TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
April 12, 2024
Total Totality
Baily's beads often appear at the boundaries of the total phase of an eclipse of the Sun. Pearls of sunlight still beaming through gaps in the rugged terrain along the lunar limb silhouette, their appearance is recorded in this dramatic timelapse composite. The series of images follows the Moon's edge from beginning through the end of totality during April 8's solar eclipse from Durango, Mexico. They also capture pinkish prominences of plasma arcing high above the edge of the active Sun. One of the first places in North America visited by the Moon's shadow on April 8, totality in Durango lasted about 3 minutes and 46 seconds.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html?
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202404/1310481.shtml
China's humanoid robot market to hit 10 billion yuan, eyes 119 billion yuan by 2030: report
Apr 12, 2024 01:16 AM
Research unveiled during the inaugural China Humanoid Robot Industry Conference in Beijing from April 9 to 10 indicates that the global humanoid robot industry is entering a golden era, poised for sustained growth. The report predicted that the Chinese humanoid robot market will surpass 10 billion yuan, reaching 10.47 billion yuan ($1.45 billion) by 2026, and is anticipated to soar to 119 billion yuan by 2030.
The booming market is seemingly telling people that intelligent humanoid robots that can simulate human thinking and consciousness, as depicted in films like Ex Machina and A.I. Artificial Intelligence, are really getting closer to reality.
The rapid development of AI technology has played a crucial role in the advancement of humanoid robots. As NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang said at the 2024 GPU Technology Conference (GTC) in March, "Building foundation models for general humanoid robots is one of the most exciting problems to solve in AI today."
In return, the advancement of humanoid robots is viewed as a major milestone in the AI era, pushing the boundaries of AI research. Numerous Chinese experts and industry observers consider humanoid robots a breakthrough for the "AI Plus" initiative aimed at fostering innovative development in the digital economy, as promoted during the two sessions in March.
Golden age along with AI
Humanoid robots are dubbed "humanoid" because they are designed to emulate and potentially surpass human capabilities in form, function, behavior, and even cognitive processes, Zhang Rui, founder and executive director of the Beijing Ironman Technology in Beijing, told the Global Times.
"Without the need for massive changes to the existing environment, humanoid robots can seamlessly integrate into various scenarios, using their flexible and dynamic execution capabilities to meet complex and changing task requirements. Furthermore, their human-like characteristics enable them to easily manipulate human tools, further expanding their application areas," Zhang said.
Therefore, humanoid robots are not only a symbol of technological progress but also a significant force driving future social development, he noted.
Humanoid robots have been widely applied in various industries, with the aerospace sector being one of the most prominent, according to Zhang. Several countries including the US, Russia and China, have been deeply researching the application of humanoid robots in the aerospace field. These robots are mainly used to replace humans in performing dangerous and complex operations, ensuring the safety of astronauts and improving the efficiency and success rate of space missions.
Other major application areas of humanoid robots is in border defense and lights-out factories, or smart factories.
"The continuous innovation and breakthroughs in AI technology in recent years have indeed provided humanoid robots with more powerful perception, decision-making, and execution capabilities. This allows humanoid robots to more accurately understand human language, recognize environmental information, and make more reasonable decisions and actions," Zhang said.
In the future, Zhang expects humanoid robots to have enormous potential in areas such as general hardware execution, dynamic adaptation and environmental integration.
How far is AGI?
The thriving progress of humanoid robots is drawing increasing attention from international tech giants. On March 18, nine humanoid robots were unveiled at NVIDIA's 2024 GTC. Tesla is also actively working on a humanoid robot named Optimus, and OpenAI, Microsoft, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos have made substantial investments in humanoid robot startup Figure AI. Additionally, Agility Robotics, backed by Amazon, has established the world's first large-scale humanoid robot production factory in Oregon, the US, capable of producing 10,000 two-legged robots annually.
A group of innovative and competitive Chinese companies have also emerged in the field of humanoid robots with the increasing emphasis and investment in robot technology in China, leading to significant progress in the Chinese humanoid robot industry.
In March, the Beijing humanoid robot innovation center announced that it would soon release the first generation of a universal open humanoid robot body.
Among the nine robots showcased at the NVIDIA 2024 GTC, two were developed by Chinese companies, namely H1 from Hangzhou Unitree Robotics and PX5 from Xiaopeng Pengxing.
