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April's Full Pink Moon will rise as a 'micromoon' this weekend — what to expect from the smallest full moon of 2025
April 10, 2025
Skywatchers, get ready for a dazzling lunar display this weekend: April's full moon, known as the Pink Moon or Paschal Moon, will rise on the evening of Saturday, April 12.
While it won't appear pink, this full moon holds a special distinction — it's the smallest full moon of the year, also known as a "micromoon".
This is because April's full moon occurs when the moon is farthest from Earth in its orbit (known as apogee), making it appear slightly smaller and dimmer than usual, though the difference may be hard to spot with the naked eye.
The full moon will reach peak illumination at 8:22 p.m. EDT (0022 GMT on April 13), local moonrise and moonset times depend on your location.
Look to the eastern horizon around sunset for the best view. For example, in New York City, the moon rises at 7:30 p.m. EDT, just two minutes before sunset, offering a picture-perfect backdrop of a golden moon climbing into twilight.
The moon will be nestled in the constellation Virgo, near the bright blue-white star Spica.
For skywatchers in Central and South America, and parts of southern Africa, this full moon comes with an added treat — the moon will briefly cover Spica in an event called an occultation.
The timing varies by location, with the full event visible in places like Buenos Aires, Caracas, and Montevideo.
This full moon also plays a significant role in religious calendars. In the Christian tradition, the Paschal Moon determines the date of Easter, which falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox.
In 2025, Easter will be celebrated on April 20.
The Full Pink Moon name comes from the moss pink or creeping phlox, one of the first wildflowers to bloom in early spring in North America.
It's name rooted in Native American traditions and was popularized by the Old Farmer's Almanac.
Other historical names April's full moon include the Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon and Fish Moon, each marking seasonal transitions in different cultures.
Photographing a full moon is easier than it looks! Use a tripod to avoid blur, and if you're shooting with a DSLR or mirrorless camera, use a telephoto lens (200mm or longer) to capture detail.
Try manual settings: ISO 100–400, aperture f/8 to f/11, and shutter speed around 1/125 to 1/250 second. Include a building, tree, or skyline for scale and drama.
Smartphone photographers can try the night mode or a manual camera app to fine-tune settings. And don't forget — the best photos often come just after moonrise, when the moon is low and the sky still holds color.
April full moon: Quick summary
April's full moon, the Pink Moon, rises Saturday, April 12 and peaks at 8:22 p.m. EDT.
It's the smallest full moon of 2025, occurring when the moon is farthest from Earth (apogee).
Despite the name, the Pink Moon won't appear pink — it's named after spring wildflowers.
https://www.space.com/april-full-moon-2025-rises-what-to-expect
https://www.almanac.com/content/full-moon-april
Standard Uranium partners with Fleet Space for Davidson River exploration
08:53 10 Apr 2025 EDT
Standard Uranium Ltd (TSX-V:STND, OTCQB:STTDF) has formed a strategic partnership with Fleet Space Technologies Canada to enhance uranium exploration at its Davidson River project in Saskatchewan’s southwest Athabasca Basin.
The company said it will use Fleet Space’s ExoSphere Multiphysics surveys — a combination of real-time 3D ambient noise tomography and ground gravity data — to refine drill targets and improve the odds of discovering high-grade uranium deposits.
“We believe that Fleet Space's real-time geophysical capabilities and industry leading expertise in data-driven exploration will enable us to accelerate our progress with deployment of their Exosphere Multiphysics technology as a vital step on the path to discovery,” said Jon Bey, CEO of Standard Uranium.
The surveys, scheduled for spring 2025, will focus on the Warrior, Bronco, and Thunderbird conductor corridors.
The integration of new subsurface data aims to de-risk high-priority target zones by mapping basement structures and potential alteration zones often linked with uranium mineralization.
“These surveys will be the first of their kind in the southwest Athabasca Basin uranium district,” said Sean Hillacre, Standard Uranium’s president and vice president of exploration.
Fleet Space’s ExoSphere platform is designed to reduce uncertainty in exploration by providing real-time insights and faster decision-making.
Federico Tata Nardini, chief financial and investment strategy officer at Fleet Space, said the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to building sustainable mineral supply chains for the clean energy transition.
As part of the agreement, Standard Uranium will also settle C$525,000 in debt owed to Fleet Space and its affiliate through the issuance of 7 million common shares at a deemed price of C$0.075 per share, representing a 2.3% discount to the 30-day VWAP.
Following the transaction, Fleet would own about 11% of Standard Uranium’s outstanding shares, making it an insider, the company said.
https://www.proactiveinvestors.com/companies/news/1069462/standard-uranium-partners-with-fleet-space-for-davidson-river-exploration-1069462.html
Poor weather forces a scrub of the Kuiper 1 launch on a ULA Atlas 5
April 9, 2025
A band of off-shore thunderstorms forced United Launch Alliance to scrub a launch attempt of the first of dozens of missions on behalf of its largest commercial customer, Amazon. Its Atlas 5 551 rocket will carry 27 Project Kuiper satellites onboard.
The mission, referred to as Kuiper 1 by ULA and Kuiper Atlas 1 (KA-01) by Amazon, will send the first batch of its full production satellites into low Earth orbit. Amazon’s satellite internet constellation, called Project Kuiper, is designed to rival others, like SpaceX’s Starlink and Eutelsat’s OneWeb.
A new launch date is being determined by ULA and the Eastern Range.
On Tuesday, the 45th Weather Squadron, based at Patrick Space Force Base, forecast a 55 percent chance for favorable weather, with concerns related to cumulus clouds, strong liftoff winds and the potential impact of isolated showers.
That outlook is slightly worse than what was forecast on Monday.
“The cold front, which has brought scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms to central Florida this morning, is expected to be east of the Bahamas by Wednesday evening,” meteorologists wrote.
