TYB
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/first-evidence-for-a-non-gravitational-acceleration-of-3i-atlas-at-perihelion-2698f6a453fe
https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=3I%2FATLAS
https://www.timesnownews.com/technology-science/comet-3i-atlas-live-tracker-latest-updates-location-nasa-visibility-map-naked-eye-telescope-watch-date-time-latest-news-liveblog-153071089
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/3i-atlas-anomaly-harvard-expert-warns-against-ignoring-surprising-data-1751502
https://usaherald.com/planetary-defense-and-u-s-nuclear-testing-move-in-lockstep-as-3i-atlas-triggers-a-global-readiness-check/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-hf0Qaikpg (John Lenard Walson @3i/ATLAS #3IATLAS Oct 31, 2025)
First Evidence for a Non-Gravitational Acceleration of 3I/ATLAS at Perihelion
October 30, 2025
By the date of its perihelion, 3I/ATLAS displayed the first evidence of a non-gravitational acceleration.
The report (accessible here) was filed by Davide Farnoccia, a navigation engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena who received his PhD in Mathematics from the Galileo Galilei School of Graduate studies at the University of Pisa, Italy.
The non-gravitational acceleration was measured at the perihelion distance of 1.36 times the Earth-Sun separation (defined as an astronomical unit or `au’), equivalent to 203 million kilometers.
It had two components in the orbital plane of 3I/ATLAS:
· A radial acceleration away from the Sun of 135 kilometers (=9x10^{-7}au) per day squared.
· A transverse acceleration relative to the Sun’s direction of 60 kilometers (=4x10^{-7}au) per day squared.
If 3I/ATLAS is propelled by the rocket effect of ejected gas, then momentum conservation implies that the object would lose half its mass over a characteristic timescale equal to the ejection speed divided by the measured non-gravitational acceleration.
For a thermal ejection speed of a few hundred meters per second, the evaporation half-life of 3I/ATLAS is 6 months. This implies that over the month it takes 3I/ATLAS to cross a spatial scale of order its perihelion separation from the Sun, 3I/ATLAS would lose about a tenth of its mass.
Such a massive mass loss should be detectable in the form of a large plume of gas surrounding 3I/ATLAS during the upcoming months of November and December 2025.
ESA’s Juice spacecraft would be the first to detect this large mass loss in the first week of November.
Later, on December 19, 2025, 3I/ATLAS will arrive closest to Earth at a separation of 269 million kilometers, when hundreds of ground-based telescopes as well as the Hubble and Webb space telescopes will have the best opportunity to observe it.
Given that data, it should be clear if 3I/ATLAS lost a tenth of its mass through sublimation of volatile ices when it was heated by intense sunlight at perihelion.
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Massive evaporation of 3I/ATLAS might explain its unusual brightening, as reported in a new paper (accessible here) based on observations of 3I/ATLAS from the STEREO, SOHO and GOES-19 instruments during the months of September and October 2025.
The data shows a rapid rise in the brightness of 3I/ATLAS, scaling inversely with distance from the Sun to the power of -7.5 (±1).
Alternatively, the non-gravitational acceleration might be the technological signature of an internal engine. This might also explain the report on 3I/ATLAS getting bluer than the Sun (accessible here).
For a natural comet this blue color is very surprising. Dust is expected to redden the scattered sunlight, and the surface of 3I/ATLAS is expected to be ~20 times colder than the 5,800 degrees Kelvin at the photosphere of the Sun, resulting in it having a redder color than the Sun.
The blue appearance at perihelion is a ninth anomaly in the list of unexpected properties of 3I/ATLAS (compiled most recently here). It could potentially be explained by a hot engine or a source of artificial light.
However, it might instead be a signature of ionized carbon monoxide (as discussed here) for a natural comet.
The reported level of non-gravitational acceleration corresponds to a modest spatial deviation of order ten times the radius of the Earth over a period of a month, insufficient to bring 3I/ATLAS significantly closer to any Solar System planet from its original gravitational path.
This brings us to an anecdote from another event that took place today. As director of Harvard’s Institute for Theory and Computation, I lead every Thursday a luncheon attended by over a hundred astrophysicists. The event features four presentations on the latest advances in astrophysics.
One of today’s presentations focused on the discrepancy between the current expansion rate of the Universe and the value expected for it based on the cosmic microwave background, the relic radiation from the hot dense matter in the first 400,000 years of cosmic history after the Big Bang.
It appears very difficult to explain this anomaly in the data in terms of an elegant theoretical model. At the conclusion of the presentation which demonstrated beyond any statistical uncertainty that the discrepancy is real, I pointed out to all the young theorists in the audience:
“It is a bad professional practice for theoretical astrophysicists to conclude that the data must be wrong just because they do not have a theoretical explanation for it.” Needless to say, the same lesson applies to the anomalies of 3I/ATLAS.
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Harvard Scientist Accuses NASA of Coverup About Mysterious Comet
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - 01:45 PM
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has once again leveled accusations against NASA during an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience, this time claiming the agency is deliberately withholding a key image of the mysterious interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS.
The alleged photograph, taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), shows the comet when it passed within 30 million kilometers of Mars, which is a rare close encounter for an object originating from outside our solar system, according to Loeb, who chaired the Harvard’s Department of Astronomy from 2011 to 2020.
Loeb also said that he directly contacted the HiRISE principal investigator to request access to the data, but his request fell on deaf ears.
“I wrote to the principal investigator of HiRISE, asking, 'Can I get the data? I’m a scientist,'” said Loeb, who said he received "no response" from NASA.
The comet, designated 3I/ATLAS, has exhibited several unusual characteristics that have fueled speculation.
Unlike typical comets, it displays jet-like emissions directed toward the Sun rather than away from it, a phenomenon that defies standard models of cometary outgassing, the New York Post reports.
Additionally, 3I/ATLAS lacks a visible cometary tail and has been observed spouting nickel without accompanying iron that compositions not commonly seen in natural solar system bodies.