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The Global Times learned from Unitree Robotics that H1 is a full-size humanoid robot capable of running, equipped with 360 panoramic depth perception. Currently, it can reach a speed of 3.3 meters per second, setting a world record for full-size electric humanoid robots, with a potential speed of up to 5 meters per second.
This robot boasts highly advanced full-body dynamic coordination capabilities, enabling it to dance in groups and execute backflips. As a result, NVIDIA opted to partner with Yushu to collectively propel the global advancement of AI robots. According to the company's response to the Global Times, NVIDIA, a frontrunner in GPU and AI chip technology, furnishes Yushu's robots with robust computing capabilities and comprehensive support in deep learning technology.
However, overall, the deep integration of AI and humanoid robots still faces significant challenges.
Zhang believes hardware challenges are a crucial obstacle. While we can achieve various complex functions and performance at the algorithm level, it is often difficult to achieve the desired output power and efficiency in actual robot hardware, he said.
This is mainly due to the numerous technical details and engineering challenges involved in hardware design and manufacturing, requiring continuous optimization and improvement, Zhang explained.
On the other hand, the current progress of AI technology is mainly limited to deepening and innovating at the logical level, with insufficient breakthroughs in thinking and emotional aspects. While the form of robots is malleable, the "spirit" of their internal thinking and emotions is still an unexplored frontier. Zhang believes it will take another 5-10 years to achieve a 70 percent similarity with human emotions.
At an economic forum held at Stanford University in March, Jensen Huang predicted that a general artificial intelligence that can pass human tests, or "human-like" artificial general intelligence (AGI, capable of performing all human intelligent behaviors), is likely to appear within five years. However, Huang also pointed out that achieving this goal is not without difficulties, as scientists still lack a unified definition of how the human mind operates, making it challenging for engineers to achieve the goal.
On April 8, Elon Musk said during a livestreamed interview on X that AI that is smarter than any one human will probably come around by the end of next year. Last year, he predicted that humans would "fully" achieve general artificial intelligence by 2029.
Some experts believe that with the continuous advancement of chips and algorithms, AI may eventually surpass human intelligence. However, Liu Wei, director of the human-machine interaction and cognitive engineering laboratory of the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, pointed out that AGI may be a false proposition. This is not because current AI systems have not reached the level of general intelligence, but because AI fundamentally perform and learn like humans.
The development of AGI faces three major bottlenecks: technical, biological, and social. The technical bottleneck lies in the need for AI systems to have higher computing power, more advanced algorithms, and more efficient data processing methods to achieve more complex and intelligent functions. The biological bottleneck mainly stems from our limited understanding of the cognitive capabilities and operation mechanisms of the human brain, requiring deeper research in neuroscience and cognition to achieve similar levels of intelligence. The social bottleneck includes the integration of AI systems with human society, such as cultural differences, ethical issues, privacy protection, etc., all of which are crucial factors affecting the development of AI, according to Liu.
"To overcome these bottlenecks, interdisciplinary cooperation and continuous innovation efforts are needed. Only by making breakthroughs in technology, biology and society can AGI move towards more mature and comprehensive development, but it remains extremely difficult, perhaps impossible after all," Liu said.
Safety and ethics concerns
In November 2023, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China issued the guiding opinions on the innovation and development of humanoid robots, proposing to establish a preliminary innovation system for humanoid robots by 2025.
The document predicted that, by 2025, key technologies such as those related to robots' "brain, cerebellum, limbs" will achieve breakthroughs, ensuring safe and effective supply of core components.
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Media Get Close-Up of NASA’s Jupiter-Bound Europa Clipper
APR 11, 2024
Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California are running final tests and preparing the agency’s Europa Clipper spacecraft for the next leg of its journey: launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Europa Clipper, which will orbit Jupiter and focus on the planet’s ice-encased moon Europa, is expected to leave JPL later this spring. Its launch period opens on Oct. 10.
Members of the media put on “bunny suits” — outfits to protect the massive spacecraft from contamination — to see Europa Clipper up close in JPL’s historic Spacecraft Assembly Facility on Thursday, April 11. Project Manager Jordan Evans, Launch-to-Mars Mission Manager Tracy Drain, Project Staff Scientist Samuel Howell, and Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations Cable Harness Engineer Luis Aguila were on the clean room floor, while Deputy Project Manager Tim Larson, and Mission Designer Ricardo Restrepo were in the gallery above to explain the mission and its goals.
