TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
August 5, 2025
NGC 6072: A Complex Planetary Nebula from Webb
Why is this nebula so complex? The Webb Space Telescope has imaged a nebula in great detail that is thought to have emerged from a Sun-like star. NGC 6072 has been resolved into one of the more unusual and complex examples of planetary nebula. The featured image is in infrared light with the red color highlighting cool hydrogen gas. Study of previous images of NGC 6072 indicated several likely outflows and two disks inside the jumbled gas, while the new Webb image resolves new features likely including one disk's edge protruding on the central left. A leading origin hypothesis holds that the nebula's complexity is caused or enhanced by multiple outbursts from a star in a multi-star system near the center.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer Moon Mission Ends
Aug 04, 2025
The small satellite was to map lunar water, but operators lost contact with the spacecraft the day after launch and were unable to recover the mission.
NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer ended its mission to the Moon on July 31. Despite extensive efforts, mission operators were unable to establish two-way communications after losing contact with the spacecraft the day following its Feb. 26 launch.
The mission aimed to produce high-resolution maps of water on the Moon’s surface and determine what form the water is in, how much is there, and how it changes over time.
The maps would have supported future robotic and human exploration of the Moon as well as commercial interests while also contributing to the understanding of water cycles on airless bodies throughout the solar system.
Lunar Trailblazer shared a ride on the second Intuitive Machines robotic lunar lander mission, IM-2, which lifted off at 7:16 p.m. EST on Feb. 26 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The small satellite separated as planned from the rocket about 48 minutes after launch to begin its flight to the Moon. Mission operators at Caltech’s IPAC in Pasadena established communications with the small spacecraft at 8:13 p.m. EST.
Contact was lost the next day. Without two-way communications, the team was unable to fully diagnose the spacecraft or perform the thruster operations needed to keep Lunar Trailblazer on its flight path.
“At NASA, we undertake high-risk, high-reward missions like Lunar Trailblazer to find revolutionary ways of doing new science,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
“While it was not the outcome we had hoped for, mission experiences like Lunar Trailblazer help us to learn and reduce the risk for future, low-cost small satellites to do innovative science as we prepare for a sustained human presence on the Moon.
Thank you to the Lunar Trailblazer team for their dedication in working on and learning from this mission through to the end.”
The limited data the mission team had received from Lunar Trailblazer indicated that the spacecraft’s solar arrays were not properly oriented toward the Sun, which caused its batteries to become depleted.
For several months, collaborating organizations around the world — many of which volunteered their assistance — listened for the spacecraft’s radio signal and tracked its position.
Ground radar and optical observations indicated that Lunar Trailblazer was in a slow spin as it headed farther into deep space.
“As Lunar Trailblazer drifted far beyond the Moon, our models showed that the solar panels might receive more sunlight, perhaps charging the spacecraft’s batteries to a point it could turn on its radio,” said Andrew Klesh, Lunar Trailblazer’s project systems engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
“The global community’s support helped us better understand the spacecraft’s spin, pointing, and trajectory. In space exploration, collaboration is critical — this gave us the best chance to try to regain contact.”
However, as time passed, Lunar Trailblazer became too distant to recover as its telecommunications signals would have been too weak for the mission to receive telemetry and to command.
Technological Legacy
The small satellite’s High-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper (HVM3) imaging spectrometer was built by JPL to detect and map the locations of water and minerals.
The mission’s Lunar Thermal Mapper (LTM) instrument was built by the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom and funded by the UK Space Agency to gather temperature data and determine the composition of silicate rocks and soils to improve understanding of why water content varies over time.
“We’re immensely disappointed that our spacecraft didn’t get to the Moon, but the two science instruments we developed, like the teams we brought together, are world class,” said Bethany Ehlmann, the mission’s principal investigator at Caltech.
“This collective knowledge and the technology developed will cross-pollinate to other projects as the planetary science community continues work to better understand the Moon’s water.”
Some of that technology will live on in the JPL-built Ultra Compact Imaging Spectrometer for the Moon (UCIS-Moon) instrument that NASA recently selected for a future orbital flight opportunity. T
he instrument, which has has an identical spectrometer design as HVM3, will provide the Moon’s highest spatial resolution data of surface lunar water and minerals.
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/small-satellite-missions/lunar-trailblazer/nasas-lunar-trailblazer-moon-mission-ends/
Duffy to announce nuclear reactor on the moon
08/04/2025 04:56 PM EDT
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will announce expedited plans this week to build a nuclear reactor on the moon, the first major action by the former Fox News host as the interim NASA administrator.
NASA has discussed building a reactor on the lunar surface, but this would set a more definitive timeline — according to documents obtained by POLITICO — and come just as the agency faces a massive budget cut.
The move also underscores how Duffy, who faced pushback from lawmakers about handling two jobs, wants to play a role in NASA policymaking.
“It is about winning the second space race,” said a NASA senior official, granted anonymity to discuss the documents ahead of their wider release.
President Donald Trump named Duffy as interim administrator in July after abruptly withdrawing the nomination of billionaire Jared Isaacman amid a spat with the nominee’s ally, Elon Musk.
Duffy also offered a directive to more quickly replace the International Space Station, another NASA goal. The two moves could help accelerate U.S. efforts to reach the moon and Mars — a goal that China is also pursuing.
The plans align with the Trump administration’s focus on crewed spaceflight.
The White House has proposed a budget that would increase human spaceflight funds for 2026, even as it advocates for major slashes to other programs — including a nearly 50 percent cut for science missions.
The reactor directive orders the agency to solicit industry proposals for a 100 kilowatt nuclear reactor to launch by 2030, a key consideration for astronauts’ return to the lunar surface.
NASA previously funded research into a 40 kilowatt reactor for use on the moon, with plans to have a reactor ready for launch by the early 2030s.
The first country to have a reactor could “declare a keep-out zone which would significantly inhibit the United States,” the directive states, a sign of the agency’s concern about a joint project China and Russia have launched.
The directive also orders NASA to designate a leader for the effort and to get industry input within 60 days. The agency is seeking companies able to launch a reactor by 2030 since that’s around the time China intends to land its first astronaut on the moon.
The nuclear initiative means that NASA will continue to have a hand in nuclear development even after the Pentagon’s recent cancellation of a joint program on nuclear-powered rocket engines.
“While the budget did not prioritize nuclear propulsion, that wasn’t because nuclear propulsion is seen as a non-worthy technology,” the NASA official said.
The space station directive aims to replace the aging, leaky International Space Station with commercially run ones by changing how the agency awards contracts.
NASA plans to award at least two companies a contract within six months of the agency’s request for proposals. Officials hope to put a new station in space by 2030. Otherwise, only China would have a permanently crewed space station in orbit.
Several companies have risen to meet the space station demand, including Axiom Space, Vast, and Blue Origin. But lawmakers have expressed concern in recent months that the agency is not moving fast enough to give them the funds they need.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/04/nasa-china-space-station-duffy-directives-00492172?utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=rasa_io
Station Expands to 11 Before Next Crew Leaves This Week
August 4, 2025
Four new crew members are adjusting to life on the International Space Station and gearing up for several months of microgravity research to benefit humans living on and off the Earth.
