TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
June 23, 2025
W5: Pillars of Star Formation
How do stars form? Images of the star forming region W5 like those in the infrared by NASA's Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE, later NEOWISE) satellite provide clear clues with indications that massive stars near the center of empty cavities are older than stars near the edges. A likely reason for this is that the older stars in the center are actually triggering the formation of the younger edge stars. The triggered star formation occurs when hot outflowing gas compresses cooler gas into knots dense enough to gravitationally contract into stars. In the featured scientifically colored infrared image, spectacular pillars left slowly evaporating from the hot outflowing gas provide further visual clues. W5 is also known as Westerhout 5 (W5) and IC 1848. Together with IC 1805, the nebulas form a complex region of star formation popularly dubbed the Heart and Soul Nebulas. The featured image highlights a part of W5 spanning about 2,000 light years that is rich in star forming pillars. W5 lies about 6,500 light years away toward the constellation of Cassiopeia.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
NASA data flags surge in extreme weather events
Jun 23, 2025
Recent satellite analysis from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has revealed a sharp escalation in the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events globally, including droughts and floods.
The findings, based on data from NASA’s GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellites, indicated that 2023 saw nearly twice the volume of severe weather activity compared to the annual average recorded between 2003 and 2020.
Weather volatility surpassing climate projections
NASA scientists monitoring water movement and land surface moisture levels have noted that the pace of extreme weather is rising faster than previously anticipated.
Although these observations are not yet peer-reviewed and require further analysis to establish long-term trends, researchers link the patterns to broader climate change effects.
Dr Bailing Li, a researcher with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and the University of Maryland’s Earth Systems Science division, acknowledged that more time is needed to confirm the trend.
“We can’t prove causation yet – we would need a much longer dataset. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what’s happening here, but other events suggest that (global) warming is the driving factor.
We are seeing more and more extreme events round the world, so this is certainly alarming,” she said, as reported by The Guardian.
Dr Matthew Rodell, NASA’s chief of hydrologic sciences, noted the findings require careful interpretation but added that the uptick in extremes warrants close attention.
Insurance sector urged to reassess climate exposure
An Australian insurance leader said the satellite data adds urgency to local resilience strategies, particularly for insurers and commercial property owners.
Andrew Stafford, FM’s senior vice president and operations manager for Australia and New Zealand, pointed to Australia’s vulnerability.
“These findings from NASA should serve as a reminder that Australia is not immune to the escalating severity of extreme weather events,” he said in a statement sent to Insurance Business. FM’s 2025 Resilience Index placed Australia at 87th globally for climate risk exposure.
A related study with The Economist Intelligence Unit found that 70% of surveyed Australian executives reported property or revenue impacts due to unexpected weather events, yet nearly a quarter of businesses still ranked climate-related risks as medium or low priority.
Stafford said this gap between experience and preparedness presents a growing challenge.
“At FM, we witness firsthand the catastrophic impact climate events like flooding, cyclones, and bushfires can have on properties, businesses, and the communities they support.
But we also recognise that with the right planning and preventative measures, damage and loss can be minimised,” he said.
Mitigation measures becoming more critical
Stafford urged Australian firms to adopt a more structured approach to risk mitigation, citing frequent losses from floods, cyclones, and bushfires.
“As extreme weather events increasingly become the new normal, we urge businesses to take proactive approach to resilience planning to mitigate these risks.
This can be done by undertaking comprehensive risk assessments, developing tailored mitigation strategies, and conducting structural evaluations,” he said.
https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/au/news/catastrophe/nasa-data-flags-surge-in-extreme-weather-events-540058.aspx
Rubin Observatory releases 'sneak peek' of first images taken with world's largest camera
June 23, 2025
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has unveiled a "sneak peek" of the first images taken with its powerful astronomy camera — and the results are stunning.
The exceptionally detailed images are peppered with multicolored stars and spiraling galaxies. In one photo, the observatory has captured two nebulae, filled with bright pink clouds of gas and dust.
The Rubin Observatory is a next-generation telescope equipped with the world's largest digital camera. These first preview images are a major milestone for the observatory, which will become fully operational later this year.
Representatives for the Rubin Observatory shared the stunning night-sky snaps on social media, ahead of an official presentation at 11 a.m. ET on Monday (June 23) via the Rubin Observatory's YouTube channel.
Observatory staff didn't reveal which parts of the night sky were captured in the preview images, and instead asked social media users to guess.
Some users were quick to point out that the bright pink nebulae were the Trifid and Lagoon nebulae, located in the Sagittarius constellation around 9,000 light-years from Earth.
BBC News reported that one of the other images is of the Virgo cluster. This large cluster of galaxies has more than 1,000 members. In the Virgo cluster photo, two of its spiral galaxies are clearly visible as bright blue swirls.
Researchers plan to use the Rubin Observatory's massive camera to observe the universe from Earth in never-before-seen detail.
Jointly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy, the Rubin Observatory is located high in the Chilean Andes, on a mountain called Cerro Pachón.
Later this year, the Rubin Observatory will begin surveying the night sky as part of a 10-year mission.
By capturing images around every 40 seconds, researchers will create a time-lapse of the visible universe across space and over time.
When it's finished, the Rubin Observatory will have collected the largest optical astronomy dataset in history, according to the Rubin Observatory.
"This enormous, all-purpose dataset will bring the night sky to life, enabling scientists around the world to better understand the nature of dark matter and dark energy, create an inventory of the Solar System, map the Milky Way, explore the dynamic sky, and more," a representative from the observatory wrote on YouTube.
