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NASA, SpaceX Stand Down From Crew-11 Launch Due to Weather
July 31, 2025
An unfavorable weather forecast for the launch site at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for Thursday afternoon has resulted in NASA and SpaceX postponing the launch of the Crew-11 crew to 11:43 a.m. EDT Friday, Aug. 1.
NASA’s live launch coverage will begin at 7:35 a.m. on NASA+.
Follow along for details about the mission and NASA’s Commercial Crew Program on the mission blog, @NASAKennedy on X, or NASA Kennedy on Facebook.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/07/31/nasa-spacex-stand-down-from-crew-11-launch-due-to-weather/
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/crew-11/
When space becomes time: A new look inside the BTZ black hole
July 31, 2025
Exploring the BTZ black hole in (2+1)-dimensional gravity took me down a fascinating rabbit hole, connecting ideas I never expected—like black holes and topological phases in quantum matter!
When I swapped the roles of space and time in the equations (it felt like turning my map upside down when I was lost in a new city), I discovered an interior version of the solution existing alongside the familiar exterior, each with its own thermofield double state.
What surprised me was how these states seem to communicate, even bridging regions where orientation flips—like walking through a door and suddenly left is right—reminding me of getting turned around on a mountain hike until I saw the landscape from a new perspective.
Digging deeper, I found that the weirdness of black holes with swapped space and time is connected to non-orientable spacetimes and topological invariants, revealing deep ties between gravity and the strange properties of quantum materials that emerge when you flip orientation.
In my recent research published in Physics Letters B, I explored the geometry of the BTZ black hole from a new angle by interchanging the spatial and temporal coordinates.
The BTZ (Bañados-Teitelboim-Zanelli) black hole is a fundamental model in lower-dimensional gravity that helps us probe black hole physics, holographic dualities, and aspects of quantum gravity with relative mathematical simplicity.
My key insight was to examine what happens when the usual roles of space and time coordinates in the BTZ metric are swapped, giving rise to a richer geometric and quantum description of this black hole, and offering fresh perspectives on its interior structure, holographic states, and the topology of spacetime itself.
I began by deriving a new BTZ metric where space and time effectively exchange their characteristics.
Usually, the BTZ metric clearly delineates time from space, particularly across the event horizon: outside the horizon, time flows as we expect, while spatial dimensions behave conventionally; inside the horizon, however, the temporal and spatial roles switch their roles, with time acting like a spatial coordinate.
By explicitly interchanging these coordinates, I constructed a maximal extension of the black hole's interior.
Remarkably, the line element describing this interior metric closely resembles that of the exterior solution, but with space and time swapped.
This surprising symmetry suggested to me a sort of duality between the inside and outside regions of the black hole, providing an innovative way to analyze black hole interiors and their holographic duals.
This new interior metric thus opens up novel avenues to probe black hole physics beyond the traditional horizon.
Building on this geometric insight, I proposed to associate two distinct thermofield double (TFD) states with the BTZ black hole.
Typically, the TFD state is an entangled quantum state describing an eternal black hole holographically by coupling two copies of a conformal field theory (CFT).
This state encapsulates the black hole's exterior region, which connects two boundaries.
However, by considering the space-time interchange framework, I found that a complete quantum description requires two independent TFD states: one corresponding to the conventional exterior region, and the second encoding the interior region characterized by reversed spatial and temporal roles.
These two TFD states complement one another, collectively encoding the full bulk geometry.
This richer dual-TFD structure expands the traditional holographic dictionary and may provide new insights into the quantum microstructure of black holes and the long-standing information puzzle.
Next, I analyzed the partition function that corresponds to the entire BTZ black hole geometry, now viewed as the combination of interior and exterior regions under the coordinate interchange.
The partition function is fundamental in quantum statistical mechanics and quantum field theory because it encodes the full thermodynamic and spectral information of the system.
https://phys.org/news/2025-07-space-btz-black-hole.html
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0370269325005283?via%3Dihub
What I discovered is that the resulting partition function describes a non-orientable spacetime—a topology where one cannot consistently assign a global orientation across the manifold.
This observation challenges the conventional assumption in gravitational physics that spacetimes are orientable, revealing a profound topological novelty.
Such non-orientable geometries might play an essential role in uncovering new quantum gravitational effects, especially within the enigmatic regime of black hole interiors.
I went further and constructed a thermofield double–like state that mediates between spacetime sectors with reversed space and time orientations.
This state functions as a bridge between the two TFD states assigned to the exterior and interior regions, embodying a sort of temporal-spatial duality in the gravitational dual theory.
This construction points to deeper algebraic and geometric structures underlying holographic dualities—namely that black holes cannot be fully described by just one boundary state but instead by interconnected sectors distinguished by orientation reversals in time and space.
This insight underscores the important role of temporal-spatial dualities in gravitational physics and suggests new approaches for describing the quantum relationships among different regions of spacetime historically treated as separate.
Perhaps the most fascinating part of this work is the connection I found between the black hole's partition function and topological invariants known from condensed matter physics—specifically those that classify many-body topological phases protected by orientation-reversing symmetries.
In condensed matter, symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases represent exotic quantum states robust against local perturbations, distinguished by global topological properties rather than local order parameters.
My findings reveal that the non-orientable spacetime geometry and its partition function link naturally to these topological invariants, suggesting that quantum states of black holes might be understood through the mathematical frameworks developed for topological quantum matter.
This interdisciplinary bridge opens a promising path for integrating ideas from quantum gravity, holography, and condensed matter physics, hinting that black hole interiors share striking similarities with symmetry-protected topological phases.
These insights enrich our conceptual tools for approaching quantum gravity, holography, black hole interiors, and the interplay of topology with quantum information.
They also inspire future directions across quantum field theory, gravitational physics, and topological quantum matter—bringing us closer to a more cohesive understanding of the quantum nature of spacetime.
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U.S. Senate commemorates 65th anniversary of Marshall Space Flight Center
July 31, 2025 at 7:40 am CDT
On Wednesday the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Katie Britt, R-Alabama, and Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama, commemorating the 65th anniversary of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville.
Opened in 1960 at the onset of the space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, the MSFC became the leading site for NASA’s development of rockets designed to carry humans into space, including the Saturn rockets used to launch Americans to the moon.
The MSFC has also managed the development of Skylab, America’s first space station; built the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory; participated in the construction of the International Space Station; and played a leading role in nearly every aspect of American space exploration.
Britt and Tuberville’s resolution commends the work done at the MSFC over the past 65 years and calls on the Senate to commit its continued support to NASA and the American spaceflight program.
“The Senate commemorates the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the Marshall Space Flight Center… recognizes the historical legacy and critical contributions of MSFC to the leadership of the United States in space exploration over the past 65 years; commends the continued excellence and leadership of the MSFC in the development and integration of the Space Launch System… as the leading technology for deep space exploration; reaffirms the strong support of the Senate for the ongoing mission of the MSFC and the broader goals of the Artemis program at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration… and beyond; and honors the commitment, skill, and innovation of the engineers, scientists, technicians, and support staff who have contributed to the mission of MSFC to advance spaceflight for the United States,” the resolution reads.
Britt celebrated the resolution’s passage in an official statement Wednesday.
“I’m thrilled to see this resolution recognizing the 65th anniversary of Marshall Space Flight Center pass the Senate.
The U.S. space program is vitally important, and Alabama and MSFC continue to play an integral role in redefining the boundaries of human imagination and the heights of human achievement,” Britt said.
“As the incredible men and women at Marshall continue to make historic leaps that fuel a new age of American excellence in space exploration, I will continue to ensure that this groundbreaking work is supported now and long into the future.
I’m grateful to join our entire delegation in elevating Alabama’s unparalleled ingenuity and empowering the future of space flight.”
