TYB
Adidas Jabulani: The World Cup Football So Bad NASA Decided To Study It
July 15, 2025
If you're old enough to remember the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, you will likely remember the controversy that year surrounding the official ball of the tournament.
Developed by Adidas, the Jabulani ("be happy" or "to celebrate" in Zulu) was supposed to be an improvement on the 2006 ball, using new methods.
"The newly-developed 'Grip’n’Groove' profile provides the best players in the world with a ball allowing an exceptionally stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions," Loughborough University, who helped develop the ball, explained in a statement ahead of the World Cup.
"Comprising only eight, completely new, thermally bonded 3-D panels, which for the first time are spherically moulded, the ball is perfectly round and even more accurate than ever before."
While initial testing by football players yielded acceptable results, when it came to the World Cup the ball was highly controversial. It would swerve in the air unpredictably, and was not well liked by strikers or goalkeepers of the tournament.
“It’s terrible, horrible,” Brazil’s Julio Cesar complained at the time. “It’s like one of those balls you buy in the supermarket.”
"It's very weird," Brazil striker Luis Fabiano added. "All of a sudden it changes trajectory on you. It's like it doesn't want to be kicked. It's incredible, it's like someone is guiding it.
You are going to kick it and it moves out of the way. I think it's supernatural, it's very bad. I hope to adapt to it as soon as possible, but it's going to be hard."
Not everybody was displeased with it, with some enjoying the unpredictability it brought to the game.
"They're doing anything but staying in my gloves," England goalkeeper Joe Hart said. "It's hard work with them, but good fun.
It makes the game exciting and I think that's what they are trying to do with it."
"The ball is dreadful," fellow England goalkeeper David James added. "It's horrible, but it's horrible for everyone."
So, why exactly was it so unpredictable in the air? Fortunately, US space agency NASA stepped in to investigate.
NASA scientists at the Fluid Mechanics Laboratory at NASA’s Ames Research Center subjected the ball to a number of laboratory tests including wind tunnels, ahead of discussion of aerodynamics with an audience of students.
"It's quite obvious. You're seeing a knuckle-ball effect," Rabi Mehta, an aerospace engineer at NASA Ames, explained in a statement.
When a smooth ball like the Jabulani flies through the air without much spin on it, the air close its surface is affected by the ball's seams, producing an asymmetric flow, which in turn produces the unpredictable swerves and swoops.
Through testing, Mehta believes that the knuckle-ball effect kicked in at around 72–80 kilometers per hour (45 to 50 miles per hour), which wasn't ideal given that that is roughly the speed the ball moves at during a free kick near the goal.
Older balls are less smooth than they are today, making them less inclined to knuckle.
“The newer balls have a smoother surface. In the past, the soccer ball had a rougher surface, making the knuckling speed about 30 mph [48 kilometers per hour]," Mehta added. "Today, the ball starts to knuckle, or go wobbly, at a speed of 45 – 50 mph.”
So at higher speeds, the ball started to act unpredictably. Making it more complicated still, a lot of the 2010 World Cup games were played at high altitude.
The density of air is lower at higher elevations, meaning that there is less drag acting on it, while there is also less lift, meaning it is less likely to swerve. But wind is another factor altering play.
“It’s relative speed that matters,” Mehta added. “If you have a 20 mph headwind, and you kick the ball at 20 mph, the ball is really going 40 mph.
With a strong cross wind, you can make the ball curve without putting much spin on it. Wind is an important factor in all ball sports.”
On top of this, the ball's lack of panels likely played its part too.
“The more panels you have, the more seams you have on the ball, and that affects surface roughness," Mehta continued. "The surface roughness in turn affects the speed at which the ball will knuckle.”
The result was an unpredictable World Cup, where the ball could fly high into the sky unexpectedly during play, or swerve erratically past a confused goalkeeper.
While a lot of the players may not have been fans, it was certainly entertaining to watch.
https://www.iflscience.com/adidas-jabulani-the-world-cup-football-so-bad-nasa-decided-to-study-it-79982
https://web.archive.org/web/20100710204517/https://www.nasa.gov/topics/nasalife/features/soccer_ball.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xPYqR380a8
https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/07/congress-moves-to-reject-bulk-of-white-houses-proposed-nasa-cuts/
https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-appropriations.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/fy26-commerce%2C-justice%2C-science%2C-and-related-agencies-bill-text.pdf
Congress moves to reject bulk of White House’s proposed NASA cuts
Jul 15, 2025 3:05 PM
A budget-writing panel in the House of Representatives passed a $24.8 billion NASA budget bill Tuesday, joining a similar subcommittee in the Senate in maintaining the space agency's funding after the White House proposed a nearly 25 percent cut.
The budget bills making their way through the House and Senate don't specify funding levels for individual programs, but the topline numbers—$24.8 billion in the House version and $24.9 billion the Senate bill—represent welcome news for scientists, industry, and space enthusiasts bracing for severe cuts requested by the Trump administration.
The spending plan passed Tuesday by the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies covers NASA and numerous other federal agencies.
The $24.8 billion budget the House seeks for NASA is $6 billion more than the Trump administration's budget proposal, and keeps NASA's funding next year the same as this year.
The corresponding subcommittee in the Senate passed its version of NASA's fiscal year 2026 budget July 9.
The Senate bill maintains funding for NASA's science division at $7.3 billion, the same as fiscal year 2025, while the House bill reduces it to $6 billion, still significantly more than the $3.9 billion for science in the White House budget proposal.