The Rubin Observatory's next-generation camera should help spot "planet killer" asteroids hiding in the sun's glare, and may also help settle the debate as to whether there's a ninth planet hiding in the outer solar system.
https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/rubin-observatory-releases-sneak-peek-of-first-images-taken-with-worlds-largest-camera
https://twitter.com/VRubinObs/status/1936998162704609469
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv22_Amsreo
https://gallery.lsst.org/bp/#/
First Images from NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory
June 23, 2025
We’re nearly ready to #CaptureTheCosmos! Join the NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory team on June 23, 2025 at 11am US EDT as they reveal the first incredible images from the world’s newest and most powerful survey telescope, equipped with the largest digital camera ever built.
Beginning later this year, Rubin will create the ultimate movie of the night sky, repeatedly scanning the sky for a decade to create an ultra-wide, ultra-high-definition, time-lapse record of our Universe across space and over time.
The resulting dataset, called the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), will be the largest ever amassed for optical astronomy.
This enormous, all-purpose dataset will bring the night sky to life, enabling scientists around the world to better understand the nature of dark matter and dark energy, create an inventory of the Solar System, map the Milky Way, explore the dynamic sky, and more.
NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science.
Once fully operational later in 2025, Rubin will be jointly operated by NSF NOIRLab, under a cooperative agreement with AURA, and DOE’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv22_Amsreo
U.K. Space Weather Prediction System Goes Operational
23 June 2025
The impacts of space weather such as extreme solar winds and magnetic waves are not limited to outer space.
Bursts of plasma emanating from the Sun, for instance, can temporarily intensify electric and magnetic fields on the ground when they arrive at Earth, causing geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) to flow into infrastructure such as powerlines, pipelines, and railways.
GICs can cause widespread equipment failures, leading to blackouts and safety concerns.
To improve monitoring, modeling, and forecasting of GICs in the United Kingdom, Beggan et al. developed a set of 14 models that better predicts space weather hazards and tracks them in real time, allowing scientists and forecasters to warn operators of critical infrastructure.
They also installed three new variometers to measure magnetic field changes at locations across the country. The work was part of the United Kingdom’s Space Weather Instrumentation, Measurement, Modelling and Risk (SWIMMR) program called SWIMMR Activities in Ground Effects, or SAGE.
The SAGE system can estimate changes in the subsurface electric field during geomagnetic storms, then calculate the size of GICs flowing into grounded infrastructure networks—which have known electrical resistance properties—in real time.
SAGE also uses real-time data from satellites to predict the probability of magnetic substorms occurring and the magnitude of the storm at different U.K. ground observatory sites.
A major test of the new system occurred in early May 2024, when significant solar activity triggered the largest geomagnetic storm to hit Earth in the past 30 years. SAGE successfully provided real-time information on how the storm was affecting infrastructure.
The system also provided two forecasts of GIC magnitude 30 minutes ahead of time; the real-time magnitude that SAGE later identified was between those two predictions.
More work must be done to continue improving SAGE, the authors write. For example, better monitoring of space weather conditions in space and on the ground would provide the system with more robust data on impacts, further improving its prediction capability.
https://eos.org/research-spotlights/u-k-space-weather-prediction-system-goes-operational
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025SW004364
https://geomag.bgs.ac.uk/research/SAGE/home.html
European Space Agency joins forces with Blue Origin for future low-Earth orbit access
Jun 23, 2025 08:43 AM EST
At present, the International Space Station (ISS) has been humanity’s orbiting laboratory. But its planned retirement is approaching at the end of this decade.
The massive station won’t just vanish. It will be guided to a controlled descent, ensuring a safe re-entry over an unpopulated ocean. The deorbit vehicle is expected to be developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
But the future of human presence in low Earth orbit won’t entirely rely on government-built stations alone. Instead, plans are rapidly taking shape to maintain humanity’s foothold in space through private, commercial space stations.
And the European Space Agency (ESA) is making some big moves to be a key player in this exciting new era.
Reportedly, leading the charge for ESA is a significant agreement with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin.
Announced at the Paris Air Show, ESA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding – an MoU – with Blue Origin and European aerospace giant Thales Alenia Space.
This agreement explores the potential use of Orbital Reef, Blue Origin’s ambitious planned commercial space station.
“Through this MoU, the European Space Agency intends to develop a closer relationship with Blue Origin and Thales Alenia Space for the development of Orbital Reef, that could provide services meeting Europe’s long-term research and commercial needs in alignment with ESA’s recently announced requirements,” the press statement from Thales noted.
Using Orbital Reef
Orbital Reef is envisioned as a truly versatile “mixed-use business park” in low Earth orbit.
It’s designed to initially host up to six people, with the potential to expand to over ten, accommodating a wide array of activities: from cutting-edge research and the thrilling prospect of filmmaking in microgravity, to even the novel concept of a “space hotel.”
The new agreement aims to study sending European payloads and, significantly, European astronauts to Orbital Reef.
It also delves into evaluating potential European contributions to the station’s hardware – ranging from small, crucial subsystems to entire modules.
Furthermore, Thales Alenia Space and Blue Origin are actively exploring the use of future European commercial services for transporting cargo and crew to and from the station, fostering a robust European industrial presence.
Race to the commercial space station
Reportedly, ESA is already testing these new approaches. Through private astronaut missions to the ISS, the agency is gaining invaluable experience.
This includes sending ESA reserve astronauts, such as Sweden’s Marcus Wandt on the Ax-3 mission last year (January-February 2024), and Poland’s Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, who is scheduled for the upcoming Ax-4 mission (though Ax-4 has experienced some delays and is currently targeting a new launch date in June 2025).
