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NASA Hubble Helps Detect ‘Wake’ of Betelgeuse’s Elusive Companion Star
Jan 05, 2026
Using new observations from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based observatories, astronomers tracked the influence of a recently discovered companion star, Siwarha, on the gas around Betelgeuse.
The research, from scientists at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA), reveals a trail of dense gas swirling through Betelgeuse’s vast, extended atmosphere, shedding light on why the giant star’s brightness and atmosphere have changed in strange and unusual ways.
The results of the new study were presented Monday at a news conference at the 247th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Phoenix and are accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal.
The team detected Siwarha’s wake by carefully tracking changes in the star’s light over nearly eight years. These changes show the effects of the previously unconfirmed companion as it plows through the outer atmosphere of Betelgeuse.
This discovery resolves one of the biggest mysteries about the giant star, helping scientists to explain how it behaves and evolves while opening new doors to understanding other massive stars nearing the end of their lives.
Located roughly 650 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Orion, Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star so large that more than 400 million Suns could fit inside.
Because of its enormous size and proximity, Betelgeuse is one of the few stars whose surface and surrounding atmosphere can be directly observed by astronomers, making it an important and accessible laboratory for studying how giant stars age, lose mass, and eventually explode as supernovae.
ing NASA’s Hubble and ground-based telescopes at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory and Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory, the team was able to see a pattern of changes in Betelgeuse, which provided clear evidence of a long-suspected companion star and its impact on the red supergiant’s outer atmosphere.
Those include changes in the star’s spectrum, or the specific colors of light given off by different elements, and the speed and direction of gases in the outer atmosphere due to a trail of denser material, or wake.
This trail appears just after the companion crosses in front of Betelgeuse every six years, or about 2,100 days, confirming theoretical models.
“It’s a bit like a boat moving through water. The companion star creates a ripple effect in Betelgeuse’s atmosphere that we can actually see in the data,” said Andrea Dupree, an astronomer at the CfA, and the lead study author.
“For the first time, we’re seeing direct signs of this wake, or trail of gas, confirming that Betelgeuse really does have a hidden companion shaping its appearance and behavior.”
For decades, astronomers have tracked changes in Betelgeuse’s brightness and surface features in hopes of figuring out why the star behaves the way it does.
Curiosity intensified after the giant star appeared to “sneeze” and became unexpectedly faint in 2020. Two distinct periods of variation in the star were especially puzzling for scientists: a short 400-day cycle, recently attributed to pulsations within the star itself, and the long, 2,100-day secondary period.
Until now, scientists have considered everything from large convection cells and clouds of dust to magnetic activity, and the possibility of a hidden companion star.
Recent studies concluded that the long secondary period was best explained by the presence of a low-mass companion orbiting deep within Betelgeuse’s atmosphere, and another team of scientists reported a possible detection, but until now, astronomers lacked the evidence to prove what they believed was happening.
Now, for the first time, they have firm evidence that a companion is disrupting the atmosphere of this supergiant star.
“The idea that Betelgeuse had an undetected companion has been gaining in popularity for the past several years, but without direct evidence, it was an unproven theory,” said Dupree.
“With this new direct evidence, Betelgeuse gives us a front-row seat to watch how a giant star changes over time. Finding the wake from its companion means we can now understand how stars like this evolve, shed material, and eventually explode as supernovae.”
With Betelgeuse now eclipsing its companion from our point of view, astronomers are planning new observations for its next emergence in 2027. This breakthrough may also help explain similar mysteries in other giant and supergiant stars.
https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/nasa-hubble-helps-detect-wake-of-betelgeuses-elusive-companion-star/
https://science.nasa.gov/asset/hubble/betelgeuse-effect-of-companion-star-wake/
NASA-French SWOT Satellite Provides Global Estimate of River Discharge
January 5, 2026
Science teams at NASA and the French space agency CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales) have released the first-ever global estimate of river discharge and suspended sediment, as observed from space, marking a new milestone in our ability to understand one of Earth’s most fundamental systems.
Developed using data from the SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) satellite, this resource makes it possible to estimate river discharge, defined as the volume of water flowing per second at a given point along the river, as well as suspended sediment concentration in every river on Earth wider than 160 feet (50 meters).
This information could help people manage freshwater resources more efficiently, predict floods more reliably, and forecast crop yields more accurately.
This is only SWOT’s latest first. Built and managed jointly by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and CNES, in partnership with CSA (Canadian Space Agency) and the UK Space Agency, SWOT recently revealed that relatively small ocean features, such as eddies and waves, have a larger impact on how nutrients and heat move through marine ecosystems than previously thought.