“A developing low along that boundary, coupled with ridging behind the front should bring breezy onshore flow and isolated, fast-moving showers to the Cape for the launch window.”
Launch weather officers however, throughout the course of the launch window, weather remained at an 80 percent probability of violating weather with a combination of strong winds and the proximity of the off-shore storms.
Once it lifts off from the pad, ULA’s Atlas 5 rocket will fly in a north-easterly trajectory. ULA is using its most powerful Atlas 5 configuration, 551, which features five solid rocket boosters from Northrop Grumman.
Including this mission, Amazon has eight remaining Atlas 5 rockets that it purchased to launch its Kuiper satellites.
In a media roundtable on Monday, ULA President and CEO Tory Bruno said the company might launch another Kuiper Atlas mission in the late spring or early summer timeframe before shifting to their first national security mission on a Vulcan rocket.
When asked if ULA expected to go through all eight of Amazon’s Atlas rocket missions this year, Bruno said, “Maybe, not necessarily. I don’t think I’ll get all of the Atlases off for them this year. I think it’ll be ’26 before we get them all done,” he said.
Bruno said they are looking at late summer for the first launch of Kuiper satellites on a Vulcan rocket, which would carry 45 Kuiper satellites on board.
The next two launches of Vulcan are planned for missions from its National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 contract. USSF-106 will launch first, followed by USSF-87.
“There will be several of each [Vulcan and Atlas] and that should take Amazon well on their way to where they have enough spacecraft for revenue generation, which really means the initial services being offered, which is pretty exciting,” Bruno said.
Bruno expects ULA will launch somewhere in the area of 11-13 or so missions before the end of the year, with there being roughly an equal split between Atlas and Vulcan flights.
Those will be a mixture of launches for the U.S. government and Amazon.
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Project Kuiper emerges
The Project Kuiper constellation will eventually consist of more than 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit.
Like SpaceX’s Starlink, Amazon wants to have a large constellation to provide low latency internet for commercial customers, both civilian and governmental.
“We have set out to design the most advanced satellite network ever built and we have created the whole thing in house at Amazon,” said Rajeev Badyal, the vice president of Technology for the Kuiper Satellite Network, in an Amazon-produced video.
“You need just about every technology area to contribute to build the satellite, the propulsion system, the solar arrays, the silicon, the phased array antennas, the optical inter-satellite links.”
The Kuiper 1 mission will carry the first full production satellites for Project Kuiper. Amazon launched two prototype satellites on another Atlas 5 rocket back in October 2023 to test the capabilities and give Project Kuiper better insight into some changes needed for the final version.
According to stipulations from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Amazon said it will begin customer service once the first 578 satellites are launched and operational.
The 3,236 satellites will be spread across 98 orbital planes at 590 km, 610 km and 630 km in altitude. For comparison, the International Space Station orbits between 370-460 km in altitude.
“It might not all go perfectly, but we have an incredible commitment to this project and an incredible team committed to this mission,” Badyal said.
Beyond the Atlas 5 rockets it purchased, Amazon also bought 38 launches on ULA’s Vulcan rocket as well as a combined 33 launches on Arianespace’s Ariane 6, Blue Origin’s New Glenn and SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets.
Offering a service to regular people and businesses isn’t Amazon’s only aim. The company also established Kuiper Government Solutions (KGS) LLC as a legally separate entity from Project Kuiper.
Amazon said KGS is designed “to support specialized government capabilities, from secure terrestrial broadband to in-space networking solutions using the Kuiper commercial network.”
KGS and L3Harris Technologies announced a partnership on Monday to offer a combined service for government needs.
In pitching this to prospective government customers, L3Harris said that it brings “Proven, resilient open systems from SATCOM terminals to robust tactical radios (to) ensure seamless integration into your existing operations.”
“The synergies of our new partnership will deliver out-of-the-box interoperability and specialized systems for military, public safety and commercial applications, providing customers more flexibility in their communication networks than ever before,” said Sam Mehta, President, Communication Systems for L3Harris, in a statement.
“This partnership is crucial for providing extended, enhanced capabilities not available today and reinforces our mutual commitment to deliver resilient, secure and trusted solutions to our customers.”
https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/04/09/live-coverage-ula-to-launch-27-amazon-project-kuiper-satellites-on-atlas-5-rocket-from-cape-canaveral/
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USSF Brings Acquisition Reforms to New Nuclear Command and Control Program
April 9, 2025
Some of the Space Force’s biggest acquisition reforms have made their way into the service’s new nuclear command, control, and communications satellite program, the officer in charge of the effort said April 8.
Evolved Strategic SATCOM is one of the biggest pieces of the Space Force budget, set to replace the Advanced Extremely High Frequency constellation.
Fielded mostly in the 2010s, AEHF is one of the last programs with an old-school approach to space acquisition: just six spacecraft, each the size of multiple school buses and weighing more than six tons, with software for the ground control stations delivered after first launch.
In recent years, the Space Force has shifted toward buying larger numbers of smaller spacecraft with “commercial off the shelf” components, and former acquisition czar Frank Calvelli pushed programs to have their ground segment ready to go before the satellites launched.
ESS is embracing that shift, Col. A.J. Ashby, senior materiel leader for strategic SATCOM, told reporters at the Space Symposium, starting with where its satellites will fly.
“ESS will have a proliferated architecture, unlike AEHF,” he said. “AEHF is currently just in the geostationary orbit, and so we’ll be proliferated. We’ll be in diverse orbits, and there’s certain threats that we will address.
But the most significant thing about ESS is that we’ll be able to service an increased number of strategic users that the current system doesn’t currently support.”
Space Force leaders have touted proliferation as a way to make targeting harder for potential adversaries, challenging them to find different ways to attack objects in different orbits and narrowing the target window as spacecraft move relative to the Earth.