An identical resolution carried by U.S. Representative Dale Strong, R-Alabama, in the House of Representatives is currently awaiting passage.
https://www.alreporter.com/2025/07/31/u-s-senate-commemorates-65th-anniversary-of-marshall-space-flight-center/
https://www.britt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/u-s-senator-katie-britt-applauds-senate-passage-of-resolution-celebrating-marshall-space-flight-centers-65thanniversary/
https://www.britt.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Marshall-65th-Resolution11.pdf
Israeli experiment on bacteria heads to International Space Station
July 31, 2025 2:18 pm
Researchers at Sheba Medical Center’s innovation center and its Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory are sending a groundbreaking scientific experiment to the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday.
The project will investigate how space conditions — especially microgravity — influence bacterial virulence and resistance to antibiotics, and provide insights on astronaut health and infectious disease.
The joint mission by NASA and SpaceX launches from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:09 p.m. local time (7:09 p.m. Israel time) as part of Crew-11.
ARC Space Lab on the Rakia Mission (Courtesy/Eytan Stibbe)
Researchers at Sheba Medical Center’s innovation center and its Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory are sending a groundbreaking scientific experiment to the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday.
The project will investigate how space conditions — especially microgravity — influence bacterial virulence and resistance to antibiotics, and provide insights on astronaut health and infectious disease.
The joint mission by NASA and SpaceX launches from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:09 p.m. local time (7:09 p.m. Israel time) as part of Crew-11.
The experiment aboard the ISS, developed in collaboration with the US-based space technology company SpaceTango, will grow several bacterial species. Identical samples will be cultured in parallel on Earth to serve as controls.
The core of the study focuses on how spaceflight conditions alter the gene expression of bacteria associated with human disease. After the bacteria are grown in orbit, they will be frozen at -80°C and returned to Earth for analysis.
“We know that space conditions affect bacterial behavior, including how they grow, express genes, and acquire traits like antibiotic resistance or virulence,” said Prof. Ohad Gal-Mor, head of the Sheba’s Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory.
Health concerns for astronauts in space
Astronauts on long-duration missions are more prone to infections. Their immune systems may be weakened by microgravity, cosmic radiation, and the psychological stress of long-term isolation.
Since bacteria grow differently in space, sometimes reproducing more rapidly or developing unique traits, this raises potential health concerns. Researchers say this makes space-based microbiology essential for future space missions and broader medical advances.
This first-time experiment will allow scientists to “systematically and molecularly map how the genetic expression profile of several pathogenic bacteria changes in space,” said Gal-Mor.
“The insights we gain will augment our understanding of infectious disease risks in space travel, and also expand our knowledge of gene regulation and bacterial physiology in general.”
This experiment is the first aboard the ISS by the Space Lab operated by Sheba’s innovation center, ARC, though not the first in outer space.
The Space Lab’s first study in 2022 explored bacterial conjugation, a process by which bacteria exchange DNA. Surprisingly, researchers found that space conditions appeared to inhibit the spread of antibiotic-resistance among bacteria.
The results were published in the peer-reviewed journal Microbiology Spectrum.
The newest experiment examines how bacterial behavior changes under extreme conditions and “what that means for human health, not just for astronauts, but also here on Earth,” said Prof. Eyal Zimlichman, chief transformation, innovation, and AI officer, and director of ARC at Sheba.
“To understand the limits of medicine, we sometimes need to go beyond the limits of Earth.”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-experiment-on-bacteria-heads-to-international-space-station/
Lightning on Earth is sparked by a powerful chain reaction from outer space, simulations show
July 31, 2025
The energy needed for thunderstorms could come from an avalanche of electrons seeded by extraterrestrial cosmic rays, a new study claims.
Scientists already knew that lightning is an electrical discharge between thunderclouds and Earth's surface, but exactly how storm clouds obtain an electric field powerful enough to hurl a bolt has remained a mystery for centuries.
Now, a new study has used computer models to reveal that lightning strikes as the result of a powerful chain reaction that begins in outer space. The researchers published their findings July 28 in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.
"Our findings provide the first precise, quantitative explanation for how lightning initiates in nature," study lead author Victor Pasko, a professor of electrical engineering in the Penn State School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, said in a statement.
"It connects the dots between X-rays, electric fields and the physics of electron avalanches."
Lightning's electrical nature was famously confirmed by Benjamin Franklin in 1752.
Franklin's iconic, though often misrepresented, experiment involved flying a kite affixed to a 1-foot-long (0.3 meters) wire on one end and a twine string attached to a key with the other, which Franklin held with a silk ribbon.
When a storm arrived, the kite became electrified and the twine became wet, so that a small spark jumped from the key to his outstretched finger.
Despite this discovery, data recorded by planes and weather balloons show that the electrical field needed for electrons to cascade down to Earth is around 10 times greater than the one actually measured inside storm clouds.
There are two competing theories to explain how lightning actually occurs.
The first, atmospheric static electricity, posits that the friction between ice clumps in storm clouds separates negatively charged electrons from atoms, causing them to pool until they ionize particles in the atmosphere below them, freeing enough electrons to race to the ground along multiple forking paths.
In the second theory, this initial ionization is achieved by cosmic rays — high-energy subatomic particles (mostly protons) from outer space that strike the upper atmosphere.
These rays come from the sun; stellar explosions called supernovas; rapidly spinning neutron stars called pulsars; and other, unknown sources.
When the cosmic particles strike the atmosphere, they create a runaway breakdown of electrons that ends in a ground-striking cascade.
In the new study, the researchers pooled data from ground-based sensors, satellites and high-altitude spy planes, and matched the information to a mathematical model that simulated the conditions in a storm cloud preceding a strike.
The model's simulations supported the cosmic ray theory, showing that electrons produced by high-speed protons accelerated along electric-field lines and multiplied as they struck molecules in the atmosphere, such as nitrogen and oxygen.
This leads to an avalanche of electrons, producing the high-energy photons that initiate lightning, the researchers say.
Strikingly, the model also explains why flashes of gamma-rays — high energy photons — and X-rays occur before lightning strikes.
"In our modeling, the high-energy X-rays produced by relativistic electron avalanches generate new seed electrons driven by the photoelectric effect in air, rapidly amplifying these avalanches," Pasko said.
"In addition to being produced in very compact volumes, this runaway chain reaction can occur with highly variable strength, often leading to detectable levels of X-rays, while accompanied by very weak optical and radio emissions.
This explains why these gamma-ray flashes can emerge from source regions that appear optically dim and radio silent."
https://www.livescience.com/physics-mathematics/lightning-on-earth-is-sparked-by-a-powerful-chain-reaction-from-outer-space-simulations-show
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025JD043897
New world record! Weather satellites detect 515-mile-long lightning flash
July 31, 2025
It's 2017, and a thunderstorm shoots off a lightning bolt. What's so special about that, you ask? Well, the bolt is an astonishing 515 miles (829 kilometers) long.
Using archival satellite data, researchers just officially confirmed the length of this enormous bolt of lightning that stretched from Texas to Missouri.
It sets a new world record, besting the previous title holder — a 477-mile (768-km) bolt from 2020 — by 38 miles (61 km).
"We call it megaflash lightning and we're just now figuring out the mechanics of how and why it occurs," Randy Cerveny, an Arizona State University professor who contributed to the study, said in a statement.
Megaflash lightning is defined as a lightning bolt that reaches at least 62 miles (100 km) in length. By comparison, the average lightning bolt measures less than 10 miles (16 km) in length. (Fun fact, most lightning is just an inch or so wide.)
To determine this length of the record-holding megaflash, the team reviewed data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's GOES-16 satellite, which is equipped with a lightning mapper that observes about one million bolts per day.
Their analysis determined the true length of the bolt: a whopping 515 miles.
So, how exactly does one measure a megaflash? Previously, researchers used ground-based radio networks to track lightning bolts. However, satellites with lightning mappers are updating the process.
