TYB
Flights delayed by debris falling from space
14-January-2025
Australian airline Qantas says several of its flights have been delayed at the last minute due to warnings of falling debris from Elon Musk’s SpaceX rockets.
The airline said the rockets have re-entered Earth over the southern Indian Ocean, causing it to delay its flights between Sydney and South Africa.
The newspaper quotes the Head of Qantas Operations Centres, Ben Holland, saying: “Over the past few weeks we’ve had to delay several flights between Johannesburg and Sydney due to advice received from the US Government regarding the re-entry of SpaceX rockets over an extensive area of the Southern Indian Ocean.
“While we try to make any changes to our schedule in advance, the timing of recent launches have moved around at late notice which has meant we’ve had to delay some flights just prior to departure.
“Our teams notify customers of changes to their flight as soon as we know it will be impacted.”
SpaceX has chosen the Indian Ocean as a re-entry point for its rockets due to the remoteness of the location.
It is able to provide airlines with specific geographical coordinates and timing of re-entry, but these can change at short notice.
Ben Holland added: “We’re in contact with SpaceX to see if they can refine the areas and time windows for the rocket re-entries to minimise future disruption to our passengers on the route.”
https://www.travelgossip.co.uk/latestnews/flights-delayed-by-debris-falling-from-space
Researchers build a 3D printer optimized for space applications — Designed to work in a vacuum, the printer could be used to rapidly prototype components while in space
January 14, 2025
Dr. Gilles Bailet and his team at James Watt School of Engineering at the University of Glasgow received a patent for a prototype 3D printer that has been tested to work in zero gravity.
Aside from that, this system is also designed to work in the vacuum of space, allowing for its use outside of spacecraft and space stations.
According to the University of Glasgow, the research team has taken the kit on three test flights that allowed for more than 90 22-second periods of weightlessness, allowing them to test how it works in microgravity.
3D printers were first used in orbit in 2014, which allowed the astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS) to print plastic parts and tools as required.
Just last year, the European Space Agency launched a metal 3D printer and is currently testing it on the ISS to see how microgravity affects printing metal parts.
However, all this equipment is designed to be used within the ISS’s modules, which are pressurized at around the same level as here on Earth.
“Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is capable of producing remarkably complex materials quickly and at low cost,” Dr. Bailet said.
“However, what works well here on Earth is often less robust in the vacuum of space, and 3D printing has never been done outside of the pressurized modules of the International Space Station.
The filaments in conventional 3D printers often break or ham in microgravity and in vacuum, which is a problem that needs to be solved before they can be reliably used in space.”
Aside from producing tools and spacecraft parts in orbit, the team also envisioned printing other objects that could deliver groundbreaking advancements on land.
This includes the space reflectors, which could gather solar energy in orbit and reflect it onto a ground station, allowing for a 24-hour solar power plant. Dr. Bailet also talked about using it to produce pharmaceutical products that are far more effective than what we have right now.
“Crystals grown in space are often larger and more well-ordered than those made on Earth, so orbital chemical factories could produce new or improved drugs for delivery back to the surface,” says Dr. Bailet.
“It has been suggested, for example, that insulin grown in space could be nine times more effective, allowing diabetic people to inject it once every three days instead of three times a day, as they often have to do today.”
If proven effective, this 3D printer could allow astronauts to start printing larger objects outside of the ISS.
This could revolutionize space travel, as fragile and bulky objects could be printed in space instead of being put on giant rockets and blasted up from the surface.
If and when we go back to the moon, this tech will simplify moon-bound manufacturing, and we might soon be launching rockets toward Mars from our natural satellite instead.
https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/researchers-build-a-3d-printer-optimized-for-space-applications-designed-to-work-in-a-vacuum-the-printer-could-be-used-to-rapidly-prototype-components-while-in-space
Bash of the Ages
https://www.alreporter.com/2025/01/14/alabama-leaders-push-to-bring-u-s-space-command-back-to-huntsville/
Alabama leaders push to bring U.S. Space Command back to Huntsville
January 14, 2025 at 7:07 am CST
U.S. Senators Katie Britt, R-Ala., and Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., announced the introduction of a resolution in the Senate to recognize the fourth anniversary of the U.S. Air Force naming Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, as the preferred location for the U.S. Space Command, SPACECOM, headquarters.
The Senate resolution follows a similar effort led by U.S. Representative Dale Strong, R-Ala., in the House.
“The headquarters of U.S. Space Command belongs on Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, and our resolution recognizes the Air Force’s original decision,” said Senator Britt.
“Huntsville finished first in both the Air Force’s Evaluation Phase and Selection Phase, leaving no doubt the Air Force’s decision to choose Redstone as the preferred basing location was correct purely on the merits.
Huntsville’s selection should have remained in the Air Force’s purview, but instead the Biden Administration irresponsibly yanked the decision away.
The time for partisan politics at the expense of our national security is over, and President Trump’s imminent return to the White House will ensure American interests are protected once again.
Alabama’s world-class aerospace and defense workforce, capabilities, and synergies in Huntsville remain the best possible location to fulfill the mission and strengthen our national security long into the future.”
Senator Tuberville echoed Britt’s criticism of the Biden Administration’s decision to keep SPACECOM in Colorado, calling it a move motivated by politics.
“Four years ago, the Secretary of the Air Force declared Huntsville, Alabama, as the best place for U.S. Space Command over six other locations considered,” said Tuberville.
“Multiple military leaders and studies have made it abundantly clear that SPACECOM’s rightful home is in Huntsville, but Joe Biden decided to let politics get in the way of what is best for our national security and defense.
