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Solar Health Impact, Many Sunspots, Supertyphoon | S0 News Sep.23.2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uixPWk_cVNA
Watch SpaceX launch 3 space weather probes early on Sept. 24
September 23, 2025
SpaceX will launch NASA's ambitious IMAP mission and two other space weather probes early Wednesday morning (Sept. 24), and you can watch the action live.
A Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. EDT (1130 GMT), carrying IMAP and two rideshare spacecraft deep into the final frontier.
You can watch it live here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA, or directly via the space agency. Coverage is expected to will begin around 6:40 a.m. EDT (1040 GMT).
The primary payload is IMAP, whose name is short for "Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe."
IMAP "will study how the sun's energy and particles interact with the heliosphere — an enormous protective bubble of space around our solar system — to enhance our understanding of space weather, cosmic radiation, and their impacts on Earth and human and robotic space explorers," NASA officials wrote in a mission description.
Launching with IMAP are NASA's Carruthers Geocorona Observatory (CGO) and the Space Weather Follow-on (SWFO-L1) spacecraft, which will be operated by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
CGO will study Earth's exosphere — the atmosphere's wispiest outer reaches — to help scientists better understand how space weather affects our planet.
SWFO-L1 will monitor and track solar storms, "serving as an early warning beacon for potentially disruptive space weather, helping safeguard Earth’s critical infrastructure and technological-dependent industries," NASA officials wrote in the mission description.
The trio will do this work at the Earth-sun Lagrange Point-1 (L1), a gravitationally stable spot that lies 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) from our planet.
Several other spacecraft operate at L1, including India's Aditya-L1 solar probe and the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), a joint effort of NASA and the European Space Agency.
If all goes according to plan on Wednesday, the Falcon 9's upper stage will deploy IMAP, CGO and SWFO-L1 into interplanetary transfer orbit during a 13-minute stretch that begins about 83 minutes after liftoff.
The three spacecraft will then make their way out to L1.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/watch-spacex-launch-3-space-weather-probes-early-on-sept-23
https://www.spacex.com/launches/imap
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNRrfamTT4k
The US military just moved a satellite to inspect a UK spacecraft 22,000 miles above Earth
September 23, 2025
In a first-of-its kind operation, the United States repositioned one of its spacecraft to inspect an ally's satellite.
U.S. Space Command maneuvered one of its spacecraft in order to examine the Skynet 5A military communications satellite operated by the United Kingdom and assure the U.K. that it was operating in orbit as intended.
The maneuver took place between Sept. 4 and Sept. 12 at an altitude of 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) in geostationary orbit, where satellites remain above a fixed spot on Earth.
Both spacecraft were traveling 6,835 mph (11,000 km/h) during the operation, according to a statement from the Royal Air Force (RAF).
While the operation was peaceful in nature and conducted between allies of Multinational Force-Operation Olympic Defender (a space security coalition including the U.S., Canada, the U.K, France, Germany, New Zealand and Australia), it also demonstrates that the U.S. military is capable of maneuvering close to other nations' satellites if need be.
The operation was what is known as a rendezvous proximity operation, or RPO, in which one spacecraft maneuvers into the same orbit close to another spacecraft in order to inspect, repair or dock with it.
"This operation was a first of its kind for U.K. Space Command and represents a significant increase in operational capability," said Major General Paul Tedman, commander of U.K. Space Command, in the RAF's statement.
"Expertly executed with U.S. Space Command, I could not be more pleased or proud of the rapid progress we are making with our allies in Multinational Force-Operation Olympic Defender.
We are now, with our allies, conducting advanced orbital operations to protect and defend our shared national and military interests in space."
The commander of both U.S. Space Command and Multinational Force-Operation Olympic Defender, Gen. Steven Whiting, said the operation shows off the "warfighting advantage" this space security coalition offers, including a "shared pledge to fight and win shoulder-to-shoulder, if necessary," according to a U.S. Space Command statement.
While this was a peaceful RPO, it no doubt sends a message to potential adversaries that the U.S. and its allies are capable of getting up close and personal with other nations' satellites if need be.
According to U.S. Space Command's statement, the RPO demonstrated the alliance's "readiness to conduct dynamic, responsible, and integrated space operations at a time and place of our choosing."
But while neither U.S. Space Command nor the RAF explicitly stated that this same capability could be used to get close to non-allied spacecraft in their recent statements about this RPO, Whiting has previously stated that this is indeed the case.
Earlier this year, Whiting told attendees of the Space Foundation's 40th annual Space Symposium that the United States and France recently conducted their first-ever bilateral RPO to "demonstrate combined capabilities in space in the vicinity of a strategic competitor spacecraft."
At the same event, Whiting also stressed the need for "orbital interceptors" that can project U.S. military power in space. "And what do we call these?" Whiting said. "We call these weapons, and we need them to deter a space conflict and to be successful if we end up in such a fight."
The U.S. Space Force has been developing and refining how it conducts orbital warfare throughout its five years of existence as a military service. The capability to maneuver up close to a potential adversary's spacecraft is no doubt a part of that playbook — one the U.S. just showed off.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/satellites/the-us-military-just-moved-a-satellite-to-inspect-a-uk-spacecraft-22-000-miles-above-earth
https://www.spacecom.mil/Newsroom/News/Article-Display/Article/4308024/press-release-us-and-uk-demonstrate-partnership-in-first-ever-on-orbit-operation/
Britain’s quantum leap to defend us from extreme space weather
Tuesday September 23 2025, 2.00pm BST
From the west coast of Wales to the northern tip of Scotland, a set of ultra-sensitive listening posts are being built around Britain to monitor an invisible shield upon which all life on Earth depends.
The shield in question is the planet’s magnetic field, generated by the churning of molten iron deep beneath our feet.
Most of the time, it is relatively steady. As well as directing compass needles, it protects living things from the dangerous solar radiation that streams through space. Occasionally, however, the Sun hurls a coronal mass ejection — a violent blast of charged particles — towards Earth.