These shorter missions are particularly valuable as they allow astronauts to dedicate their time primarily to scientific research. These types of missions maximise the output from microgravity, free from the day-to-day maintenance tasks of long-duration crews.
This strategic move by ESA with Blue Origin spotlights a fascinating dynamic in the evolving space landscape.
Currently, SpaceX remains a dominant force in the launch and crew transport to the ISS. The company is working to transport astronauts to the Moon, and the grander plan extends towards the ultimate goal of Mars colonization.
It will be interesting to see how these private space agencies, with their distinct philosophies, collaborate and compete in the years to come.
ESA is also exploring diverse options. A year earlier, they inked a similar deal with Vast, another private company developing its own commercial station, Haven-1.
Meanwhile, NASA itself is actively fostering the design and development of multiple commercial space stations, including Starlab.
https://interestingengineering.com/space/esa-forges-ties-with-blue-origin
https://www.thalesaleniaspace.com/en/press-releases/european-space-agency-thales-alenia-space-and-blue-origin-explore-collaboration
Atlas V rocket launches 2nd batch of satellites for Amazon's Project Kuiper megaconstellation
June 23, 2025
Amazon's second big batch of internet satellites has taken flight.
A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket lifted off from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station today (June 23) at 6:54 a.m. EDT (1054 GMT), carrying 27 spacecraft for Amazon's Project Kuiper constellation toward low Earth orbit (LEO).
The launch came a week later than originally planned; it had been scheduled for June 16 but was delayed by an Atlas V engine issue.
An Atlas V also launched the first batch of Kuiper craft, sending 27 of them aloft from Cape Canaveral on April 28 (as well as two prototype Kuiper satellites, which flew in October 2023).
And there will be many more such liftoffs. The Project Kuiper constellation will eventually consist of more than 3,200 satellites, which will go up on about 80 more launches in the coming years.
ULA will do most of the lifting; Amazon booked eight Atlas V launches and 38 rides on its replacement, the Vulcan Centaur.
But Project Kuiper satellites will also fly on rockets built by SpaceX, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and European launch provider Arianespace.
"Those agreements comprise the largest commercial procurement of launch capacity in history, and support thousands of suppliers and highly skilled jobs across the U.S. and Europe," Amazon wrote in a Project Kuiper description.
The company hopes to start providing internet service with the constellation later this year.
Project Kuiper will compete with SpaceX's Starlink, which already provides service to customers around the world using more than 7,600 operational satellites in LEO.
Starlink is the largest satellite constellation ever assembled, and it's growing all the time; SpaceX has already launched 55 Starlink missions this year alone.
And these aren't the only two broadband projects underway in LEO. For example, China has already launched spacecraft for two different megaconstellations, Guowang ("National Network") and Qianfan ("Thousand Sails").
Both of these networks will feature more than 10,000 satellites, if all goes according to plan.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/atlas-v-rocket-launches-2nd-batch-of-satellites-for-amazons-project-kuiper-megaconstellation-video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKifwI3t55A
Moon dust is less toxic than urban air pollution, scientists discover
June 23, 2025
Moon dust may not be as harmful to humans as had been thought, with a new experiment showing that the typical air pollution on a busy street is more toxic than inhaling lunar dust.
"The results contribute to the safety case for returning humans to the moon," said Brian Oliver, who is a Distinguished Professor of Life Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney, in a statement.
Concerns about the toxicity of moon dust arose during the Apollo missions. Lunar dust is statically charged, allowing it to adhere to astronauts' space suits.
After the astronauts clambered back inside their lunar lander following a moonwalk, the dust became airborne in the cabin and was inhaled, leading to the astronauts suffering respiratory problems that faded after about 24 hours.
Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt described it as like having "lunar hay fever," with stinging eyes, sneezing and a sore throat.
Moreover, back on Earth, the Apollo flight surgeon reported similar problems after unpacking the used spacesuits.
In their case, they reported that the symptoms grew worse after every mission, suggesting that repeated exposure to lunar dust exacerbates its toxicity.
Nevertheless, the anecdotal evidence is not a quantitative measure of the potential harm that lunar dust can do to humans.
So Michaela Smith, who is a PhD student at the University of Technology Sydney's Respiratory Research Group, set about finding out.
Smith performed experiments using two lunar simulants – replicas of real lunar dust, since samples of real lunar dust are limited – that are analogous to moon dust found in the moon's dark volcanic lowland plains and its more ancient highlands, respectively.
The simulant particles are smaller than 2.5 microns (millionths of a meter), small enough to be inhaled and then trapped in the lower airways of the lungs.
To represent lungs, Smith introduced the simulant dust to two different types of lung cell, namely bronchial and alveolar cells, representing the upper and lower regions of the lungs, respectively.
Smith then conducted the same experiment but with airborne particulate matter sampled from a busy Sydney street, and compared the effects of lunar dust with that of air pollution.
Smith found that while the irregular shape and roughness of the lunar dust still irritates the lungs, its effects are significantly less than that of air pollution. "It's important to distinguish between a physical irritant and a highly toxic substance," said Smith.
"Our findings suggest that while lunar dust may cause some immediate irritation to the airways, it does not appear to pose a risk for chronic, long-term diseases like silicosis, which is caused by materials like silica dust [as on a construction site, for example]."
This is good news for NASA, who are still taking the health challenges of moon dust seriously as they plan the Artemis 3 mission that will see humans return to the surface of the moon for the first time since 1972.
