TYB
Former Astronaut Rick Hauk Dies
November 7, 2025
According to a post by Heron House:
“Today our Heron House Family remembers and celebrates the remarkable life of Captain Rick Hauck, a man whose courage carried him through every chapter of life, from commanding missions in space to bravely facing Parkinson’s disease for more than fifteen years.
Rick was a NASA astronaut, naval officer, physicist, husband, and father, but to those of us who had the honor of knowing him here at The Heron House, he was something even more profound: a man of quiet strength and dignity.” Ad Astra.
The Heron House
20h
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Today our Heron House Family remembers and celebrates the remarkable life of Captain Rick Hauck, a man whose courage carried him through every chapter of life, from commanding missions in space to bravely facing Parkinson’s disease for more than fifteen years.
Rick was a NASA astronaut, naval officer, physicist, husband, and father, but to those of us who had the honor of knowing him here at The Heron House, he was something even more profound: a man of quiet strength and dignity.
Throughout his career, Rick served his country and humanity with distinction. A graduate of Tufts University and MIT, he went on to serve as a Navy pilot, test pilot, and later as a Space Shuttle commander, logging over 5,500 flight hours, including 436 in space.
He led missions aboard Challenger and Discovery, and his leadership after the Challenger tragedy helped pave the way for NASA’s return to flight. His career was decorated with the Navy’s Outstanding Test Pilot Award, NASA’s Distinguished Service Medal, and induction into the Astronaut Hall of Fame, among countless other honors.
But beyond the accolades and adventure, Rick’s life was defined by integrity, curiosity, and quiet resilience. Even as Parkinson’s took its toll, his spirit never dimmed. He faced each day with courage and a gentle steadiness that inspired everyone around him.
There was a warmth in his presence, a reminder that greatness is not only measured by achievements, but by how one carries themselves through life’s hardest moments.
Rick often spoke of his love for sailing, flying, and the Maine coast, and we like to imagine that now he is soaring freely again—beyond the limits of gravity, beyond the reach of illness, at peace among the stars he once traveled toward.
Our hearts are with his beloved wife, Susan, and their family.
Thank you, Rick, for your brilliance, your bravery, and your quiet grace. You will always be part of our Heron House family. 🕊️
https://nasawatch.com/astronauts/rick-hauk/
https://www.facebook.com/100075958301553/posts/854680600407209/
https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/hauck_frederick.pdf
Little moar 3I/Atlas
Tianwen-1 successfully observed the interstellar object Atlas
2025-11-06
Recently, the Tianwen-1 orbiter successfully observed the interstellar object Atlas (3I/ATLAS) using a high-resolution camera.
During this period, the Tianwen-1 orbiter was about 30 million kilometers away from the target object, making it one of the closest probes to observe the object.
The data obtained by the high-resolution camera is received and processed by the ground application system, and the comet characteristics of the celestial body are obvious in the image, which is composed of the comet's core and its surrounding coma, with a diameter of thousands of kilometers.
Researchers used a series of images taken continuously for 30 seconds to create animated images showing the movement trajectory of the celestial body.
Through these observations, researchers are further conducting in-depth research on Atlas.
Schematic diagram of the relative position of the interstellar object Atlas and the Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter
(The image on the right is a partial enlargement of the left image when the camera was taken on October 3, 2025)
The successful observation of Atlas is an important expansion mission of Tianwen-1, and the use of the probe to observe faint objects has carried out technical tests and accumulated experience for Tianwen-2 to carry out asteroid exploration.
Discovered by the Survey Telescope in Chile on July 1, 2025, Atlas is the third interstellar object known to visit the solar system, traversing the solar system in a hyperbolic orbit.
The object may have formed around an ancient star at the center of the Milky Way, estimated to be about 3 billion to 11 billion years old, and may be older than the solar system.
The Tianwen-1 team began preparations for the Atlas observation in early September.
Due to the long observation distance (about 30 million kilometers), its own fast movement speed (about 58 km/s), faster than that of the Tianwen-1 orbiter (about 86 km/s), the small target size (about 5.6 kilometers in diameter), the observation brightness in Mars orbit is very dark (there are currently no observation conditions on Earth), and it is extremely difficult to shoot, which puts forward high requirements for the attitude control ability and imaging strategy of the Mars orbiter.
The optical payload carried on the Tianwen-1 orbiter was originally designed to photograph the bright surface of Mars, and this is the first attempt to photograph such a distant and relatively faint target (10,000 to 100,000 times darker than a target on the surface of Mars).
Through the collaborative research of the Tianwen-1 team, combined with the orbital characteristics, brightness characteristics, geometric dimensions, and scientific payload technical capabilities of the orbiter, the feasibility assessment of the observation mission was completed through repeated simulation calculations and simulation deduction, and the high-resolution camera carried on the Tianwen-1 orbiter was determined, and the key imaging strategies were carefully designed, and finally the observation was successfully completed.
This time, for the characteristics of weak detection targets, the shooting capabilities of high-resolution cameras are maximized.
The Tianwen-1 probe entered orbit around Mars in February 2021 and has been in stable operation for 4 years and 8 months so far, in good condition.
https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/n6758823/n6758838/c10715343/content.html
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/how-watch-3i-atlas-november-11-what-you-need-see-most-talked-about-comet-1753106
https://www.space.com/stargazing/astronomer-catches-sight-of-interstellar-comet-3i-atlas-returning-to-the-predawn-sky-heres-how-you-can-too
https://www.space.com/astronomy/comets/chinas-tianwen-1-mars-probe-captures-images-of-interstellar-comet-3i-atlas
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
Jared Isaacman reposted
Benny Johnson
@bennyjohnson
Incredible conversation on Trump Force One with Eric Trump and Trump’s new NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.
Guys, we’re going to the moon 🚀🇺🇸
Incredibly optimistic about the future.
