TYB!
Kansas woman plead guilty for falsely accusing ex-wife & NASA astronaut of illegally accessing bank account from space
Nov 17, 2025 3:00 AM
A Wichita woman has plead guilty for falsely accusing her ex-wife and NASA astronaut, for illegally accessing her bank account from the International Space Station (ISS).
Summer Worder (50) from Wichita, plead guilty on Thursday, November 13 after lying to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and NASA Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG), that her ex-wife, Anne McCain illegallt gained access to the account from space.
According to the US Attorney's Office from Texas, Worden actually allowed McCain access to the account back in 2018, as it was shared. Worden then changed the credentials in January, 2019.
Afterwards, Worden then contacted the FTC where she accused McCain. She stated McCain 'changed the password' on the account to deny herself access to financial information.
Moreover, she contacted the NASA OIG that McCain 'illegally accessed' the account from the ISS.
The investigation revealed Worden had granted McCain access to her bank records from at least 2015, including her login credentials.
According to NASA OIG in 2020, a Houston federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Worden for making false statements to the federal agencies.
The Houston Chronicle stated Worden had a superseding indictment in 2022, where she faced 5 counts of wire fraud and 3 counts of unlawful transactions.
Additionally, she bilked 8 other people and McCain of more than $200,000 in a land purchase back in 2017.
US District Judge of Texas, Alfred Bennett accepted the plea on November 13.
He will impose a sentencing on February 12, 2026.
Worden could face five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
She was permitted to remain on bond pending, until the time of the hearing date.
https://salinapost.com/posts/41109540-05cb-49f3-8038-46078d470193
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-spacex-launch-us-european-satellite-to-monitor-earths-oceans/
NASA, SpaceX Launch US-European Satellite to Monitor Earth’s Oceans
Nov 17, 2025
About the size of a full-size pickup truck, a newly launched satellite by NASA and its partners will provide ocean and atmospheric information to improve hurricane forecasts, help protect infrastructure, and benefit commercial activities, such as shipping.
The Sentinel-6B satellite lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in central California at 9:21 p.m. PST on Nov. 16.
Contact between the satellite and a ground station in northern Canada occurred about 1 hour and 30 minutes later at 10:54 p.m. All systems are functioning normally.
“Understanding tidal patterns down to the inch is critical in protecting how we use our oceans every day on Earth,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
“Sentinel-6B will build upon the legacy of Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich by making sea level measurements that improve forecasts used by communities, businesses, and operations across the country.
It also will support a safer reentry for our astronauts returning home, including crew from Artemis Moon missions.”
Sea levels vary from place to place, and the satellite will provide accurate measurements at both local and global scales — all from hundreds of miles above in low Earth orbit.
Those observations form the basis for U.S. flood predictions, which are crucial for safeguarding coastal infrastructure, real estate, energy storage sites, and other coastal assets.
Sentinel-6B will take over for Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, which launched in 2020 and later became the official reference satellite for global sea level measurements, providing sea surface height measurements against which those from other satellites are compared for accuracy.
The satellite comes from a collaboration between multiple partners, including NASA, ESA (European Space Agency), EUMETSAT (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
It also is part of the European Union’s family of Copernicus missions.
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“Collaboration between partners is key to a mission such as Sentinel-6, and my thanks go to everyone involved in developing, launching, and operating this exceptional satellite, which follows in the footsteps of the first Sentinel-6, Michael Freilich,” said Simonetta Cheli, director, ESA’s Earth Observation Programmes.
“This achievement demonstrates what can be accomplished when international agencies and industries work together toward a shared goal.
Sentinel-6B will ensure we continue to collect the high-precision data needed to understand our changing climate, safeguard our oceans and support decisions that protect coastal communities around the world.”
The two satellites make up the Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS (Continuity of Service) mission, the latest in a series of ocean-observing radar altimetry missions that have monitored Earth’s changing seas since the early 1990s.
As with its predecessor, Sentinel-6B satellite also will provide key information about wind speeds, wave heights, atmospheric temperature, and humidity.
Moreover, because water expands as its temperature increases, researchers can tell which parts of the ocean are warmer than others based on where the sea surface height is greater.
Combined with data from other instruments, that knowledge can help in forecasting marine weather, including the development of hurricanes, which intensify with warmer water.
Also, because large currents are taller than surrounding waters due to their higher temperatures, sea surface measurements can shed light on interactions between the Gulf Stream, for example, and nearby waves.
Where they meet, seas can become rougher, presenting a hazard to even the largest ships.
“Sentinel-6B is a testament to the value of NASA’s partnership missions to put actionable satellite information and science into the hands of decision-makers on the ground,” said Karen St. Germain, director, NASA Earth Science Division at the agency’s headquarters.
“Sentinel-6B will collect ocean surface observations that will inform decisions critical to coastal communities, commercial shipping and fishing, national defense, and emergency preparedness and response.
This is what NASA does — puts advanced technology and science into action for the benefit of the nation.”
When Sentinel-6B reaches its operating elevation, the satellite will fly about 30 seconds behind Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, which carries identical science instruments.
Once the mission finishes cross-calibrating the data collected by the two, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich will move into a different orbit, and Sentinel-6B will take over the role of official reference satellite, orbiting Earth about 13 times a day at 830 miles (1,336 kilometers) above the surface.
“Sentinel-6B demonstrates the versatile Earth science applications made possible by expertly engineered, space-based technology.
The satellite’s powerful suite of instruments will measure about 90% of Earth’s oceans down to fractions of an inch — continuing to add to a vital dataset that America and a growing global community depend on,” said Dave Gallagher, director, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California.
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Preparations begin for new space mission
Updated: 2025-11-17 06:56
The China Manned Space Agency has started preparations for the launch of an unmanned spacecraft to carry a full cargo load, including provisions for astronauts and equipment for the Tiangong space station, according to a senior engineer.
Zhou Yaqiang, who works with the agency's general technical bureau, told China Central Television on Saturday that all systems involved in the upcoming Shenzhou XXII cargo mission "are busy getting ready for it, testing the rocket and the spaceship and preparing the payloads".
The Shenzhou XXII spacecraft will be launched in due course to dock with the Tiangong space station, the agency said.
The spacecraft was originally scheduled to transport the Shenzhou XXII crew to Tiangong in April 2026.
However, as the Shenzhou XXI spacecraft was used on Friday by the Shenzhou XX astronauts for their return trip to Earth, the Shenzhou XXII spacecraft is now needed as a standby crew ship.
Tiny cracks were found on the viewport window of the Shenzhou XX return capsule, which were probably caused by external impact from space debris, according to the agency.
The three Shenzhou XX astronauts returned safely to Earth using the Shenzhou XXI spacecraft on Friday afternoon, nine days later than their planned landing. They spent 204 days in orbit, setting a new record for the longest in-orbit stay by Chinese astronauts.
The crew members have entered a period of medical quarantine and will undergo comprehensive examinations and health evaluations, the agency said. They are expected to meet with the media in Beijing after their quarantine ends.