For example, one strategy is to have the astronaut's spacesuits affixed to the exterior of the lunar lander, and the astronauts enter and leave the suits through an airlock within the lander without bringing the moon dust stuck to the suits inside the cabin.
However, thanks to Smith's work, the problem of moon dust is perhaps no longer quite as serious as had been anticipated.
https://www.space.com/astronomy/moon/moon-dust-is-less-toxic-than-urban-air-pollution-scientists-discover
https://www.uts.edu.au/news/2025/06/lunar-dust-less-toxic-than-city-pollution
Isaacman interested in privately funded science missions
June 23, 2025
ORLANDO, Fla. — Former NASA administrator nominee Jared Isaacman says he is interested in pursuing some of the goals he had for the agency from outside it.
Isaacman received the National Space Society’s Wernher von Braun Award June 21 on behalf of Polaris Dawn, the private astronaut mission in September 2024 he commanded.
The award ceremony at the International Space Development Conference here was one of his first public appearances since the White House withdrew his nomination to be NASA administrator three weeks earlier.
Isaacman, in a speech and fireside chat at the awards ceremony, said little about his nomination, focusing instead on his spaceflight experience.
He did discuss the withdrawn nomination and plans for NASA in a podcast earlier in the month, including his desire for NASA to prioritize “needle-mover” programs and reduce bureaucracy.
In comments after the speech, he said there was no single thing he wanted to do most had he been confirmed as NASA administrator.
“It was just getting the agency back to doing again the near-impossible. There’s just a lot of ‘littles’ that were going on that are all pretty cool, but a lot of them could be done by others.”
His priorities had he led NASA, he said, included getting humans back to the moon and getting on a “good path towards at least starting to get to Mars.”
Another, he said, was investing in nuclear electric propulsion (NEP), a technology he said was important for Mars exploration.
He said he had wanted to try “to pivot the SLS states towards” NEP as he sought to phase out the Space Launch System. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, which oversees work on SLS, is also involved in nuclear propulsion technologies.
Another goal he had was for NASA to partner with academic organizations on missions where such organizations would have had a bigger role in funding.
“My priorities would have been leadership in space and the orbital economy,” he said, “and trying to introduce a concept where NASA could help enable others to conduct interesting scientific missions, getting academic organizations to contribute.”
That was something he said he might be interested in pursuing outside the agency.
“I wouldn’t mind maybe trying to put that to a test and see if you could fund an interesting robotic mission, just to show that it can be done, and try and get some of the top tier academic institutions who want to perform. So that’s on my mind.”
The White House’s withdrawal of his nomination came a day after NASA released its detailed fiscal year 2026 budget proposal, which seeks a nearly 25% reduction in overall NASA spending and steeper cuts in areas like science and space technology.
The budget, for example, eliminated funding for nuclear propulsion, concluding such “efforts are costly investments, would take many years to develop, and have not been identified as the propulsion mode for deep space missions.”
In his fireside chat, he said people are “rightfully” upset about the cuts, but still was optimistic. “When you zoom out a little bit from this turbulence, you’re going to see this is the best time in human spaceflight since probably the first chapter in the 1960s,” he said.
He argued that “it’s not going to be less than $20 billion in one year that the U.S. government is going to commit to science and discovery in space.” The budget proposal sought just $18.8 billion for NASA in 2026, $6 billion less than 2025.
“You have the wealthiest people, like two wealthiest people in the world, that are happy to commit their resources on enabling capabilities for space to be experienced by the many, for us to go beyond the boundaries of our of our planet,” he added, a reference to SpaceX founder Elon Musk and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos.
Isaacman’s Polaris Dawn mission was intended to be the first of three missions he planned to fund, although he set those plans aside after he was nominated to lead NASA.
He said in the fireside chat that, for now, he is spending “catchup time” with his family, taking advantage of his first extended break from work since he was 16.
He left the door open, though, for a return to space. “I don’t think I’ve flown my last mission, but I’m not necessarily sure exactly what form that may take. So, we’ll have to see.”
https://spacenews.com/isaacman-interested-in-privately-funded-science-missions/
China launches ChinaSat-9C geostationary communications satellite
June 22, 2025
HELSINKI — China launched the ChinaSat-9C communications satellite Friday to replace an aging, foreign-built predecessor and boost domestic broadcasting capabilities.
A Long March 3B lifted off at 8:37 a.m. Eastern (1237 UTC) June 20 from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China.
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) announced launch success under an hour after liftoff, revealing the previously undisclosed payload to be the ChinaSat-9C (Zhongxing-9C) communications satellite.
U.S. Space Force space domain awareness later cataloged one object in geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) and another, likely representing the upper stage, in an unusual 218 by 12,430-km orbit. Future orbital data may provide more insight into the situation.
The mission follows last month’s launch of ChinaSat-3B (Zhongxing-3B) from Wenchang spaceport. While that mission was classified, CASC provided some technical details for the new satellite.
ChinaSat-9C is based on a DFH-4E satellite platform, an enhanced version of China’s widely used DFH-4 satellite bus, offering increased payload capacity, power generation, and flexibility for high-throughput applications.
The Broadcast Satellite Service (BSS) satellite has a liftoff mass of 5,500 kilograms and a design life of 15 years, and will provide improved regional coverage for TV and radio, with Ku-band and other frequency band transponders.
Developed by CASC’s China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), it will replace the 17-year-old ChinaSat-9, positioned at 92.2° East in the geostationary belt, approximately 35,786 km above the equator. ChinaSat-9 was launched in June 2008 and manufactured by Thales Alenia Space.