Planning of the mission began in 2013, and Europa Clipper was officially confirmed by NASA as a mission in 2019. The trip to Jupiter is expected to take about six years, with flybys of Mars and Earth. Reaching the gas giant in 2030, the spacecraft will orbit Jupiter while flying by Europa dozens of times, dipping as close as 16 miles (25 kilometers) from the moon’s surface to gather data with its powerful suite of science instruments. The information will help scientists learn about the ocean beneath the moon’s icy shell, map Europa’s surface composition and geology, and hunt for any potential plumes of water vapor that may be venting from the crust.
“After over a decade of hard work and problem-solving, we’re so proud to show the nearly complete Europa Clipper spacecraft to the world,” said Evans. “As critical components came in from institutions across the globe, it’s been exciting to see parts become a greater whole. We can’t wait to get this spacecraft to the Jupiter system.”
At the event, a cutaway model showing the moon’s layers and a globe of the moon helped journalists learn why Europa is such an interesting object of study. On hand with the details were Project Staff Scientist and Assistant Science Systems Engineer Kate Craft from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, and, from JPL, Project Scientist Robert Pappalardo, Deputy Project Scientist Bonnie Buratti, and Science Communications Lead Cynthia Phillips.
Beyond Earth, Europa is considered one of the most promising potentially habitable environments in our solar system. While Europa Clipper is not a life-detection mission, its primary science goal is to determine whether there are places below the moon’s icy surface that could support life.
When the main part of the spacecraft arrives at Kennedy Space Center in a few months, engineers will finish preparing Europa Clipper for launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, attaching its giant solar arrays and carefully tucking the spacecraft inside the capsule that rides on top of the rocket. Then Europa Clipper will be ready to begin its space odyssey.
More About the Mission
Europa Clipper’s three main science objectives are to determine the thickness of the moon’s icy shell and its surface interactions with the ocean below, to investigate its composition, and to characterize its geology. The mission’s detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet.
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/europa-clipper/media-get-close-up-of-nasas-jupiter-bound-europa-clipper/
NASA’s PACE Data on Ocean, Atmosphere, Climate Now Available
APR 11, 2024
NASA is now publicly distributing science-quality data from its newest Earth-observing satellite, providing first-of-their-kind measurements of ocean health, air quality, and the effects of a changing climate.
The Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite was launched on Feb. 8, and has been put through several weeks of in-orbit testing of the spacecraft and instruments to ensure proper functioning and data quality. The mission is gathering data that the public now can access at https://pace.oceansciences.org/access_pace_data.htm.
PACE data will allow researchers to study microscopic life in the ocean and particles in the air, advancing the understanding of issues including fisheries health, harmful algal blooms, air pollution, and wildfire smoke. With PACE, scientists also can investigate how the ocean and atmosphere interact with each other and are affected by a changing climate.
“These stunning images are furthering NASA’s commitment to protect our home planet,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “PACE’s observations will give us a better understanding of how our oceans and waterways, and the tiny organisms that call them home, impact Earth. From coastal communities to fisheries, NASA is gathering critical climate data for all people.”
“First light from the PACE mission is a major milestone in our ongoing efforts to better understand our changing planet. Earth is a water planet, and yet we know more about the surface of the moon than we do our own oceans. PACE is one of several key missions – including SWOT and our upcoming NISAR mission – that are opening a new age of Earth science,” said Karen St. Germain, NASA Earth Science Division director.
The satellite’s Ocean Color Instrument, which was built and managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, observes the ocean, land, and atmosphere across a spectrum of ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared light. While previous ocean color satellites could only detect a handful of wavelengths, PACE is detecting more than 200 wavelengths. With this extensive spectral range, scientists can identify specific communities of phytoplankton. Different species play different roles in the ecosystem and carbon cycle — most are benign, but some are harmful to human health — so distinguishing phytoplankton communities is a key mission of the satellite.
PACE’s two multi-angle polarimeters, HARP2 and SPEXone, measure polarized light that has reflected off clouds and tiny particles in the atmosphere. These particles, known as aerosols, can range from dust to smoke to sea spray and more. The two polarimeters are complementary in their capabilities. SPEXone, built at the Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON) and Airbus Netherlands B.V., will view Earth in hyperspectral resolution – detecting all the colors of the rainbow – at five different viewing angles. HARP2, built at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), will observe four wavelengths of light, with 60 different viewing angles.
With these data, scientists will be able to measure cloud properties — which are important for understanding climate — and monitor, analyze, and identify atmospheric aerosols to better inform the public about air quality. Scientists will also be able to learn how aerosols interact with clouds and influence cloud formation, which is essential to creating accurate climate models.
