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Diamonds from NASA’s X-59
Feb 25, 2025
NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft took another successful step toward flight with the conclusion of a series of engine performance tests.
During maximum afterburner testing, a test demonstrating the engine’s ability to generate the thrust required for supersonic flight, the aircraft showed off a phenomenon known as Mach diamonds, seen in this image from Jan. 22, 2025.
Mach diamonds, or shock diamonds, appear in the exhaust of supersonic aircraft like the X-59.
The X-59 is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission, which seeks to solve one of the major barriers to commercial supersonic flight over land by making sonic booms quieter.
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/diamonds-from-nasas-x-59/
https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/nasas-x-59-turns-up-power-throttles-through-engine-tests/
‘His life was on hold’: Sexual assault charges dropped against former NASA engineer Eric Sim
Updated: February 25, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Eric Sim, a now 38-year-old former NASA engineer, was set to go to trial in just two days on seven sexual assault charges, but on Tuesday, all cases were dismissed after prosecutors said a majority couldn’t be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Sim, who had been a star in a viral NASA “Gangnam Style” parody video in 2012, was arrested last March at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
He’d been out of jail on a $700,000 bond and was forced to resign his position at NASA, his defense attorney Neal Davis said.
According to records, the alleged assaults occurred between 2019 and 2022.
Sim used dating apps like Hinge, East Meets East, and OkCupid to meet women, pretending he wanted a serious relationship before assaulting them, prosecutors said at a press conference last April, when they sought victims internationally.
A search warrant revealed investigators found sex tapes on Sim’s devices and a spreadsheet that listed hundreds of women and details about their sexual encounters.
At that press conference, former District Attorney Kim Ogg said Sim’s NASA credentials and international travel suggested there were more victims, but after new District Attorney Sean Teare’s administration took a deep dive into the evidence, the charges were dropped.
Of the seven dismissals, one of them was at the victim’s request, according to records.
“The survivors in these cases are our priority. They are the victims of predatory acts, and we stand firm in recognizing their trauma. Forcing them to relive their pain in a public courtroom serves no purpose.
Over the past 11 months, our investigators and prosecutors have sifted through terabytes of data, only to uncover insufficient evidence to prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt.
We owe it to these survivors to ensure justice, not re-victimization,” DA Sean Teare’s office wrote in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
Sim’s defense attorney, Neal Davis, called the case politically motivated.
“Politics are politics, it was an election year, HPD rape unit was under severe criticism for dropping the ball on cases. And that’s where this case came about.
Eric Sim became a political football and he became the face of some sort of serial rapist when in fact he didn’t do any of this. And that’s what I’ve said since day one.
My question to Miss Ogg is, ‘Where does he go to get his reputation back? How does he put his life back together?’” Davis said.
KPRC 2 has tried to reach Ogg for a response.
“I said this case is going to be dismissed or won from day one. I was confident of it then and I’m confident of it now.
And I’m just glad we have the ear of the DA’s office to listen to us, because what we did was collaborate with them and explain the evidence we had and our position,” Davis said.
He said there was a lot of digital forensic evidence, including text messages, that helped lead to the dismissals.
“This whole thing devastated (Sim). He lost his job, lived under house arrest for a year, and his life was on hold,” Davis said. “It’s a good start, but it’ll be hard for him to completely rebuild from this.”
Davis added that Sim is now focused on getting his life and reputation back on track, although he noted that the damage to his name may never go away.
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/02/25/charges-dropped-against-former-nasa-engineer-in-sex-tape-case/
Airman dead after shooting at Kirtland Air Force Base
Feb 25, 2025, 11:01 AM
A shooting at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday left one airman dead and another injured, according to a statement from the base.
Airman Basic Brion Teel-Scott, 27, of the 377th Security Forces Squadron, died after attempting to escape an “attempted detention,” an Air Force news release said.
“Losing a member of your team is never easy, but the circumstances of this incident make it that much harder,” said Col. Michael Power, 377th Air Base Wing and installation commander at Kirtland.
“Additionally, we are ensuring our injured defender, the wingmen of both members, and our base community receive the best possible care and support.”
The injured airman, whose identity was not released by the Air Force, was shot in the hand. That airman was transported to the University of New Mexico Medical Center and released later with non-life-threatening injuries.
An incident occurred outside the base’s Truman gate Saturday during the early morning hours, and 377th Security Forces personnel responded to the scene at 2 a.m.