ChinaSat-9B was launched in 2021 to support 4K and 8K high-definition video program transmission. It replaced ChinaSat-9A, which was launched in 2017, but inserted into a lower-than-planned orbit due to a third stage anomaly. It used its own propellant to reach GEO, greatly reducing its lifetime.
China launched another satellite in the series, ChinaSat-10R, in February this year. It has since arrived at 110.5 degrees East in the geostationary belt, replacing ChinaSat-10, launched in 2011.
The country has a range of ChinaSat assets in geostationary orbit for television broadcasting, communications, Internet access and military communications, having launched more than 30 satellites in the series.
It is also constructing two low Earth orbit megaconstellations, as well as Tianlian data relay satellites in GEO, and new plans for medium Earth orbit.
China’s 2025 launch cadence and commercial momentum
The launch was China’s 35th orbital launch of 2025. It is only the third launch in June, following a busy May featuring nine launches.
Major missions so far include the Shenzhou-20 crew mission to the Tiangong space station, and the Tianwen-2 near Earth asteroid sample return mission.
The Tianzhou-9 cargo mission to Tiangong is expected to launch on a Long March 7 from the coastal Wenchang spaceport no earlier than July 14.
Commercial outfits CAS Space and Landspace recently took steps towards first launches of their respective Kinetica-2 and Zhuque-3 rockets with first stage static fire tests.
The inaugural launches will carry prototype low-cost cargo spacecraft. These are being developed for low-cost cargo options to Tiangong.
https://spacenews.com/china-launches-chinasat-9c-geostationary-communications-satellite/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWdY8JICa5k
SpaceX Transporter-14 Mission
June 23, 2025
SpaceX is targeting Monday, June 23 for a Falcon 9 launch of the Transporter-14 mission to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The 57-minute launch window opens at 2:18 p.m. PT.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about 15 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app.
This will be the 26th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission which previously launched NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, Transporter-8, Transporter-9, NROL-146, Bandwagon-2, NROL-153, NROL-192, and 15 Starlink missions.
Following stage separation, Falcon 9 will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
Transporter-14 is a dedicated smallsat rideshare mission. There are 70 payloads on this flight, including cubesats, microsats, re-entry capsules, and orbital transfer vehicles carrying three of those payloads to be deployed at a later time.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=transporter14
Russia strikes targets in Kiev Region – MOD
23 Jun, 2025 10:08
The Russian military carried out a large strike on a number of Ukrainian military facilities in the Kiev region overnight, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Monday.
The ministry stated that the attack was conducted using high-precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles.
The strikes targeted Ukraine’s military industrial enterprises, as well as the infrastructure at a military airfield and an arsenal of mine-torpedo weapons of the Ukrainian Navy.
”The strike goals were achieved. All designated targets were hit,” the ministry said in a post on its Telegram channel.
Kiev residents told the media that the attacks apparently targeted drone assembly plants.
Ukrainian officials claim that residential buildings were hit during the latest attack and that at least six people were killed in the capital and surrounding region, while more than 20 were injured.
It is unknown whether the damage was caused by direct hits or by debris from shot down missiles and drones.
Moscow has repeatedly stressed that such strikes only target facilities connected with the Ukrainian military and that it never attacks civilians or residential buildings.
In its report, the Russian Defense Ministry also stated that its operational tactical aviation, UAVs, missiles, and artillery had destroyed Ukrainian ammunition depots, drone operator training sites and temporary deployment points of Kiev’s troops and foreign mercenaries in 137 districts.
In recent weeks, Moscow has ramped up its attacks on drone facilities across Ukraine in response to Kiev’s increasingly intensifying UAV strikes into Russia.
Moscow has repeatedly condemned the attacks, describing them as an attempt by Kiev to derail ongoing peace efforts.
https://www.rt.com/russia/620319-russia-hits-military-facilities-kiev/
No justification for attack on Iran – Putin
23 Jun, 2025 10:00
Israeli and US hostilities against Iran are groundless and unjustifiable, Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The top Iranian diplomat, who landed in Moscow and met with the Russian president on Monday, said earlier that the visit was needed for “closer, more precise, and more serious consultations” with Russia, in the wake of the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
During the meeting at the Kremlin, Putin described the attacks on Iran as “an unprovoked aggression,” for which “there can be no justification.”
The actions of Israel and the US are “illegitimate” and violate international norms, he added.
The Russian leader noted that he was glad to see Araghchi in Moscow, saying that his visit would allow Russia and Iran “to discuss these pressing issues and jointly think about a way out of the current situation.”
Araghchi agreed with Putin’s assessment, saying that “Russia today stands on the right side of history and international law.”
By striking targets in Israel, Iran is defending its sovereignty in a legitimate way, the diplomat stressed.
Israel and the US explained their attacks on Iran by claiming that Tehran was on the brink of obtaining a nuclear weapon.
The Iranian authorities have repeatedly insisted that that they are not working on a bomb, while defending their right to pursue a peaceful nuclear program.
https://www.rt.com/russia/620317-iran-attack-no-justification/
Moscow warns of deepfake ‘informational barbarism’
23 Jun, 2025 09:04
The increasing availability of deepfake technology is pushing the world into “informational barbarism,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has warned, urging news agencies to increase investment in fact-checking and video verification.
Zakharova identified deepfakes as global concern during a workshop at the 19th General Assembly of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA), which Russia hosted last week.
Malicious actors are using every opportunity to deploy “poison pills of lies” against their targets, and are turning to generative content to achieve their aims, the diplomat said.