Meanwhile, another quartet that has been orbiting Earth since March is packing up and handing over responsibilities to the new crew before returning to Earth this week.
Expedition 73 expanded to eleven individuals on Saturday when NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission docked to the orbital outpost aboard the Dragon spacecraft after launching from Florida about 15 hours earlier.
Crew 11’s Commander and Pilot, Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, both from NASA, and Mission Specialists Kimiya Yui from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and Oleg Platonov from Roscosmos spent the weekend unpacking their Dragon spacecraft, reviewing safety procedures, and getting familiar with space station systems.
The crew is well trained for its space research program and will soon begin investigating a wide variety of microgravity phenomena to gain insights only achievable in space.
They will explore manufacturing high quality stem cells, alternatives to antibiotics to treat bacterial infections, cell division in plants to promote space agriculture, and more.
NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers along with JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov are helping their new crewmates get up to speed with living and working on the orbital lab.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 crewmates also will be going home this week aboard another Dragon spacecraft completing a five-month mission.
During their stay in space, the crew studied space-caused mental and physical changes in astronauts, blood flow from the brain to the heart, future lunar navigation techniques, and more.
The homebound foursome has spent the last two weeks gathering personal items and cargo for loading inside Dragon.
Over the next couple of days, Crew-10 will also pack critical research samples stowed in portable science freezers inside Dragon for retrieval and analysis back on Earth.
During the final cargo-packing and scientific sample-stowing duties, the crew will also review departure procedures before entering Dragon and undocking.
NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky will continue their mission aboard the station and conduct their complement of space research until December.
The trio have been assisting with the crew swap activities as Kim helped Fincke learn to work out on the advanced resistive exercise device.
Ryzhikov showed the Crew-11 foursome the location of emergency hardware and how to use NASA and Roscosmos station hardware.
Zubritsky helped Peskov as he tested the lower body negative pressure suit that may counteract space-caused head and eye pressure and help crews adjust quicker to the return to Earth’s gravity.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/08/04/station-expands-to-11-before-next-crew-leaves-this-week/
Curiosity Blog, Sols 4616-4617: Standing Tall on the Ridge
Aug 04, 2025
Earth planning date: Wednesday, July 30, 2025
The day started with a little celebration of NISAR, a new Earth observation satellite that made it successfully into orbit a few hours before our planning started.
We joined in by saying “GO NISAR, NASA, JPL, and ISRO” (the Indian Space Research Organisation, NASA’s mission partner, which launched NISAR).
Learn more at the NISAR mission hub. Although our team studies Mars, Earth is a planet, too, and we are very happy for our colleagues’ successful launch!
On Mars, it’s still winter and the topic of every planning is how to maximize the science we can do given the increased power needs for heating our rover at this time of the year.
Curiosity is parked on top of the main ridge, nicknamed the “autobahn.” It turned out to be not as smooth as its terrestrial namesake, as you can see in the image above.
To arrive at this parking position, our rover drivers decided to take a small detour down into a flatter area and back up onto the ridge for safe off-road driving.
The rover’s parking position allows for beautiful views around us, laying out the land of hollows and ridges perfectly to plan our next steps and to admire Mount Sharp in the distance.
Standing tall on the ridge, we got several investigations of the ridge-forming materials into today’s plan. APXS, MAHLI, and ChemCam are all teaming up to investigate the target “El Salto.”
This is a target that could get us a glimpse into what formed the central line that is running along the big ridge.
If you look closely at the images there are subtle differences in color and texture, and we are all curious whether that translates to chemical differences, too.
Of course, it’s not all about chemistry. Mastcam is busy documenting a small mound, and its context with veins and the hollow surrounding it, at the target “Llullaillaco.”
The target “Cementerio De Tortugas” will capture sand ripples within a trough area, there is an extension of the workspace imaging in the plan for more context of today’s observations, and finally the ridge intersection is of interest at the target “Villa Abecia.”
Of course, Mastcam didn’t forget the documentation of the ChemCam target “El Salto” and the AEGIS target from the last plan.
Speaking of ChemCam: It’s using its imaging capabilities to document the side of the ridge to give finer details of the sedimentary structures of the target “Llullaillaco.”
Atmospheric observations are also of highest interest at this time of the day.
We continue our atmospheric monitoring by looking for dust devils as well as up toward the clouds in a joint observation with the CASSIS instrument, which is aboard the European Space Agency's Trace Gas Orbiter.
In addition, Curiosity continues to monitor wind and temperature throughout the plan, and the DAN (dynamic albedo of neutrons) instrument observes the rocks underneath the rover for their water content.
After completing the observations at the current parking location, Curiosity will be driving off the ridge again, but this time to stay within the hollow, so we can make observations of the material that forms those hollows.
Let’s see if we can find any chemical differences between those materials that might explain why one is standing up tall and the other one is weathering out.
If you want to get a better impression of what I am talking about when I say ridges and troughs, have a look at this recent navigation camera mosaic.
https://science.nasa.gov/blog/curiosity-blog-sols-4616-4617-standing-tall-on-the-ridge/
https://science.nasa.gov/resource/sol-4612-right-navigation-camera-cylindrical-projection-2/
Reminds me of a video that used to get posted here sometimes, of what looked like the backside of the moon with red sprawling lights that looked like lunar cities.
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/mars-science-laboratory/curiosity-rover/marking-13-years-on-mars-nasas-curiosity-picks-up-new-skills/
Marking 13 Years on Mars, NASA’s Curiosity Picks Up New Skills
Aug 04, 2025
New capabilities allow the rover to do science with less energy from its batteries.
Thirteen years since Curiosity landed on Mars, engineers are finding ways to make the NASA rover even more productive.
The six-wheeled robot has been given more autonomy and the ability to multitask — improvements designed to make the most of Curiosity’s energy source, a multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator (MMRTG).
Increased efficiency means the rover has ample power as it continues to decipher how the ancient Martian climate changed, transforming a world of lakes and rivers into the chilly desert it is today.
Explore the view Curiosity captured while multitasking
Curiosity recently rolled into a region filled with boxwork formations. These hardened ridges are believed to have been created by underground water billions of years ago.
Stretching for miles on this part of Mount Sharp, a 3-mile-tall (5-kilometer-tall) mountain, the formations might reveal whether microbial life could have survived in the Martian subsurface eons ago, extending the period of habitability farther into when the planet was drying out.
Carrying out this detective work involves a lot of energy. Besides driving and extending a robotic arm to study rocks and cliffsides, Curiosity has a radio, cameras, and 10 science instruments that all need power.
So do the multiple heaters that keep electronics, mechanical parts, and instruments operating at their best.
Past missions like the Spirit and Opportunity rovers and the InSight lander relied on solar panels to recharge their batteries, but that technology always runs the risk of not receiving enough sunlight to provide power.