Their safe and swift return, after the unexpected debris-related situation, was made possible due to a preplanned arrangement that includes a rocket and crew ship on standby for emergencies.
If an in-orbit crew ship encounters a problem, the backup rocket can be launched after about nine days of preparation to send a replacement crew ship to Tiangong.
In a related development, the four mice — two females and two males — that arrived at Tiangong on Nov 1 with the Shenzhou XXI astronauts and stayed in the space station for nearly two weeks returned to Earth on Friday with the Shenzhou XX crew.
The rodents were transferred to the Beijing-based Chinese Academy of Sciences, where researchers said the animals quickly readapted to Earth's gravity and environment, and are demonstrating a good appetite.
Scientists will analyze the rodents' behavior and key physiological and biochemical indicators to understand their stress responses and adaptive mechanisms to spaceflight conditions.
These findings will provide critical insights into how space environments affect living organisms, according to CAS.
Other biological samples, including zebrafish, hornwort, streptomyces, planarians and brain organoids, along with science and combustion experiment samples, were also transported to the CAS on Saturday.
After initial status checks, these specimens were handed over to research teams for further study.
https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202511/17/WS691a56c1a310d6866eb29bf6.html
Dave Mustaine Wants Megadeth’s Final Show to Be in Outer Space
November 17, 2025 | 10:02am ET
Megadeth’s farewell tour is set to run for the next three to five years, and when it finally wraps up, frontman Dave Mustaine hopes the band plays its final show in space.
In a new interview with Metal Hammer, Mustaine even suggested a moon landing followed by a moon concert, though he didn’t address the complication of performing with zero gravity.
“I hope we’ll be playing up in space,” Mustaine said. “I think that will be a really fitting climax. And I’m not talking about on the side of a vomit comet. A gig on the moon, a full moon landing, that would be cool.”
He added, referencing the sub-orbital flights conducted by Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin, Elon Musk’s SpaceX, and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic: “
I saw they sent up a bunch of celebrities into space and I thought ‘Well, if them, why not me?’, you know? I’m just watching how that all progresses.
I know Elon Musk and Richard Branson were working on interstellar travel. I think people are going to be travelling to space a lot sooner than you think.”
The band that wrote “Hangar 18” playing in space would be cool. When asked if he was joking about the idea, Mustaine doubled down.
“People already travel over 40,000 feet altitude, and when you get to that kind of atmosphere you’re basically already in space,” he said. “So I do think it’s going to happen.
The question is, are people going to be able to inhabit the moon?”
For now, Megadeth will be confined to terrestrial performances, launching their farewell tour with a Spring 2026 Latin American outing.
That will be followed by a European festival run in June and a month-long stint supporting Iron Maiden’s North American tour beginning in late August. Get tickets here.
https://consequence.net/2025/11/dave-mustaine-megadeth-final-show-in-space/
https://yris.yira.org/column/from-earth-to-the-moon-crafting-international-law-for-space-resource-mining/
From Earth to the Moon: Crafting International Law for Space Resource Mining
November 17, 2025
The exploration and utilization of space resources represent a frontier that promises to transform the global economy, fuel technological advancements, and shift geopolitical dynamics.
As private corporations, such as SpaceX and Blue Origin, and spacefaring nations like the United States, China, and Luxembourg increasingly focus on mining celestial bodies, the existing international legal framework governing space exploration and resource extraction appears outdated and fragmented.
The principles of peaceful use and prohibition of territorial appropriation, embedded in the Outer Space Treaty (OST), remain fundamental to space law; however, they offer little guidance on the complexities introduced by modern space mining technologies. As private ventures expand and technology advances, the current body of space law is failing to keep pace with the rapid developments, creating both significant opportunities and risks.
My analysis asserts the need for a comprehensive, international framework to regulate the extraction of space resources.
Specifically, it proposes the establishment of an International Space Mining Authority (ISMA), modeled on successful governance structures like the International Seabed Authority (ISA) under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Such an authority would ensure that space mining is regulated in a way that promotes equity, environmental sustainability, and peaceful international cooperation.
The Legal Foundation: Existing Treaties and their Limitations
At the heart of space law lies the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (OST), which asserts that “outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by any means.
”1 The treaty envisions space as a domain for peaceful use by all, prohibiting territorial claims on celestial bodies and emphasizing cooperation among states.
The 1979 Moon Agreement further elaborates on the principle that the Moon’s resources must be shared for the benefit of all nations, with particular regard to developing countries.
However, both the OST and the Moon Agreement fail to address the growing challenges posed by space resource extraction.
2 While these treaties provide a broad legal framework for peaceful exploration, they do not offer practical guidance on the ownership, extraction, or commercial use of space resources.
Moreover, while the OST’s principles are well-intentioned, they do not consider the rapid development of private space ventures and the potential for exploitation of extraterrestrial resources.
The absence of clear legal provisions on ownership, extraction rights, and resource management has led to a patchwork of national laws.
The U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act (CSLCA) of 2015, for instance, grants U.S. companies the right to extract and use space resources, which has raised concerns about nationalistic approaches to space mining and the lack of international coordination.
Similarly, Luxembourg’s pioneering space mining laws have attracted private investments, but they raise significant concerns about equitable resource distribution and environmental protections.
3 Thus, the existing framework fails to address the legal, ethical, and environmental complexities of space mining, creating potential for competition and conflict in outer space, with no effective governance mechanisms to ensure fair and responsible exploitation of celestial resources.
Ethical, Environmental, and Geopolitical Implications
Space resource mining presents profound ethical and environmental challenges that must be carefully considered in any new legal framework. Chief among these is the issue of ownership.
If celestial bodies and their resources are to be considered the “common heritage of mankind,” how can we ensure that the wealth generated from their exploitation is fairly distributed among all nations, especially those less capable of accessing space?
4 As it stands, the benefits of space mining are likely to be monopolized by technologically advanced nations and private corporations, exacerbating global inequalities.
5 The lack of an equitable framework for resource distribution may further entrench disparities between the Global North and South, making space a domain where only the rich and powerful have access to its wealth.
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From an environmental perspective, the extraction of resources from celestial bodies carries risks that are not yet fully understood.
While the Outer Space Treaty prohibits harmful contamination of space environments, space mining could lead to the accumulation of space debris, alterations to celestial bodies’ physical structure, and disturbances to ecosystems that are currently unexplored.
The potential environmental degradation of celestial bodies—such as the Moon’s fragile ecosystem—poses a long-term threat that cannot be ignored.
The principle of precaution, often invoked in international law to prevent harm when scientific uncertainty exists, should be applied to the regulation of space mining.6
For example, the extraction of Helium-3 from the Moon, a resource believed to have significant potential for energy production, could destabilize the Moon’s geological and environmental balance, causing harm that could reverberate throughout the space ecosystem.
7 These environmental risks further emphasize the necessity for a comprehensive governance framework that prioritizes sustainability and takes into account the unknown consequences of space resource extraction.