”Just a couple of years ago deepfake was a novelty that could only confuse people, but now the quality and quantity of deepfake videos raises the question whether humanity is equipped to deal with such attacks,” Zakharova said. “I don’t have a definitive answer.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry works to disprove falsified content involving its staff, including Minister Sergey Lavrov and Zakharova herself. But as mount of fake content increases, so does the time required to counter them, she said.
The problem is multifaceted, as seen in the growing use of deepfakes by scammers, and demands a “systemic and comprehensive” international response.
”It is self-evident that news agencies and leading media outlets need entire sections dedicated to fact-checking that are trained to detect technological tricks, which are used to present non-credible information as credible,” she said.
News agencies are naturally at the forefront of the fight against falsified imagery, since they handle the largest flow of raw information in the media ecosystem, Zakharova pointed out.
The Foreign Ministry launched a dedicated campaign against “fake news” in 2017 and has since released more than 5,000 regular rebuttals and 350 in-depth exposés of what it considers informational attacks against Russia’s national interests, the official said.
https://www.rt.com/russia/620308-zakharova-deepfake-informational-barbarism/
IDF reveals secret electromagnetic unit prevents Iranian suicide drone attacks on Israel
Updated: JUNE 23, 2025 18:10
The IDF on Monday made a rare disclosure, noting that its highly secret 5114th Battalion electromagnetic spectrum unit downed dozens of Iranian drones over the last week or so.
So secret is the unit that even in those rare cases where the IDF has admitted its existence and discussed its activities, it has usually refrained from giving the kids of specifics in terms of adversaries and dates of use which it gave on Monday.
Lt.-Col. "B" on Monday said that the downing of dozens of Iranian drones was a critical additional layer of defense for Israel against aerial threats.
It has been widely reported and the Post has confirmed that Israel has certain limitations regarding interceptors for shooting down enemy drones and missiles, such that using other methods, like the 5114th Battalion, can also help Israel conserve interceptors from a strategic perspective.
Another unique aspect of the unit is that it is jointly operated by a mix of the IDF Communications Command along with the Intelligence and Cyber Defense Directorate, which often get more public attention.
In June 2023, The Jerusalem Post was given a rare inside look into 5114th Battalion, noting an unnamed enemy who had tried to fire on Israeli forces, but could not because they were jammed by Israeli electromagnetic spectrum efforts.
In that instance, the enemy was about to aim and fire a precise form of weaponry at IDF forces in the field when suddenly the IDF could hear the enemy forces asking themselves, “Why aren’t we shooting? Why aren’t we shooting?”
The Post learned that in that still mostly classified instance in which the IDF’s electromagnetic spectrum warfare center was used to disable the enemy force's ability to function, neither the enemy forces nor the IDF forces who were saved had a clue what had transpired.
To act without glory
This is part of the frustration of being part of this elite classified force, its motto is to act without receiving any glory.
Yet, with the unit taking a higher profile role in a summer 2023 two-week-long multi-front drill “Crushing Punch,” Capt. “Y.” from the unit granted a rare interview to the Post.
The unit carries out a variety of activities, but new kinds of direct jamming or confounding enemies’ communications are certainly key aspects.
While both the offensive and defensive capacities of the unit are growing, the offensive capacities are growing at an even faster rate, Y. told the Post in June 2023.
According to Y., “The purpose of the unit is to enable total control over the electromagnetic spectrum, which allows much freer action by the IDF’s various forces in the field.”
“Conceptually, the IDF has recognized that technological advances impact everything. It happens even in the civilian sector where a tractor also works on GPS using a computerized device,” he said.
For example, he said that someone could be traveling and suddenly their radio may pick up the wrong channel and this could interfere with their ability to receive orders and updates from their commander – that is unless the unit helps protect their communications and quickly resolve any disruptions.
During “Crushing Punch,” Y. said the unit “delivered significant results for the IDF’s broader goals, taking control of the electromagnetic spectrum at both strategic and tactical levels.”
According to Y., feedback from soldiers who participated in that 2023 drill was “that they feel a conceptual paradigm shift has occurred,” providing them with new decisive tools in warfare.
“If in the past, discussion about the electromagnetic warfare desk was mostly confined to within the unit, now a broad range of top commanders initiate discussions and planning sessions related to the issues on their own,” said Y.
Y. said the IDF recognizes that our “enemies are always advancing [in electronic warfare as well], but the IDF knows how to handle such threats. We are ready for any scenario. The challenges loom large, but we have the personnel who can make [sense] order out of everything.”
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-858717
No injuries, no threat after drone crash in west Amman, Jordan
June 23, 2025
A drone crashed in the Umm Uthaina neighborhood of west Amman on Monday, the Jordanian Armed Forces — Arab Army confirmed, reassuring the public that no injuries occurred.
According to the Director of Military Media, the drone fell completely and struck the area, causing only material damage. Authorities have launched an investigation into the matter.
The situation is under control, and there is no threat to public safety, officials emphasized, as life in Jordan continues as normal.
https://en.royanews.tv/news/60630
IDF says Air Force Hermes drone shot down in western Iran
June 23, 2025 8:46 am
An Israeli Air Force drone was shot down over the Khorramabad area in western Iran this morning, the IDF confirms, following Iranian media reports.
“During operational activity, an Air Force unmanned aerial vehicle was downed in Iran. There is no fear of information leaking,” the military says.
Iranian media reported that the drone was a Hermes model.
Last week, an IAF Hermes 900 UAV was shot down over the Isfahan area.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-air-force-hermes-drone-shot-down-in-western-iran/
https://twitter.com/mhmiranusa/status/1937014153652097142
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14837673/british-bases-high-alert-iran-drone-attack-bombing.html
British services bases on high alert for Iran drone attacks following US bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities
Updated: 06:10 EDT, 23 June 2025
British military bases across the Middle East are on heightened alert for reprisal drone and missile attacks after the US bombings of Iran.