Instead, Curiosity and its younger sibling Perseverance each use their MMRTG nuclear power source, which relies on decaying plutonium pellets to create energy and recharge the rover’s batteries.
Providing ample power for the rovers’ many science instruments, MMRTGs are known for their longevity (the twin Voyager spacecraft have relied on RTGs since 1977).
But as the plutonium decays over time, it takes longer to recharge Curiosity’s batteries, leaving less energy for science each day.
The team carefully manages the rover’s daily power budget, factoring in every device that draws on the batteries.
While these components were all tested extensively before launch, they are part of complex systems that reveal their quirks only after years in the extreme Martian environment.
Dust, radiation, and sharp temperature swings bring out edge cases that engineers couldn’t have expected.
“We were more like cautious parents earlier in the mission,” said Reidar Larsen of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which built and operates the rover.
Larsen led a group of engineers who developed the new capabilities. “It’s as if our teenage rover is maturing, and we’re trusting it to take on more responsibility. As a kid, you might do one thing at a time, but as you become an adult, you learn to multitask.”
1/2
More Efficient Science
Generally, JPL engineers send Curiosity a list of tasks to complete one by one before the rover ends its day with a nap to recharge. In 2021, the team began studying whether two or three rover tasks could be safely combined, reducing the amount of time Curiosity is active.
For example, Curiosity’s radio regularly sends data and images to a passing orbiter, which relays them to Earth. Could the rover talk to an orbiter while driving, moving its robotic arm, or snapping images?
Consolidating tasks could shorten each day’s plan, requiring less time with heaters on and instruments in a ready-to-use state, reducing the energy used. Testing showed Curiosity safely could, and all of these have now been successfully demonstrated on Mars.
Another trick involves letting Curiosity decide to nap if it finishes its tasks early. Engineers always pad their estimates for how long a day’s activity will take just in case hiccups arise. Now, if Curiosity completes those activities ahead of the time allotted, it will go to sleep early.
By letting the rover manage when it naps, there is less recharging to do before the next day’s plan. Even actions that trim just 10 or 20 minutes from a single activity add up over the long haul, maximizing the life of the MMRTG for more science and exploration down the road.
Miles to Go
In fact, the team has been implementing other new capabilities on Curiosity for years. Several mechanical issues required a rework of how the robotic arm’s rock-pulverizing drill collects samples, and driving capabilities have been enhanced with software updates.
When a color filter wheel stopped turning on one of the two cameras mounted on Mastcam, Curiosity’s swiveling “head,” the team developed a workaround allowing them to capture the same beautiful panoramas.
JPL also developed an algorithm to reduce wear on Curiosity’s rock-battered wheels.
And while engineers closely monitor any new damage, they aren’t worried: After 22 miles (35 kilometers) and extensive research, it’s clear that, despite some punctures, the wheels have years’ worth of travel in them.
(And in a worst-case scenario, Curiosity could remove the damaged part of the wheel’s “tread” and still drive on the remaining part.)
Together, these measures are doing their job to keep Curiosity as busy as ever.
More About Curiosity
Curiosity was built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California.
JPL leads the mission on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington as part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program portfolio. Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego built and operates Mastcam.
2/2
>video of the backside of the moon with red sprawling lights that looked like lunar cities.
Any anons remember and or have it available?
If it doesn't pop up I will see if I can find it.
Perseids Meteor Shower
Aug 04, 2025
In this 30 second exposure photograph, a meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Perseid and Alpha Capricornids meteor showers, Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, in Spruce Knob, West Virginia.
The Perseids meteor shower, which peaks in mid-August, is considered the best of the year.
With swift and bright meteors, Perseids frequently leave long “wakes” of light and color behind them as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere.
The Perseids are one of the most plentiful showers with about 50 to 100 meteors seen per hour.
This year, visibility will be hampered by an 84%-full Moon on the peak night. A few bright meteors may still be seen in the pre-dawn hours, but viewing conditions are not ideal.
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/perseids-meteor-shower/
NASA’s Artemis Crew Trains in Moonbound Orion Ahead of Mission
Aug 04, 2025
The first crew slated to fly in NASA’s Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II mission around the Moon early next year entered their spacecraft for a multi-day training at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Crew donned their spacesuits July 31 and boarded Orion to train and experience some of the conditions they can expect on their mission.
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen participated in a suited crew test and crew equipment interface test, performing launch day and simulated orbital activities inside Orion.
“In about six months, Artemis II astronauts will journey around the Moon for the first time in 53 years,” Duffy said.
“America rallied behind Apollo because it represented the best of us – now it’s Artemis’ turn. They’re not just carrying a flag – they’re carrying the pride, power, and promise of the United States of America.”
With Orion powered on, the suited crew test was a close representation of what the crew can expect on launch day.
The crew began the day by suiting up inside the spaceport’s Multi-Operation Support Building, donning their Orion crew survival system spacesuits, boarding the zero-emission crew transportation vehicles, and entering Orion, which is currently inside the Multi-Payload Processing Facility, where engineers have loaded its propellants over the course of several weeks.
Once in Orion, the crew performed several launch day activities, including communications checkouts and suit leak checks.
For the first time, the crew was connected to the spacecraft and its communications and life control systems, and all umbilicals were connected while the spacecraft operated on full power.
Teams simulated several different ground and flight conditions to give the crew more experience managing them in real time.
Some of the activities simulated scenarios where the crew was challenged to address potential issues while in space such as leaks and failure of the air revitalization system fan, which is needed to provide oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the cabin.
Getting this hands-on experience and learning how to act fast to overcome potential challenges during flight helps ensure the crew is ready for any scenario.
The test provides astronauts the ability to train on the actual hardware they will use during flight, allowing them and support teams the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the equipment in configurations very close to what will be experienced during flight.
It also allows teams to verify compatibility between the equipment and systems with flight controller procedures, so they can make any final adjustments ahead of launch.
“It signifies the immense amount of work that our operations and development teams put into making sure we are ready for launch.” Quinn said.
“They have meticulously planned each operation, timing them to perfection – and now we put it to the test.”
Exchanging their spacesuits for cleanroom garments for the crew equipment interface test, and with the spacecraft powered off, the crew also performed many of the activities they are likely to do in flight and conducted additional equipment checks.
The crew practiced removing and stowing the foot pans on the pilot and commander seats, which will allow them to have more open space in the cabin after launch.
They also accessed the stowage lockers and familiarized themselves with cameras, associated cables and mounts, and the environmental control and life support system hardware.
In addition to getting practical experience with the actual hardware they’ll use in space, they also prepared for life in deep space, reviewing cabin labels, sleep arrangements and checklists, and the hygiene bay.
Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars – for the benefit of all.
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-2/nasas-artemis-crew-trains-in-moonbound-orion-ahead-of-mission/
NASA plans to intercept fastest known interstellar comet
August 05, 2025
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) aims to intercept the fastest known interstellar comet. also known as 31 Atlas. that is hurling through the solar system at the speed of 58km/s.
Discovered in Chile by the NASA-funded project, Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) on July 1, 2025, the comet has a diameter of 11.2km.