"Adding continuous measurements from geostationary orbit was a major advance," Michael Peterson of Georgia Tech Research Institute, who served as lead author of a paper on the study, said in the statement.
"We are now at a point where most of the global megaflash hotspots are covered by a geostationary satellite, and data processing techniques have improved to properly represent flashes in the vast quantity of observational data at all scales."
Megaflashes like these are quite rare — less than one percent of thunderstorms produce them.
Typically speaking, the thunderstorms that indeed manage to produce them must be churning for 14 hours or more, covering an area at least the size of the state of New Jersey, per Peterson's research.
Those conditions aren't altogether that rare, to be fair. And, as our lightning-mapping satellites collect new data, we'll probably start noticing even more megaflashes.
"It is likely that even greater extremes still exist, and that we will be able to observe them as additional high-quality lightning measurements accumulate over time," said Cerveny,
https://www.space.com/astronomy/earth/new-world-record-weather-satellites-detect-515-mile-long-lightning-flash
https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/10.1175/BAMS-D-25-0037.1
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin will launch next space tourism mission on Aug. 3
July 31, 2025
Blue Origin's next space tourism mission will launch this weekend, if all goes according to plan.
Jeff Bezos' aerospace company announced on Wednesday (July 30) that it's targeting Sunday (Aug. 3) for the flight, which is called NS-34 because it's the 34th overall mission for Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital vehicle.
NS-34 will lift off from the company's West Texas spaceport, near the town of Van Horn, on Sunday during a window that opens at 8:30 a.m. EDT (1230 GMT; 7:30 a.m. local Texas time). Blue Origin will stream the action live, starting 30 minutes before launch.
NS-34's passengers are headlined by 34-year-old crypto billionaire Justin Sun, who in June 2021 put down the winning bid — $28 million — in an auction for a seat aboard Blue Origin's first-ever human spaceflight.
Sun couldn't fly on that mission due to scheduling issues. It launched on July 20, 2021 — the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing — with Bezos, his brother Mark, aviation pioneer Wally Funk and Dutch student Oliver Daemen onboard.
Sun's five crewmates on NS-34 are real estate investor and adventurer Arvinder (Arvi) Singh Bahal, who was born in India but is now an American citizen; Turkish businessman and photographer Gökhan Erdem; Deborah Martorell, a journalist and meteorologist from Puerto Rico; Englishman Lionel Pitchford, who has run an orphanage in Kathmandu for 30 years; and American entrepreneur James (J.D.) Russell, who also flew on Blue Origin's NS-28 mission in November 2024.
Also on Wednesday, Blue Origin revealed the NS-34 mission patch, which features an element of each passenger's life story. Here's the company's explanation, which you can find on its website:
The globe symbolizes Arvi Bahal’s passion for travel, including visiting every country in the world, and the North and South Poles.
The Bosphorus Strait symbolizes Gökhan Erdem’s Turkish heritage.
The shape of Puerto Rico symbolizes Deborah Martorell’s home.
Mt. Everest symbolizes Lionel Pitchford’s decades of work in Nepal.
The book symbolizes J.D. Russell’s foundation, founded in honor of his deceased daughter, and dedicated to supporting children’s education and assisting first responder families.
The banana symbolizes H.E. Justin Sun's passion for conceptual art.
The sun in the center symbolizes H.E. Justin Sun, Deborah Martorell’s meteorology background, and new adventures for the whole crew.
Each New Shepard mission lasts 10 to 12 minutes, from liftoff to the parachute-aided touchdown of the vehicle's capsule. (New Shepard's booster also comes back to Earth safely for refurbishment and reuse.)
Passengers experience a few minutes of weightlessness and get to see Earth against the blackness of space. We don't know what this experience costs (except in rare cases like Sun's); Blue Origin has not revealed its ticket prices.
NS-34 will be Blue Origin's 14th crewed mission to date and its fifth such flight of 2025.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/private-spaceflight/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-will-launch-next-space-tourism-mission-on-aug-3
https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-shepard-ns-34-mission
Venus reaches its highest point in the eastern predawn sky on Aug. 1: Here's how to see it
July 31, 2025
Venus will reach its highest altitude in the morning sky on Aug. 1 while shining close to Jupiter in the 'hand' of the constellation Orion.
Stargazers in the U.S. will see Venus rise above the eastern horizon around 3 a.m. local time close to the stars Chi Orionis and 64 Orionis, which represent the hand, or club of the great hunter from Greek mythology represented by the constellation Orion.
The exact time that a planet rises and sets is dictated by your location, as is the altitude it will reach in the sky, so be sure to check a website like in-the-sky.org for specifics on your locale.
Venus will be at its highest in the 2025 predawn sky on Aug. 1, at which time it will appear as a bright 'morning star' to the naked eye; however, a telescope with an aperture of 2.4 inches or more will reveal the planet's moon-like phases, according to telescope maker Celestron.
For viewers in New York, Venus will reach an altitude of 31 degrees above the eastern horizon when the sun rises at 5:53 a.m. ET.
Remember, the span of your clenched fist held at arms length accounts for roughly 10 degrees in the night sky.
The gas giant Jupiter will also be visible shining a little over 10 degrees to the lower left of Venus in the hours preceding dawn on Aug. 1, surrounded by the stars of the constellation Gemini, while Saturn will shine high above the southern horizon beneath Pisces. Stargazers new to locating constellations should read our roundup of the best astronomy smartphone apps available in 2025, which use augmented reality technology to help users pinpoint the locations of stars, galaxies and constellations in the night sky.
Venus' path around the sun lies within the more distant orbit of Earth.
As a result, the rocky world never strays far from the horizon compared to the 'superior' planets — Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus — which orbit the sun beyond Earth, and so can appear high in the night sky depending on where they are in their cyclical journey.
The months following Aug. 1 will see the rocky world draw inexorably closer to the horizon with each passing morning, until its solar conjunction on Jan. 6, 2026, when it will pass close to the sun in the daytime sky, before transitioning to become an evening star.
Stargazers hoping to explore the phases of Venus and the night sky for themselves should read our roundup of the best telescopes for amateur astronomy in 2025.
As always, extreme caution must be taken when observing an inferior planet to never point a telescope or binoculars near the rising or setting sun, as doing so can permanently damage your vision.
https://www.space.com/stargazing/venus-reaches-its-highest-point-in-the-eastern-predawn-sky-on-aug-1-heres-how-to-see-it
https://in-the-sky.org/
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/search-for-life/nearby-super-earth-k2-18-b-may-be-a-water-rich-ocean-planet-this-has-certainly-increased-the-chances-of-habitability
https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.12622
Nearby super-Earth K2-18 b may be a water-rich ocean planet: 'This has certainly increased the chances of habitability'
July 31, 2025
The saga surrounding Neptune-size "super-Earth" exoplanet K2-18 b just got a whole lot more interesting.
For a quick recap, this is the world a team of scientists recently suggested could host life — to the dismay of other scientists in the community, who felt the announcement failed to include necessary caution.
While signs of life on the world have failed to conclusively present themselves to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the powerful space telescope has discovered that this planet is so rich in liquid water that it could be an ocean, or "Hycean" world.
"This has certainly increased the chances of habitability on K2-18 b" Nikku Madhusudhan, the University of Cambridge scientist behind the original K2-18b discovery as well as the new study, told Space.com.
"This is a very important development and further increases the chance of a Hycean environment in K2-18 b.
It confirms K2-18 b to be our best chance to study a potential habitable environment beyond the solar system at the present time."
The story regarding the habitability of K2-18 b began back in April 2025, when Madhusudhan and fellow researchers from the University of Cambridge announced they had found what they called the "strongest evidence yet" of life beyond the solar system around this distant super-Earth (it's around nine times as massive as our planet).