2:37 PM · Nov 5, 2025
Jared Isaacman reposted
Benny Johnson
@bennyjohnson
Eric Trump personally congratulates Jared Isaacman on being nominated as the next NASA Administrator.
What an incredible moment we are living through.
NASA is in great hands 🚀🇺🇸
1:23 PM · Nov 5, 2025
https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/1986201261847306260
https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/1986182595428716727
https://x.com/rookisaacman
Scott Tingle Becomes NASA’s New Chief Astronaut
7 November 2025
Eric Berger reports on X that NASA has silently announced the appointment of Scott Tingle as its new Chief Astronaut to employees at the Johnson Space Centre via email.
Tingle will now officially take over from Joe Acaba as the head of NASA’s astronaut office, as the latter will fill a different role.
What Will Be Scott Tingle’s Job As NASA’s New Chief Astronaut
With years of experience as a NASA astronaut, Scott Tingle is a strong choice for this role. As he replaced Joe Acaba, Tingle will be responsible for leading over 40 active US astronauts, as well as ten other astronauts currently undergoing training.
His role will also involve coordinating missions with international astronauts training under the NASA human spaceflight program. These astronauts are from countries such as Canada, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates.
As future crewed space missions draw closer, Scott Tingle will be responsible for assigning astronauts to each of these missions.
These missions range from commercial flights to the ISS, the coming Artemis III mission that will return humans to the Moon, and even future missions to Mars.
While the office of Chief Astronaut is quite reputable at NASA, there was no official announcement of Tingle’s appointment.
This is a result of the ongoing US government shutdown, which is affecting some NASA offices.
Scott Tingle’s Journey With NASA As An Astronaut
Scott Tingle’s work with NASA as an astronaut officially commenced in 2009 despite being selected as a NASA educator-astronaut in 2004.
Tingle was assigned as Flight Engineer and United States Operational Segment Lead for Expedition 54/55 aboard the International Space Station in December 2017.
For this mission, Tingle spent a total of 166 days aboard the ISS before returning to Earth. During this mission, Tingle conducted a seven-hour and 24-minute spacewalk to help service the ISS Canadarm2 robotic arm.
Now, Tingle is adding the title, Chief Astronaut, to his list of achievements since joining NASA as an astronaut.
His predecessor Joe Acaba will help in the provision of technical advisement for mission and strategy at the NASA Johnson Space Centre in Houston.
https://orbitaltoday.com/2025/11/07/scott-tingle-becomes-nasas-new-chief-astronaut/
https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1985732060825145855
https://www.nasa.gov/people/scott-d-tingle/
why not everything?
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/why-trump-ejected-sean-duffy-from-nasa-bw-110725
https://x.com/LauraLoomer/status/1931085926970937442
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/03/jared-isaacman-confidential-manifesto-nasa-00633858
Why Trump Ejected Sean Duffy from NASA
November 7, 2025
Trump’s nomination of space entrepreneur and former astronaut Jared Isaacman to lead NASA is surprising, considering Isaacman’s withdrawal from consideration months ago amid right-wing infighting.
In a typical turnaround, President Donald Trump nominated Jared Isaacman to be the next NASA director on Tuesday evening.
This comes after Isaacman, a literal astronaut who has spent his career in and around the aviation sector, was originally announced months ago—and then had his nomination pulled after right-wing activist Laura Loomer meddled in his nomination process.
According to Loomer, Isaacman had a set of skeletons in his closet that made him unworthy of the NASA director position.
(Of course, Isaacman had already disclosed these unfortunate bits of his history to the Trump team even before he was formally nominated.) She ultimately buggered off this line, but the damage had been done.
Isaacman an Early Casualty of the Trump-Musk Dispute
What really happened, though, was that Isaacman, a business associate and ally of Elon Musk’s, got caught up in the breakdown in the political alliance between Musk and President Trump earlier this year.
As a result, all things that Musk had touched were thrown into the rubbish heap—including the nomination of Isaacman to the role of NASA director.
After Isaacman was bullied into withdrawing by vengeful right-wing online personalities, the role went over to current secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, who had his own problems with Elon Musk from the short time that Musk was involved with the DOGE effort.
Duffy took over NASA temporarily and began firing large numbers of people. He announced he was placing a nuclear reactor on the moon—with no plan on how to get it up there or understanding how much it would cost.
Duffy then stated he was intending to have his Transportation Department absorb NASA, ending its existence as its own, independent government entity.
More importantly, as a blatant act of political revenge, Duffy began calling for NASA to diversify its contracts away from Musk’s innovative SpaceX and toward many others. Yes, diversification is needed. One never wants to place all their proverbial eggs in one basket.
But in the case of NASA and SpaceX, when the window for beating the Chinese back to the moon in the new space race is so narrow, one does not want to remove the country’s best rocket company from the mix simply because of a political spat. That is what was happening.
Isaacman’s “Athena” Plan Put Him Back in the Running
Then came the release of a 62-page document that would have served as Isaacman’s blueprint for taking NASA into the new century—and keeping ahead of America’s rivals, such as China.
Called the “Athena” Plan, and designed to streamline contracting processes within NASA’s bloated bureaucracy that would have, in turn, greatly enhanced innovation (to ensure NASA remained ahead of its rivals), Isaacman’s allies began floating the document around to showcase what his leadership would have looked like.
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And it came at a moment in which Duffy was fighting hard to cement his leadership role over at NASA.
To better ingratiate himself with an understandably skeptical space community—after all, Duffy has no professional background in space or engineering more generally—according to ArsTechnica, “Duffy has been building ties with the space industry, trying to paint Isaacman as someone who would come in and force big changes on NASA and its traditional space contractors.
There is an effort to paint Isaacman as a stooge of Elon Musk and his company, SpaceX.”
This gels with original reporting that I wrote about in these pages months ago. Essentially, Duffy, who was correct in not wanting NASA to become overly reliant on only one launch vendor (in this case, SpaceX), went way too far.