This icy visitor is the third confirmed interstellar object after Oumuamua (2017) and Borisov (2019).
Unlike the previous one, there are rare chances of conducting a close-up study as it approaches its perihelion (closest point to the Sun) on October 29, 2025, passing through 1.356 astronomical units from the Sun.
While intercepting 31 Atlas can be highly significant, it can pose unprecedented challenges.
According to the University of Michigan, the launch of the comet from Earth needs a delta-V (velocity change) of around 24km/s that almost matches the energy of NASA’s Dawn mission that was powered by NASA’s jet propulsion laboratory that enabled the spacecraft to orbit and explore the two bodies i.e., protoplanet Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres in a single mission.
As the deadline approaches, this can be unfeasible to achieve. However, a launch from Mars where the comet will pass closely in early October can reduce the required delta-V to 5km/s, making it achievable with current technology.
Exclusive high-resolution images can be captured with existing Mars orbiters such as MAVEN and ESA’s Mars Express. Upon executing a successful mission, the understanding of interstellar chemistry and planetary formation can be revolutionized.
With this, scientists aim to assess organic molecules that can hint at life’s building blocks, isotopic signatures that can reveal comet’s origin, and insights into how comets have seeded Earth with water.
In the words of an astrobiologist, Dr. Sarah Johnson, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, 3I Atlas carries pristine material from another star system—studying it could reshape our knowledge of the cosmos.”
With the comet’s rapid exit expected after perihelion, NASA faces a race against time to finalize mission plans. The deadline is short but the rewards can be revolutionary.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1333382-nasa-plans-to-intercept-fastest-known-interstellar-comet
NASA Detects Creepy ‘Woman’s Voice’ in the Pacific Ocean Scientists Still Can’t Explain
August 3, 2025
In 1999, scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recorded an unusual and eerie noise coming from the depths of the Pacific Ocean.
The noise, which many listeners describe as a “woman’s voice,” baffled researchers at the time and remains unsolved to this day. This mysterious sound, named “Julia,” was picked up by NOAA’s hydrophone arrays, located over 3,000 miles from its source.
Despite numerous attempts to explain the origin of the sound, its true cause remains a source of intrigue, sparking both scientific investigation and wild conspiracy theories.
The Sound That Captivated Scientists
The strange noise that became known as “Julia” was recorded on March 1, 1999, by NOAA’s autonomous hydrophone array in the eastern equatorial Pacific.
The recording lasted for about three minutes, capturing an eerie hum that some listeners likened to a woman’s voice. Over the years, the sound has stirred debates across both scientific and public domains.
With no clear explanation, the mystery surrounding the sound has only grown, leaving researchers to examine various hypotheses.
The area where the sound was detected lies between the Bransfield Strait and Cape Adare, both of which are located in Antarctica. The vast distance between these two locations makes pinpointing the exact origin of the sound even more challenging.
Despite this, researchers have been able to narrow down the source to a region that is not only remote but also home to some of the planet’s most extreme environmental conditions.
Conspiracy Theories: From Alien Ships to Underwater Anomalies
Over the years, the mystery of Julia has inspired various conspiracy theories. Some suggest that the sound could be the result of an alien spacecraft traveling underwater.
According to these theorists, the hum could be the product of technology far beyond anything humans have developed.
A popular Reddit post claims that NASA’s Apollo 33A5 mission, which took place around the same time, captured an image of a “large shadow swaying” through the waters near the location of the sound, further fueling suspicions of an extraterrestrial connection.
However, the majority of experts are skeptical of such claims. While the idea of alien activity is fascinating, most scientists attribute the noise to more earthly phenomena.
Critics of the alien theory argue that if such an event were truly extraterrestrial, it would have been more disruptive. “If it’s true, then this creature never bothered to attack us, or even cause trouble by traveling near one of our boats.
Basically, nothing changes whether this is true or not,” commented one Reddit user.
NOAA’s Official Hypothesis: Iceberg or Underwater Event?
The NOAA has its own theory about the source of the sound. According to their explanation, the most likely origin of the “Julia” sound is an iceberg that had run aground off the coast of Antarctica.
The sheer size and movement of such icebergs could produce significant underwater noises as they scrape along the ocean floor or shift position.
However, the NOAA acknowledges the uncertainty surrounding the origin, as the exact azimuth (or angle of arrival) of the sound remains unclear.
In their official report, the NOAA stated, “This sound was recorded on March 1, 1999 on the eastern equatorial Pacific autonomous hydrophone array.
The most likely source of the sound formerly known as ‘Julia’ is a large iceberg that has run aground off Antarctica.
Due to the uncertainty of the arrival azimuth, the point of origin could be between Bransfield Straits and Cape Adare with an origin time of 1999 JD60 21:05GMT.”
While this theory makes sense in terms of physical plausibility, it still leaves a number of unanswered questions.
The Mystery Continues: Why Does Julia Remain Unsolved?
Despite the efforts of scientists, the sound known as Julia has not been definitively explained in over two decades. This unresolved mystery has led to speculation about both natural and artificial causes.
Some scientists point to other underwater phenomena, such as seismic activity or unusual oceanic currents, as possible explanations.
However, the eerie nature of the sound continues to captivate the public’s imagination, giving rise to a blend of fascination and fear.
In recent years, there have been renewed efforts to study the sounds of the ocean, especially those that are unexplained.
The Julia sound, along with other mysterious ocean noises, is a reminder of how little we truly understand about the depths of our oceans.
While the source of Julia may never be completely understood, it serves as a symbol of the unexplored mysteries that still lie beneath the ocean’s surface.
https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/08/nasa-creepy-womans-voice-pacific-ocean/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPae-2nnsoY
chekt
'Magical At Night': Ex-NASA Astronaut Reveals What India Looks Like From Orbit
Aug 05, 2025 12:48 pm IST
A former NASA astronaut has shed some light on how India looks from orbit. Describing it as one of the most breathtaking sights he witnessed from the International Space Station (ISS), Mike Massimino explained in a podcast that certain parts of the world appeared brighter from space, and India was one of them, especially at night.
Asked about the regions that stood out from space, the space veteran said, "India is very beautiful." The country's metropolitan cities, such as New Delhi and Mumbai, looked extraordinary as stars filled the sky, he said.
"At night, it gets really cool and magical… You see city lights like Mumbai or New Delhi… It's spectacular," he said.
Mr Massimino further revealed that his first trip to India happened just a few months ago, and he felt an immediate connection.
Mr Massimino visited India on February 27 and engaged with students at PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya in New Delhi.
He also explored the school's facilities, including the AR-VR Lab, Atal Tinkering Lab, language lab, etc, and praised India's Chandrayaan-3 mission.
During his India tour, he even visited the iconic Humayun's Tomb, a 16th-century Mughal-era mausoleum and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in New Delhi.
Earlier, in April, Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams also reminisced about flying over the Himalayas. When asked how India looked from space, she said, "Amazing, just amazing."
"India is amazing. Every time we went over the Himalayas, Butch (Wilmore, fellow astronaut) got incredible pictures; it is just amazing," said Ms Williams.