Loeb has previously speculated that the Manhattan-sized object could be of alien origin, though he tempers this with caution. In his view, the more probable explanation is "terrestrial stupidity" rather than evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence.
Nonetheless, the comet's non-gravitational acceleration and its trajectory raise questions. Loeb has suggested these features could indicate reconnaissance activity if the object were artificial, though he emphasizes this as a low-probability scenario.
“If 3I/ATLAS is a massive mothership, it will likely continue along its original gravitational path and ultimately exit the Solar system,” Loeb wrote in a blog post in September.
“In that case, the Oberth maneuver might apply to the mini-probes it releases at perihelion towards Solar system planets.”
“Science is guided by evidence and not by expectations,” the Harvard astrophysicist continued.
“We can find the answer to the above question by monitoring the sky during November and December 2025, and searching for any unusual activity of 3I/ATLAS or any new objects that came out of it.”
“As of now, 3I/ATLAS appears most likely to be a natural comet,” he added. “But the remote possibility of an Oberth maneuver must be considered seriously as a black swan event with a small probability, because of its huge implications for humanity.”
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/harvard-scientist-accuses-nasa-coverup-about-mysterious-comet
https://twitter.com/maniaUFO/status/1983465848242327935
https://www.newsnationnow.com/vargasreports/avi-loeb-nasa-oct-2-images-atlas/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-04LzOfhcUA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaAun27gftk (Joe Rogan Experience #2401 - Avi Loeb)
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS (aka C/2025 N1 ATLAS), an exceptional object: online observation – 17 Nov. 2025.
10/31/2025
Now that this important object is going to show again in our sky, after its recent conjunction with the Sun, we will offer to the community the unique opportunity to see the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS live!
For sure, the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS (aka C/2025 N1 ATLAS) is one of the most interesting astronomical objects ever discovered.
Once again, the Virtual Telescope Project is doing something unique: sharing an exceptional event with the community worldwide.
On 17 Nov. 2025, starting at 04:15 UTC, we will show you the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS live, sharing real-time images captured via our robotic telescopes in Manciano, Italy.
Join this opportunity from the comfort of your home!
https://www.virtualtelescope.eu/2025/10/31/interstellar-comet-3i-atlas-c-2025-n1-atlas-online-observation-17-nov-2025/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krU8gN-J9gY
Kim Kardashian's moon landing doubts spark X clash with NASA chief Sean Duffy
October 31, 2025 at 11:00 AM
WASHINGTON (TNND) — During an episode of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” Kim Kardashian said she didn’t think the moon landing happened, resulting in a response NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy.
“I think it didn’t happen,” Kim said in a clip being shared on X, referencing the moon landing.
For context, she was discussing conspiracy theories with her co-star Sarah Paulson while on the set of their show called “All’s Fair.”
“Yes, @KimKardashian, we’ve been to the Moon before 6 times!” Duffy said in response to the video clip.
“And even better: @NASAArtemis is going back under the leadership of @POTUS,” he continued. “We won the last space race and we will win this one too.”
Duffy is the Transportation Secretary and was also named NASA Acting Administrator by President Donald Trump in July of this year.
In the past, he was also a congressman for Wisconsin's seventh district. He was in Congress for ten years and was on the House Financial Services Committee where he dealt with issues regarding transportation.
Kim Kardashian responded to Duffy’s tweet and said, “Wait. what’s the tea on 3I Atlas?!?!!!!!!!?????”
The first moon landing happened in 1969. The first person to walk on the moon was Neil Armstrong.
https://wpde.com/news/nation-world/kim-kardashian-moon-landing-denial-prompts-nasa-chief-sean-duffy-response-artemis-mission
https://www.today.com/popculture/kim-kardashian-moon-landing-conspiracy-nasa-response-rcna241118
https://twitter.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1983955254329974836
https://twitter.com/KimKardashian/status/1983981651479949581
https://x.com/SecDuffyNASA/status/1984011464961880441
SpaceX and Blue Origin pitch accelerated lunar missions following NASA’s criticism
Updated: October 31 2025 8:06 AM UTC
In this post:
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NASA has confirmed that SpaceX and Blue Origin have submitted accelerated approaches to return American astronauts to the Moon before China.
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A committee of NASA subject matter experts has been assembled to assess both proposals and determine the best path to win the second lunar race.
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The President and COO of SpaceX, Gwynne Shotwell, said earlier today that she is eager to go to the moon, as her company claims to have maximized real-world testing.
NASA has confirmed that it has received and is reviewing accelerated lunar mission plans from SpaceX and Blue Origin, in an effort to outpace China’s lunar ambitions.
The space agency has formed a committee of subject matter experts to determine the best path to win the second lunar race.
The space agency now suggests the lunar landing timeline could be accelerated to fit within President Donald Trump’s term, ideally before 2028.
The confirmation comes just days after NASA’s acting chief Sean Duffy slammed SpaceX for repeated delays and explosions during Starship moon lander tests.
He also threatened to pass the $4 billion contract to Blue Origin, among other American companies.
Cryptopolitan recently reported that NASA doubts SpaceX’s ability to complete the lunar mission within the scheduled timeline.
The Artemis II mission, which aims to launch astronauts for a trial run around the moon, is scheduled for next year, highlighting NASA’s urgency.
SpaceX says it is working on a simplified mission architecture
In a lengthy blog article published on October 30, SpaceX revealed that its engineers are working on a simplified mission architecture to fulfill the key role of landing humans on the moon in more than half a century.
Elon Musk’s aerospace and defense contractor said it has shared and is formally assessing the concept of operations that will return man to the moon faster and safer.
See also AI browsers are the next big target for hackers
The updated design features direct orbital refueling, over 1,000 cubic meters of habitable space, and a payload capacity of up to 100 tons.
SpaceX aims to establish a permanent human presence on the moon’s surface, not just footprints and flags, ultimately paving the way for a path to Mars.
Meanwhile, Duffy had previously complained that SpaceX is falling behind the U.S. timeline to return to the moon with Artemis, adding that the agency will not wait for a single company to catch up.
He emphasized that NASA will continue to push forward and win the second space race against China, highlighting Blue Origin as likely to take over.