The Need for an International Space Mining Authority (ISMA)
In order to address these challenges, according to my analysis, the establishment of an International Space Mining Authority (ISMA), a governing body modeled after the International Seabed Authority (ISA) under UNCLOS, is essential.
The ISA oversees the extraction of seabed resources in the deep ocean, ensuring that these resources are used for the benefit of all nations, with particular attention to developing countries.
Similarly, the ISMA would regulate the extraction of space resources, ensuring that the benefits of space mining are shared equitably and that the environmental impact is minimized.
The ISMA would operate as an international body responsible for granting licenses for space mining operations, establishing environmental impact assessments (EIAs), and ensuring the responsible extraction of resources.
It would also be tasked with creating a Space Resource Fund to support developing countries in accessing space resources and technologies.
8 This fund could also facilitate international cooperation in space missions, enabling less developed nations to participate in space exploration and resource utilization.
In terms of environmental governance, the ISMA would be responsible for implementing strict environmental standards, including requirements for comprehensive EIAs and sustainable practices in space mining operations.
The agency would have the authority to monitor and enforce compliance with these standards, ensuring that space mining does not lead to irreversible damage to celestial bodies and the space environment.
Furthermore, the ISMA would oversee the development of technologies that minimize the environmental impact of mining operations, such as systems for space debris removal and the responsible management of mining byproducts.
Fostering Global Cooperation and Technological Exchange
Given the immense financial and technological challenges of space mining, no single country or corporation can effectively manage space resources alone.
The creation of the ISMA would facilitate global cooperation by fostering technology-sharing agreements and joint ventures among spacefaring nations.
Such collaboration would help democratize access to space resources, ensuring that developing countries are not left behind in the pursuit of space wealth.
Furthermore, the ISMA could play a critical role in overseeing the development of sustainable technologies for space mining.
By promoting international partnerships, the ISMA would facilitate the sharing of technology and expertise, ensuring that space mining operations are environmentally responsible and technologically feasible.
9 This exchange of knowledge and resources could significantly reduce the technological divide between wealthier and less developed nations, promoting greater equity in space exploration.
Conclusion
As the commercial exploitation of space resources accelerates, the need for a robust international legal framework has never been more urgent.
The current legal landscape, with its outdated treaties and fragmented national laws, is ill-equipped to handle the complexities of space resource extraction.
By establishing an International Space Mining Authority (ISMA), we can ensure that space mining is conducted in a way that is fair, sustainable, and environmentally responsible.
The ISMA would provide a platform for equitable governance, ensuring that the benefits of space resources are shared by all nations and that the space environment is protected for future generations.
In this way, space exploration can serve as a tool for the collective advancement of humanity, rather than a new frontier for exploitation by a select few.
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FAA ends commercial space launch-limit times
UPDATED 6:01 AM ET Nov. 17, 2025
CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — As airline flights resume as normal, the FAA has also ended the restrictions to specific takeoff times for commercial space launches.
The FAA issued an order to restrict commercial space launches and re-entries to 10 p.m. through 6 a.m. local time, which started Monday, Nov. 10, until the order was canceled.
And that order was canceled on Sunday and went into effect 6 a.m., Monday, Nov. 17, the FAA stated.
https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/space/2025/11/17/faa-ends-commercial-space-launch-limit-times
https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/dot-faa-announce-termination-faa-emergency-order-return-normal-operations
https://www.zmescience.com/space/nasas-cassini-mission-found-fresh-clues-that-enceladus-might-be-cooking-up-life/
NASA’s Cassini Mission Found Fresh Clues That Enceladus Might Be Cooking Up Life
November 17, 2025
In 2008, NASA’s now-departed Cassini spacecraft made its fastest flyby of Enceladus, the moon of Saturn that’s spewing its subsurface ocean into space.
A new analysis of data from that flyby has revealed a bevy of complex organic compounds that hadn’t been detected before and confirmed the origin of several previously known organics.
The speed at which the flyby occurred, a zippy 18 kilometers per second, helped convince the researchers that the organics truly originated from Enceladus’s interior ocean and were not a product of postejection space weathering.
When combined with the slate of previously detected organic compounds, “these new organics could support chemical networks or chemical pathways that potentially could lead to biologically relevant compounds,” said Nozair Khawaja, lead researcher on this discovery and a planetary scientist at Freie Universität Berlin in Germany.
Connecting Chemistries
Enceladus emits plumes of water from its subsurface ocean through icy cracks near its south pole. Enough material has been released into space to create a ring around Saturn called the E ring.
During its 13 years exploring the Saturn system, Cassini collected and analyzed multiple samples from the E ring and discovered a wide variety of organic and inorganic molecules, including aromatics and oxygen-bearing species, that hinted at complex chemistry happening within Enceladus.
“If you capture some particles in the E ring, that means, indirectly, you are sampling the subsurface ocean,” Khawaja said.
However, planetary scientists have debated whether all of the organic compounds discovered in E ring material could truly be traced back to the Enceladean ocean.
After all, material sits in the E ring for years, and the material’s chemistry may have been altered through exposure to radiation from Saturn and the solar system, a process called space weathering.
But Cassini didn’t just fly through Saturn’s rings. It also flew directly through Enceladus’s plumes.
During those flybys, the spacecraft’s onboard Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) collected and measured spectra from freshly ejected material.
Grains of material entered the CDA collector and shattered into chemical constituents—mostly water ice with smatterings of other molecules.
The CDA measured chemical spectra and reported what those grains were made of.
The trouble is that water molecules are very sticky, Khawaja explained. After shattering, ice molecules quickly cluster around and shield other molecules from detection.
The slower the grains traveled through the instrument, the less time CDA had to spot those other compounds, which were the ones that scientists were most interested in decoding.
Previous analyses of Enceladus and E ring flybys, most of which occurred at relative speeds less than 12 kilometers per second, detected five of the six elements essential for Earth’s biology—the CHNOPS elements—but other materials remained elusive.
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Speed Is Everything
Luckily, Cassini’s fifth Enceladus flyby was particularly speedy. Plume material traveled through the CDA at 18 kilometers per second.
Analysis of data from that flyby, conducted by Khawaja and his team, revealed that the freshly ejected ice grains contained many of the same compounds that had previously been found in E ring material.
“These new particles, they were very young in age and very fresh material,” Khawaja said.
“That means, if we observe in these fresh grains the same compounds [seen] in the E ring grains, which are months or many years old, that means that those compounds are actually coming from the subsurface of Enceladus.”
Because the material collected in this flyby did not have time to be altered by space radiation, these chemical commonalities “effectively rule out” space radiation or another process external to Enceladus as the source of complex organic material in the E ring and Enceladus’s ocean, explained Alexander Berne.
The results “indicate that endogenic processes, such as hydrothermal activity, i.e., energy-releasing interactions between silicate rock and water, form the observed chemistry,” Berne said.
“This hydrothermal activity is potentially a key process for sustaining metabolic reactions to support astrobiology within Enceladus,” like black smokers near Earth’s mid-ocean ridges. Berne, a planetary scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, was not involved with this research.
