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Very strong mag. 6.3 Earthquake - 51 km NNE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
Updated: Jun 24, 2024 14:28 GMT
A very strong magnitude 6.3 earthquake occurred in the Coral Sea near Gaua Island island, Vanuatu, in the late afternoon of Monday, Jun 24, 2024 at 7.03 pm local time (GMT +11). The quake had a moderate depth of 157 km (97 mi) and was felt by many near the epicenter.
No significant damage or impact is expected from this quake and no particular alert was issued.
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes/9455483/2024-06-24/08h03/magnitude6-Vanuatu.html
NASA cancels ISS spacewalk due to spacesuit coolant leak
June 24, 2024
NASA cancelled a spacewalk at the International Space Station today (June 24) following a spacesuit coolant leak in the hatch.
NASA astronauts Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Mike Barratt were told by Mission Control at 8:52 a.m. EDT (1252 GMT) to stop the planned 6.5-hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS).
The pair had already switched over to the internal power in their suits at 8:46 a.m. (1246 GMT), meaning the spacewalk had technically started.
Following the cancellation, astronauts opened the hatch into the ISS at 9:51 a.m. EDT (1351 GMT), officially ending the spacewalk.
While being broadcast on a NASA Television livestream, they had reported "literally water everywhere" as they were moving their suits to internal power to prepare for the extravehicular activity.
The leak appeared to be coming from a servicing and cooling umbilical (SCU) on Dyson's spacesuit, she reported. While the situation was serious, the astronauts were not in any danger due to the leak.
NASA issued a brief official statement following the cancellation, adding that additional information will follow on the agency's ISS blog.
They made the call to cancel as it was unclear how much water was left in Dyson's suit following the leak, as a precautionary measure, officials added on NASA Television.
"I could see the ice crystals were flowing out there, and then, just like a snow machine, there was ice forming at that port on the SCU," Dyson told Mission Control.
The SCU is designed to connect to the ISS airlock as astronauts are in the hatch preparing for the final stages of disconnecting for the EVA.
They were still in the hatch when the leak happened, with the external door open, but closed it moments after the spacewalk was terminated.
"It was a pretty impressive snowstorm," astronaut Butch Wilmore said during NASA's livestream.
This is the second time this particular spacewalk was postponed, after a June 13 attempt with a different astronaut group (Matt Dominick and Tracy Dyson) was postponed due to a "spacesuit discomfort" issue with Matt Dominick.
A July 2 spacewalk is supposed to happen as well, but it is unclear if that will go ahead under these circumstances.
The total length of the spacewalk was 31 minutes, based on the time that elapsed between switching the suits to internal power and repressurizing the crew airlock.
That brings Tracy Dyson's total EVA time to 23 hours and 20 minutes across four spacewalks, and Mike Barratt's total time to 5 hours and 37 minutes across three EVAs.
The spacewalk had been running slightly behind its expected beginning at 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT) due to some small issues with tethers and other matters, but that was within normal range until the duo reported ice crystals (water) coming from the spacesuit.
"The spacewalk for today has been canceled due to a space suit cooling unit water loop leak that began right after the suits were put on internal battery power," an announcer on NASA Television said shortly after the spacewalk was canceled.
"The crew is now moving back into the airlock and closing … the hatch, then they will begin the repressurization process."
Conditions were frosty inside the hatch during repressurization. "It's a little snowy in here, but not as bad as it was … I have ice on my gloves still and on my helmet a little bit," Dyson said.
Dyson added later she would remain on spacesuit battery power, as she was worried about the water leak affecting the umbilical connectors to the ISS.
Mission Control told her there likely would not be an issue, but said she could remain on battery power if she liked.
The spacewalk was supposed to pick up faulty communications equipment, called a radio frequency group, and Dyson was expected to swab the ISS exterior to gather evidence of microorganisms in extreme microgravity environments.
Monday's EVA was meant to be the first of two upcoming spacewalks geared toward ongoing science and maintenance of the orbital laboratory. (NASA originally planned three, but now plans on doing only two after the June 13 attempt.)
Coolant leaks have plagued planned spacewalks multiple times in recent years. In March 2022, water was found in an astronaut's helmet following an EVA, prompting a seven-month pause in spacewalks.
And in 2013, Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano's helmet terrifyingly filled with water during an EVA.
https://www.space.com/international-space-station-spacewalk-coolant-leak-postpone
>>21075633 PB
SpaceX launches Starlink missions in spaceflight doubleheader
SpaceX pulled off another spaceflight doubleheader on Sunday (June 23).