“They push their timelines out, and we’re in a race against China…The president and I want to get to the moon in this president’s term, so I’m going to open up the contracts.”
–Sean Duffy, Acting Administrator at NASA
However, Musk dismissed Duffy’s criticism, claiming the person responsible for America’s space program cannot have a 2-digit IQ.
He also responded to the NASA executive, claiming Blue Origin has never delivered any useful payload to orbit, let alone the Moon.
Shotwell says she cannot wait to go to the moon
The President and COO of SpaceX, Gwynne Shotwell, said earlier today that she cannot wait to go to the moon.
Her remarks came as her company claimed to have maximized real-world testing throughout the Starship development process to demonstrate capabilities and identify areas for improvement, or prove out solutions.
SpaceX clarified that it has self-funded up to 90% of system costs and development of the HLS-specific Starship.
The company also disclosed that it is working under a fixed-price contract with NASA, ensuring that it is only paid based on delivered milestones.
To date, SpaceX has produced nearly 600 Raptor rocket engines, with more than 226,000 seconds of run time on the Raptor 2 engine and over 40,000 seconds on the Raptor 3 engine. It has also produced over three dozen Starships.
The aerospace and defense contractor claims there have been 11 Starship-only flight tests and 11 generated flight tests of Super Heavy and Starship.
It has constructed and continues to construct new Starship launch, production, integration, and test facilities in Texas, Florida, and California.
The private investment of billions of dollars is creating over five million square feet of manufacturing and integration space, multiple Raptor test stands, and five launch pads across Florida and Texas.
SpaceX says all will be engineered to ramp Starship’s launch cadence above and beyond what was achieved by its Falcon program.
https://www.cryptopolitan.com/spacex-and-blue-origin-pitch-nasa/
https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/nasa-email-upcoming-second-formal-furlough-notice/
https://nasawatch.com/shutdown/is-nasa-pulling-back-on-retroactive-pay/
NASA Email: Upcoming Second Formal Furlough Notice
October 29, 2025
Keith’s Update: see “Is NASA Pulling Back On Retroactive Pay?“ Keith’s note: the following email “Shutdown furlough: Upcoming second formal furlough notice and additional information” was sent to everyone at NASA today.
it opens with “When a lapse in appropriations exceeds 30 days, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations require agencies to treat it as a new formal furlough and issue a second formal furlough notice.” Full message below.
Hello NASA employees,
When a lapse in appropriations exceeds 30 days, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations require agencies to treat it as a new formal furlough and issue a second formal furlough notice.
You will receive a second formal furlough notice from your human capital office by 3 p.m. local time Oct. 30. Please review the notice carefully and print or save a copy to your personal device.
If you have questions regarding your shutdown furlough status, please consult with your supervisor.
As a reminder, all employees may use government-issued IT devices for the purposes of periodically checking for shutdown furlough-related updates and communications, receiving notifications regarding furlough status, and accessing information posted on https://nasa.gov/shutdown.
Government-issued IT devices may not be used by any employee to conduct non-excepted work activities or for personal use.
Timekeeping
Please keep supervisors informed of any leave plans in the event the information is helpful to support shutdown furlough or post-shutdown furlough activities.
Employees should not code non-work time into WebTADS.
Employees who perform approved excepted work during the shutdown furlough should record time worked in WebTADS daily as hour type GDWWK – GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN – Excepted Work Unpaid.
This hour type is charged to your WBS code. Instructions on how to add the GDWWK hour type can be found at https://nasa.gov/shutdown/shutdown-nasa-guidance.
Record any overtime and compensatory time worked during the shutdown furlough to appropriate WBS codes.
To ensure accurate retroactive pay and facilitate prior pay period adjustments, employees should also manually track outside of WebTADS all hours worked. Leave unworked hours blank.
Supervisors, please: 1) Code non-DRP employees on Leave Without Pay (LWOP) in WebTADS as LWOP on their timesheet so they do not receive payment after the shutdown furlough. 2)
Do not approve timecards for furloughed employees during the shutdown furlough; this is being managed by the agency.
Benefits and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
Benefits and insurance coverage, including through the NASA Employees Benefit Association (NEBA), will continue without interruption during a shutdown furlough, though claim payments through Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS) or the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) may be delayed. Insurance premiums normally deducted from paychecks (Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, Federal Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP), Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program and FSAFEDS) will be withheld from pay after shutdown furlough.
If a government shutdown is prolonged, FSAFEDS allotments may be adjusted to account for missed premiums. For details, view Impacts of a Government Shutdown on Benefits.
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) contributions will be processed retroactively once the government reopens and pay is issued.
Missed employee contributions will be credited and accounts will be updated once payroll systems are restored. Investment earnings will resume after deposits, with no additional compensation for the delay.
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TSP loans will remain in good standing for active participants (not separated from federal service or in a non-pay status for another reason), even if no repayments are received during the shutdown.
Employees may also request a new TSP loan if eligible. For details, read the Loans booklet.
Benefits Open Season starts Nov. 10. Employees will receive an email when Open Season begins. If the shutdown is ongoing during the open window, employees will also be notified via https://nasa.gov/shutdown.
Employees can make benefits changes during a shutdown furlough and are approved to use government-issued IT devices for this purpose.
These activities are not excepted so employees may not charge in WebTADS the time it takes to enroll or make changes.
Employees can begin reviewing available plans on OPM’s website at Federal Benefits Open Season Resources.
Required training and automated notifications
Employees should disregard any regular/routine automated notifications, including mandatory IT training and telework/remote work agreement cancellations; these are not excepted activities.
Employees who were not able to complete cybersecurity training due to the shutdown will not lose access to IT systems. Employees will be directed to complete all required training when regular operations resume.
Resources
NASA Shutdown pages (https://www.nasa.gov/shutdown) include employee notifications and resources.
New on the site is a letter employees may use with financial institutions, creditors, utility companies, and similar entities to request relief or assistance. Proof of employment could include the latest Standard Form 50 (SF-50), initial and latest formal furlough notices, and/or the latest earnings and leave statement from Employee Express.