The data and algorithms driving these estimates are accessible to the public through NASA’s Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center , part of the Earth Observing System Data and Information System .
https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/science-news/2026/01/05/swot-offers-river-discharge-estimate/
Scientific Balloon Begins Antarctic Ascent
Jan 05, 2026
A scientific balloon starts its ascent into the air as it prepares to launch carrying NASA’s Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO) mission.
The mission lifted off from Antarctica at 5:56 a.m. NZST, Saturday, Dec. 20 (11:56 a.m., Friday, Dec. 19 in U.S. Eastern Time).
The PUEO mission is designed to detect radio signals created when highly energetic particles called neutrinos from space hit the ice.
The PUEO payload will collect data that give us insight into events like the creation of black holes and neutron star mergers.
Alongside the PUEO mission are two other balloons carrying calibration equipment sending test signals to help scientists make sure the payload equipment is working correctly when it tries to detect real signals from space.
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/scientific-balloon-begins-antarctic-ascent/
https://www.csbf.nasa.gov/map/balloon9/flight760N.htm
NASA opens a "space library"
6 Jan. 05:30 2026
NASA is launching an innovative program called "The Library," which will give scientists around the world unprecedented access to samples of extraterrestrial matter — not in the form of physical materials, but in the form of detailed "fingerprints."
The project involves a thorough analysis of lunar soil, Martian dust and meteorites using state-of-the-art spectrometers and microscopes to create extensive databases on their chemical, mineralogical and isotopic composition.
These digital libraries will be accessible to the general public, allowing researchers to conduct virtual experiments, compare samples and make discoveries without waiting for the rare opportunity to obtain physical material.
This is especially important for preparing for future missions and studying potential resources for space colonies.
The program, jokingly called the "space junk library" because of its work with regolith and dust, can significantly change astromaterialistics, accelerate the pace of research, and open a new stage in the study of the Solar System.
https://noi.md/md/stiinta-si-it/nasa-deschide-o-biblioteca-spatiala
https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/great-news-for-nasa-in-the-house-senate-fy2026-appropriations-report/
https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20260105/Division%20A%20Commerce%20Justice%20Science.pdf
https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/01/nasas-science-budget-wont-be-a-train-wreck-after-all/
Great News for NASA in the House-Senate FY2026 Appropriations Report
Last Updated: January 5, 2026 8:46 pm ET
The House and Senate Appropriations Committees released the text of their joint conference agreement on the FY2026 Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) bill today with a wholesale rejection of the dire cuts to NASA proposed by the Trump Administration.
The committees had individually indicated they would not accept Trump’s 24.3 percent cut and the joint agreement calls for only a comparatively small reduction of $400 million from NASA’s $24.8 billion FY2025 budget in appropriations.
It’s still a cut, though, and inflation will reduce the buying power of that money, but if enacted the outcome is a vast improvement over what the agency was facing a few months ago. NASA also was allocated FY2026 money through the reconciliation bill.
The House Appropriations Committee combined the CJS bill with Energy-Water and Interior-Environment into a three-bill “minibus.” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said on X that it will be taken up by the House this week.
If it passes, it would then go to the Senate, which has been working on a different minibus that combines five bills: CJS, Defense, Interior-Environment, Labor-HHS, and Transportation-HUD.
Those bipartisan efforts stalled just before the holiday recess when the Trump Administration announced it would break up the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Colorado, losing support from some Democrats.
NCAR is overseen by the National Science Foundation, which is part of the CJS bill.
For NASA, the $24.438 billion is undoubtedly a great relief. It’s a cut of only $400 million from the $24.838 billion the agency received in FY2025 and also demonstrates continued bipartisan support for NASA’s activities.
The Trump Administration’s proposal spared only the Moon-to-Mars program. The Science and Space Technology portfolios were to be cut by about 50 percent each, Aeronautics by about one-third, and Space Operations (including the International Space Station) by more than 25 percent.
Instead, the conference report or “joint explanatory statement” supports NASA’s programs across the board.
The numbers are not always apples-to-apples comparisons since the conference report moves two programs into Exploration: Space Technology’s nuclear thermal and nuclear electric programs totalling up to $170 million, and Science’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative with not less than $250 million including up to $65 million provided in the Planetary Science account.
Also, some money was provided through the reconciliation bill — the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act, OBBBA. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) led the effort to include $10 billion for NASA spread over several years.
The portion for FY2026 is reflected in this bill. For example, Cruz added $4.1 billion for the Space Launch System: $1.025 billion per year for four years (FY2026-FY2029).
Funding for Orion ($20 million in FY2026), the Gateway lunar space station ($750 million per year for three years starting in FY2026) and a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter ($700 million in FY2026) was also included in the OBBBA.
That’s apparently on top of what’s in this appropriations bill.
The conference report provides this breakdown for how money is allocated in the Exploration account.