“We’ve been dreaming of PACE-like imagery for over two decades. It’s surreal to finally see the real thing,” said Jeremy Werdell, PACE project scientist at NASA Goddard. “The data from all three instruments are of such high quality that we can start distributing it publicly two months from launch, and I’m proud of our team for making that happen. These data will not only positively impact our everyday lives by informing on air quality and the health of aquatic ecosystems, but also change how we view our home planet over time.”
https://www.nasa.gov/earth/nasas-pace-data-on-ocean-atmosphere-climate-now-available/
NASA Invites Media to Switzerland Artemis Accords Signing Ceremony
APR 11, 2024
NASA will welcome Switzerland as the 37th country to sign the Artemis Accords during a ceremony at 11:30 a.m. EDT on Monday, April 15 at the agency’s headquarters in Washington. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson will host Swiss Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, Minister for Economic Affairs, Education & Research, along with other officials from Switzerland and the U.S. Department of State.
This event is in-person only. Media interested in attending must RSVP no later than 9 a.m. April 15, to hq-media@mail.nasa.gov. NASA’s media accreditation policy is online.
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-invites-media-to-switzerland-artemis-accords-signing-ceremony/
NASA’s TESS Temporarily Pauses Science Observations
APR 11, 2024
NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) entered into safe mode April 8, temporarily interrupting science observations. The team is investigating the root cause of the safe mode, which occurred during scheduled engineering activities. The satellite itself remains in good health.
The team will continue investigating the issue and is in the process of returning TESS to science observations in the coming days.
https://science.nasa.gov/missions/tess/nasas-tess-temporarily-pauses-science-observations/
Nasa asked to help in the search for Loch Ness Monster as live webcams set up
April 11, 2024
The Loch Ness Centre, in the Highlands, has asked space explorers Nasa, and other scientists and universities, to lend their expertise in a new hunt for the monster.
Last year, one of the biggest searches of Loch Ness concluded with a hydrophone capturing loud underwater noises and several potential sightings.
The latest search will place on the 90th anniversary of the first organised surface watch of Loch Ness: Sir Edward Mountain’s expedition, from May 30 to June 2.
Since that first expedition in 1934, the Watchers of the Monster, there have been over 1,156 sightings of the beast on the official Loch Ness Monster sightings register.
Last year, the newly revamped Loch Ness Centre partnered with Loch Ness Exploration (LNE), an independent and voluntary research team, together with hundreds of in-person and virtual volunteers to search the famous waters of Loch Ness.
Volunteers are being recruited to keep a giant surface watch, keeping an eye out for breaks in the water. They will be briefed on what to look out for and how to record findings.
Those unable to make it to the loch can get involved through keeping an eye on live cameras on the Visit Inverness Loch Ness website.
A screening of Loch Ness: They Created a Monster, a documentary exploring the monster-hunting frenzy at Loch Ness in the 1970s and 1980s with a special Q&A with the director, John MacLaverty, will also take place, along with a live debate with researcher Alan McKenna, from Loch Ness Exploration, and a witness account.
Nessie hunters can also go out on a boat with Deepscan Captain, Alistair Matheson, the skipper for the Loch Ness Project, as well as Mr McKenna, using a 60-foot hydrophone to listen for mysterious sounds echoing from the depths of the loch.
The Loch Ness Centre, which reopened last year following a huge renovation, is located at the old Drumnadrochit Hotel, where hotel manager Mrs Aldie Mackay reported seeing a “water beast” in Loch Ness 90 years ago.
Paul Nixon, Loch Ness Centre general manager, said: “Last year, we captured the world’s attention with one of the biggest ever searches for Nessie, with participants joining us from America, Canada, France, Italy, Japan and more.
“With unexplained noises heard, alongside possible sightings, this year we are determined to find out more about the elusive Loch Ness Monster.
“As well as asking for the help of budding monster hunters to help us on our quest, we are asking for the help of experts.
“We’re excited to make this search the biggest ever, as we look for new equipment to help us uncover the loch’s biggest mysteries.”
Explaining how Nasa could help, Aimee Todd, marketing manager for the Loch Ness Centre, said: “We are hoping that Nessie hunters around the world will help us reach the people at Nasa.
“We are hoping to reach them through the power of social media. We are just hoping for their expert guidance to help with our ongoing quest to get answers. We have gone to UK universities.