The company launched two batches of its Starlink internet satellites Sunday, sending them aloft atop Falcon 9 rockets from both U.S. coasts.
The first leg kicked off at 1:15 p.m. EDT (1715 GMT), when a Falcon 9 topped with 22 Starlink craft lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The second rocket, carrying 20 Starlinks — including 13 with direct-to-cell capabilities — launched from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base at 11:47 p.m. EDT (8:47 p.m. local California time; 0347 GMT on June 24).
Both Falcon 9 first stages landed on SpaceX droneships in the ocean shortly after liftoff, as planned.
Sunday's launches were the 63rd and 64th orbital flights of the year for SpaceX, and the 45th and 46th of 2024 dedicated to building out the Starlink megaconstellation in low Earth orbit.
The huge and ever-growing network currently consists of more than 6,100 operational satellites.
Launch doubleheaders have become somewhat commonplace for SpaceX.
On May 22, for example, the company launched the NROL-146 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office from Vandenberg and a Starlink batch from Cape Canaveral.
SpaceX then followed up with another Starlink launch the very next day, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, which is next door to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-doubleheader-launch-june-2024
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-10-2
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-9-2
Robot dinosaur tail could help navigate zero gravity in space
Jun 24, 2024 08:25 AM EST
Due to the lack of gravity, movement in space is unlike anything humans have ever experienced on Earth. Therefore, moving around in zero gravity can be tricky.
Even a small, uncontrolled push can send you spinning. Astronauts need to be aware of their movements and use controlled motions to avoid disorientation.
To conquer the challenges of low-gravity movement, experts are exploring the idea of robotic tails for astronauts.
These tails could significantly improve an astronaut’s ability to maneuver in environments like the Moon or space stations.
Now, industrial designer Chandler Cheng has designed an extra robotic limb called an Augmented Limb, which astronauts may use in the future.
It combines art and technology, offering a look into a future in which humanity may be able to adapt to space better. “In the plausible future, there is going to be a whole generation of humans living their life in zero-gravity.
This kind of environment shift would totally reshape our understanding of space and body function,” Cheng mentioned on the Royal College of Art (RCA) website.
Cheng developed this innovative Augmented Limb for Zero-Gravity Movement Control for the Design Products program as part of the Design Futures course at RCA.
This tail isn't just some wild idea. It's 3D printed and rigorously tested to handle bumps and the harshness of space.
Interestingly, the design draws inspiration from the biomechanics of snakes for its fluid motion and utilizes principles of skeletal engineering from dinosaur tails to ensure structural integrity.
Cheng first created a CAD model of the robotic limb. The Augmented Limb underwent a rigorous 12-step refinement process to ensure that all components functioned flawlessly for maximum zero-gravity performance.
The robotic limb consists of three key components: a control string, a rubber band structure, and limb bone, which mimic the human musculoskeletal system.
As per the RCA website, the control string acts like the muscles in the tail. Moreover, the rubber band structure is a supporting "flesh" for the tail. It gives structure and stability rather than direct control over movement.
These rubber bands restrain the limb from bending too much in one direction, allowing it to maintain its ideal shape.
And lastly, the limb bone design was inspired by the dinosaur tail. These bones connect the different segments of the limb. They're strong enough to handle the forces involved in movement and maneuvering as well as to carry out heavy-load tasks.
These types of limbs allow human bodies to adapt to low-gravity environments. The augmented limb represents the future of human-technology integration. It lays the path for a future where technology effortlessly expands our physical capacities.
"This limb has the ability to automatically anchor to your surroundings, and stabilize your position while floating inside a space station,” the website described. However, this is just a conceptual design, and the mechanics might differ.
With longer stays in space expected to become a reality soon, human bodies will encounter new obstacles that will necessitate physiological adaptations.
"When our hands and feet are no longer appropriate for regulating our movement in zero gravity. We need a new type of body extension," the website stated.
The Augmented Limb may pave the way for a future in which astronauts can undertake a wide range of duties in space. Such supportive limbs may also be beneficial for Martian astronauts.
This design is not the only supportive concept designed for future astronauts. MIT engineers recently announced that they have developed wearable robotic limbs for lunar astronauts.
This robotic limb will allow astronauts to get up quickly after falling on the lunar surface. The Moon's low gravity throws off our sense of balance, making it easy for astronauts to trip during moonwalks.
https://interestingengineering.com/photo-story/dinosaur-tail-inspired-robotic-limb
Russian invaders’ space communications center was hit in Crimea
24 June, 2024
In the temporarily occupied Crimea, a series of explosions occurred during the night near several settlements.