Rather than seek to diversify NASA’s launch contracts for the good of the country—and for the taxpayer—he conflated his own personal ambition to remain head of NASA through at least the proposed lunar flyby of Artemis II succeeded (and he could be remembered by history as the NASA director under whose leadership America returned to the moon).
Isaacman, an industry insider—who came from the startup world, though—understood the way in which the traditional NASA contractors were abusing their oversized role in NASA and stymying innovation (thereby degrading NASA’s overall mission and exacerbating cost-overruns and increases in mission failures).
As I wrote in my 2020 book, Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, “being cheap and easy in space is a good thing.” Whether you like Elon Musk or not, the fact remains that SpaceX remains the greatest, most cost-effective private space firm in existence today.
Until that changes, and because NASA must beat the Chinese to the moon (who plan on having a permanent manned presence on the moon’s southern pole no later than 2035), NASA must continue looking to SpaceX.
What’s more, NASA must more generally look beyond the usual big space contractors and more toward the private space startup sector, which, as SpaceX has proven, is usually far more innovative and cost-effective than the bigger guys.
Duffy was aligning himself with those bigger guys, who want nothing to do with cost-saving or innovation (because it’ll harm their bottom line).
Trump Restored Isaacman—and NASA Is Better for It
And for that Duffy deserves to be pushed out as interim NASA director. The re-selection of Jared Isaacman is a godsend for America’s ailing national space program. Duffy wasn’t all bad. He did do some good. And he should get credit for that.
But the final straw was in his cynical alignment with forces inimical to necessary innovation and cost-saving measures just to implement his own selfish political agenda.
Isaacman, on the other hand, is clearly a mission-oriented man who has a fundamental—energetic—understanding and love for space exploration. That is what is needed in a NASA director.
Yet, the fact that Trump has been forced to reverse his decision about Isaacman and throw his longtime friend and political ally, Duffy, under the reusable rocket in the process shows how uneven Trump’s second term has been.
Whether it be failing to address the affordability crisis or end the Ukraine War “on day one,” Trump appears scattershot and indecisive.
Thankfully, his decision to reverse course on Isaacman will pay dividends for this country’s space program for years to come.
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https://bioengineer.org/wurzburg-ai-takes-command-world-first-satellite-controlled-from-space/
Würzburg AI Takes Command: World First Satellite Controlled from Space
November 7, 2025
In a groundbreaking leap toward the future of space autonomy, researchers at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) have achieved a historic milestone by successfully demonstrating an artificial intelligence (AI) based attitude controller operating directly in orbit.
This unprecedented experiment, conducted aboard the 3U nanosatellite InnoCube, signifies a transformative shift in satellite control technology, merging cutting-edge AI methodologies with practical space applications.
The in-orbit test was executed during a satellite pass lasting nine minutes on October 30, 2025, where the AI system independently performed complete attitude maneuvers through reaction wheel actuators, precisely adjusting the satellite’s orientation without any human intervention.
The traditional approach to satellite attitude control has relied heavily upon meticulously engineered algorithms designed and fine-tuned over extended periods, often requiring months or even years for optimization.
These classical controllers maintain spacecraft stability and orientation, ensuring that onboard instruments such as cameras, sensors, or communication antennas remain correctly aligned with their targets.
However, the unique approach embraced by the Würzburg team utilizes Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL), a subset of machine learning where a neural network autonomously learns optimal control strategies by interacting with simulated environments.
This innovative technology enables the satellite’s control system to continuously adapt and refine its actions based on feedback from its dynamic state, potentially revolutionizing how future spacecraft manage their orientation.
Key to this success was the ability to overcome the notorious Sim2Real gap—a persistent challenge in robotics and AI applications that arises when systems trained in perfectly modeled simulations fail to perform reliably in complex real-world situations.
The JMU researchers created an elaborate, high-fidelity simulation environment that closely replicated the physical properties and operational constraints of the InnoCube satellite.
Through rigorous training within this virtual framework, the AI controller learned to respond intelligently to various orbital conditions, disturbances, and reaction wheel dynamics.
Only after thorough validation was the trained model deployed onto the satellite’s flight hardware, where it demonstrated noteworthy responsiveness, precision, and robustness amidst the unpredictable microgravity environment.
During the in-orbit demonstration, the AI controller expertly executed predetermined attitude maneuvers, transitioning from its starting orientation to target attitudes required for mission objectives.
Not only did the AI system display flawless performance on its initial attempt, it also successfully completed subsequent control tasks, signifying resilient adaptability and consistent reliability.
This autonomy ensures that such controllers can potentially respond swiftly to unexpected events or external perturbations without waiting for commands from ground control, a critical advantage in deep-space missions where communication delays can stretch to several minutes or hours.
The innovation stems from the LeLaR project, an initiative funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), managed by the German Space Agency at DLR, and spearheaded by the JMU research collective.
The project’s ambition is to pioneer the next generation of autonomous spacecraft control systems, leveraging modern AI techniques to vastly accelerate development cycles and improve operational efficacy.
By circumventing tedious manual tuning processes, Deep Reinforcement Learning allows for rapid generation and implementation of adaptive control algorithms that can generalize across diverse satellite platforms and mission profiles.
Moreover, the wireless satellite bus SKITH (Skip The Harness) technology integrated into InnoCube exemplifies the broader commitment to innovation within this experimental framework.
Traditional spacecraft architectures are burdened with extensive cabling for power and data transmission, which adds both weight and potential points of failure.
SKITH replaces these conventional harnesses with wireless communication links, significantly reducing mass and increasing system reliability.
The synergy between this hardware advancement and the AI-based attitude control system underlines a holistic approach to developing autonomous satellites designed to thrive in increasingly complex space environments.
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Trust and acceptance of AI in space missions, especially those involving safety-critical operations, remain areas of intense scrutiny.
The LeLaR team’s breakthrough provides compelling empirical evidence supporting the deployment of AI-driven control systems beyond simulation environments, fostering greater confidence among aerospace engineers and mission planners.