Flat is the new up
In reality, a flat budget is effectively a cut in funding once you account for inflation. But spaceflight and space science advocates celebrated the bills written to restore NASA's budget.
"Though the House and Senate have much still to debate on full-year appropriations, this much is clear: Congress is rejecting the full extent of the unprecedented, unstrategic, and wasteful cuts to NASA and NASA science proposed by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget," the Planetary Society said in a statement.
However, there remains a sense of urgency among NASA's backers for Congress to pass a full appropriations bill. NASA has already directed teams to submit "closeout plans" for dozens of missions teed up for cancellation in Trump's budget.
Many scientists view this as an effort by the Trump administration to cancel as many NASA science missions as possible before Congress passes a budget for the upcoming fiscal year, Ars reported earlier this month.
"The Planetary Society calls on the OMB and the current NASA leadership to acknowledge clear congressional intent to support NASA science, and avoid the premature implementation of irreversible structural changes such as imposing research grant cancellations, indiscriminate reductions in force, and active mission terminations."
"We rejected cuts that would have devastated NASA science by 47 percent and would have terminated 55 operating and planned missions, and instead we provide $7.3 billion, said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), ranking member of the Senate's Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations subcommittee, during a budget markup hearing last week.
The full text of the Senate bill hasn't been released, but the budget blueprint would postpone the Trump administration's plan to cancel the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, according to Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), the Senate subcommittee's chairman.
The SLS and Orion vehicles are core elements of NASA's Artemis program to return US astronauts to the Moon, and the White House proposed canceling both after two more flights, long enough to make a single Artemis lunar landing attempt.
NASA would then procure commercial rides to the Moon on rockets and spaceships from companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, while the government's focus would pivot to mounting human missions to Mars.
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"For NASA, the bill reflects an ambitious approach to space exploration, prioritizing the agency's flagship program Artemis and rejecting premature terminations of systems like SLS and Orion before commercial replacements are ready," Moran said.
"We make critical investments to accelerate our plans to land Americans on the lunar surface before the Chinese, but also in the technologies and capacity to land astronauts on Mars."
Moran said the Senate bill also protects "key science missions" to provide furthering scientists' "understanding of the Earth" and ensuring Americans are "better stewards of our natural resources."
The bill also supports programs to "safeguard the Earth from natural disasters," Moran said.
"I don't know what normal is around here, but if something is normal, this is as close to being normal as what this committee would do, and this subcommittee has done in the past," Moran added.
Fewer robots, more humans
The House version of NASA's fiscal year 2026 budget includes $9.7 billion for exploration programs, a roughly 25 percent boost over NASA's exploration budget for 2025, and 17 percent more than the Trump administration's request in May.
The text of the House bill released publicly doesn't include any language explicitly rejecting the White House's plan to terminate the SLS and Orion programs after two more missions.
Instead, it directs NASA to submit a five-year budget profile for SLS, Orion, and associated ground systems to "ensure a crewed launch as early as possible."
A five-year planning budget seems to imply that the House committee wants SLS and Orion to stick around. The White House budget forecast zeros out funding for both programs after 2028.
The House also seeks to provide more than $4.1 billion for NASA's space operations account, a slight cut from 2025 but well above the White House's number.
Space operations covers programs like the International Space Station, NASA's Commercial Crew Program, and funding for new privately owned space stations to replace the ISS.
Many of NASA's space technology programs would also be salvaged in the House budget, which allocates $913 million for tech development, a reduction from the 2025 budget but still an increase over the Trump administration's request.
The House bill's cuts to science and space technology, though more modest than those proposed by the White House, would still likely result in cancellations and delays for some of NASA's robotic space missions.
Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), the senior Democrat on the House subcommittee responsible for writing NASA's budget, called out the bill's cut to the agency's science portfolio.
"As other countries are racing forward in space exploration and climate science, this bill would cause the US to fall behind by cutting NASA's account by over $1.3 billion," she said Tuesday.
Lawmakers reported the Senate spending bill to the full Senate Appropriations Committee last week by voice vote. Members of the House subcommittee advanced their bill to the full committee Tuesday afternoon by a vote of 9-6.
The budget bills will next be sent to the full appropriations committees of each chamber for a vote and an opportunity for amendments, before moving on to the floor for a vote by all members.
It's still early in the annual appropriations process, and a final budget bill is likely months away from passing both houses of Congress and heading to President Donald Trump's desk for signature.
There's no guarantee Trump will sign any congressional budget bill, or that Congress will finish the appropriations process before this year's budget runs out on September 30.
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Update By NASA’s Chief Information Officer
July 15, 2025
OCIO Team, I wanted to provide an update on our current situation and related planning efforts as we navigate significant organizational changes, first starting with my plans.
As many of you may have heard, after 35 years at NASA, I have decided to bring my career to a close – but this is not happening immediately.
I’ll be here through the end of the calendar year to support the many challenges we are working and enable an effective transition while continuing to partner with you in doing great things for NASA.
Now about some of those challenges…
Current Status
NASA has many employees participating in DRP 2, totaling more than 3,000 current or planned departures across both DRP 1 and 2.
Within OCIO, we have approximately 115 team members departing through the current flexibilities and when combined with other separations, the hiring freeze, and DRP 1, our OCIO civil servant team is down about 30% since January with another week and a half before the DRP 2 window closes.