When these particles crash into the field, they push and twist it, a little like wind ripping through a sail, creating ripples and surges that can disrupt power grids, knock out satellites and disable navigation systems.
These solar storms also mean we see the northern lights far further south.
Now the British Geological Survey is rolling out one of the world’s most sensitive networks to monitor these changes. It will use five quantum magnetometers, instruments that measure magnetic fields with extraordinary precision.
The regions of the country that see the largest changes in the magnetic field during periods of extreme space weather will be those most at risk of damage to critical infrastructure and interference with satellite navigation systems.
In May last year GPS systems on tractors in North America stopped working properly, affecting precision planting. Crops were sown in the wrong places in a glitch estimated to have cost millions of dollars.
Each quantum magnetometer contains a cloud of caesium atoms. Each atom behaves like a minuscule spinning top that naturally aligns with magnetic fields. Inside the device they are prodded with lasers, causing them to wobble as they spin, a motion known as precession.
This wobble is not random. Its rate is governed by the rules of quantum mechanics: there is a fundamental relationship between the atom’s properties and the external magnetic field.
By watching how quickly they wobble, the device can detect even the faintest changes in the field. The result is a sensor so sensitive it could, in theory, pick up the whisper of magnetism generated by a human brain.
Five British-made quantum magnetometers are being installed across the country: in Aberystwyth, Boulby in North Yorkshire, Blickling in Norfolk, Chilbolton in Hampshire, and Thurso in the Highlands.
They will complement three existing geomagnetic observatories and give the UK full national coverage for the first time.
“We are incredibly excited to be able to study the magnetic field around the UK in greater detail than ever before,” Dr Ciarán Beggan, a geophysicist at the British Geological Survey, said.
“The installation of the five new quantum magnetometers will help to fill in the gaps between the existing observatories and will improve our vision of the changes taking place during extreme magnetic storms.”
The network will allow scientists to map magnetic storms with unprecedented granularity, capturing the small scale ripples and embayments that sweep across the UK during extreme events.
“During these storms, the magnetic field can change rapidly in different locations. Until now, we didn’t have the detail to see that,” Beggan said.
“With the new sensors, we can make improved maps of the magnetic field as these storms unfold, and understand where different parts of the country are most affected.”
The quantum magnetometers were developed by the University of Strathclyde and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory under the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme. Unlike earlier laboratory-bound sensors, they are robust enough for long-term deployment in the field.
Beyond protecting infrastructure, the network could improve navigation. Highly detailed magnetic field maps could supplement GPS, providing a potential fallback if satellite signals are lost or distorted during solar storms.
In the future this could extend to magnetic-based navigation for aircraft.
“These new measurements will greatly enhance our understanding of how extreme magnetic storms impact different parts of the country,” Beggan said.
“It means society will have access to the advice and information needed to understand where we are vulnerable and to make informed decisions on how to mitigate against them.”
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/science/article/britains-quantum-leap-to-defend-us-from-extreme-space-weather-pkvwk6tfh
Fireball streaks across Texas sky, likely space debris
September 23, 2025
Texans from San Antonio to Abilene were treated to a dazzling light show Monday evening when a bright fireball streaked across the night sky.
Videos and photos shared on social media showed a glowing trail cutting through the atmosphere, sparking questions about whether it was a meteor.
But experts now believe the phenomenon was most likely space debris burning up as it reentered Earth’s atmosphere.
The fireball was visible across a wide swath of the state, with reports of sightings stretching for hundreds of miles.
Scientists say events like this are rare but not unheard of, and they often go unnoticed unless the debris burns brightly enough to light up the sky.
No damage or injuries were reported from the fiery display.
https://www.audacy.com/krld/news/state/fireball-streaks-across-texas-sky-likely-space-debris
https://www.mysanantonio.com/lifestyle/outdoors/article/san-antonio-meteor-21060876.php
https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4311661/meink-stresses-innovation-focus-funding-to-maintain-air-space-superiority/
Meink stresses innovation, focus, funding to maintain air, space superiority
Sept. 22, 2025
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (AFNS) – In his most high-profile speech since becoming Secretary of the Air Force in May, Troy Meink emphasized familiar themes – the need to perfect readiness, the necessity to modernize the Air Force and Space Force and remaining focused on "taking care of our people."
"We must do what we’ve done many times in the past – work to maintain air and space dominance,” Meink said in his keynote address to an overflowing crowd of several thousand at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference.
The United States and its Air Force and Space Force are confronting determined adversaries today who have spent decades working to erode the United State’s advantages in air and space, he said.
While the U.S. remains superior, the gap has narrowed. China in particular “has been laser focused.”
“The ability for us to dominate the air domain has really come under threat a number of times; we’ve had our cage rattled a bit,” he said. “But we went after it and today the U.S. has dominance.”
“Our job is to maintain that dominance, the advantage that the U.S. has always had,” Meink told Airmen, Guardians in the audience as well as officials from industry, Capitol Hill and interest groups.
“We have to innovate faster. … The only way we will be able to maintain our advantage is to innovate and we have to innovate faster than our adversaries.”
Part of successfully innovating, Meink said, is modernization. Like others, Meink pointed out that many of the aircraft being flown today are older than their pilots.
He underscored the point by displaying a two side-by-side pictures – an older picture of him as a young airman 30 years ago standing next to a KC-135 tanker.
The newer picture recaptured the scene, but this time with Meink as Secretary.
The plane in each picture, he told the audience, was the same, still in service, still providing a crucial mission refueling aircraft in defense of the nation.
And, he added, it looked to be in even better condition today than it was when he flew it over three decades ago.
While the ability to keep planes and other aging equipment operating is impressive, he said, it is the reason the Department of the Air Force is undergoing what Meink said is the most aggressive modernization campaign in its 78-year history.