As Alabama’s voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee, I will continue fighting to bring SPACECOM to its rightful home. I’m honored to join my Alabama colleagues in this effort.”
Rep. Dale Strong, R-AL-05, who led the introduction of the House resolution, said the basing decision made by the Air Force under the Trump Administration was backed by thorough assessments, yet was blocked under Biden.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, is the best possible location for U.S. Space Command,” said Strong.
“This isn’t an opinion or a preference, it is a fact, supported by the basing process, which was proven credible and fair in two separate investigations.
Four years ago today, under President Trump’s leadership, the Air Force announced Redstone Arsenal would host the headquarters, only for President Biden to subsequently slow roll the move and force the headquarters to stay at the fifth-best location.
I have been involved with this basing process since day one, first as Chairman of the Madison County Commission, and for the past two years as your Congressman.
It is my sincere hope that President Trump and his incoming administration will return to the facts and focus on what is best for our national security.”
The initial basing announcement, made on Jan. 13, 2021, declared that Huntsville had emerged as the top candidate out of six locations reviewed by the Air Force based on mission requirements, infrastructure capacity, community support, and cost considerations.
The Air Force stated that Redstone Arsenal “compared favorably across more of these factors than any other community.”
Alabama’s Congressional Delegation has remained unified in its push to secure SPACECOM’s headquarters for the state. Representatives Barry Moore, R-AL-01, Robert Aderholt, R-AL-04, and Gary Palmer, R-AL-06, cosponsored the House version of the resolution.
“Four years ago today, Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, was rightfully selected as the #1 location for Space Command through a thorough and merit-based process under President Trump’s administration.
This resolution recognizes that decision and condemns the Biden Administration’s partisan move to disregard what is best for national security,” said Moore.
“I am committed to working with President Trump to bring Space Command back to its rightful home in Huntsville, Alabama.”
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Aderholt emphasized Huntsville’s unique qualifications for housing the headquarters, citing the city’s unmatched expertise and infrastructure.
“As we mark the 4th anniversary of Redstone Arsenal being chosen as the home of Space Command, we are reminded of the rigorous, merit-based process that made Alabama the clear first choice,” said Aderholt.
“Redstone Arsenal beat out several other locations due to its unmatched expertise, infrastructure, and leadership in space and defense.
I am confident that President Trump will honor this decision and ensure Space Command is returned to Alabama, where it was always meant to be. Huntsville stands ready to lead in securing America’s future posture in the space domain.”
Palmer also criticized the Biden Administration’s handling of the basing decision, calling it politically motivated and detrimental to national security.
“Four years ago, the United States Air Force made the correct decision in selecting Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, as the most suitable home for the United States Space Command,” said Palmer.
“Unfortunately, the Biden Administration disagreed with this decision and placed Space Command in Colorado based on politics instead of our national security.
Both the Department of Defense Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office conducted reports confirming that, for the sake of our national security, Redstone Arsenal is where Space Command belongs.
I look forward to working with President Trump in his second term to make our nation’s national security the top priority and put Space Command at the Redstone Arsenal where it belongs.”
The resolution represents a continued effort by Alabama’s Congressional Delegation to return the SPACECOM headquarters to Huntsville after President Biden’s Administration opted to finalize the command’s placement in Colorado.
Britt and Tuberville are spearheading the effort in the Senate, with strong backing from their House colleagues.
The delegation has framed their fight as a matter of national security, economic development, and a correction of what they see as a partisan wrong by the Biden Administration.
The resolution now awaits further action in both chambers of Congress.
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ESA welcomes Slovenia as 23rd Member State
13/01/2025
Slovenia has celebrated its status the European Space Agency's 23rd Member State with a day of space activities including a primetime television broadcast from the Herman Potočnik Noordung Space Technology Center in Vitanje.
Keynote speeches were given by the prime minister of Slovenia Dr Robert Golob and ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, who had both signed the Agreement on Slovenia’s accession to the ESA Convention on 18 June 2024.
Following ratification by the Slovenian government, Slovenia deposited its instrument of ratification of the ESA Convention in Paris to become an ESA Member State on 1 January.
Dr Golob referred to Slovenia's space strategy motto 'small on Earth, big in space' and described future ambitions for space research and development, as well as exploration and space applications.
“In space activities we invest in our future, in research and development, and growth of business opportunities as well,” he said, adding “Slovenia is determined that it will be great in the universe, as the potential is great.”
Dr Golob also emphasised Slovenia’s successes in Earth observation, of particular importance for a country with diverse geographical features and vulnerability to climate change.
The ESA Director General promised that Slovenia would now be even closer to space, saying "Slovenia brings extraordinary capabilities to ESA – expertise in training international astronauts, advancements in artificial intelligence and data management, and groundbreaking work in micro-satellites.
Your scientific excellence and entrepreneurial spirit will undoubtedly enrich our collective mission."
Josef Aschbacher also paid tribute to the Minister and State Secretary in charge of space matters, Mr Matjaz Han, and Mr Matevž Frangež and the Slovenian Space Office, as well as ESA Directors and colleagues who helped advance Slovenia's involvement with ESA over the past 16 years.
In his speech, Minister Han praised the results already being achieved by Slovenia’s rapidly growing space sector.
Slovenia first signed a Cooperation Agreement with ESA in 2008. Since then, Slovenian companies and research institutes have worked on dozens of contracts among them exploration, Earth observation, and technology projects.
In 2021, the ESA Short-Arm Human Centrifuge was inaugurated in the Planica Nordica Centre, while an ESERO office opened in 2024.
