TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
May 21, 2025
International Space Station Crosses the Sun
Typically, the International Space Station is visible only at night. Slowly drifting across the night sky as it orbits the Earth, the International Space Station (ISS) can be seen as a bright spot about once a month from many locations. The ISS is then visible only just after sunset or just before sunrise because it shines by reflected sunlight once the ISS enters the Earth's shadow, it will drop out of sight. The only occasion when the ISS is visible during the day is when it passes right in front of the Sun. Then, it passes so quickly that only cameras taking short exposures can visually freeze the ISS's silhouette onto the background Sun. The featured picture did exactly that it is actually a series of images taken a month ago from Sant Feliu de Buixalleu, Spain with perfect timing. This image series was later combined with a separate image highlighting the texture of the active Sun which included several Sun's prominences around the edge.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
NASA’s Artemis II Astronauts Reveal Mission Patch
Last modified on May 19, 2025
New Patch’s Design References Groundbreaking Apollo 8 Mission
The human spaceflight mission patch is a long and storied tradition for NASA. Now the next astronauts to fly to the moon have a mission patch to represent their historic spaceflight.
In early April, NASA unveiled the official Artemis II insignia, its first emblem for a crew on a Moon-bound mission in 50 years.
The four-person crew will wear the patch on their flight suits when they launch on the Artemis II mission, currently set for no later than April 2026.
When the four launch in the Orion spacecraft atop NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, they will be the first humans to venture around the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.
Their journey around the Moon and back is scheduled for 10 days.
The crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, who will serve as commander; Victor Glover, mission pilot; and NC State alum Christina Koch, mission specialist; as well as Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, second mission specialist.
The crew’s mission emblem includes design elements that symbolize the past, present and future of human space exploration. The crew explained the mission patch in this statement released by NASA:
“The Artemis II test flight begins when a mighty team launches the first crew of the Artemis generation.
This patch designates the mission as ‘All,’ signifying not only the second major flight of the Artemis campaign, but also an endeavor of discovery that seeks to explore for all and by all.
Framed in Apollo 8’s famous Earthrise photo, the scene of the Earth and the Moon represents the dual nature of human spaceflight, both equally compelling: The Moon represents our exploration destination, focused on discovery of the unknown.
The Earth represents home, focused on the perspective we gain when we look back at our shared planet and learn what it is to be uniquely human.
The orbit around Earth highlights the ongoing exploration missions that have enabled Artemis to set sights on a long-term presence on the Moon and soon, Mars.”
The last names of the crew complete the design.
The Artemis II crew will not enter lunar orbit like Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders did in December 1968 on the Apollo 8 mission. But they will see some of the same sights they did as they fly beyond the Moon and then loop back to return to Earth.
The rocket for Artemis II is currently being assembled inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in central Florida. If all goes well, testing will be done at Launch Pad 39B later this year.
https://www.pbsnc.org/blogs/science/nasas-artemis-ii-astronauts-reveal-mission-patch/
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/artemis-ii-insignia-honors-all/
Sols 4543-4545: Leaving the Ridge for the Ridges
May 20, 2025
Earth planning date: Friday, May 16, 2025
As Curiosity progresses up Mount Sharp, it crosses different terrains, which the team has mapped from orbit.
If you want to follow the path and see for yourself, you can have a look on the “Where is Curiosity?” map, an interactive tool that allows you to see all the stops the rover has made.
If you look very closely, you can see that the stop on sol 4532 is on an area that has a very textured and red expression on this map, and the next stop on sol 4534 is in an area that appears more gray, while the stop after that (sol 4537) is on redder material again, but that looks much less textured.
The next two stops, including today’s parking position, are both very close to a north-south running linear feature.
Just looking at the locations of those different stops, and what you can see on this interactive tool, gives you the full story of the latest planning days.
We were driving through the rough-looking terrain for quite a while now. So when that change came closer and closer the team started to make plans for how to investigate it.
Of course we added the ground-based images to the picture as we edged closer with every drive. Last week, we could finally start to put the plans in place, when we stood at the edge of the changes in the landscape on sol 4532.
As you can see from the interactive map, the drives got a bit shorter to make sure we stop at an example of every new feature.
So we stopped in the grayish-looking area on sol 4534, then in the middle of the reddish-looking area on sol 4537, and then arrived at the linear feature.
Unfortunately, Mars didn’t read the script and placed a pesky pebble under one of our wheels (see the blog post “Sols 4541–4542: Boxwork Structure, or Just ‘Box-Like’ Structure?”).
Whenever the rover isn’t on firm ground, we cannot take the arm out. So the engineers used the drive in the last plan to pull the rover back by less than a wheel’s turn; we are now parked on solid ground at the linear feature, and we can do arm activities!
That always makes the planning team cheer.
Being on stable ground gave us many opportunities for contact science. After careful discussions of what is in front of us, we decided on target “Arroyo Seco,” where it is possible to apply the brush – DRT as we say – and do an APXS measurement on the brushed material.
APXS will then measure the edge of that big feature, where the rocks are a little more resistant to weathering — at least that’s what the fact that they are sticking out might suggest. That is the target “Mesa Grande.”
Near Mesa Grande is target “Paso Picacho,” which is on the same part of the ridge as the second APXS target. In addition, ChemCam investigates the ridge feature at target “Pauma Valley.”
On a weekend there is always a little more time, and Curiosity will make the most of it! In addition to the two APXS and ChemCam LIBS targets, ChemCam will also get a passive spectral investigation on the target “San Ysidro” to investigate the texture we are seeing hints of in the Mastcam image.
Talking about Mastcam… There are many interesting features in the vicinity that will add to our investigation of this new expression of the landscape. Thus, Mastcam has more than 50 frames in the plan to image the ridges, fractures, and textures around the rover.
Most of the targets have descriptive names today, such as “Fractures,” but there are two names (all from the area in California where JPL is, too!): “Dos Palmas Oasis” is looking at brighter stones in the midfield, and “Sespe Gorge” takes a look at the big, rubbly looking rock right in front of the rover.
Of course Mastcam will document the LIBS investigations, too, which includes the AEGIS location from the last plan.
The atmospheres and environment investigations are looking at the occurrence of clouds, dust devils and opacity, and we are looking at the surface with the DAN instrument.
While you might think, “as always,” it’s important to get a consistent record to understand the patterns, but also to understand when a deviation from them occurs.
Thus, I don’t want to forget them here just because we are all so excited about the new expression of the landscape.
With all those investigations in the (electronic) bags, it’s time to get back on the road. The next drive is about 20 meters (about 66 feet) and navigates around the ridge in front of us, which at this point has turned from a science target into an obstacle to getting back on the road.
After safely maneuvering around it, the next drive will take us closer to the next ridges, and there are many more to come in the distance. They might even get bigger and more beautiful; who knows?! It’s exploration, after all — going places that no rover has gone before.
https://science.nasa.gov/blog/sols-4543-4545-leaving-the-ridge-for-the-ridges/
NASA Announces Solicitation for Innovative Space Mission Tech
May 20, 2025
NASA has announced an upcoming solicitation for the 2025 Small Business Innovation Research Ignite program, which seeks products and services to support space missions.
The space agency is looking for disruptive technologies that can be introduced to commercial markets and deliver societal benefits, according to a presolicitation notice posted Monday on SAM.gov.
NASA Seeks Tech for Commercial Markets
Specifically, NASA requires innovative capabilities with strong commercial relevance. For the 2025 SBIR Ignite, the agency seeks potential providers with expertise in advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, radar and robotics.
The required capabilities should focus on real-time monitoring for additive manufacturing, AI-enabled space hardware automation, low-cost radar for planetary exploration vehicles and scalable robotic manufacturing tools.
2025 SBIR Ignite Solicitation Requirements and Benefits
Vendors who believe they can provide the requirements should demonstrate how their technology meets a need within the commercial market. To qualify for the award, they must also provide a solid commercialization plan for the proposed technology.
Through the solicitation, the government expects to hear from entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses without previous NASA collaboration.
The selected companies stand to receive up to $150,000 to advance their technologies for Phase I of the program, while those advancing to Phase II, or the commercialization stage, will access up to $850,000.