He name-checked some – the recently announced F-47 sixth-generation fighter, the in-service F-35, a fifth-generation aircraft that is the backbone of the Air Force fleet, the F-15EX, adding new engines and radar to the ageless B-52 bomber and continued development of the next-generation B-21 bomber.
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Additionally, Meink mentioned modernizing and upgrading the land-based nuclear leg with the Sentinel project, space control, and moving to expand the ability to launch more satellites and equipment into space, continuing to develop the so-called Collaborative Combat Aircraft which are uncrewed craft that perform a series of functions.
Meink also highlighted a less glamorous but equally important pursuit – modernizing munitions.
The United States, he said, has “built some of the best munitions on the planet. … The challenge we have with munitions is scaling them up,” he said.
Modernization also touches other areas, he said
Technology is important, he said, but not everything. “We have to be innovative in how we operate. We have to be innovative in how we maintain our systems.
We have to be innovative in how we train. We really need to be innovative across the board. And if we’re not thinking that way from our level all the way down to the individual Airman or Guardian at the very lowest ranks were not going to be successful.”
The need to innovate, he said, extends even to how the Department acquires things it needs.
The Department must have highly trained and technically sufficient personnel to ensure that the hardware developed meets the need, stays on budget and performs as intended.
“There is no replacement for technical skill in acquisitions,” he said.
On readiness, Meink said he knew “there was a readiness challenge, I didn’t appreciate how significant that readiness challenge was.”
One focus, he said, must be on efficiency; squeezing every benefit out of every piece of equipment and dollar the Department has.
He highlighted five different aspects of readiness across the Department.
First the need to focus on systems and concepts that can survive in contested environments – showing a video of a Ukrainian low-cost quadcopter destroying a sophisticated Russian UAS.
Second, he highlighted that we need to continue to push industry to improve the reliability of spare parts.
Next, he highlighted internal initiatives to better leverage the data we have to improve both maintenance and operations. Finally, he discussed installations across the Department.
“Our facilities are part of our weapon systems. In many cases, we fight from our facilities, both in the Air and Space Force side of the house.”
Meink’s final major focus is ensuring all Air Force and Space Force personnel are fulfilled both professionally and at home.
“People are the most important thing we have; the most critical…I have zero concern about the ability of the Department to employ combat power.
We have the best trained, most talented workforce the Department of the Air Force has ever had,” he said. “We are asking them to maintain and work on some of the most technical systems … and we need to make sure we’re doing everything we can to support them.”
He ended with a challenge to the audience.
“The challenge is, how do we make sure (Airmen and Guardians) have the tools at the mass and scale they need to be successful. …
If we, as leadership, are not doing everything we can to support you, moving fast and being innovative, then you need to tell us because we will not be successful without that.”
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Space Force finds a home at Springfield Air National Guard Base
September 23, 2025
The Springfield Air National Guard Base is welcoming members of the U.S. Space Force.
For about 20 years, the Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base has been increasingly dedicated to intelligence-gathering and working with the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
On Friday, the U.S. Space Force Combined Intelligence Operations floor, called the “Space Intelligence Production Cell,” will be officially celebrated with a ribbon-cutting at the base.
Work at the cell will allow for better integration of crucial intelligence into military space operations, Space Force leaders believe.
The operations floor will combine members of the 76th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron (ISRS) and the 4th Intelligence Analysis Squadron (IAS) from the National Space Intelligence Center (NSIC).
NASIC and NSIC share space at Wright-Patterson.
The Springfield Space Intelligence Production Cell — or “SIPC” — will have a team streamlining the flow of valuable military intelligence to the U.S. government.
The first party involved is the 4th IAS from NSIC. The second party is the 76th ISRS, comprised of Space Force guardians who are analyzing information about what is happening in space, a domain that has become increasingly contested.
In May 2023, the Air Force announced that Wright-Patterson was expected to host a then-new unit, the 76th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron.
Air Force airmen and Space Force guardians at both Wright-Patterson and in Springfield seek to provide critical, time-sensitive and actionable intelligence for the Department of Defense.
https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/space-force-finds-a-home-at-springfield-air-national-guard-base/LT43FWD4TJBRTAKDLAH2IT35HI/
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/09/space-force-to-get-noaa-antennas-to-supplement-overtasked-satellite-control-network/
Space Force to get NOAA antennas to supplement Satellite Control Network
September 22, 2025 10:21 am
MAUI — The Space Force will soon have access to antennas owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to augment the capacity of its aging Satellite Control Network used to keep US military satellites flying, according to a senior official at the service’s primary acquisition command.
“We have a program right now called Federal Augmentation Service, FAS, which is essentially leveraging some NOAA antennas.
And so that … is sort of a prototype effort that’s going operational here very, very soon, next probably month or two,” said Col. Patrick Little, system program director for Space Access and Network Services at Space Systems Command’s new(ish) System Delta 85.
“They have excess capacity we’ve been able to use right now,” he told Breaking Defense on Wednesday at the annual Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance conference here.
The SCN is used to support launches and early satellite operations, track and control satellites, and provide emergency support to tumbling and lost satellites for constellations owned by the US military, the National Reconnaissance Office, NASA and NOAA.
The network comprises 19 antennas and ground systems at seven locations around the globe that undertake what are known as TT&C functions — tracking (determining where a satellite is located), telemetry (collecting information about its health and status) and command (transmitting signals to control subsystems and maneuvering satellites if necessary).
However, not only are those antennas all old-school parabolic dishes that can only talk to one satellite at a time, but also there is simply not enough ground system capacity to keep tabs on all the satellites the US government has launched over the past few years.
And the number of US satellites is only expected to grow. Thus, the initiative to use excess antenna capacity from NOAA ground stations is part of a broader modernization effort for the SCN, all together budgeted at $81.5 million in fiscal 2025 and $93.8 million in FY26.
Little said the program with NOAA, which was launched in 2023 under an initial memorandum of understanding, has been “a little bit clunky” but that SSC has “learned a lot” from it — lessons that will help System Delta 85 as it moves out on agreements with other agencies, as well as with commercial providers.