Welcoming Slovenia to the 'ESA family', the Director General looked ahead to November 2025's Council at Ministerial level, saying the proposals there should accommodate Europe's ambitions and those of every Member State, now including Slovenia
https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/ESA_welcomes_Slovenia_as_23rd_Member_State
Bezos ‘very optimistic’ about Trump’s space agenda
01/13/25 9:31 AM ET
Jeff Bezos, owner of aerospace company Blue Origin, expressed optimism about the incoming Trump administration’s space policy, emphasizing Sunday he is not concerned about competitor Elon Musk’s allyship with the president-elect.
“Elon has been very clear that he’s doing this for the public interest and not for his personal gain.
And I take him at face value,” Bezos told Reuters, adding later he is “very optimistic” about President-elect Trump’s space policy.
Bezos and Musk, the owner of SpaceX and Tesla, have repeatedly clashed in the public eye in recent years over their decidedly different personalities and political viewers.
Musk’s critics and government watchdogs raised concerns last year that Musk would try to use his growing influence in Trump’s orbit to suppress competitors of his own technology ventures, though the billionaire later suggested he would not abuse his relationship with the president-elect to benefit his competitive standing.
The tech billionaire dished out more than $250 million dollars to help reelect Trump, and is serving as the co-leader of a government efficient advisory panel, the “Department of Government Efficiency,” aimed at slashing government spending and regulations.
Musk’s SpaceX leads the aerospace and rocket industry, hosting nearly 100 launches last year and deploying thousands of its Starlink internet satellites across the country.
Bezos’s Blue Origin, founded in 2000, has lagged behind SpaceX when it comes to rocket launches.
It has yet to reach orbit or fly a national security mission and is in direct competition with SpaceX and United Launch Alliance for $5.6 billion worth of Pentagon contracts over the next five years.
The debut launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket was slated to take off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station early Monday, but an unspecified rocket issue delayed the event.
The company did not immediately release a new launch date, stating more time was needed to resolve the issue.
Bezos reignited the feud over the companies last June, when he filed a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration to limit Starship launches, citing environmental concerns.
Musk at the time called the move an “obviously disingenuous response,” nicknaming the company “Sue Origin” at the time. And in 2021, Bezos sued NASA over awarding a lunar lander contract to SpaceX, but ultimately lost the suit.
Bezos was one of several tech leaders to meet with Trump in recent weeks at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., while his company, Amazon, donated $1 million to the president-elect’s inaugural fund.
https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5082058-bezos-trump-space-policy/
Patrick Space Force Base South Gate Construction
Jan. 14, 2025
A $9.7 million construction project of the South Gate entry control facility kicks off Jan. 27, with completion expected mid-2026.
This modernization project is designed to optimize vital infrastructure and increase security measures in line with Antiterrorism and Force Protection standards.
Significant improvements and modifications will be made, including a new vehicle inspection area, additional overwatch capabilities, and roadway reconfigurations to accommodate increased traffic queues.
The South Gate will remain open during construction, though traffic will be limited to one inbound and one outbound lane. The Golf Course and Marina will remain accessible.
“Base personnel are encouraged to use the East Gate [off of state road A1A] as much as possible to minimize congestion on the Pineda Causeway and avoid traffic buildup, which could create unsafe conditions,” said Bret Mclean, 45th Civil Engineering Squadron project manager.
“Clear signage and regular updates will be provided to keep the base community informed.”
The project will be completed in five phases, enhancing the base’s infrastructure, security, and traffic flow.
The early stages will involve expanding vehicle access points, upgrading underground utilities, and repaving key roadways.
Security improvements will include installing advanced vehicle barriers and protective facilities to safeguard the installation.
Subsequent phases will continue with additional utility upgrades, roadway resurfacing, and new traffic control features to optimize access and ensure the project meets safety and operational standards.
These comprehensive upgrades not only strengthen the installation’s infrastructure and security measures but will also provide a more efficient and safe environment where mission readiness remains uncompromised.
https://www.patrick.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4028356/patrick-space-force-base-south-gate-construction/
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4028368/kendall-offers-vision-for-the-air-force-space-force-of-2050/
Kendall offers vision for the Air Force, Space Force of 2050
Jan. 14, 2025
Only days before his tenure as secretary of the Department of the Air Force comes to an end, Frank Kendall offered a vision Jan. 13 for the security challenges the Air Force and Space Force could face in 2050 and what is needed to properly respond.
The perspective was laid out in a formal report entitled, “The Department of the Air Force In 2050,” and is studded with qualifying language.
The report concedes “enormous uncertainty about the events that might transpire over the next 25 years, about the technologies that will be available by then, and about the threats to national security that will exist.”
Nonetheless, the report is emphatic that China will remain the most formidable adversary to the U.S. and its allies.
It is unambiguous that “threats to our national security will still exist, and those threats will include both conventional and nuclear adversaries with the capacity and the will to challenge the interests, the values, and even the existence of the United States and its allies.”
And it warns that, “By 2050, if not well before, the Air Force and Space Force will not be competitive unless we make substantial improvements in how these forces are equipped, trained and operated,” the analysis concludes.
While Kendall included qualifiers in the document, he was direct on two points: “The Air Force will still be the centerpiece of resilient U.S. power projection in the future,” he said.
“But if we are going to be competitive, we have to make substantial improvements; we’re going to need a lot more resources.”
Kendall made the analysis public during an appearance at The Center for Strategic and International Studies, an influential Washington think-tank.
The report carries Kendall’s imprint. In fact, after considering options for how to produce the report, Kendall said, “I just ended up writing it myself. This is pretty much the Frank Kendall report.”