The arrival of Security Forces resulted in a shooting, during which the airman was shot in the hand, the release said.
Security Forces found Teel-Scott dead at the scene, and the cause of his death is under investigation, the base said. The service did not immediately provide further details about who was responsible for the airman’s death.
The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is investigating the incident with the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department. There’s no current threat to the public, the base said in its release.
https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2025/02/25/airman-dead-after-shooting-at-kirtland-air-force-base/
https://www.kirtland.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4074588/one-airman-dead-and-another-hospitalized-outside-kirtland-news-releases/
Deputy PM Outlines Singapore’s Space Future at GSTCE 2025
February 26, 2025
Singapore’s deputy prime minister and minister for trade and industry has told the Global Space Technology Convention & Exhibition (GSTCE) 2025 that a revolution in space development is underway.
Gan Kim Yong said there were three reasons for this: rapid technological advancements in manufacturing, propulsion and launch; the growing demand for connectivity and mobility; and the rise of AI and machine learning.
“What was once the domain of a few nations and companies is now becoming a new frontier for many countries, businesses, organisations and even individuals,” Yong said in a February 25 speech.
He said launch costs have fallen ten-fold over the last two decades and will become even cheaper as the costs of both satellites and launchers continue to decline.
Programmes such as SpaceX’s Starlink and Eutelsat’s OneWeb have also demonstrated how satellites can provide high-speed, low-latency internet connectivity, especially to remote and underserved areas.
AI and machine learning will unlock new possibilities, like improving space-based Earth observation.
Singapore positions for a space future
“Space technologies have increasingly been democratised,” Yong said, adding that Singapore’s five decades of involvement in space positioned it nicely for further future involvement.
“In charting the next bound of development for our space sector, we will be guided by three principles,” he said. “First, we will draw on our strengths across various ecosystems to further develop our space sector.
We have built up good industry ecosystems in sectors such as aerospace, micro-electronics and precision engineering. These capabilities will position us well to capture new opportunities in the space sector.”
“We will focus on important use cases, especially those with strategic importance for Singapore,” Yong added. “Sustainability-related use cases is one such area. Another area of strategic interest is in connectivity-related use cases.”
“We will strengthen our network of bilateral and multilateral partnerships to advance opportunities in space in safe, sustainable and mutually beneficial ways. We have built up a good network of partners over the years, including France, Japan and India.”
“I am happy to share that Singapore’s Office for Space Technology and Industry will be signing a letter of intent with the European Space Agency later today to explore new business opportunities for Singaporean and European companies in the global space industry.”
Attracting space talent is key
Yong said Singapore needed to grow its space talent pool to achieve these outcomes. “We want to encourage more Singaporeans to discover and develop their interest in space,” he said.
Singapore’s deputy prime minister told the GSTCE 2025 audience that despite being a small island, his country has a clear vision and mission and a deep sense of purpose. Yong said those attributes would help Singapore pursue its space ambitions.
He said Singapore’s space future needed to draw on its strengths across business, industry and research ecosystems; focusing on relevant use cases of both economic and strategic value to the country; and strengthening its partnerships.
“Singapore can be a key hub of ideas, innovation and impact for the global space economy,” he said.
https://spaceanddefense.io/deputy-pm-outlines-singapores-space-future-at-gstce-2025/
Drilling into Mars
26/02/2025
The ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover will drill deeper than any other mission has ever attempted on the Red Planet.
The third episode in the series shows how the rover will extract, collect and analyse martian samples in a high-fidelity simulation.
Rosalind Franklin will be the first rover to reach a depth of up to two metres deep below the surface, acquiring samples that have been protected from harsh fsurface radiation and extreme temperatures.
The drill system combines multiple precission mechanisms in an intricate automated sequence. It uses three extension rods that connect tor form a two-metre “drill string”.
As the rover drills, it will simultaneously investigate the borehole using infrared spectroscopy to study mineral composition.
The ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission is part of Europe’s ambitious exploration journey to search for past and present signs of life on Mars.
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2025/02/Drilling_into_Mars
KBR to upgrade and maintain Air Force supercomputer and electro-optical center for space domain awareness
Feb. 26, 2025
U.S. Air Force researchers needed technology upgrades and maintenance for the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing Site (AMOS) on Maui, Hawaii. They found a solution from KBR Inc. in Houston.
Officials of the Air Force Research Laboratory Directed Energy Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., announced a $176 million seven-year contract to KBR last week for AMOS support.