Local media reports, in particular, a strike on a Russian military unit near Yevpatoria.
The Crimean Wind Telegram channel, citing video and photos from eyewitnesses, reported that a large fire had been going on at a military facility of the Russian invaders in the village of Vityno.
According to the Telegram channel, after the explosions heard by the locals, ambulances were moving towards the settlement.
Later, it turned out that the long-range space communication center in the village of Vityne, whose full name is the 40th separate command and measurement complex as part of the Titov Main Test and Space Systems Control Centre of the Russian Aerospace Forces (military unit #81415), was hit.
This facility was seized by the Russians during the annexation of Crimea.
NASA’s interactive satellite fire map FIRMS recorded a fire on the territory of this Russian military unit.
OSINT researchers of the CyberBoroshno Telegram channel found out that at least one Krasukha electronic warfare system was located on the territory of this facility, designed to cover command posts and other important Russian facilities.
From a military unit near Yevpatoriia, the Russians control the orbital grouping of their spacecraft. In particular, they provide the GLONASS navigation system and space monitoring.
Previously, the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched a missile attack on the positions of the Russian S-400 Triumf air defense system in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
The strike took place on the night of June 11-12, and hit a position located almost 2.5 kilometers from the village of Verkhniosadove, Bakhchysarai district.
Satellite images show that the 92H6 radar station, a tractor with a BAZ-6306 “Voshchyna” generator, and a 51P6 launcher were destroyed by the fire.
The weakening of Russian air defense on the temporarily occupied territory increases the chances of Ukrainian missile strikes on the invaders’ military facilities.
https://mil.in.ua/en/news/russian-invaders-space-communications-center-was-hit-in-crimea/
Jones underscores importance of US, Australian alliance at Australian Space Summit
June 24, 2024
The Honorable Kristyn Jones, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, highlighted the critical alliance between the United States and Australia during the Australian Space Summit in Sydney, Australia, May 29, 2024.
The summit offered a chance for defense and civilian space sectors to further partnerships, collaboration and to continue building relationships.
Jones noted the impressive history of the alliance between the U.S. and Australia, from fighting side-by-side during conflicts to formally establishing a security treaty between the two nations 73 years ago, and the ways the shared relationship has paved the way for collaboration in all domains.
“Our partnership has never been stronger,” Jones explained.
“We are modernizing the alliance and engaging in unprecedented new cooperation across all domains … This partnership is key to safeguarding our shared values and advancing initiatives for a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
She also emphasized the need for continued collaboration in the face of today’s dynamic security environment, citing the efforts initiated by the Department of the Air Force to address great power competition during her year of performing the duties of Under Secretary of the Air Force from March 2023 to May 2024.
“[Partnership] is more critical than ever as we face the most complex and challenging strategic environment of our lifetimes,” Jones said.Jones went on to describe the importance of focusing on the space domain.
“One aspect of today’s complex strategic environment is that space is now a contested domain,” Jones said.
“Nations like China and Russia are quickly moving to improve their capabilities and are fielding a wide range of counterspace technologies to disrupt and degrade our space-based capabilities.”
Combatting these emerging technologies is a team effort, and Jones highlighted multiple opportunities the U.S. and Australia have seized to secure a free and safe space domain, including the first-ever Link-16 network entry from space beginning in November 2023.
The efforts, led by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Development Agency (SDA) in collaboration with the Australian Department of Defence, use a ground test site in Australia and low-Earth orbit satellites from Tranche 0 of SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) to transmit tactical messages from space to ground.
The continuing demonstrations showcase the potential to add beyond-line-of-sight capability to Link-16, improving real-time situational awareness and global connectivity for the joint warfighter.
“In competition or conflict, space is the ultimate high ground, and we must be able to secure the domain for our use, while denying advantage to the adversary …
By working together, we better achieve integrated deterrence, and our collective efforts are greater than any individual contribution,” Jones said.
She also described AUKUS, the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the U.S., as foundational to continued collaboration.
Pillar II of the agreement includes the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability, a 24/7, all-weather system that increases the shared ability to detect, track, identify and characterize objects deep in space and take defensive action if necessary.
During the trip, Jones also visited Royal Australian Air Force Bases Williamtown and Edinburgh where she met with RAAF Airmen who briefed her on capabilities such as Australia’s E-7 Wedgetail and F-35A Lightning II.
She also spoke with U.S. Air Force Airmen who are assigned to RAAF bases as part of the two countries’ robust Military Personnel Exchange Program.
In addition to various other immersive stops, Jones spent time with Australian Defence Space Commander Maj. Gen. Gregory Novak and Royal Australian Air Force Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Robert Chipman.
The leaders discussed various opportunities to continue to advance shared objectives in the air and space domains.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3814734/jones-underscores-importance-of-us-australian-alliance-at-australian-space-summ/
'Missing MH370 could have been incinerated into dust by covert weapons targeting UFOs'
UPDATED11:10, 23 JUN 2024
Missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 could've been "incinerated" into dust by UFO-hunting technology, a scientist has claimed.
The tragic flight which disappeared in 2014 with 239 people on board appeared to vanish into thin air en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Now Dr Steven Greer, a self confessed authority on UFO and extraterrestrial contact claims he has gathered evidence to suggest it could've been mistakenly zapped by covert weapons used to shoot down spaceships.
It comes after he released the Disclosure Project Intelligence Archive - a bombshell dossier that documents extra terrestrial encounters from across the world spanning the last three decades.
Sharing his revelations on Michael Sandler's Inspire Nation channel on YouTube, he said: "This archive is basically the disclosure everyone's asking for.
"Short of us hauling a dead ET body in a spacecraft out of a deep underground military base - it's in the archive - we have the photos, we have the witnesses, we have the documents.
"This is 34 years and well over $20m spent to put all this together…so it's there for the public, it's a gift for humanity."
During the interview, Steven, who claims to have met aliens, explains a number of theories surrounding the disappearances of aircrafts like MH370.
He tells how he was taken on a helicopter ride with a senior operator working on a covert programme late last year when he was flown over two "black sites."
He said it was there that electromagnetic pulse weapons were used to create "faster than the speed of light" scalar pulses that target extra terrestrial vehicles, with several "knocked down every year."
He said: "If you look at our crash retrieval section (on the archive), you'll see there's something like 130 plus crash retrieval cases but that's probably less than 10% of the ones that have happened."
He added: "Something scarier is that the director who took me there (to the black sites) said, as tears came to his eyes…when we put up a temporary flight restriction over this area, if a civilian aircraft flies in there, like a private jet or plane, we hit it and that plane and those people vanish and no-one ever knows what happened to them…
"Even sometimes, when people are outside the temporary flight restriction area, the beam of this weapon will go out too far and hit an aircraft and he has personally retrieved them - the bodies of the ETs and craft and these innocent civilians who have been killed."
Interviewee Michael Sandler cuts in: "It makes me think of a very big airplane that disappeared a few years back," referring to MH370.
Dr Greer replies: "Well who knows? I mean I know what the technologies are and I know what they are capable of and I also know that sometimes these covert programmes are trying to hit and retrieve an extra terrestrial vehicle to study it, and they will inadvertently hit a civilian aircraft and of course, that gets covered up or whatever…
"Or in the case of this one site, there's no trace, we're talking incineration of both the human bodies and the human aircraft to powder.
"There's nothing there and so unfortunately there are people who are wondering what happened to their family members flying on a private plane out in certain areas that vanished that have never been found.
"Well now we know where they are - they're nowhere - but we know what happened." The interview, which claims to reveal "more hidden UFO and UAP truths than have ever been released before" was uploaded earlier this week attracting over 48,600 views and hundreds of comments.
The video description says: "You'll see what's been hidden, where it's been hidden, secret bases, secret photos, video, maps, documents, technologies and more, in this once-in-a-lifetime show, that can help blow the doors open on what's really going on with UFO's…and the secret powers with a hidden agenda who are both hiding the truth, AND already harbor UFO technology."
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/missing-mh370-could-been-incinerated-33071307
https://geni.us/DPIArchive
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdDybd8N1J4
What’s that UFO sighting? It’s a Subway sandwich
June 22, 2024
Have you spotted a UFO sighting near you? As part of UFO Day, Subway drones are delivering sandwiches to loyal customers. Unidentified Flying Object? Hardly.
On June 24, 2024, “UFO” will stand for “Ultimate Footlong Offering” as Subway utilizes drones to deliver footlong menu items to its most active MVP Rewards members in Atlanta, Ga.; Dallas, Texas; Denver, Colo.; and Orlando, Fla.
(Our editor-in-chief, Matt, is scheduled for a delivery. Stay tuned for video!)
Subway’s UFOs will drop off Footlong Sandwiches, Footlong Cookies, and the new Footlong Dippers (which come as pepperoni and cheese, chicken and cheese, or double cheese).
https://attractionsmagazine.com/ufo-sighting-subway-sandwich/