And while he did not say it directly, the report’s focus and priorities are clearly intended to shape future thinking about the department and how it continues the modernization Kendall triggered as secretary with the Reoptimize for Great Power Competition effort.
“Constrained budgets, reluctance to retire obsolete platforms, reluctance to embrace new technologies and exploit them fully, reluctance to limit our overseas commitments — all of these things can have a negative impact on our ability to get to where we’re going to need to be to be competitive with China in particular.”
Many of the transformations necessary to meet the challenges in 2050 are well underway, Kendall said. An aggressive move to use space is one of the most important, he said.
“We’re going to need a much bigger, much more capable, much more powerful Space Force,” Kendall said. “… That’s a transformation that’s already started and we’ve made some pretty good progress. …
We also need a lot of counter-space capabilities. … We’re going to have to do something to counter the militarization of space that China has embark upon largely to target our joint force and largely to deny us the capabilities to do the same things to Chinese forces.”
The reason, he noted, is clear.
“The joint force won’t be able to go anywhere or do anything unless we are able to protect it from targeting from space. We’ve got to get that capability developed,” he said.
A failsafe and robust nuclear deterrent must be available, he said. The department must continue to refine and expand the use of artificial intelligence and cyber capabilities.
That effort includes developing Collaborative Combat Aircraft, or CCA, that do not have a crew but are meshed with crewed aircraft such as the F-35.
“We are committed to fielding these and at scale,” Kendall said of CCAs.
“This is not an experiment or a prototype. We’re going to put these in our force structure. Let’s get going and that’s where we’re headed.”
Kendall also spoke to continuing efforts to modernize the Air Force and Space Force and what that effort means.
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“The idea of a next generation air dominance family of systems is valid,” Kendall said.
“The work we’ve begun with CCA will continue and become a much bigger part of the force by 2025. There’s no question that various forms of AI are going to continue to grow.”
Modern warfare will demand it, he said. Combat in the future, he said, will be “highly automated, highly autonomous, action at long range, precision, [and where] space is a decisive theater.”
There will be more information available but also far less time to act.
“Response times to bring effects to bear are very short,” he said. “We’re going to be in a world by 2050 where decisions will not be made a human speed.
They’re going to be made at machine speed. … Factions of a second matter and human beings can only handle so much data at a time,” he said.
Both Kendall and report agree that maintaining a nuclear deterrent is important.
But unlike 50 years ago when Kendall was an Army officer stationed in Germany on the frontline of the Cold War, the world is more dangerous today since more adversaries are fielding those weapons of mass destruction.
“The broader issue of nuclear stability keeps me up at night,” he said. “It’s a different world when China, Russia and the U.S. all have a thousand-plus nuclear weapons in the field.
It gets more dangerous as other countries proliferate weapons. It gets more dangerous as people think about using tactical nuclear weapons … for military objectives.”
Kendall was also asked about plans by the incoming administration to make the government more efficient.
While he agreed “it was fruitful ground to plow” he offered insights drawn from his own experience across 50 years of federal government service.
“You’ve got to do it professionally, you’ve got to do it with a deep understanding of what you’re actually trying to do,” he said.
“The past attempts at being more efficient, and I’ve been through some of them, generally say this:
We’re going to be more efficient, I’m taking 10% of your budget, be efficient. Job done. That’s a cut. That’s not an efficiency exercise,” Kendall said.
He added later in the session, “People coming in need to realize there’s a lot to learn; that some of the impressions they may have, the assumptions they are making aren’t actually valid.
The one about waste for example. That’s there’s all this efficient around waiting to be reaped. That’s there’s money piled up in corners that we can save if we just pay attention to it. They’re not true.”
Kendall stressed there are two paths in the DAF’s future.
“There are two futures, and they are bookended by one in which the 2050 report is fulfilled and one in which a number of other factors prevent that from happening,” Kendall told the CSIS audience.
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Uncle Fester sitting next to cousin It
@1:56:00 Shellenberger mentions the Majestic Documents.
Worth a read.
https://majesticdocuments.com/
https://www.twz.com/news-features/mass-ukrainian-drone-onslaught-strikes-targets-across-western-russia
Mass Ukrainian Drone Onslaught Strikes Targets Across Western Russia
January 14, 2025
Ukraine carried out one of its largest drone attacks against Russia in this war, striking energy production facilities, weapons storage sites, and other military targets in about a dozen regions across the country, according to Ukrainian officials, Ukrainian and Russian media, and high-profile ‘milblogger’ Telegram channels.
The attacks reportedly involved more than 200 drones, including Ukraine’s new Peklo missile drone. Russian sources claim that Ukraine also used U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and UK-made Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles in a combined, widespread attack.
Videos emerging on social media showed flames erupting in the aftermath of the strikes.
“On the night of January 14, the Defense Forces of Ukraine carried out the most massive strike on military objects of the occupiers at a distance of 200 (about 124 miles) to 1100 km (about 684 miles) in the depth of the Russian Federation,” the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff claimed in a Facebook post. “Targets in Bryansk, Saratovsk, Tulsk regions and the Republic of Tatarstan were hit.
The oil storage base “Kombinat Crystal” in Engels Saratov region was successfully attacked again, where a fire, which lasted 5 days after the previous attack, has just been extinguished.”
“During the night attack by the Ukrainians, more than 200 UAVs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were used, including the PD-2, Bober, Lyuty, UJ-22, and five ATACMS,” the Russian Alex Parker Returns Telegram channel claimed.