The exact number of satellites in the ESS constellation remains a secret. Space Force budget documents reference the need for four space vehicles to achieve initial operational capability by fiscal 2032, but Ashby declined to comment further than that.
Who exactly will build those satellites is still to be determined—the program is in source selection, with Boeing and Northrop Grumman as the top contenders after building prototypes. Ashby also declined to say when a contract might be awarded.
However, Ashby did suggest whoever does win the contract won’t necessarily be building the exquisite systems that have defined strategically vital programs in the past.
While there is no commercial market for nuclear command, control, and communications functions, existing commercial components and parts could be useful.
“Spacecraft buses, we’re taking a hard look at that,” Ashby said. “With regard to crypto, we’ve got Viasat, we’re on contract with ViaSat right now for their chassis for our cryptographic units. Those are commercial products, right?”
There are limits to how much commercial can be used for the program. Asked if SpaceX’s massive Starlink communications constellations is being considered for any part of the ESS requirement, Ashby said, “Not right at this point in time.”
On the ground, though, ESS will embrace a commercial-like approach. Back in 2023, the Space Force awarded a contract to Lockheed Martin for what it calls the Ground Resilient Integration & Framework for Operational NC3, or GRIFFON, but Lockheed won’t be the only contributor.
“You kind of liken the framework to your cell phone, and then you have different applications that would ride on that framework,” Ashby said, explaining that Lockheed will build the framework and then allow smaller software developers to work within that framework.
“We have the best of breed, so leveraging the software acquisition pathway, we’re leveraging the Space Enterprise Consortium, other transaction authorities, we’re able to put the best of breed of software developers on contract to do that,” he said.
That approach is one borne out of hard lessons learned from other ground segments the Space Force has tried to develop all at once, only to encounter years of delays that have limited satellites’ capabilities.
The Space Force has outlined plans to spend $5.11 billion in research and development on ESS from 2025 to 2029, making it one of the service’s biggest programs.
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/ussf-acquisition-reform-ess-nc3/
Space Force chief: ‘Golden Dome’ is a missile shield built in pieces, not a single system
April 10, 2025
COLORADO SPRINGS — The head of the U.S. Space Force sought to clear up confusion about the Trump administration’s ambitious missile defense initiative known as Golden Dome, emphasizing that it represents a complex network of systems rather than a single procurement program.
“It’s not a system. There’s not going to be a ‘Golden Dome delivered,'” Gen. Chance Saltzman, chief of space operations, said April 9 at a news conference during the Space Symposium.
“It’s a system of systems that has to work together. And so there won’t be a single contract vehicle. There will be multiple programs that are brought to bear to solve that mission against the threats.”
The Golden Dome initiative, established through a White House executive order, aims to create a comprehensive shield protecting the United States against an array of missile threats, including ballistic, hypersonic and advanced cruise missiles.
The system’s core components would include space-based sensors and missile interceptors, utilizing orbital vantage points for early detection and rapid response.
The Pentagon has been directed to develop an “architecture” for this missile defense shield — essentially designing the structure of the network, how its components will be organized, and how they will interact with each other.
Saltzman said this work remains in early stages. “We’re nowhere near” finalizing an architecture, he said. “We’re doing the planning.
We’re looking at what resources might be available, which programs are currently developed that might contribute to it. And that is all still way pre-decisional.”
Leveraging existing programs
Among the space programs already in development that could contribute to Golden Dome are infrared sensor satellite networks being developed by the Missile Defense Agency and the Space Force’s Space Development Agency. The executive order also calls for space-based interceptors designed to destroy enemy missiles in flight.
“That’s work to be done,” said Saltzman. “We’ve got to continue to think through that for those new systems.”
Defense analysts note that the concept of a comprehensive missile shield has been pursued by multiple administrations since the Reagan-era Strategic Defense Initiative, often colloquially known as “Star Wars.”
However, technological limitations and geopolitical complications have historically prevented full implementation.
Fast-tracking development
Saltzman emphasized that the traditional Pentagon acquisition timeline would be too slow for this initiative.
“If this were a traditional Pentagon development program, it could take 12 to 17 years to develop it,” he said.
Instead, the focus is on what can be accomplished more rapidly: “What can we do in the next two to four years? Let’s talk about that.”
To accelerate development, the Missile Defense Agency and Space Development Agency have issued requests for information to the private sector to assess “the art of the possible,” according to Saltzman.
This industry collaboration is seen as critical to meeting the ambitious timeline. “Until you have that discussion, you can’t say what it will cost,” he added.
While the administration has not provided a cost estimate for the Golden Dome initiative, defense budget experts anticipate it could potentially cost tens of billions of dollars over the next decade, depending on its final scope.
Saltzman outlined the budgetary approach: “If you don’t do the initial survey of what’s out there, if you don’t structure it under one system of systems, then you can’t properly budget for it. You can’t properly design the programs and the acquisition strategies to get after it.”
He indicated that the Pentagon plans to present the White House with preliminary findings from its analysis.
“I believe what’s going to go back to the White House is a large discussion of that. Here are the systems that have basically been identified.
Here are the programs that we have to invest in. And here are some rough orders of magnitude in terms of cost,” he said.
He warned against perfection becoming the enemy of progress: “If we wait and try to engineer this to the perfect solution, we will never get started.
We will not get there fast enough. And so mission analysis is step one of this iterative process.”
https://spacenews.com/space-force-chief-golden-dome-is-a-missile-shield-built-in-pieces-not-a-single-system/
Space Force, NGA leaders discuss power of collaboration
April 9, 2025
U.S. Space Force Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Mike Guetlein and U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency director, took part in a fireside chat moderated by Tanya Pemberton, Aerospace Corporation executive vice president, in Colorado Springs, April 8.