Interested parties are invited to submit their responses to the notice no later than July 22.
https://executivegov.com/2025/05/nasa-solicitation-innovative-space-mission-tech/
https://sam.gov/opp/e95094c8a1224f90b9f6f6e12173bb68/view
NASA Sets Coverage for 32nd SpaceX Resupply Mission Departure
May 20, 2025
NASA and its international partners will soon receive scientific research samples and hardware after a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft departs the International Space Station on Thursday, May 22, for its return to Earth.
Live coverage of undocking and departure begins at 11:45 a.m. EDT on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
The Dragon spacecraft will undock from the zenith, or space-facing, port of the station’s Harmony module at 12:05 p.m. and fire its thrusters to move a safe distance away from the station under command by SpaceX’s Mission Control in Hawthorne, California.
After re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft will splash down on Friday, May 23, off the coast of California. NASA will post updates on the agency’s space station blog. There is no livestream video of the splashdown.
Filled with nearly 6,700 pounds of supplies, science investigations, equipment, and food, the spacecraft arrived at the space station on April 22 after launching April 21 on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the agency’s SpaceX 32nd commercial resupply services mission.
Some of the scientific hardware and samples Dragon will return to Earth include MISSE-20 (Multipurpose International Space Station Experiment), which exposed various materials to space, including radiation shielding and detection materials, solar sails and reflective coatings, ceramic composites for reentry spacecraft studies, and resins for potential use in heat shields.
Samples were retrieved on the exterior of the station and can improve knowledge of how these materials respond to ultraviolet radiation, atomic oxygen, charged particles, thermal cycling, and other factors.
Additionally, Astrobee-REACCH (Responsive Engaging Arms for Captive Care and Handling) is returning to Earth after successfully demonstrating grasping and relocating capabilities on the space station.
The REACCH demonstration used Astrobee robots to capture space objects of different geometries or surface materials using tentacle-like arms and adhesive pads.
Testing a way to safely capture and relocate debris and other objects in orbit could help address end-of-life satellite servicing, orbit change maneuvers, and orbital debris removal.
These capabilities maximize satellite lifespan and protect satellites and spacecraft in low Earth orbit that provide services to people on Earth.
Books from the Story Time from Space project also will return. Crew members aboard the space station read five science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related children’s books in orbit and videotaped themselves completing science experiments.
Video and data collected during the readings and demonstrations were downlinked to Earth and were posted in a video library with accompanying educational materials.
Hardware and data from a one-year technology demonstration called OPTICA (Onboard Programmable Technology for Image Compression and Analysis) also will return to Earth.
The OPTICA technology was designed to advance transmission of real-time, ultra-high-resolution hyperspectral imagery from space to Earth, and it provided valuable insights for data compression and processing that could reduce the bandwidth required for communication, lowering the cost of acquiring data from space-based imaging systems without reducing the volume of data.
This technology also could improve services, such as disaster response, that rely on Earth observations.
For more than 24 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge, and conducting critical research for the benefit of humanity and our home planet.
Space station research supports the future of human spaceflight as NASA looks toward deep space missions to the Moon under the Artemis campaign and in preparation for future human missions to Mars, as well as expanding commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit and beyond.
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-sets-coverage-for-32nd-spacex-resupply-mission-departure/
Exercise Research, Growing Space Crops, and Science Packing Fill Day
May 20, 2025
Tuesday saw more space biology work aboard the International Space Station helping doctors learn how to protect health and preserve life in microgravity.
The Expedition 73 residents also continued their cargo activities packing a U.S. and a Roscosmos cargo craft before their upcoming departures.
NASA Flight Engineer Nichole Ayers kicked off her shift wearing a sensor-filled vest and headband that measured her physical parameters as she pedaled on an exercise cycle.
She was working out for the Cardiobreath human research study that is exploring how an astronaut’s cardiovascular and respiratory systems adapt to weightlessness.
The vest and headband are part of the Bio-Monitor medical hardware system developed by the Canadian Space Agency to comfortably monitor crew health as astronauts go about their daily activities.
At the end of her day, Ayers photographed genetically engineered, extremely dwarf tomato plants being grown to test their ability to grow without photosynthesis and in confined spaces potentially supporting crop production on spacecraft.
Ayers also joined NASA Flight Engineer Anne McClain and transferred frozen research samples into portable science freezers that will soon be packed inside the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft.
McCain also installed EXPRESS rack hardware that houses science experiments and more research samples inside Dragon.
The U.S. cargo spacecraft is being readied to end its cargo mission and undock from the Harmony module’s space-facing port at 12:05 p.m. EDT on Thursday.
Dragon will parachute back to Earth the following day and return the completed science experiments and space station hardware for retrieval and analysis.
Station Commander Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) started his day inside the Kibo laboratory module photographing microbe samples that decompose organic matter and packing them for stowage inside the homebound Dragon.
Afterward, Onishi installed research hardware on a slide table and placed it inside Kibo’s airlock where it will soon be placed in the vacuum of space. Finally, the two-time station visitor collected space radiation-exposed biological samples for return and analysis back on Earth.
NASA Flight Engineer Jonny Kim joined his cosmonaut crewmates Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy and conducted an emergency drill, locating medical hardware and practicing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the orbiting lab’s weightless environment.
The trio launched to the orbital outpost aboard the Soyuz MS-27 crew ship on April 8 from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome and docked to the Prichal module just over three hours later.
Kim earlier measured sound levels in the space station’s habitable segments then swapped neon gas bottles for argon gas bottles to support the Plasma Crystal-4 space physics study.
Ryzhikov and Zubritskiy participated in a study exploring ways international crews and mission controllers can improve communications.
Ryzhikov also strapped on sensors at the beginning of his shift for a 24-hour session measuring his heart activity and blood pressure.
Zubritskiy partnered with Roscosmos Flight Engineer Kirill Peskov and stowed cargo inside the Progress 90 resupply ship that has been docked to the Poisk module since Nov. 23.
The Progress 90 is due to take out the trash end its seven-month mission in early July when it undocks from Poisk and reenters Earth’s atmosphere above the South Pacific Ocean for a fiery, but safe destruction.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/05/20/exercise-research-growing-space-crops-and-science-packing-fill-day/
NASA Signs Agreement with Argentina’s Space Agency for Artemis II CubeSat
May 20, 2025
NASA has signed an agreement with Argentina’s Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE) for a CubeSat to fly on the agency’s Artemis II test flight.
With this agreement, NASA has finalized all partnerships for the four international CubeSats that will fly aboard the mission.
The ATENEA CubeSat will collect data on radiation doses across various shielding methods, measure the radiation spectrum around Earth, collect GPS data to help optimize future mission design, and validate a long-range communications link.
CubeSats are small but mighty – compact in size, they contain technology demonstrations or scientific experiments that can potentially enhance understanding of the space environment.
In addition to CONAE, NASA is working with German space agency DLR, the Korea AeroSpace Agency, and the Saudi Space Agency to fly payloads aboard Artemis II to access the high Earth orbit environment as part of NASA’s Artemis campaign.
Collectively, the CubeSats will gather information to inform and potentially improve how missions to deep space are designed.
They will be delivered to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida later this summer for integration with a SLS (Space Launch System) spacecraft adapter.
While the CubeSats will detach from the rocket to study the environment around Earth, the crew in Orion will continue on and venture around the Moon and back over the course of a 10-day journey.
Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/05/20/nasa-signs-agreement-with-argentinas-space-agency-for-artemis-ii-cubesat/
All the proceeds go to the Unleash The Frogs Foundation
Wisk and NASA Sign Five-Year Research Partnership to Advance Autonomous Flight
May 20, 2025 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Wisk Aero, a leading Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company and developer of the first all-electric, self-flying air taxi in the U.S., today announced it has entered into a new five-year Non-Reimbursable Space Act Agreement (NRSAA) with NASA.
This agreement focuses on critical research led by NASA’s Air Traffic Management Exploration (ATM-X) project aimed at advancing autonomous aircraft under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) in the National Airspace System (NAS).