“Attacked: Bryansk, Tula, Saratov, Samara, Oryol, Kursk, Belgorod, Bryansk, Volgograd, Voronezh regions, as well as Kazan and Krasnodar Krai. Attacks were recorded on an oil depot and two industrial enterprises in Saratov and Engels.”
The Russian Defense Ministry (MoD) acknowledged only an attack on Bryansk “by six U.S.-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, six UK-made Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles, and 31 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles from the territory of Ukraine.”
The Russian MoD claimed that all the weapons were shot down and there were no casualties or damage, as is fairly customary.
The longest-range claimed attack on Tuesday took place in the city of Kazan, located in Russia’s Tatarstan region, almost 700 miles east of the border, according to Russian media and Telegram channels.
“In Kazan, a base of liquefied gases is on fire after a drone attack,” the independent Russian Astra media outlet wrote on Telegram.
“A gas tanker at the SG depot near the Orgsintez plant in Kazan also caught fire,” the Russian Alex Parker Returns Telegram channel reported.
“Drones attacked the Orgsintez chemical plant in Tatarstan,” the Russian Operation Z Telegram channel wrote. “A tanker with liquefied gas caught fire not far from it.”
Ukrainian Lt. Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Central Directorate of the National Security and Defense Council, said the Orsintez facility produces far more than fuel.
The plant, “which was damaged, is a strategic facility that is of direct importance for the Russian military-industrial complex,” Kovalenko claimed on Telegram.
“The enterprise specializes in the production of materials used in the creation of military equipment, weapons and components.
Polyamides, synthetic rubber and other chemical compounds of the plant are used in the production of armored vehicles, tires for tanks and armored personnel carriers, as well as plastics for weapons and equipment.
It also produces components for explosives used in the production of ammunition.”
Videos from the scene show flames shooting into the air from behind a line of either fuel or chemical tanks at the facility.
For the second time in less than a week, Ukrainian officials said its drones struck a fuel depot for the Engels Air Base.
There is also a claim that a weapons storage facility on the base itself was hit. The facilities are located about 300 miles east of Ukraine.
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“Tonight, operators of the 14th Separate UAV Regiment of the Ukrainian Air Force, in cooperation with other components of the Defense Forces, once again struck the infrastructure of the Engels-2 military airfield, where Tu-95MS Bear-H and Tu-160M Blackjack bombers of the 22nd Heavy Bomber Air Division are based,” the unit claimed on Telegram.
“As a result of the attack on the territory of the Crystal oil depot, tanks with rare aviation fuel for Tu-160 bombers, which Russia uses to terrorize the civilian population of Ukraine, were once again set on fire.”
The “multi-day complex operation to reduce the enemy’s strategic aviation capabilities has been completed,” the regiment stated.
“We are doing everything possible to ensure that the Engels fire brigades, who have just extinguished the flames after the previous strike, are not left without work in the increasingly difficult economic situation in Russia.”
The attack also targeted ammunition depots storing glide bombs and cruise missiles at Engels, according to the Kyiv Post, citing a source in Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU).
The regional governor, as well as several Russian Telegram channels, acknowledged the attacks.
“Today Saratov and Engels were subjected to a massive UAV attack,” Roman Busargin wrote on Telegram.
“Air defense systems eliminated a large number of targets. As a result of the attack, there is damage at two industrial enterprises in Saratov and Engels. Emergency services are working at all points.”
The attacks were carried out by Ukraine’s new Peklo missile drone and propeller-driven Beaver long-range drones, according to the Ukrainian Liga news outlet.
As we previously reported, the fuel depot was struck by Ukrainian drones on Jan. 8, the resulting flames lasting for about five days.
The aircraft at the base, about five miles away, have been targeted repeatedly in the past, causing the Russians to beef up their air defenses, use silhouette decoys, and even place tires on the planes there to protect them from attack by confusing image-matching missile seekers.
Several videos emerged on social media showing different views of the attack on the Engels fuel depot.
With less than a week to go in the Biden administration, which has provided nearly $70 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, the future of U.S. support for Kyiv under the incoming Trump administration remains in question.
Regardless of any help from allies, however, Ukraine continues to grow its ability to conduct deep strikes into Russia using its own weapons.
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NATO State Probes Russia's Role in Mystery Drones Over Air Bases
Jan 14, 2025 at 4:39 AM EST
German authorities are investigating repeated drone flights over military sites in the state of Bavaria, sparking speculation that the NATO state is a Russian surveillance target.
Newsweek has contacted Bavarian State Police and the Russian Defense Ministry for comment via email.
Accusations that Russia sent drones into a NATO country amid its full-scale invasion of Ukraine ramps up an already febrile security situation in Europe and could test the resolve of the alliance and the collective response pledge in Article 5 of its charter.
On Monday, Bavarian State Police reported that drone flights were spotted over German armed forces (Bundeswehr) sites in Manching and Neuburg an der Donau.
Three drones were reported flying on December 18 over the airfield in Manching, which is used to test the airworthiness of new aircraft ordered for the German military.
Drones were also spotted on December 19 and December 25 over a military security area in Neuburg an der Donau where the German air force's 74th Tactical Air Force Wing monitors southern German airspace with Eurofighter jets.
In the most recent incident on Sunday, authorities detected 10 drones flying over the military security area in Manching, near the city of Ingolstadt.
Despite deploying a helicopter, no one responsible could be identified, nor have any definite link with Russia been proved.
The state's police, under the direction of the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office and the Bavarian Central Office for Combating Extremism and Terrorism, have launched a security investigation and called for witnesses to report suspicious behavior.
However, social media users have criticized what they say is a lack of action from the German government at the prospect of drone flights near sensitive military sites.