New Ingredients in the Soup
The swiftness of this particular flyby also enabled the CDA to measure the spectra of several previously undetected complex organic compounds before they were shielded behind an icy curtain.
These compounds, including oxygen- and nitrogen-bearing species, aryls, alkenes, and ethyls, strengthen the theory that they were generated through geochemical processes at the base of the Enceladean ocean.
“The new compounds confirm that organics are present in the subsurface ocean and may indicate more complex, potentially hydrothermal processes there,” said Larry Esposito, a planetary scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder who was not involved with this research.
“The new findings are consistent with the likely habitability of the ocean, which may resemble a complex organic ‘primordial soup.’”
Khawaja cautioned that these newly detected organics do not mean that life exists in Enceladus’s ocean or that life is an inevitable result of mixing together this primordial soup.
Continued analysis of archival Cassini data, bolstered by future laboratory experiments, could reveal the many potential outcomes of this chemical mixture and could piece together its origin story.
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New Zealand's First National Space Weather Exercise a Success
Nov 17, 2025, 12:10 PM
As part of the exercise programme for natural hazards, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) led the first national space weather exercise, Exercise Tahu-nui-a-Rangi on 5-6 November.
Exercising is a core part of readiness and helps identify gaps and issues before a real event occurs. They improve our ability to respond to and recover from emergencies.
NEMA led the exercise as the lead agency for space weather and 12 regional Civil Defence Groups and 27 government agencies and industry partners took part.
So, what is Space Weather? It’s weather in outer space! There are three different types of space weather events - solar radiation storms, solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections – a geomagnetic storm that covers the globe.
While space weather events don’t directly affect humans or animals, they can disrupt technology such as satellites, communications and power grids.
The event must be significant to severely impact technology, so the exercise was based on a one-in-100-year scenario to practice responding to a major disruption.
NEMA ran the exercise out of the National Crisis Management Centre below the Beehive, aka ‘The Bunker’.
The exercise provided a good opportunity for NEMA and other agencies to gain a shared perspective on space weather planning.
It was great to see engagement and relationship building between all the participating agencies, and this will put us in good stead for future responses.
One of the main goals of the exercise was to improve preparedness for a space weather event.
Early feedback indicates that the exercise strengthened understanding and response capability, making us better equipped for the future.
https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/resources/news-and-events/news-and-events/first-national-space-weather-exercise-a-success
https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/cdem-sector/exercises/exercise-tahu-nui-a-rangi-2025
Astrophotographer spies an ancient supernova remnant shining in the wing of a cosmic swan
November 17, 2025
Dutch astrophotographer Cornelis van Zuilen combined 35 hours of telescopic data to create an incandescent view of the Eastern Veil Nebula shining 2,100 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus.
Van Zuilen's nebula image reveals breathtaking detail in these swirling clouds of interstellar dust and gas, which were cast out into space when a star 20 times more massive than the sun ended its life in a dramatic supernova explosion some 5,000 to 8,000 thousand years ago.
The twisting nebula seen in van Zuilen's image is just one section of the sprawling 120-light-year-wide supernova remnant, which can be found close to the bright star Epsilon Cygni in the constellation Cygnus along the glowing band of the Milky Way in November.
Due to the weather, the image was a difficult one to capture. "I'm from the Netherlands and we like to joke here that 'summer is the best day of the year,'" van Zuilen told Space.com in an email.
"It rains a lot, so being an amateur astrophotographer is quite a challenging hobby, it requires patience and good timing.
Fortunately I live just outside the city in a Bortle 5 area, which really helps with capturing good data through my telescopes." (The Bortle scale is used to measure the brightness of the night sky, including interference from light pollution.)
Van Zuilen captured the ancient nebula light using an Askar 103APO refractor telescope in conjunction with a ZWO manufactured camera along with an astronomy filter and peripherals as it hung in the Bortle 5 skies over the town of Heiloo in the Netherlands.
"The most challenging part of editing this image was bringing out the faint hydrogen alpha filaments in the northern region of the image," explained van Zuilen.
"That required careful processing with lots of stretching and noise reduction. It took nine nights to capture enough data to see the filaments clearly and a few more to process the final image, but in the end it was absolutely worth the effort."
https://www.space.com/stargazing/astrophotography/astrophotographer-spies-ancient-supernova-remnant-shining-in-the-wing-of-a-cosmic-swan-photo-nov-2025
Satellite captures destructive power of Hurricane Melissa
Nov. 17, 2025
Recently, Hurricane Melissa roared ashore in Jamaica, leaving behind a trail of destruction that is still being tallied.
The storm struck as a Category 5 hurricane, bringing winds exceeding 185 mph (295 kph), torrential rainfall, and widespread flooding that crippled power grids and cut off communities across the island.
For scientists tracking storms like Melissa, the data suggests that modern hurricanes are getting stronger and more destructive.
A primary cause seems to be human-driven global warming, which is increasing ocean temperatures, providing more fuel to monstrous hurricanes in the Atlantic.
What is it?
To understand how hurricanes are becoming more destructive, scientists use satellites and temperature maps, like this one taken by the European Space Agency's Copernicus Sentinel-3 to see the temperature differences in these powerful storms.
Hurricanes form over warm ocean surfaces, drawing immense energy from the heat and moisture of the sea.
As these storms intensify, the difference between sea surface temperature and cloud-top temperature becomes more extreme, which Sentinel-3 can see as various thermal bands.
Where is it?
This image was taken above Jamaica in the Atlantic Ocean.
Why is it amazing?
The Copernicus program, created by the European Union and run by the European Space Agency, scans Earth with Sentinel satellites to study coastal changes, ocean temperature and other variables.
In this Sentinel-3 image, the stark temperature difference between the top of Hurricane Melissa and its bottom shows how it formed and how it continued to grow into a Category 5 storm.
High-resolution images like this one can help explain why studying these storms is essential in forecasting, preparedness and looking ahead in our changing climate.
https://www.space.com/astronomy/earth/satellite-captures-destructive-power-of-hurricane-melissa-space-photo-of-the-day-for-nov-17-2025
Russia repels latest Ukrainian attempts to free encircled troops – MOD
17 Nov, 2025 13:45
Ukrainian efforts to relieve units trapped in two encircled sectors of the front line have been unsuccessful, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Monday.
In its daily briefing, the ministry described failed counterattacks near Kupyansk in Ukraine’s Kharkov Region, as well as in the Dmitrov-Krasnoarmeysk (Mirnograd-Pokrovsk) urban area of Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).
Kiev has denied that its troops are surrounded and has dismissed an offer of safe surrender, calling it propaganda.
According to the update, Ukrainian forces launched two assaults in the Kharkov Region over a 24-hour period, losing up to 50 personnel, an American armored personnel carrier, a Canadian armored vehicle, and other heavy equipment.
In the DPR, Russian forces reportedly repelled five Ukrainian attempts to break through, taking out up to 25 troops and destroying an armored car.