Similarly, the OBBBA designates $250 million per year for five years (FY2025-2029) for the International Space Station. The conference report provides $1.240 billion for the ISS in FY2026 with the $250 million from the OBBBA raising the total available to $1.490 billion.
The conference report makes no mention of the OBBBA’s direction that NASA move “a space vehicle” that has flown humans to space to a NASA Center involved in the Commercial Crew Program. S
en. John Cornyn (R-TX) has legislation directing that the Space Shuttle Discovery be moved from the National Air and Space Museum to Johnson Space Center, but the OBBBA is not that explicit.
It provides $85 million for the transfer, but only $5 million is to move the vehicle. The remainder is for the non-profit institution that will house it to build an appropriate facility.
The cost to move Discovery from the outskirts of Washington, DC to Houston is expected to greatly exceed $5 million, which would require appropriated funds.
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At the end of a recent interview on CNBC, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman left open the question of whether it would be a space shuttle because cost and the safety of the vehicle must be taken into account, not to mention that with Artemis flights around the Moon about to commence, more historic spacecraft will soon be available.
The OBBBA also provided $325 million for the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle (USDV) being built by SpaceX to deorbit the International Space Station, with no year specified for spending it. The conference report doesn’t mention USDV.
Among other highlights, the conference report —
Provides $110 million for Landsat Next with a target launch date of 2031 for the first satellite to ensure continuity of the Landsat data record.
Provides $110 million for “Mars Future Missions,” but not for the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission specifically. MSR became controversial because of substantial cost growth. Senate appropriators were silent on MSR this year, but began expressing their dissatisfaction in 2023. House appropriators threw the program a lifeline in their markup this year, but the $300 million was not included today. The conference report does acknowledge the importance of the technological capabilities being developed in the MSR program and supports existing MSR efforts in “radar, spectroscopy, entry, descent and landing systems, and translational precursor technologies that will enable science missions for the next decade, including lunar and Mars missions.”
Rejects the proposed termination of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for the Artemis program and states that money cannot be reallocated from the Artemis Moon to Mars Transportation account “unless and until a commercial alternative is demonstrated to meet or exceed the capabilities of SLS/Orion.”
Provides $250 million for Fission Surface Power. The Trump Administration wants to put a reactor on the surface of the Moon by 2030 to support human exploration.
Provides $273 million for the Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) program to ensure at least one commercial space station is available by the time the ISS is retired.
Rejects the proposed elimination of NASA’s STEM Engagement activities, with funding maintained at $143 million ($58 million for Space Grant, $26 million for EPSCoR, $45.5 million for MUREP, and $13.5 million for Next Generation STEM).
Requires a briefing on the future of NASA Headquarters.
Expresses concern about “potential negative impacts” from what NASA is doing at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD and directs NASA to preserve “all the technical and scientific world-class capabilities” there. NASA must contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on what’s needed for long term success of NASA missions that rely on Goddard.
Overall, the agreement represents mostly a status quo for NASA.
President Trump’s early embrace of Elon Musk’s enthusiasm to send people to Mars seems to have faded along with their close relationship and perhaps a recognition of the hurdles involved in doing that, while the drumbeat of getting Americans back on the Moon before Chinese taikonauts arrives takes center stage with the Artemis program.
The SLS rocket has solid support despite the Administration’s efforts to end it after the Artemis III lunar landing mission. SLS was created by the 2010 NASA Authorization Act and has enjoyed unwavering support in Congress ever since.
NASA’s science, aeronautics, and space technology programs as well as the International Space Station also have long-standing congressional support.
The text of the bill and conference report focus on topics of special concern to the appropriations committees, but does not negate what each of them wrote in their own reports unless specifically stated.
Agreement between the House and Senate committees is an important step, but only a step. It now must pass the House and Senate, which is not guaranteed especially at a time when partisan divisions are high following President Trump’s military action in Venezuela over the weekend.
Still, although the House appropriations process has become more partisan in recent years, both the Republican and Democratic committee leaders expressed support for this minibus, a hopeful sign in the House at least.
If this minibus clears Congress and is signed into law by the President, six of the 12 FY2026 bills will be enacted. Three cleared in November (Agriculture, Legislative Branch, and MilCon-VA) when the current Continuing Resolution passed, ending the 43-day shutdown.
Among those still awaiting passage will be the Defense bill and Transportation-HUD, which funds the FAA and its Office of Commercial Space Transportation.
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NASA DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, Jan 22, 2026
January 6, 2025
NASA’s annual Day of Remembrance to honor fallen astronauts is traditionally held on the fourth Thursday of January.
That falls on January 22 in 2026, earlier than usual. Commemorations are held at Arlington National Cemetary, several NASA centers, and in partnership with the Astronauts Memorial Foundation at the Space Mirror at the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex.