The evidence came from the tentative detection of molecules that, when found in the atmosphere of Earth, are typically the result of biological processes of living things.
The pressure was then on to confirm these potential biosignatures: dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide.
The team set about this by observing four separate instances of K2-18 b crossing, or "transiting," the face of its parent red dwarf star, located about 124 light-years away, during its roughly 33-Earth-day orbit. Because chemicals absorb and emit light at characteristic wavelengths, when light from a parent star passes through a planet's atmosphere, the molecules in that atmosphere leave their telltale fingerprints in the spectrum of starlight.
"With four additional transit observations using JWST, we have measured the spectrum of K2-18 b’s atmosphere with unprecedented precision," Renyu Hu, the new study's team leader and a NASA Jet Propulsion Lab scientist, told Space.com.
"The spectrum allowed us to conclusively detect both methane and carbon dioxide in the planet's atmosphere and to constrain their abundances. This information points to a planet with a water-rich interior."
Hu explained that the team searched for signals of dimethyl sulfide and other organic sulfur molecules in the spectrum using several independent models, but did not find conclusive evidence for their presence.
"This was not necessarily disappointing," Hu continued. "We're excited about establishing the planet’s water-rich nature."
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Is K2-18 b a ocean world?
Saying it's now confirmed that K2-18 b is water-rich, Hu explained that the next step is to discover if the planet possesses a global liquid water ocean.
Ironically, one of the most positive signs of such an ocean is the fact that the atmosphere of this super-Earth appears to lack water vapor.
"The spectrum we obtained does not show signs of water vapor. If the atmosphere truly lacks water, this suggests that water has been depleted — most likely through condensation," Hu said.
"On Earth, this process is known as the 'cold trap,' and geoscientists consider it essential for retaining water over billions of years by preventing it from escaping to space.
"Observing a similar process on an exoplanet would be very exciting. Rigorously confirming the absence of water can by itself be a scientifically important goal for future observations," Hu said.
However, Hu cautioned that the spectrum detected by the JWST could also be explained by an alternative model in which the atmosphere actually contains abundant water vapor.
Establishing whether K2-18 b and other similar temperate, sub-Neptune-sized planets possess liquid water oceans, Hu says, will also require detecting the presence of a broader set of atmospheric gases beyond methane and carbon dioxide.
It would also require an absence of molecules like ammonia, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide, which, as of yet, have indeed not been detected in the atmosphere of K2-18 b
"This conclusion is based on theoretical work by my group and several others," Hu added. "With the new observations providing valuable context, we've summarized these insights into a roadmap to help guide future observations and studies."
Meanwhile, the search for the biosignatures, dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide, is far from done; while not hitting the significance level required for a confirmation, this research did provide a stronger signal from these molecules than were provided by previous examinations.
"The evidence for dimethyl sulfide in the present work is significantly higher than what we had with our previous observations in the same near-infrared wavelength range," Madhusudhan said.
"However, this evidence is still not high enough to claim a conclusive detection. "We also need to be able to distinguish dimethyl sulfide from other possible contributors, such as methyl mercaptan, which is also a biosignature on Earth."
It looks certain that K2-18 b will continue to hold the interest of astronomers for some time.
"It is great that we are able to infer tentative signs of potential biosignatures with current JWST observations, but significantly more time is needed for conclusive detections.
A key question is whether the atmosphere contains one or more biosignatures," Madhusudhan said.
"At the same time, extensive theoretical and experimental efforts are needed to robustly identify biological and non-biological pathways for candidate biosignature molecules."
One thing the team is sure of, though, is the progress made thus far in the study of K2-18 b wouldn't have been possible without the JWST. And, the $10 billion space telescope is set to play a key role in the future investigation of this super-Earth.
"Our observations and analyses add to the growing list of exciting discoveries that highlight the truly transformative science enabled by JWST," Hu concluded.
"While we found its Near-Infrared Spectrograph [NIRSpec] particularly well suited to address the goals of our study, other JWST instruments or observational modes could provide complementary and highly valuable information to further enhance our understanding of this planet."
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‘A matter of national security’: Strong on Space Command landing at Redstone Arsenal
July 31, 2025
Addressing the elephant in the Saturn Ballroom, U.S. Rep. Dale Strong said, “Space Command is coming to rest on the Arsenal.”
His remarks came Wednesday at the Von Braun Center during the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber’s annual Washington Update luncheon.
With more than 1,000 people on hand, Strong (R-Huntsville) highlighted his work in Congress to secure support for Redstone Arsenal, Marshall Space Flight Center, and the U.S. Space Command.
Calling it a “matter of national security,” Strong said the Space Command announcement would be coming in a matter of weeks.
“In the weeks ahead, it will be announced,” he said. “I have no reservation.”
Strong, who represents Alabama’s Fifth Congressional District, also provided insights into the battle over the location of the command responsible for military operations in outer space.
In July 2023, the Department of Defense announced that then-President Biden had selected Colorado Springs as the permanent location for U.S. Space Command headquarters, despite analyses that Redstone Arsenal would be the preferred location.
Crediting the Alabama congressional delegation, Strong said unified support has played a key role. “I can tell you we have a great delegation,” he said.
“I want to tip my hat to Senator Britt, Coach Tuberville, Mike Rogers, Robert Aderholt, everybody in this delegation, Democrats and Republicans, have fought for Space Command to come to its rightful home because it’s right for national security.”
Strong said he had spoken to President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance about Redstone’s capabilities less than two weeks ago in the Oval Office.
He also referenced a recent GAO report that confirmed, according to Air Force analyses, Redstone Arsenal is the best home for Space Command headquarters.
“Go take a go, take a little dive into that report,” said Strong. “It makes me proud to represent this community. We’re ready. Space Command is coming.”
Strong also touted funding secured through the most recent appropriations package, which he called “a big beautiful bill, not a big perfect bill.”
He said the legislation includes $100 million for infrastructure at Marshall Space Flight Center, as well as key protections for the SLS and Orion programs.
“There’s no other rocket that can do what SLS does,” he said. “I’m for competition, but I can tell you right now there’s no other rocket that can do what SLS does in heavy lift.”
Strong also referenced specific protective language in the bill. “The language that we put in there, it said … the program must be equal to or greater than SLS before you can remove it,” said Strong.
“So I think the language is probably as powerful as the money that we were able to get into that budget for.”
The congressman also praised the Trump administration on security and tariffs.
“Our Southern border is secure. Another promise made, another promise kept,” he said. “We’ve got to deal with that $37 trillion debt. There’s no doubt.
“You look at the trade deficit that this country has allowed to occur. It didn’t happen just in the last administration. This has occurred over 50 years. We’ve got countries that are our allies charging US 60-70% tariffs and we charge zero. That is changing.”
He described his early assignments to the House Armed Services, Homeland Security, and Science, Space and Technology Committees as “a trifecta” for representing North Alabama’s interests.
Strong later accepted a position on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which positioned him to directly influence federal spending priorities.
“It’s about relationships,” he said. “It’s the same thing that you’ve got to do in Washington. I’m going to fight continuously for space exploration.
I’m going to fight for national security. Because without each of those, we don’t have a country.” The region’s workforce, capabilities, and educational opportunities featured heavily in Strong’s remarks.
“So what we’ve got to do is just continue to advocate what we’re doing, keep pushing for science and space, keep pushing it in our high schools, keep pushing it at UAH, Alabama A&M and keep recruiting from all over this country,” he said.
“Our greatest hours are still ahead.”
https://yellowhammernews.com/a-matter-of-national-security-strong-on-space-command-landing-at-redstone-arsenal/
Russia liberates key Donbass stronghold – MOD
31 Jul, 2025 06:23
Russian forces have liberated Chasov Yar, a pivotal Ukrainian stronghold in Russia’s Donetsk Region, after months of fighting, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said.