As an autonomous electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi, Wisk is working with NASA to help define the industry standards that will support the introduction of autonomous aircraft in the NAS.
This research will help regulators consider future flight procedures and capabilities to accelerate U.S. leadership in automated aviation technology.
Since 2020, Wisk and NASA have collaborated to develop key guidance for the safe integration of autonomous aircraft systems for UAM operations under an initial Space Act Agreement.
This expanded collaboration will focus on research using advanced simulation and Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) flight environments that combine live flights with a simulated airspace to enable researchers to assess future operations.
This work is instrumental in informing the development of:
Airspace and route design optimized for highly automated Urban Air Mobility (UAM) operations
Critical aircraft and ground-based safety system requirements necessary for autonomous flight in urban environments
Air Traffic Control (ATC) communications protocols and procedures for seamless integration of UAM aircraft
“This new, long-term agreement with NASA is a significant step forward for Wisk and the broader UAM industry,” said Erick Corona, Director of Airspace Operational Integration at Wisk.
“With NASA’s simulation and LVC capabilities, we can accelerate the development of our Gen 6 autonomous systems to safely and efficiently integrate into the U.S. NAS before the end of the decade.”
To initiate early work under this annex, the Wisk and NASA teams held a workshop last month at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City.
The teams discussed how instrument flight procedures and advanced technologies would work hand-in-hand to enable safe and efficient autonomous passenger flight.
Over the course of the five-year agreement, Wisk and NASA will continue to conduct the research testing necessary to inform requirements and procedures for future operations.
About Wisk
Wisk is an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company dedicated to creating a future for air travel that elevates people, communities, and aviation.
Wisk is developing the first autonomous, passenger-carrying electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi in the U.S.
Wisk is a fully-owned Boeing subsidiary and is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, with locations around the world.
With over a decade of experience and over 1750+ test flights, Wisk is shaping the future of daily commutes and urban travel, safely and sustainably. Learn more about Wisk here.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250520267067/en/Wisk-and-NASA-Sign-Five-Year-Research-Partnership-to-Advance-Autonomous-Flight
https://wisk.aero/
Unearthly Plumbing Required for Plant Watering in Space
May 20, 2025
Crop production in microgravity will be important to provide whole food nutrition, dietary variety, and psychological benefits to astronauts exploring deep space.
Unfortunately, even the simplest terrestrial plant watering methods face significant challenges when applied aboard spacecraft due to rogue bubbles, ingested gases, ejected droplets, and myriad unstable liquid jets, rivulets, and interface configurations that arise in microgravity environments.
In the weightlessness of space, bubbles do not rise, and droplets do not fall, resulting in a plethora of unearthly fluid flow challenges.
To tackle such complex dynamics, NASA initiated a series of Plant Water Management (PWM) experiments to test capillary hydroponics aboard the International Space Station in 2021.
The series of experiments continue to this day, opening the door not only to supporting our astronauts in space with the possibility of fresh vegetables, but also to address a host of challenges in space, such as liquid fuel management, Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC); and even urine collection.
The latest PWM hardware (PWM-5 and -6) involves three test units, each consisting of a variable-speed pump, tubing harness, assorted valves and syringes, and either one serial or two parallel hydroponic channels.
This latest setup enables a wider range of parameters to be tested—e.g., gas and liquid flow rates, fill levels, inlet/outlet configurations, new bubble separation methods, serial and parallel flows, and new plant root types, numbers, and orders.
Most of the PWM equipment shipped to the space station consists of 3-D printed, flight-certified materials.
The crew assembles the various system configurations on a workbench in the open cabin of the station and then executes the experiments, including routine communication with the PWM research team on the ground.
All the quantitative data is collected via a single high-definition video camera.
The PWM hardware and procedures are designed to incrementally test the system’s capabilities for hydroponic and ebb and flow, and to repeatedly demonstrate priming, draining, serial/parallel channel operation, passive bubble management, limits of operation, stability during perturbations, start-up, shut-down, and myriad clean plant-insertion, saturation, stable flow, and plant-removal steps.
The recent results of the PWM-5 and -6 technology demonstrations aboard the space station have significantly advanced the technology used for passive plant watering in space.
These quantitative demonstrations established hydroponic and ebb and flow watering processes as functions of serial and parallel channel fill levels, various types of engineered plant root models, and pump flow rates—including single-phase liquid flows and gas-liquid two-phase flows.
Critical PWM plumbing elements perform the role of passive gas-liquid separation (i.e., the elimination of bubbles from liquid and vice versa), which routinely occurs on Earth due to gravitational effects.
The PWM-5 and -6 hardware in effect replaces the passive role of gravity with the passive roles of surface tension, wetting, and system geometry.
In doing so, highly reliable “no-moving-parts” plumbing devices act to restore the illusive sense of up and down in space. For example,
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hundreds of thousands of oxygenating bubbles generated by a passive aerator are 100% separated by the PWM bubble separator providing single-phase liquid flow to the hydroponic channel,
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100% of the inadvertent liquid carry-over is captured in the passive water trap, and
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all of the bubbles reaching the bubble diverter are directed to the upper inlet of the hydroponic channel where they are driven ever-upward by the channel geometry, confined by the first plant root, and coalesce leaving the liquid flow as a third, redundant, 100% passive phase-separating mechanism.
The demonstrated successes of PWM-5 and -6 offer a variety of ready plug-and-play solutions for effective plant watering in low- and variable-gravity environments, despite the challenging wetting properties of the water-based nutrient solutions used to water plants.
Though a variety of root models are demonstrated by PWM-5 and -6, the remaining unknown is the role that real growing plants will play in such systems. Acquiring such knowledge may only be a matter of time.
https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/science-enabling-technology/unearthly-plumbing-required-for-plant-watering-in-space/
NASA to Welcome Expedition 72 Astronauts Home at Space Center Houston
May 20, 2025
Four NASA astronauts will participate in a welcome home ceremony at Space Center Houston after recently returning from missions aboard the International Space Station.
NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Don Pettit will share highlights from their missions at 6 p.m. CDT Thursday, May 22, during a free, public event at NASA Johnson Space Center’s visitor center.
The astronauts also will recognize key mission contributors during an awards ceremony after their presentation.
Williams and Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on June 5, 2024, from Space Launch Complex 41 as part of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test.
The duo arrived at the space station on June 6. In August, NASA announced the uncrewed return of Starliner to Earth and integrated Wilmore and Williams with the Expedition 71/72 crew and a return on Crew-9.
Hague launched Sept. 28, 2024, with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission.
The next day, they docked to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module.
Hague, Gorbunov, Wilmore, and Williams returned to Earth on March 18, 2025, splashing down safely off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, in the Gulf of America.
Williams and Wilmore traveled 121,347,491 miles during their mission, spent 286 days in space, and completed 4,576 orbits around Earth.
Hague and Gorbunov traveled 72,553,920 miles during their mission, spent 171 days in space, and completed 2,736 orbits around Earth. Hague has logged 374 days in space during two missions.
It was the third spaceflight for both Williams and Wilmore. Williams has logged 608 total days in space, and Wilmore has logged 464 days.
Pettit launched aboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft on Sept. 11, 2024, alongside Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner.
The seven-month research mission as an Expedition 72 flight engineer was the fourth spaceflight of Pettit’s career, completing 3,520 orbits of the Earth and a journey of 93.3 million miles.
He has logged a total of 590 days in orbit. Pettit and his crewmembers safely landed in Kazakhstan on April 19, 2025 (April 20, 2025, Kazakhstan time).
The Expedition 72 crew dedicated more than 1,000 combined hours to scientific research and technology demonstrations aboard the International Space Station.
Their work included enhancing metal 3D printing capabilities in orbit, exploring the potential of stem cell technology for treating diseases, preparing the first wooden satellite for deployment, and collecting samples from the station’s exterior to examine whether microorganisms can survive in the harsh environment of space.
They also conducted studies on plant growth and quality, investigated how fire behaves in microgravity, and advanced life support systems, all aimed at improving the health, safety, and sustainability of future space missions.
Pettit also used his spare time and surroundings aboard station to conduct unique experiments and captivate the public with his photography.