“We are hoping that experts from Nasa might have some advanced imaging technology to scan the loch.
“We would have to sit down and talk to them about how to get it here.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/loch-ness-monster-nasa-camera-b2527171.html
https://www.visitinvernesslochness.com/live-stream
Sea-Air-Space 2024: All the cutting-edge tech at Navy’s largest show
Apr 11, 11:23 AM
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — This week, U.S. Navy leadership and some of the world’s largest defense contractors flocked to the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center south of the nation’s capital for the 2024 Sea-Air-Space defense conference.
Hosted by the Navy League, it’s the service’s largest annual trade show. Reporters with C4ISRNET, Defense News, and Military Times were on the ground, reporting on the latest remarks and industry insights.
From an eclipse that yanked attendees to the waterfront to a surprise appearance by Lance Cpl. Chesty XVI, here’s what you may have missed:
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As the Navy, Coast Guard and Maritime Administration press shipbuilders to increase production, the services are also considering other ideas to get ships in the water faster.
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Creating a new robotics warfare specialist rating signified a critical step in achieving a “truly hybrid” fleet, according to the Navy’s top civilian.
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Northrop Grumman said it finished building its prototype of the Manta Ray underwater drone, devised for assignments that demand long hours and extended ranges while minimizing human involvement.
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The Marine Corps plans to deploy its powerful new heavy-lift helicopter for the first time in 2026 — the year after it previously had anticipated.
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The Navy recently wrapped a review of its shipbuilding programs. It found several shortfalls, including schedule slips attributed to a lack of workers and a brittle supply chain. For both issues, 3D printing could be the answer.
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Shield AI in the next year plans to have its Hivemind digital pilot working aboard three additional types of aircraft, bringing the total to nine.
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A space-focused program spreading hundreds of small satellites in low orbit aims to bring clearer communications and faster data transfer to military units in the field.
The next Sea-Air-Space conference is scheduled for April 2025.
https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/2024/04/11/sea-air-space-2024-all-the-cutting-edge-tech-at-navys-largest-show/
Putin Issues Orders for Nuclear Space Program
Updated Apr 12, 2024 at 8:35 AM EDT
Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued orders to Kremlin-controlled agencies regarding the development of a nuclear energy program for space.
The Russian state media outlet Tass on Thursday reported Putin gave instructions to the government space corporation Roscosmos and Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation to allocate funds for the creation of space nuclear energy by June 15.
Putin's announcement comes after a February warning from the White House that Russia has the capability for an anti-satellite space-based weapon while stressing that it is not operational.
Though a White House spokesperson didn't confirm at the time if there is any nuclear component to the anti-satellite weapon, ABC News reported U.S. intelligence found Russia was looking to put a nuclear weapon into space for use against satellites. A U.S. official also told The Washington Post that Moscow has been experimenting with how to use nuclear explosions or other methods to take out satellites.
The new instructions from the Russian president on space nuclear energy did not contain any mentions of nuclear weapons or anti-satellite devices. However, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said in February that the deployment of nuclear weapons or any weapons of mass destruction in space would violate a decades-old treaty.
The treaty Kirby referred to was an agreement signed by the U.S. and the former Soviet Union in 1967, which banned the placement of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in space. After the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine over two years ago, Putin suspended his country's participation in the last remaining treaty with the U.S. that limited nuclear arsenals—the New START treaty.
Newsweek reached out to the White House and the Kremlin via email on Thursday night for comment.
Tass' Thursday report noted that Putin's recent orders came following a meeting with Russia's Cabinet of Ministers, during which they were instructed to allocate "starting from 2024, budgetary allocations from the federal budget in the amount necessary for the implementation of measures provided for by the federal project 'Development of Space Nuclear Energy in Russia.'"
Putin added that the government should pay special attention "to the implementation of measures to develop the existing scientific and technical basis in the field of space nuclear energy."
Last month, the Russian leader spoke about how placing a nuclear power unit in space was a priority for his country.
Russia "has good competencies and, moreover, even has such reserves that we can be proud of, which we can count on in the future," Putin said while citing a nuclear power unit space as an example, according to Tass.
Those comments from Putin came after the head of Roscosmos, Yuri Borisov, said a week earlier that Russia and China were "seriously considering" a project to install a nuclear reactor on the moon sometime between 2033 and 2035.
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-putin-nuclear-space-1889583
WSF-M successfully launches from Vandenberg SFB
April 11, 2024
VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) – A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was successfully launched April 11 from Space Launch Complex-4 East carrying U.S. Space Force’s Weather System Follow-on Microwave, or WSF-M, into low Earth orbit.