The pages also include:
Government operating status and alerts
NASA Shutdown Furlough Guide for Employees
OPM shutdown website
Center shutdown pages that highlight local resources
Enterprise Service Desk
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Please continue monitoring these pages for updates.
We understand this shutdown furlough may be challenging and are grateful for your dedication to public service, commitment, and patience as this lapse in appropriations continues.
Thank you,
Kelly Elliott
Chief Human Capital Officer
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Chekt 88's
Earth from Space: Ghostly lake
31/10/2025
To celebrate Halloween, we bring you these spooky sights of Lake Carnegie in Australia, captured from space by Copernicus Sentinel-2.
Lake Carnegie lies at the southwestern border of the Gibson Desert in the Shire of Wiluna in Western Australia, about 900 km northeast of the state capital, Perth.
Being a large ephemeral lake, Carnegie fills with water only after heavy rains, that are usually rare in the region. When full, its total area is around 5700 sq km, making it one of Australia’s biggest lakes.
In dry times, it shrinks down to a muddy marsh. These images were captured after unusually high rainfall in Western Australia, making the lake’s ghostly ‘face’ easily seen from space.
The ghostly connotations don’t end there, as Lake Carnegie was observed through different spectral bands by Copernicus Sentinel-2’s multispectral imager.
The image on the left shows the lake in natural colours, as the human eye would see it, while the false-colour image on the right has been processed using three specific spectral bands to create the sinister-looking effect.
This band combination highlights water in deep blue, which makes the lake outlines more distinct and can be used to detect inundation patterns in the area.
In particular, at its southeastern end, the lake gives way to swamps and channels that can be more clearly distinguished in false colour rather than in the natural-colour image.
While only about a dozen people are reported to live around Lake Carnegie, the lake provides an important habitat and breeding areas for large flocks of birds.
It is also believed to be home to the elusive and critically endangered night parrot, which was thought to be extinct for 100 years.
The whole area is part of the Matuwa Kurrara Kurrara National Park and Lake Carnegie nature reserve, which aims to protect the area's important biodiversity and the Aboriginal cultural heritage.
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/10/Earth_from_Space_Ghostly_lake
https://spacecoastdaily.com/2025/10/welcome-our-heroes-during-space-coast-honor-flight-nov-8-at-melbourne-orlando-international-airport/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQCbzh_T8bw
Welcome Our Heroes During Space Coast Honor Flight Nov. 8 at Melbourne Orlando International Airport
October 31, 2025
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA — The Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) will shine red, white, and blue on Saturday, November 8, as it welcomes home the final Space Coast Honor Flight of 2025 — a stirring homecoming that will fill the terminal with gratitude, pride, and community spirit.
Fifty U.S. veterans, fresh from a day of remembrance and reflection in Washington, D.C., will step off a chartered Allegiant flight around 9:34 p.m. and into a hero’s welcome.
Sponsored by Northrop Grumman, MLB’s largest tenant and a leader in aerospace and defense, the flight includes 14 Northrop Grumman employees serving as guardians, accompanying the veterans to the memorials built in their honor.
Don’t miss the opportunity to be among the Brevard County community members who will line the Jack L. Ryals Welcome Center at MLB for a “Walk of Honor” — an emotional procession through the terminal featuring live music, food and beer trucks, giveaways, and family-friendly activities.
The night will begin at 8:30 p.m. with the “Red, White & YOU” pre-flight celebration, featuring live music by the Greg & Brian Duo.
Free parking will be available for attendees. This homecoming — taking place just days before Veterans Day — marks not only the closing of the 2025 flight season but also a fitting salute to the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of America’s service members.
A Year of Milestones for Space Coast Honor Flight
The November 8 event concludes a landmark year for Space Coast Honor Flight, which launched its first-ever direct flights from Melbourne to Washington, D.C., earlier in 2025.
The move allowed the nonprofit to cut travel time for veterans and increase local participation in both departures and homecomings.
“These flights have always been about honoring our veterans with the dignity and gratitude they deserve,” said Rear Adm. James Hart (Ret.), CEO of Space Coast Honor Flight.
“Now, with Melbourne as our home base, the community is truly part of every mission — from takeoff to the walk back through the terminal.”
Throughout the year, MLB hosted three major Honor Flights — all supported by the airport authority, which waived fees to ensure every dollar raised by SCHF directly benefited veterans.
The Journey of a Lifetime
Each Honor Flight is a one-day mission designed to honor those who served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and beyond.
The veterans rise before dawn for a chartered flight to Washington, D.C., where they visit national memorials, observe the Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery, and share moments of reflection with fellow service members.
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The 50 veterans represent decades of American service — from World War II MPs to Vietnam combat medics to Cold War communications specialists.
For many, the trip is both a reunion with their past and a long-overdue expression of national gratitude.
As with earlier flights this year, guardians will play a critical role, assisting veterans with mobility, logistics, and companionship throughout the day.
The partnership with Northrop Grumman underscores the company’s deep roots in the community and its commitment to supporting those who served.
Homecoming: The Walk of Honor
The emotion peaks upon return. Just after 10 p.m., veterans will make their way through a sea of flags, cheers, and applause.
Families, students, scout troops, and residents from across Brevard County will gather shoulder to shoulder, turning the airport terminal into a corridor of appreciation.
Live music, festive lighting, and patriotic décor will set the tone, but the real highlight will be the faces of the veterans — many of whom will be greeted with tears, hugs, and handshakes from complete strangers.
For some, it’s the homecoming they never received decades ago.
“Every cheer, every flag waved — it’s a way for us to say, ‘Welcome home. You’re remembered,’” said one SCHF volunteer.
“These men and women gave us their youth, their service, and their courage. Tonight, we give them our thanks.”
Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future
The Space Coast Honor Flight has carried more than 2,000 veterans to Washington since its inception, and the organization plans to continue expanding its outreach in 2026.
Each trip is made possible through donations, volunteer guardians, and the unwavering support of the community.