In recent months, drones have also been spotted near the U.S. air base in Ramstein in southwestern Germany and over an industrial site at Brunsbüttel by the North Sea, which has a natural gas terminal and several chemical plants.
Bavarian State Police said in a statement on Monday: "Since it cannot be ruled out in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine that military facilities and arms partners or companies are being spied on, extensive search measures were carried out to identify the drone pilots."
Jürgen Nauditt, a pro-Ukrainian user on X, formerly Twitter, wrote on Monday: "Is Germany powerless against so many, obviously Russian drones?"
X user Grünfink wrote on Monday: "Entire swarms of drones are spying on Bundeswehr properties. And there are still no (successful) countermeasures."
Der Spiegel reported that the German government planned to amend its Aviation Security Act this week, given the resistance of drones to jamming transmitters and the spate of the devices being spotted above Germany.
The move would allow Germany's armed forces to shoot down drones, while troops would be allowed to down suspicious devices with a ground-based air defense system.
Fighter jets would also be able to destroy them with guided missiles, the publication added.
https://www.newsweek.com/germany-drones-ukraine-russia-2014420
SpaceX Transporter-12 Mission
January 14, 2025 11:09 a.m. PT
SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, January 14 for Falcon 9’s launch of the Transporter-12 mission to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Liftoff is targeted for 11:09 a.m. PT. If needed, there is a backup opportunity on Wednesday, January 15 during a 27-minute window that opens at 10:49 a.m. PT.
Transporter-12 is a dedicated smallsat rideshare mission with 131 payloads, including CubeSats, MicroSats, and orbital transfer vehicles carrying 30 of those payloads, 14 of which will be deployed at a later time.
To date, SpaceX has launched more than 1,100 payloads to orbit for 130+ customers across our entire Rideshare program.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about 10 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX.
This will be the second flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched NROL-126.
Following stage separation, Falcon 9 will land on Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
There is the possibility that residents of and visitors to Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the launch, but what residents experience will depend on weather and other conditions.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=transporter12
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD6OEPdYoEE
Drone-flying drug gangs ‘seize control of prison airspace’
14 January 2025 7:12am GMT
Drone-flying drug gangs have seized control of prison airspace in a move that threatens national security, a watchdog has warned.
Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons, said the service had “in effect ceded the airspace” to two high-security category A jails, allowing organised crime gangs to deliver drugs, phones and weapons to inmates who included organised crime bosses and terrorists.
He said HMP Long Lartin, in Worcestershire, and HMP Manchester had thriving illicit economies of drugs, mobile phones and weapons because basic security measures such as protective netting and CCTV had been allowed to fall into disrepair.
At Manchester, almost four in 10 (39 per cent) of prisoners had tested positive in mandatory drug tests.
Half of inmates at Long Lartin, one of Britain’s top security jails, told inspectors it was easy to get drugs and alcohol.
Some 27.2 per cent had tested positive for drugs.
Long Lartin has housed some of Britain’s most notorious prisoners, including hate preachers Abu Qatada and Abu Hamza.
Among those currently being there are Jordan McSweeney, the murderer of law graduate Zara Aleena, and serial killer Steve Wright, jailed for life for the murder of five women in Ipswich in 2016.
Mr Taylor said violence and self-harm at both jails had increased, in part driven by drugs and the accompanying debt prisoners found themselves in.
There had been six self-inflicted deaths at Manchester since 2021, with a seventh taking place a few weeks after the inspectors’ visit.
At Long Lartin, violence had increased by about 50 per cent since the last inspection in 2022.
It was higher than at other category A jails, with more than 200 assaults on staff or prisoners in the last year. Forty per cent of prisoners said they felt unsafe.
“It is highly alarming that the police and prison service have, in effect, ceded the airspace above two high-security prisons to organised crime gangs which are able to deliver contraband to jails holding extremely dangerous prisoners including some who have been designated as high-risk category A,” he said.
“The safety of staff, prisoners and ultimately that of the public, is seriously compromised by the failure to tackle what has become a threat to national security.
“The prison service, the police and other security services must urgently confront organised gang activity and reduce the supply of drugs and other illicit items which so clearly undermine every aspect of prison life.”
The scale of the problem at HMP Manchester, previously known as Strangeways, included inmates burning holes in windows to receive drone deliveries which prompted Mr Taylor to last year tell the Justice Secretary to put the prison into emergency measures.
The latest warning comes after Mr Taylor likened high-security jail HMP Garth in Lancashire to an “airport” because there were so many drones flying in drugs.
A report from Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB) – made up of volunteers tasked by ministers with scrutinising conditions in custody – into “crumbling” jails in England and Wales said delays in fixing broken prison windows were making it easier for drones to be used to deliver drugs and weapons.
In December, MPs heard contraband was being taken into HMP Parc in South Wales in “children’s nappies”, while there were “industrial specification drone drops being organised by organised crime gangs”.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/01/14/drone-flying-drug-gangs-seize-control-of-prison-airspace/
No more automatic No-Fly Zones: DJI puts drone safety on you
Jan 14 2025 - 12:13 am PT
In a pivotal shift for drone operations, DJI, the world’s largest civilian drone manufacturer, has scrapped its proprietary geofencing system in favor of official Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data across the United States.
The update, effective January 13, 2025, changes the way drone operators navigate controlled airspace — placing full responsibility for flight safety and potential violations squarely on their shoulders.
Under the new system, areas previously designated by DJI as Restricted Zones, often termed No-Fly Zones, are now categorized as Enhanced Warning Zones.
This adjustment means operators will no longer face automatic flight restrictions but will receive alerts when entering sensitive areas such as airports and government facilities.