SSC in May granted two prototype contracts to Boecore, a subsidiary of Auria, and Sphinx Defense to create two parallel systems for connecting military and government satellite control centers in need of antenna time and bandwidth to third-party ground systems providers under the prototype Joint Antenna Marketplace (JAM) program.
Boecore received $8.1 million and Sphinx $9.5 million “to demonstrate the core, cloud-based capabilities to support an enterprise commercial solution with an emphasis on scalability,” the SSC announcement said.
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The companies in essence are serving as “brokers” to match users first with commercial operators — such as Amazon Web Services and Kongsberg Satellite Services — and later with other government agencies such as NASA or NRO, Little explained.
They would, for example, figure out which of the providers let into the JAM pool could meet users antenna frequency needs.
Little stressed that SSC, rather than the two companies, will vet providers for inclusion in the pool, including certifying that they have all the right cybersecurity protections in place.
“We need to go through the process of doing an authority to connect, to connect from our architecture out to their commercial site, and … develop a repeatable, approved approach to doing that.
We’ve got an approach right now that’s approved, but sort of from a prototype perspective. So we’re going to try it out, and we’re going to work with the security community to say, here’s how we think is the best way to approve these connections,” he said.
Little said that the idea behind JAM is to expand satellite control capacity at a lower cost than building new SCN antennas.
“Basically, what it does is it gives us a dial for capacity. So today, I’ve got a fixed amount of capacity. … I’ve got this many antennas. We haven’t put up a new antenna in a while, right? And we’re, might have noticed, we’re launching a lot of stuff,” he said.
“What I need to have is I need to have [commercial providers] connected in, I need to have a secure way to talk to them, to actually reserve and schedule time, and a business model to pay it, and then I can reserve the time when I need it.
And so get into a situation, get into combat, whatever it is, and we need to turn that dial, I now have a dial, And so that’s really what it does for us is gives us the ability to flex,” he elaborated.
While the business model isn’t yet sorted out, Little said the idea is to have users pay into the system to use either the SCN antennas or those from outside augmenting the network.
“We’re kind of experimenting, prototyping with a model where we … basically say, ‘okay, everybody’s gonna have to pay for their contacts.’
Maybe, whether you’re using the SCN or not, you might need to pay for contacts on the SCN in order to contribute to that sustainment,” he said.
“And then you have a much more sustainable model.”
Another problem SSC is hoping JAM can help solve is the fact that many of the signals used by the SCN antennas “are in a bandwidth that most other countries aren’t allowing us to use anymore, [as] they’re selling it off for other purposes.
So we have to find another way to connect to those satellites.” The JAM prototype effort is first concentrating on finding commercial antenna providers using “unified S-band,” and transferred those government satellites using the SCN on that band to the new providers, Little said.
Unified S-band is widely used by commercial providers. As a next step, he added, the effort will look at how to expand access for satellites using “military Ka-band.”
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Space Force renames ‘Front Door’ to reflect broader impact on industry collaboration
Sept. 23, 2025
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (AFNS) –
Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman announced Space Systems Command’s Front Door initiative has been renamed the Space Force Front Door during his keynote address at the Air and Space Forces Association’s annual Air, Space & Cyber Conference Sept. 23.
The rebranding underscores the initiative’s vital role in connecting industry partners with offices across the Space Force and beyond.
The Space Force Front Door will continue fostering collaboration between government agencies and commercial companies, facilitating the exchange of proven and emerging technologies to advance U.S. space capabilities and enhance national security.
“Your concepts are now vetted against the needs of organizations beyond just SSC, including all Space Force equities, broader Department needs, other government agencies and allies,” Saltzman said.
“Every bit of new technology that gives us an advantage is a win for the Space Force and the nation.”
Since its launch in 2023, Front Door has received more than 1,700 technology submissions from more than 1,400 companies interested in connecting to the appropriate government agency to share their innovations and technologies.
Those connections have contributed to more than 750 contracts for new space capabilities that Space Systems Command awarded during the first half of this year.
Front Door has also supported the execution of 30 Industry Day or Reverse Industry Day events which provide an environment for government and commercial sectors to interact on issues important to the future of U.S. space capabilities.
Feedback from these events informs government and industry alike as they work though issues challenging the future of the Nation’s space capability.
The relaunch includes the debut of a number of new functionality features. Users who visit the Front Door online portal will now find a section where Space Force and other government agencies can share challenges, desired capabilities or requests for information from vendors.
This section will grow more robust with time in order to assist vendors who are looking for opportunities to do business with the government. Front Door will provide options for vendors to acquire deeper insight to Space Force and government needs.
The Space Force Front Door will continue to provide current and new registered users with Orbital Watch, which shares critical unclassified threat information authored by Headquarters Space Force Intelligence with commercial space companies to ensure commercial providers can build resilient systems and mitigate threats.
“We have thoughtfully grown Front Door from a nascent commercial entry point, to a full service informational and connective hub for innovators who are creating space capabilities,” said Victor Vigliotti, director of Space Force Front Door.
“The online portal builds on our past success to gather innovative ideas from across the commercial sector. As space threats continue to evolve - from cyber intrusions and electronic warfare to adversarial on-orbit activities, Front Door is also providing valuable unclassified threat information to enable our commercial portfolio to create greater resilience in their products and capabilities.”
Space Force Front Door will continue to be operated by Space Systems Command’s Commercial Space Office (COMSO), which is responsible for accelerating commercial partnerships to deliver fight tonight capabilities aligned with warfighter needs.
Space Force Front Door will continue to grow in its integral role of coordinating across combatant commands and syncing with partnership initiatives across the U.S. Space Force, Department of War, and agencies involved with space capabilities and development.
“The Commercial Space Office supports execution of the U.S. Space Force Commercial Space Strategy,” explained the office’s director, USSF Col. Timothy Trimailo.