Frank Puppe, a leading voice in the project, highlights that the rigorous simulation model coupled with in-orbit validation is vital for building the credibility needed to integrate AI technologies into future aeronautics and astronautics endeavors.
The implications of this development extend far beyond Earth orbit.
Deep-space exploration, including missions to distant planets, moons, or asteroids, demands spacecraft capable of autonomous function, as real-time human intervention is impractical due to significant communication latencies.
AI-based controllers that can self-learn and adapt to unprecedented scenarios could ensure mission survival and success under conditions where classical control systems might fail or require costly and delayed manual recalibration.
Future plans revolve around expanding the scope and complexity of AI applications in space systems.
Researchers at JMU express keen enthusiasm toward extending these techniques to broader mission requirements, including potentially integrating onboard learning mechanisms that continuously improve in response to in-flight experiences.
Such advancements could lay the foundation for fully autonomous spacecraft capable of intelligent decision-making, fault tolerance, and optimized performance throughout extended mission durations.
The collaboration driving this achievement involved not only JMU but also Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin), contributing to satellite development and the incorporation of innovative technologies such as the SKITH wireless bus.
The combined expertise underscores a growing trend in academia and industry to harmonize AI, simulation science, aerospace engineering, and system integration toward a new paradigm of space exploration.
This pioneering success marks the University of Würzburg as a global leader in the domain of AI-driven space systems.
It reflects a monumental stride in addressing the challenges inherent in transitioning from theoretical AI control solutions to resilient real-world applications in orbit.
In doing so, the LeLaR project embodies the aspiration to foster intelligent, self-learning satellite control frameworks capable of transforming not only mission design but also spacecraft autonomy, operational safety, and scientific discovery.
With an initial funding commitment of approximately €430,000 starting July 2024, the LeLaR project exemplifies strategic investment into futuristic space technologies poised to redefine satellite operations.
The demonstrated AI controller aboard InnoCube serves as a proof-of-concept validating the potential for deep reinforcement learning to expedite the design, validation, and deployment of adaptive controllers capable of addressing the diverse challenges posed by the space environment.
In conclusion, this landmark demonstration not only elevates AI’s role within aerospace but also lays the groundwork for a new generation of satellite systems imbued with intelligence and adaptability.
As Kirill Djebko and Sergio Montenegro emphasize, this achievement represents merely the beginning of a transformative journey toward autonomous, self-evolving spacecraft technology.
The convergence of machine learning, high-fidelity simulation, and innovative space hardware heralds an era where satellites are no longer passive instruments but proactive agents capable of managing complex tasks with minimal human oversight.
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'Unlike any we've ever seen': Record-breaking black hole eruption is brighter than 10 trillion suns
November 7, 2025
A supermassive black hole appears to have generated a record flare after gobbling a star at least 30 times more massive than the sun.
The event has yet to be confirmed as a tidal disruption event (TDE), which happens when a black hole devours a star (or similar object) that strays too close to the black hole's gravity.
But if verified, this TDE — called J2245+3743 — would be the most powerful and distant energy flare ever recorded from a supermassive black hole.
"If you convert our entire sun to energy, using Albert Einstein's famous formula E = mc2, that's how much energy has been pouring out from this flare since we began observing it," K. E. Saavik Ford, an astronomer at the City University of New York (CUNY), the Borough of Manhattan Community College and the American Museum of Natural History and a member of the research team, said in a statement.
The findings, reported Nov. 4 in the journal Nature Astronomy, would easily override the previous candidate record-holder.
Nicknamed "Scary Barbie" (a character from the 2023 live-action "Barbie" film) in 2023, after its classification as ZTF20abrbeie, that earlier flare from a different supermassive black hole was estimated to have swallowed a star only between three and 10 times the mass of the sun.
Very far, and very bright
The newly published event emerged from a huge feeding black hole, also known as an active galactic nucleus (AGN).
The supermassive black hole is believed to be more than 500 million times more massive than the sun.
It is also quite distant, at 10 billion light-years away. (For comparison, the universe is about 13.8 billion years old.)
As astronomers watched the black hole over several months, the flare shined up to 30 times brighter than other flares seen before, with the brightness of about 10 trillion suns at its peak. The peak luminosity also varied by fortyfold during the observation period.
"The energetics show this object is very far away and very bright," lead author Matthew Graham, a research professor of astronomy at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), said in the statement. "This is unlike any AGN we've ever seen."
Graham is also a project scientist for the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), which first observed the event in 2018 from its site at the Palomar Observatory near San Diego.
Several other telescopes in space and on Earth have been periodically watching the flare ever since. When the research paper was written, the flare was still ongoing, although it was also fading.
Graham said the flare is likely dimming because the star is not fully consumed yet, like "a fish only halfway down the whale's gullet."
The flare's luminosity is even more remarkable when compared with the roughly 100 other TDEs recorded so far.
Most of the flares are at a similar brightness scale as a black hole's normal feeding activity, which makes them hard to spot.
So J2245+3743's brightness came as a surprise because the flare was easily visible above its black hole's usual activity.
While the suspected massive star being shredded in the TDE would be a rare find, others are probably out there, the team said.
The researchers plan to examine ZTF data for more events like this, and they said the newly completed Vera C. Rubin Observatory may spot some more as it scans the sky.
https://www.livescience.com/space/black-holes/unlike-any-weve-ever-seen-record-breaking-black-hole-eruption-is-brighter-than-10-trillion-suns
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-025-02699-0
https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/black-hole-flare-is-biggest-and-most-distant-seen
https://phys.org/news/2025-11-icarus-space-aboard-spacex-wildlife.html
https://www.ab.mpg.de/787016/news_publication_25664931_transferred
Icarus returns to space aboard SpaceX for wildlife tracking
November 7, 2025
After a three-year pause, Icarus, the pioneering project that tracks wildlife from space, is set to resume operations.