The launch is the result of a combined effort by the Guardians and Airmen of Space Launch Delta 30 and Space Systems Command in Los Angeles in support of the U.S. Space Force and SSC’s program executive office, Assured Access to Space, as well as SpaceX personnel.
"The launch of the WSF-M satellite represents a significant step forward in our mission to enhance our nation's space capabilities," said Col. Mark Shoemaker, Space Launch Delta 30 commander. "Our dedicated Guardians and Airmen at Vandenberg ensure assured access to space, standing ready to support critical national security space launches when our nation calls.”
Once on orbit, the WSF-M satellite will provide U.S. and allied warfighters with essential weather data, including the measurement of ocean surface wind speed and direction, ice thickness, snow depth, soil moisture, and local spacecraft energetic charged particle environment. The data gathered by WSF-M will be provided to meteorologists in support of the generation of a wide variety of weather products necessary to conduct mission planning and operations globally.
Vandenberg Space Force Base is the U.S. Space Force’s west coast spaceport and test range. Vandenberg SFB is one of two high-capacity spaceports for the United States, providing strategic space access capabilities that deliver on-orbit systems for global space operations. Guardians and Airmen have enabled more than 2,060 launches from the Vandenberg SFB spaceport to date.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3738652/wsf-m-successfully-launches-from-vandenberg-sfb/
Joint statement on the fourth annual Space Chiefs Forum
Published April 11, 2024
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (ANFS) – At the invitation of U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations, Gen. Chance Saltzman, military space leaders from 18 nations met for the fourth annual Space Chiefs Forum in Colorado on April 11, to discuss shared interests in space. The nations represented were Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The following is a joint statement from the participants:
“We reaffirm that enhanced cooperation among like-minded partners is vital to adapt to the rapidly emerging opportunities and threats in, from, and to space. We have a shared interest in maintaining the peaceful use of outer space and the benefits of space for humankind. We will continue working together to deter ambiguous, unfriendly, or hostile activities in space. We also emphasize our resolve to continue promoting mutually agreed norms and responsible behaviors in space, including by conducting space activities in a manner that prioritizes the safety, security, stability, and sustainability of the space domain.”
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3739229/joint-statement-on-the-fourth-annual-space-chiefs-forum/
USSPACECOM advances space partnerships in South America as part of Space Symposium 39 international engagements
April 11, 2024
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – U.S. Space Command leaders met with representatives from Uruguay, Colombia, Brazil, and Peru to strengthen and expand space cooperation among partner nations in the Western Hemisphere during Space Symposium 39, April 8-11, 2024.
The Space Foundation’s annual event welcomes space professionals from around the world to plan for the future of space activities and promote greater synergy across the space enterprise. In addition to participation in Space Symposium’s programming with keynote remarks, panel discussions, and media engagements, the impressive international turnout offers USSPACECOM the opportunity to fill the week with invaluable discussions alongside global Allies and Partners congregated in a single location.
To kick off the week’s international engagements, U.S. Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting, USSPACECOM commander, and Gen. Luis H. De León Pepelescov, Chief of the Uruguayan Air Force, signed a Space Situational Awareness information sharing agreement. USSPACECOM’s more-than 185 SSA agreements include partners from the commercial sector, academia, and foreign and intergovernmental organizations.
On the final day of Symposium, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Brian Gibson, USSPACECOM director of strategy, plans and policy, and Maj. Gen. Eric CĂłlen, Brazilian Space Operations Center commander, signed an arrangement to assign a Brazilian liaison officer to USSPACECOM. The liaison officer will provide Brazilian armed forces expertise and will serve as the national representative for all aspects of USSPACECOM-Brazilian cooperation with regard to the military use of space.
In addition to these agreements, Whiting and U.S. Space Force Chief Master Sergeant Jacob Simmons, USSPACECOM command senior enlisted leader, participated in bilateral engagements with the Colombian Air Force, and the Peruvian Air Force on the following day to discuss the importance of space cooperation and responsible behaviors among spacefaring nations.
Strengthening partnerships among spacefaring nations promotes safe and sustainable space activities to ensure space remains accessible to future generations’ exploration and benefit.
https://www.spacecom.mil/Newsroom/News/Article-Display/Article/3739017/usspacecom-advances-space-partnerships-in-south-america-as-part-of-space-sympos/