For the Melbourne-Orlando International Airport and the residents of Brevard County, Saturday night’s celebration will be more than an event — it’s a living expression of gratitude and unity.
As the veterans return from their journey of remembrance, the crowd’s cheers will echo through the terminal — a resounding reminder that freedom, service, and sacrifice never fade from memory.
Event Details
■ When: Saturday, November 8, 2025
■ 8:30 p.m. – “Red, White & YOU” Pre-Flight Party (music, food, giveaways)
■ 9:34 p.m. – Veteran Flight Arrival
■ 10:00 p.m. – Walk of Honor through the terminal
■ Where: Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB), Jack L. Ryals Welcome Center
■ Parking: Free for all attendees
■ Sponsor: Northrop Grumman
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Astronomers photographed a terrifying cosmic bat
October 31, 2025
In fact, the VST image shows a large cloud of cosmic gas and dust known as RCW 94/95. It is located about 10,000 light-years from Earth between the southern constellations Circinus and Norma.
If we could see it with the naked eye, it would cover an area in the sky equivalent to four full moons.
This nebula is a stellar nursery, where new stars are forming. Newborn stars emit enough energy to excite the hydrogen atoms around them, causing them to glow intensely with a characteristic red color.
As for the dark filaments, which resemble the outline of a bat’s skeleton, they are cold, dense clusters of gas and dust grains. We can see them because they block the light from more distant background stars.
The image of the nebula was obtained using the VLT Survey Telescope. It is part of the Paranal Observatory, located in the Atacama Desert.
The telescope is equipped with a 268-megapixel OmegaCAM camera, which gives it the ability to capture vast areas of the sky.
The image of the nebula was created by combining images obtained through filters that transmit different colors or wavelengths of light. Most of the bat’s shape, including the red glow, was captured in visible light.
Additional infrared data, which revealed the densest parts of the nebula and added color to the image, was obtained using the VISTA telescope.
Earlier, we reported on how the James Webb Telescope photographed an amazing nebula resembling a red spider.
https://universemagazine.com/en/astronomers-photographed-a-terrifying-cosmic-bat/
Human DNA detected in 2 billion year old meteorite
October 30, 2025
This statement might sound like a line from a sci-fi movie, but what if life on Earth didn’t start here at all?
For decades, that question sat on the fringe of science, it was filed next to crop circles and UFOs.
But now, with new data from NASA and Japan’s space agency, a once-laughed-off idea is quietly moving into the realm of possibility.
It turns out that some researchers think life, or at least the ingredients for it, may have arrived on Earth from space.
The theory is called panspermia, and recent findings from asteroid samples are giving it more weight than ever before.
From punchline to plausible
When British astronomers Fred Hoyle and Chandra Wickramasinghe first suggested in the 1970s that comets could have “seeded” life on Earth, the reaction was brutal.
Hoyle’s reputation in mainstream science never recovered. But half a century later, scientists are now sifting through asteroid dust and its data and finding traces of the same story.
NASA’s and Japan’s missions both returned pieces of ancient asteroids to Earth. Inside the asteroids researchers have found carbon, ammonia, salts, and even amino acids, which are the molecules that make up proteins.
In January 2025, scientists said OSIRIS-REx’s samples contained 14 of the 20 amino acids used by life on Earth, plus chemical precursors of DNA and RNA.
“Bennu is basically a pantry full of ingredients,” said Dr. Jason Dworkin, NASA’s lead scientist on the OSIRIS-REx mission.
“But it wasn’t quite the right conditions to make a cake. On Earth, we have cake, and we don’t know why.”
The Mars connection
The idea that life might travel between worlds isn’t new. In 1996, NASA claimed to have found “microfossils” inside of a Martian meteorite discovered in Antarctica, a finding that was later debunked, but not before President Bill Clinton announced it from the White House lawn.
That brief moment of excitement sparked a generation of research into how life could possibly hitchhike across the solar system.
Today, scientists know for a fact that rocks do travel between Earth and Mars, catapulted by impacts and carried through space. However, whether microbes could survive the trip is still up for debate.
“Mars cooled faster than Earth, so it may have been ready for life sooner,” said Professor Paul Davies, a theoretical physicist and astrobiologist at Arizona State University.
“It’s entirely possible we’re all descendants of Martians.”
Seeds among the stars
The theory doesn’t stop at Mars. Some researchers think the same process, rocks trading material and chemistry, might happen between entire star systems.
Astronomers have already spotted interstellar visitors like ‘Oumuamua and Comet Borisov, both moving so fast they couldn’t have originated here.
If chunks of rock can travel between stars, could life, or its building blocks, do the same?
“The fact we’re finding that stuff can be kicked out of one planetary system and make its way to another shows it’s not impossible,” said planetary scientist Fred Ciesla from the University of Chicago. “It’s rare, but it’s not crazy.”
Still, most scientists do agree that the odds are tiny. The journey between stars would likely sterilize almost anything biological.
Inside a single solar system, though, like our own or TRAPPIST-1, a compact cluster of seven Earth-sized planets, the math looks much better.
In that system, scientists estimate that 10% of debris from one habitable planet could land on another within 100 years.
Comets, chemistry, and cosmic timing
The panspermia idea doesn’t actually require microbes to survive the trip, just chemistry.
If asteroids and comets brought amino acids, sugars, and salts to Earth billions of years ago, they could have jump-started life once the planet cooled down.
“Earth went through a molten phase early on,” said Dworkin. “Anything organic here would have burned away. So maybe the ingredients arrived later, delivered by the same impacts that brought our oceans.”
So… are we aliens?
For now, there’s no proof that we’re aliens. But there are increasingly awkward questions being asked by more and more scientists.
If asteroids can carry the molecules of life, and those same molecules exist across the galaxy, it suggests the recipe for biology isn’t unique to Earth.
Instead, it may be written into the dust between the stars.
And that means humanity’s oldest story about life beginning in a warm pond on a young Earth could be missing its opening scene.
“We have to contend with the fact we really don’t know where life began,” said Davies. “And it’s entirely likely it didn’t begin on Earth.”