“We need industry to bring us your best ideas. If we don’t know we need them yet, tell us why we need them. When an idea is a good match, our Front Door will connect you with the appropriate office to see where your innovation or technology might enable our missions.”
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4311861/space-force-renames-front-door-to-reflect-broader-impact-on-industry-collaborat/
Copenhagen, Oslo airports reopen after hours-Long disruption
September 23, 2025
Copenhagen Airport KBHL.CO, the busiest in the Nordic region, said it reopened early on Tuesday after drone sightings halted all take-offs and landings for nearly four hours, with Norway's Oslo Airport also reopened after it had shut its airspace over a drone.
"The police have launched an intensive investigation to determine what kind of drones these are," Copenhagen Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jakob Hansen told reporters.
"The drones have disappeared and we have not taken any of them," he added.
Hansen said authorities in Denmark and Norway would cooperate to determine whether there was a link between the two incidents.
The airspace at Oslo airport in Norway was reopened by 3.22 am (0122 GMT), a spokesperson for Norwegian airport operator Avinor said in a statement.
It had been shut since midnight (2200 GMT) due to a drone observation, with all flights diverted to the nearest airport.
Danish police said earlier on Monday that two or three large drones had been seen flying near Copenhagen's airport, closing it to all traffic.
The airport halted operations at 8.26 pm (1826 GMT) on Monday, according to flight tracking service FlightRadar. Around 50 flights were diverted to alternate airports, FlightRadar said on X.
After it reopened, Copenhagen Airport said on X that delays and some cancellations would persist and urged passengers to check with their airlines.
The airport shutdowns came after a string of disruptions at European airports in recent days.
A cyberattack last Friday knocked out check-in and boarding systems supplied by Collins Aerospace, a unit of RTX RTX.N, affecting operations at London's Heathrow and the Berlin and Brussels airports.
Over the weekend and into Monday, the fallout continued to snarl travel across the region. In 2018, drone sightings over the runway at Gatwick near London stranded tens of thousands of passengers and disrupted hundreds of flights at the height of the holiday season.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2568445/copenhagen-oslo-airports-reopen-after-hours-long-disruption
https://m.economictimes.com/news/new-updates/watch-how-alien-drones-forced-copenhagen-oslo-airports-to-shut-throwing-skies-into-chaos/articleshow/124060455.cms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=785fH4PCVh4
Ukrainian drone raid on Moscow repelled – mayor
23 Sep, 2025 06:17
Air defenses around Russia's capital, Moscow, have destroyed or intercepted 32 Ukrainian drones targeting the megapolis, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has reported.
In a series of Telegram posts beginning around 8pm on Monday, Sobyanin described several waves of attacks that allegedly stretched into the early hours of Tuesday.
He did not provide details on injuries, damage details, or the exact crash sites, saying only that emergency services were working where debris had fallen.
However, the Telegram channel Mash reported that drone wreckage landed in Solntsevo, a residential district in western Moscow, and in Reutov, a town just east of the capital, where drone fragments reportedly damaged parked cars.
Temporary restrictions on takeoffs and landings at Sheremetyevo Airport were also introduced amid the drone attacks, although the measures were later lifted.
On Tuesday morning, the Russian Defense Ministry said that from midnight to 7am on Tuesday, a total of 69 Ukrainian drones had been neutralized over the regions of Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga, Kursk, Moscow, Rostov, Ryazan, Samara, and Saratov, as well as Crimea.
Ukraine has routinely launched drone attacks deep into Russia, often targeting residential buildings and critical infrastructure, with Moscow denouncing the raids as “terrorism.”
https://www.rt.com/russia/625091-ukrainian-drone-raid-moscow/
Ukrainian conscription center raided – officials
23 Sep, 2025 07:24
A group of unidentified attackers raided a conscription center in western Ukraine on Monday, allowing three potential recruits to escape, local officials have said.
The incident occurred in the Kalush municipality of Ivano-Frankivsk Region, according to statements from regional draft officials and police. The attackers reportedly broke windows and doors to enter the facility.
Ukrainian media, citing unnamed sources, said around ten assailants took part in the raid. It remains unclear whether freeing the recruits was their goal or an unintended consequence of the attack.
Kiev relies on mandatory conscription to replenish battlefield losses. Draft officers have faced growing hostility from the public following multiple incidents in which force was used against resisting recruits.
Ukrainian enlistment centers and personnel have been attacked repeatedly. In February, a man fatally shot a service member escorting several recruits in Priyatin, Poltava Region, and fled with one of them. Both were later caught in a manhunt.
In July, Andrey Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, alleged that some Ukrainians are tipping off the Russian military about the locations of enlistment centers in hopes they will be targeted by long-range strikes.
https://www.rt.com/russia/625093-ukraine-conscription-center-raid/
European NATO nations preparing to ‘occupy’ Moldova – Moscow
23 Sep, 2025 08:39
European NATO countries are preparing for a military intervention in Moldova, according to Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).
The agency warned that “eurocrats” in Brussels intend to ensure that Chisinau continues to pursue anti-Russian policies, and will go as far as to “occupy” Moldova after upcoming parliamentary elections.
In a press release on Monday, the SVR stated it had observed European NATO forces being concentrated in Romania near the border with Moldova, and further claimed that they are preparing to deploy to Odessa Region in Ukraine to intimidate Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria.
It added that military servicemen from France and the UK have already arrived in Odessa.
According to the SVR, forces from European countries intend to intervene following the upcoming Moldovan parliamentary elections, where Brussels and Chisinau will allegedly falsify the results in the hope of driving Moldovan citizens to the streets to defend their rights.
After that, at the request of Moldovan President Maia Sandu, European NATO forces will enter the country and compel Moldovans to “accept dictatorship under the guise of European democracy,” the agency said.
The SVR also alleged that even if there is no public unrest following the election, European nations still intend to occupy Moldova, but at a later date under the pretext of armed provocations against Transnistria and Russian peacekeeping troops stationed in the region.