Expedition 72 captured a record one million photos during the mission, showcasing the unique research and views aboard the orbiting laboratory through astronauts’ eyes.
For more than 24 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge, and conducting critical research for the benefit of humanity and our home planet.
Space station research supports the future of human spaceflight as NASA looks toward deep space missions to the Moon under the Artemis campaign and in preparation for future human missions to Mars, as well as expanding commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit and beyond.
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-to-welcome-expedition-72-astronauts-home-at-space-center-houston/
Elon Musk’s ‘Kekius Maximus’ Posts Spark AI and Space Speculation
May 21, 2025
The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk, has heralded Tesla’s Optimus, an artificial intelligence (AI) robot, as potentially the “biggest product ever,” following a recent demonstration of its capabilities.
The robot seemed to be linked with space exploration, including Mars colonization or a major space technology advancement.
The post gained major attention and discussions, with many expressing optimism and imagining a transformative future for humanity.
The robot showcased in a video is learning a wide array of new tasks autonomously, which is an important development in humanoid robotics.
Optimus is depicted performing tasks such as taking out the trash, sweeping with a dustpan, tearing a paper towel, stirring a cooking pot, vacuuming, and handling industrial components like picking up a Model X fore link from a cardboard box and placing it on a dolly.
On 21st May, Musk shared a video on his X post. Musk has stated it is the biggest product ever.
But the real question that will come to people’s minds is, what’s so special about this, and what makes it unique from other robots? And what makes him different from other robots is how it learns.
Its market size is ten times bigger than the previous product.
The video highlights that the robot watches videos of people performing various tasks, such as cooking or cleaning, and all the housework, and then it can imitate them similarly.
This is because a robot has a special smart system called a neural network, which is like a brain for it.
This capability is a big deal because it means the robot does not need any human to teach it every single task step-by-step. Instead, it can be learned quickly just by watching.
Such an approach can save a lot of time and effort. The video also shows that the robot can understand simple instructions given in everyday language.
It can work in different places, whether from home to the space. This could change how we live and work because robots like Optimus might help us with all sorts of jobs, making things easier and more efficient.
Musk thinks such developments could lead to a giant market for these robots. He has stated that they could become critical shortly.
Some X users have stated that it’s an amazing thing in such a short time. Some have said it will change the world. However, some people are worried that if robots start doing all these jobs, there might not be enough work left for humans.
Some users of X have stated that the technology is useless. The users have raised questions about the safety regulations in-house.
Some users have also raised ethical questions, such as how to treat robots and ensure their responsible use.
Tesla’s work on Optimus is making it a leader in the growing area of robotics that uses artificial intelligence (AI).
The company is trying to change how humans and robots interact, possibly making life easier but also raising important questions about the future of technology.
https://www.cryptotimes.io/2025/05/21/elon-musks-kekius-maximus-posts-spark-ai-and-space-speculation/
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1925050052273143948
Samsung sets eyes on the galaxy, wants to expand into space
21 May 2025
More countries and corporations are now aiming for outer space, and Samsung appears to be doing the same. Recent reports from Korea state that Samsung C&T has kicked off a “space plant” project.
Earlier this year, Samsung Electronics' Research arm hired space experts for the first time. More recently, the Korean tech giant has reportedly entered the early stages of researching and developing space infrastructure solutions, including rocket launch facilities and launch pads.
In tandem with these developments, Samsung reportedly signed an agreement with the Korean Astronomy and Space Science Institute on May 7.
The purpose? Co-develop secondary payloads for a CubeSat (a small cube-shaped satellite — via Wikipedia), which will be aboard NASA's Artemis II test flight.
Through this endeavor, Samsung Electronics wants to test next-generation in-house semiconductors in Earth's high orbit and the high-radiation environment. In recent years, Samsung has also:
Launched a Galaxy Watch face that tells the time on other planets.
Sent a Galaxy Watch 5 through the Van Allen belt as part of the Polaris Dawn mission.
Captured epic photos from space using the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Launched a Space Selfie campaign in 2019 and launched a Galaxy S10 into the stratosphere.
As for Samsung's new and grander goals, i.e., developing space infrastructure, experts say that rocket launch pads and spacecraft components are a new growth engine for South Korea.
More so, South Korea has vast experience in building ultra-high-rise structures and Arctic and deep-sea industrial plants. Space industry watchers believe this could help the country gain a competitive edge.
Researchers believe that the space launch market in the USA should grow from $5.1 billion in 2025 to about $18.7 billion by 2034.
Expanding into outer space seems like a natural move for Samsung Group. The tech giant has a fascination with space, hence the Galaxy brand.
Besides, Samsung Heavy Industries is one of the world's largest watercraft manufacturers. Space exploration only seems like the final frontier.
https://www.sammobile.com/news/samsung-sets-eyes-on-the-galaxy-wants-to-expand-into-space/
'Golden Dome' Missile Shield To Be 1st US Weapon In Space. All About It
May 21, 2025 08:46 am IST
United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled new details on his plan for a missile defence system known as "Golden Dome", which is estimated to cost a total of some $175 billion.
The "Golden Dome" will be the first weapon the US puts in space, and it should be operational in about three years, by the end of his time in office, the President said.
Trump said his team has officially finalised the architecture of the futuristic defence system that he announced just days after returning to the White House in January.
At the time, the Republican said the system would be aimed at countering "next-generation" aerial threats to the US, including ballistic and cruise missiles.
"In the campaign, I promised the American people I would build a cutting-edge missile defence shield…Today, I am pleased to announce we have officially selected architecture for this state-of-the-art system," Trump said at the White House.
What Is The Golden Dome System?
The Golden Dome will be a ground- and space-based missile shield system that will detect, track and stop missiles at multiple stages of flight, potentially destroying them before takeoff or intercepting them in mid-air.
Calling the new system "very important for the success and even survival" of the United States, Trump said that once fully constructed, it will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world, and even if they are launched from space.
Golden Dome has more expansive goals, with Trump saying it "will deploy next-generation technologies across the land, sea and space, including space-based sensors and interceptors."
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, speaking alongside Trump, said the design for the Golden Dome will integrate with existing ground-based defence capabilities and is aimed at protecting "the homeland from cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, drones, whether they're conventional or nuclear."
How Much Will It Cost?
The system will cost over $500 billion, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office.
However, Trump has, so far, announced $25 billion in initial funding for the plan, which he said could eventually cost a total of some $175 billion.
When Will It Be Completed?
Trump said the system will be operational in about three years, by the end of his time in office. However, Forbes reported that the cost of the project will be absorbed over 20 years.
Who Will Lead The Project?
Trump said US Space Force General Michael Guetlein will lead the effort. A four-star general, Guetlein had a 30-year career in the Air Force before he joined the Space Force in 2021.
He reportedly specialises in missile defence and space systems.
Countries Covered Under the Golden Globe
The System is meant to protect the United States from all kinds of missile or drone attacks, but Trump said that Canada has expressed interest in being part of it as "they want to have protection also."
Idea Behind The Golden Globe
The plan's Golden Dome name stems from Israel's Iron Dome air defence system that has intercepted thousands of short-range rockets and other projectiles since it went into operation in 2011.
The United States faces various missile threats from adversaries, but they differ significantly from the short-range weapons that Israel's Iron Dome is designed to counter.
The 2022 Missile Defence Review pointed to growing threats from Russia and China.
Who Opposes The Plan?
Russia and China earlier this month slammed the Golden Dome concept as "deeply destabilising," saying it risked turning space into a "battlefield."
It "explicitly provides for a significant strengthening of the arsenal for conducting combat operations in space," said a statement published by the Kremlin after talks between the two sides.
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/all-about-trumps-golden-dome-defense-system-1st-us-weapon-in-space-8467125
https://www.twz.com/space/trumps-golden-dome-missile-shield-what-we-just-learned-and-its-implications
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/05/20/trump-names-space-force-vice-chief-oversee-golden-dome-missile-defense-project.html
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/kathleen-hughes-dead-scream-queen-it-came-from-outer-space-1236223381/
Kathleen Hughes, Scream Queen From ‘It Came From Outer Space,’ Dies at 96
May 20, 2025 4:51pm
Kathleen Hughes, the statuesque 1950s starlet who unleashed a terrifying scream in connection with her role in the 3D sci-fi classic It Came From Outer Space, has died. She was 96.