During the day, one can see India's geographical features, highlighted by the Himalayas, she said, adding India looked stunning from space - a rich blend of colours, fishing boats off the coast and the network of lights all over the country.
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/magical-at-night-ex-nasa-astronaut-reveals-what-india-looks-like-from-orbit-9021076
Taking that a step further, is interdimensional trafficking a thing?
First satellite data platform launched to advance Kingdom’s space economy
August 05, 2025 16:17
JEDDAH: Neo Space Group, a space and satellite communications company under the Public Investment Fund, has launched Saudi Arabia’s first dedicated Earth observation marketplace, advancing the Kingdom’s space economy.
Operated by UP42, a subsidiary of Neo Space Group, the Earth Observation platform was launched to meet the growing demand for high-resolution satellite imagery and space analytics across key sectors.
It supports the Kingdom’s economic transformation under Vision 2030 by integrating Earth Observation data into sectors such as environment, infrastructure, energy, real estate, mining, logistics, agriculture, and urban planning.
Martijn Blanken, CEO of the Neo Space Group, said that the platform reflects increasing demand for space-based intelligence in the Kingdom, according to a Saudi Press Agency report.
“Earth Observation data is essential today,” said Blanken. “It supports infrastructure development, urban growth, and resource management.
With more than 2.15 million sq. km, Saudi Arabia requires scalable, data-driven tools for strategic decisions.”
The platform provides access to global data providers and AI-powered services, allowing government agencies, local companies, and international users to acquire and analyze high-resolution imagery and geospatial data through a digital interface.
Frank Salzgeber, acting deputy governor for the space sector at the Communications, Space and Technology Commission, called the launch an important step for the Kingdom’s space economy.
“Alongside enhancing national capabilities, the platform is expected to accelerate the adoption of space technologies in the Kingdom.
It reflects our national priorities: fostering technological innovation, ensuring regulatory compliance, and building secure infrastructure.”
The platform follows Neo Space Group’s acquisition of UP42 GmbH from Airbus in December 2024. The German company runs a cloud-native Earth observation platform that simplifies satellite data access and processing.
Available at sa.up42.com, the platform lets users search, access, and process satellite data at scale using automated workflows, unified formats, and user-friendly tools. It complies with Saudi regulations and is hosted on secure local infrastructure.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2610741/saudi-arabia
http://sa.up42.com/
New imaging system detects greenhouse gas emissions from space with high precision
August 5, 2025
A research team led by Dr. Shi Hailiang at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a novel infrared imaging payload and AI-based retrieval framework capable of detecting carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) emissions from space at a spatial resolution of approximately 100 meters.
A research team led by Dr. Shi Hailiang at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a novel infrared imaging payload and AI-based retrieval framework capable of detecting carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) emissions from space at a spatial resolution of approximately 100 meters.
The system addresses key challenges in complex surface backgrounds and weak emission plume segmentation, enabling high-accuracy identification and quantification of point source greenhouse gas emissions. The results were published in the International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation.
In response to the growing need for precise carbon emission inventories and verification, the researchers designed the "Hotspot Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Instrument" for an upcoming satellite mission. The payload features advanced imaging capabilities for CO₂ and CH₄ and represents a significant advancement in domestic high-resolution space-based GHG detection technology.
To overcome the difficulties caused by heterogeneous surface reflectance and high background variability, which often lead to false positives or missed detections, they proposed a Heterogeneous Surface Background Regulation Strategy, which utilizes multi-channel spectral fusion to significantly enhance detection performance over urban, desert, and high-aerosol regions.
To accurately segment plumes, the researchers developed two innovative methods: FSDINet, a dual-domain network architecture that integrates spectral features in both frequency and spatial domains for joint global-local modeling, and kMetha-Mamba, a hybrid approach that combines spectral derivative-based clustering with state-space modeling to improve weak plume detection and noise suppression.
This work lays a solid technical foundation for the data processing and emission retrieval applications of next-generation imaging carbon satellites in China. It marks a key step forward in high-resolution satellite-based monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions and contributes an innovative solution to global carbon tracking and scientific mitigation efforts.
https://phys.org/news/2025-08-imaging-greenhouse-gas-emissions-space.html
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1569843225003115
https://armyrecognition.com/news/army-news/2025/lockheed-martin-prepares-space-based-interceptor-for-2028-under-golden-dome-initiative
https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2025/08/lockheed-martin-aims-test-missile-killing-satellite-2028/407212/
Lockheed Martin Prepares Space-Based Interceptor for 2028 Under Golden Dome Initiative
5 Aug, 2025 - 13:08
On August 5, 2025, during a press briefing held at its Huntsville, Alabama, facility, Lockheed Martin announced its intention to test, by 2028, a space-based interceptor capable of destroying maneuverable hypersonic missiles.
The statement, made by Amanda Pound, Director of Advanced Programs Development, marks a strategic step in the broader U.S. missile defense effort known as the Golden Dome, as reported by Defense One.
Behind the announcement lies the objective of providing the United States with an orbital interception capability in response to the growing threat posed by hypersonic missile systems developed by China and Russia.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The core of the Golden Dome could be based on a constellation of orbital interceptors designed to detect, track, and destroy incoming missiles before they reach their targets.
Amanda Pound indicated on Monday that Lockheed Martin is exploring multiple concepts, including orbital lasers and satellites that convert into maneuverable kinetic projectiles.
According to her, the company already has the capabilities needed to deploy a demonstrator in orbit by 2028.
The concept of space-based interceptors is not new. In the 1960s, the U.S. attempted to pursue this vision through the BAMBI program (Ballistic Missile Boost Intercept), which was eventually cancelled for budgetary reasons.
In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan revived the concept under the Strategic Defense Initiative, commonly known as Star Wars. One of the key outcomes of that effort was the Brilliant Pebbles concept, a network of satellites designed to launch small interceptors at incoming strategic missiles.
Although that program was also canceled in 1994, it has regained relevance in light of advancements made by Russia and China, which now possess hypersonic missiles capable of evasive maneuvers and, in some cases, space-based offensive systems.
Russia has employed such systems in combat, though some have reportedly been intercepted.
In this evolving strategic context, the Golden Dome is being considered as a response to a more complex missile threat environment.
Despite ongoing debates regarding the technical and financial feasibility of various components, there is broad recognition of the need to substantially enhance U.S. missile defense capabilities.
1/2
The legacy of the Brilliant Pebbles program is not foreign to Lockheed Martin, whose formation in 1995 followed the merger of Lockheed Corporation and Martin Marietta, one of the original contributors to the earlier program.
Today, however, the company faces competition from SpaceX, which is able to produce and launch large numbers of satellites at significantly lower cost.
Although SpaceX is considered a leading contender in this competition, it does not enjoy universal backing, including within the White House.
To maintain its position, Lockheed Martin is adopting a comprehensive approach.
Company executives emphasized their role in the broader missile defense ecosystem, which includes lower-profile but essential programs such as ground-based radars, infrared missile detection satellites, and interceptor missiles launched from land, sea, and air.