We’re also planning for a ~$170M budget reduction between FY25 and FY26, based on the proposed NASA budget. While these are planning numbers, we must prepare today for reduced funding in the near future.
Our Approach
OCIO leaders have identified more than 100 service reductions, eliminations, efficiency opportunities, and charging model changes to continue delivering critical NASA services within a reduced budget.
We’re working through implementation details in multiple weekly meetings. We’re also evaluating options to optimize contracted service support, building in time for necessary contract changes, some of which must happen this fiscal year to meet a reduced budget in the coming fiscal year.
For workforce reductions, we’re streamlining operations by looking at how we might combine similar functions, reduce management layers, and focus on essential work – we simply can’t do all the things we used to do, or work in all the same ways we have in the past.
On two specific fronts, OCIO leadership is discussing consolidating Agency Level Offices into fewer offices, with similar planning focused on Service Line streamlining scheduled for later this month.
All of these changes will impact people – both our customers and our OCIO team members, so we are also looking for the best way to begin discussing changes at the right times and in the right settings – more to come on that front.
Moving Forward
We’re awaiting guidance on agency ARRP restructuring and will adjust our operating model accordingly once we receive direction.
We believe the budget and organizational planning described above will align with any agency direction taken.
We’ll schedule another Town Hall after the DRP 2 window closes and we have more planning details and updates to share.
Even with all of the changes that are taking place, including the departure of many colleagues and friends, the OCIO team is continuing to do a tremendous job supporting the NASA mission.
While we are actively developing an approach that meets mission needs and preserves critical IT services, I want to express that our people are the most important resource we have.
Please continue to take care of yourself and take care of each other.
Finally, along the idea of caring for one another, over the next several days I am going to share a few thoughts about how I am personally navigating these challenges.
Starting tomorrow, and running through Thursday, I am going to share a few things that I have found useful and have spent time considering – maybe you will find some value in thinking about some of these ideas yourself.
With gratitude,
Jeff
https://nasawatch.com/itweb/update-by-nasas-chief-information-officer/
https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/07/not-that-into-peace-doves-the-apollo-soyuz-patch-nasa-rejected/
‘Not that into peace doves’: The Apollo-Soyuz patch NASA rejected
Jul 15, 2025 7:58 AM
Fifty years ago, on July 15, 1975, three NASA astronauts and two Russian cosmonauts lifted off to meet up in orbit for the first time.
Representing the joint Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP, or Soyuz-Apollo in the Soviet Union), both crews wore a cloth patch that featured the artwork of an accomplished space artist.
The design that flew, however, was not the astronauts' first pick. That patch idea was rejected because Paul Calle opted to highlight the détente nature of the international handshake in space.
"Our first choice for a patch… has been disapproved," wrote Deke Slayton, the mission's docking module pilot, in a letter to Calle. "It seems the powers that be are not that into peace doves and olive branches at the moment."
It was an odd objection, given that Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev later described the ASTP flight as "a symbol of the… improvement of Soviet-US relations on the basis of the principals of peaceful coexistence," and Gerald Ford welcomed continued cooperation in space "to ensure peace."
“You forgot your patch…”
Paul Calle was not new to capturing the essence of space history in the making.
One of the first members of NASA's art program, which recruited artists to document human spaceflight, Calle sketched the Apollo 11 crew as they had breakfast and donned their spacesuits prior to lifting off on the first mission to land astronauts on the Moon.
He also designed the popular US postage stamp that celebrated that achievement in 1969.
Calle got to know the ASTP crew—NASA astronauts Thomas Stafford, Vance Brand, and Slayton and Soviet cosmonauts Alexei Leonov and Valery Kubasov—while accompanying them to the Soviet Union and sketching them as they trained in Star City, outside of Moscow.
So when asked by the American crew members to design their patch, Calle came back with concepts that prominently featured a white dove holding an olive branch in its mouth.
Other versions incorporated the peace sign and a rendering of Earth showing both the United States and the Soviet Union, the flags of the US and USSR, and his simplified illustration of the Apollo and Soyuz docked together.
Some of Calle's designs included all of the crew members' names, some had only the American astronauts' names, and others had no names at all. But none of the versions were to NASA's liking.
"We would be happy to see any new sketches you would come up with," wrote Slayton. "The top choice would be heavy on red, white, blue, and gold colors, if that is any value to you."
Calle, though, was more drawn by the call of the West than by the cooperation with the East.
"He had just started his career painting and drawing the American West, so he really wasn't taking any more illustration assignments," said Chris Calle, Paul Calle's son and a successful space artist in his own right.
"He really wasn't doing much for NASA [any longer], so I think that's why, when they came back balking about the patches with the doves and olive branches, he just didn't have the time to put toward that."
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That said, Calle was not completely done with the patch.
While attending the US launch, Calle drew a cartoon of the Apollo liftoff with him running after it and holding up his "disapproved" insignia with the caption, "Wait… you forgot your patch of doves and olive branches!"
Rejects and revivals
Calle's patch design was not the only one ruled out by NASA's officials.
At first, Stafford, Brand, and Slayton chose a design from a contest among the US space program's workforce.
The winner, Jean Pinataro of North American Rockwell (the prime contractor for the Apollo command module), came up with a concept that the astronauts liked, but the agency's leaders rejected it for not having enough "international significance" (unofficially, it was also said to be "cartoonish").