Among those honored on Remembrance Day are the crews of Apollo 1 who died when a fire broke out in their spacecraft during a pre-launch test on January 27, 1967, Challenger who died when their space shuttle broke apart 73 seconds after launch on January 28, 1986, and Columbia who died when their space shuttle disintegrated during reentry after a 16-day mission on February 1, 2003.
The Astronauts Memorial Foundation will hold a special screening of a new documentary on Apollo 1 on Remembrance Day.
https://spacepolicyonline.com/events/nasa-day-of-remembrance-jan-22-2026/
https://www.amfcse.org/
NASA Alert! 160ft Asteroid Racing Towards Earth On January 7, 2026: Are We Really Safe?
Updated Jan 6, 2026, 19:10 IST
Space is bustling with rocks and dust, and occasionally, larger asteroids capture public attention.
One such asteroid, 2023 XM15, will approach Earth on January 7, 2026 and NASA reports that this 160-foot asteroid, akin to an aeroplane, will fly by at a distance of approximately 5.82 million kilometres, which is considered a close approach in cosmic terms.
Every few weeks, space reminds us that Earth is not floating alone in a quiet, empty neighbourhood. It is moving through a busy cosmic highway, surrounded by rocks, dust, and ancient leftovers from the birth of the solar system.
Most of the time, these objects pass by quietly, unnoticed by anyone except astronomers staring at screens filled with numbers and orbital charts.
But every now and then, one of these space rocks is large enough, fast enough, and close enough to catch public attention.
That is exactly what is happening again, this time with an asteroid known as 2023 XM15.
According to tracking data released by NASA, this airplane-sized asteroid will make a close approach to Earth on January 7, 2026, at 08:42 AM IST.
While it will not collide with our planet, its size, speed, and proximity are enough to make it worth watching closely.
And yes, before the question even forms, scientists say there is no danger. But that does not mean the flyby is unimportant.
Asteroid 2023 XM15 Details
Asteroid 2023 XM15 measures roughly 160 feet across, making it comparable in size to a large commercial aircraft.
That may not sound enormous when compared to skyscrapers or mountains, but in space terms, this is a serious chunk of rock.
To put it another way, it is roughly the length of a cricket pitch plus the boundary rope.
This asteroid will pass Earth at a distance of approximately 5.82 million kilometres. That is more than 15 times the average distance between Earth and the Moon, which sits about 384,000 kilometres away.
While that gap may feel comfortably large, astronomers still classify this as a “close approach” in cosmic terms.
Why? Because space is vast. Millions of kilometres are normal. Anything that comes within a few million kilometres of Earth automatically earns extra attention.
How Fast Is It Moving?
Asteroid 2023 XM15 is travelling at roughly 24,802 kilometres per hour. That is fast enough to cross India from north to south in under ten minutes. At that speed, even a relatively small asteroid carries an enormous amount of energy.
This is why scientists focus not just on size, but also velocity. A slower asteroid might burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere. A faster one can behave very differently.
Thankfully, in this case, the trajectory is well understood, and the asteroid will remain far outside Earth’s atmosphere.
Is Asteroid 2023 XM15 Dangerous?
This is the question everyone asks first, and rightly so. The short answer is no.
NASA classifies asteroids as “potentially hazardous” only if two conditions are met:
The asteroid is larger than 460 feet (140 metres)
It passes within 7.5 million kilometres of Earth
https://www.timesnownews.com/technology-science/science/nasa-alert-160ft-asteroid-racing-towards-earth-on-january-7-2026-are-we-really-safe-article-153406170
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroid-watch/next-five-approaches/
WATCH: Eric Trump Visits NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Shares Aerial Shot of Florida’s Space Coast
January 5, 2026
President Donald Trump's son visits Brevard County
Eric Trump paid a visit to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Brevard County on Monday, touring the historic facility that serves as the nation’s primary launch site for human spaceflight.
Video captured during the visit shows Trump aboard a NASA jet flying over Florida’s Space Coast, offering sweeping views of the region as the aircraft passed above the shoreline and launch complexes.
Another clip from the day featured a striking sunset over the coast, casting an orange glow over the spaceport.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman publicly thanked Trump for spending time at Kennedy Space Center, acknowledging the visit and the opportunity to highlight the agency’s ongoing missions and programs.
Trump, the third child of former President Donald Trump, currently serves as an executive vice president of the Trump Organization.
Over the years, he has overseen development projects, real estate operations and brand initiatives across the company’s global portfolio.
He has also been an active surrogate during political campaigns, frequently appearing at rallies and public events across the country.
In addition to his business work, Trump has been involved in charitable efforts through the Eric Trump Foundation, which has supported children’s hospitals and medical research. He has also maintained a public presence through television appearances and political commentary.