Space domain awareness
KBR will provide operations and equipment maintenance support, site modernization, and recapitalization to the existing legacy space domain awareness capabilities at Maui.
The AMOS site helps the Air Force operate and maintain satellites in space, and helps track man-made objects in space.
Site facilities maintain an awareness of the locations and capabilities of all man-made objects in space, also called space domain awareness.
Related: HPEC enables onboard data processing for persistent surveillance
The Air Force Research Lab's Directed Energy Directorate operates two major telescope sites for situational awareness: one at the AMOS site on Maui, and the other at Kirtland Air Force Base.
The AMOS site on Maui consists of two facilities: the Maui Space Surveillance System (MSSS), and the second is the Maui High Performance Computing Center (Maui High-Performance Computing Center).
Satellite identification
AMOS research includes satellite detection and identification, atmospheric compensation and resolved imaging, astrodynamics and orbital metrics, sensor development, laser propagation through the Earth’s atmosphere, database cataloging of satellite images, and high-performance computer modeling and simulation. In addition to its use as an R&D facility, AMOS has been called upon to help identify and track spacecraft payloads and communication satellites.
AMOS produces satellite imagery, space object signature data, space object positional data, advanced image post processing, data exploitation tools and techniques, laser propagation through the Earth’s atmosphere, and high performance computer modeling and simulation.
Most recently Air Force Research Lab installed a sodium guidestar, which has the ability to propagate light into the sodium layer of the atmosphere and create an artificial star.
The Maui Space Surveillance System electro-optical facility is at 10,000 feet above sea level and Maui’s stable climate with minimal scattered surface light provide excellent viewing conditions most days.
The Maui Space Surveillance System uses its visible and infrared sensors, adaptive optics, and telescopes to collect imaging and signature data on near-Earth and deep-space objects.
Air Force Research Lab scientists and engineers analyze this data and disseminate imaging and signature products in support of space domain awareness current needs.
The Maui High-Performance Computing Center helps to evaluate and optimize early production supercomputer technology and provide breakthrough software for military research.
It investigates emerging supercomputer technology, and provides supercomputer-backed solutions for high-priority defense programs.
https://www.militaryaerospace.com/sensors/article/55270330/supercomputer-and-optical-technologies-for-space-domain-awareness
CDMRP-funded research may soon be flying in space
February 26, 2025
FORT DETRICK, Md. – The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs is encouraging applicants to consider conducting biomedical research in space through partnerships with the International Space Station National Laboratory.
The unique characteristics of the microgravity environment afforded by research in space lay the foundation for the next generation of research and innovation.
Dr. Kristy Lidie, CDMRP’s deputy director for program management, recently joined representatives from science and medicine agencies throughout the federal government for a daylong Microgravity Science Summit in Washington, DC, hosted by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in partnership with NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate.
The goal of the summit was to form a federal coalition to develop the next generation of microgravity science and research.
The summit provided attendees with insight into research currently being conducted on the International Space Station and how research conducted in microgravity can benefit human diseases and conditions.
Microgravity, popularly called zero gravity, offers biomedical researchers the opportunity to create experiments that more closely mimic the conditions found in living organisms.
“When you're trying to grow tissues on Earth, you're limited as to how those cells grow,” explains Dr. Judi Sgambato, the program manager of CDMRP’s Glioblastoma Research Program, or GBMRP.
“The cell culture environment is usually static, and the cells grow on a flat surface. But humans are not static, two-dimensional beings.
Microgravity allows cells to grow in much more complex three-dimensional structures and interact with each other in ways that they’re not able to do as easily on Earth.
That allows the formation of more complex models that more closely mimic human physiology, which may help us better understand healthy and diseased conditions.”
The opportunity for CDMRP to participate in the summit came about through a connection with a prominent member of the space research community.
Last year, Sgambato sent out a request for information to the scientific community seeking feedback on gaps in current research into glioblastoma, a highly aggressive form of brain cancer.
Dr. Donna Roberts, the deputy chief scientist at the International Space Station National Laboratory – who is herself an expert on the brain – saw Sgambato’s request and realized that it offered the potential for a unique collaboration not only with the GBMRP, but with CDMRP as a whole.
As a result of discussions with Roberts and the ISSNL, GBMRP’s fiscal year 2024 funding opportunity announcement included information on how researchers can partner with the ISSNL to have their experiments conducted in Earth orbit.
CDMRP expects that other research programs will soon begin incorporating similar language in their funding announcements as well.