Whether that makes us aliens depends on how you look at it. But either way, we’re starting to realize that the universe might be better at spreading life than we ever imagined.
https://geekspin.co/human-dna-detected-2-billion-year-old-meteorite/
Watch China launch 3 astronauts toward its Tiangong space station today
October 31, 2025
China will launch three astronauts toward its Tiangong space station today (Oct. 31), and you can watch the action live.
A Long March 2F rocket is scheduled to launch the Shenzhou 21 mission from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert today at 11:44 a.m. EDT (1544 GMT; 11:44 p.m. Beijing Time).
You can watch it live here at Space.com, courtesy of CCTV, or directly via the network.
Shenzhou 21 will send three astronauts — Zhang Lu, Zhang Hongzhang and Wu Fei — to China's Tiangong space station in low Earth orbit.
Zhang Lu, 48, will command the mission. He's an off-Earth veteran, having also flown to Tiangong on the Shenzhou 15 mission in November 2022.
Zhang Hongzhang, 39, and Wu, 32, will be making their spaceflight debuts.
Wu will make history today, becoming the youngest Chinese astronaut ever to reach space.
"As the youngest member of China's Astronaut Corps, I feel extremely fortunate to embark on my spaceflight mission," Wu said during a press conference at Jiuquan on Thursday (Oct. 30).
"I owe my good fortune to the era we live in, which is seeing leapfrog development in China's aerospace industry."
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/human-spaceflight/china-shenzhou-21-astronaut-launch-webcast
https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2025/10/31/Tiangong-space-station-mission/8771761915198/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThyVDX-hbbE
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/new-laser-drill-could-help-scientists-explore-ice-covered-worlds-like-jupiters-ocean-moon-europa
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094576525005570?dgcid=rss_sd_all
New laser drill could help scientists explore ice-covered worlds like Jupiter's ocean moon Europa
October 31, 2025
A new laser concept could revolutionize how we explore the frozen worlds of our solar system.
When scientists dream of exploring the hidden oceans beneath the icy crusts of moons like Jupiter's Europa or Saturn's Enceladus — or other icy regions, such as permanently shadowed lunar craters or ice-bearing soils near the Martian poles — one major problem stands in the way: drilling through the ice.
Traditional drills and melting probes are heavy, complex and consume vast amounts of power.
Now, researchers at the Institute of Aerospace Engineering at Technische Universität Dresden in Germany have developed a promising new solution — a laser-based ice drill that can bore deep, narrow channels into ice while keeping both mass and energy requirements low.
"We've created a laser drill that enables deep, narrow and energy-efficient access to ice without increasing instrument mass — something mechanical drills and melting probes cannot achieve," Martin Koßagk, lead author of the study, told Space.com in an email.
Mechanical drills become heavier with depth as they extend rods downward, and melting probes rely on long, power-hungry cables.
The laser drill sidesteps both problems by keeping all instruments at the surface. This tech sends a concentrated beam into the ice, vaporizing it rather than melting it — a process known as sublimation.
The resulting vapor escapes upward through a narrow borehole just wide enough for gas and dust samples to be collected.
Instruments on the surface can then analyze these samples for chemical composition and density, providing valuable clues about the thermal properties and formation history of the cosmic body being explored.
While lasers aren't the most energy-efficient tools, the beam vaporizes a mere pinhole of ice, meaning the drill uses far less total power than electric heaters.
It also works faster in dust-rich layers that slow traditional melting probes, allowing it to bore much deeper without added mass or energy.
Therefore, a laser-based instrument "makes subsurface exploration of icy moons more realistic, allowing high-resolution analysis of ice composition and density, improving models of heat transport and ocean depth on bodies like Europa and Enceladus, and supporting studies of crust formation," Koßagk said.
"On the moon or Mars, the laser drill can also extract subsurface material such as dust from ice-bearing craters or soils, enabling geological reconstruction beyond the surface layers."
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The team's laser drill concept operates at roughly 150 watts (W), with a projected mass of about 9 pounds (4 kilograms), remaining constant regardless of depth — whether 33 feet (10 meters) or 6 miles (10 kilometers).
However, Koßagk noted that a mass spectrometer for analyzing the gas and instruments for dust separation and analysis would increase the power requirement and mass.
Early tests show promise. The prototype drilled through ice samples about 8 inches (20 centimeters) long under vacuum and cryogenic conditions during laboratory experiments, and at greater depths in field tests in the Alps and Arctic, reaching depths of more than a meter in snow.
In tests with 20 watts of laser power, the system reached drilling speeds near 1 meter per hour, and up to 3 meters per hour in loose or dusty ice.
A laser-based concept is not without limitations. In stone or layers of dust in which there is no ice that could be vaporized, the drilling process would be stopped. And, in those cases, a new borehole would need to be drilled from the surface that bypasses the obstacle.
"It is therefore important to operate the laser drill in conjunction with other measuring instruments," Koßagk told Space.com. "Radar instruments could look into the ice and locate larger obstacles, which the laser drill could then drill past."
Water-filled crevasses would also pose a challenge. When one is drilled into, the laser drill would have to pump out water as it flows in before it could continue to drill deeper.
However, drilling into these areas could help to identify the chemistry of potential habitats for past or present microbial life. If bacteria ever existed, their remains might be detectable in the samples collected from a laser-drilled borehole.
To make this type of laser drill possible, next steps would be miniaturizing the system, developing a dust-separation unit and completing space-qualification tests.
A compact payload version could one day ride aboard a lander to an icy moon, bringing scientists closer to decoding the secrets frozen beneath alien surfaces, Koßagk said.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, the same tool could even help predict avalanches.
Field tests in cooperation with the Austrian Research Centre for Forests and Department of Natural Hazards in the Alps and the Arctic showed that the laser drill can measure snow density without digging a pit — and, mounted on a drone, it could collect data from dangerous slopes where humans can't safely go, Koßagk said.
Whether on Earth or in deep space, the goal is the same: to look beneath the surface and understand what's hidden in the ice.