Vladimir Zelensky has repeatedly insisted that Ukrainian troops are not facing collapse in either sector, countering Russian statements that thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are encircled.
Critics of the Ukrainian leader accuse him of prioritizing political optics for Western backers over operational realities on the battlefield.
Earlier this month, Kiev deployed a special operations unit from the military intelligence service HUR on a raid near Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) – an operation Moscow says ended disastrously after commandos inserted by helicopter were immediately eliminated by Russian forces.
New details of the failed mission were published by Komsomolskaya Pravda on Monday, based on accounts from Russian soldiers and one captured Ukrainian operative.
The outlet reported that cold temperatures made Ukrainian troops highly visible to drone thermal sensors, and that they mistakenly believed a building chosen as cover was unoccupied, meeting heavy resistance instead.
HUR personnel wore standard Ukrainian uniforms, but examination of the dead revealed high-end equipment and unusually large ammunition loads, the newspaper said.
https://www.rt.com/russia/627894-encircled-ukrainians-attempted-counterattacks/
Delhi blast a suicide attack – investigators
17 Nov, 2025 10:09
The car blast near the Red Fort metro station in Delhi on November 10 that claimed at least 13 lives was a suicide attack, India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) has said.
It was the first car-borne suicide attack in India’s capital city, and the second since the Pulwama terror attack in southern Kashmir in 2019, when a bomber rammed a car into a bus, killing 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.
The NIA has also arrested a Kashmiri resident for allegedly conspiring with the driver of the car to carry out the terror attack in Delhi.
”Amir Rashid Ali, in whose name the car involved in the attack was registered, was arrested from Delhi… The accused, a resident of Samboora, Pampore in J&K [Jammu and Kashmir], had conspired with the alleged suicide bomber, Umar Un Nabi, to unleash the terror attack,” the NIA said in a statement on Sunday.
The NIA is also examining “another vehicle” belonging to Umar, which it seized.
Nine people were killed and over 30 injured in a powerful explosion at a police station in Nowgam, Kashmir, on Friday. The explosion occurred when the forensic team was inspecting material recovered in a case linked to the Delhi blast.
A terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir in April, which killed 26 people and led to a limited conflict between India and Pakistan, has escalated tensions between the neighboring South Asian countries.
New Delhi has not yet blamed Islamabad for the Red Fort blast.
https://www.rt.com/india/627882-delhi-blast-suicide-attack/
Half-Million Left Without Power in Occupied Donetsk After Ukrainian Drone Strikes
November 17, 2025
Around half a million energy customers in eastern Ukraine’s occupied Donetsk region were left without power on Monday morning following what Kremlin-installed officials in the area described as Ukrainian drone attacks on the electrical grid.
“The enemy tried to damage energy infrastructure using strike drones last night,” Denis Pushilin, the Moscow-backed head of the Donetsk region, wrote on his Telegram channel.
Pushilin said that the cities of Donetsk, Makiivka, Horlivka and Yasynuvata were still without power, but added that emergency crews managed to restore electricity in Horlivka and parts of Donetsk and Makiivka later in the morning.
State media reported late-night blackouts across four districts in the regional capital, Donetsk. Meanwhile, pro-Ukrainian Telegram channels claimed that a fire had broken out at the Chaikine electrical substation near Makiivka.
Inside Russia, authorities in the central Ulyanovsk region said that air defense systems repelled a Ukrainian attack on a key electrical substation that links the regional energy grid to those in the nearby republics of Mordovia and Chuvashia, as well as the Samara region.
No one was reported injured in that attack, and power generation was said to be working as usual.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defense systems downed 36 Ukrainian drones across the country overnight. It also reported the capture of three villages across eastern Ukraine.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/11/17/half-million-left-without-power-in-occupied-donetsk-after-ukrainian-drone-strikes-a91136
other Russia and Ukraine
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/11/17/russian-drone-strike-hits-solar-plant-in-ukraines-odesa-region/
https://www.the-sun.com/news/15503126/armoured-drone-rescue-wounded-ukrainian/
https://defence-blog.com/ukraine-launches-mass-production-of-octopus-drone-interceptor/
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4059605-voloshyn-situation-in-south-is-escalating-intensity-of-fighting-drone-attacks-are-increased.html
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/37342555/ukraine-widow-chernobyl-victim-killed-russian-drone/
https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/1121279.html
Turkish-Flagged LPG Tanker Struck by Drone Near Ukrainian Port
Nov 17, 2025, 10:06 AM CST
Another Russian overnight massive drone and missile attack on Ukraine has had some serious spillover effects, as the Turkish flagged LPG tanker "Orinda" carrying thousands of metric tons of liquefied petroleum gas was reportedly struck at the port of Izmail in Odesa.
The Turkish vessel was reportedly struck directly by a Russian drone, prompting the immediate evacuation of all 16 crew members, with no casualties reported.
Other civilian vessels were also damaged, with firefighting and emergency crews quickly dispatch to try and contain the blaze. At least a dozen commercial vessels have previously been damaged in similar Russian drone attacks on the port.
Romania is alarmed as the impacted port lies just across the border from the NATO country, and it has ordered the nearby village of Plauru along the Ukraine border to be evacuated.
The Orinda carries 4,000 tons of gas, and so the dangerous incident presents the risk of a major explosion, and containing the fire has proven difficult.
Some are calling for Turkey to take definitive action against Russia. For example Turkish member of parliament Ulas Karasu (CHP) pointed out on X that "The drone attack targeting the liquefied gas carrier named MT Orinda, flying the Turkish flag, in the Black Sea shows that the war is now targeting Turkish seafarers as well."
The Turkish politician continued:
Turkish seafarers cannot be left alone in the midst of war! The absence of loss of life is certainly a consolation for us, but the government cannot brush off this attack by calling it "isolated." The safety of our ships and crew must be ensured!
BBC says that it has verified the footage:
The footage appears to have been filmed from the small Romanian village of Plauru, just across the river.
The village is now being evacuated due to the ship’s "proximity to Romanian territory and the nature of its cargo”, emergency services say.
Ordina is almost 125m (410ft) long and can hold up to 8292 cubic metres (1.8 million gallons) of fuel, according to ship tracking website Marine Traffic.
The incident demonstrates once again that the longer and more expanded the war on energy sites between Russia and Ukraine grows, the greater the risk of drawing external countries in.
Various officials within NATO have long wanted Turkey to take harsher action against Russian shipping to international markets by cutting off access to the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits.
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Turkish-Flagged-LPG-Tanker-Struck-by-Drone-Near-Ukrainian-Port.html
IDF Chief: ‘We’re ready to retake control of Gaza again’
November 17, 2025
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Sunday that the Israeli military is prepared to rapidly resume high-intensity operations in the Gaza Strip if needed, amid warnings that Hamas is reasserting control in the enclave and refusing to disarm in violation of the Trump-brokered ceasefire agreement signed in October.
Zamir delivered the remarks during an operational assessment and tour of IDF forces stationed inside Gaza.