That led to NASA accepting the cost of hiring an artist from the NASA art program and Calle being invited to offer his ideas. It also resulted in the patch that flew.
When Calle stepped away, the decision was made to repurpose the work of Bob McCall, an artist who had designed the Apollo 17 mission patch and in 1974 had painted the scene of the Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft nearing a docking.
McCall would go on to create similar art for a pair of postage stamps issued in the United States and the Soviet Union, while Pinataro adapted McCall's original painting as the central image of the US ASTP emblem.
The cosmonauts had their own design—in fact, it was the first Russian mission patch to involve the crew's input—but wore both their own and the US patch during their six days in space.
Today, 50 years later, the McCall-inspired design, the cosmonauts' patch, and the Apollo-Soyuz program insignia are used interchangeably to represent the mission.
Calle's designs have been largely forgotten but are now getting a revival for the golden anniversary.
"I wanted to reimagine them. Not redo them, but bring them to life," said Chris.
Working with a fellow artist Tim Gagnon, who created a number of the mission patches worn by space shuttle and International Space Station crews, Chris has begun the process of producing a limited number of embroidered patches based on his and his late father's ideas.
Chris primarily focused on Calle's dove and olive branch design. "It certainly keeps to the spirit of my dad's original idea," Chris said.
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BREAKING! Area 51 ON FIRE!! What is really going on?
July 16, 2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DWSTbS7qJo
Flushing them out?
ONGOING INCIDENTS
14 fire(s)
53,647 acre(s)
https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/c205f43ea5df4f98b6d0f0f709d15e2f
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/c205f43ea5df4f98b6d0f0f709d15e2f
Φsat-2 begins science phase for AI Earth images
15/07/2025
Φsat-2, a miniature satellite, has completed its commissioning and has begun delivery of science data, using algorithms to efficiently process and compress Earth observation images, as well as detect wildfires, ships, marine pollution and more.
The cubesat measuring 22 x 10 x 33 cm was launched in August 2024 and the first image was delivered four days after launch.
Since then, the Φsat-2 team has spent nine months commissioning the satellite’s multispectral imager and its onboard AI applications, which carry out a range of activities.
These AI capabilities include selecting images with clear visibility, while discarding images obscured by cloud cover.
The algorithms can also detect and analyse disaster areas, for example zones affected by wildfires, earthquakes or floods, and identify access routes for emergency response teams.
It can also be used to detect ships, gather data on illegal fishing and marine pollution. Commissioning was concluded in the second quarter of this year and the satellite is now delivering scientific data.
The satellite orbits at an altitude of 510 km. It generates images using seven multispectral bands, from visible to near-infrared, as well as one panchromatic band, with a ground sampling distance of about 5 m.
This type of remote-sensing instrument is particularly useful for environmental monitoring, land management and mapping.
To mark the transition from commissioning to science phase, five images have been selected to show a range of capabilities for various end-uses over diverse types of terrain.
All images are true colour using red, green and blue spectral bands, except for the image of the Bahia Blanca Estuary, which is false colour using near-infrared spectral band.
Clavering Øer glaciers, Greenland
Bahia Blanca Estuary, Argentina
City of Innsbruck, Austria
Sediment in Gulf of Tunis, Tunisia
Ships in Port Said, Egypt
Φsat-2 was designed with the purpose of demonstrating and testing the use of onboard AI in Earth observation.
According to Nicola Melega, ESA Earth observation system engineer and responsible for commissioning Φsat-2, the initial plan was to process data onboard and then transmit information generated by the AI applications back to Earth.
Nicola said, “As often happens, we realised during the commissioning phase that there were ways of making the mission more interesting for AI developers and instead of making available only the end results of the onboard processing chain (Level 2 data) we now provide users with an entire collection of Level 1 data products that will help the application development and the training process.”
The ground segment is provided by Open Cosmos and CGI Italy; while Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) provides a ground station service, mainly from antennas in Svalbard.
Data are made available on the Insula platform by CGI Italy – and are freely available to anyone who wants to register (requests for registration should be sent to insula-info.it@cgi.com).
Φsat-2 is still a demonstrator mission: it is designed to find the limitations and gaps in new technology. Nicola explained, “But its purpose is also to build our understanding of the processes.
We can check the performance of the applications and we can also see what resources are needed to manage the mission and process the data.”
https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Phsat-2/Phsat-2_begins_science_phase_for_AI_Earth_images
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/spaces-influence-on-economy-and-security-grows-as-new-projects-announced-in-manchester
Space’s influence on economy and security grows, as new projects announced in Manchester
16 July 2025
As set out recently in the government’s Industrial Strategy, demand for space-based and space-enabled capabilities is growing fast globally.
New figures, released on the opening day of the UK Space Conference in Manchester, confirm the nation’s increasing dependence on space.
Space and satellite services are now estimated to support wider industrial activities worth £454 billion to the economy, or 18% of GDP. This is an increase of £90 billion on the previous year.
The government has identified satellite communications as one of five national space capability priorities, and the UK Space Agency has awarded four new projects £4.5 million to push the boundaries of satellite-based 5G and 6G systems.
Among these, MDA Space UK’s SkyPhi mission aims to deliver 5G and 6G connectivity capabilities directly to devices via low Earth orbit satellites. Orbit Fab’s Radical project is focused on developing in-orbit refuelling systems for telecommunications satellites.