The discussion was part of the 40th Space Symposium, held by the Space Foundation to drive conversations on data, partnerships and innovation across the space industry.
Guetlein and Whitworth’s fireside chat focused specifically on opportunities and challenges to collaborate across the intelligence community – military and civil.
“There are more opportunities than there are challenges,” Guetlein said.
“It is going to be absolutely imperative to the protection and defense of this nation that we can integrate and network these capabilities and seamlessly share data, share situational awareness, [and] not duplicate development efforts going forward [to] optimize the utility of our resources.”
Title 10 provides the legal framework for the roles, missions and organizations of the Department of Defense, including the U.S. Space Force, while Title 50 provides the legal framework for the roles and responsibilities of the intelligence community, including the NGA.
The distinctions between these roles are clear, however, there’s a growing need for integration.
“NGA relies on the warfighting domain of space and I would like to think that the warfighting domain of space relies on NGA as well,” Whitworth said.
“One of the things that we have a responsibility to do at NGA is actually to be a union between Title 10 and Title 50.” Growing threats in space have driven efforts on both sides to better integrate the two missions.
“The data is coming from space, so we the Space Force need to protect and defend those capabilities to ensure we have seamless transition of that data to both the Title 10 and Title 50 sides to protect and defend the nation,” Guetlein said.
Both leaders spoke on the efforts to maximize their partnership through integration and the minimization of duplicative efforts when possible.
“Some duplication is going to be inevitable, and some duplication is always going to be beneficial. But what we want to do is reduce and eliminate as much of the duplication as we possibly can to save resources.
That comes from a very close partnership between the organizations,” Guetlein said.
“It really is about ensuring unity and integration. We convene everyone from Title 10 and Title 50 to discuss our standards and the things we’re talking about today – integration and unity,” Whitworth said.
Whitworth spoke of an example of a current thriving partnership, the Joint Overhead Persistent-Infrared Center, which is comprised of the NGA, USSF and U.S. Space Command.
“The JOPC still exists to this day, and it was one of our first real success stories of a union between Title 10 and Title 50.
It’s still going, and it’s been a good precedent for the JMMC (Joint Mission Management Center),” Whitworth said.
On the topic of partnerships, conversation covered how industry leaders can support innovation and development.
“For [the USSF], we want your innovation,” Guetlein said. “I cannot hire enough cyber experts, network experts, data experts, IT experts, to solve my problems.
I need to really rely on innovation coming out of industry. The good thing is that there’s more innovation coming out today than there ever has been.”
According to Guetlein, the USSF is trying to leverage that innovation through several collaboration efforts, including a Unified Data Library and a Space Domain Awareness Tools, Applications, and Processing Lab.
Both provide opportunities for collaborative innovation between the USSF and industry to accelerate intelligence support to the warfighter.
“Space is too big for any organization to go at it alone, so we are absolutely dependent on our partnerships,” Guetlein said.
“Partnerships with commercial, partnerships with academia, partnerships with industry, [and] partnerships with our allied partners.”
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4150864/space-force-nga-leaders-discuss-power-of-collaboration/
Caspian Pipeline delays restart of pumping station after Ukraine drone attack
April 10, 2025
The operator of an oil export pipeline that transports more than 1% of global oil supplies from major Kazakhstan oilfields has delayed the restart of a pumping station in the south of Russia.
In a statement released on Thursday, Caspian Pipeline Consortium said that repairs at the Kropotkinskaya station are now expected to be completed before the end of May.
Kropotkinskaya has been offline since 17 February when the facility was attacked by Ukrainian drones in an assault that authorities in Kyiv said was aimed at halting Russian oil exports.
Caspian Pipeline Consortium at the time estimated that repairs could be completed within two months.
The operator continues to “tune Russian-made equipment [that was supplied to replace] western-made units” that were damaged or destroyed following the drone attack, it said in the statement.
In addition to shipping oil from Kazakhstan's three largest oil developments — Tengiz, Kashagan and Karachaganak — Kropotkinskaya has been handling about 33,000 barrels of Russian oil per day from the nearby Kavkazskaya rail-to-pipeline facility.
However, Ukraine's drones attacked Kavkazskaya in the middle of March, resulting in an almost week-long fire at the facility's hydrocarbon storage reservoirs, preventing the shipment of Russian crude via the route.
The attack on Kropotkinskaya has not affected the flow of Kazakh oil shipments, however, with the operator rerouting volumes through other facilities along the 1500-kilometre route.
The operator has also increased the use of antifriction additives in order to reduce drag and facilitate the movement of hydrocarbons via the pipeline, according to people familiar with its operation.
Despite the attacks, volumes of Kazakh and Russian oil exported from Caspian Pipeline Consortium's offshore loading buoys near the Russian port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea have increased by about 300,000 bpd from the start of the year, reaching 1.7 million bpd earlier in April according to Reuters.
On Wednesday, Caspian Pipeline Consortium said that oil tanker loadings at the facility were running via two loading buoys, known as single point mooring (SPM) units, after Russian authorities restored certification for one of two SPMs suspended last week.
About half of oil shipments from Kazakhstan via the pipeline were placed in storage at the company’s marine terminal near Novorossiysk, as well as at other facilities along the pipeline route, after Russian authorities suddenly prohibited the operation of the two SPMs, on 31 March.
The operator usually uses two SPM for offshore tanker loading operations, with one SPM remaining idle as it serves as redundancy.
However, a district court in Novorossiysk overturned the prohibition on operations of the two SPMs at the end of the last week.
https://www.upstreamonline.com/energy-security/caspian-pipeline-delays-restart-of-pumping-station-after-ukraine-drone-attack/2-1-1806102
Emergency drones now launch from 911 calls instantly with Flock
Apr 10 2025 - 8:58 am PT
Flock Safety is taking emergency response to new heights — literally. The Atlanta-based tech company just announced a game-changing update: drones that launch the second a 911 call comes in.