The service said that the possible timeframe for the operation is between the upcoming parliamentary elections and November 30.
In its press release, the SVR argued that the alleged plot to occupy Moldova was motivated by the desire of European “totalitarian-liberal regimes” to “demonstrate their courage and determination” as plans to send Western troops to Ukraine have stalled.
“Fearing a direct confrontation with big Russia, Europeans intend to take it out on small Moldova. Self-affirmation at the expense of the weak has always been an integral part of European colonialism,” the service said.
The SVR similarly warned in July that European NATO nations were molding Moldova into a military “battering ram” against Russia.
Former Moldovan President Igor Dodon recently claimed that the bloc intends to use Moldova as “cannon fodder” in a possible future conflict with Russia.
https://www.rt.com/russia/625098-eu-moldova-nato-occupy/
Russian forces respond to Kiev’s attack on Crimea wellness resort
23 Sep, 2025 09:45
Russian forces have carried out a series of targeted strikes on Ukrainian military targets in response to Kiev’s latest terrorist attack in Crimea, the Defense Ministry in Moscow reported on Tuesday.
Ukrainian drones struck a wellness complex in the Russian peninsula on Sunday and also damaged a school building. Three civilians were killed and sixteen were injured.
Moscow has stressed that there were no military facilities in the resort area.
On Tuesday, the Defense Ministry stated that overnight, the Russian military carried out strikes against temporary deployment points of Kiev’s special operations forces and foreign mercenaries of the “Ghosts” unit, which it said were responsible for preparing and executing the attack on Crimea.
Moscow also claimed to have struck UAV storage facilities at the Shkolny airfield in Odessa Region, from which the attack on the Russian peninsula was allegedly launched.
The ministry said it also carried out strikes against workshops where Ukrainian drones were assembled.
Ukraine has increasingly turned to long-range drone attacks for strikes inside Russia as its forces have been consistently beaten back on the battlefield.
The attacks, targeting Russian energy and civilian infrastructure, have killed and injured dozens of innocent people. Moscow has long accused Kiev of deliberately targeting Russian citizens and often children.
Russia has repeatedly responded to Kiev’s attacks by launching its own long-range drone and missile strikes.
The Defense Ministry has stressed that it exclusively targets Ukrainian military sites such as troop positions, weapons depots and fuel storage facilities, and never attacks innocent people or civilian infrastructure.
https://www.rt.com/russia/625105-moscow-response-kiev-crimea/
Putin grants citizenship to former Biden aide
23 Sep, 2025 10:06
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree granting citizenship to RT contributor and former US Senate aide Tara Reade. The political commentator has been living in the country for the last two years.
Reade worked as a Senate aide for Joe Biden in the early 1990s before accusing him in 2020 of sexually assaulting her in a Capitol office building in 1993. Biden has denied the allegations.
Reade moved to Moscow in 2023, citing safety concerns that she said increased after she repeated her accusations during Biden’s re-election campaign.
In a statement following the granting of her citizenship, Reade expressed her gratitude to “many heroes along the way with my story,” and personally to RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan.
“I teared up, I was so joyful, and I immediately talked to some of the people at RT,” she told the news channel, commenting on the announcement of her citizenship.
Reade recounted how her “family was under threat by the US government, by the Biden regime” when Representative Matt Gaetz told her that it would be safer to stay in Russia and to apply for asylum in the country.
Reade is not the first foreign public figure to be granted Russian citizenship by presidential decree. Among the most high-profile is NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, who in 2013 revealed illegal mass US surveillance of American citizens.
After his passport was cancelled by the US State Department under President Barack Obama, Snowden sought and was granted asylum in Russia, and later Russian citizenship.
Others include American actor Steven Seagal, who received citizenship in 2016 and has since been active in Russian cultural diplomacy, French actor Gerard Depardieu, and mixed martial artist Jeff Monson.
https://www.rt.com/russia/625101-putin-grants-citizenship-tara-reade/
Russian drone maker releases VIDEO of strikes on Ukrainian hardware
23 Sep, 2025 10:17
A key provider of drones to the Russian Army has released a video montage detailing what it claimed were multiple strikes on Ukrainian targets this summer.
ZALA Aero Group, which is part of Kalashnikov Concern, reported that Russian forces had “actively employed the Lancet reconnaissance-strike complexes on various fronts.”
The video released on Monday shows what ZALA said was the destruction of Ukrainian howitzers, radar stations, armored vehicles, air-defense and missile systems, special-purpose equipment, naval craft, and troops.
The montage also includes aerial footage used to spot targets and adjust artillery and missile fire, and strikes by other drones. All the clips are dated August this year.
ZALA stressed that drone reconnaissance “made it possible to identify drone launch sites and temporary deployment points of the Ukrainian armed forces.
Targets were struck by Iskander-M crews, Geran-2 UAVs and the Russian Aerospace Forces.”
The company added that the Lancet crews “are inflicting significant damage on the enemy’s command and logistics infrastructure, continuing to reduce its defensive capabilities.”
Citing the LostArmour military analytical website, ZALA said in July that there had been at least 2,000 verified episodes of combat use of Lancet drones during the conflict.
The Lancet drone has several modifications, carrying a payload of up to 3kg with a maximum range of 50km, and can be equipped with either high-explosive or hollow-charge warheads designed to defeat armored targets.
https://www.rt.com/russia/625099-russian-drone-maker-video-strikes/
NYC police force Macron to call Trump
23 Sep, 2025 13:52
French President Emmanuel Macron was stopped on the street by New York City police on Monday as they cleared the way for US President Donald Trump’s motorcade.
Footage shared by French news channel BFMTV shows Macron calling Trump amid the incident in Manhattan.
Macron was in the city for the UN General Assembly, where France formally recognized the state of Palestine.
After his speech, Macron and his entourage were heading from UN headquarters toward the French Embassy when officers blocked traffic to allow Trump’s convoy through.