On 11 November 2025, a rocket is scheduled to carry a satellite equipped with the Icarus receiver into space—opening a new chapter in the study of animal observation.
The latest launch status will be updated on the SpaceX site.
During the first three months in orbit, the system will undergo extensive testing.
Once operational, Icarus will establish a continuous link with miniature sensors on animals across the globe, enabling scientists to monitor the locations, behavior, health, and environmental conditions of species ranging from migratory birds and bats to sea turtles and large mammals.
For the first time, Icarus will offer full global coverage—a critical leap forward in understanding biodiversity, ecosystem health, and the impact of climate change.
For Icarus, the 11 November launch is only the beginning: a second receiver will follow in 2026, carried by an independent satellite from the Max Planck Society and the space company Talos.
Additional satellites are already in the planning stage. Together, they will form Icarus 2.0, a constellation designed to deliver more frequent and higher-resolution data faster than ever before.
"With Icarus 2.0, we are building a truly planetary-scale observatory," said Martin Wikelski, Director at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior.
"For the first time, we will be able to listen to the signals of animals worldwide in near real time, offering unique insights on biodiversity and environmental change."
From ISS to CubeSat
Icarus first took flight in 2020 as a technological experiment aboard the International Space Station.
An antenna on the station collected signals from lightweight sensors attached to animals, providing unprecedented insights into migration routes, breeding behaviors, and survival strategies.
The project quickly proved its value: in its first year, Icarus delivered datasets on dozens of species worldwide.
However, the war on Ukraine in 2022 brought the Icarus collaboration with Russia to an abrupt end. Icarus paused operations. For the team behind the project, this pause became an opportunity to reimagine the technology from the ground up.
Working with the Munich-based NewSpace company Talos, engineers miniaturized the Icarus system into a ten-centimeter payload that can fly on a tiny satellite known as a CubeSat.
Compared to the ISS-based prototype, the new receiver consumes one tenth the energy, reads four times as many sensors, and enables faster data downloads and remote software updates.
It was successfully tested in an experimental orbital flight in 2023.
"What once required a massive antenna on the International Space Station now fits into the palm of a hand," says Gregor Langer, CEO of Talos.
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First receiver in orbit
The space mission was made possible by a collaboration between Icarus and the Seranis research mission of the University of the Bundeswehr Munich.
With a fleet of small satellites serving as a "laboratory in orbit," Seranis is one of Germany's largest university space programs.
The new Icarus receiver is flying on the Gena-OT CubeSat. The satellite is a platform developed by the Munich-based company OroraTech.
"We are delighted to have Icarus in our orbital laboratory," says Andreas Knopp, spokesperson for the Space Research Center at the University of the Bundeswehr and head of the Seranis program.
"We have been happy to provide technological support for Wikelski's groundbreaking work from the very beginning, and have learned a great deal ourselves in our scientific cooperation.
We are convinced that Germany should derive much more benefit from projects of this kind."
After a three-month test phase at an altitude of around 500 kilometers, Icarus will begin two-way communication: miniature sensors attached to animals will begin transmitting high-precision GPS data to the satellite, which will in turn relay it back to researchers on Earth.
This bi-directional function also means that scientists can remotely reprogram sensors without having to remove them from animals.
ICARUS 2.0: A new chapter in wildlife tracking
The second receiver has already been built and is scheduled to launch into space aboard a SpaceX mission in 2026. Independently operated by Talos and the Max Planck Society, this satellite will double the frequency of Icarus data collection.
By mid 2027, a constellation of six Icarus receivers is expected to be operational, creating an array that guarantees continuous functionality and delivers near real-time information on animal movements.
This improved coverage will allow scientists to monitor animals' well-being with unprecedented accuracy, detect disease outbreaks at their earliest stages, and anticipate ecological shifts that affect both wildlife and humans.
"This capability radically increases the speed with which we can respond to global challenges such as habitat loss, disease outbreaks, and shifting migration patterns," says Wikelski, who is also a professor at the University of Konstanz.
Complementing the new receivers are a suite of next-generation animal tags currently under development.
According to Langer from Talos, which is the company developing the tags, "Icarus tags will be among the lightest, smallest, and most energy-efficient sensors on the market."
These tiny, ultra-light sensors will not only record location data but also temperature, humidity, air pressure, and acceleration.
Thanks to sophisticated on-board data pre-processing, they will give researchers a holistic view of animal health and behavior within their environments.
A global tool for big challenges
At a time when biodiversity loss and climate change are accelerating, Icarus 2.0 represents a vital tool for science and conservation.
The project is now embedded within the Animal Movement Biodiversity Observation Network (Move BON).
By linking Icarus data to Move BON, the signals collected from tagged animals can be translated into indicators of ecosystem health, migratory connectivity, and species resilience.
These indicators feed directly into global biodiversity monitoring frameworks and help guide decision-makers, ensuring that the movements of animals inform strategies to protect habitats, mitigate climate impacts, and safeguard species at risk.
Wikelski adds, "From predicting the spread of zoonotic diseases to tracking the survival of endangered species, Icarus offers insights that will shape policies, guide conservation strategies, and deepen our understanding of the interconnectedness of life on Earth."
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Government Shutdown Grounds Daytime Launches for SpaceX and Other Private Space Companies
November 7, 2025
The wild west of private spaceflight just got a hint of order as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) placed new restrictions on when commercial missions can launch and reenter through Earth’s atmosphere.
The FAA issued a new order to temporarily restrict commercial space activities during peak hours for the navigable airspace, permitting private launches and reentries only between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. local time.
The order, which goes into effect on Monday, is to “ensure the safety of aircraft and the efficiency of the National Airspace System,” as the government shutdown continues well into its second month.
Since the U.S. government shutdown began on October 1 due to a congressional failure to pass appropriations legislation for 2026, federal workers such as air traffic controllers have been working without pay.
As a result, the FAA has chosen to prohibit certain operations in the navigable airspace to alleviate the pressure on some of the busiest airports in the country.