It’s called Flock911 for Aerodome, and it’s officially the first system in the US that allows police drones to deploy based on a live 911 call — before it’s even entered into dispatch.
The best part? It’s completely free for any law enforcement agency already using Flock’s Aerodome Drone As First Responder (DFR) system.
Here’s how it works: When someone dials 911, that call usually has to go through a dispatcher who inputs the info into a computer system — a delay that can eat up precious minutes.
So much so, average police response times often exceed six minutes in major US cities, which is a minute longer than the National Fire Protection Association’s widely followed five-minute standard.
Flock911, powered by Prepared, eliminates that lag by instantly streaming real-time 911 transcriptions and location data straight to DFR pilots.
So as the call is happening, a drone can already be in the air and headed to the scene.
Flock says their automated drone system responds in an average of 86 seconds, meaning in many cases, aerial support could be overhead before the dispatcher even finishes typing.
“As a former first responder, I know seconds matter,” says Rahul Sidhu, VP of aviation at Flock Safety. “Now, with this direct link between 911 and drones, agencies can be in the air responding before they’re even officially dispatched.”
Police departments are already seeing the benefits. Chief Mike Carlson of the Dunwoody Police Department in Georgia calls the integration “transformational,” saying it boosts officer awareness and gives them a huge edge in preventing crime before it escalates.
“With real-time intelligence and aerial support, we can proactively address threats, improve situational awareness, and ensure a safer environment for everyone.
This technology isn’t just about solving crime-it’s about preventing it and keeping our community secure,” says Carlson.
Flock’s drone and license plate recognition tech is already being used in over 5,000 communities across the country, with more than 4,800 police departments on board.
And with this new 911 integration, the future of real-time emergency response just got a serious upgrade.
https://dronedj.com/2025/04/10/flock-drones-dfr-911-emergency/
Haitian Authorities Using Weaponized Drones To Prevent Gangs From Taking Over The Capital Despite Concerns Over Civilian Damage
Apr 10 2025, 12:35 PM EDT
Haitian authorities has begun using weaponized drones in their ongoing fight against armed gangs in an attempt to prevent them from completely taking over the capital, Port-au-Prince.
The drones are commercial models modified with improvised explosives, according to a new report by The Washington Post.
While they have yet to eliminate any gang leaders, they have caused civilian injuries, including women and children, according to a healthcare worker.
Regardless, their use has drawn support from some Haitian citizens and human rights organizations. Some others, in contrast, have expressed concern about accountability and collateral damage.
The entity overseeing the drone operations has not been officially identified.
The Haitian government has not publicly claimed responsibility, but a government official stated that a task force, created this year by interim Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and the transitional presidential council, is running the initiative.
The official defended the use of drones, arguing they have prevented gangs from expanding into the affluent Pétion-Ville neighborhood and emphasizing that civilian casualties were an unavoidable consequence of war.
Despite these claims, transparency remains a concern. The Haitian National Police denies using weaponized drones, and the commander of the Kenya-led international police mission said his forces are not involved.
Gangs have responded with threats of escalation. Jimmy "barbecue" Chérizier, one of the country's top gang leaders, warned that gangs could acquire similar technology.
The U.N. has previously reported that gangs have used drones for reconnaissance, but there is no evidence they have weaponized them.
The development comes as Haitian police, outgunned and outnumbered, have struggled to contain the armed groups, while a Kenya-led international police deployment has faced delays and logistical challenges.
In this context, the country's transitional presidential council has begun enlisting members of a paramilitary group that sought to stage a coup to assist security forces.
Concretely, Fritz Alphonse Jean, head of the council, said members of the Brigade for the Security of Protected Areas will be vetted and integrated into operations alongside the forces.
The brigade was originally created in 2017 to protect Haiti's natural resources but has since evolved into an armed group with unclear leadership and links to illicit activities, the Miami Herald noted.
A United Nations report estimated the group has 6,000 members, many operating outside of government oversight. The UN has also raised concerns about the group's possession of illegal firearms and involvement in cross-border trafficking.
https://www.latintimes.com/haitian-authorities-using-weaponized-drones-prevent-gangs-taking-over-capital-despite-concerns-580405
SpaceX Starlink Mission
April 11, 2025 1:24 a.m. ET
SpaceX is targeting Friday, April 11 for a Falcon 9 launch of 21 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Liftoff is targeted for 1:24 a.m. ET, with backup opportunities available until 1:40 a.m. ET. If needed, additional launch opportunities are also available on Friday, April 11 starting at 9:15 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 is the 10th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-8, Polaris Dawn, CRS-31, Astranis: From One to Many, IM-2, and four Starlink missions.
Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-12-17
Election live: Peter Dutton ‘the target of teenage schoolboy drone bomb plot’
April 10, 2025 - 9:44PM
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was allegedly the target of a teenage private school student’s terrorist plot to attack his Queensland home, according to a stunning report published tonight.
The Australian is reporting a 16-year-old has been charged with buying ingredients to make a bomb and testing “homemade explosives” for a planned attack that sources allege involved a drone.
It is alleged the teenager, who has been held in custody since his arrest in August, planned the attack over two months, from May 21 to July 15 last year. He was today committed to stand trial.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has denied attacks linking his opponents to DOGE-style cuts will hurt US relations – and rejected an overture from China to “join hands” against Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Peter Dutton was allegedly the target of a Brisbane private school student’s terrorist bomb plot, The Australian has reported tonight.
The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested and charged in August with buying ingredients to make bombs and testing homemade explosives after a joint counter-terrorism investigation by federal and Queensland police.