Hughes died Monday, according to her close friend, John Jigen Griffin-Atil.
A onetime contract player at Fox and then Universal, Hughes made for a “dainty dish of poison,” as New York Times critic Bosley Crowther put it, in her turn as an actress having an affair with John Forsythe in the crime drama The Glass Web (1953), starring Edward G. Robinson.
A year earlier, she dyed her dark hair blonde to star as a coed in For Men Only (1952), directed by and starring Paul Henreid.
Hughes gave Rock Hudson perhaps his first onscreen kiss when she acted with him in a 1949 screen test, then appeared with him as Piper Laurie’s handmaiden in the adventure film The Golden Blade (1953).
She also portrayed a really awful person in Three Bad Sisters (1956). “I just loved the scene where I horsewhipped my sister and sent her sobbing and bleeding into the night where she got into a car and drove off a cliff,” she said in a 2019 interview.
“For some reason, it just struck me that it’s very funny.”
Hughes was married for 59 years to writer-producer Stanley Rubin (The Narrow Margin, River of No Return, The President’s Analyst), who died in March 2014 at age 96.
After playing Ann Blyth’s pal in Sally and Saint Anne (1952), Hughes agreed to help test the 3D cameras that were to be employed for Universal’s It Came From Outer Space (1953), inspired by a Ray Bradbury story and starring Richard Carlson and Barbara Rush.
“They asked me if I would mind just walking back and forth on a little runway in a bathing suit, maybe because I was quite three-dimensional [at the time],” she said with a chuckle during a 2012 Film Noir Foundation chat with Alan K. Rode. “So I was happy to do it.”
Hughes wanted a role in the Jack Arnold-directed movie but was told the film already had been cast, but she got a hold of the script and found a part “with one good scene” that she liked.
After she “nagged and nagged and nagged” for about a month, she got to portray the girlfriend of Russell Johnson’s human-looking alien.
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Later, Hughes was among the actors being photographed for ad stills to promote the movie when she was told to ‘Throw up your hands and scream,'” she said in another chat with Rode, this one in 2017.
The photo would take on a life of its own. “The picture has been used for so many things, like ‘Hummus, a flavor that screams’ … One of my cousins was in Canada and saw my picture on a birthday card!”
Her husband put his foot down when her photo was used for a condom advertisement.
Elizabeth “Betty” von Gerkan was born in Los Angeles on Nov. 14, 1928. Her uncle was F. Hugh Herbert, a screenwriter and playwright who created the character of teenager Corliss Archer, played by Shirley Temple in the 1945 Columbia Pictures comedy Kiss and Tell.
“My uncle always told me that I could never be in pictures because I’m too tall,” the 5-foot-9 actress said in 1970. “He said all the leading men are short. I think one of the reasons I stuck to acting was to prove him wrong.”
After graduating from Fairfax High School, she was a student at L.A. City College and appearing in the Maxwell Anderson play Night Over Taos at the Geller Theater on the Miracle Mile (now the site of the Petersen Automotive Museum) when she was approached by a Fox talent scout.
She signed with the studio, then made her big-screen debut in Road House (1948), starring Cornel Wilde and Ida Lupino. She would appear in a handful of Fox films, including Mr. Belvedere Goes to College and the baseball movie It Happens Every Spring, both released in 1949.
Fox dropped her after three years, and after she appeared in Warner Bros.’ I’ll See You in My Dreams (1951), starring Doris Day and Danny Thomas, and Lippert Pictures’ For Men Only, she spent another three years as a contract player at Universal.
Hughes played a producer’s secretary named Mitch on Bracken’s World, a 1969-70 NBC drama set in the world of Hollywood that was produced by her husband, and showed up in a home movie as the wife of Lt. Col. Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson) on a 1973 episode of MAS*H.
She also appeared on such other shows as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, 77 Sunset Strip, The Tall Man, Perry Mason, Bachelor Father, Gomer Pyle, USMC, I Dream of Jeannie and Quincy M.E. and in films like Dawn at Socorro (1954), Cult of the Cobra (1955), The Late Liz (1971) and Revenge (1990).
She was hired to play a “horny woman” who has a love scene with Jack Nicholson in Ironweed (1987), but her work was left on the cutting-room floor.
Survivors include her three children, Angie, a film music editor; John, a documentary filmmaker; and Michael.
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Starfish Space's 'Otter' satellite will attempt 1st-ever commercial docking in low Earth orbit this year
May 21, 2025
Starfish Space plans to make history on its second-ever mission, which is set to lift off next month.
On Tuesday (May 20), the Seattle-based startup unveiled the outline of the groundbreaking flight, which is called Otter Pup 2.
It will send one of Starfish's small Otter satellite-servicing vehicles to low Earth orbit (LEO) on SpaceX's Transporter 14 mission, which is scheduled to lift off in June.
If all goes to plan, the Otter will link up with a second private spacecraft later this year, performing the first-ever commercial satellite docking in LEO.
(Commercial satellites have docked while circling Earth before, but much higher up — in geostationary orbit.)
"If successful, this mission will further validate our unique approach to satellite servicing: taking complex problems that were traditionally solved with hardware and instead solving them with software," Starfish co-founder Trevor Bennett said in a statement on Tuesday.
"This allows us to make Otters an order of magnitude smaller than other servicing vehicles — making them faster to build, faster to launch, and finally closing the business case for satellite servicing to scale across the space industry," he added.
The target satellite for Otter Pup 2 is an ION spacecraft, operated by the Italian company D-Orbit.
The ION vehicle — which will also launch on Transporter 14, according to SpaceNews — has not been prepped for docking. It shares that trait with virtually all other satellites circling Earth today.
So Otter Pup 2 will be an instructive test for Starfish Space, which aims to provide a variety of services with Otters — for example, refueling some satellites to extend their operational lives and de-orbiting others to reduce the space junk population.
And that will be just the beginning, according to the company.
"We envision our technology having far-reaching implications and massive impact: performing in-space inspection, orbital relocation, and logistics services, as well as conducting repairs, component upgrades, and in-space assembly and manufacturing," Starfish Space's website reads.
Starfish's first mission, Otter Pup 1, launched on SpaceX's Transporter 8 rideshare flight in June 2023, on board a space tug operated by the California company Launcher.
That tug experienced an anomaly, however, which resulted in the Otter and other payloads being deployed earlier than planned.
That, in turn, scuttled the main objective of the mission — having the Otter rendezvous with the Launcher tug down the road.
But Starfish pivoted, managing to maneuver the Otter to within 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) of a different spacecraft — an D-Orbit ION vehicle — in April 2024.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/starfish-spaces-otter-satellite-will-attempt-1st-ever-commercial-docking-in-low-earth-orbit-this-year
https://www.starfishspace.com/the-otter/
Powerful Mother's Day geomagnetic storm created radio-disrupting bubbles in Earth's upper atmosphere
May 20, 2025
Researchers from Kyushu University in Japan have provided some new insights about the powerful geomagnetic storm that flared up last Mother's Day, after a big solar storm hit Earth.
The work focuses on the storm's activity in a region of Earth's ionosphere called the E layer, which sits in the upper atmosphere about 56 miles to 75 miles (90 to 120 kilometers) above sea level.
"The sporadic E layer hasn't been studied very much during the storm because it appeared unaffected by solar storms," study leader Huixin Liu said in a statement.
"But we wanted to see if something as powerful as the Mother's Day geomagnetic storm did anything to the E layer," Liu added. "What we found was very interesting."
The E layer was significantly enhanced during the storm, the team found; thin patches of high ionization density — known as sporadic E layers, or sporadic Es for short — suddenly appeared in the ionosphere.
To gather data on the phenomena, the team relied on a combination of sources from space and on the ground.
Using the joint U.S.-Taiwanese COSMIC-2 satellite network, as well as 37 ground-based radars called ionosodes, the team gathered a massive amount of information during and after the solar storm to get a global map of sporadic E layer activity.