“Conducting experiments in space is very different from how you would conduct them in a university laboratory,” says Lidie.
“The ISSNL will help researchers design an experimental apparatus that’s suitably light and small for transport to and use on the International Space Station, and work with the astronaut who will be conducting the experiments in orbit.”
Several companies that design and build equipment for space experiments attended the summit as well, allowing Lidie and Sgambato to see the types of tools and containers that someday could be used to house CDMRP funded research.
The theme of the OSTP summit was “Building a Coalition for the Next Generation of Microgravity Research.”
In addition to biomedical research, presentations during the summit discussed the potential for large-scale orbital manufacturing, advanced stem cell research, wildfire surveillance and management and semiconductor crystal production.
During the summit, NASA discussed the release of its Low Earth Orbit Microgravity Strategy, which lays out a roadmap for building on commercial and international partnerships to expand research capabilities and develop technologies necessary for deep space exploration.
“CDMRP supports research into many different types of cancer and neurological conditions that could benefit from space-based research,” says Sgambato. “The same applies to our arthritis and orthopedics research programs.
The development of complex 3D cellular models that are only possible in microgravity allow us the opportunity to ask questions ranging from our understanding of basic biology to precisely targeted drug screening.
It will allow researchers to ask complex questions and hopefully get some meaningful answers that will lead to innovative solutions for these diseases and conditions.”
https://www.army.mil/article/283350/cdmrp_funded_research_may_soon_be_flying_in_space
Blue Origin launches 'Perfect 10' space tourists on New Shepard rocket
February 25, 2025
Blue Origin launched its 10th space tourism mission this morning (Feb. 25), sending six paying passengers to suborbital space.
After a slight delay due to a hold, Blue Origin's suborbital New Shepard vehicle lifted off from the company's West Texas site today at 10:50 a.m. EST (1550 GMT; 9:50 a.m. local Texas time).
Blue Origin's New Shepard booster touched down in the dusty Texas desert around seven minutes after liftoff, and the flight's capsule returned to the ground three minutes after that.
All three parachutes on the capsule deployed during the crew's descent; on the company's previous uncrewed research flight earlier this month, one of the capsule's parachutes failed to deploy.
The six crewmembers on today's flight named themselves "Perfect 10," launch commentator Eddie Seyffert said during Blue Origin's livestream.
"Well, that makes perfect sense to me, considering the fact that this is, in fact, our 10th human flight."
Blue Origin called today's flight NS-30, because it was the 30th overall flight of New Shepard.
The mission was the 10th crewed mission of the vehicle, which consists of a reusable booster and a reusable capsule.
The crewmembers on today's flight were venture capitalist Lane Bess (who flew on New Shepard for the second time), Spanish TV host Jesús Calleja, entrepreneur and physicist Elaine Chia Hyde, reproductive endocrinologist Richard Scott and hedge fund partner Tushar Shah. You can learn more about them in our crew reveal story.
Blue Origin did not provide details about the sixth crewmember, and stated that he wished to remain anonymous.
But we know that person is a man with the surname Wilson, thanks to the NS-30 mission patch and a few photos that the company has posted on X.
New Shepard flights last 10 to 12 minutes from liftoff to capsule touchdown.
Passengers experience a few minutes of weightlessness during this stretch and get to see Earth against the blackness of space.
We don't know how much a New Shepard ticket costs. Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin's main competitor in the suborbital space tourism industry, currently charges $600,000 per seat.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/private-spaceflight/watch-jeff-bezos-blue-origin-launch-10th-space-tourism-flight-today
https://www.blueorigin.com/missions/ns-30
NASA's asteroid-hopping Lucy probe takes 1st images of its next target: Donaldjohanson
February 26, 2025
NASA's Lucy spacecraft, on its way to Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, has its next target in its sights: the main belt asteroid 52246 Donaldjohanson.
Currently 45 million miles (70 million kilometers) from the two-mile-wide (3.2-kilometer-wide) Donaldjohanson, Lucy's high-resolution camera L'LORRI (Lucy Long Range Reconnaissance Imager) spotted the asteroid moving against a background of stars.
Lucy will continue to track Donaldjohanson, adjusting its trajectory to ensure an accurate flyby on April 20, when the spacecraft will come within 596 miles (960 kilometers) of the asteroid, which orbits in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
The encounter with Donaldjohanson won't be Lucy's first visit to an asteroid. Having launched on Oct. 16, 2021, Lucy encountered the asteroid Dinkinesh and its moon, Selam, in November of 2023.