That includes restricting the launch and reentry of private spaceflight, which requires an added layer of coordination between the two industries.
Needless to say, SpaceX, which has already launched over 100 rockets this year, likely won’t be happy with the FAA’s order. Nor will other launch providers, like United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin.
Timing is often critical for space-based missions, and restricting launches to overnight windows could result in delays, increased costs, or even cause some payloads to miss their optimal launch opportunities.
Crowded airspace
Airlines have been forced to share airspace with the booming rocket industry, with an increasing number of launches and reentries that require temporary airspace closures and force rerouting of flights.
The FAA is working on new ways to manage the shared airspace through better air traffic management and overall coordination efforts.
Earlier this year, the budget reconciliation bill proposed that the FAA begin charging licensing fees to rocket companies starting next year.
Private rocket companies like SpaceX are required to pay small fees to the FAA to cover the application process for launch and reentry licenses.
In return, the FAA clears airspace of commercial and private flights during rocket launches and along the path of reentry.
The FAA initially waived fees for space companies to help the industry grow in its early years, but the industry is way past its earlier growing pains.
Airlines, on the other hand, do pay fees to the FAA, which go into the Airport and Airway Trust Fund that makes up nearly half the administration’s annual budget.
The new order was issued “to address safety risks and delays presented by air traffic controller staffing constraints,” according to the FAA.
Due to the ongoing government shutdown, air traffic controllers have been working without pay since October 3, raising major concerns for safety and the ability to maintain operations.
It’s not clear how long the order will be in effect or how it will impact the ongoing operations of private spaceflight in the meantime.
https://gizmodo.com/government-shutdown-grounds-daytime-launches-for-spacex-and-other-private-space-companies-2000683084
https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/FAA-Emergency-Order-11-6-25.pdf
Powerful geomagnetic storm sparks stunning northern lights across North America
November 7, 2025
A surprise strong (G3) geomagnetic storm lit up skies across the Northern Hemisphere overnight (Nov. 5-6), treating skywatchers to dazzling auroras from Canada to northern North America.
Geomagnetic conditions have remained unsettled through Nov. 8, meaning aurora activity could continue as additional solar material sweeps past Earth.
Photographers across North America were treated to stunning displays of green, pink, and purple auroras rippling across the sky. We've rounded up some of the best views here.
A G3 geomagnetic storm watch remains in effect through Nov. 8, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center.
Aurora chasers keep those camera batteries charged and those eyes on the skies, as we could be in for more treats this weekend.
moar images
https://www.space.com/stargazing/auroras/powerful-geomagnetic-storm-sparks-stunning-northern-lights-across-north-america-and-europe-photos-november-2025
In-Q-Tel invests in Vast
November 6, 2025
ORLANDO, Fla. — An investment by a venture fund affiliated with the U.S. national security community in commercial space station developer Vast is not necessarily a sign of military interest in human spaceflight.
paywall
https://spacenews.com/in-q-tel-invests-in-vast/
https://www.iqt.org/
Issue with Atlas 5 booster liquid oxygen vent valve causes second scrub of ViaSat-3 F2 launch
November 6, 2025
Update Nov. 7, 10 a.m. EST (1500 UTC): Adding comment from ULA CEO Tory Bruno, info about next steps.
Update Nov. 6, 9:10 p.m. EST (0210 UTC): ULA scrubbed the launch and will target a new, yet to be announced, launch date.
United Launch Alliance halted its Atlas 5 countdown for a second night in a row, scrubbing the launch of the ViaSat-3 F2 satellite.
Liftoff from pad 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station was scheduled for 10:16 p.m. EST (0316 UTC), but the valve issue that prevented a launch Wednesday night remained persistent on Thursday.
Launch Director James Whelan scrubbed a launch attempt Wednesday night when a vent valve on the Atlas 5’s first stage liquid oxygen tank failed to work properly during final pre-launch checkouts.
A little more than an hour before the Thursday night window opened, ULA said it was foregoing the launch attempt.
“The launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 carrying the ViaSat-3 F2 mission for Viasat is scrubbed for tonight’s launch attempt due to a reoccurrence of the issue with the Atlas 5 booster liquid oxygen tank vent valve,” the company wrote.
“The team will evaluate the hardware, and we will release a new launch date when available.”
At ULA’s Advanced Spaceflight Operations Center (ASOC), four miles south of the launch pad, launch controllers started the countdown for Thursday’s attempt shortly before 3 p.m. EST.
The liquid oxygen tank on the Centaur upper stage reached flight levels and liquid oxygen loading on the booster was underway when the scrub was called shortly after 9 p.m. EST.
Skies at Cape Canaveral were also overcast Thursday afternoon, with thick clouds and rain showers in the area.
Launch Weather Officer Brian Belson from the 45th Weather Squadron at the Space Force’s Space Launch Delta 45 downgraded the outlook for launch, giving 50-50 odds of meeting the launch weather rules, with thick-layered clouds and rain being the primary concerns.
In response to a social media question concerning the scrub on Thursday, ULA President and CEO Tory Bruno pointed to issues related to the weather.
“Both scrubs were for the same issue, the booster’s LOX vent valve. We believe it absorbed moisture during the recent extreme rain at the pad and firmed ice during cryo tanking,” Bruno wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“Gave it a good shot at drying and cycling in between attempts. Will need a more involved fix.”
Multiple sources said that additional work won’t be possible at the launch pad, so the rocket will return to the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF), located about a third of a mile away from the pad itself.
Nestled inside the rocket’s 5.4-meter diameter payload fairing is the 6-metric-ton ViaSat-3 F2 satellite, manufactured by Boeing.
When the mission is ready to launch, the Atlas 5’s hydrogen-fueled Centaur upper stage will fire three times and use the great majority of its propellant to send the satellite on its way into a geostationary transfer orbit.
This so-called Minimum Residual Shutdown will impart maximum velocity on the satellite once it is deployed 3.5 hours into flight, potentially extending its lifetime.