"This large amount of data was critical for both detecting the presence of sporadic Es and tracking where they formed as time went by," Liu said.
"In our analysis, we found that sporadic Es formed after the main phase of the solar storm, during what we call the recovery phase," Liu added.
First, the team detected sporadic Es at higher latitudes, around the poles. The phenomena slowly extended toward the equator over time.
"This propagation characteristic from high to low latitudes suggests that sporadic E layers are most likely caused by the disturbed neutral winds in the E region," Liu said.
The researchers want to understand this phenomena because it can disrupt HF (high frequency) and VHF (very high frequency) bands of radio communication, which have important uses in areas such as navigation.
With greater insight into activity in the E layer during a geomagnetic storm, the researchers hope to find ways to work around the disruptions.
https://www.space.com/astronomy/earth/powerful-mothers-day-geomagnetic-storm-created-radio-disrupting-bubbles-in-earths-upper-atmosphere
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/338
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025GL115154
House-size asteroid will pass between Earth and moon today
May 21, 2025
A newly discovered house-size asteroid is set to make a close, yet harmless approach to Earth today (May 21), passing within one-third of the Earth-moon distance.
The close approach will happen at approximately 1:30 p.m. ET on May 21 (1730 GMT), at which point the asteroid, designated 2025 KF, will pass a mere 71,700 miles (115,000 kilometers) from Earth, according to NASA.
During the pass, the asteroid will be travelling at a speed of 25,880 miles per hour (41,650 kph) relative to Earth. Its trajectory will see it pass closest to our planet's south polar region before continuing its long, looping orbit around the sun.
2025 KF is not currently considered to be a potentially hazardous object. It also poses no risk of impacting the moon, missing Earth's natural satellite by roughly 140,844 miles (226,666 km).
The rocky body was discovered on May 19 by astronomers at the MAP project in Chile's Atacama Desert, according to the Minor Planet Center, just a few days ahead of its close approach.
Asteroid 2025 KF is estimated to have a diameter ranging between 32 and 75 feet (10 - 23 meters), making it approximately the size of a house.
Even if 2025 KF were to hit Earth, its small size means that it would likely burn up in the atmosphere, posing zero threat to those living on our planet, per NASA.
NASA has catalogued close to 40,000 near-Earth asteroids since it began watching the skies for potentially hazardous objects back in the summer of 1998, and we know today that close passes with automobile-sized asteroids occur on a yearly basis.
Of that number, around 4,700 are classified as potentially dangerous asteroids, though scientists at the Center for Near Earth Object Studies have said that it's unlikely that any asteroid capable of causing widespread damage to Earth will strike our planet in the next century.
It's also worth noting that 2025 KF's rendezvous doesn't even come close to breaking the record for the closest asteroid pass of Earth, which occurred in 2020 when a car-size asteroid passed a mere 1,830 miles (2,950 km) from our planet's surface and survived to tell the tale.
https://www.space.com/stargazing/house-size-asteroid-will-pass-between-earth-and-moon-on-may-21
https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=2025+KF&commit=Show
Space Force Losing 14 Percent of Civilian Workers as It Faces ‘Outsize Impact’ of Pentagon Job Cuts
May 20, 2025
The Space Force, which ensures the U.S. military’s ability to operate in space, is facing a terrestrial challenge: a 14 percent cut to its civilian workforce.
Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman flagged the problem in a May 20 Congressional appearance.
“The civilian workforce by the end of ’25 was supposed to be almost 1,000 larger than it’s going to end up being,” Saltzman told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“Total reductions have been almost 14 percent of our civilian workforce inside the Space Force.”
The cuts are a result of the Trump administration’s broad push to shrink the number of civilians working for the defense establishment.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a directive to trim the Department of Defense’s civilian workforce by five to eight percent by encouraging resignations and imposing a hiring freeze.
But that plan is having a substantial impact on the Space Force, which was established in 2019 and is still in the process of getting its footing. Instead of anticipated growth in its workforce, the Space Force’s personnel have now shrunk significantly.
“We’ve certainly seen people leaving,” Saltzman said. “We were in a period of managed growth, and so there was a deficit when we were trying to get to a larger civilian workforce, and we were asked to stop and then offer some to resign early.”
“We understand the desire to reduce the civilian workforce, [it is] just having a little bit of an outsized impact on the Space Force,” Saltzman added.
A Space Force spokesperson confirmed Saltzman’s figure of an approximately 14 percent reduction in civilian workers and said that the majority of the cuts came from those who opted into the so-called deferred resignation program and will be on paid leave through September of this year.
Civilians make up roughly a third of the Space Force. For fiscal 2024, the branch had around 5,200 civilian personnel and 9,400 Guardians.
“We rely heavily on our civilian workforce,” Saltzman said. “They bring expertise that we don’t have in Active-duty. They bring corporate continuity across all of our processes and procedures.”
Saltzman said the cuts will reduce the number of acquisition professionals in particular.
In March, Lt. Gen. Philip A. Garrant, of Space Systems Command, which oversees the Space Force’s purchasing arm, said a “considerable number” of his employees had taken the resignation offer.
But the impact will be felt across the force, the service said. “Reductions are proportionate to the job specialties and pay grades of the Space Force’s civilian workforce,” the Space Force spokesperson said.
What the Space Force will look like after the cuts is unclear.
“I’m not sure exactly where we’re going to end up [and] what our final size is going to be,” Saltzman said.
“As soon as I understand what that size is, then we will redistribute and reallocate the civilian workforce as necessary.”
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/space-force-losing-14-percent-of-civilian-workers-outsize-impact-pentagon-job-cuts/
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4193428/air-space-force-leaders-stress-modernization-readiness/
https://www.defense.gov/Multimedia/Videos/videoid/963303/
Air, Space Force Leaders Stress Modernization, Readiness
May 20, 2025
Senior leaders from the Department of the Air Force testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee during a posture hearing in Washington today.
During their testimony they outlined key priorities, including modernization, readiness and maintaining strategic superiority in air and space.
Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink, who holds a doctorate in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin, and Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman highlighted the critical need for investments to address current challenges and future threats, especially from strategic competitors like China.
"The Department of the Air Force is at an inflection point," Meink said. "We are engaging in a fast-paced race for technological superiority against a well-resourced, strategic opponent."
Speaking about the increased pace of modernization, Allvin stressed the urgency of ensuring airpower dominance.
"We now operate in a world where the [People's Republic of China] is not only rapidly modernizing its military, but doing so with a clear intent to coerce its neighbors and reshape the international order," Allvin said.
"The United States must maintain airpower dominance if we are to safeguard our security, deter aggression, and prevail in conflict."
Key modernization initiatives highlighted during the testimony included the development of the F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance fighter jet platform, the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, and crucial upgrades to existing platforms like the F-35 Lightning II and F-15 Eagle fighters.
Allvin detailed the innovative acquisition strategy for the F-47, designed to avoid costly delays experienced with previous platforms.
"We now have more control over the project," he said. "Upgrades can come at the speed of software, not hardware, allowing us to rapidly integrate advanced systems, benefiting both taxpayers and warfighters."
On the topic of nuclear modernization, Meink and Allvin emphasized the priority of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile system, the B-21 Raider long-range strike bomber and revitalization of the B-52 Stratofortress fleet, essential to strategic deterrence.
When asked about the Sentinel program's timeline and budget stability, Meink explained the Air Force would "balance … requirements to generate readiness today with the imperative to rebuild our military capabilities to continue deterring adversaries tomorrow."
Saltzman spoke about the significant growth and increasing importance of the Space Force, underscoring its role in America's broader strategic defense posture.
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"Space has become the backbone of our national security, and today's joint force relies on the assumption that space power will be available when needed," he said.
Addressing new mission responsibilities, including critical space-based elements of the Golden Dome missile defense initiative, Saltzman warned of the increasing gap between resources and mission demands.
"Despite dramatic rises in threats and increasing importance, the Space Force has experienced shrinking resources," he said. "This disconnect creates risk for our nation."
The Air Force also faces significant readiness challenges, particularly with maintaining aging aircraft fleets.