SSTL’s lunar communications system will enable deep-space communications capabilities, while Viasat’s hybrid GEO-LEO network is designed to provide global 5G Direct-to-Device coverage.
These new projects aim to enhance satellite performance, reduce infrastructure costs, and position the UK at the forefront of next-gen connectivity.
An additional £1.6 million will go to the UK’s space cluster network to stimulate innovation and economic growth.
This funding will enable space clusters to collaborate in areas of shared capability, supporting space companies to forge stronger local partnerships and take advantage of expertise across the whole of the UK, supporting future growth.
With more than 55,000 people employed by the space sector across the UK, and a further 81,000 jobs in the supply chain, there is significant potential for the sector to drive economic progress across the country.
Space and Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant said:
The innovations on display at the UK Space Conference demonstrate our strengths in key technologies that will shape Britain’s future, from seamless connectivity and data services to advanced manufacturing and launch.
With satellite technologies supporting more than £450 billion in annual economic activity, and crucial to climate monitoring and national security, it’s vital that we are coordinating right across Government to unlock space’s incredible potential.
We’re committed to working closely with this vibrant sector to accelerate our Plan for Change.
The UK Space Conference opens its doors in Manchester today, convening leading players in the UK space sector and beyond to discuss future growth plans and renew the sector’s focus on generating economic growth and advancing national security goals.
Industry Milestones and International Projects
During the conference, a new partnership between UK-based Viasat, SSTL, and MDA Space will be announced, as part of the European Space Agency’s Moonlight programme.
The project will develop the first commercial lunar communications and navigation system, effectively establishing a data highway on and around the Moon.
This infrastructure will support a wide range of exploration missions by enabling seamless, cost-effective communications between Earth and the lunar surface.
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The UK will also spotlight its role in international climate science with the upcoming launch of MicroCarb, Europe’s first dedicated mission to measure atmospheric CO₂ on a global scale.
A joint project between CNES (France’s space agency) and the UK Space Agency, the satellite, which will launch on 25 July, will provide crucial data on carbon sources and sinks, supporting efforts to meet Net Zero targets.
With its ability to distinguish between natural and human-made emissions, MicroCarb will be instrumental in helping policymakers craft effective climate strategies.
Its advanced “city-scanning” mode can map emissions at an urban scale, a critical feature as the world intensifies its response to climate change.
Dr Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency said:
The Industrial Strategy recognises we are living in the age of space, with satellite services hardwired into the UK economy and security.
The UK Space Agency’s budget uplift to £682 million will help us drive forward our work to build stronger national capabilities and catalyse more private investment, in close collaboration with the sector, wider government bodies and international partners.
Together we are creating jobs, driving economic growth and tackling the key challenges. The UK Space Conference in Manchester is a powerful reminder that space is not just about looking up, it’s about moving forward.
Space Sector Growth and National Capabilities
The latest Size and Health of the UK Space Industry report, which analysed the 2022/23 financial year, shows the number of space organisations grew to 1,907, and employment increased by 7%.
This is despite the wider economic challenges of that time and increased competitive pressures in the sector, particularly in the satellite communications market.
These challenges underline the importance of taking a more strategic approach to public space investments, with a renewed focus on the space capabilities necessary to drive economic growth and national security.
Analysis shows that UK Space Agency activity catalysed a total of £2.2 billion in investment and revenue in the UK space sector in the last financial year. A new report, also published today, shows that every £1 public investment in ESA programmes leads to £7.49 directly benefiting the UK economy.
Earlier this month, the UK Space Agency initiated a £75.6 million tender for the nation’s first mission to actively remove defunct satellites from orbit.
This process will secure home-grown expertise and strengthen UK leadership in In-orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing, another key capability area.
Inspiring the next generation
Conference attendees will also have the opportunity to engage with British astronauts and reserve astronauts: Tim Peake, Rosemary Coogan, John McFall and Meganne Christian.
These astronauts support the UK’s commitment to inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers, and reflect the spirit of innovation and resilience that defines the UK’s space ambitions.
Manchester is the 2025 host city, reflecting its strong industrial heritage and growing space cluster.
The north west comprises more than 180 organisations and 2,300 space professionals, with companies including graphene specialists Smart IR and MDA Space UK expanding operations near Manchester Airport.
The region is also home to the Jodrell Bank Observatory and hosts the global headquarters of the Square Kilmore Array Radio Telescope.
The UK Space Conference 2025 builds on the success of previous events in Newport and Belfast, with the latter generating £1.7 million in visitor spending alone.
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https://www.newsweek.com/maxar-worldview-legion-imagery-china-space-reconnaissance-satellite-2099184
https://twitter.com/Maxar/status/1940122045808878025
US Satellites Capture China's Space Activities
Jul 16, 2025 at 4:30 AM EDT
United States satellites recently captured "crystal-clear" images revealing increased Chinese activity in space, as both powers race to dominate this domain beyond Earth's atmosphere.
Maxar Technologies, a Colorado-based satellite imagery company, told Newsweek that its non-Earth imaging (NEI) capability provides what it describes as "advanced visual intelligence" of any object in Earth's orbit by capturing "very high-resolution" images.
Newsweek reached out to the China National Space Administration for comment via email.
Why It Matters
China is advancing several programs as the East Asian power pushes for supremacy in space, including building a network of 16 space-enabling facilities in Latin America, operating the Tiangong Space Station, and planning to send astronauts to the moon by 2030.