Like Donaldjohanson, Dinkinesh and Selam are also inhabitants of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Selam in particular was very interesting because it turned out to be a contact binary — two separate objects touching each other and held together by their mutual gravity.
Selam's origin is still a puzzle, but scientists think it might be made from material flung off Dinkinesh as Dinkinesh's rotation was spun up by solar heating, exerting a torque over the course of millions of years.
Although relatively few minor planets have been explored by spacecraft, a high fraction of them have proved to be anything but boring, some having accompanying moons, others adopting unusual shapes and some spraying jets of debris.
For now, however, Donaldjohanson appears only as a point of light to Lucy, and the spacecraft won't be able to detect any details about its structure until the day of the close encounter, when Donaldjohanson will appear large enough in Lucy's sky to begin to resolve its features.
Who knows what Lucy will find?
Then, after the Donaldjohanson fly-by, Lucy will still have a packed schedule ahead of it. In August of 2027, Lucy will have its first encounter with one of Jupiter's Trojan asteroids.
The Trojans are two huge swarms of asteroids that have settled into the Lagrange L4 and L5 points, 60 degrees ahead and 60 degrees behind Jupiter in its orbit around the sun.
The Trojan asteroids are all named after heroes of the Trojan War in Greek mythology — the first Trojan that Lucy will meet is the 620-mile-wide (1,000-kilometer-wide) 3548 Eurybates, in the "Greek camp" located at L4.
After visiting three more Trojan asteroids in the Greek camp, Lucy will actually head back to Earth in 2030 to receive a gravitational slingshot towards the "Trojan camp" at Jupiter's L5 point in 2033.
And, if you’re wondering, Donaldjohanson has a direct link to the Lucy spacecraft's name.
Donald Johanson is a paleoanthropologist who discovered parts of a fossilized skeleton of an ancestor of homo sapiens', an australopithecine that lived 3.2 million years ago in what is now Ethiopia.
That skeleton was named "Lucy." The spacecraft named after that ancient hominid is also exploring fossils, in the sense that asteroids are leftovers from the dawn of the solar system and can tell us much about Earth's origin, just as Lucy the fossil can tell us about human evolution.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/asteroid-comet-missions/nasas-asteroid-hopping-lucy-probe-takes-1st-images-of-its-next-target-donaldjohanson
Astrophotographer captures 'rare' planetary parade as 7 planets align in the night sky
February 26, 2025
Astrophotographer Josh Dury captured this stunning photograph of the seven-planet alignment on Feb. 22 from the Mendip Hills, Somerset, U.K.
"A fantastic, yet challenging photographic opportunity to observe all planets during a small window in time," Dury told Space.com in an email.
Currently, skywatchers have a rare opportunity to witness this planetary parade in the evening sky, with seven planets aligned. For most, three of the brightest planets — Venus, Jupiter and Mars — will be easily visible to the naked eye.
Those with a clear unobstructed view of the horizon may also be able to spot Saturn and Mercury, while Uranus and Neptune can be spotted with binoculars, a small telescope, or in Dury's case — a very well-positioned and timed photograph!
Dury's efforts were rewarded with a stunning panoramic view of the night sky containing seven planets. But it was no easy feat.
"A difficult capture with planets: Mercury, Saturn and Neptune being in close proximity to the sun," Dury told Space.com.
To capture these three planets Dury captured a panorama of several "panes".
For the "pane" that captured Mercury, Saturn and Neptune, Dury used two multiple exposures; the base of the panorama and another with increased exposure and ISO to try and capture the light from the dimmer planets.
Dury then matched with plain sphere maps to confirm their position.
"Being close to the sun and in the attempt to photograph them as soon as they were readily visible, the relative positions of these three planets are slightly misaligned due to their approximate visibility from the imaging location and low western cloud," Dury explained.
Dury used a Sony A7S II and Sigma 15mm Diagonal Fisheye to capture the image.
While planetary alignments like this aren't exceedingly rare, they are uncommon enough to make for a breathtaking sight — one that won't be seen again until late October 2028.
If you haven't been able to catch a glimpse of the planetary parade yet do not worry, there is still time this month (though Saturn, Mercury and Neptune are becoming increasingly difficult to spot).
The easiest way to see the planetary lineup is to head outside at dusk and find Venus, the brightest and most conspicuous of the planets, shining in the west-southwest sky.
From there, you can trace a gentle arc along the ecliptic (the line or plane that all the planets trace through the sky) to locate the other planets.