A video released by BFMTV shows Macron standing in the street, speaking with a police officer who apologizes for the delay, explaining that a “motorcade [is] coming right up this way.”
Macron replies, “If you can’t see it, let me pass. I’ll negotiate with you,” before taking out his phone and apparently calling Trump.
”How are you? Guess what? I’m waiting in the street because everything is closed down for you,” Macron is heard saying.
The French president reportedly had to wait several minutes and then continued towards the embassy on foot.
Trump is reported to have handed out his private phone number to foreign leaders to encourage direct calls and texts.
Politico noted in July that Macron was among those in regular contact.
https://www.rt.com/news/625116-nyc-police-macron-call-trump/
Ukraine has to agree to peace deal – Rubio
23 Sep, 2025 13:55
Ukraine has to agree to a peace deal with Russia, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said. He added that it is not up to the US to end the conflict, and that the two sides themselves must find a compromise.
Since returning to office, US President Donald Trump has made repeated attempts to mediate the Ukraine conflict, initiating numerous rounds of talks with Russian officials and holding a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska in mid-August.
The sides described their contacts as productive, but no breakthrough was achieved.
Speaking on NBC’s Today Show on Tuesday, Rubio replied that it is “not up to us to end the war” when asked why the conflict continues despite Trump’s repeated promises to end it “on day one” of his new administration.
“The Russians have to stop the war and the Ukrainians have to agree to a peace deal,” he added. Ending the conflict is still a “priority” for the Trump administration, Rubio maintained.
When asked about Washington’s alleged reluctance to impose new sanctions on Russia, the secretary of state said the US would like to retain the role of a “broker” in the conflict for as long as possible.
“The minute we go heavy on the sanctions and everything else, our ability to act as a broker to bring about peace is diminished,” he told NBC. The conflict could then go on for “another two years,” Rubio warned, adding that “we hope to avoid that.”
He also accused Kiev’s Western backers of hypocrisy by saying they demand that the US introduce harsher economic restrictions against Moscow, with some “countries in Europe… still buying massive amounts of oil and natural gas” from Russia.
Moscow has repeatedly stated it is open to a peaceful resolution of the hostilities at any time, but has maintained that any deal must address the roots of the conflict and respect the realities on the ground.
This includes the status of the former Ukrainian territories that joined Russia after public referendums.
Russia has also accused Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky of being in denial and unnecessarily prolonging a conflict he cannot win.
https://www.rt.com/news/625118-ukraine-russia-us-peace-deal/
Trump and Zelensky to meet at UN: Live Updates
23 Sep, 2025 14:40
US President Donald Trump is expected to hold a meeting with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Trump delivered a typical speech to the assembly on Tuesday, in which he was initially denied use of a teleprompter (and for which he promised “big trouble,” to laughter in the audience).
While criticizing mass migration, Trump also told the gathered delegations that the peace he “forged” during his first presidential term had been “shattered” by the “guns of war” and questioned the role of the UN in resolving recent conflicts and political crises.
17:11 GMT
Trump and Zelensky most recently met in Washington in mid-August, soon after the US president’s summit with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Alaska.
The leaders of the UK, France, Italy, Germany and Finland, as well as the heads of NATO and the European Commission were also present at the talks between the American president and Ukrainian leader.
Trump also put a big map on a display at the Oval Office showing the frontline situation in the Ukraine conflict. “I assume you've all seen the map,” Trump told Fox news after the meeting.
“A big chunk of territory is taken and that territory has been taken,” he said, referring to the areas controlled by Russia.
READ MORE: Zelensky admits territory exchanges on talks agenda
Zelensky also admitted that territorial exchanges were on the talks agenda at the White House – something he had previously outright refused to discuss.
16:47 GMT
Trump spoke for almost an hour at the UN General Assembly, even though each speaker is usually given around 15 minutes. At 56 minutes, it was the longest speech at the UN among US presidents.
16:46 GMT
Renewable energy is “a joke” and is too expensive and insufficient to power an industrial economy, Trump claimed.
According to the president, the “green energy agenda” has brought many nations in Europe to “the brink of destruction,” adding: “All green is all bankrupt.”
The US president called global warming and the idea of the carbon footprint a “hoax” and a “scam,” claiming that the green agenda was aimed at moving manufacturing and industrial activity away from developed nations.
cont.
https://www.rt.com/news/625121-trump-speech-un-general-assembly/
Lithuania authorises army to shoot down drones violating its airspace
September 23, 20257:34 AM PDT
Lithuania's parliament granted the Baltic country's armed forces powers on Tuesday to shoot down any unmanned drone violating its airspace following incidents in which it said two Russian drones crashed on its territory.
Lithuania's army is currently able to target drones only if they are determined to be armed or pose an imminent danger to objects important to the state.
This will change under a law that was passed with the backing of 117 of the 141 members of Lithuanian parliament under emergency procedures and will be valid in the NATO and European Union member state from October.
VIOLATIONS OF NATO MEMBER STATES' AIRSPACE
"Now we can quickly react in any way, including the destruction of drones", said Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene. "Our laws and procedures were not adapted to current threats… we can now react at the speed of lightning".
The new law authorises Lithuania's chief of defence to close down parts of Lithuanian airspace and to shoot down any drone inside "which violates rules set out by the chief of defence".
NATO said on Tuesday it would use "all necessary military and non-military tools" to defend itself after what it said was "a pattern of increasingly irresponsible behaviour" by Moscow following recent violations of NATO member states' airspace.
Lithuania asked NATO in August for more air defences after two military drones chrashed into its territory from Belarus, and Denmark said on Tuesday that drones that halted flights at its main airport on Monday were linked to a series of suspected Russian drone incursions and other disruptions across Europe.
Estonia said on Friday that three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets had violated its airspace for 12 minutes before being escorted out by NATO fighter jets.