Facing growing challenges from China, the U.S. Space Force was established in 2019 to maintain American superiority in space.
In April, a U.S. military satellite capable of maneuvering near objects in orbit was tracked buzzing a pair of Chinese satellites.
What To Know
Earlier this month, Maxar Technologies shared images of the Tiangong Space Station and the International Space Station, captured by one of its WorldView Legion satellites, on social media, saying that it is "unleashing a new era of high-fidelity, space-to-space imaging."
The level of resolution and structural clarity in these images opens new possibilities for monitoring orbital activities, the company said.
"This isn't just a technical achievement; it's a critical capability for space domain awareness and monitoring activity beyond Earth."
Susanne Hake, general manager of Maxar Intelligence's U.S. Government business, later shared on social media what she described as a "crystal-clear picture" of the Chinese optical remote sensing satellite ShiJian-26, captured on June 3 by the company's WorldView Legion satellites.
"This type of resolution is revolutionary for space situational awareness," said Hake, adding that ShiJian-26 is one of China's latest-generation optical reconnaissance satellites, and that the ability to photograph it this clearly marks a new era in satellite-to-satellite observation.
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According to Chinese state media, the ShiJian-26—reportedly "mainly used" to provide information services supporting national economic development—was launched aboard a rocket on May 29, a few days before it was photographed in orbit by Maxar Technologies.
Marco Langbroek, a lecturer at the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, explained to Newsweek that space domain awareness, or space situational awareness, refers to "keeping an eye on what is happening in space."
This includes activities ranging from tracking active payloads and space debris to analyzing collision avoidance, predicting reentries, and characterizing objects—the latter providing information about "satellite function, behavioral intent, and predicting future behavior."
"We have to keep a close eye on what is happening in space to avoid problems, and to keep active parties in space accountable for what they are doing," said Langbroek, when asked about the importance of space situational awareness amid increasing space activities.
Regarding the "clearest NEI" Maxar Technologies has ever collected, the images provide clues about the function and capabilities of the Chinese satellite, Langbroek said, and that differences from previously launched satellites may hint at upgrades in its capacity and technology.
What People Are Saying
Susanne Hake, general manager of Maxar Intelligence's U.S. Government business, wrote on LinkedIn:
"As space becomes increasingly crowded with thousands of new satellites from multiple nations, we can now monitor satellite operations, detect modifications or threats, and provide near real-time intelligence on space-based assets in unprecedented detail."
Maxar Technologies told Newsweek: "NEI supports critical missions such as satellite commissioning, anomaly resolution, orbital threat assessments, and rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO)."
According to the U.S. Space Force, RPO enables the space vehicle to maneuver near a space object, allowing for characterization of anomalies and enhanced surveillance.
Marco Langbroek, lecturer at the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology, told Newsweek: "Space technology has become increasingly vital for both the military and civil society.
Our modern society and economies could not function without, nor can the modern military. Both military and as a society, we have therefore become very vulnerable to anything going wrong in the space domain."
What Happens Next
China's increasing space activity remains under close observation. Recently, two Chinese satellites reportedly docked in high orbit for the first time to allow refueling and servicing, extending their operational lifespan and supporting sustainable long-term operations.
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Sparta celebrates 50th anniversary of Deke Slayton’s space journey
Jul 15, 2025
SPARTA, Wis (WKBT) – Sparta marked a major milestone Tuesday as the community kicked off celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Deke Slayton’s journey to space.
Known as one of NASA’s original Mercury Seven astronauts and a key figure in space exploration history, Slayton’s legacy remains vibrant half a century later.
The festivities began at the Space and Bicycle Museum named in his honor, where the day has been dubbed "Rocket Day."
Young aspiring astronauts participated enthusiastically by creating and launching a variety of homemade rockets, including air rockets, straw rockets, and alka seltzer-powered rockets.
This hands-on event captured the spirit of exploration and innovation that Slayton himself embodied.
Local youth like Rose Zickefoose expressed inspiration from the day, sharing, “I think I have always wanted to be an astronaut, so just coming here and seeing that he was from where I was from and he did that was really cool.”
The week-long celebration includes several other key events open to the public:
July 15 (Rocket Day): From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the museum, commemorating the exact date of Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) launch on July 15, 1975.
July 17 (Hands Around the Museum): At 2 p.m., community members will gather around the Deke Slayton statue at the museum to hold hands and recreate the historic handshake from the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission symbolizing international space cooperation.
July 18: A private family reunion for descendants of Slayton and related families at the Leon Community Center.
July 19 (Panel Discussion): At 1 p.m. in Sparta High School’s auditorium, a special panel will feature Kent Slayton (Deke’s son), Bill Moon (retired NASA flight controller for ASTP), and Jeff Williams (retired astronaut from Winter, WI, with extensive International Space Station experience). The panel will include audience Q&A sessions, autograph opportunities, and book sales.
July 20 (Sharing Space with Deke): An interactive event at 3 p.m. at the museum or via Zoom, featuring Kent Slayton in person and other guests joining remotely. Tickets priced at $10 will be available soon.
These events provide a unique opportunity for the public to connect with space history and celebrate the lasting contributions of Deke Slayton, a pioneering astronaut whose work continues to inspire new generations.
https://www.news8000.com/news/local-news/sparta-celebrates-50th-anniversary-of-deke-slayton-s-space-journey/article_df5dc377-5662-4086-a1ff-15f1d68ad823.html
https://dekeslaytonmuseum.org/
Colossal eruption carves 250,000-mile-long 'canyon of fire' into the sun
July 16, 2025
On July 15, a colossal filament erupted from the sun's northeastern limb, dramatically reshaping part of our star's surface, albeit briefly, and unleashing a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space.