Allvin noted mission capability rates, with older aircraft like the F-16 Fighting Falcon achieving approximately 62% mission readiness, still below ideal targets.
He emphasized the necessity for sustained investment in modernization to maintain operational readiness and effectiveness.
Personnel issues, including recruitment and retention, were also highlighted.
Meink and Allvin cited challenges stemming from budgetary pressure and emphasized the need for enhanced support structures to ensure service members and their families are adequately cared for.
"Our airmen and guardians are our greatest asset," Meink said. "We are committed to enhancing recruiting, expanding training opportunities and strengthening family support structures to ensure we maintain our nation's competitive edge."
In response to congressional concerns regarding strategic vulnerabilities, particularly the potential overconcentration of U.S. military assets in locations like Guam, Allvin assured the committee the Air Force is actively diversifying its posture to improve resiliency.
"Guam is not the ultimate destination for Indo-Pacific posture," Allvin said, describing ongoing efforts to distribute forces across the region.
Wrapping up their testimony, the leaders reiterated their commitment to maintaining superiority across air and space domains amid evolving threats, requesting continued support from Congress to ensure U.S. readiness today and strategic advantages tomorrow.
"No other service can match what the Air Force delivers: effects anywhere on the globe, at any scale, on minimal notice," Allvin concluded.
"With your support, we can ensure the Air Force remains the cornerstone of American power through the 21st century."
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Minuteman III Test Launch Showcases Readiness of U.S. Nuclear Force's Safe, Effective Deterrent
May 21, 2025
Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. – A joint team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a single Mark-21 High Fidelity Re-Entry Vehicle May 21 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
The Western Test Range at Vandenberg Space Force Base serves as the primary testing ground for the Air Force Global Strike Command's deterrent architecture.
This test launch is part of routine and periodic activities designed to demonstrate that the United States' nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure, reliable, and effective in deterring 21st-century threats and reassuring our allies.
With more than 300 similar tests conducted in the past, this test is part of the Nation’s ongoing commitment to maintaining a credible deterrent and is not a response to current world events.
“This ICBM test launch underscores the strength of the nation's nuclear deterrent and the readiness of the ICBM leg of the triad,” said Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command.
“This powerful safeguard is maintained by dedicated Airmen – missileers, defenders, helicopter operators and the teams who supports them – who ensure the security of the nation and its allies.”
Vandenberg’s 377th Test and Evaluation Group oversaw the test launch. It is the nation’s only dedicated ICBM test organization professionally executing tests that accurately measure the current and future capability of the ICBM force.
“Minuteman III remains the bedrock of our nation's strategic deterrent and the unwavering dedication of the Airmen who ensure its readiness are a testament to its inherent lethality,” said Col. Dustin Harmon, 377th Test and Evaluation Group commander.
“Their expertise and commitment are vital to maintaining this credible force for peace. As we look to the future, these same Airmen are paving the way for the Sentinel ICBM, ensuring a seamless transition to this next-generation capability and the continued security of our nation.”
The ICBM's reentry vehicle traveled approximately 4,200 miles to the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command's Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site located within Republic of the Marshall Islands at the Kwajalein Atoll.
Reagan Test Site sensors, including high-fidelity metric and signature radars, as well as optical sensors and telemetry, support the research, development, test and evaluation of America's defense and space programs.
For these tests, RTS team members collect radar, optical and telemetry data in the terminal phase of flight to evaluate system performance.
“Reagan Test Site is an indispensable national asset, uniquely equipped to support critical tests of our nation's offensive and defensive systems, including all Glory Trip missions,” said Army Lt. Col. Casey Rumfelt, RTS range director.
“Its specialized instrumentation and strategic location are unmatched globally, ensuring the effectiveness of our nation’s strategic deterrent.”
The test launch is a culmination of months of preparation that involve multiple government partners.
Airmen from all three missile wings were selected for the task force to support the test launch, while maintainers from the 90th Missile Wing Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Force Base, Wyoming, and the 341st Missile Wing from Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, supported maintenance requirements.
The missile bases within Air Fore Global Strike Command have crew members standing alert 24 hours a day, year-round, overseeing the nation’s ICBM alert forces.
The ICBM community, including the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and U.S. Strategic Command, uses data collected from test launches for continuing force development evaluation.
The ICBM test launch program demonstrates the operational capability of the Minuteman III and ensures the United States’ ability to maintain a strong, credible nuclear deterrent as a key element of U.S. national security and the security of U.S. allies and partners.
The LG-35A Sentinel will replace the Minuteman III ICBM, and until full capability is achieved ,the Air Force is committed to ensuring Minuteman III remains a viable deterrent.
For questions regarding the launch window or Vandenberg SFB range operations, contact 30th Space Launch Delta Public Affairs at 805-606-3595 or sld30.pa.workflow@us.af.mil.
For queries regarding the ICBM test launch mission and missile, contact AFGSC Public Affairs at 318-456-1305 or afgsc.paworkflow@us.af.mil.
https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4193615/minuteman-iii-test-launch-showcases-readiness-of-us-nuclear-forces-safe-effecti/
https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4193611/mmiii-gt-253-launches-from-vandenberg/
Ukrainian terrorist plots foiled near Kremlin – Putin to Trump
20 May, 2025 16:14
Russian President Vladimir Putin informed his US counterpart, Donald Trump, of several foiled terrorist attacks in Moscow ahead of the Victory Day celebrations earlier this month, pointing the finger at Ukraine, according to an aide to the Russian president, Yury Ushakov.
The senior official noted that the discussion took place during the two presidents’ phone call on Monday.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Ushakov said Putin told Trump that the “threat of terrorist attacks in [central Moscow] – near the Kremlin and Red Square – was thwarted” shortly before the celebrations.
According to the official, Putin also stated that the “Ukrainians directly threatened foreign participants in the [Victory Day] festivities [and] attempted to… prevent their arrival in Moscow.”
Ahead of the May 9 celebrations, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky said Kiev could not guarantee the safety of foreign dignitaries visiting the Russian capital.
Nevertheless, the leaders of 28 nations attended the event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
Among the countries whose representatives visited the Russian capital were China, Brazil, Egypt, Venezuela, Cuba, Serbia, Slovakia, Belarus and other former Soviet republics, as well as other African and Asian countries.
Putin hailed the “political courage” of the foreign attendees.
During the latest phone conversation, the Russian president told his US counterpart that ahead of the celebrations and the three-day truce unilaterally declared by Moscow, Ukrainian forces launched more than 500 kamikaze drones and UK-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles targeting multiple Russian regions, as well as the capital, most of which were intercepted.
Putin also told Trump that the “masterminds behind those threats [are] those who celebrate Nazi criminals,” Ushakov said.
https://www.rt.com/russia/617919-ushakov-putin-told-trump-ukrainian-threats-victory-day/
Russia intercepts drone attack on Moscow, prompting flight disruptions and emergency response
Updated: May 21, 2025 6:57 PM
Russian air defenses intercepted a drone attack on Moscow on May 21, according to the city’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin and state-controlled media, prompting temporary air traffic disruptions at major airports.
As of 5 p.m. local time, Sobyanin claimed seven drones to be intercepted as they approached the Russian capital. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene of the debris fall.
Ukraine hasn't commented on the alleged attack.
Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency Rosaviatsiya announced that temporary flight restrictions were imposed at Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports.
At Sheremetyevo, Moscow's busiest international airport, temporary restrictions were reimposed for the second time, according to Russian media.
The Russian Defense Ministry has not released further details. No casualties or damage were reported.
Moscow and surrounding regions have faced a growing number of Ukrainian drone incursions in recent months amid Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.
https://kyivindependent.com/drones-target-moscow-prompting-flight-disruptions-and-emergency-response/
Specialist teams including search dogs and drone operators continue to search in Mountain Ash, Wales
21 May 2025
Specialist teams including search dogs and drone operators continue to search for "Steven", and residents in Mountain Ash will continue to see an increased police presence in the area.
Further enquiries have confirmed the last sighting of "Steven" at Jaz Convenience Store on Church Street at 10.55am on May 20.