Jupiter will be high in the south, Mars will blaze in the east near the Gemini twins, and Mercury and Saturn will require a clear, unobstructed view of the horizon.
For those with binoculars, Uranus and Neptune provide an extra challenge.
Uranus, with its faint greenish glow, can sometimes be seen without optical aid under dark skies, while Neptune requires a telescope to distinguish its distant blue disk.
https://www.space.com/astrophotographer-captures-rare-planetary-alignment-seven-planets-february-2025
Space Force sets up team to sort out support for ‘Iron Dome’—that is, ‘Golden Dome’
February 25, 2025 12:17 PM ET
The Space Force has formed a team of experts to gauge which of its current programs can help build out President Trump’s “Iron Dome for America” initiative—and what still needs to be developed.
The service will play “a central role” in the initiative and has established an “technical integrated planning team to start thinking about it from an overarching perspective,” Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman told reporters Monday.
The initiative has been officially renamed “Golden Dome,” a defense official confirmed to Defense One. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a Feb. 20 video, referred to “the Golden Dome or Iron Dome.”
Pentagon officials began drawing up plans for the initiative after Trump’s Jan. 27 executive order called for the creation of a “next-generation missile defense shield” to protect the U.S. from missiles or other advanced aerial attacks.
Several agencies’ systems will play a role in the effort, including the Missile Defense Agency’s Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor satellite and the Space Development Agency’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.
The planning team will finish up in “a matter of weeks” and identify which Space Force programs could directly support the effort, and what gaps remain for building the missile defense system, a senior Space Force official told reporters Monday.
Trump’s order also calls for the system to include space-based interceptors—a major shift in U.S. policy. But the feasibility of building space-based interceptors, and how quickly the U.S. could field them, remains to be seen.
“I don't know enough yet to say from a technical perspective where that stands…One of the worst things to do is buy it off a technical challenge that you can't solve in a reasonable cost frame, a reasonable time frame, and so we'll be very forthright with, ‘Here's where we think the technology stands at this juncture,’” the official said.
Funding in the 2026 budget request could also be a challenge. Paying for the missile shield in this budget environment will be a “heavy lift,” the official said. “I think this concept was conceived with space-based capabilities in mind.
And I would hope that if people say there’s space-based capabilities contributing to a mission set, that the first thing that comes to mind is, well, then the Space Force ought to be pretty front and center in that, and I have every indication that that is kind of the way they think about it. It's a huge effort,” the official said.
"Iron Dome for America" alluded to Israel's Iron Dome system, a defense against short-range rockets and missiles.
https://www.defenseone.com/defense-systems/2025/02/space-force-sets-team-sort-out-support-iron-dome-golden-dome/403254/
SpaceX Starlink Mission
February 26, 2025 10:34 p.m. ET
SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, February 26 for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Liftoff is targeted for 10:34 p.m. ET, with backup opportunities available until 2:19 a.m. ET on Thursday, February 27. If needed, additional launch opportunities are also available on Thursday, February 27 starting at 9:52 p.m. ET.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about five minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app.
This will be the first flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission. Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-12-13
Treasury sanctions six Hong Kong entities for helping Iranian drone network
Feb. 26, 2025 / 11:54 AM
The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control Wednesday sanctioned six Hong Kong companies for allegedly being part of a covert Iranian drone procurement network.
The agency announced sanctions against Dingtai Industrial Technology Co. Limited, Yonghongan Trade Limited, Hong Kong Tianle International Co. Limited, DDC Develop Industry Hong Kong Limited, Shenzhen Zhiyu International Trade Co. Ltd., and JP Oriental International Holdings Limited.
Treasury alleged that the sanctioned companies work on behalf of Iranian firm Pishtazan Kavosh Gostar Boshra.
"Iran continues to try to find new ways to procure the key components it needs to bolster its UAV weapons program through new front companies and third-country suppliers," said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent in a statement.
"Treasury remains committed to disrupting the schemes that enable Iran to send its deadly weapons abroad to its terrorist proxies and other destabilizing actors."
Treasury said the sanctioned companies "operate as front companies and facilitate the purchase and shipment of key components" of drones for Iranian company Pishtazan Kavosh Gostar Boshra and its subsidiary Narin Sepehr Mobin Isatis.
According to the Treasury Department, Dingtai procured drone components made in the United States for Iran.
Yonghongan procured other Western aircraft components and Tianle facilitated price quotes and procurement of U.S.-made electronic components, including micro servos.