According to a summary of his speech released by the military, Zamir emphasized that the IDF is operating “in a changing reality” and is “contending with challenges across various arenas,” requiring readiness for a significant escalation at any time.
“We must be prepared for a rapid transition to a large-scale activity to establish operational control of areas in the Gaza Strip, if required,” Zamir said.
He pledged that the military would continue “eliminating terrorists and dismantling underground terrorist infrastructure sites” to ensure Israel’s security.
Acknowledging the clause of the ceasefire limiting the presence of Israeli forces in most urban areas, Zamir said troops will continue to operate “along the Yellow Line to clear the area and eliminate terrorist strongholds.”
Concerns over the stability of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire have increased in recent weeks as Hamas resists calls to surrender its weapons and relinquish governance of Gaza to a new authority.
https://worldisraelnews.com/idf-chief-were-ready-to-retake-control-of-gaza-again/
other Israel
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/idf-kills-terrorists-breaching-gazas-170231935.html
https://thekenyatimes.com/latest-kenya-times-news/idf-eliminates-hezbollah-member-muhammad-ali-in-mansouri-southern-lebanon/
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-874206
https://www.timesofisrael.com/authorities-begin-demolition-of-illegal-outpost-in-gush-etzion-accused-of-anarchy/
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-874156
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-it-is-searching-for-perpetrators-of-latest-settler-attack-on-palestinians-in-west-bank/
https://www.france24.com/en/video/20251117-former-idf-pilot-accuses-israel-s-extremist-ministers-of-enabling-violent-settler-attacks
https://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/iran-drone-weapons-smuggling-israel
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel-at-war/artc-idf-eliminates-hezbollah-terrorist-in-southern-lebanon-live-blog
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/at-his-trial-pm-claims-ex-idf-top-prosecutor-and-others-received-large-sums-while-in-office-yet-werent-probed/
Japan says warplanes scrambled as Chinese drone detected near southern island close to Taiwan
November 17, 2025
Japan said Monday that it had scrambled aircraft after detecting a suspected Chinese drone near its southern island of Yonaguni, which is close to Taiwan, on Saturday, as tension between the Asian adversaries spiked.
On Sunday, Chinese coast guard vessels spent several hours in Japan's territorial waters around the disputed Senkaku Islands, known as the Diaoyu in China and a frequent flashpoint, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said.
The incidents came amid escalating tension between the neighbors over remarks by Japan's staunchly conservative new leader, who suggested Tokyo could intervene militarily in any hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan.
Beijing insists Taiwan — which Japan occupied for decades until its 1945 defeat in World War II — is part of its territory, and the prime minister's comments have sparked outrage among Chinese officials.
Japanese leader's controversial remarks about China and Taiwan
Before taking power last month, Prime Minister Senae Takaichi, 64, was a vocal critic of China and its military build-up in the Asia-Pacific.
If a Taiwan emergency entails "battleships and the use of force, then that could constitute a situation threatening the survival (of Japan)," she told parliament on Nov. 7.
Under Japan's self-imposed domestic rules, an existential threat is one of the few cases where it can act militarily. Taiwan sits around 60 miles from the nearest Japanese island.
In response to Takaichi's remarks, a Chinese diplomat stationed in Japan threatened to "cut off that dirty neck," apparently referring to Takaichi, as China and Japan summoned each other's ambassadors.
In Beijing, tech worker Daniel Feng called the Chinese government's responses "very restrained" given Takaichi's "extremely unreasonable" remarks.
"If she spouts words, that's not a problem … but if they take real action, our country's military will definitely defeat them," the 40-year-old told AFP.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te called on Beijing on Monday to "show restraint, act like a major power, and not become the troublemaker" in the Asia-Pacific region, where peace and stability have been "severely impacted."
"China should return to the path of a rules-based international order, which would help maintain peace, stability and prosperity in the region," Lai told reporters.
Beijing, meanwhile, said Chinese premier Li Qiang had no plans to meet with Takaichi at the G20 summit in South Africa later this week, which they are both set to attend.
A Japanese government official told AFP that Masaaki Kanai, the top foreign ministry official for Asia-Pacific affairs, arrived in China on Monday.
"We are trying not to escalate the situation," the official told AFP.
Economic impact as Asian economic giants feud
Beijing also advised its citizens over the weekend to avoid traveling to Japan, and warned the roughly 100,000 Chinese students in the country that there were alleged risks to their safety.
Cabinet chief Kihara told reporters on Monday that the announcements were "incompatible with the broader direction agreed upon by the leaders of the two nations."
Japanese tourism and retail shares dived on Monday after China urged its citizens to avoid the neighboring nation's tourist hotspots.
Asia's two top economies are closely entwined, with China the biggest source of tourists — almost 7.5 million visitors in the first nine months of 2025 — coming to Japan.
Drawn by a weak yen making shopping cheaper, they collectively splurged more than a billion dollars a month in the third quarter, accounting for almost 30% of all tourist spending.
Japan was also the fourth-most popular destination for Chinese tourists last year, helping the land of Mount Fuji, sushi and geishas set new records for foreign arrivals.
But in fears that this may now stop, investors wiped 9% off Japanese cosmetics firm Shiseido's market value on Monday.
Department store group Mitsukoshi fell 11.3% and Pan Pacific, behind discount retail chain and tourist magnet Don Quijote, slid 5.3%.
Japan Airlines, whose shares nosedived 3.4%, has not seen any major cancellations on flights to and from China, a spokesperson told AFP.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/japan-china-tension-taiwan-war-takaichi-intervention/
https://voz.us/en/world/251117/31035/japan-mobilizes-its-troops-because-of-chinese-drone-near-taiwan-as-tensions-with-beijing-hit-the-tokyo-stock-exchange.html
Drone alert temporarily shuts Danish airport
Updated: Nov 17, 2025, 02:33:47 PM IST
The Aalborg airport in northern Denmark closed for several hours late Sunday after drones were reported in nearby airspace, airport authorities said, the latest in a spate of unexplained drone flights across Europe.
"The airport was closed for landings and take-offs between 9:30 pm and 11:15 pm (2030 and 2215 GMT) last night after suspicious drone activity," Jan Eliassen, a spokesman for Danish air traffic control company Naviair, told AFP on Monday.
Four flights were affected by the closure, he said.
The incident occurred nearly two months after mysterious drone flights across Denmark led to a one-week ban on civilian drone flights, in order to ensure security during two European summits held in Copenhagen on October 1 and 2.
At the end of September, unidentified drone flights began just days after Denmark announced that it would acquire long-range precision weapons for the first time, due to the threat posed by Russia "for the years to come".
Danish investigators have so far failed to identify those responsible for the drone flights over Denmark, but Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has pointed the finger at Russia.
"There is one main country that poses a threat to Europe's security, and it is Russia," she said.
Following Sunday's incident, North Jutland police wrote on X that they had been "informed that one or more drones may have been spotted around Aalborg airport".