While NASA did not release detailed information about specific facilities visited during Monday’s stop, the trip once again highlighted Brevard County’s central role in America’s space program and the growing public interest surrounding launches, technology development and the future of human exploration.
https://spacecoastdaily.com/2026/01/watch-eric-trump-visits-nasas-kennedy-space-center-shares-aerial-shot-of-floridas-space-coast/
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2008371638954262830
https://x.com/EricTrump/status/2008352447601787017
Meteor explosion in Earth’s atmosphere captured on camera in space for 'first time ever'
Updated 16:51 6 Jan 2026 GMT
The incredible moment a meteor exploded in Earth's atmosphere has been captured from space for the very first time.
Some 30 meteor showers are visible from our planet every single year, including the Perseids and the Geminids, which produce large amounts of meteors per hour.
Yet small space rocks are constantly firing into Earth's atmosphere, though most of them burn up before ever making contact with us.
Back in November, satellite video platform SEN captured the moment a bolide meteor streaked across the sky and exploded above the North Pacific Ocean.
It's certainly not something the average person sees every day!
The moment was caught 408 kilometres away on the International Space Station (ISS) by Sen’s 4K Space-TV-1 camera system. The company is the first to livestream Ultra High Definition footage of our Earth almost 24/7.
SEN's cameras have previously captured the solar eclipse last April and Hurricane Milton, which struck Florida in October. And on November 10 2025, it recorded a bolide meteor as it entered Earth's atmosphere.
As SEN explains, a bolide is 'a massive meteor that bursts in mid-air, creating a bright flash and sometimes sonic booms'.
A purple and white flash shoots across the dark, black sky before disappearing in a blink-and-you 'll-miss-it moment.
A bolide occurs 'when the meteor travels at incredible speeds, compressing and heating the air in front of it, which causes the meteor to break apart,' SEN continued.
NASA adds that this process, also known as fragmentation, 'increases the amount of atmosphere intercepted and so enhances ablation' - rapid erosion, basically - and atmospheric braking.
"The object catastrophically disrupts when the force from the unequal pressures on the front and back sides exceeds its tensile strength," the US space agency says.
Taking to Reddit's R/SpacePorn community, space enthusiasts were in awe of the meteor - especially its color.
One person commented: "The few that I’ve been fortunate enough to witness firsthand have all been green. This purple is striking. Must have been something to see."
A second said: "I remember seeing it, thinking it was a plane or chopper. Then it got a little brighter, and then… gone."
A third exclaimed: "I saw that!!"
Sen captured the world’s first live Ultra High Definition views of Earth through three camera views: one with a wide-angle panoramic lens, which provides views of Earth's horizon, another that looks straight down at Earth, and a third aimed at the forward-facing docking port of the space station’s Harmony Module.
The cameras can stream footage from space to Earth live for more than 20 hours per day, with just a few hours of expected downtime due to routine loss-of-signal communications on the inter-satellite link relaying the video data to the ground.
Sen is streaming its footage on YouTube, where it can be found on the Sen channel, as well as on the Sen website.
The stream is free for all users, but the company also offers subscription options for no ads, downloads and usage.
https://www.unilad.com/news/world-news/ron-garan-astronaut-international-space-station-447291-20251218
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t-6tJtll8w
Mark Kelly Punished With Expulsion To Outer Space
January 6, 2026
https://theonion.com/mark-kelly-punished-with-expulsion-to-outer-space/
Trump administration censures former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly over 'illegal orders' video
January 5, 2026
The Trump administration is following through on its threats against former NASA astronaut and current U.S. Senator Mark Kelly.
In late November, Kelly (D-Ariz.) and five other Congressmen who have served in the military participated in a 90-second video reminding U.S. servicemembers not to obey illegal orders.
President Donald Trump deemed the video seditious, saying that such behavior is "punishable by DEATH!"
Mark Kelly's life does not seem to be in danger, but his rank and pension may be. On Monday (Jan. 6), Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that his organization "is taking administrative action" against Kelly, a former Navy fighter pilot who has four space shuttle missions under his belt.
"The department has initiated retirement grade determination proceedings under 10 U.S.C. § 1370(f), with reduction in his retired grade resulting in a corresponding reduction in retired pay," Hegseth wrote via X on Monday.
"To ensure this action, the Secretary of War has also issued a formal Letter of Censure, which outlines the totality of Captain (for now) Kelly's reckless misconduct. This Censure is a necessary process step, and will be placed in Captain Kelly's official and permanent military personnel file."
(Hegseth and other military leaders use the terms "Department of War" and "Secretary of War" in accordance with an executive order that Trump issued in September. But "Department of Defense" and "Secretary of Defense" remain the official names.)