Systems such as THAAD, PAC-3, and the forthcoming Next-Generation Interceptors are seen as critical components that, when networked, could form a cohesive defense shield.
To support this, Lockheed Martin is developing new command-and-control concepts to improve interoperability between these systems.
The company has also opened a new digital prototyping facility to virtually test space-based missile defense concepts, including those proposed by smaller companies and partners.
This initiative is intended to accelerate technology development while ensuring compatibility across U.S. defense platforms. Lockheed Martin has made clear that the Golden Dome program is unlikely to be led by a single prime contractor.
According to Amanda Pound, the scale of capability required by the U.S. government will likely necessitate multiple lead integrators and a broad range of subcontractors.
She indicated the company is ready to work with various industry partners, viewing a multi-actor model as the most realistic way to achieve the program’s objectives.
Lockheed Martin is thus preparing to undertake a major technological effort: demonstrating, within three years, the viability of a space-based interceptor for hypersonic missile threats.
A successor to decades of discontinued programs, the project is re-emerging at a time when the threat environment has materially changed.
While the final architecture of the Golden Dome remains undefined, its realization will likely depend on an integrated, collaborative, and multi-domain approach, where advanced space technologies are one element among many.
2/2
3 powerful solar flares erupt in less than 24 hours, ending weeks of calm on the sun
August 4, 2025
After more than three weeks without a powerful solar flare, the sun has suddenly ramped up its activity, firing off three M-class solar flares in less than 24 hours.
While the sun has been popping off plenty of smaller C-class flares lately, Sunday's M2.9 eruption at 10:01 a.m. EDT (1401 GMT) on Aug. 3 was the first M-class flare since July 12, according to space weather website SolarHam.com's post on X.
The flare marked the end of a 22-day lull in moderate solar flare activity.
Two more followed in rapid succession: an M2 flare at 1:05 a.m. EDT (0505) on Aug. 4 and an M1.4 peaked just 16 minutes later at 1:21 a.m. EDT (0521 GMT).
All three eruptions came from sunspot region AR 4168, which rapidly developed a more complex magnetic structure over the weekend.
Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation from the sun's atmosphere, caused by sudden releases of magnetic energy near sunspots.
They're classified by strength into five categories: A, B, C, M, and X. Each level represents a tenfold increase in energy output. While C-class flares are generally minor, M-class flares are moderate and can sometimes disrupt radio communications.
The most intense, X-class flares, have the potential to trigger widespread radio blackouts and even impact satellites and power grids on Earth.
According to Spaceweather.com, both active regions 4168 and 4167 now harbor unstable "delta-class" magnetic fields, an arrangement known to power strong solar eruptions, including potential X-class flares and Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
So far, no major space weather impacts have been confirmed, but the M2.9 flare may have launched a weak CME toward Earth.
Vincent Ledvina, an aurora chaser and space physics student, noted on X that modeling suggests the CME could arrive around midnight UTC on Aug. 7, with only a 12% chance of impact.
Ledvina added that Monday morning's M2 flare may have triggered a second weak CME, possibly a stealth CME, a slow and faint solar ejection that's notoriously hard to spot.
"This now marks the second Earth-directed CME from this region with potentially more to follow," he wrote.
Space weather forecaster Sara Housseal declared "Flare drought is over!" in a post after Sunday's flare.
While the eruptions are "likely nothing significant," she added later in another post that they "could result in a bump in activity in a few days," highlighting the challenges space weather forecasters face when working with "little to no data."
A limitation that stems from the lack of dedicated satellites and limited real-time imagery available to monitor faint, slow-moving CMEs.
Space weather forecasters are keeping a close eye on sunspot region 4168. Its growing complexity and flaring activity suggest the region may still have more surprises in store.
https://www.space.com/astronomy/sun/3-powerful-solar-flares-erupt-in-less-than-24-hours-ending-weeks-of-calm-on-the-sun-video
https://twitter.com/undefined/status/1952194489495244980
https://twitter.com/Vincent_Ledvina/status/1952251967495164344
https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=04&month=08&year=2025
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7NyRQdumZA (2 Solar Flares, Big Coronal Hole, Sun Storms and Death | S0 News Aug.4.2025)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_8JoPx371o (Sunspot Cycle Update - What Happens Next? | S0 News Aug.5.2025)
James Webb Space Telescope revisits a classic Hubble image of over 2,500 galaxies
August 5, 2025
The James Webb Space Telescope has returned to the scene of one of the Hubble Space Telescope's most iconic images, the Ultra Deep Field, to capture galaxies throughout cosmic history.
This new image was taken as part of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES), which is intent on further probing in infrared light two patches of sky that were originally imaged by Hubble: the Hubble Deep Field (1995) and the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (2004).
The deep fields were Hubble's most intense stares into the universe, revealing the faintest galaxies at the highest redshifts that Hubble could see, galaxies that existed over 13 billion years ago and whose light has been traveling for all that time.
The Hubble Ultra Deep Field, in particular, was revisited several times by Hubble, in 2009, 2012 and 2014, using the near-infrared channels on the space telescope's Wide Field Camera 3.
It shows some 10,000 galaxies detectable in an area of sky just 2.4 arcminutes square, which is less than a tenth of the diameter of the Full Moon in the night sky.
However, Hubble can only see so far. At the greatest redshifts, corresponding to galaxies that we see as they existed within a few hundred million years of the Big Bang, visible light is stretched into infrared wavelengths beyond Hubble's capacity to see.
So, to beat this limitation, the JWST has stepped up. The giant 6.5-meter space telescope got its first good look at the Hubble Ultra Deep Field in October 2022 with its Near-Infrared Camera.
It has revisited the Ultra Deep Field several times, as part of the JADES project, and this latest image was captured by the JWST's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) Deep Imaging Survey (MIDIS for short).
Indeed, the instrument's shortest-wavelength filter (F560W, which detects infrared light from 4.9 to 6.4 microns, centered on 5.6 microns) took the longest exposure of any single filter as part of this image, totaling 41 hours.
The image doesn't show the entirety of the Ultra Deep Field, only a section of it containing about 2,500 visible galaxies, four-fifths of them being truly distant, high redshift galaxies.
None are record-breakers — the maximum redshifts visible are about 12, equating to 380 million years after the Big Bang, or 13.4 billion years ago.
Just to compare, the current highest redshift galaxy, MoM-z14 (which is not part of the Ultra Deep Field), has a redshift of 14.4 and we see it as it existed about 280 million years after the Big Bang.
When coupled with data from JWST's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) that operates at shorter wavelengths (1.9 to 4.8 microns), the observations reveal a great deal about the many galaxies in the image, most of which are visible as small dots of light.
The image is presented in false color, since infrared light has no visible colors since it is beyond what the human eye can see.
Hundreds of red galaxies in the image are either star-forming galaxies that are shrouded by interstellar dust that absorbs the starlight and re-radiates it in infrared, or are highly evolved galaxies with lots of older, redder stars that formed near the beginning of the universe.