Anyone who may have seen "Steven", who has nearby CCTV or dashcam footage, or has any other information which will help us find him, is asked to contact us by one of the below means quoting occurrence number 2500160057.
https://www.aberdareonline.co.uk/2025/05/21/specialist-teams-including-search-dogs-and-drone-operators-continue-to-search-in-mountain-ash/
Ukrainian drones damage sanctioned military electronics plant in Russia [updated]
21/05/2025
A series of drone attacks struck the city of Bolkhov in Russia’s Oryol Oblast overnight on 21 May, damaging a semiconductor manufacturing facility that produces electronic components for tanks and missile systems.
Oryol Governor Andrei Klichkov reported that Russian forces intercepted multiple waves of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) throughout the incident.
Klichkov confirmed that the attack damaged several private homes and the Bolkhov Semiconductor Device Plant (JSC “BZPP”).
The facility, located at over 300 km (186 miles) from the Ukrainian border, is an important element of the Russian military industry that develops and manufactures electronic equipment for radio-electronic apparatus, according to International pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+.
BZPP manufactures microchips, semiconductors, indicators, microassemblies, and “eternal batteries” for military and civilian use.
The plant’s products are reportedly utilized in communication systems, control systems, electronic warfare equipment, and simulators for tanks and missile complexes.
These components are reportedly supplied to at least 19 enterprises within Russia’s military-industrial complex.
The targeted plant was placed under US sanctions on 1 May 2024, potentially indicating its strategic importance to Russia’s defense industry.
Despite being under international sanctions, the plant has maintained active operations, producing up to 3 million devices annually and employing approximately 700 staff members.
The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed a total of 127 drones were shot down during the attack and attributed the strike to Ukraine. Ukrainian Defense Forces have not yet commented on this attack.
[update as of 12:45 p.m.]
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially confirmed a drone strike on the Bolkhov Semiconductor Plant in Russia’s Oryol Oblast, identifying it as a facility that supplies critical electronic components to Russia’s defense industry.
Military officials stated that ten unmanned aerial vehicles reached the target area, resulting in a fire at the facility.
The targeted facility supports production of Sukhoi aircraft as well as Iskander and Kinzhal missile systems, according to the Ukrainian General Staff.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, wrote that the facility produces components used in T-72B3 and T-90M tanks, self-propelled howitzers, Iskander and Kh-101 missiles, and electronic warfare systems including “Krasukha” and “Zhitel.”
https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/05/21/drones-damage-sanctioned-military-electronics-plant-in-russia/
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1925084925868298329
https://www.surinenglish.com/andalucia/costa-almeria/flying-drone-almeria-mission-impossible-almost-100-20250521101322-nt.html
Mission impossible: flying a drone in Almeria
Wednesday, 21 May 2025, 16:20
The buzz of a drone flying over a natural landscape or an urban area no longer surprises anyone.
For years, these devices have been popular among photographers, audiovisual creators, farmers or amateurs who want to capture the views from above.
However, many are unaware of the rules and restrictions related to operating one of these devices.
Even recreational use is subject to strict regulations which, if not complied with, can lead to significant penalties.
In Almeria province, as in the rest of the country, flying a drone is not a free activity, and knowing the legal limitations is essential to do it safely and legally.
A recent example happened on 7 May, when the National Police neutralised an unauthorised drone next to the heliport of the Torrecárdenas University Hospital, a particularly critical area.
Since the end of 2020, there has been a common regulation throughout the European Union governing the civilian use of drones.
This regulation classifies operations into three levels according to their risk: recreational or simple flights, flights with certain special conditions, and complex operations that require stricter permits.
Sensitive environments
Flying a drone, even for leisure, requires more than just looking at the sky. Consulting official tools such as the Enaire Drones viewer or the Aesa website are essential.
In municipalities such as Almeria city, Roquetas de Mar, El Ejido, Adra or Berja, considered urban areas or sensitive environments, prior notification must be given to the Ministry of Interior, at least five days before the planned flight.
In addition, permission is required from the owner or administrator of the place to be flown over and to comply with certain operational conditions set by the State Aviation Safety Agency (Aesa).
These limitations also extend to urban beaches and the surroundings of Almeria airport where any aerial activity - even with drones smaller than 250 grams, the smallest ones - is particularly delicate.
Airports, aerodromes and heliports pose another layer of restrictions. Almeria airport requires coordination with Aena at least 20 days before the flight.
If you fly outside the airport's controlled space (CTR) and at a height of less than 60 metres, it is considered a basic operation, but if you want to fly above that height or enter closer areas, you must have the authorisation of the airspace management body.
Railway lines
Uncoordinated flights are also completely prohibited at points such as, in the case of Almeria, the Gérgal forestry base, the Alhama de Almería heliport or any hospital with a heliport, such as Poniente (in El Ejido) or La Inmaculada (in Huércal-Overa).
Railway lines managed by Adif are also restricted and even for recreational flights, permission may be required if flying near or over them.
For more complex flights, a minimum safety distance of 25 metres horizontally from the tracks and height restrictions apply depending on the location.
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Some areas are particularly sensitive due to their military or strategic use. For example, the airspace known as LED36, which includes Legion training areas, can present risks for any aircraft. It is therefore advisable to consult the AIP (aeronautical information bulletin) before scheduling any flight.
Many areas of the province have environmental protection and flying in them requires specific permits.
Among the most restricted areas are the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, Sierra Nevada, Sierra de Gádor and Enix, Sierra Alhamilla, the Tabernas Desert, the Gérgal and Tabernas wadis, and others such as the Islote de San Andrés, the Sierra de Cabrera-Bédar, Punta Entinas-Sabinar, the Albufera de Adra or the Barrera de Posidonia Reef in Roquetas.
Many of these areas are also Special Protection Areas for Birds (SPA), which raises the legal requirements even higher.
To fly there, it is essential to request authorisation from the Junta de Andalucía, which assesses each case according to the possible environmental impact.
Almeria city
Care should also be taken if you want to take photos or videos from the air. Some areas are restricted for taking images, even if the flight is authorised.
This is the case, for example, of a specific area of Roquetas de Mar (according to map 1058-3 of the National Geographic Institute), where permission must be requested from the Cartographic and Photographic Centre of the Air Force (CECAF).
In addition, once the recording has been made, the images must be submitted for review. This permit is usually valid for several months.
There are a number of restrictions over Almeria city.
Firstly it is an urban centre, which implies the need to notify the Ministry of the Interior of the flight at least five days in advance and to have the authorisation of the owner or person responsible for the place to be flown over.
In addition, the operational conditions set by Aesa must be respected, such as not flying over people, always keeping the drone in sight and not exceeding certain height limits.
In addition to this, there are other geographical and safety constraints. The airspace around Almería airport covers part of the municipality, so in certain areas it is necessary to coordinate any flight, even recreational, with Aena beforehand.
For example, if flying within the controlled area (CTR), specific authorisation must be requested, and if operating outside, but above a height of 60 metres, permission is also required.
Another particularly sensitive point is the proximity to the Torrecárdenas University Hospital, which has an operational heliport.
This makes it a critical area, where any drone flight must be previously authorised and coordinated so as not to interfere with medical transfers by helicopter.
In addition, some natural areas of the municipality, such as urban beaches, are also subject to restrictions, especially in high season, and require authorisation if you want to fly for leisure or capture images.
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Loch Lomond Shores issues urgent warning to drone users
May 21, 2025
Loch Lomond Shores said a drone was flown directly above the Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre, causing distress to several birds and disrupting a flying display.
The popular visitor attraction has urged drone operators to be considerate and mindful of where they fly their drones.
They highlighted that birds of prey are particularly sensitive to disruptions and a drone in their airspace can be seen as a threat.
This can lead to stress, disruption of natural behaviours and even potential harm.
While acknowledging the popularity of drones and their ability to capture stunning footage, Loch Lomond Shores stressed that the safety of visitors and wildlife takes precedence over capturing the perfect shot.
They have called on everyone to work together to maintain the area as a safe and enjoyable environment for both human and animal residents.
https://www.helensburghadvertiser.co.uk/news/25179662.loch-lomond-shores-issues-urgent-warning-drone-users/