Kelly has been notified of the action and has 30 days to submit a response, according to Hegseth. The "retirement grade determination process" will be complete within 45 days, the secretary added.
Kelly defended himself vigorously shortly after the video's release, saying that he would not be bullied by Trump, Hegseth or other administration officials. He reiterated that stance on Monday in the wake of Hegseth's statement.
"Over twenty-five years in the U.S. Navy, thirty-nine combat missions, and four missions to space, I risked my life for this country and to defend our Constitution — including the First Amendment rights of every American to speak out.
I never expected that the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense would attack me for doing exactly that," Kelly, who's the twin brother of fellow former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, said via X on Monday.
"If Pete Hegseth, the most unqualified Secretary of Defense in our country's history, thinks he can intimidate me with a censure or threats to demote me or prosecute me, he still doesn't get it.
I will fight this with everything I've got — not for myself, but to send a message back that Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump don’t get to decide what Americans in this country get to say about their government," he added.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/human-spaceflight/trump-administration-censures-former-nasa-astronaut-mark-kelly-over-illegal-orders-video
https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/2008189258528665898
https://twitter.com/SenMarkKelly/status/2008215189275963870
Space Station Research Informs New FDA-Approved Cancer Therapy
Jan 06, 2026
NASA opens the International Space Station for scientists and researchers, inviting them to use the benefits of microgravity for commercial and public research, technology demonstrations, and more.
Today, a portion of the crew’s time aboard station is devoted to private industry, including medical research that addresses complex health challenges on Earth and prepares astronauts for future deep space missions.
In collaboration with scientists at Merck, protein crystal growth research on the space station yielded early insights regarding the structure and size of particles best suited for the development of a new formulation of the company’s cancer medicine pembrolizumab for subcutaneous injection.
This new route of delivery was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in September and offers a time-saving alternative to intravenous infusion for certain patients.
These research efforts aboard the space station were supported by the ISS National Laboratory.
Originally, the treatment was delivered during an in-office visit via infusion therapy into the patient’s veins, a process that could take up to two hours. Initial delivery improvements reduced infusion times to less than 30 minutes every three weeks.
The newly approved subcutaneous injectable form takes about one minute every three weeks, promising to improve quality of life for patients by reducing cost and significantly reducing treatment time for patients and healthcare providers.
Since 2014, Merck has flown crystal growth experiments to the space station to better understand how crystals form, including the monoclonal antibody used in this cancer treatment.
Monoclonal antibodies are lab-made proteins that help the body fight diseases. This research focused on producing crystalline suspensions that dissolve easily in liquid, making it possible to deliver the medication by injection.
In microgravity, the absence of gravity’s physical forces allows scientists to grow larger, more uniform, and higher-quality crystals than those grown in ground-based labs, advancing medication development and structural modeling.
Research aboard the space station has provided valuable insights into how gravity influences crystallization, helping to improve drug formulations.
The work of NASA and its partners aboard the space station improves lives on Earth, grows a commercial economy in low Earth orbit, and prepares for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/iss-research/space-station-research-informs-new-fda-approved-cancer-therapy/
https://www.miragenews.com/space-station-research-fuels-new-fda-approved-1598018/#google_vignette
https://issnationallab.org/upward/reshaping-drug-delivery-millions-of-crystals-at-a-time/
https://www.space.com/astronomy/the-universe-may-be-lopsided-new-research-says
The universe may be lopsided, new research says
January 5, 2026
The shape of the universe is not something we often think about. But my colleagues and I have published a new study suggests it could be asymmetric or lopsided, meaning not the same in every direction.
Should we care about this? Well, today's "standard cosmological model" – which describes the dynamics and structure of the entire cosmos – rests squarely on the assumption that it is isotropic (looks the same in all directions), and homogeneous when averaged on large scales.
But several so-called "tensions" – or disagreements in the data – pose challenges to this idea of a uniform universe.
We have just published a paper looking at one of the most significant of these tensions, called the cosmic dipole anomaly.
We conclude that the cosmic dipole anomaly poses a serious challenge to the most widely accepted description of the universe, the standard cosmological model (also called the Lambda-CDM model).
So what is the cosmic dipole anomaly and why is it such a problem for attempts to give a detailed account of the cosmos?
Let's start with the cosmic microwave background (CMB), which is the relic radiation left over from the big bang. The CMB is uniform over the sky to within one part in a hundred thousand.
So cosmologists feel confident in modelling the universe using the "maximally symmetric" description of space-time in Einstein's theory of general relativity.
This symmetric vision for the universe, where it looks the same everywhere and in all directions, is known as the "FLRW description".
This vastly simplifies the solution of Einstein's equations and is the basis for the Lambda-CDM model.