The shift effectively puts critical decision-making in the hands of drone pilots, who must now self-regulate their compliance with FAA rules.
DJI emphasizes that users must stay connected to the internet and update their flight apps regularly to maintain current airspace data.
However, unlike the previous system that enforced automatic limitations, pilots are solely responsible for ensuring lawful and safe drone operations.
From guardian to guide: DJI’s departure from hard geofencing
DJI initially introduced its Geospatial Environment Online (GEO) system in 2013 to safeguard against accidental flights in restricted zones during a time when drone regulations were still evolving.
With the new update, the company has aligned its safety system more closely with FAA data but has relinquished much of its gatekeeping role.
This move mirrors similar changes in Europe, where DJI integrated national aviation authority data last year in response to evolving drone regulations.
The update arrives amid heightened scrutiny of drone operations following recent airspace safety incidents.
A recent notable case in Los Angeles involved a DJI Mini drone collision with a “Super Scooper” firefighting aircraft combating a wildfire, causing significant damage and raising alarms about the risks of unauthorized drone flights during emergency operations.
The FAA continues to investigate, reinforcing the legal consequences for drone pilots who endanger lives by ignoring flight restrictions.
Violations can lead to hefty fines or imprisonment, particularly when they interfere with emergency responders.
DJI’s overhaul represents a significant wake-up call for drone operators, urging them to take full ownership of their flight decisions.
The FAA has made clear that ignorance of no-fly zones will not be tolerated, emphasizing that pilots are expected to remain vigilant and compliant at all times.
To support operators in this responsibility, DJI recommends users regularly:
Update flight applications: Ensure the latest geofencing data is downloaded.
Secure necessary authorizations: Obtain proper FAA permissions when operating near controlled airspace.
Consult official FAA resources: Stay informed on the latest regulations and restrictions.
The replacement of DJI’s proprietary system with FAA data marks a new era for drone operations in the US — one where the onus of responsibility for compliance and safety now rests heavily on the shoulders of drone pilots.
At the same time, it’s worth pointing out that since introducing the GEO system in 2013, DJI has pioneered several safety features to promote responsible drone usage, including Remote Identification technology to assist authorities in identifying and monitoring airborne drones, autonomous Return-to-Home technology and Vision Assist to ensure drones return safely if they lose connection or have critically low batteries, as well as increased use of obstacle and aircraft detection sensors that enhance situational awareness to prevent collisions.
https://dronedj.com/2025/01/14/dji-geofencing-no-fly-zone/
Contractor's drone causes big flight delays at Bush Airport
Updated: 4:32 PM CST January 13, 2025
HOUSTON — There was a delay at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Monday afternoon due to a drone, according to a Federal Aviation Administration notice.
According to the FAA, there was an average delay of 75 minutes and increasing. The delay was on arrival runway 8L/8R (Straight East) and departure runway 9.
A spokesperson for Houston Airports and Houston Spaceport said a contractor was operating a drone over a construction site in Terminal B at 12:40 p.m.
The drone lost communication with its ground station. The drone was located at 1:20 p.m. near Aldine Westfield.
Departure runways were reopened.
A spokesperson for United Airlines issued a statement Monday afternoon saying:
Some flights in Houston were delayed on Monday after a construction company working at the airport temporarily lost contact with an authorized drone.
The certified drone operator immediately contacted air traffic control. The operator re-established contact with the drone and it landed it safely.
Drones are dangerous to aircraft and airports are classified as restricted airspace for private and commercial operators.
Private drones have impeded firefighting efforts in Los Angeles. Drone sightings have caused fire-fighting aircraft to land for safety reasons.
One plane was struck by a drone, causing heavy damage to a wing, CBS News reported Sunday.
https://www.khou.com/article/travel/drone-incident-delay-bush-airport/285-2947e67c-b1bf-4703-8de1-f73714a63962
Marjorie Taylor Greene Says Her Plane Rerouted Amid Drone Activity
Updated Jan 13, 2025 at 4:45 PM EST
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, reported potential drone activity near the White House after her flight into Washington's Reagan National Airport (DCA) was redirected on Monday.
According to Greene's post on X, formerly Twitter, her plane's pilot announced a route change "due to unauthorized drone activity over the White House" before landing.
The lawmaker has previously accused the government of withholding information about the mysterious drones and said she did not believe the official communications from the government.
In an email to Newsweek, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Public Affairs Specialist Sam Lichtman said, "We don't have any reports. We are looking into it and will let you know if we have any updates."
This incident comes amid an unprecedented surge in drone sightings across the United States, with over 5,000 reported cases in Northeastern states like New Jersey since mid-November 2024.
The timing is particularly significant as federal agencies, including the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, have been investigating these widespread sightings, which have sparked national security concerns and public anxiety.
This possible White House incident is especially concerning given that Washington, D.C.'s airspace is the most restricted in the country, with drone operations strictly prohibited within the Flight Restricted Zone.
While previous drone sightings in other states have been attributed to commercial, hobbyist and law enforcement operations, any unauthorized aerial activity near the White House represents a more serious security threat.
The Washington, D.C., area is governed by a Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) within a 30-mile radius of Reagan National Airport.
Flying unmanned aircraft within the 15-mile inner ring is prohibited without specific FAA authorization, requiring Transportation Security Administration and FAA waivers and special clearance.
Unlike other regions where some drone activity is permitted, the airspace around the White House has zero tolerance for unauthorized drones, making this incident particularly noteworthy for security officials.
White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby on previous drone incidents: "We assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircrafts, helicopters, and even stars that were mistakenly reported as drones."