This is the second satellite in the ViaSat-3 series. It follows the launch of the first spacecraft by a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in 2023.
That satellite, ViaSat-3 F1, suffered an issue with its antenna, which both delayed the start of service and resulted in a reduced capacity.
Viasat officials said this new satellite will provide Ka-band network capabilities, adding more than 1 terabit per second (Tbps) of capacity to the company’s network over the Americas.
Following months of on-orbit testing at its operating location of 79 degrees West longitude, the ViaSat-3 F2 spacecraft is expected to enter service in early 2026.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/11/06/live-coverage-atlas-5-makes-another-try-to-launch-viasat-3-f2-communications-satellite/
Space Force Rebrands Operations Command as Combat Forces Command
Nov. 6, 2025
The Space Force officially renamed Space Operations Command as Combat Forces Command on Nov. 3, a change it says better reflects the service’s warfighting focus.
“This redesignation aligned the command’s name with its core purpose of forging combat-ready Space Forces for America and its allies, and the evolution of the United States Space Force as a warfighting service,” the command said in a statement on its website.
The formal name change coincided with a leadership transition as Lt. Gen. Gregory Gagnon took the command’s helm on the same day.
Gagnon most recently served as special assistant to the Chief of Space Operations and was previously the service’s top intelligence officer.
Established in 2020 as one of three Space Force field commands, Combat Forces Command is based at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The rebranding continues what has been a near-constant effort from USSF since its creation in 2019 to cement the Space Force’s identity as a warfighting service.
Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman has led that charge since 2023. Early in his tenure, the service’s top general listed “fielding combat-ready forces” as a critical focus area.
In the last year, the Space Force and U.S. Space Command have spoken more freely about the need to field offensive space capabilities.
In a note to Guardians in March, Saltzman emphasized space control, or the ability to use kinetic and nonkinetic effects to contest or control the space domain, as a core function for the Space Force—and a concept that he expects to be “reflected in everything from capability development to training to operations” as the service matures.
“Like all military services, the U.S. Space Force exists to fight and win in its domain, and our ability to do so demands that we devise, refine and master our way of war,” Saltzman said.
Gagnon, in his previous role as Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Intelligence, spoke regularly about growing threats from U.S. adversaries, particularly China.
He has called for the Space Force to craft an operational vision that clearly depicts the service’s mission to joint force and allied partners.
In an interview last year with Defense News, Gagnon said the service’s efforts to craft a 15-year objective force design, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year, could give partners more clarity on the service’s vision and its warfighting role.
“We need that North Star, that plan, written so that they can see what our plan is and then be an advocate for us to gain additional money to make that a reality,” Gagnon said.
Gagnon isn’t the only new Space Force leader—after being confirmed for a third star on Oct. 30, Lt. Gen. Dennis O. Bythewood assumed command of Space Forces-Space, the U.S. Space Force’s service component to U.S. Space Command, in a Nov. 4 ceremony.
In that role, Bythewood will be a key link between the service, which organizes, trains, and equips forces, and the combatant command, which commands and controls forces within the space domain.
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/space-force-operations-command-combat-forces-command/
https://www.ussf-cfc.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/About-Combat-Forces-Command
Ukraine slaughters civilians, then blames Russia – again
5 Nov, 2025 22:38
A shocking video recently published on Russian media and in Telegram channels shows the last moments of two civilians before they were killed by Ukrainian drones in Kupyansk region east of the city of Kharkov.
The drone observed the first man, carrying a white flag – a universal sign for surrender, or in the case of civilians, that they pose no threat – before flying right at him, blowing him apart and injuring the dog walking beside him, who presumably died as well.
The second civilian, upon reaching the body of the first, crossed himself and walked on. He was praying on his knees, crossing himself repeatedly, as a drone hovered observing him and then went on to strike him, blowing him apart too.
Ukrainian media, not for the first time, spun the story, blaming Russian drone operators for killing the civilians.
Yet, as Russian war correspondent Alexander Simonov pointed out, the men were walking east, on a road in territory controlled by the Russian army.
“There are no targets for our drones on our rear roads. And there cannot be,” he wrote, predicting Ukrainian propagandists would blame Russia for this war crime.
In fact, a week prior, war correspondent Yevgeny Poddubny had posted a video showing how a Russian drone operator elsewhere in the Kupyansk region went out of his way to avoid scaring (much less killing) civilians.
“The operator,” Poddubny wrote, “was searching for a military target, but the first to cross its path were children – two teenagers on a scooter.
In a second, the drone stops moving to avoid frightening the children. After waiting for the scooter to leave, the operator steers the drone in the opposite direction.”
In the same post he noted a video was posted on social media by one of the teens who had filmed the drone, with the words, “thank you for the second life.”
In September, RIA Novosti published a video of the Ukrainian army killing a woman with a drone in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) village of Shandrigolovo.
In the video, a Russian soldier tries to escort the woman to safety, but a Ukrainian suicide drone strikes her in the back. Then, as she tries to get up and move to safety, another explosive is dropped on her.
Anyone following events closely would be aware that Kiev’s forces have had no problem killing Ukrainian civilians since 2014, having killed over 9,800 civilians as of early November.
Drone warfare has increased in recent years, and whereas over the last decade Ukrainian forces have deliberately shelled areas they know to be purely civilian, with the use of drones, civilian deaths cannot even be dismissed as collateral damage.
They are precise and deliberate assassinations.
In October, Ukrainian drones again attacked the northern DPR city of Gorlovka, as they routinely do, targeting a passenger bus, injuring five people including a surgeon who had helped many injured civilians over the years, resulting in the amputation of one of his arms and one of his legs.
Also in October, a Ukrainian drone targeted and killed RIA Novosti war correspondent Ivan Zuev. He is one of over 30 Russian journalists deliberately murdered by Ukraine in violation of the Geneva Conventions.