Defence Secretary John Healey last night warned the protection of UK personnel deployed overseas was at its 'highest level' amid simmering fears America's onslaught against Tehran's nuclear facilities could lead to all-out war.
Security measures have been increased at key British installations in the region since Sunday's early-morning raid, with troops now on high alert for drone attacks, as well as missile and rocket bombardments.
It's understood warnings have also been issued over the potential use of improvised explosive devices - or 'IEDs' - by terrorists near some facilities.
The Ministry of Defence has not said which bases could be at risk. However, those in the region include RAF Akrotiri, where 14 jets are based. The site is a key staging ground for any attack in the Middle East and is of critical importance to Britain.
The ramping up of security measures comes amid increased fears over the protection of British military establishments at home and abroad.
On Saturday, a British man was arrested in Cyprus on suspicion of spying on an RAF HQ on behalf of Iran. Hours earlier, on Friday, two pro-Palestinian protesters sparked outrage after breaching the security of RAF Brize Norton and vandalising two jets.
Writing on X last night, Mr Healey said: 'The safety of UK personnel and bases is my top priority. Force protection is at its highest level, and we deployed additional jets this week.'
Earlier this month, the ease at which cheap drones strapped with explosives could deal a crippling blow to even the most powerful militaries was demonstrated.
In one of its most audacious attacks of the war, Ukraine unleashed 'swarms' of kamikaze drones from the backs of trucks to obliterate two of Putin's key airfields deep inside Russia.
Dubbed 'Operation Spiderweb', the co-ordinated strikes left Putin humiliated and seeking revenge - with 40 of his prized doomsday warplanes razed to the ground, costing the Kremlin an estimated £5.2billion, Ukraine's security service claimed.
Likewise, Russia has used Iranian-made Shahed drones to devastating effect during its onslaught against Ukraine, damaging buildings and power facilities, causing widespread blackouts across the embattled nation.
The explosive charge of kamikaze Shahed-136 model was originally built to level buildings.
However, it can now be fitted with charges designed to kill via fragmentation or thermobaric bombs, with Iran using these drones against targets in Israel in recent weeks.
Earlier this month, Sir Keir Starmer announced he was deploying more RAF Typhoon jets to the Middle East to bolster security around UK bases, which includes naval HQs in Bahrain and Oman, and shared airbases in Qatar and the UAE.
Fourteen jets are currently based RAF Akrotiri. They're equipped with missiles that can destroy drones and cruise missiles, Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said today.
And more than a dozen F-35B stealth jets are also based on the Royal Navy's newest £6billion aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, which sailed through the Red Sea recently and today arrived in Singapore as part of its global mission to the Far East.
America's attack on Sunday, dubbed 'Operation Midnight Hammer', 'obliterated' three Iranian nuclear sites, President Donald Trump claimed.
Iran has since promised to respond 'at a time of its choosing', with US military bases now in the firing line.
Britain was not involved in the attacks on Iran, ministers have insisted. Iran has not issued a threat directly to the UK but warned those who join any attack against it would feel its wrath.
However, steps are now being taken to ramp up security around British bases to prevent any Iranian onslaught, which could see more patrols by guards, more live rounds being issued to troops on base and the deployment of more radar systems.
Labour minister Mr Pollard today declined to say whether the UK supported US strikes on Iran - but he insisted Britain was 'not asked to participate' in the strikes, nor were any of its bases used in support of the bombing runs by America.
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Asked whether Britain endorsed the military action taken over the weekend, the Plymouth Sutton & Devonport MP told Times Radio: 'That was a decision that the US has taken. Our focus has been on the diplomatic effort that is necessary to get a lasting peace.
'That's why that's been the focus of the Prime Minister's actions over the last few days, it's why the Defence Secretary, myself, the Foreign Secretary and the minister for the Middle East have been engaging in diplomatic activity in the region, because we need to make sure that there is a route to a lasting peace here.
'The way to do that is with a diplomatic solution that brings Iran back to the negotiating table.'
However, Mr Pollard added it was 'imperative that Iran returns to the negotiating table to de-escalate the situation', to ensure there is a 'diplomatic solution' that 'removes' Iran's nuclear programme.
He added Iran must hand over its nuclear materials and commit to not developing a nuclear weapon in the future as part of de-escalation.
Asked whether the UK was disappointed or pleased about American strikes, he told Sky News: 'Well, it's not for me to comment on the particular US action, but we're assessing the battle damage at the moment to understand the true extent of the strikes
'But our focus and the work that we are doing in conjunction with our US allies as well as those across Europe, is to put the pressure on the Iranian regime to get back to negotiating because a diplomatic solution is how we bring this crisis to an end.'
Grilled further, it was put to the Labour minister it was specifically his role to comment on military action around the world.
'I'm not going to be able to comment on that question, but what we can say is that we were not involved in the military action that the US took,' he replied. He added Britain's focus was also on putting 'pressure on the Iranian regime to get back to negotiations'.
'A diplomatic solution is how we bring this crisis to an end, with Iran not able to create a nuclear weapon, handing over their nuclear materials that they possess, and giving commitments that they won't threaten regional stability by developing a nuclear weapon in the future,' he said.
The news comes after a chilling defence review revealed Vladimir Putin could overwhelm Britain's defences with swarms of explosive kamikaze drones, long-range missiles and crippling cyber hacks if the UK had to fight a war this year.