Poland said some 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace on the night of September 9-10, prompting NATO jets to shoot some of them down and the alliance to beef up the defence of Europe's eastern flank.
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/lithuania-authorises-army-shoot-down-drones-violating-its-airspace-2025-09-23/
Deadly Haiti drone attack kills eight children in capital Port-au-Prince
23 Sep 2025
A deadly drone attack in an impoverished area of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, which killed at least 11 people, including eight children, is being blamed on the government, as the country’s use of the UAVs in its war on gangs comes under increasing scrutiny.
The incident happened on Saturday night in Cite Soleil, one of Port-au-Prince’s most dangerous neighbourhoods, in the city’s west along the coast, as Albert Steevenson, known as Djouma or “King Jouma”, who is a suspected gang leader, was celebrating his birthday.
The area is believed to be controlled by the Viv Ansanm (Living Together) coalition of gangs, which the United States designated a “foreign terrorist” organisation in May.
One of the group’s leaders and most notorious figures, Jimmy Cherizier, known as Barbecue, promised to avenge the attack.
Claudia Bobrun, 30, whose daughter was killed in the attack, showed The Associated Press news agency a video of the eight-year-old in a pool of blood, as she burst into tears.
Merika, another four-year-old victim of the attack, was playing with other children at 8pm in the Simon Pele neighbourhood, in Cite Soleil, where the suspected kamikaze drone exploded.
The girl’s grandmother, Mimose Duclaire, told the Miami Herald: “While they were playing, I heard a ‘boom’ and when I looked, I saw both of her knees were broken and her head was split open.”
Merika died on her way to the hospital.
The National Human Rights Defence Network (RNDDH), a human rights group, has said the explosions were caused by two kamikaze drones launched by the Haitian National Police task force.
Neither the spokesperson for Haitian police nor the prime minister’s office responded to the AP’s requests for comment on the incident.
The RNDDH said the casualty figures were a conservative estimate, but believed at least four gang members were killed, as well as three civilians.
Authorities in Haiti have been battling soaring levels of gang violence in their capital, where gangs control approximately 80 percent of the city, according to the United Nations, and began turning to drones earlier this year to gain an edge.
The government first publicly signalled that it was using drones in June when local police posted a video on Facebook of an attack on a gang leader. The government is believed to have been using drones since March this year.
The drones were supplied by Canada’s police, which has since said Haiti’s use of the explosives contravenes its domestic laws and violates assurances that they would not be used for conflict.
In an interview in July with the Financial Times, Fritz Jean, then chair of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, defended their use amid growing concern about whether military weapons can be used in a place where the threshold for an armed conflict has not been reached.
Jean told the Financial Times that his country’s forces “needed this air support in order for the police and army to enter gang areas”. He added, “If you don’t call that a war, I don’t know what is.”
On Sunday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met Laurent Saint-Cyr, the current president of Haiti’s transitional presidential council. They agreed that “urgent international action is needed to help restore security”, according to a UN statement.
In August, a UN report found that 1,520 people had been killed in the country between April and June this year and at least 600 were injured.
An estimated 1.3 million Haitians, 10 percent of the country’s population, have been displaced from their homes due to the violence which has gripped the capital.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/23/deadly-haiti-drone-attack-kills-eight-children-in-capital-port-au-prince
Israel closes border crossing between West Bank and Jordan until further notice
September 23, 2025 5:55 pm
Israel said Tuesday that it would close the Allenby Crossing between Jordan and the West Bank “until further notice,” stranding most Palestinians for whom the gate is their only way out of the territory.
The crossing had originally closed Friday, a day after two Israeli soldiers were killed there in a stabbing and shooting attack by a Jordanian man hired to drive humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The crossing has since reopened intermittently but remained closed to Gaza-bound aid.
The Israel Airports Authority, which oversees the crossing, said the entry and exit point will be closed as a result of a directive from the political echelon.
Nazmi Muhanna, head of the Palestinian Crossing and Borders Authority, told the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency, Wafa, that Israel informed them the crossing will be closed from tomorrow morning until further notice.
Army Radio reported that security officials received instructions from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to close the border in both directions.
The outlet said it asked the Prime Minister’s Office if the decision to close the border crossing was linked to the wave of international recognitions of a Palestinian state, but did not receive a response.
Jordan had on Sunday reopened the crossing to pedestrian traffic — not cargo — but Israel abruptly closed the crossing hours later.
The crossing reopened on Monday, but closed again ahead of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, which began Monday night and will last until Wednesday night.
The crossing, which is the West Bank’s only land crossing with Jordan, had been expected to reopen after the holiday.
While it had reopened to passengers, the Allenby Crossing has remained closed to humanitarian aid shipments en route to the Gaza Strip until the investigation into the killing at the border point is completed and the inspection procedures for Jordanian drivers are updated.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-closes-border-crossing-between-west-bank-and-jordan-until-further-notice/
Israeli government seeks permanent Gaza control and Jewish majority in West Bank, UN inquiry says
Updated: SEPTEMBER 23, 2025 18:16
The Israeli government has shown a clear intent to establish permanent control over Gaza and to ensure a Jewish majority in the West Bank, a United Nations Commission of Inquiry said on Tuesday.
The UN report detailed Israeli authorities' reported extensive demolition of civilian infrastructure in Gaza's corridors and buffer zone, resulting in Israel expanding control to 75% of the Gaza Strip by July this year.
"Israeli forces have also intentionally altered the geography of Gaza" through the creation of military corridors, expanding the border buffer zone, and establishing security zones, the report by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Palestine said.
United Nations says Israel seeks control of Gaza, West Bank
Israel maintains that its war is not against the population of Gaza but against Hamas, which controls the enclave and led an attack on Israeli territory in 2023 that precipitated the war.
The Israeli mission in Geneva dismissed the report's findings. "Hamas has genocidal intent towards Israel. The report has everything backwards.
This Commission does not miss an opportunity to reveal its true character and politically-driven agenda."
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-868426