Shenzhen Zhiyu allegedly exported production and testing equipment for Iran's drone network. JP Oriental exported shipments for the network, according to Treasury, as did DDC Develop.
Treasury said the sanctions announced Wednesday targets efforts by the Iranian company Pishtazan Kavosh Gostar Boshra to "reconstitute its procurement network and continue the procurement of critical parts from foreign suppliers."
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/02/26/Treasury-sanctions-Chinese-companies-Iran-drones/2701740588178/
Ukraine Drone Swarm Target's Russia's Biggest Black Sea Oil Port
Feb 26, 2025 at 11:36 AM EST
A swarm of Ukrainian drones targeted the Black Sea port of Tuapse in an attack on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
Newsweek reached out to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for comment via email outside of business hours.
Ukraine has frequently struck Russian energy facilities in drone attacks in an effort to cripple Moscow's ability to continue funding and fighting in the war.
In 2024, Kyiv conducted attacks on more than 80 Russian oil refineries and depots, causing some to be shut due to damage and incurring costly repairs for the facilities.
Ukraine's strike on one of Russia's key ports that facilitates the transport of oil could make the upcoming peace negotiations with Moscow more difficult.
Moscow has said that it destroyed 83 drones in the overnight attack over Krasnodar, a region in southern Russia.
Drones targeted the port on the coast of the Black Sea known for being one of the key cargo ports for the transport of oil, according to RBC-Ukraine.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said in a post on Telegram that it "intercepted and destroyed 128 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles: 83 UAVs over the territory of the Krasnodar Territory, 30 UAVs over the territory of the Republic of Crimea, eight UAVs over the waters of the Sea of Azov, five UAVs over the waters of the Black Sea, and one UAV each over the territories of the Bryansk and Kursk regions."
The Russian Telegram news channel SHOT reported that local residents said they heard more than 40 explosions throughout the city, and that UAVs were trying to attack the local port.
Newsweek cannot independently verify these reports.
Krasnodar's Governor Veniamin Kondratyev wrote on Telegram that as a result of the drone strikes, three houses were damaged in several municipalities from the drones and fallen debris, but there were no casualties.
Russia has previously accused Ukraine and the U.S. of preparing to strike the Tuapse oil terminal in March of 2023, alleging that the U.S. of being involved after an American drone was downed over the Black Sea.
The U.S. denied these allegations, calling it "ridiculous."
The town on the coast of the Black Sea is also home to the Tuapse refinery, which has been struck by Ukraine on numerous occasions, with the most recent strike taking place in July 2024.
The Tuapse refinery has a processing capacity of 240,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil and supplies fuel mainly to Turkey, China, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Owned by Rosneft, a Russian oil company, the refinery was previously struck and damaged in May and January 2024.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Michael MacKay, a pro-Ukraine user, wrote:
"Drones launched by the HUR (Ukrainian military intelligence) hit the oil terminal and port at Tuapse in Krasnodar Krai on the territory of the Russian terrorist state.
The attack caused a fire and damaged oil refining equipment."
Andriy Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, wrote on Telegram: "The enemy has reported an attack on the seaport in Tuapse, Krasnodar Krai.
This is one of the key cargo ports of the Russian Federation on the Black Sea. There is an oil terminal there—one of the largest in Russia.
Oil and oil products are transported through the port, which makes it important for the Russian energy sector."
He continued: "The port processes significant volumes of coal, mineral fertilizers, metal products and grain.
It is a logistics hub, which is connected to the railway network, which allows transporting cargo from the central and southern regions of the Russian Federation.
The port plays an important role in supporting military logistics. It is used to transport equipment, ammunition and fuel for military needs.
It provides logistical support for the ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, in particular those involved in the war against Ukraine."
WarTranslated, run by an Estonian military blogger, wrote on X: "It was loud in Russia last night. Local media reported a massive UAV attack on Kuban and occupied Crimea.
In Tuapse, reports indicate around 40 explosions. The city hosts a seaport and an oil refinery, which was already attacked in the summer."
It is unknown if Ukraine's strike on the port in Tuapse will jeopardize the upcoming peace negotiations with Russia mediated by the U.S.
https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-drone-swarm-targets-russias-biggest-black-sea-oil-port-2036552
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/more-than-40-explosions-hur-confirms-ukrainian-drone-strike-on-russia-s-tuapse-oil-refinery/ar-AA1zPSld
Greenwich man who used drone to drop drugs and phones into multiple prisons jailed
13:47, 26 FEB 2025
A man has been jailed for using a drone to drop Class A drugs and mobile phones into prisons. Mahamood Diallo Blin, 26, of Charlton Church Lane, Greenwich, was jailed for six years and 11 months after he was convicted for smuggling in contraband to multiple prisons via a drone.