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Explore the Milky Way like never before in this stunning new color map
October 31, 2025
Astronomers have unveiled the largest low-frequency radio color image of the Milky Way ever created, offering a sprawling cosmic panorama that reveals supernova remnants, stellar nurseries, pulsars and the intricate glow of gas and dust weaving through our galaxy’s heart.
Built from data collected by the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) telescope in Western Australia, the image combines observations from two massive surveys — known as GaLactic and Extragalactic All-sky MWA (GLEAM) and GLEAM-X (GLEAM eXtended) — to produce a portrait that is twice as sharp, 10 times more sensitive and twice as wide as its predecessor released in 2019, according to a statement from the International Centre of Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR).
"This vibrant image delivers an unparalleled perspective of our galaxy at low radio frequencies," Silvia Mantovanini, a PhD student from ICRAR’s Curtin University team and lead author of the study, said in the statement.
"It provides valuable insights into the evolution of stars, including their formation in various regions of the galaxy, how they interact with other celestial objects and ultimately their demise."
Over 18 months, the team used about one million computing hours at the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre in Australia to process and merge data from the two surveys into the final image, cataloging nearly 100,000 radio sources.
The map — a full, zoomable version of which you can find here — captures a wide range of radio wavelengths, or "colors" of radio light across the Southern Galactic Plane, offering an unprecedented look at the Milky Way's hidden structure.
By observing the galaxy in low-frequency radio light, astronomers can peer through the dense clouds of dust and gas that block visible wavelengths, exposing supernova remnants — the immense, expanding shells of gas and radiation that mark the explosive death of a star — and regions of ionized gas where new ones are being born.
"You can clearly identify remnants of exploded stars, represented by large red circles," Mantovanini said in the statement. "The smaller blue regions indicate stellar nurseries where new stars are actively forming."
This expansive view of the Milky Way may also shed new light on pulsars — rapidly spinning neutron stars whose powerful radio pulses and unpredictable behavior remain a mystery, the researchers said.
The newly released image is fully interactive. Viewers can pan across the bright horizontal band charting the star-packed Southern Galactic Plane and zoom in on the Milky Way’s turbulent stellar activity, glowing nebulae, compact pulsars and even distant background galaxies beyond our own.
"This low-frequency image allows us to unveil large astrophysical structures in our galaxy that are difficult to image at higher frequencies," Natasha Hurley-Walker, associate professor at Curtin University and co-author of the study, said in the statement.
"No low-frequency radio image of the entire Southern Galactic Plane has been published before, making this an exciting milestone in astronomy."
This map sets the stage for the Square Kilometre Array Observatory’s SKA‑Low telescope — the world’s largest low-frequency radio array — which, after it's completed within the next decade, will probe the Milky Way and beyond with unprecedented sensitivity and detail.
https://www.space.com/astronomy/explore-the-milky-way-like-never-before-in-this-stunning-new-color-map-image
https://www.icrar.org/gleam-x-galactic-plane/
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/publications-of-the-astronomical-society-of-australia/article/galactic-and-extragalactic-allsky-murchison-widefield-array-survey-extended-gleamx-iii-galactic-plane/C95F9B7DC74EC3F9D3DDCD1C43A905BD
https://vimeo.com/1121451741/fa4bff1616
‘Halloween Fireballs’ May Hold Clues to Future Threats From Space
updated Oct 30, 2025 at 01:00 PM EDT
The Taurid meteor shower—known for its “Halloween Fireballs” that illuminate the sky from late October to early November— could hold clues to future threats from space such as airbursts and actual impacts into Earth's surface.
The Taurids occur when the Earth passes through a trail of debris from the comet Encke. These small particles of rock burn up as they enter our planet's atmosphere.
The meteors—the flashes and streaks of light—appear to radiate from the constellation Taurus. Two such showers occur each year, one around this time at night, and one during the daytime in June, which tend not to be visible.
Now, research exploring what would happen if much larger Taurids came too close for comfort to Earth has highlighted the years 2032 and 2036 as having an increased risk of space rocks large enough to explode in an airburst in the atmosphere, or even reach ground level.
“Planetary defense is the multidisciplinary and internationally coordinated effort to protect the Earth and its inhabitants from impacts by near-Earth objects (NEOs),” explained physicist Mark Boslough of the University of New Mexico in a statement.
“It requires surveys to discover and track NEOs, campaigns to characterize those that are hazardous, modeling efforts to understand and predict impact effects and associated consequences and mitigation through impact avoidance and/or civil defense.”
This includes developing ways to deflect or disperse an object on a collision course and warning and emergency response planning for unexpected or unpreventable impacts.
NEOs are comets and asteroids that have been nudged by the gravitational attraction of nearby planets into orbits that allow them to enter the Earth’s neighborhood, according to NASA.
There is a risk of them potentially colliding with our planet but only if their orbit intersects Earth’s and they arrive there at the same time.
The space rocks that tend to make up the "Halloween Fireballs" are tiny, burn up before they can hit the ground, and—all in all—are not that uncoomon.
However, larger objects like those responsible for the Chelyabinsk meteor (an asteroid that entered Earth’s atmosphere and exploded over the Russian city of the same name) and the Tunguska events (the explosion of an asteroid in the sky over Siberia)—are mercifully uncommon in recorded history.
The researchers determined, however, that the risk from NEOs small enough to explode in the atmosphere instead of striking the ground might be larger than currently estimated.
They also investigated the possibility of a Taurid resonant swarm, a stream of debris.
“The resonant swarm is theoretical, but there is some evidence that a sparse swarm of small objects exists because bright fireballs and seismic signatures of impacts on the moon have been observed at times that the theory has predicted,” explained Boslough.
Objects in the Taurid stream orbit the sun seven times for every two orbits of the largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter. The gas giant which can pull these objects together in their orbit, creating dense clusters.
The team’s findings suggest if a Taurid swarm does exist it will pass close to Earth in 2032 and 2036, at which point Earth could experience higher impact risk.
“Our findings are that we have the technology to test the Taurid resonant swarm by using existing telescopes for targeted sky surveys in 2032 and 2036 when the hypothetical swarm will make very close approaches,” said Boslough.