The outburst was so powerful that it carved a glowing trench of hot plasma more than 250,000 miles (about 400,000 kilometers) long, roughly the distance from Earth to the moon.
The explosive event was captured in stunning detail by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), showing the filament unraveling as solar material arcs and cascades through the sun's atmosphere.
As the filament collapsed, it left behind what some call a "canyon of fire," with towering walls estimated to rise at least 12,400 miles (20,000 km) high, according to Spaceweather.com
These glowing rifts form when the sun's magnetic field lines violently snap and realign after an eruption, leaving behind a searing hot trench of plasma that traces the reshaping magnetic field, according to NASA.
This fiery chasm isn't just a visual spectacle. Filaments are cooler, dense ribbons of solar plasma that can hang suspended above the sun's surface by magnetic fields, according to NOAA.
When these become unstable, they can erupt dramatically, sometimes launching coronal mass ejections (CMEs) into space — powerful blasts of solar plasma and magnetic fields that can trigger geomagnetic storms here on Earth.
Coronagraph imagery from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) and GOES-19 satellite suggests that while the filament eruption did release a CME, there is no Earth-directed component.
"The CME is heading away from Earth," aurora chaser Vincent Ledvina wrote in a post on X. "Here is the CME in LASCO C2 (left) and CCOR-1 (right) which has a later frame of the CME further spread out.
The front is traveling pretty slowly and away from Earth."
https://www.space.com/astronomy/sun/colossal-eruption-carves-250-000-mile-long-canyon-of-fire-into-the-sun-video
https://twitter.com/Vincent_Ledvina/status/1945142356434403462
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnaMD0PXBs0 (Sunspots Growing, Odd Quakes, Magnetic Mission, GEMx | S0 News July.16.2025)
https://www.space.com/astronomy/why-is-the-moons-far-side-so-weird-chinas-lunar-sample-return-mission-may-have-figured-it-out
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09131-7
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08870-x
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08526-2
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08382-0
Why is the moon's far side so weird? China's lunar sample-return mission may have figured it out
July 16, 2025
The origin of the strange differences between the near and far sides of the moon are a step closer to being solved, thanks to new findings from China's Chang'e 6 mission that returned samples from the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin.
The near side of the moon is familiar to us as the only side that we can see from Earth. Dark regions called maria are vast lava plains filling lowland impact basins, and give us the pattern of the "man in the moon."
Yet the far side of the moon, which can only be seen by orbiting spacecraft, has barely any maria and is covered by craggy, cratered and ancient highlands.
That's not the only difference between the two hemispheres; the thickness of the moon's crust is thinner on the near side, volcanic activity appears to have occurred at different points in time, and the mantle beneath the far side seems heavily depleted in certain elements compared to the near side.
However, while we have many samples from the lunar near side, particularly those brought back to Earth by the Apollo missions, the Soviet Luna missions and China's own Chang'e 5, we had nothing from the far side with which to test theories.
Then, in June 2024, China's Chang'e 6 mission landed in the SPA basin and brought back samples totaling 1,935.3 grams (68.27 ounces).
The SPA basin is the largest impact site on the moon, spanning 2,500 kilometers (1,600 miles) and extends from the lunar south pole and onto the far side of the moon. It's also the oldest known impact feature on the moon, with an age of 4.25 billion years.
What impact — pardon the pun — could the sheer violence of the SPA basin's formation have had on lunar geology and the thermal evolution of the moon's interior?
Could it have caused the dichotomy between the moon's two hemispheres?
Chang'e 6's samples are the first from the lunar far side, and have offered a unique opportunity to test models that could potentially explain the difference between the moon's two hemispheres.
Consequently, following analysis of the samples, researchers led by a team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have announced four major discoveries.
The first is that the samples contain volcanic rocks called basalts that date to prolonged volcanic outbursts on the lunar far side in two distinct phases, one around 4.2 billion years ago and another 2.8 billion years ago.
"We propose that the 4.2-billion-year-old basalt was associated with the formation of the SPA basin because it is a high-aluminum basalt, requiring the incorporation of crustal plagioclase into its source," Wei Yang, a professor at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told Space.com in an email interview.
Meanwhile, "the 2.8-billion-year-old basalts originated from the deep mantle, the product of the early stage crystallization of the lunar magma ocean."
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The evolution of this lunar magma ocean that formed the moon's mantle is central to the next discovery, which is that geochemical analysis of the basalt samples points to a source in the lunar mantle deep below ground that is heavily depleted in particular elements such as thorium.
It is unknown whether this depleted mantle is found only beneath the SPA basin, or whether it is more extensive across the moon.
"To be honest, we don't know," said Yang.
One possibility is that the moon has had this depleted mantle since birth, in which case both the near and far sides should share this composition.
The other possibility is that it was produced after the lunar magma ocean formed and began to crystallize.
"Personally, I am more inclined to believe the latter, given that such a massive impact has the potential to affect the mantle down to a depth of 250 kilometers [155 miles]," said Yang.
"If it is only present in the SPA basin, then it must have formed as a result of the SPA impact. To figure this out, we need to collect more samples from the moon's far side, particularly from areas outside the SPA."