Prison staff discovered a drone that had crashed inside HMP Pentonville containing drugs and a mobile phone in August 2023.
An investigation was launched and detectives linked the drone to a previous incident where it had crashed into HMP Coldingley in Surrey a year prior.
Further digging identified 37 incidents of drugs, tobacco and mobile phones being flown into prison in the local area after a joint investigation began between the Met Police and the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit.
Blin was later charged in connection with these crimes and other offences on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to convey Class A drugs, conspiracy to convey mobile phones as well as conspiracy to convey tobacco at Snaresbrook Crown Court. He was then sentenced to nearly seven years in prison on Monday, February 24 at the same court.
Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Zara Baker from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command said: “The Met is focused on tackling drug dealing as we know it fuels other crime and anti-social behaviour across London.
“Smuggling illegal drugs into prison increases the risk of violence towards those working within prisons and to other inmates.
It adds to the struggles faced by those affected by addiction and attempting to rehabilitate while serving their sentences.
“Blin’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the offences he committed and I hope his sentence sends a clear message that offenders will be brought to justice.
We will continue to work closely with His Majesty's Prison Service, South East Regional Organised Crime Unit and the Crown Prosecution Service to tackle serious organised crime and target those who profit from the crime at the expense of others.”
A spokesperson from the South East Prison Intelligence Unit in SEROCU, said: “Tackling the issue of conveyance of drugs and other illicit items into prisons using drones is one of our priorities.
“By working closely with both the Metropolitan Police Service and HM Prison & Probation Service, we have been able to ensure that someone who was prolifically using drones to fly prohibited items into the prison estate with complete disregard for the harm this caused has been stopped in his tracks.
“We will continue to work together to disrupt this activity which fuels organised crime.”
https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/greenwich-man-who-used-drone-31084890
Romania's Drone Defense: New Legislation in Action
Updated: 26-02-2025 19:08 IST
The Romanian parliament has passed a new law allowing the military to shoot down drones that trespass into national airspace, focusing on circumstances that pose threats to lives and property.
This move follows increasing incidents of Russian drone debris in Romania, given its proximity to Ukraine.
In a decisive move, the Romanian parliament has sanctioned a law empowering the military to down drones entering its airspace illegitimately.
The legislation prioritizes defending human life and property amid growing concerns over Russian drone debris landing in Romania, a nation sharing a lengthy border with Ukraine.
Passed despite staunch opposition from hard-right nationalists, the bill outlines clear protocols for managing both piloted and unmanned aircraft intruding on Romanian skies.
It defines graduated measures for piloted vehicles, from establishing identification to potential destruction if aggressive behavior is confirmed.
Regarding unmanned aerial vehicles, primarily drones, the law permits decisive actions such as destruction or control, if threat levels justify such measures.
The legislation also allows allied systems in Romania to take part in defensive actions under existing NATO and EU treaties.
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/3278595-romanias-drone-defense-new-legislation-in-action
Journalist and Professor Killed in Drone Attack Near Kyiv
Feb. 26, 2025, 3:24 pm
A deadly drone attack, which struck a residential building in the Kyiv region overnight, killed Ukrinform journalist Tetiana Kulyk and her husband, Professor Pavlo Ivanchev, head of the Surgery Department at Bogomolets National Medical University, Ukrinform reported on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
Tetiana Kulyk was a well-known journalist and editor. She hosted the project Nation of the Unimaginative and previously worked as a TV presenter and editor-in-chief at various media outlets.
She was also a member of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine.
Serhii Cherevaty, CEO of Ukrinform, paid tribute to her, saying, “She was a wonderful journalist who made many programs about our struggle and heroes.
Just yesterday, we spoke about preparing an interview with Kyrylo Budanov. She will always be in our hearts.”
The drone attack also injured two other people and caused serious damage to homes in Kryukivshchyna and Bucha, with eight additional houses affected by the blast wave.
On the night of Feb. 26, Russian forces launched 177 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs across Ukraine. Air defense units shot down 110 drones, while 66 others were lost.
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/47875
https://twitter.com/KyivPost/status/1894499525290541383