Meanwhile, the small greenish-white galaxies are those that are at very high redshift, meaning we see them as they exist mostly during the first billion years of cosmic history.
On the other hand, the larger blue and cyan galaxies are closer with low-redshifts and so appear brighter to NIRCam than to MIRI.
Astronomers work to push ever deeper with the JWST, adding observation on top of observations to chart the development of galaxies from close to the dawn of the universe to the present day.
Among the data could be answers to many of cosmology's greatest secrets, such as how supermassive black holes formed, how galaxies formed, and when the majority of stars in the universe came into being.
This is all still a work in progress, so stay tuned!
https://www.space.com/astronomy/james-webb-space-telescope/james-webb-space-telescope-revisits-a-classic-hubble-image-of-over-2-500-galaxies
https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2025/04/aa51723-24/aa51723-24.html#S18
https://webbtelescope.org/home
Rocket Lab launches private Japanese radar satellite to orbit from New Zealand
August 5, 2025
Rocket Lab launched a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite for the Japanese Earth-imaging company iQPS early Tuesday morning (Aug. 5).
An Electron rocket carrying the QPS-SAR-12 satellite, nicknamed Kushinada-I, lifted off from Rocket Lab's New Zealand site on Tuesday at 12:10 a.m. EDT (0410 GMT and 4:10 p.m. local New Zealand time).
The Electron deployed Kushinada-I into a circular orbit 357 miles (575 kilometers) above Earth about 54 minutes after launch as planned, Rocket Lab announced via X.
The satellite will now "join the rest of the QPS-SAR constellation in providing high-resolution synthetic aperture radar images and Earth-monitoring services globally," Rocket Lab wrote in a description of the mission, which it called "The Harvest Goddess Thrives."
(The name is a reference to Kushinada, a Japanese goddess of harvest and prosperity.)
As its formal name suggests, QPS-SAR-12 is the 12th iQPS satellite to reach orbit. The Japanese company aims to operate a constellation of 36 SAR spacecraft, which can peer through clouds and study Earth's surface at night as well as during the day.
"The data gathered by QPS-SAR constellation has the potential to revolutionize industries and reshape the future," Rocket Lab wrote in the mission's press kit, which you can find here.
"By leveraging insights from moving object data, iQPS can unlock new economic value, enhance urban safety and security, and provide predictive analytics for agriculture, national economies, and regional markets when integrated with weather, market, and economic data," the company added.
"The Harvest Goddess Thrives" was Rocket Lab's fifth mission for iQPS and the 69th overall flight to date for the 59-foot-tall (18-meter-tall) Electron, which gives small satellites dedicated rides to orbit.
Rocket Lab also operates a suborbital version of Electron called HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron), which serves as a testbed for hypersonic technology.
And the company is developing a larger rocket called Neutron, which could debut later this year.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/rocket-lab-launch-private-japanese-radar-satellite-iqps-harvest-god-thrives
https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/new-blog-post-22/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LAy4XiKNvQ
Forget the Space Force! Trump needs to create a Cyber Force, says think tank
Mon 4 Aug 2025 // 20:07 UTC
The US Space Force won't be the only new military branch Donald Trump has created if forthcoming recommendations from a group of retired military and civilian leadership end up being adopted. They want the President to form a US "Cyber Force" too.
Public policy think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies, along with the Cyber Solarium Commission 2.0, announced on Monday their plans to form the Commission on Cyber Force Generation.
The Commission plans to deliver a report to the Trump administration, detailing how best to operate the new military branch.
It's not clear what new roles the branch would have, if any, that existing military cyber roles don't already fill. Current military cyber jobs run the gamut of private sector roles, from user support to cybersecurity, as well as offensive work in support of other military operations.
"When [implementation] is neglected or rushed, the result is enduring organizational friction with inefficiencies, confusion that can persist for years, and degraded mission effectiveness," said retired Lieutenant General Ed Cardon, the former head of US Army Cyber Command and Committee co-chair.
To prevent that from happening (not that Cardon was actually referring to anything … cough), the Commission plans to provide "foundational details" for a Cyber Force, including its organizational structure, core functions, roles and responsibilities, and necessary authorities the branch would need.
The Commission's work will kick off in September, and there's no indication of when it intends to deliver its recommendations to the administration.
The Center said that the process of developing the report will include discussions with stakeholders from within the government and civilian industries.
Moreover, the Commission is made up of experts.
Cardon is co-chairing the Commission with Josh Stiefel, a former staff member on the House Armed Services Committee, and it includes former commanders from other US military cyber units, corporate leadership from companies like Dragos and Anduril, and academics.
Is this a redundant effort?
The Center admitted in its press statement that its work won't be the only project studying the establishment of a Cyber Force - and the other project even has government funding.
The 2025 National Defense Authorization Act included language requiring the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a consensus study on the future of the organization of cyber forces in the US military.
That study is currently looking for experts to contribute, with the window closing at the end of this week.
Per the Academies, the study will look at refining the current organization of US military cyber forces, but it won't necessarily conclude that forming a new branch is the best approach.
As the Center noted in its release, the Commission won't be "litigating the decision to create a Cyber Force but instead addressing the critical—and often overlooked—questions of implementation."
Cardon believes that's enough to distinguish its work from that being done by the Academies.
"This project takes a different approach: it invests in implementation planning up front to generate momentum, reduce downstream risk, and accelerate outcomes if and when there is a decision to create a Cyber Force," Cardon said.
Whether that "if and when" will even include input from the Commission is up to the White House. Ultimately, there's nothing to suggest that the government commissioned the Center to conduct this study, unlike the Academies' study, and no reason the administration even has to consider it.
It's also worth noting that the Trump administration hasn't been the most cybersecurity-friendly in its seven months at the helm.
Trump fired the director of the NSA and US Cyber Command in April, proposed to cut the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's 2026 budget amid accusations it was censoring conservatives, and generally made a mess of the state of US government cyber operations.
We reached out to the White House to get its take on the future of America's next possible military branch but didn't hear back, leaving the most critical question of this story unanswered: We desperately want to know what Cyber Force members will be called.
https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/04/think_tank_military_cyber_force/
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/space-force-airborne-ground-moving-target-indication/
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/08/space-force-to-launch-actual-gmti-sats-in-the-next-year-general/
Space Force Zeroes in on Targeting from Orbit, but Timeline Unclear
Aug. 4, 2025
The Space Force will finish an analysis of alternatives for how to do airborne moving target indication from orbit this fall, said Lt. Gen. Deanna M. Burt, USSF’s deputy chief for operations, cyber, and nuclear.
Burt said it will take time to develop the needed technologies to execute targeting effectively from space. “We are working with the variety of commercial entities and industry partners on, ‘What are the different phenomenologies that would allow us to [accomplish] air moving target indicators?’”
Burt said Aug. 4 during an event with AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
An analysis of alternatives for air moving target indication is “supposed to deliver this fall,” Burt said.