The Australian says sources have revealed that the teenager was allegedly planning to attack the federal Opposition Leader at his home on an acreage, north of Brisbane.
The alleged plot, according to the sources familiar with the investigation, involved the use of a drone.
The teenager, who attended one of Brisbane’s prestigious private boys’ schools until his arrest, has been charged with a commonwealth offence of committing acts done “in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act”.
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/federal-election/treasurer-refuses-to-apologise-on-broken-power-promises/live-coverage/70c3b984812c6976e022614ae159d0fe
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/brisbane-private-school-student-16-to-face-trial-for-allegedly-planning-terror-bomb-attack/news-story/b05ffc4733e5ed6659bc5c6d9eaf86e7
Watch terrified Russians blast at mystery rumbling ‘UFO helicopter’ over MOSCOW making beeline for Vlad…but what is it?
Updated: 9:36 ET, Apr 10 2025
THIS is the eerie moment terrified Russians shoot at a mysterious "UFO helicopter" darting over Moscow.
The ominous drone was blasted by paranoid Russian air defences as they suffered a separate drone strike early on Thursday.
Sinister footage shows a strange rotating object spinning over the Moscow region.
It has a red centre and is surrounded by a spinning white circular shell.
Then in a dramatic scene, mad Vlad's air defence systems appear to blast towards the drone, attempting to take it out.
They clearly miss a lot of their shots, as the undamaged aircraft seemingly carries on.
The body appears to be separate from the rotating "wings", which are also emitting small particles in their path.
Some suspected the red and white spinning aircraft was one of Ukraine's "new helicopter-drones".
One war channel said the bizarre aircraft might be a "helicopter-type drone RZ-500 or something similar".
But the RZ-500 has a maximum range of 186 miles, which is not far enough to reach Moscow.
Russians were then mocked by several Ukrainian reports over the brazen volley of fire into the night sky over Naro-Forminsk.
One Ukrainian Military channel claimed the aircraft was a Russian helicopter.
The channel said: "Russian air defence near Moscow tried to take down its own helicopter, mistaking it for enemy UAV."
Another report claimed: "It’s a helicopter, dumb**** - in the Moscow region they were hunting drones so hard that they almost shot down their own helicopter."
There were no reports of a helicopter or a drone being downed, nor damage from a drone explosion hitting a target.
Over Wednesday night, Russia shot down 48 Ukrainian drones headed towards Vladimir Putin's regime.
13 were downed over the Bryansk and Kursk region, while 12 were shot down over the Kaluga region.
Locals on Telegram said they witnessed drones approaching from the south-west of the city, and loud explosions were heard in Naro-Forminsk.
Some Ukrainian military aircraft circled the Moscow area for an extended period - consistently evading Russian air defence missiles.
Several of these aircraft managed to escape without any damage. On Thursday Ukraine also stormed Putin's frontline as they invaded Russia again.
Ukrainian forces seized mad Vlad's land in the Belgorod region.
It comes after a Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow in March. Drones blitzed Moscow in a massive assault, and struck a major Russian oil refinery.
And Ukraine swarmed Russia with drones in early March as Volodymyr Zelensky's negotiators were due to start talks with Donald Trump's team in Saudi Arabia.
https://www.the-sun.com/news/13985686/russian-ufo-moscow/
https://english.nv.ua/nation/russia-shuts-airports-amid-overnight-drone-attack-video-50505006.html
>HOW DOES A 16 YEAR OLD DEVELOP AN OPINION ABOUT FOREIGN POLITICS??
>ROBLOX
>MINECRAFT
>SOMEWHERE ALONG THE PUBLIC EDUCATION CIRCUIT IS A FLAW.
>SOMETHING IS LINKING TEENAGERS TO EXTREMIST BEHAVIOR.
They put that or something like it in the new Captain America.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/captain-america-brave-new-world-review-marvel-s-mind-control-thriller/ar-AA1z0HDJ
Family speaks out about drone incident at USAF Museum
Updated: Apr 9, 2025 / 05:39 PM EDT
A family from out of state came to the Miami Valley for a visit to the Air Force Museum, but they say their visit was turned upside down when a drone-like object struck one of them in the face.
One family flew all the way from California for a visit to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. But the family claims the visit was not what they expected after a drone-like object hit one of them, causing him to fall to the ground.
“We were waiting to purchase our tickets for my younger son, and at that moment, my father-in-law was struck in the face,” said David Pinedo, son-in-law of person struck by object.
David shared video with 2 NEWS showing the aftermath. In the video, you can see his father-in-law, Julio Lanvaverde, on the ground after the alleged incident happened in Section Two of the museum.
Close-ups of Julio show cuts on his bottom lip, nose and the bottom of his chin. The family also says he lost consciousness for a brief moment.
“Could it have been by eye, or something worse? So that’s why I want people to know how safe it has got to be,” said Julio Lanvaverde, family member who was struck.
The family says they had to pause their visit, as they were worried for Julio.
“It’s something that was uncalled for,” said Pinedo. “It’s something that shouldn’t have happened and there should be more safety measures on hand.”
Pinedo states that the museum did apologize to them for the incident, but he says it was not enough. The family want answers of how a situation like this could happen in the first place.
“Basically they said, ‘we’re sorry, here’s an ice pack,'” said Pinedo. “They responded with the cameras are currently not working. They’re going through an upgrade. That’s another red flag, in my opinion.”
2 NEWS reached out to the museum earlier this week and also this morning for a statement on the alleged incident, but at the time of writing, we have not heard back.
The family says this is a memory they wish they could forget, especially with their 11-year-old son seeing his grandfather hurt.
“My 11-year-old son was very excited to attend this museum and to see him literally crying as my father-in-law was not responding in those first few minutes, it’s traumatic, and it’s not something that somebody as a child should go through. It’s uncalled for,” said Pinedo.