"We are investigating intensively in the area. At the moment, we have no further information and therefore cannot confirm the veracity of the situation," police said.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/latest-updates/drone-alert-temporarily-shuts-danish-airport/articleshow/125381391.cms
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/mysterious-drones-over-european-airports-spark-security-concerns-officials-suspect-russias-involvement-9650257
In a first, F-22 pilot controls wingman drone from cockpit, General Atomics says
November 17, 2025 8:45 am
DUBAI AIR SHOW — In what General Atomics Aeronautical Systems says is the first known demonstration of its kind for the F-22 Raptor, a pilot flying the stealth fighter successfully controlled an MQ-20 Avenger drone from the jet’s cockpit — a capability the US Air Force expects will be key to its future forces.
The demonstration occurred Oct. 21 at the Nevada Test and Training Range, with F-22 manufacturer Lockheed Martin and defense firm L3Harris teaming up as part of a company-funded demo, MQ-20-maker GA revealed today in a press release.
The test flight is one of several planned for internal research and development.
“The MQ-20 Avenger, tricked out with mature mission autonomy software, is a perfect CCA surrogate and allows us to move fast and move first,” GA spokesman C. Mark Brinkley told Breaking Defense.
“We already know the F-22 will play a critical role in crewed-uncrewed teaming operations, and General Atomics is in a unique position to get this started now.”
The effort leveraged Lockheed’s open radio architectures to integrate L3Harris-supplied datalinks and software-defined radios for the demo, with one radio put on the Avenger and another on the Raptor, according to GA.
The drone was controlled using a tablet in the single-seat jet and a new software government reference architecture, exhibiting what GA says was non-proprietary, US-government-owned communications capabilities.
Alongside Anduril, GA is currently on contract for the first round of the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, which envisions manned fighters operating drone wingmen in the manner of the MQ-20 demo.
GA has formally put up its YFQ-42A unmanned aircraft for the actual competition, while it flies the MQ-20 as an integration test article. RTX and Shield AI are separately on contract for the drone wingmen’s autonomy suites, Breaking Defense previously reported.
Service officials maintain they can carry multiple contractors, including new entrants, into production for the first CCA round, while awards for conceptual contracts for the second round are expected within months.
As of Halloween, both Anduril and GA have notched a first flight for their respective prototype airframes in the CCA program.
The F-22 demonstration follows the recent revelation from the US Air Force that the Raptor will serve as the “threshold platform” for drone integration.
An Air Force official previously told Breaking Defense that the fighter was prioritized due to its availability and role in the “pacing environment,” but also said that the F-22 is simply a starting point for unmanned teaming that will eventually expand to other aircraft like the F-35.
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/11/in-a-first-f-22-pilot-controls-wingman-drone-from-cockpit-general-atomics-says/
>The fact that the civilian court system is insufficient to try these people must be credibly demonstrated so that we can get to military tribunals.
Will we need a higher authority to help dispense justice?
SOCOM Launches New Training Program for FPV Drone Warfare
Last updated: November 17, 2025
The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is set to enhance its combat capabilities with a groundbreaking new training initiative focusing on first-person-view (FPV) drones.
This strategic move aims to equip commandos with the necessary skills to build and operate these advanced unmanned aerial vehicles, which have recently proven their effectiveness in various combat situations.
The initiative involves a partnership with a contractor to establish a comprehensive 10-day training course, which will cater to groups of up to six operators.
Scheduled to take place twice a year, the program covers all aspects of FPV drone use—from assembly and operation to maintenance.
This hands-on approach is designed to provide operators with a robust understanding of drone technology, ensuring they are adept in both theoretical knowledge and practical application.
The impetus for this training program arises from insights gained in modern conflict, particularly during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The conflict has highlighted the effectiveness of small, cost-efficient FPV drones as key assets on the battlefield.
These drones offer commanders the ability to gather real-time intelligence and execute precision strikes, showcasing their potential as indispensable tools in military operations.
This initiative underscores SOCOM’s commitment to evolving its strategies and technological capabilities in response to the changing landscape of warfare.
By enabling operators to design and deploy their own FPV drones, SOCOM fosters an environment of innovation and adaptability.
This approach not only enhances operational readiness but also prepares personnel to effectively tackle the challenges presented by modern combat scenarios.
The long-term implications of this training program could be significant, potentially leading to a new era of drone operators well-versed in both the construction and operational capabilities of these devices, alongside traditional combat techniques.
As SOCOM continues to align its practices with contemporary warfare realities, the integration of FPV drones is poised to transform the operational landscape for military forces.
https://news.ssbcrack.com/socom-launches-new-training-program-for-fpv-drone-warfare/
Army secretary says drones pose "threat of humanity's lifetime," but he's "optimistic" about U.S. approach
Updated on: November 16, 2025 / 3:12 PM EST
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said Sunday that drones pose "the threat of humanity's lifetime," as officials have warned of escalating aerial security risks. But he said he's hopeful about the U.S.' approach.
"If you look at the speed and scale of the devastation that can come from drones, we as a federal government have got to lead on it," Driscoll said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."
"But I'm really optimistic. This is actually something we are doing right."
Driscoll outlined that the U.S. Army has been put in charge of the counter-drone threat for the Pentagon, and is working "hand in glove with the law enforcement agencies."
"What we are trying to do — because this problem is different from nearly anything faced in a long time — is a flying IED," Driscoll said, referring to Improvised Explosive Devices. "They're cheap, you can 3D-print them at home, and they cross borders incredibly quickly."
The comments come after Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican who leads the Senate Intelligence Committee, told CBS News last week that the threat to military sites and large civilian gatherings "is severe and growing," citing evidence of persistent drone incursions and gaps in law enforcement authorities.
Last year, there were more than 350 unauthorized drone flights over about 100 military installations, according to the Defense Department, along with more than 27,000 drones detected within 500 meters of the U.S. southern border in the last half of 2024.
Meanwhile, the number of unauthorized flights during sporting events went down slightly last year, although the overall trend is continuing to move upward, according to NFL data.
Driscoll said the Army is working with law enforcement agencies at borders and ports, and at major events like upcoming NFL games, the Olympics and the World Cup.
"This is something we as a nation can lead on," Driscoll said. "And so under President Trump's leadership, we are moving fast at this problem."
Driscoll said "the problem with the drone fight is you need all sorts of layered defense," and he outlined that there are different authorities "when you're doing it in your own homeland."
"A lot of this is a human problem of communication, command and control, and having a layered set of solutions that you can use for any given problem," he added.
When it comes to regulating drones, Driscoll said he's "pretty optimistic that we will be able to figure out a solution where we will know what is in the sky at every moment across our country, all at once."
Driscoll said "we are trying to design a system so that Americans are able to fly drones," along with commercial companies like Amazon. Citing the future of delivery in commercial drones, Driscoll said, "we will just have to deconflict the skies, working with the FAA."
"What is amazing about our country is we are able to recognize where we need to innovate quickly," Driscoll said. "What we're doing for drones, completely differently, I think than we have done as an arm in probably 50 or 60 years, is we're welcoming in American industry."