In a statement on Thursday, the ministry said the town had been taken as a result of offensive operations by the ‘South’ grouping of forces advancing towards the cities of Kramatorsk and Druzhkovka.
A TASS source said Russian troops in Chasov Yar have destroyed “perhaps the largest [Ukrainian] force in the history of the special operation.” “It is literally thousands of enemy personnel,” he added.
Igor Kimakovsky, an adviser to the head of the Donetsk People Republic, said “the fall of Chasov Yar essentially leads to the collapse of [Ukrainian] defenses in Konstantinovka, and then Druzhkovka and Slaviansk.”
Chasov Yar has long been one of Ukraine’s best fortified positions in Donbass, situated on elevated ground and bisected by the Seversky Donets-Donbass Canal.
Control of the city affords artillery dominance over supply routes toward the key regional cities of Kramatorsk and Slaviansk. It has also been a critical logistical hub for Ukrainian forces in the area.
Kiev has not confirmed the loss of the city, although the Ukrainian military Telegram channel DeepState shows Chasov Yar being under almost total Russian control.
Hostilities around Chasov Yar began in early April 2024, shortly after Russian forces captured Artyomovsk (known as Bakhmut in Ukraine) located approximately 10km to the east.
The rugged terrain, riven with river valleys, ravines, and more than 30 ponds and water bodies, heavily favored Ukrainian forces. The past several weeks have seen intense street fighting in the city itself.
https://www.rt.com/russia/622303-russia-liberates-key-donbass-stronghold/
Ukraine reports new Russian strikes on Kiev
31 Jul, 2025 09:05
Russia launched a new wave of drone and missile strikes on Kiev overnight, local officials have claimed, with videos showing numerous explosions and fires in the Ukrainian capital.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the attack, saying its forces had conducted a “large-scale precision strike” involving long-range weapons and UAVs.
It stated that the attack targeted “Ukraine’s defense industry facilities, a military airfield infrastructure, and a depot storing ammunition, missiles, and components for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles.”
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky said on Thursday the attack targeted Dnepropetrovsk, Poltava, Sumy, Nikolayev, and Kiev Regions, with Kiev as the primary target. He added that the raid involved more than 300 drones and eight missiles.
Officials in Kiev reported damage to residential buildings, unidentified warehouses, and railway infrastructure. According to Zelensky, at least six people were killed in the attack on Kiev.
Timur Tkachenko, the head of the local military administration, reported 82 injuries, with 44 people taken to the hospital.
The Ukrainian Air Force said five Russian missiles and 21 attack drones made direct hits across the country.
One video from Kiev shows several powerful explosions lighting up the sky across the capital. Another shows a large fire in the aftermath.
Addressing Kiev’s backers in the West, Zelensky claimed the attack shows that “peace [with Russia] without force is impossible.” Russia maintains that it never targets civilians and only strikes military-related sites.
It has also said the raids are retaliation for Ukrainian strikes deep into Russian territory, which often hit residential buildings, energy facilities, and critical infrastructure.
https://www.rt.com/russia/622313-ukraine-reports-new-russian-strikes-kiev/
https://t.me/astrapress/88174
https://t.me/voenacher/84061
Russia strikes Ukrainian defense industry facilities in overnight attack – Moscow
31 Jul, 2025 10:57
Russian forces carried out a strike on Ukrainian defense industry facilities and other military targets overnight, the Defense Ministry in Moscow reported on Thursday.
Ukrainian officials earlier claimed that Kiev bore the brunt of the attack.
The ministry reported in a statement a “large-scale precision strike” involving long-range weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The targets included “Ukraine’s defense industry facilities, a military airfield infrastructure, and a depot storing ammunition, missiles, and components for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles,” according to the ministry.
“All designated targets have been hit,” the ministry said in its statement. “The objectives of the strike have been achieved.”
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian officials reported a powerful attack on Kiev, with videos showing numerous explosions and fires.
Defense officials in Kiev claimed seven people were killed and 64 injured, with 50 hospitalized.
Ukrainian officials also claimed the barrage was “calculated specifically to overload the air defense system.”
Kiev has repeatedly complained of a shortage of Western-supplied air defenses and regularly requests more weapons and ammunition.
According to Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, the attack also targeted the regions of Dnepropetrovsk, Poltava, Sumy, and Nikolayev.
He claimed the raid involved more than 300 drones and eight missiles. The Ukrainian Air Force reported five Russian missiles and 21 attack drones having landed direct hits across the country.
Russia maintains that it only strikes military-related sites and never civilian targets.
It has also said that its raids are retaliation for Ukrainian strikes deep into Russian territory, which often hit residential buildings, energy facilities, and critical infrastructure.
https://www.rt.com/russia/622317-mod-strikes-ukraine-defense-industry/
SBU Drones Strike Russian War Plant Making ‘Brains’ for Putin’s Army
July 31, 2025, 4:47 pm
Long-range drones operated by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) struck Radiozavod, a key facility in Penza, Russia, that is part of the Rostec state corporation and supports the Russian military-industrial complex, a source in the SBU told Kyiv Post.
The plant manufactures automatic combat control systems for various branches of the Russian military – air defense, artillery, and mobile command posts based on armored vehicles with advanced communication systems.
Due to its role in arming Russia, the plant is under international sanctions.
“The SBU is systematically reducing Russia’s ability to produce for its army. The summer season of testing at high-tech enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex is in full swing,” the source said.
At least 11 explosions were recorded during the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) raid, after which a large fire broke out. The new production complex and warehouses containing critical components were reportedly hit.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation under Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, confirmed that the plant in Penza was struck on Thursday, July 31. He added that the enterprise produces:
Mobile command centers
Automated combat control systems
Radios for the Ground Forces, Airborne Forces, and Strategic Missile Forces
Upgraded command vehicles based on armored platforms
According to Kovalenko, the plant is critical to Russia’s military command infrastructure, and its destruction could seriously impact military coordination.
Russian Telegram channels shared videos showing heavy black smoke visible across Penza. One clip shows a large fire and claims that “the plant is being bombed.”
The local governor confirmed an attack and a fire at one of the enterprises, but claimed there were no casualties or infrastructure damage.
Authorities also reported temporary restrictions on mobile internet in the region – saying it was to support counter-drone systems.
Train traffic near the Tinguta station in the Svitloyarsky District was restricted. Footage from Kotelnikovo shows a large blaze following the UAV attack.
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/57314
Counter-drone efforts rise as prison sightings revealed
31 July 2025
The move is backed by a new investment of £900,000 and designed to disrupt the in-flow of drugs and weapons that are destabilising prisons and putting staff and offenders at risk.
It builds on the £40 million already invested this year into prison security measures, including exterior netting and reinforced windows.
Stopping the flow of drugs and weapons getting into prisons is a crucial step in gripping the prisons crisis the Government inherited to make streets safer, as part of the Plan for Change.
The news comes as data published today (31 July) reveals there were 1,712 drone incidents between April 2024 and March 2025 at prisons across England and Wales. This is an increase of 43 per cent compared to the previous 12 months.
The clampdown has already seen counter-drone operations at HMPs Manchester and Wandsworth leading to the swift arrest of nine individuals. Similar operations are planned in the coming months.
Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, Lord Timpson, said:
The ease with which drones were operating over prisons was yet another sign of the chaotic prison system we inherited last July.
As part of the Plan for Change, we are tackling the organised crime gangs behind the drug supply routes so that our prisons can start cutting crime and stop creating better criminals.
One of the sophisticated drones recovered in the HMP Wandsworth operation had a value of £6,000, an extended flight time of 40 minutes and the ability to hold four loads at one time.
Four further arrests were made by West Mercia Police earlier this month for flying drones over high-security prison HMP Long Lartin.