The family says they hope their story leads to more safety precautions at the museum so families can visit with peace of mind.
https://www.wdtn.com/news/local-news/family-speaks-out-about-drone-incident-at-usaf-museum/
Houthi drone strike kills three children in Yemen's Hodeidah: Govt official
Apr 10, 2025, 20:00 IST
Three children were killed on Thursday when a Houthi drone struck a residential house in Yemen's Red Sea province of Hodeidah, a local government official told Xinhua news agency.
The official, who requested anonymity, confirmed that the drone was launched by Houthi forces but missed its intended target and instead hit a civilian dwelling in Hays district of Hodeidah.
"The drone attack claimed the lives of three children from a single family and left two others wounded," the official said.
The Houthi group has not issued any statement regarding the incident.
The Yemen-based militia has fought against the government since 2014 and controlled much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa.
Although Hodeidah is mainly controlled by the Houthis, Hays district has been one of the few areas in the province still under government control.
Hodeidah has witnessed a shaky ceasefire between government forces and the Houthi militia despite a UN-sponsored truce reached between the two sides in Stockholm in December 2018.
Earlier on April 9, Vice President of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Tariq Saleh, urged the international community to bolster support for the Yemeni government in countering threats posed by the Houthi militias.
Saleh made the remarks during a videoconference meeting with US Ambassador to Yemen Steven Fagin, where they discussed matters of mutual interest, including "the ongoing American military campaign to undermine the terrorist Houthi militias and deter their threats to navigation," according to a statement released by Saleh's office on Wednesday.
Saleh warned that Yemen continues to serve as "a platform for the activities of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps," stressing the need to "translate the international community's awareness of this threat into tangible support for the legitimate Yemeni government."
"Ending the threats posed by Iran's proxies in Yemen (the Houthi group) requires strong international support for the Yemeni government to complete the battle to restore the state," Saleh said.
For his part, Fagin reaffirmed the US commitment to supporting the PLC, highlighting that his country would continue its efforts to undermine the Houthis' military capabilities until they cease their threat to maritime security in the Red Sea.
The US diplomat also underscored the importance of unifying ranks to address the security and humanitarian challenges facing Yemen, according to the statement.
https://www.sakshipost.com/news/houthi-drone-strike-kills-three-children-yemens-hodeidah-govt-official-396321
National Corn Growers Association joins as sponsor of farmer-centric ag drone adoption study
Apr 10, 2025 | 8:20 AM
The National Corn Growers Association has joined a landmark, farmer-focused research initiative as a frontline sponsor, reinforcing its commitment to helping growers evaluate and shape the technologies transforming agriculture—including the use of drones for input application, scouting, and precision management.
Launched by Stratovation Group in partnership with sponsors, SweetWater Technologies, Agri Spray Drones and NCGA, and strategic partners, the Agricultural Retailers Association, The Fertilizer Institute, and D.C. Legislative and Regulatory Services, Inc., the study will dig into how farmers perceive, adopt, and apply drone technologies—and what barriers stand in the way.
“Corn farmers are at the forefront of determining the value of new technologies, and drones are a great example of that,” said Russell Williams, chair of NCGA’s Production and Sustainability Action Team.
“NCGA is proud to sponsor the survey, which will inform future use, marketing, and policy directions that will benefit agriculture.”
By supporting the study, NCGA ensures the perspectives of corn producers—who manage some of the most advanced and scale-driven operations in the U.S.—are meaningfully represented in the national conversation around drone technology and its role in agricultural innovation.
The research effort will capture in-depth feedback from row crop and specialty crop growers across the country. Sponsors receive exclusive access to the full data set, which can be used to guide policy discussions, product development, and customer engagement strategies.
https://kfgo.com/2025/04/10/national-corn-growers-association-joins-as-sponsor-of-farmer-centric-ag-drone-adoption-study/
Chinese hydrogen drone sets 30-hour non-stop flight recor
Thu, 10 April 2025
An independently developed Chinese hydrogen-powered drone has recently completed a 30-hour non-stop flight, a new record for such aircraft produced in the country, according to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).
This type of 50 kg-class hydrogen drone has been jointly developed by AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Industrial (Group) Co., Ltd. and Tsinghua University, the AVIC said.
It achieved the breakthrough in the integrated design of flight, control and propulsion of the aircraft, based on the output characteristics of hydrogen cells, the developer revealed.
The hydrogen drone completed the record flight in Dujiangyan in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
A system featuring the hydrogen drone mounted on the roof of an unmanned car was used for the take-off process.
The drone took off from the moving car and managed a successful demonstration of a take-off application scenario via a non-standard runway.
During the flight, the hydrogen drone was able to conduct remote dynamic monitoring on the ground via its onboard facilities – a promising scenario in terms of the use of hydrogen drones in the low-altitude economy and green aviation, the AVIC stated.
https://risingnepaldaily.com/news/60166
Report: Chinese drone sightings near Japan nearly triple in one year
April 10, 2025
Japan's Defense Ministry says Air Self-Defense Force fighters scrambled over 700 times in response to foreign aircraft approaching Japan's airspace in fiscal 2024. It says sightings of Chinese drones nearly tripled in this period.
The ministry on Thursday released a report on scrambles during the year through March. The total stood at 704, an increase of 35 from the previous year.
By country, 99 percent of the cases involved either Chinese or Russian aircraft. Aircraft thought to be Chinese accounted for 464 cases, and those believed to be Russian were involved in 237 of them.
In August last year, the ministry confirmed the first-ever intrusion by a Chinese military aircraft into Japan's airspace.
A Chinese intelligence-gathering plane entered Japanese airspace off the coast of Nagasaki Prefecture in western Japan.
In September, the ministry confirmed that a Russian patrol plane had intruded into Japanese airspace near Rebun Island in Hokkaido three times in a single day.