The landmark Strategic Defence Review (SDR), released earlier this month, exposed the vulnerabilities the UK needs to urgently fix to prepare for war.
In a comprehensive 144-page document defence chiefs outlined the five terrifying 'methods of attack' Britain should brace itself for if it was forced into a major conflict with the likes of Russia.
Military bases, ports and airfields in the UK and around the world would be the first to come under siege, blasted by waves of drones and long-range cruise, ballistic or hypersonic missiles.
Oil rigs, subsea cables, satellite communications and merchant vessels would also find themselves in the crosshairs of any onslaught by Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin, with saboteurs seeking to damage or destroy them.
And a shadowy digital army of hackers would also launch a devastating barrage of cyber attacks, targeting government bodies, stock exchanges, communications and other critical infrastructure in a bid to paralyse Britain.
sked whether Britain endorsed the military action taken over the weekend, the Plymouth Sutton & Devonport MP told Times Radio: 'That was a decision that the US has taken. Our focus has been on the diplomatic effort that is necessary to get a lasting peace.
'That's why that's been the focus of the Prime Minister's actions over the last few days, it's why the Defence Secretary, myself, the Foreign Secretary and the minister for the Middle East have been engaging in diplomatic activity in the region, because we need to make sure that there is a route to a lasting peace here.
'The way to do that is with a diplomatic solution that brings Iran back to the negotiating table.'
However, Mr Pollard added it was 'imperative that Iran returns to the negotiating table to de-escalate the situation', to ensure there is a 'diplomatic solution' that 'removes' Iran's nuclear programme.
He added Iran must hand over its nuclear materials and commit to not developing a nuclear weapon in the future as part of de-escalation.
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Asked whether the UK was disappointed or pleased about American strikes, he told Sky News: 'Well, it's not for me to comment on the particular US action, but we're assessing the battle damage at the moment to understand the true extent of the strikes
'But our focus and the work that we are doing in conjunction with our US allies as well as those across Europe, is to put the pressure on the Iranian regime to get back to negotiating because a diplomatic solution is how we bring this crisis to an end.'
Grilled further, it was put to the Labour minister it was specifically his role to comment on military action around the world.
'I'm not going to be able to comment on that question, but what we can say is that we were not involved in the military action that the US took,' he replied. He added Britain's focus was also on putting 'pressure on the Iranian regime to get back to negotiations'.
'A diplomatic solution is how we bring this crisis to an end, with Iran not able to create a nuclear weapon, handing over their nuclear materials that they possess, and giving commitments that they won't threaten regional stability by developing a nuclear weapon in the future,' he said.
The news comes after a chilling defence review revealed Vladimir Putin could overwhelm Britain's defences with swarms of explosive kamikaze drones, long-range missiles and crippling cyber hacks if the UK had to fight a war this year.
The landmark Strategic Defence Review (SDR), released earlier this month, exposed the vulnerabilities the UK needs to urgently fix to prepare for war.
In a comprehensive 144-page document defence chiefs outlined the five terrifying 'methods of attack' Britain should brace itself for if it was forced into a major conflict with the likes of Russia.
Military bases, ports and airfields in the UK and around the world would be the first to come under siege, blasted by waves of drones and long-range cruise, ballistic or hypersonic missiles.
Oil rigs, subsea cables, satellite communications and merchant vessels would also find themselves in the crosshairs of any onslaught by Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin, with saboteurs seeking to damage or destroy them.
And a shadowy digital army of hackers would also launch a devastating barrage of cyber attacks, targeting government bodies, stock exchanges, communications and other critical infrastructure in a bid to paralyse Britain.
The SDR warned: 'Based on the current way of war, if the UK were to fight a state-on-state war as part of Nato in 2025, it could expect to be subject to some or all of the following methods of attack:
Attacks on the armed forces in the UK and on overseas bases
Air and missile strikes from long range drones, cruise and ballistic missiles targeting military infrastructure and critical national infrastructure
Increased sabotage and cyber attacks
Attempts to disrupt the UK economy - especially the industry that supports the armed forces - through cyber attacks, intercepting shipping trade and attacks on space-based infrastructure
Efforts to manipulate information and undermine social cohesion and political will
Among the key targets would be the Royal Navy's three main bases in Portsmouth, Plymouth and Clyde, as well as overseas HQs like RAF Akoritiri, the RAF's new base in the Middle East at Al Minhad Air Base and the Diego Garcia outpost in the Indian Ocean.
Describing the threat faced by Britain, the review continued: 'The UK and its allies are once again directly threatened by other states with advanced military forces.
'The UK is already under daily attack, with aggressive acts - from espionage to cyber-attack and information manipulation - causing harm to society and the economy.
'State conflict has returned to Europe, with Russia demonstrating its willingness to use military force, inflict harm on civilians, and threaten the use of nuclear weapons to achieve its goals.
'More broadly, the West’s long-held military advantage is being eroded as other countries modernise and expand their armed forces at speed, while the United States’ (US) security priorities are changing, as its focus turns to the Indo-Pacific and to the protection of its homeland.'
The defence dossier also warned of: 'Air and missile attack from long-rage drones, cruise and ballistic missiles, targeting military infrastructure and critical national infrastructure in the UK.'
Currently, Britain has a limited air defence capability - with military chiefs and experts previously warning the nation would be overwhelmed if it faced a drone and missile onslaught on the scale of those seen in Ukraine, Russia and Israel.
In a devastating verdict on the state of the UK's defences, the SDR said today's armed forces are 'not currently optimised for warfare', with inadequate stockpiles of weapons, poor recruitment and plummeting morale
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Iraq and the Clintons