Detective Superintendent of the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, Claire McGuire said:
Tackling the use of drones to smuggle drugs, weapons, and other illicit items into prisons is one of our top priorities. These activities fuel organised crime and pose serious risks to both staff and inmates.
We continue to work closely with national partners including His Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service, the National Crime Agency, local police forces, and intelligence teams to disrupt this criminal behaviour and prevent contraband from entering prison estates. By sharing intelligence and coordinating operations, we are strengthening our collective response to this growing threat.
The latest Safety in Custody statistics, also published today, highlight the alarming levels of violence across the prison estate, with 20,570 prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and 10,568 assaults on staff in the 12 months to March 2025.
Reducing the availability of contraband in prisons plays a key role in reducing violence across the estate.
Earlier this week, a trial into the use of tasers began across adult male prisons in England and Wales – the first time their use is being trialled in the prison estate.
The Lord Chancellor, Shabana Mahmood, has also announced the rollout of protective body armour for those staff working in prison settings holding the most dangerous offenders.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/counter-drone-efforts-rise-as-prison-sightings-revealed
Ukrainian MiG-29 Fighter Strikes russian Drone Operator Base with the JDAM-ER Bomb
July 31, 2025
Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet has destroyed russian drone operator base with the U.S.-supplied GBU-62 JDAM-ER guided bomb.
The strike, targeting enemy drone operators active in Sumy region, was confirmed via a video posted by Soniashnyk.
The video footage shows the moment the precision-guided munition hits a building, reducing it to rubble in seconds.
The use of the GBU-62 JDAM-ER, an extended-range joint direct attack munition, underscores Ukraine's increasing ability to deliver devastating blows deep behind enemy lines.
According to War Archive, the strike took place in the village of Repyakhovka in russia's Belgorod region.
This makes it yet another Ukrainian cross-border precision strike aimed at neutralizing russian command infrastructure and surveillance capabilities.
The targeted location was reportedly used by russian drone operators responsible for attacks and reconnaissance missions in the north of Ukraine.
Eliminating such a base significantly disrupts enemy coordination and reduces the threat posed by UAV incursions into Ukrainian territory.
Soniashnyk emphasized the impossibility of staying hidden near the front line, "I am convinced it's impossible to hide within 30 kilometers of the line of contact.
Every movement, whether it's work or even a trip to the toilet, is recorded second by second." This remark reflects the reality of modern warfare, where real-time surveillance and instant response have become the norm.
This strike also exemplifies the evolving role of Soviet-designed MiG-29 in Ukraine's arsenal.
Originally a legacy air superiority fighter, the MiG has been effectively modernized to carry Western precision-guided munitions, expanding its tactical role to high-impact ground strike operations.
As Defense Express previously reported, on September 11, 2024, Ukrainian special operations unit carried out a daring raid near the coast of temporarily occupied Crimea.
Fighters of the Raven Group, operating under the Timur special unit of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, achieved a tactical first, launching FPV drones directly from boats in open waters.
https://en.defence-ua.com/news/ukrainian_mig_29_fighter_strikes_russian_drone_operator_base_with_the_jdam_er_bomb-15316.html
https://t.me/soniah_hub/11640
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4260215/armys-project-flytrap-advances-defense-secretarys-drone-dominance-agenda/
https://media.defense.gov/2025/Jul/10/2003752117/-1/-1/1/UNLEASHING-U.S.-MILITARY-DRONE-DOMINANCE.PDF
Army's Project Flytrap Advances Defense Secretary's Drone Dominance Agenda
July 30, 2025
Soldiers assigned to 2nd Cavalry Regiment, under V Corps, and troops assigned to 1st Royal Yorkshire Regiment, British army, conducted the fourth iteration of the Project Flytrap exercise at the Hohenfels Training Area in Germany and the Bemowo Piskie Training Area, near Elk, Poland.
The exercise aims to better prepare participating partners to counter the threats posed by unmanned aerial systems on the battlefield.
"Project Flytrap is … a series of training events that we've designed to test and refine some new counter-unmanned aerial systems … and tactics to respond to the evolving threat of drone warfare," said Col. Matthew B. Davis, V Corps transformation chief, who also served as exercise director.
"The lessons learned from … recent conflicts highlighted this critical capability gap, and we're looking for Project Flytrap to directly address those through the training, which we conducted … we're working to enhance our collective ability to deter potential adversaries and maintain a decisive edge."
The Flytrap exercise involved U.S. military personnel, partner nation military and industry representatives, Davis said.
During this exercise, personnel from participating militaries collaborated with industry experts in counter-UAS technology development to more quickly refine those technologies.
"What we're doing here — think of the convergence of industry, of Army agencies with counter-UAS things that have been around and some that are emerging, taking it out of the labs, putting it in the field with combat soldiers," said Col. Donald R. Neal, commander, 2nd Cavalry Regiment.
"Think of a soldier operating a piece of equipment with the person from industry next to them.
The soldier gives feedback on what would make it work smoother, they make that change, they test it out, and they iterate on it."
That's exactly the kind of drone-related work Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for earlier this month in his July 10 memorandum "Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance."
Under that directive, the secretary intends to strengthen the U.S. drone manufacturing base, provide warfighters with the best tools and ensure they are trained to use them effectively.
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"One thing that I know [the secretary] is trying to get after from the memo that's been pushed down is he wants to see the use of drones incorporated in the training," Neal said.
"That's exactly what Project Flytrap is doing. You've got troops that are fighting each other, force-on-force, that are incorporating small UAS and counter-UAS, all in the same battle drills that we've done for decades.
So, I think we're nested, we're right within that intent on figuring this out and training with it now, so the first time we're encountering it isn't on the battlefield."
Neal also said as a combat brigade, the role for 2nd Cavalry Regiment soldiers isn't just to evaluate equipment, but to take the new counter-UAS technology and learn how to incorporate it into what they already know how to do — and report that back to the Army so it can be used elsewhere.
"What we're tasked with doing is taking this technology that's counter-UAS focused, and the answer that we're trying to provide for the Army is, how do we take systems that have largely revolved around static defense, and put it in an offensive vehicle-centric organization that does combat tasks," he said.
As part of this last iteration, eight different systems were evaluated by military participants from four different industry providers.
"What we're trying to get after is we're taking the latest cutting-edge versions of existing technologies like radar, RF detect and jam, optical sensors and audio sensors, and then merging those into a system that our soldiers on the ground can employ in a tactical setting in order to enable them to do their jobs, despite having a growing threat in the air," said Command Sgt. Maj. Eric S. Bol, command sergeant major, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment.
One takeaway from the Flytrap exercise, Neal said, involves managing the type and amount of information required to operate counter-UAS effectively.
"Preliminarily, I think what we are finding … once you start talking O-5 level command and above, there probably is a need for folks that understand how to manage data and how to how to manipulate software," he said.
"It is going to require skill sets that maybe we don't have throughout our force in a very formal way.
We owe that to the Army. We don't know what that looks like yet, but that's part of what we're finding out in this project, this exercise and feeding it back up."
No matter what the Army does in the way of incorporating counter-UAS technology into ground combat units, one thing that won't change is combat basics.
"The fundamentals of maneuver warfare still matter," said Lt. Col. Jeremy S. Medaris, commander, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment.
"Things like dispersion, protection, fortification, selecting the correct routes and planning to an objective — things like that. … Maybe some components are changing, but those fundamental pieces are still there, and that is just as applicable to the counter-UAS fight as well."
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Broward deputies arrest 2 men over alleged reckless drone operations
Updated: July 31, 2025 at 1:29 PM
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Two men faced felony charges on Thursday for operating a drone recklessly at an airport in Broward County, records show.
Inmate records show Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies with the aviation unit arrested Tony Wang and Carlos San Luis on Wednesday.
Correctional deputies booked Wang, 23, and San Luis, 32, at the Broward County Main Jail in Fort Lauderdale.