Discovering objects with enough warning time can ensure measures are taken to reduce or illuminate risk, the researchers urged.
The 2032 pass of the hypothetical swarm will arrive from the nighttime side of the Earth, at which point Boslough said the probability of an impact or airburst might be higher than average.
He emphasized daytime fireballs must be extremely bright in order to compete with the sun. A concentration of objects in a swarm would be observable by telescopes after they miss the Earth and recede into the night.
“The average probability is extremely low, so even an enhanced risk means that the probability would still be low. The swarm will come from the direction of the sun in 2036, so fireballs will not be seen in our blue skies unless they are extremely bright.”
https://www.newsweek.com/halloween-fireballs-comet-asteroid-meter-future-threats-impact-2032-2036-10967061
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094576525006460?via%3Dihub
Halloween stargazing 2025: The moon and Saturn light the night sky for trick-or-treaters
October 31, 2025
Based on the latest national forecast, skies will be mainly clear on Halloween night across about three-quarters of the contiguous (48) United States, as costumed kids arrive at the door looking for candy or some other Halloween treat.
Temperatures will be mostly in the chilly 40's across the northern tier states, 50's for the central states and balmy 60's across the south.
Unfortunately, exceptions for fair skies appear to be across New England, New York State, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, parts of the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes and western Washington State and Oregon, where mainly cloudy conditions — and even some rain or spotty showers may fall, accompanied by a gusty breeze.
The rest of the country, however, will be in fine shape with mid-autumn stars and constellations plus a waxing gibbous moon and a bright planet shining prominently in the early evening sky.
If you plan to accompany children around your neighborhood, you might want to enlighten them by pointing out some of those objects that will be visible in the sky.
Better yet, if you have a telescope, give your visitors a treat of a different kind: Give them a close-up view of some of those celestial sights, starting with the moon and that bright planet.
At the top of the viewing list: The moon
On Halloween evening, as the shades of night are falling, you'll see Earth's nearest neighbor, our moon, hanging about one-third of the way up in the southeast sky. It will be in its waxing gibbous phase, 82% illuminated by the sun.
With a telescope at low power, you can point out to your young viewers the two most prominent of the myriads of craters that cover the lunar surface.
Situated to the upper left of the center of the lunar disk, is the crater that has been dubbed "The Monarch of the Moon": Copernicus. Fifty-eight miles wide, 12,600 feet deep, surrounded by walls 14 miles thick.
The other lunar feature that truly "stands out," is evident over the lower limb of the moon, known as "The Metropolitan Crater": Tycho. It is among the brightest and youngest lunar impact craters, estimated to be 108 million years old, 53 miles wide and 15,400 feet deep.
It is surrounded by a system of brilliant rays extending outward in all directions for many hundreds of miles. In several days, when the moon turns full, Tycho will give the moon the appearance of a peeled orange, with Tycho marking the point where the sections meet.
The Lord of the Rings
While the magnified views of the moon will certainly awe those who gaze at it through your eyepiece, take a moment and tell your young audience to make a clenched fist with their hands and then hold them out at arm's length.
Now, tell them to go "two fists" to the left of the moon and they will see a bright star, shining with a yellow-white hue. Now, direct your telescope toward that "star" and when they gaze through the eyepiece, they will not be looking at a star at all, but a planet: Saturn.
This sixth planet out from the sun, just might be the most beautiful of all. Its rings are still readily evident, although currently they appear nearly edge-on with the south face tilted only about one-half degree to our line of sight.
A telescope magnifying 30-power will bring them out; they appear as a bright line bisecting the ball of the planet. While this is far from their appearance compared to other years, the view should still look impressive to those who have never seen the ringed planet for themselves.
And watch out for fireballs!
Because they are active over Halloween, the Taurid meteor shower is sometimes called the "Halloween Fireballs."
The bits of debris that make up the Taurids are a little larger than average, so they can result in brighter meteors and even fireballs, or exploding meteors (called bolides), that streak across the sky and leave incandescent trains in their wake.
While they are most active during the second week of November, a few forerunners can show up on Halloween night, darting from out of the east-northeast part of the sky.
So, if you or your young visitors see something resembling a flare from a Roman candle sweeping majestically across the evening sky, it may very well be a Taurid meteor.
https://www.space.com/stargazing/halloween-stargazing-2025-the-moon-and-saturn-light-the-night-sky-for-trick-or-treaters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEdqfbqnHVI (WoodwardTV: Samhain and The Veil Between Light and Darkness)
UK’s Prince Andrew stripped of titles and evicted from royal residence
31 Oct, 2025 03:43
Britain’s King Charles III has stripped his brother Prince Andrew of his remaining titles and evicted him from his royal residence due to sexual assault allegations and his close friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
According to the royal family, from now on, the former prince will be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and must vacate the Royal Lodge mansion near Windsor Castle, where he has lived for more than 20 years.
Andrew, who surrendered his use of the title Duke of York earlier this month, will move to “alternative private accommodation,” Buckingham Palace said on Thursday.
“These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.
Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse,” the statement said.
According to the BBC, Andrew remains eighth in line to the British throne, despite losing his titles.
In 2022, Andrew settled a civil lawsuit with US activist Virginia Giuffre, who alleged that he had raped her three times in 2001, when she was 17 years old.
Giuffre, who committed suicide in April, claimed that Epstein and his girlfriend, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, had trafficked her to the royal.
Andrew maintains that the alleged incidents “never happened” and insists that he was unaware of Epstein’s crimes when he hosted him and Maxwell at Royal Lodge in 2006.
Interest in the Epstein case was reignited earlier this year when US government agencies said they had found no evidence of foul play in his 2019 death in a Manhattan jail, which was ruled a suicide.
Officials also denied that the disgraced financier had kept a list of the wealthy people he allegedly trafficked women to.
Giuffre’s memoirs were posthumously released in October, bringing renewed attention to Andrew’s ties to Epstein.
https://www.rt.com/news/627172-king-charles-evicts-andrew/
https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2025-10-17/a-statement-by-prince-andrew