But there are several important anomalies, including a widely debated one called the Hubble tension. It is named after Edwin Hubble, who is credited with having discovered in 1929 that the universe is expanding.
The tension started to emerge from different datasets in the 2000s, mainly from the Hubble space telescope, and also recent data from the Gaia satellite.
This tension is a cosmological disagreement, where measurements of the universe's expansion rate from its early days don't match up with measurements from the nearby (more recent) universe.
The cosmic dipole anomaly has received much less attention than the Hubble tension, but it is even more fundamental to our understanding of the cosmos. So what is it?
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Having established that the cosmic microwave background is symmetric on large scales, variations in this relic radiation from the big bang have been found.
One of the most significant is called the CMB dipole anisotropy. This is the largest temperature difference in the CMB, where one side of the sky is hotter and the opposite side cooler – by about one part in a thousand.
This variation in the CMB does not challenge the Lambda-CDM model of the universe. But we should find corresponding variations in other astronomical data.
In 1984, George Ellis and John Baldwin asked whether a similar variation, or "dipole anisotropy", exists in the sky distribution of distant astronomical sources such as radio galaxies and quasars.
The sources must be very distant because nearby sources could create a spurious "clustering dipole".
If the "symmetrical universe" FLRW assumption is correct, then this variation in distant astronomical sources should be directly determined by the observed variation in the CMB.
This is known as the Ellis-Baldwin test, after the astronomers.
Consistency between the variations in the CMB and in matter would support the standard Lambda-CDM model.
Discord would directly challenge it, and indeed the FLRW description. Because it is a very precise test, the data catalogue required to perform it has become available only recently.
The outcome is that the universe fails the Ellis-Baldwin test. The variation in matter does not match that in the CMB.
Since the possible sources of error are quite different for telescopes and satellites, and for different wavelengths in the spectrum, it is reassuring that the same result is obtained with terrestrial radio telescopes and satellites observing at mid-infrared wavelengths.
The cosmic dipole anomaly has thus established itself as a major challenge to the standard cosmological model, even if the astronomical community has chosen to largely ignore it.
This may be because there is no easy way to patch up this problem. It requires abandoning not just the Lambda-CDM model but the FLRW description itself, and going back to square one.
Yet an avalanche of data is expected from new satellites like Euclid and SPHEREx, and telescopes such as the Vera Rubin Observatory and the Square Kilometre Array.
It is conceivable that we may soon receive bold new insights into how to construct a new cosmological model, harnessing recent advances in a subset of artificial intelligence (AI) called machine learning.
The impact would be truly huge on fundamental physics – and on our understanding of the universe.
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Con Pederson, CGI Pioneer and ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ Visual Effects Artist, Dies at 91
January 5, 2026 1:54pm
Con Pederson, the CGI pioneer who spent two and a half years alongside Douglas Trumbull creating the dazzling Oscar-winning visual effects for the Stanley Kubrick masterwork 2001: A Space Odyssey, has died. He was 91.
Pederson had Alzheimer’s and died Friday at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, his son, Eric Pederson, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Two-time Oscar-winning VFX artist John Nelson noted in a statement that Pederson “could animate by hand and could program the computer to do animation that normal programs could not achieve. He was a Renaissance man and an artist.”
While working for Southern California-based Graphic Films, which produced content for NASA, Pederson wrote and directed To the Moon and Beyond, a 15-minute film narrated by Rod Serling that screened at the Transportation and Travel Pavilion at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. (Trumbull, hired by Pederson a few years earlier, painted a rotating spiral galaxy for the project.)
Kubrick saw To the Moon and Beyond and invited Pederson to his Manhattan apartment to read the script and view storyboards for 2001: A Space Odyssey.
He and Trumball were hired in summer 1965 to go to England, and they worked on the movie through March 1968.
As one of four special photographic effects supervisors credited on the 1968 classic — Trumbull, Wally Veevers and Tom Howard were the others — Pederson helped create stars, planets, spaceships and the unforgettable five-minute Star Gate sequence.
Kubrick would receive the Academy Award for special effects in 1969, the only Oscar of his sterling career. “Stanley had this sense of adventure when it came to filmmaking,” Pederson said in a 1999 interview. “He was a cameraman.
He was a photographer. He was an extraordinary filmmaker. I once asked him kind of stupidly how he thought a certain director would have done something we were discussing, and he said, ‘How would I know? I’ve never seen anyone direct.’”
Conrad Alan Pederson was born in Minnesota on April 15, 1934. With his parents and two older sisters, he moved to Inglewood in 1943, and his folks helped build bombers and fighters on assembly lines during World War II.
Pederson began writing science fiction at age 14 and after two years at Los Angeles City College majored in Art and Anthropology at UCLA.