On competition with China, which currently dominates commercial drone production, Driscoll said he expects to catch up.
"What we are going to do is we are going to invest in things like sensors and brushless motors and circuit boards and a lot of the components that are really hard for the private sector to get right now, the United States Army is going to build those on our bases and empower the private sector to purchase from us," he said.
"And so we will make drones. Our private partners will make drones, and we will catch up and surpass the Chinese incredibly quickly."
After the 43-day government shutdown that resulted in $400 million in loans from USAA, Driscoll said it will take "months and months" for the military to get back to work on projects.
"This is part of the calcification of our system, that under President Trump, we are uniquely able to try to go after a lot of these things and actually get our army and their families living in better areas, and get our soldiers ready for the modern fight," he said.
"And the shutdown does not help."
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/drone-threat-army-secretary-dan-driscoll-face-the-nation/
LOOK UP! ‘Dish-shaped’ UFO accidentally caught on camera ‘gliding’ beneath another aircraft as witnesses look on in shock
Updated: 12:30, 17 Nov 2025
A PAIR of factory workers claim they’ve accidentally caught footage of a dish-shaped UFO gliding across the sky.
Alex Ramage and Andrei Volk were filming a plane to test the zoom on a phone’s camera when they saw something that left them in awe.
The clip, shot on their work break in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on November 4, shows a mysterious oval object appearing to glide across the sky.
The pair were speechless when they watched the bizarre footage and the UFO left Alex, 33, believing they’d captured evidence that aliens exist.
He and Andrei, 38, insist they haven’t faked the video and can’t think of any other explanation for what the unknown mass could be.
Alex, from Oshkosh, said, “We thought it was pretty wild and we were freaking out about it.
“We were filming the plane to check out the zoom on a Samsung’s phone camera then we happened to replay the video and see the little dish-shaped thing.
“To me it looks like you can make out a dome shape in the middle of the disk, like a traditional UFO people imagine.
“It looked way different than the movement of a plane. It was gliding so I don’t think it was anything like that.
“We were in shock and awe because I’ve always believed in UFOs but to experience it for myself is amazing.
“It was a speechless moment because we were just randomly filming something. What are the odds?”
This is just the latest in a string of terrifying apparent UFO sightings.
Parkgoers were left in shock after spotting a black ring hovering above Disneyland in California, sparking fears that alien life was nearby.
Lori Nayahalski, who captured a viral video of the sight, started an online firestorm when she shared the footage.
She said she was most struck by the ring somehow staying intact as it moved across the sky.
“Real-life Matrix or just an orchestrated spoof,” she told CW-affiliate KTLA as she discussed the terrifying sight.
However, a spokesperson with Disney said the smoke was merely caused by a pyrotechnics test.
Meanwhile, an investigative YouTuber recently revealed footage of a UFO-like object hovering over a US military-linked base.
He said the object was spotted near a building where secret weapons experiments take place.
https://www.the-sun.com/news/15504937/ufo-sighting-video-wisconsin-factory/
Search for unknown flying object in Vogtland stopped
17 November 2025, 7:53 p.m.
The possible crash of an unknown flying object has caused guesswork in the Schöneck area in the Vogtland region.
As the police confirmed to MDR SACHSEN, a witness had filmed on Sunday evening how a mysterious object fell from the sky with a bang.
In addition, further photos were taken of the object. A large-scale search was then launched, but it was discontinued on Monday.
Police have no clues about the flying object
Police spokeswoman Christina Friedrich told MDR SACHSEN that it "does not seem sensible and proportionate to enlarge the search area even further".
Other authorities have not reported, there has been no fire anywhere and no one is missing.
The police have also tried in vain to obtain information about the unknown object from air traffic control, the weather service, the Bundeswehr and the Space Situational Awareness Center.
The police currently assume the authenticity of the video. It is still being examined whether it could be an astronomical object from space.
https://www.mdr.de/nachrichten/sachsen/chemnitz/vogtland/flugobjekt-unbekannt-absturz-suche-polizei-100~amp.html
THEY'RE HERE!: Ottawa science chief says aliens could already be here, urges creation of national UFO office
17 Nov 2025, 8:22 am
Canada’s top scientist says it’s not impossible that extraterrestrial probes have already visited Earth — and she wants Ottawa to set up a federal office to handle UFO reports from the public.
Blacklock's Reporter says a new report from Dr. Mona Nemer, the cabinet-appointed chief science advisor who earns $393,000 a year, says the technology needed for interstellar travel is far beyond anything humans can currently grasp, but not outside the realm of possibility.
Her Sky Canada Project: Questions And Answers, obtained through Access To Information, explores whether unidentified aerial phenomena seen by Canadians could be linked to extraterrestrial activity.
“Is it possible we are being visited by extraterrestrial vessels, inhabited or not?” the report asks.
It concludes that robotic probes would be the most logical first step — just as humans use on Mars today — and although the distances involved make such visits unlikely, they cannot be ruled out.
The report notes that interstellar travel would require “hundreds of years or more, and unimaginable amounts of energy,” far beyond any technology Canada expects to develop even in the coming decades.
Nemer, a biochemist and University of Ottawa professor, assigned seven staff members to the Sky Canada Project, though the total cost was withheld.
The report says scientists are mainly motivated by the need for rational explanations and acknowledges Canada has no ongoing scientific research into unidentified aerial phenomena.
The last federal agency to study UFOs, the National Research Council, shut down its program in 1995.
The document also notes that while Americans show strong interest in UFO sightings, Canadian media “does not cover the subject as extensively,” making it difficult to gauge public engagement.
Still, the report says it is scientifically reasonable to assume life exists elsewhere in the universe, including in our own galaxy.
As for communication with alien civilizations, it says it is theoretically possible but no signals have been detected despite decades of attempts.
In internal memos, Nemer has urged cabinet to create a centralized federal bureau — possibly under the Canadian Space Agency — to receive reports, investigate cases and coordinate scientific research.
Such an office would manage public communication, ensure standardized data collection and work with other departments. No government has acted on her recommendation.
The report also highlights a culture of ridicule around UFO sightings, warning that pilots and air traffic controllers often stay quiet for fear of harming their reputations.
The Sky Canada Project describes a persistent “stigma” that discourages reporting and undermines legitimate investigation.
It argues that openness and transparency are essential if Canada wants to take unidentified aerial phenomena seriously.
So far, Parliament has not examined the project, leaving Nemer’s call for a national UFO reporting office unanswered.
https://www.westernstandard.news/news/theyre-here-ottawa-science-chief-says-aliens-could-already-be-here-urges-creation-of-national-ufo-office/69044
King Wakata
@King_Wakata_
Talking with Gonzalo Chavez -All #NazcaMummies talk
326 tuned in
5:02 PM · Nov 14, 2025
https://x.com/i/spaces/1yoJMPBYMaNGQ?s=20
https://x.com/gchavez101
https://tridactyls.org/
https://www.youtube.com/@jaimemaussanoficial/posts