The Defense Ministry took note of an increase in the number of scrambles conducted in response to Chinese drones operating near Japan's airspace.
The number, which only includes publicized scrambles, stood at 23. That's nearly triple the figure of 8 for fiscal 2023.
In June last year, a Chinese reconnaissance and attack drone was spotted flying over waters off the southwestern Japanese island of Amami Oshima for the first time. The ministry says Chinese drones are expanding their flying zone.
The Defense Ministry says Chinese and Russian military aircraft have kept up their active operations in the skies around Japan. The ministry says it will maintain its reconnaissance and monitoring efforts.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20250410_17/
"Insanely lucky" drone pilot catches rare glimpse of ancient animal in Australia
April 10, 2025 at 2:13 am
A photographer in Australia was astounded when he saw not one, not two, but three rare leatherback turtles when flying his drone.
"I was insanely lucky to come across this individual today, one of only around 60 sightings in NSW (New South Wales),” says photographer Ashley Sykes who shared his video of the languid leatherback on Instagram.
Globally, leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea) are categorised as vulnerable to extinction by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species but they are considered endangered in Australia.
"But this guy seemed happy as he entered my local beach to chomp on some jellyfish,” adds Sykes.
He spotted the first turtle in late February 2025 and was astounded when he saw another in early March. "Compare the two,” he says. “They are different individuals!”
In mid-March, his luck continued with yet another sighting. “That’s right… a THIRD (different) leatherback turtle (eating a jellyfish),” he says. "Can you believe it?”
For Sykes, this shows why drones can be so helpful for marine life sightings.
"Most ocean species have absolutely no change in behaviour when a drone is near them, and it allows us to see their natural behaviours without disturbing them,” he says.
“Who would have known otherwise that two different endangered leatherback turtles were cruising around my local beach?”
https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/marine-animals/leatherback-turtles-filmed-in-australia
https://www.instagram.com/ausmashmash/#
That time a UFO maybe exploded over Michigan in 1897
April 10, 2025 at 5:00 AM
DETROIT – A year before H.G. Wells’ iconic “The War of the Worlds” was published in hardcover, thousands of Americans saw mysterious lights in the sky. The earliest UFO sightings in Michigan date back to April 10, 1897.
An Unidentified Flying Object is defined as any aerial object or optical phenomenon not readily identifiable to the observer. Feds now refer to them as Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena or UAPs.
The Phantom Airship
From November 1896 to May 1897, thousands of people claimed to have seen strange lights they believed were airships. Hot air balloons date back centuries and the precursor to blimps began to show up before this period, but these were different.
It started in California, where most reports came from people who said they saw lights moving east in the sky, but some people claimed they saw occupants inside the crafts who appeared human, but had unnatural movements and mannerisms.
Some people said they had encounters with the pilots and crew, who told them they came from Mars.
The sightings moved east across the country. Newspapers at the time speculated it must have been an inventor who was flying a new experimental vehicle cross-country to apply for a patent in Washington, D.C.
Others speculated it was a top-secret government project. A witness in Arkansas claimed to have spoken with an airship pilot who said they were flying to Cuba to “kill Spaniards.”
Michigan sightings
Michigan’s first sighting of the mysterious airships was April 10, 1897, in Alma, roughly 50 miles north of Lansing.
Sightings then were reported the next day in Benton Harbor, Holland, Niles and Mendon. Residents reported seeing colorful flickering lights over Lake Michigan.
The lights were then spotted over Battle Creek and Kalamazoo and Pavilion – where an explosion reportedly spread airship debris across the area.
A witness said they saw an object with a bright light on the front, smaller lights on the sides and propellers. It quickly sped across the sky before they heard a large explosion.
“People of Pavillion have made some startling reports, and, if true, then the much talked of airship was not only a reality, but is something of the past,” wrote The Copper Country Evening News, April 21, 1897.
“In one place, there was found a large coil of heavy wire, evidently a part of some electrical appliance. At another point, a propeller blade of some very light material was discovered in a partially fused condition.”
Rumors of the craft’s demise were greatly exaggerated as lights in the sky continued to be reported across the state including Flint, Saginaw, Battle Creek well into May.
The truth? Fake news?
Around the time that the lights were seen over Lansing, the truth became known: flying paper lanterns. Well, partially.
There was definitely a mixture of stars, planets and swamp gas that explained most of the sightings and the rest? Just run-of-the-mill mass hysteria!
All the sightings that described the craft matched how airships were described in fiction, and again this was before The War of the Worlds was published as a book.
Similar things happened decades later when people started seeing flying saucers because that’s how they were described and shown in popular culture.
Additionally, this happened just after the Industrial Revolution and more than two decades before Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle” led to the first regulations in the country.
Industrial waste was discharged into the drinking water and the air was filled with dense smoke and soot. I’m speculating here, but there’s a chance these people were absolutely riddled with lead or something else that maybe impacted their mental capabilities.
But what about all the newspaper reports that talked about this as a definite thing? What about the reports of inventors going on a massive country-wide trip in experimental aircrafts?
Here’s the thing: Newspapers back then lied. Like a lot. They basically published anything anyone told them. The idea of fact-checking was absurd, they had papers to fill!
If you look at newspapers from the day, it’s basically rumors and mundane nonsense. So-and-so bought a new goat, a pony walked down Main Street, look at this new carrot – when you had a large, interesting story, not only did newspapers run it, they doubled down on the nonsense and embellished things as much as they could to make sure people purchased their newspaper and not a competitor’s.
I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? Is a Martian going to sue the paper? I find that unlikely, considering his spaceship exploded near Kalamazoo on the way to Cuba.
https://www.clickondetroit.com/features/2025/04/10/that-time-a-ufo-maybe-exploded-over-michigan-in-1897/