing the USSF at public events soon, to include the Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force's Change of Responsibility scheduled for Sept. 15.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3511389/ussf-enlists-16-new-guardians-for-future-space-force-honor-guard/
DAF unveils art commemorating 75 Years of Air and Space Power
Aug. 31, 2023
Department of the Air Force senior leaders presided over a ceremony unveiling commemorative wall art titled, “A Shared Foundation; Celebrating 75 Years of Air and Space Power,” at the Pentagon Aug. 29.
DAF celebrated the 75th Anniversary of Air and Space heritage in September 2022 and commissioned the art to help tell the stories of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force, which required nearly 18 months to complete due to the artist’s extensive research into each of its numerous elements.
The artist, Warren F. Neary, focused the content of the piece on the contributions of Airmen and Guardians throughout the eras. Beginning with the earliest airpower innovators in the Army Air Corps, the art highlights significant milestones and achievements.
“[Neary] met with DAF leadership and visited bases around the country to capture the range of the missions and the people that compose our Air and Space Forces,” Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall remarked. “The people you see in the painting are depictions of real Airmen, real Guardians; both are part of our heritage and those who are currently serving … [This artwork shows] people who helped build our organization, the aircraft and equipment that shaped our experiences and the missions that drove it all.”
In addition to depicting Airmen and Guardians, the artwork features various Air Force and Space Force platforms and systems. In total, 114 unique visual elements are incorporated into the piece.
Each group of elements in the artwork is designed to form the shape of the delta or infinity symbols. The delta symbol carries a deep, historic meaning for both the Air Force and Space Force and signifies upward trajectory and rapid advancement. The infinity symbol represents the ever-present requirements for adaptation, improvement, innovation and vigilance.
" Our heritage is incredibly important — it tells our story. It reminds us of who we are and where we have come from, and why it all matters. The images that surround this piece are powerful. They shape our culture, our sense of purpose and our warfighter mindset."
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Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall
Neary has created many works of art throughout his career depicting subjects of air and space power. He has received national-level recognition, and his artwork has been exhibited in the National Museum of the Air Force, the Museum of Aviation, the U.S. Air Force Art Collection and the U.S. Army Center for Military History, in addition to private collections.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3512508/daf-unveils-art-commemorating-75-years-of-air-and-space-power/
Unexplained moment multiple UFOs shoot out from volcano 'portal' in shocking footage
07:28, 2 Sep 2023
UFO hunters say they've found a smoking gun in their search for extra-terrestrial life visiting planet Earth – after 'objects' were filmed apparently flying out of a volcano.
Mysterious objects were caught on camera shooting out of the crater of the Popocatepetl volcano, near Mexico City. And earlier this month, Alien expert Jaime Maussan shared clips from three months ago of two UFOs flying into the crater of the same volcano.
He said he believes Popocatpetl is also acting as an 'inter-dimensional portal'. In the clip, brightly lit UFO's shoot out into the sky from the smoke. An inter-dimensional portal is a gateway between two locations in space-time that allows intergalactic travellers to enter one place from another.
The 70-year-old explained that no man-made object could enter the crater as temperatures reach around 1,000C (1,832F). The volcano stands at 5,426m (17,802ft) tall and its name comes from the Nahuatl language and means 'Smoking Mountain'. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the South American country.
Meanwhile, here in the UK, nearly 1,000 UFO sightings have been recorded in the last two-and-a-half years – revealed after an expert claimed aliens could be hiding in dark spots just outside our solar system to avoid detection.
An interactive map documents the full list of areas with the most and least amounts of unidentified aerial phenomena (the official term used instead of UFO) since January 2021.
The spotter website, UFO Identified, noted a total of 957 sightings, including 410 in 2021, 494 in 2022 and 53 as of May 20 this year, with more activity seen above Glasgow than anywhere else.
A quarter of all sightings (25%) were of a 'star-like' object or objects, moving across the sky. The next most common sighting was of an unidentified object shaped like an 'orb' (17%), 'sphere' (10%) and 'cylinder' (9%).
Ash Ellis, from UFO identified, says many more sighting have not been reported. He said: "Despite progress being made in recent years to de-stigmatise the topic, there is still an air of trepidation when approaching the subject as the fear or ridicule is very prevalent. There was almost 500 reported sightings in the UK last year, with likely many times that number going unreported, showing that there is a genuine concern around unidentified phenomena being seen across the country."
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/unexplained-moment-multiple-ufos-shoot-30834508
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSKmMGMysBo