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Sound of Earth’s magnetic flip 41 000 years ago
10/10/2024
Approximately 41 000 years ago, Earth’s magnetic field briefly reversed during what is known as the Laschamp event. During this time, Earth’s magnetic field weakened significantly—dropping to a minimum of 5% of its current strength—which allowed more cosmic rays to reach Earth’s atmosphere.
Scientists at the Technical University of Denmark and the German Research Centre for Geosciences used data from ESA’s Swarm mission, along with other sources, to create a sounded visualisation of the Laschamp event.
They mapped the movement of Earth’s magnetic field lines during the event and created a stereo sound version which is what you can hear in the video.
The soundscape was made using recordings of natural noises like wood creaking and rocks falling, blending them into familiar and strange, almost alien-like, sounds.
The process of transforming the sounds with data is similar to composing music from a score.
Data from ESA’s Swarm constellation are being used to better understand how Earth’s magnetic field is generated.
The satellites measure magnetic signals not only from the core, but also from the mantle, crust, oceans and up to the ionosphere and magnetosphere.
These data are crucial for studying phenomena such as geomagnetic reversals and Earth’s internal dynamics.
The sound of Earth’s magnetic field, the first version of the magnetic field sonification produced with Swarm data, was originally played through a 32-speaker system set up in a public square in Copenhagen, with each speaker representing changes in the magnetic field at different places around the world over the past 100 000 years.
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2024/10/Sound_of_Earth_s_magnetic_flip_41_000_years_ago
Severe solar storm could supercharge auroras across US, impact power grids, NOAA warns
October 10, 2024
Get ready, aurora chasers: There's a good chance you'll be able to catch a nice light show by the end of the week!
Forecasters with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) are highlighting the potential for a severe geomagnetic storm on Thursday (Oct. 10) and Friday (Oct. 11).
That storm is likely to be in the G4 class — the second-highest level on the SWPC's geomagnetic storm scale, which takes into account both severity and potential impacts.
Indeed, the SWPC has issued a G4 geomagnetic storm warning — the second one they've released since 2005.
The other came this past May, in advance of a storm that spawned incredibly dramatic auroral displays.
The culprit? Another massive explosion from the sun.
On Tuesday night (Oct. 8), the sunspot AR 3848 produced a strong X1.8-class solar flare.
X flares are the most powerful type of flare, and this one triggered radio blackouts across sunlit parts of Earth.
SWPC forecasters analyzed the flare using data gathered by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft and determined that it was accompanied by a coronal mass ejection (CME), a huge eruption of solar particles and magnetic fields.
And that CME is directed toward Earth, and is expected to trigger a powerful geomagnetic storm when it hits us.
"If you think of two magnets and they have the same polarity, and [you] try to put them together, they repel.
If they're opposite, they connect, and the magnets will stay together. It's the same thing here," Shawn Dahl, service coordinator for the SWPC, said at a press conference on Wednesday (Oct. 9).
"If the magnetic field in the CME is the same as Earth's, we will have an initial impact in effect and immediate enhancement in geomagnetic response, but we probably will not reach those severe levels or potentially higher," Dahl added.
"If it's favorably connected as it comes through or changes into that configuration throughout its passage, then we will escalate in responses.
That's where the true potential will come in, and we can issue our warnings and subsequent alerts as we reach those levels of activity."
According to SWPC forecasters, this CME is racing toward Earth at speeds between 2.7 million miles per hour and 2.9 million miles per hour (4.3 million kilometers per hour to 4.7 million kilometers per hour) — the fastest one they've seen in a while, Dahl said.
It could hit our planet's magnetic field as early as Thursday morning. "It's a shock front that arrives here at Earth first, like a strong cold front moving across the U.S.
You suddenly get a blast of enormous wind, but it may take a while for the extreme cold temperatures to show up.
It's a similar thing with these CMEs," Dahl said.
"We get the shock front arrival and immediate jump-up of speed and strengthen[ing] of the magnetic field," Dahl added.
"The strongest part of the magnetic field, like the extreme cold temperatures, may not show up for a bit because that's in that magnetic cloud portion as it rolls and passes over Earth.
For those who are monitoring it and see that we had an arrival, but then things look like they're settling down, they are not. We still have the magnetic cloud to pass over Earth, so keep that in mind."
Strong geomagnetic storms can disrupt radio communications and power grids and even damage orbiting satellites.
But they can also boost the auroras, also known as the northern and southern lights, making them more intense and viewable at lower latitudes than usual.
However, uncertainty is always involved with auroras.
Forecasters say that if the coming geomagnetic storm strengthens and progresses into the evening, observers in central eastern states, the lower Midwest and Northern California could have a chance to see auroral displays.
To get an idea of how things are progressing, you can monitor the SWPC website, use tools like the 30-minute forecasts and watch for ground-truth reports on social media.
"You need us to be ready to roll and monitor our web page, that real-time solar wind in particular," Dahl said.
"Be cognizant and maybe subscribe to the actual alerts so you know when activities are taking place. What you're going to be looking for is the enhanced magnetic field, which we expect to have, and what's that orientation.
If it's staying northward, it's not as likely to progress further southward.
But, if it goes to opposite Earth — southward, as we call it — that's when things will rapidly spin up and the aurora is most likely."
Forecasters also stress that no two storms are alike, and there's still much to determine about this one as it approaches Earth.
https://www.space.com/severe-solar-storm-geomagnetic-storm-auroras-power-grids-october-10-11-2024
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/
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Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS photobombs SOHO spacecraft during powerful solar flare
October 9, 2024
Nothing makes a photo more interesting than an unexpected guest appearing in the background. And how cool would it be if the photobomber were a comet?
That's exactly what happened to the sun-studying Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, a joint effort of the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA, beginning on Oct. 7.
Typically, scientists use the view from SOHO's Large Angle Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) instrument to monitor the sun's activity and determine if a coronal mass ejection (CME) accompanies a solar flare from active sunspot regions.
Coronographs block the overwhelmingly bright solar disk from view, allowing scientists to get a better look at solar activity that would otherwise be hidden by the sun's glare.
This week, a thick, bright line entered from the right side of SOHO's imagery and paraded across the field of view, moving toward the top of the frame.
This vibrant white object was confirmed to be Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS).
The comet's head, or coma, extends for roughly 130,000 miles (209,000 kilometers), with its tail measuring about 18 million miles (29 million km) long, which is why it has remained in SOHO's view for several days now.
Being so close to Earth on its current track, Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS has been visible as well for stargazers across the United States and even to astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS)!
There's another treat in the new SOHO imagery as well: If you look to the left of the solar disk, you can see a bright white ball, which is the planet Mercury.
SOHO's imagery is recorded in real time, so we can see the beginning of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS' "star-studded" appearance in LASCO's view.
While the comet might be stealing the show as the brightest object in view, you can also see what look like puffs of smoke coming off the sun.
Those are actually solar storms erupting from a sunspot and racing out into space.
One of them was an X flare — the most powerful type of solar flare — and accompanying CME that erupted on Wednesday (Oct. 9) and were recorded by SOHO.
The confetti of white that spreads out across the view in the SOHO video is generated by charged solar particles hitting the camera, creating a "snow" effect across the imagery.
You can check out the different views from SOHO at any time here.
If you're an amateur astronomer and are still hoping to get a glimpse of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, pending weather and sky conditions, look up approximately 25 minutes after the sun sets on Thursday (Oct. 10) and Friday (Oct. 11).
You might need the assistance of binoculars to start to scan the horizon since the comet is at a lower altitude, but once you spot the vivid glow, there's a chance you might be able to see it with the naked eye.
You can learn more about how to spot the comet in our Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS viewing guide.
https://www.space.com/comet-tsuchinshan-atlas-soho-solar-flare-video
https://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/gif/
Starlink activates emergency phone connectivity for Hurricane Milton
October 9, 2024
SpaceX has received emergency temporary approval to provide space-based connectivity to T-Mobile customers in Florida who may lose cellular service due to Hurricane Milton.
A source familiar with the situation said the Federal Communications Commission granted SpaceX a 15-day special temporary authority (STA) for the storm’s projected path across central Florida.
SpaceX said in an Oct. 8 social media post that it has enabled basic texting services on T-Mobile phones in areas affected by Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene, following similar regulatory approval granted after Helene caused cellular outages in North Carolina weeks earlier.
The company said it has also activated the more than 100 direct-to-smartphone satellites launched so far to deliver emergency alerts to all phones and carriers used by those affected by the hurricanes.
Announcing an STA from the FCC Oct. 6 to respond to areas affected by Hurricane Helene, SpaceX said basic texting capabilities could be delivered to most cell phones on the T-Mobile network in North Carolina, adding that “all services will be delivered on a best-effort basis” because its direct-to-smartphone constellation had not been fully deployed.
The emergency approvals extend a similar capability satellite operator Globalstar has enabled on recent iPhone models across the United States to Android and other phones.
Apple’s service uses Globalstar’s L-band spectrum, which is cleared for use from space.
SpaceX and other direct-to-smartphone pioneers, such as AST SpaceMobile and Lynk Global, are seeking FCC permission to use frequencies from cellular partners to connect mass-market devices from space on a commercial basis.
“We remain committed to helping with hurricane recovery efforts,” an FCC spokesperson said via email.
“We stand ready to do all that is necessary to return connectivity to hard-hit areas and save lives.”
SpaceX is also offering a free month of Starlink low Earth orbit broadband service for areas affected by Hurricane Helene, not including the cost of ordering and shipping the user terminal.
As of Oct. 8, the company said it had delivered more than 10,000 Starlink kits in response to Hurricane Helene.
Geostationary satellite operators are also gearing up to respond to potential terrestrial communication outages in Florida after helping restore connectivity following Hurricane Helene.
“We have reserve satellite capacity and will work with our disaster response customers to determine what we can operationalize, given the capabilities that exist on the ground,” a spokesperson for Intelsat said.
Intelsat has sent terminals to North Carolina in Hurricane Helene’s wake via emergency response non-profit Help.NGO.
“Many communities are still experiencing zero signal,” Help.NGO operations director Adam Marlatt said in an Oct. 9 email, “making communication and effective coordination of relief efforts impossible.
The scale of devastation is tremendous. We are actively working to provide connectivity for responders, community hubs, food distribution centers, emergency operation centers, and more.”
Marlatt said Help.NGO has been utilizing terminals from StarWin and Kymeta to facilitate communications on the move between its teams and partners in North Carolina.
“We’ve already mobilized additional personnel and resources in response to Hurricane Milton,” he added, “with part of our team now deployed in Florida.”
https://spacenews.com/starlink-activates-emergency-phone-connectivity-for-hurricane-milton/
Scientists discover bright 'sungrazer' comet that could be visible with the naked eye this month — after Tsuchinshan–ATLAS
October 10, 2024
Throughout the first half of October, a super bright comet, known as Tsuchinshan–ATLAS, will be visible to the naked eye in parts of the late night and early morning sky as it makes its closest approach to Earth for more than 80,000 years.
However, it turns out that the "once-in-a-lifetime" comet is not the only visitor in town.
Astronomers have just discovered a second comet, C/2024 S1 (ATLAS), which will also make its closest approach to our planet this month and potentially be visible without a telescope.
Over the last few weeks, skywatchers have been obsessed with Tsuchinshan–ATLAS, which was first discovered in early 2023.
The comet was previously predicted to break apart on its approach to Earth but has stayed intact and will make its closest approach to our planet on Saturday (Oct. 12).
It can be spotted with the naked eye and has been captured in several stunning photographs but will likely start to fade from view in the coming weeks.
But on Sept. 27, astronomers at Hawaii's Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) project, which played a role in discovering Tsuchinshan–ATLAS, spotted C/2024 S1 for the first time.
The newfound comet was initially designated "A11bP7I" but after follow-up observations confirmed its existence, it was given its official new title, according to the Virtual Telescope Project.
Not much is known about the C/2024 S1's size, shape or orbit around the sun.
However, it likely comes from the Oort Cloud — a large reservoir of comets and other icy objects near the solar system's edge — and probably hasn't been this close to the sun for centuries.
The newfound comet will make its closest approach to Earth on Oct. 24, when it will come within 81.8 million miles (131.6 million km) of our planet.
Four days later, on Oct. 28, it will reach its closest point to the sun, or perihelion, when it will skim past our home star at a distance of around 765,000 miles (1.2 million km).
C/2024 S1 is what astronomers call a "sungrazer" comet because it will get extremely close to our home star.
If it survives its close shave with the sun, the comet will be catapulted back out toward the outer solar system.
However, the odds of the comet surviving this superheated slingshot are uncertain.
On April 8, astronomers spotted another sungazing comet making its final approach to the sun on the same day as the total solar eclipse, which cast a shadow over large parts of North America.
However, it disintegrated just a few hours later.
Initial photos of C/2024 S1 also hint that it has a green glow, which is a rare color for comets, Spaceweather.com reported.
This unusual hue, similar to the "devil comet" (12P/Pons-Brooks) that passed close by our planet in March, comes from dicarbon molecules — two carbon molecules bonded together — in the comet's coma and tail.
At its peak brightness, between Oct. 24 and Oct. 28, the comet will be brighter than Venus and most other objects in the night sky, Forbes reported.
However, it will only really be visible just before sunrise in the Southern Hemisphere.
C/2024 S1 could still be visible from the Northern Hemisphere between Oct. 29 and Oct. 31, when it will be significantly dimmer, according to Forbes.
But only if it survives its slingshot around the sun.
If the comet does last long enough for you to see it, you can track the comet's journey using TheSkyLive.com.
You can also increase your chances of seeing C/2024 S1 using a good pair of stargazing binoculars or a small telescope to enhance the view.
https://www.space.com/sungrazer-comet-could-be-visible-to-naked-eye-this-month
https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=C%2F2024%20s1
China launches third high orbit internet satellite
October 10, 2024
China launched a new communications satellite towards geostationary orbit Thursday, although its precise role remains undisclosed​.
A Long March 3B lifted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, southwest China, at 9:50 a.m. Eastern, Oct. 10 (1350 UTC).
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) declared the launch was a complete success over an hour after liftoff.
CASC revealed the previously undisclosed payload for the launch to be High orbit internet satellite-03 (Weixing Hulianwan Gaogui-03).
It follows the first and second satellites in series, launched Feb. 29 and Aug. 1 respectively.
The new satellite was developed by CASC’s China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), while another CASC institute, CALT, provided the launcher. It was the 99th launch of the Long March 3B rocket.
Neither CASC nor Chinese media reports revealed details of the new satellite or its uses.
No images of the satellite, nor an indication of the satellite platform and its potential uses or customers, were provided.
While the spacecraft is described as a “high-orbit internet services satellite,” the satellite will operate in geostationary orbit.
State media Xinhua reported in November 2023 that a first high orbit internet satellite had been completed.
It would be used to provide coverage for the entirety of China and key areas along the “Belt and Road” initiative.
The first high orbit internet satellite is located at 33.7 degrees. The location could allow it to provide services to Africa and the Middle East.
The lack of publicly available information raises speculation about its potential uses, which could include military applications.
The satellite, if confirmed for communications purposes, would enhance China’s global internet coverage through space infrastructure.
This includes low Earth orbit megaconstellations Guowang and Thousand Sails/Qianfan, medium Earth orbit satellites, and the existing ChinaSat and Apstar satellites in GEO.
Observational astronomers recently produced a paper indicating the first 18 Thousand Sails/Qianfan satellites are significantly bright and pose a new challenge for astronomers.
China is also planning a space infrastructure system that would integrate communications with navigation and positioning and remote sensing.
The launch was China’s 47th of 2024. CASC stated early this year that the country aimed to launch around 100 times across 2024. That number included around 30 launches from commercial providers.
The space and defense giant more recently stated in late September that it plans to conduct more than 20 launches before the end of the year.
This will include the launch of the crewed Shenzhou-19 mission in late October. The Tianzhou-8 cargo mission will also launch to the Tiangong space station around November.
Meanwhile, the new Long March 12 rocket is expected to have its inaugural flight from a new commercial spaceport in the near future.
Commercial plans may have been slowed due to safety concerns following a first stage static-fire test in June which saw the large, fully fueled stage escape from the test stand.
https://spacenews.com/china-launches-third-high-orbit-internet-satellite/
Volta Space Technologies unveils plans for lunar power satellite network
October 10, 2024
A startup has unveiled plans to develop a network of satellites around the moon to provide power to spacecraft on the lunar surface.
Volta Space Technologies, headquartered in Montréal and with offices in the United States, revealed plans Oct. 10 for satellites that would collect power and transmit it via lasers to spacecraft on the lunar surface, helping them survive the two-week lunar night or operate in permanently shadowed craters at the lunar poles.
Justin Zipkin, co-founder and chief executive of Volta, said in an interview that the company emerged from a class project at the International Space University to power satellites as a service.
That led to participating in a NASA prize competition called Watts on the Moon for developing lunar power technologies.
Volta’s system, called LightGrid, would involve satellites in lunar orbit, collecting solar power and beaming it down with lasers to receivers mounted on lunar landers and rovers.
That would allow the landers and rovers to continue to operate when solar power is not available.
Paolo Pino, co-founder and chief technology officer of Volta, said it could later be extended to other lunar facilities, from sensors to in-situ resource utilization plants.
“The customers we were speaking to all had a lot of excitement for the kind of service that we could provide, the capability of lunar night survival and being able to operate in permanently shadowed regions and to buy power on demand, no matter what location you’re at,” Zipkin said, noting the company has term sheets from potential customers valued at more than $250 million to provide power services if it can deploy the system.
The company has developed technology to transmit power by lasers, testing it in labs and in the field at distances of up to 850 meters.
The company is gearing up to test the technology in Earth orbit on a satellite mission in 2026.
Pino said a minimum of three satellites in the “small satellite class” in low lunar orbits could provide full service to an individual customer, with the network scaled up to support more customers.
“The advantage of being in orbit is that it’s more easily scaled and augmented with more satellites,” he said, as compared to placing power infrastructure on the lunar surface.
“It’s a much simpler proposition to put a spacecraft in low lunar orbit than it is to soft-land it on the surface,” added Paul Damphousse, chief operating officer of Volta and president of its U.S. subsidiary.
“The chief advantage is that you’re in space, and you have global coverage from day one.”
Volta has raised a seed round of funding, the amount of which executives declined to disclose.
The company’s investors include the funds MaC Venture Capital and Industrious Ventures, and it has won grants and awards from the Defense Department, NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
Volta is working on a Series A round and Zipkin said it will need an additional Series B round to deploy that initial network of lunar satellites, projected for 2028.
The company is looking at other applications of both its satellite system and power-beaming technology.
Damphousse noted that the satellites, operating in “very interesting orbits” around the moon, could accommodate hosted payloads.
“There are some space-to-space applications, particularly on the national security space side of things, where you are generating power and transmitting it to one or more platforms that are that are in space as well,” he said.
Power could also be transmitted from space to users on the ground, with Volta exploring opportunities in airborne and maritime domains.
Zipkin added it could extend to emergency services, like disaster relief. “
You can imagine being able to provide emergency services like power and communications when infrastructure is not working because of natural disasters,” he said.
Damphousse said the company sees synergies between the initial power delivery services it plans to provide at the moon and terrestrial applications.
“There are some things that are unique to the moon that we don’t have to deal with on the Earth, and vice versa, but the level of overlap is much, much greater than not.”
https://spacenews.com/volta-space-technologies-unveils-plans-for-lunar-power-satellite-network/
Debate over Space Guard rekindles amid growing reliance on satellites for disaster relief
October 9, 2024
The impact of devastating hurricanes has brought renewed attention to the role of the National Guard and satellite communications in disaster response, prompting a renewed debate over whether the Pentagon should establish a Space National Guard as a component of the U.S. Space Force.
John Klein, a professor and expert in military strategy, argues that a Space National Guard would provide much-needed support during disaster relief efforts.
National Guard forces are activated when local resources are overwhelmed by natural disasters.
National Guard units are uniquely positioned to provide these services during domestic crises, thanks to the authorities granted under Title 32, which active-duty military do not have, Klein said Oct. 9 during a discussion at George Washington University’s Space Policy Institute, where he presented the second edition of his book, “Space Warfare Strategy, Principles, and Policy.”
Since the establishment of the U.S. Space Force in 2019, the idea of creating a Space National Guard has been embroiled in political debate.
Advocates argue that a dedicated space unit could enhance preparedness for both military and domestic emergencies.
Detractors, including the White House and senior Pentagon officials, warn that forming such a force would be costly and lead to unnecessary bureaucracy.
Increased reliance on satcom
Meanwhile, the role of satellite communications in disaster response has expanded.
Starlink, a satellite internet system operated by SpaceX, has become a critical resource for emergency connectivity, offering stable internet access when terrestrial networks are down.
During Hurricane Helene’s aftermath, the Federal Emergency Management Agency shipped 180 Starlink kits to North Carolina, reinforcing calls for better integration of satellite technology into disaster relief efforts.
Scott Pace, director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, noted the shift in his own perspective.
Formerly opposed to the idea of a Space National Guard, Pace said Klein’s comments brought back memories of past debates about state-level space programs.
“Back when Governor Jerry Brown proposed a space program for California, I didn’t think it was a great idea,” Pace said.
“But now, seeing the role that Starlink has played in North Carolina’s disaster response, I’m beginning to think there might be room for a Space National Guard.”
Currently, about 700 members of the Air National Guard support space operations, including satellite communications.
However, whether there is enough political will to create a separate Space National Guard remains uncertain.
The Biden administration has consistently argued that integrating these units into the Space Force would be simpler and more cost-effective.
https://spacenews.com/debate-over-space-guard-rekindles-amid-growing-reliance-on-satellites-for-disaster-relief/
X-37B begins novel space maneuver
Published Oct. 10, 2024
The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV-7) will begin executing a series of novel maneuvers, called aerobraking, to change its orbit around Earth and safely dispose of its service module components in accordance with recognized standards for space debris mitigation.
Since December 28, 2023, the United States Space Force, supported by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, has conducted radiation effect experiments and has been testing Space Domain Awareness technologies in a Highly Elliptical Orbit.
The use of the aerobraking maneuver- a series of passes using the drag of Earth's atmosphere- enables the spacecraft to change orbits while expending minimal fuel.
Once the aerobrake maneuver is complete, the X-37B will resume its test and experimentation objectives until they are accomplished, at which time the vehicle will de-orbit and execute a safe return as it has during its six previous missions.
Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall stated,
"This novel and efficient series of maneuvers demonstrates the Space Force's commitment to achieving groundbreaking innovation as it conducts national security missions in space."
This is the first time the U.S. Space Force and the X-37B have attempted to carry out this dynamic aerobraking maneuver leveraging six successful missions of operating the space plane safely, as well as decades of general lessons learned from the scientific community conducting Moon and Mars missions.
Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman praised the team for its efforts.
"This first of a kind maneuver from the X-37B is an incredibly important milestone for the United States Space Force as we seek to expand our aptitude and ability to perform in this challenging domain.
The success is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the team."
AFRCO has managed the X-37B program since 2010. It is dedicated to advancing the next generation of reusable space capabilities for the United States Space Force.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3932137/x-37b-begins-novel-space-maneuver/
https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/4922998-democrats-are-lost-in-space-can-republicans-do-better/
Democrats are lost in space. Can Republicans do better?
10/09/24 2:00 PM ET
You’ve probably heard about the problems with America’s industrial base. But what about our space industrial base?
The next few decades portend a second space race with geopolitical foes such as China and Russia.
Although we face major supply-chain and labor-pipeline challenges, the situation is hardly grim.
America has a window of opportunity to make the strategic investments to ensure the final frontier remains open, free and amenable to commerce.
Concerns about the state of the nation’s industrial base are hardly new.
While there were good reasons for structural economic changes, as the wealth gains from economizing on manufacturing labor and capital were significant, there is more to public policy than economic efficiency. Resilience and defense capabilities matter just as much.
Rather than lament our nation’s industrial situation, we should view the upcoming years as a chance to do better.
We don’t need to double down on the production and distribution methods of the past.
Instead, we can build a genuinely inclusive economy capable of creating enormous wealth and meeting international strategic challenges.
Strengthening the space-industrial base doesn’t mean limiting employment opportunities to college graduates.
We need more engineers and scientists to continue the revolution in small-satellite constellations, which have enormous commercial and military potential.
But we also need sheet metal workers, pipe welders and a host of other skilled jobs that don’t require a college degree.
SpaceX, the most successful commercial space company in the world and America’s chief geopolitical space asset, is eager to hire these workers to build Starship, its next-generation superheavy launch vehicle.
Returning to the Moon and progressing to Mars depends on our ability to harness both university and trade-school talents.
Whoever wins the presidential election in November must make space infrastructure a priority.
China, our chief opponent in space, is becoming increasingly aggressive and capable in its space operations.
Russia’s willingness to weaponize orbit makes it nearly as dangerous.
Republicans and Democrats should be able to agree that maintaining America’s space dominance is a priority.
Yet the parties do not have equally impressive recent records on space policy — Republicans have accomplished much more.
The Trump administration issued seven major space policy directives on an array of issues, such as putting space commerce on a more secure foundation, establishing responsible practices for space traffic management and, of course, establishing the U.S. Space Force.
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Several executive orders revamped America’s space strategy and worked towards creating a system of property rights for outer space resources.
Vice President Mike Pence capably guided and participated in National Space Council activities.
The years 2016 to 2020 were arguably the most consequential years for American space policy since Apollo 11.
Unfortunately, the Biden administration failed to keep the momentum going. It has continued most of Trump’s endeavors, but has not solidified or extended the gains of recent years.
Vice President Harris was notably unenthusiastic about taking charge of the space policy portfolio. There is no evidence she will change if elected president.
The best that can be said about Democrats’ approach to space is that they are not overtly hostile to innovative policy. But this is hardly the forward-looking attitude we need to achieve our nation’s vital space interests.
If Trump returns to the White House, JD Vance will likely take point on space policy.
Vance has been outspoken in his calls for restoring the U.S. industrial base and rejuvenating the middle class.
Frankly, this cannot be done through structural economic regression. The American economy will never again look like it did during the decades after World War II.
But Vance’s optimism and policy fluency position him well to push for a common-good economic agenda that prioritizes space.
As we’ve seen, winning the next space race requires concerted cooperation among PhDs and trade-school graduates, entrepreneurs and civil servants, military and civilian professionals.
Democrats claim the mantle of the “opportunity economy,” yet Republicans may be better positioned to deliver, while meeting 21st-century geopolitical objectives at the same time.
“Control of space means control of the world,” was a Cold War adage. This was hyperbole 60 years ago, but it rings true today.
Our lives increasingly depend on an array of communication and logistics services from orbital assets.
There are extraordinary scientific and commercial possibilities even deeper into the final frontier.
We can reap these benefits if we work now to build the terrestrial infrastructure for celestial power.
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New York State Resident Claims Auroras Summoned UFOs?
October 9, 2024
We've heard our share of strange conspiracies, but this is certainly something you don't hear everyday?
Are the Aurora Borealis bringing more than than just Earthlings out?
An increase in solar storms has brought colorful Northern Lights as far south as New York state one the weeks and months.
But while the colorful lights may have brightened the night skies, some residents in New York are claiming that's not the only thing being seen above.
A New York state resident recently made a bold statement during a recent report to a national online center for witnesses of unexplained flying craft.
Is there actually a link between the Auroras and these so-called flying saucers?
A resident in Wayne County, New York said in a recent report to the National UFO Reporting Center that they witnessed several strange flying craft that changed colors over Lake Ontario.
The resident said they were taking photos with their husband as they waited for the Northern Lights the night of October 5.
The report says that they saw a shooting star and then "one very bright light glow and then go dim".
After the first object went dim, the report claims two more appeared and "completed a triangle formation".
The witness says the lights would continue to alternate between bright and dim, as they moved around and even circled each other for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Perhaps the strangest part of the report was the resident's claim that since Auroras are "an energy vortex" phenomena such as UFOs "are attracted to".
The witness went on to say that the unidentified objects would "systemically light up one after each other" much like the famous Phoenix UFO sightings from 1997.
https://wpdh.com/ufo-aurora-northern-lights-paranormal-new-york-state-ny/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13938399/Elon-reveals-military-sightings-UFOs-share-evidence-aliens.html
Elon Musk reveals what military sightings of UFOs really are - as he promises to share evidence of aliens on X
Updated: 02:22 EDT, 9 October 2024
Billionaire Elon Musk has endorsed the theory that UFOs are a 'new weapons program' hidden within the US government's vast black budget.
The tech mogul recently told Tucker Carlson that he believes 'we are the aliens' because he has never seen extraterrestrial life in his time running SpaceX.
'Unidentified flying objects' are one thing,' the tech mogul said in the interview, 'but there's always a bunch of classified programs that are underway: new aircraft, new missiles and things.'
His statements echoed that of the Pentagon, itself — which reported that a spike in UFO sightings from the 1950s and 60s had been caused by tests of advanced US spy planes and space technology.
But Musk promised to be the first person to expose extraterrestrial life, vowing to post any evidence he uncovers on his social media site X the moment he finds it.
'I would guarantee that the split-second I see any evidence of aliens, I will immediately post that on the X platform,' Musk told Carlson on the pundit's new show, which is hosted on the social media site X.
'It will probably be our number one post of all time,' the billionaire added.
But Musk said he believes UFOs seen in the skies now are classified military vehicles.
'Where are the aliens? Why don't I see them,' Musk said to Tucker.
'A lot of people think we see aliens, but I have not seen any evidence.'
He continued to explain that SpaceX has more than 6,000 Starlink satellites in orbit and 'not once have we had to maneuver around an alien spacecraft.'
Many skeptical commentators have long maintained that UFOs could be classified US military test planes or other next-generation craft like the the Silent Ventus drone.
The drone was made by Florida-based start-up Undefined Technologies and generates thrust by ionizing the air with custom-made electrodes.
SpaceX has also been rumored to be building a network of hundreds of spy satellites under a classified $1.8 billion contract with US intelligence agency the National Reconnaissance Office, which may have been the secret weapons Musk was referring to.
But the comments from the on-again, off-again contender for the world's richest man elicited mixed reactions online, including from reporters responsible for bringing to light some of America's most credentialed and high-profile UFO whistleblowers.
Investigative journalist Ross Coulthart — who conducted the first televised interview with UFO whistleblower David Grusch last year — has long maintained that Musk knows more than he is letting on about the government's secret UFO programs.
'I've been told by people who are aware of what Elon Musk and SpaceX are up to, that he has been read in to parts of "The Program,"' Coulthart told viewers of the cable channel NewsNation this May.
'But at the moment, he's taking the position he's taken,' he added. 'Let's see how long that lasts.'
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Other critics on social media were less measured in their criticism of Musk's comments, however.
'So Elon is saying the USG has tech that can go from space to the surface of the ocean in seconds while also making sharp angle turns with no visible means of propulsion or wings and instantly disappear in front of pilots' eyes,' an X user shared.
'Why is he wasting money on #SpaceX then?'
A UAP researcher said Musk sounded almost 'exactly like Mick West' during the interview. 'It's making sense. They're all on the same team,' Robert WR commented.
'They're using the same words and same method of saying, 'it's PROBABLY this,' without any shred of evidence. They're hypocrites bc that's what they accuse the ufo com. of.'
But Musk is not the only one to come forward with the theory. In March, US officials said there was 'no evidence' that the US government had encountered alien life and the UFOs seen by American are merely objects from Earth.
While the public criticizes Musk on X about his comments, he has been at least consistent with his opinion on UFOs throughout the year.
In May, the SpaceX founder said the people who believe there are aliens among us are the same people who believe NASA's moon landings were fake.
Speaking on a panel titled 'How to save the human race and other light topics' at the 2024 Milken Institute Global Conference held in Los Angeles, Musk gave a similar response to what he shared with Tucker.
'I've not seen any evidence of aliens,' Musk said. 'And SpaceX, with the Starlink constellation, has roughly 6,000 satellites, and not once have we had to maneuver around a UFO. […] Never. So I'm like, okay, I don't see any evidence of aliens.'
Nevertheless, Musk's network of 6,426 Starlink satellites currently orbiting Earth as of September 2024, do routinely engage in evasive maneuvers to avoid collisions, as many as 275 such dodges per day to avoid other objects in space.
This week, Musk offered his best, unclassified assessment of what pilots and other military eyewitnesses were encountering when they report a out of this world craft.
'If you had the top secret compartmented clearance, you would know about this new program,' Musk told Carlson as a hypothetical. 'So, then, you know, some pilot sees something moving fast and says, 'Hey! I saw a UFO!''
Musk continued, speaking from the voice of a hypothetical senior Pentagon official: 'Yeah, that was actually a new weapons program but we can't tell you that.'
Musk's doubling-down on his stance this week was met by a similarly jaded response from Las Vegas-based KLAS-TV new reporter George Knapp, who has made a career breaking stories on the UFO beat from FBI raids of Area 51 citizen watchdogs to the 'Mosul orb.'
'Great news,' Knapp posted to Musk's X platform. 'So when do they finally deploy those nifty Tic Tac [UFO] craft seen in 2004?'
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