The third discovery is of something we wouldn't expect to find on the moon: water. However, we are talking parts-per-million here — the Apollo samples were considered "bone dry," and the far side mantle seems to be even drier than that.
"The water content of this mantle is lower than those of the mantle sources of all the basalts from the near side," said Yang.
The final discovery relates to the moon's magnetic field. Earth's natural satellite currently doesn't have a global magnetic field, and traces of magnetism remain only in a handful of anomalous patches called lunar swirls.
However, in the distant past it did have a global magnetic field. The Chang'e 6 samples retain a record of it, and show that the magnetic field, after decaying for a time, rebounded in strength about 2.8 billion years ago.
This indicates that the moon's internal dynamo fluctuated, possibly episodically, rather than just experiencing a slow but gradual decline.
The timing coincides with the second phase of volcanism on the far-side.
"The magnetic field rebounded 2.8 billion years ago, which suggests that the interior of the moon still contained a lot of energy," said Yang.
"Perhaps convection and the upward flow of hot material existed in the lunar mantle at that time."
Not only could this upward flow have triggered volcanic eruptions, it could have been enough to vaporize much of the water in the mantle, drying it out.
If the creation of the SPA basin is the cause of much of this, then it has repercussions that go far beyond the moon.
Other giant impact features are seen on other bodies, particularly on Mercury and Mars. We may have underestimated the role that these giant impacts played on the evolution of the planets' interiors.
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Space Force releases Principles for Space Access Resourcing Decisions
July 16, 2025
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) – The U.S. Space Force released its Principles for Space Access Resourcing Decisions Annex to the Commercial Space Strategy, July 16.
The annex details how the service will consider and prioritize commercial space sector requests for government resources, as well as government investment decisions.
The annex features nine principles, rooted in law, that will guide the Assured Access to Space Enterprise’s decision-making on a variety of resourcing decisions including acquisition strategies, investment priorities and property allocation.
“Our access to space is foundational to our national security and our way of life,” said Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Strategy, Plans, Programs and Requirements Lt. Gen. Shawn N. Bratton.
“These principles reflect our understanding that a strong commercial space industry is a force multiplier for the U.S. Space Force.
We are committed to working alongside our industry and allied partners to ensure safe, reliable and resilient access to space for decades to come.”
The annex signals an acknowledgment of the evolution of the space access landscape from the 1950s, in which the government was the primary customer, to today where commercial space activities account for the preponderance of launch manifest activities.
“For decades, our partnership with the commercial space sector has been instrumental in securing America's access to space,” said Lt. Gen. Philip A. Garrant, commander of Space Systems Command.
“We are committed to making strategic decisions that ensure our national security needs are met, while also fostering a robust and competitive commercial space industry.
The strength and innovation of the commercial sector is ultimately a force multiplier for our national security.”
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4246866/space-force-releases-principles-for-space-access-resourcing-decisions/
https://www.spaceforce.mil/Portals/2/Documents/SAF%202025/Commercial_Space_Strategy_Space_Access_Resourcing_Decisions_Annex.pdf
Drone Targets Hunt Oil Field in Duhok Province for Second Time on Wednesday
July 16, 2025
A drone attack targeted the US-operated Hunt Oil facility in Bahadre, located in the Shekhan district of Duhok province, at approximately 7:10 PM on Wednesday, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region’s Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD).
The CTD confirmed that the attack caused no casualties.
The evening strike follows a series of drone attacks earlier the same day, between 6:00 and 7:14 AM, when four explosive-laden drones targeted three oil facilities—two in Zakho and one at the Hunt Oil facility.
Authorities have not yet attributed responsibility for the attacks, which come amid rising regional tensions. No damage assessment has been released for the affected sites.
The Kurdistan Region is home to several international energy operations and has seen an uptick in drone incidents in recent months, prompting increased concern over the safety of critical infrastructure.
https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/852234/drone-targets-hunt-oil-field-in-duhok-province-for-second-time-on-wednesday
light 'er up
Lithuanian border guards shoot down drone from Belarus
Wed, July 16, 2025 - 18:50
In Lithuania, border guards shot down a small drone that had crossed from Belarus.
According to the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service (VSAT), as reported by LRT, the drone was likely non-military and of the type used by smugglers to transport contraband cigarettes.
The incident occurred during the night of July 16 in Lithuania's Šalčininkai District, where border guards shot down a small unmanned aerial vehicle.
Preliminary findings indicated that the drone had entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus.
The wreckage, equipped with a GPS device, was found about four kilometers from the border, near the village of Vilkonys. No individuals or objects were discovered at the crash site.
The investigation found that the UAV was not linked to the Russian or Belarusian military. According to the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service (VSAT), such drones are commonly used by smugglers to transport cigarettes. Officials noted that this is not an isolated incident — 54 similar drones were intercepted in 2024, and 34 have already been recorded since the beginning of 2025.
On July 10, fighter jets were scrambled in Lithuania due to an unidentified drone coming from Belarus.
Fortunately, the UAV crashed about one kilometer from the border, near the closed Sumskas border checkpoint.
Later, Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Dovilė Šakalienė confirmed that the drone was a Russian Gerbera model.
Lithuanian military officials explained that the drone was not shot down because it did not pose a critical threat to the country, and therefore no order to intercept it was given.
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/lithuanian-border-guards-shoot-down-drone-1752681022.html