Wang and San Luis, who don’t have a criminal history in Broward, appeared in bond court on Thursday, and a judge ordered them to stay away from flying drones until the case is resolved.
Prosecutors accused Wang of flying a drone over a terminal on the runway. San Luis was allegedly taking a picture of a food stand and flying low enough to collide with an aircraft, and people’s lives were at risk, according to prosecutors.
Court records show Wang, who was born in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and lives in Riverside, California, is facing charges of operating an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner and operating a drone over a critical infrastructure facilities. His bond was $2,650.
Court records show San Luis, of Pompano Beach, faced one count of operating an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner. His bond was $2,500.
https://www.local10.com/news/local/2025/07/31/broward-deputies-arrest-2-men-over-reckless-drone-operations/
https://defensescoop.com/2025/07/29/uap-disclosure-advocates-call-for-expanded-reforms-fiscal-2026-ndaa/
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119s2296rs/pdf/BILLS-119s2296rs.pdf
UAP disclosure advocates call for expanded reforms in fiscal 2026 NDA
July 29, 2025
The Senate Armed Services Committee’s draft of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2026 includes three provisions that would impact the Pentagon’s anomalous threat investigations hub.
According to two former senior defense officials, the disclosure advocacy community welcomes those directives.
However, they’re also calling for further policy changes to impel improved reporting and transparency from the government on unidentified anomalous phenomena — or UAP, the modernized term for UFOs and associated transmedium objects — that could threaten U.S. national security.
“More can — and should — always be done,” Christopher Mellon, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for intelligence, told DefenseScoop.
The legislative text targeting Defense Department and military-led efforts on UAP in the massive bill include:
Sec. 1555 — to require briefings on UAP intercepts by North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command
Sec. 1556 — to require a consolidated security classification guidance matrix for programs relating to UAP
Sec. 1561 — to require the consolidation of reporting requirements applicable to the Pentagon’s All Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)
In separate discussions last week, Mellon and a former senior military officer provided analyses of the NDAA and their latest recommendations to Congress in response to those proposals.
‘Low-hanging fruit’
The Pentagon has a storied but complicated history confronting technologies and craft that insiders have reported performing in ways that seem to transcend the capabilities of contemporary assets.
At a high level, the DOD’s mechanisms to study what it now refers to as UAP have taken different forms over the decades.
The most recent iteration — known as the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO — was officially launched under the Biden administration in 2022 to fulfill a mandate in that year’s NDAA.
The office achieved full operational capacity in 2024. Although its establishment largely stemmed from mounting calls for Pentagon transparency on UAP, government officials have been mostly secretive about AARO’s projects and caseload of dozens of open investigations.
Still, AARO’s responsibilities have expanded as the organization matures, and particularly as it has been charged with helping the department resolve the recent uptick of mysterious drone incursions at military bases and other sensitive national security sites.
Building on those tasks, the Senate Armed Services Committee’s NDAA draft includes requirements that would require Northcom and NORAD to alert AARO and Congress about any time they intercept a potential UAP.
Mellon — a longtime UAP transparency proponent who served as deputy assistant secretary of defense during the Clinton and Bush administrations, and later, an influential Senate staff member — said he’s been advocating for such a directive for years.
“NORAD’s historical failure to inform AARO of UAP incidents is inconsistent with the intent of Congress when AARO was created as the central repository and conduit to Congress for all UAP data in the U.S. government.
Currently, by the time AARO learns of these intercepts — if it does at all — NORAD’s critical sensor data is often no longer available. But Congress clearly needs this information to determine, among other things, how effective the U.S. air surveillance network is,” he said.
He said this section would mark a “welcome step” towards oversight, if passed. But in his view, more needs to be done.
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“In many cases, for instance, Navy ships report UAP sightings from areas where Air Force radars and aircraft operate but, strangely, these systems appear to report no UAP.
At the same time, many official UAP reports refer to U.S. fighters chasing UAP over or near the continental United States … Where is that data?
If the Air Force fully and properly reported to AARO, then Congress — and the American people — may even learn of UAP in space or in orbit,” Mellon said.
“At a time of rapid advancements in drone and aerospace technology for America’s adversaries, better domain awareness, including in the space domain, is critical for ensuring the nation’s security.”
Elsewhere in the legislation is a provision that would result in a consolidation of all the disparate reporting requirements applicable to AARO.
“While we appreciate that the [Intelligence Community] and Pentagon often face redundant reporting requirements to Congress, the matter of UAP — where Congress has only lately begun to extend its oversight — is not one of those areas,” Mellon said.
He also raised concerns about one change to an existing law that currently requires all UAP data to be delivered “immediately” to AARO.
“The proposed provision appears to restrict AARO’s now-immediate access right by requiring UAP data to be delivered to it ‘in a manner that protects intelligence sources and methods.’
But who makes that determination? AARO is independently empowered elsewhere by statute to receive all UAP data and should retain unfettered access to it. It knows how to protect intelligence sources and methods.
There should not be provisions of this sort that could be interpreted to create impediments to AARO’s access rights under law,” Mellon said.
Beyond those inclusions, the bill would require AARO to issue a consolidated security classification guide relating to UAP investigations and events.
“Since I provided historic gun camera footage of Navy warplane encounters with UAP incidents to The New York Times and The Washington Post in 2017, the release of additional footage by the government has all but stopped.
In fact, shortly after that footage was aired, the Pentagon cloaked under order of secrecy virtually everything about its UAP investigation,” Mellon noted. “That was wrong, and it’s past time for the current draconian classification guide to change.”
At the same time, even if the requirement passes and a new declassification guide were enacted, he said AARO would still retain ample discretion to keep many UAP records from the public.
So instead, Mellon suggested, the office should be mandated by law to routinely submit unclassified videos through the Defense Office of Prepublication and Security Review for secure dissemination.
“Despite the earlier pledge to Congress by the Department of the Navy to release more records, it appears that the Pentagon, AARO, and the IC don’t view Congress and the public as having a legitimate ‘need to know’ about the wealth of UAP footage the government has within its clasp. That is low-hanging fruit for Congress to fix,” Mellon said.
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Some documentaries by Dr Steven Greer are FREE on Tubi right now
July 31, 2025
Dr. Steven Greer exposes the hidden world of military whistleblowers and top-secret alien technologies.
https://tubitv.com/movies/100042260/battle-for-disclosure
https://drstevengreer.com/
US Congressman talks UFO's, "Interdimensional Aliens" & Gov't Secrets
Jul 30, 2025
Missouri Congressman Eric Burlison discusses the new documents regarding Area 51, as well as what the government is hiding about UFO's!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpQCbrObsbw
https://www.youtube.com/@PrimeTimeAlexStein
https://www.ufonews.co/post/the-real-reason-your-government-won-t-release-ufo-files-uapda-2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9qX0CIzkNk
The Real Reason Your Government Won’t Release UFO Files — UAPDA 2025
July 30, 2025
Congress has just filed the most comprehensive UAP disclosure bill (UAPDA) in 2025 — but this marks the third time lawmakers have attempted such sweeping transparency legislation.
The previous two efforts were systematically dismantled by the same coalition of House Republican leadership, Pentagon officials, and defense industry interests, revealing a coordinated pattern of resistance to UAP transparency that spans multiple congressional sessions.
The UAPDA 2023 Attempt
On July 13, 2023, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Mike Rounds introduced the first UAP Disclosure Act as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act.
The original legislation was modeled after the JFK Assassination Records Collection Act and contained unprecedented provisions that would have fundamentally altered government UAP secrecy.
According to the bill’s text, it established an independent nine-member review board with presidential appointments, created federal eminent domain authority over “technologies of unknown origin and biological evidence of non-human intelligence” held by private contractors, and implemented a presumption that all UAP records would be disclosed within 25 years.