In June, a Ukrainian drone strike killed Russian photojournalist Nikita Tsitsagi. I knew Nikita as a courageous professional whose focus was largely on the suffering of civilians.
When he was murdered, he was preparing to do another report from St. Nicholas Monastery near Ugledar – a monastery heavily targeted by Ukrainian shelling over the years which still shelters civilians.
Also in June, a Ukrainian drone targeted Russian NTV journalists filming in the extremely hard-hit village of Golmovsky, east of Gorlovka, killing cameraman Valery Kozhin and seriously injuring war correspondent Alexey Ivliyev.
These are by no means the only instances of Russian journalists and civilians targeted and killed or injured by Ukrainian drones. So, the notion that – as Ukrainian media have spun it – Russian drones targeted the two civilians fleeing towards the Russian military presence is not only illogical, it has been preceded by a long list of Ukrainian drone terrorism incidents and murders of civilians.
Aiden Minnis, a UK citizen fighting on the Russian side, told me, “They also routinely attack our evacuation teams the same way here.
They don’t discriminate when they attack with drones. If civilians are walking towards Russian lines, they are perceived to be collaborators and will be hit.”
As for Ukrainian and Western media blaming Russia for Ukraine’s war crimes, the list is long: think Bucha, the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, and the many instances of Western media using footage from Donbass cities targeted by Ukraine and depicting them as Ukrainian cities targeted by Russia.
https://www.rt.com/russia/627379-ukraine-civilians-drone-murder/
This Fully Functioning Toilet Made From Solid Gold Could Sell for More Than $10 Million at Auction
November 3, 2025
Need a bathroom upgrade? You can soon bid on a toilet made of solid gold for upwards of $10 million.
The 220-pound, 18-karat solid gold toilet is by Maurizio Cattelan, an Italian artist known for his satirical, provocative works. The most famous of them is Comedian, a banana duct-taped to a wall that sold for $6.2 million to a cryptocurrency financier.
Sotheby’s expects the golden toilet, called America, to blow that figure out of the water on November 18.
Bidding will start at around $10 million, though the exact number will be determined by the price of gold on that day, and the auction house expects the final price to exceed that figure, per the Wall Street Journal’s Kelly Crow.
Cattelan created the piece because he wanted to put an expensive artwork in an unexpected part of a museum.
“In the end, we are all the same,” Cattelan tells the Wall Street Journal. “And we remember it right there, in the least noble and most necessary place.”
The fully functioning golden toilet satirizes wealth and interrogates what we consider sacred. Built in 2016, it was sold to a private collector the following year.
Another version of the toilet from the same series has a more notorious history. Also titled America and made of pure gold, it was installed in 2016 at New York’s Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, where it attracted more than 100,000 visitors who lined up to use the commode.
Critics compared the work to Marcel Duchamp’s iconic 1917 work Fountain, a porcelain urinal.
“Its participatory nature, in which viewers are invited to make use of the fixture individually and privately, allows for an experience of unprecedented intimacy with a work of art,” the museum noted in a statement at the time.
In 2019, the golden toilet was lent to England’s Blenheim Palace, the country manor where Winston Churchill was born. Days after its installation, thieves broke into the building and stole the toilet, per the Associated Press’ Jill Lawless.
Two men were found guilty of the burglary earlier this year, after a third co-conspirator had previously pleaded guilty, but the toilet is still missing.
Authorities think it was likely melted down and sold. When Cattelan created his America series, the toilets were reported to be worth around $2 million, per the Wall Street Journal.
By the time of the theft, rising gold prices had pushed that number up to $4 million. In today’s gold market, the remaining America toilet is worth much more.
Famous for his hyperrealistic sculptures and installations, Cattelan is known as the prankster of the art world. But his golden toilet series carries a deeper meaning, says David Galperin, vice chairman and head of contemporary art at Sotheby’s.
“I would reject the idea that this is just pure spectacle,” Galperin tells the New York Times’ Zachary Small. “Cattelan for me is one of the greatest artists of our generation, and this is one of his most iconic works.”
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-fully-functioning-toilet-made-from-solid-gold-could-sell-for-more-than-10-million-at-auction-180987613/
https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/627467-golden-toilet-auction/
UK and Baltic countries simulate war with Russia – Politico
7 Nov, 2025 17:03
Several northern European countries, including the UK, Nordic, and Baltic states, rehearsed a military conflict with Russia at a gathering in northern Norway this week, Politico reported on Friday.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Denis Shmigal reportedly also attended.
Moscow has repeatedly dismissed allegations of hostile intent toward Western nations and voiced concern over the growing military activity near its borders.
British military planners joined Nordic and Baltic defense ministers in Bodo, to simulate a conflict in a state bordering Russia, according to the outlet.
The drills in Bodo were conducted as part of a ‘Joint Expeditionary Force’ (JEF) of ten European NATO members – the Netherlands, Iceland, the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.
The latter five share borders with Russia and have been among the most vocal critics of Moscow since the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022.
All JEF countries are NATO members, with Finland having joined the US-led bloc in 2023 and Sweden following in 2024.
According to London, the meeting in Norway followed the conclusion last week of the JEF’s largest-ever military exercise.
The two-month Tarassis operation held across the Nordic-Baltic region, involved over 1,700 British personnel alongside JEF allies.
British Defense Secretary John Healey told Politico that JEF nations could “best get NATO connected to take this (Russian aggression) more seriously.”
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Western officials have claimed that Russia could threaten EU states, prompting a military buildup across the bloc.
European NATO members agreed to boost military spending to as much as 5% of GDP, citing the alleged “Russian threat.”
The push to boost spending followed renewed pressure from Washington.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged NATO’s European members to take greater responsibility for their own security and increase armed forces investment, arguing that the US bears too much of the burden.
Moscow has consistently rejected allegations of hostile intent toward Western nations as “nonsense” and fearmongering, condemning what it describes as the West’s “reckless militarization.”
https://www.rt.com/news/627461-uk-jef-russia-conflict/