Pentagon officials want to leverage space for both ground and airborne moving target indication, and even zeroed out the E-7 Wedgetail airborne battle management and targeting platform in the proposed 2026 budget, rather than complete the planned purchase to replace aging E-3 AWACS jets.
But others have pushed back on that plan. Nearly 20 former general officers signed a letter urging Congress to restore funding for the Wedgetail program, arguing that space-based targeting is not ready for prime time.
“Maybe we will one day, but the challenges there are quite difficult,” said retired Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, former head of Air Force Space Command and U.S. Strategic Command, during an AFA roundtable last month.
“You not only have to provide the fighter pilot or the bomber pilot position of the threat, velocity of the threat, direction of the threat, but altitude of the threat. And that’s a lot tougher mission than GMTI, where you’re just tracking movement of vehicles on the ground.
And so I’m not sanguine that we’re going to quickly field an AMTI capability that we definitely need to enhance our ability to gain and maintain air superiority and to deter an adversary from thinking they can do the same by putting that capability into space.”
Asked if the Space Force can field an AMTI capability in the next two years, Burt demurred, but reiterated the need to develop different methods of targeting.
“I think the important part here is the analysis of alternatives that will be delivered this fall, I think, [is] going to be very telling,” she said. “As I said earlier, we believe it’s multiple phenomenologies. There’s no one silver bullet of a phenomenology that’s going to do this.”
Congress is ready to fund a solution. Lawmakers included $2 billion in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for “air moving target indicator military satellites.”
Burt said the “additional funding was really about how to do the [research and development] of these various capabilities, and how to flesh them out and see how they would operate,” Burt said.
1/2
Demonstrations are are already underway, according to Lt. Gen. Shawn N. Bratton, who said in May at a Mitchell Institute event that “there are some demonstration activities going on” to prove space-based AMTI.
Around the same time, U.S. Northern Command boss Gen. Gregory Guillot said “we have a number of prototype systems on orbit now” for the AMTI mission.
Burt said lessons from tracking objects on the ground will ultimately help steer the way for airborne target tracking.
“The technology part will work itself out,” she said. “But I think the lessons we are learning in GMTI are building a framework for how we will task and execute as we move into AMTI.”
The Space Force is drawing from expertise in the intelligence community for ground target tracking. “GMTI is part of a larger family of satellites that we’ve been working on with the Intelligence Community,” Burt said.
“The initial satellites that are launching are capabilities that will help enable GMTI” using space-based electoral-optical sensors and radar. The “actual” GMTI satellites, she said, will launch next year.
The National Reconnaissance Office has launched more than 100 satellites in recent years as part of a proliferated low-Earth orbit architecture that it says enhances its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance work.
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is also working on targeting, developing new analytic tools. “We’re learning right now every day with ground moving target indicators,” Burt said.
“Working very closely with the NRO and NGA, we are working together in the Joint Mission Management Center, the JMMC, working with NGA and really building off their expertise in looking at moving targets, and how do you pull multiple intelligence capabilities together to execute that?”
The Space Force asked for $1 billion In its 2026 budget request for GMTI investment, noting it is “working collaboratively with the military services, Combatant Commands, and the Intelligence Community” to field a targeting capability.
The ultimate objective, Burt said, is to “take sensor-to-shooter data directly to the cockpit for moving targets.”
2/2
Space Force hosts regional tryouts ahead of Guardian Arena III
Aug. 4, 2025
Guardians across the U.S. Space Force are lacing up and locking in as regional competitions are now underway in preparation for Guardian Arena III – the service’s premier test of strength, mental agility and cohesive teamwork.
Set to take place Dec. 8-9 at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, the third annual Guardian Arena will bring together 35 elite three-person teams from Space Force units across the country.
“This competition is designed to forge stronger, more resilient Guardians,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna.
“It’s a test of strength, endurance and mental sharpness – demanding a commitment to push your team’s limits and master your physical and cognitive abilities.”
Regional tryouts began July 28 and run through Aug. 15, with each unit hosting its own selection events. The goal is to identify and elevate top-performing Guardians who will represent their units at the December finals.
Inspired by the grit of Roman gladiators, Guardian Arena is more than a competition, it’s a showcase of the Guardian Spirit.
The event strengthens Space Force culture, sharpens operational readiness, and fosters a sense of unity and purpose across the ranks.
“Guardian Arena isn’t just about winning,” Bentivegna said. “It’s about teamwork, character and forging bonds that strengthen our resolve.
It’s about showing what it truly means to wear the Space Force uniform.” He also reminded competitors that how they train and compete reflects on the entire service.
“Character is the foundation of everything we do,” he said. “Uphold the highest moral and ethical standards as you compete – represent the best of the Space Force.”
The event directly supports the Space Force’s mission to secure U.S. interests in, from and to space. It also deepens ties with joint and international partners, enhancing cooperation and interoperability.
“Guardian Arena accelerates force development,” Bentivegna said. “It brings together the brightest minds and most capable warfighters to learn, grow and lead together.”
The road to Patrick SFB starts now and every rep, every ruck and every challenge completed along the way builds more than physical strength. It builds legacy.
“Guardian Arena 2025 is coming,” Bentivegna said. “Get ready to push yourselves, challenge your teammates and represent your unit with pride. Prepare to amplify the Guardian Spirit.”
Guardians who are interested in competing should talk to their unit commander.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4263756/space-force-hosts-regional-tryouts-ahead-of-guardian-arena-iii/
India and Philippines establish strategic partnership
5 Aug, 2025 11:37
India and Philippines announced the establishment of a strategic partnership, following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr, on Tuesday.
The countries, which are marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, have decided to expand economic as well as defense ties.
“We have decided to take our relations to the level of strategic partnership,” Modi said at a joint press briefing with Marcos in New Delhi on Tuesday.
“Our bilateral trade is rising constantly, and it has crossed $3 billion. To further strengthen it, our priority is to complete an India-Asean Free Trade Review as soon as possible.”
The Philippine President said his visit to India this week is a reaffirmation of the bilateral partnership that the countries “are strengthening,” and highlighted the island nation’s acquisition of BrahMos cruise missiles.
“We express satisfaction with the rapid pace of the Philippines' ongoing defense modernization and the expanding capabilities and footprint of India's indigenous defense industry as a partner in this undertaking, as exemplified by our BrahMos project,” Marcos said.
The island nation became the first outside India to buy the BrahMos missile system, when it signed a $375 million deal with the Indo-Russian joint venture in 2022 for three BrahMos batteries.
A battery typically includes multiple launchers, command posts, and associated equipment that are designed for land, sea, or air-based deployment.
New Delhi and Manila collaborate at the regional level through initiatives such as India's partnership with ASEAN.
A comprehensive action plan is also being made to transform this partnership into results, Modi said during his talks with Marcos.
Modi and Marcos agreed to establish mechanisms for ongoing communication between their military, which would enhance dialogue and exchanges between their defense establishments.
The Asian nations also agreed to cooperate in areas such as information technology, space and tourism, the Indian Foreign Ministry said.
https://www.rt.com/india/622507-india-and-philippines-establish-strategic/
https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1OdKrDDWOjYJX