The Senate overwhelmingly passed this comprehensive version by an 86–11 vote on July 27, 2023.
However, according to reporting on the legislative process, the bill’s fate was sealed during House-Senate conference committee negotiations in November and December 2023.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner from Ohio and Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers from Alabama orchestrated systematic opposition to the disclosure provisions.
According to campaign finance records, Turner, whose district includes Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, received nearly $200,000 from Lockheed Martin, while Rogers became the largest recipient of defense sector funding in 2022.
The Pentagon’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) actively lobbied against the legislation, according to congressional sources, providing a 33-page line-by-line rewrite of the Senate-passed bill.
AARO officials argued the review board would “duplicate” their existing work, despite the obvious conflict of interest in having the same agencies that created decades of UAP secrecy investigate themselves.
What President Biden signed into law in December 2023 was, according to transparency advocates, a hollow shell of the original legislation.
The final version eliminated the independent review board, eminent domain authority over private contractors, subpoena powers, and presumption of disclosure.
What remained was essentially a filing cabinet at the National Archives with no enforcement mechanisms and no deadline for disclosure, giving agencies complete discretion over what to release.
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Swift Death of the 2024 Attempt
Undeterred by the 2023 defeat, Schumer and Rounds reintroduced nearly identical legislation in July 2024.
According to congressional records, the 2024 version restored all the provisions that had been stripped: the review board, eminent domain authority, and $20 million in funding authorization.
However, this second attempt met an even swifter death. The amendment was “ordered to lie on the table” through parliamentary procedure, effectively killing it without a vote.
Meanwhile, Representative Tim Burchett introduced a streamlined House version requiring all UAP records to be declassified within 270 days, but according to committee records, it died in the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
The UAPDA 2025 Strategic Evolution
The current 2025 effort, filed as Senate Amendment 3111 on July 29, is described by congressional sources as “nearly identical” to previous versions, including the controversial eminent domain provisions.
However, according to legislative strategists, the approach has evolved. Sponsors have expanded their coalition to include Senator Gillibrand, are running dual tracks in both chambers, and have built sustained public pressure through high-profile whistleblower hearings.
According to Senator Rounds in a recent interview with KOTA Territory News, the legislation is driven by credible witnesses who speak in classified settings because they fear losing their jobs if they go public.
These individuals, whom Rounds describes as “very capable,” report UAP capabilities that include rapid movement, instantaneous direction changes, and transmedium travel between air and water environments.
Rounds emphasizes that “with the technologies we’ve got today, they’re not making this stuff up.”
The Opposition’s Fear
The eminent domain provision appears to be what most terrifies the opposition.
According to whistleblower David Grusch’s testimony, Lockheed Martin specifically holds retrieved UAP materials, and former Senator Harry Reid was repeatedly denied clearance to view alleged Lockheed holdings.
If this bill passes, companies sitting on crash materials would be legally required to surrender them to the government for potential public disclosure.
According to Burchett’s statements to NewsNation, defense contractors avoid Freedom of Information Act requests by placing UAP materials under cost-plus government contracts, effectively shielding them from public scrutiny.
This three-attempt history reveals what transparency advocates describe as coordinated resistance from entrenched interests determined to preserve institutional control over potentially transformative information.
Whether the third attempt will succeed may depend on whether public pressure can finally overcome decades of systematic obstruction.
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"Gotta let people know the truth," Schumer reintroduces UAPDA. "Whatever it is."
Jul 31, 2025
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) — US Senate Minority Leader
Ask a Pol asks:
We saw you reintroduced your UAP Disclosure Act — why? What's the importance of that?
Schumer’s response:
“Yes, I did," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer exclusively tells Ask a Pol UAPs. “Gotta let people know the truth — whatever it is."
Caught our ear:
Do you think it will be easier to get it included without Mike Turner chairing the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence — or HPSCI?
“Yeah,” Schumer tells us. “Let's hope we have a better chance this year."
https://www.askapoluaps.com/p/gotta-let-people-know-the-truth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtbGukJv4f8
French weekly L'Express leaks White House information: Trump wants to declassify UFO phenomenon
Jul 30, 2025
The White House is preparing for a historic UFO declassification. Donald Trump demands credit for revealing the government's most closely guarded secrets.
What will be revealed? And what role did the former president really play? Jaime Maussan analyzes the keys to this unprecedented move.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woLHcbPn0ro
https://www.liberationtimes.com/home/the-antideepstate-president-and-the-deepening-shadows-epstein-drones-and-the-ufo-coverup
https://lespresso.it/c/mondo/2025/7/16/washington-nuovo-mistero-project-preserve-destiny/55642
Shape Shifting Mimicry Orb UFO filmed in Maryland July 23, 2025
Jul 30, 2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDnKWI6Pb10
Mysterious glowing orbs over Qld spark UFO and alien theories
updated Jul 31, 2025
Three objects high over the Sunshine Coast, moving slowly, some might say hovering over the suburbs. It was captured at multiple angles by multiple people.
10 News+ presenter Denham Hitchcock spoke to Mary Rodwell, a former nurse, now founder of ACERN (Australian Close Encounter Resource Network) to find out more.
“This is not really news now,” she said. “It’s old news for anyone who’s informed.
“I get new emails every single day, not one, one a week, every single day from all over the world with people, credentialed people that are saying, ‘I’m having some form of contact with these intelligences.’”
Not so long ago, people might have been sceptical of Mary’s research, but recently UFOs went prime time.
The United States held a congressional hearing with pilots, soldiers, and the top brass, leaving us speechless.
But what really created the orbs, and is there alien life out there?
https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/good-news/2025/07/31/mysterious-orbs-ufo
Photos show the cosmic calling of extraterrestrial enthusiasts at Indonesia’s UFO Festival
Wednesday 30 July 2025 23:22 EDT
A metallic spacecraft glistens under ambient light as two figures with elongated limbs, bulbous heads and featureless faces gaze with black eyes into the distance of the island of Java.
The extraterrestrial arrival in Indonesia is one of the science fiction scenes that has captivated groups of outer space enthusiasts at the country's UFO Festival throughout July.
Since 2016, organizers have welcomed hundreds of fans of outer space realities and mysteries from Indonesia and beyond.
The festival aims to be a creative and intellectual crossroads for enthusiasts of space science and exploration, Unidentified Flying Objects, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena and SETI, short for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
This year's free event included an Alien Village, UFO Village and UFO Camp at a site near Yogyakarta, about 420 kilometers (260 miles) from the Indonesian capital Jakarta.
Visitors admired a replica of a Mars exploration module and galleries with artistic interpretations of outer space, while workshops for adults and students offered cosmic activities such as spacesuit construction.
Venzha Christ, director of the Indonesia Space Science Society, said a focus on the term UFO allows participants to wonder without boundaries.
“I think the Indonesian generation needs a platform that can transform and socialize creative ideas, whether from the perspective of technology, science or even art," Christ said.
“Imagining outer space, imagining the universe, is imagining limitlessness.” Tarigan reported from Jakarta, Indonesia.
https://www.the-independent.com/news/indonesia-jakarta-java-visitors-seti-b2799323.html
Alien vegans
Last updated August 1, 2025, 2:53 AM
A dozen green ‘aliens’ descend on Makati and march through the streets on Thursday, July 31, 2025, with a pointed warning for humans—
’Go Vegan: Your Planet Depends On It’—to remind everyone that animal agriculture is killing planet Earth and is responsible for more greenhouse gases than all the world’s transportation systems combined.
Thanks to global warming, the Philippines is already facing a barrage of stronger, more frequent typhoons.
The United Nations states that animal agriculture is responsible for nearly a fifth of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions—and that going vegan is necessary if we are to avoid the worst effects of the climate catastrophe.
https://manilastandard.net/gallery/news-in-photos/314624288/alien-vegans.html