President-elect Donald Trump, on Truth Social in December: "Mystery Drone Sightings all over the country. Can this really be happening without our government's knowledge. I don't think so! Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!! DJT."
Federal authorities typically urgently investigate unauthorized drone activity in restricted airspace when it involves the White House security perimeter.
Given recent temporary drone bans implemented in New Jersey and New York's critical infrastructure sites, similar precautionary measures might be considered for the D.C. area if investigations warrant such action.
https://www.newsweek.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-says-plane-rerouted-amid-drone-activity-2014269
https://x.com/RepMTG/status/1878890924677493090
Germany Authorizes Military to Shoot Down Mysterious Drones
January 14, 2025
Germany is giving its armed forces the ability to shoot down unidentified drones suspected of spying on military bases, industrial facilities and other critical infrastructure, according to people familiar with the matter.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s cabinet is expected to pass a draft amendment to the Aviation Security Act on Wednesday.
That will enable the military to use force against unmanned aerial vehicles in order to prevent a serious accident or attack, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity as the plan is not yet public.
Authorities previously relied on jamming transmitters to disable drones, but certain recent models appeared to be resistant to the technology.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, both senior members of Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats, agreed on the measures after drones were spotted in restricted airspace near energy, telecommunications, transport and industrial factories across the country in recent weeks, the people said.
According to the people, the drones are likely being deployed by a state actor for purposes of sabotage and potentially terrorism.
The draft amendment will not name any specific foreign country, they added, although authorities suspect that Russia and China are the prime culprits.
When asked about the matter Tuesday at a regular press briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said he was unfamiliar with the specifics.
He added that his country “firmly opposes relevant sides making groundless speculations or smears against China without any factual basis.”
The Russian embassy in Germany didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Under the amendment, local authorities will be able to ask the military to intervene and take action if such a step is deemed necessary, the people said.
This would expand the current law, which stipulates that the armed forces can only open fire on foreign military aircraft under restricted circumstances.
A growing number of suspicious drones have been sighted near army barracks in recent weeks, including the US airbase in Ramstein. Several drones were seen flying over its runway at speeds of over 200 kilometers per hour.
German authorities assume that these were military drones not available on the consumer market, the people said.
They added that the reason why Russia is believed to be responsible for the suspected espionage is because the drones have focused on German bases where Ukrainian soldiers receive military training.
The incidents do not represent Germany’s first encounter with unidentified drones. Last November, authorities flagged a suspicious drone near the British aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth in the port of Hamburg.
The aerial vehicle came so close to the ship that the German military took steps to deploy a jamming transmitter called “Effektor” HP-47 to use on the drone — which quickly buzzed off.
A significant number of suspicious drones have also been spotted around critical infrastructure in European countries including Sweden, the UK and the Baltic states in previous months.
There has not been any clear explanation for these incidents, a person familiar with the matter said, asking to speak on the condition of anonymity. However, the person said, the activity eventually calmed down.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/germany-authorizes-military-to-shoot-down-mysterious-drones/ar-BB1rnIqR
Octopus UFO Spotted Above Wichita Falls, Texas AGAIN
Published: January 14, 2025
Get the X-Files crew to Wichita Falls immediately.
Back in November, people were trying to figure out what was flying above the shopping center on Lawrence Road in Wichita Falls.
It looked like one of those sentinel things out of 'The Matrix'. The story went viral for a day or two and then sort of went away.
Well this strange object was spotted AGAIN in the sky above town over the weekend.
Octopus Like UFO Above Wichita Falls AGAIN!
Janet Woolston posted this on X yesterday showing what appeared to be the same exact octopus like UFO above Wichita Falls again.
However this time, the internet might have figured out what the heck this thing is in the sky.
Is it Just a Kite Flying Above Wichita Falls?
I still don't know who was flying this kite above the shopping center on Lawrence Road since that would not be an ideal place for that activity.
However if you thought these were some sort of drones invading Wichita Falls, I think the octopus thing is nothing to worry about.
https://1063thebuzz.com/wichita-falls-ufo-spotted-again/
'We are not alone' - Residents say 'clearly' as new 'alien' road sign makes village debut
18:58, 14 JAN 2025
Residents in a sleepy West Yorkshire village have poked fun at a village road sign after it given a redesign.
A sign warning motorists of cows in the road has been given a little facelift with a UFO hovering above the farmyard favourite.
It left some residents of Burley in Wharfedale, near Ilkley, to wonder if they should be worried of an alien encounter.
Cynthia Ahrensmeier first spotted the addition to the sign in December but did not know what it was until she had a closer look earlier this week.
Cynthia, who originally came from South Africa and moved to the area five years ago, told Yorkshire Live: "It just looked like a spot at first but it wasn't until I had a closer look that I realised what it was.
"Luckily this time when I spotted it, I was at the front of the bus and saw it clearly. Obviously, it is a sticker, but it is a bit of fun to think of it as something else like a warning.
"I posted it on the Burley in Wharfedale Village Group in jest. The comments have been quite funny while some have been thinking that it was photoshopped - which I took another picture to show that it hadn't been.
It adds to the village as we all have a great sense of humour."
Cynthia's post has been a hit with the group and has had 136 emojis and 37 comments from other residents discussing the find.
Adrian M Bell said: "Cow abduction. It’s been taking place in the US since 1897. Clearly it’s started in Burley now."
Adam Collinge also added to the joke and said: "We are not alone."
There has also been speculation of truth as Dave Faff said: "Ilkley Moor has long been famous for UFOs and it's the only possible reason why you never see a cow up there."
https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/we-not-alone-residents-say-30782844