He discovered animation in Westwood in the college theater department, made a couple of student films and was hired at Disney, where he was introduced to German American aerospace engineer and space architect Wernher von Braun.
In 1956, Pederson was drafted into the U.S. Army and through his Disney connections wound up working for von Braun in graphic engineering, drawing illustrations about rockets and space travel. After the service, he went back to Disney before heading to Graphic Films.
In Michael Benson’s 2018 book, Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece, Trumbull noted that the postproduction process on 2001 was “epic in its complexity, and Con was the smartest guy in the room. 2001 absolutely would not have happened without Con.”
Pederson ran a “war room” where VFX camera shots were planned, scheduled, tracked and evaluated. Eight to 10 elements frequently were added to the original camera negative one by one before the film would be processed.
It could take months to see the finished shot, and should Kubrick not approve, each step would have to be repeated.
Pederson took a couple years off after 2001 and eventually teamed with Robert Abel to launch the production company Robert Abel & Associates, creating animated logos for ABC and the Whirlpool Corp. using techniques he had developed for Kubrick.
Nelson first met Pederson at Able’s and said “he taught me (among many other things) that computer camera moves need imperfection to feel more realistic.”
Pederson’s son remembers his dad coming home from work sometime in the 1970s and saying, “We’re going to use computers” on the job.
After Abel’s shuttered in 1987, Pederson joined Metrolight Studios and served as a creative lead alongside Tim McGovern.
There, he was a VFX supervisor on HBO’s From the Earth to the Moon, the 12-part 1998 documentary about the Apollo space program, and an animator on the films Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Imposter (2001), Gods and Generals (2003) and View From the Top (2003).
He also served as an animator for Rhythm & Hues on the 2004 movies Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed and Garfield: The Movie.
In addition to his son, survivors include his second wife, Carole; his first wife, Sharleen; and his grandchildren, Alexandre and Viviane.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/con-pederson-2001-space-odyssey-visual-effects-1236464595/
the deafening silence is most definitely golden
West wants to send troops to Ukraine over ‘civil war’ fears – ex-Zelensky adviser
6 Jan, 2026 14:36
Western countries are considering sending troops to Ukraine not to contain Russia, but to prevent a potential civil war fueled by internal political rivalries, widespread arms proliferation, and social discontent, Aleksey Arestovich, a former top aide to Vladimir Zelensky, has suggested.
Kiev’s European backers – particularly the UK and France – have long debated the idea of deploying troops to Ukraine to maintain a potential ceasefire with Russia.
Moscow has rejected the idea, saying it would not accept the NATO presence in the neighboring country under any circumstances and warning that foreign forces would be treated as “legitimate targets.”
Speaking in an interview on Monday, Arestovich argued that the primary goal of such a deployment would be “to prevent a civil war,” describing the proposed military presence as a “stabilization force.”
Western governments fear the post-conflict risks posed by large numbers of armed veterans, the widespread availability of automatic weapons, deep political divisions, and severe economic strain, according to Arestovich.
He also pointed to what he described as the risk of major unrest in the streets of cities such as Odessa, Kiev, Vinnitsa, Zhitomir, and Lviv. A Western military presence on the right bank of the Dnieper River, he said, would reduce the likelihood of such unrest.
A major risk, he continued, arises from internal struggles among Ukraine’s various factions.
Clash could happen, for instance, between a group of military officers headed by former Ukrainian top commander and Zelensky’s presumed chief rival Valery Zaluzhny, and forces aligned with Andrey Biletsky, the founder of neo-Nazi Azov Battalion, who is widely regarded as ultranationalist and white supremacist.
However, Arestovich suggested that Western military could neutralize this stand-off.
In addition, a Western deployment would serve as a safeguard against Kiev violating any peace agreement with Russia under the banner of “revanchist political slogans,” he said, adding that foreign forces could also play a role when Kiev eventually moves to hold elections.
Zelensky, whose presidential term expired in 2024, has repeatedly refused to hold a vote, citing martial law, with Russia declaring him “illegitimate.”
Following pressure from Washington, Zelensky agreed to hold elections but demanded security guarantees from the West.
https://www.rt.com/russia/630670-west-ukraine-troops-civil-war/
https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/01/06/ukraine-hit-russias-major-oil-depot-and-artillery-arsenal-as-explosions-rock-multiple-russian-cities-in-latest-overnight-drone-assault-video-map/
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/2008489857442558262
other Russia and Ukraine
https://militarnyi.com/en/news/drones-attack-enterprises-in-russian-cities-of-penza-and-sterlitamak/
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4077140-russia-reports-drone-attack-oil-depot-on-fire-in-lipetsk-region.html
https://thesun.my/news/world-news/ukraine-drone-strike-kills-one-in-russian-city-of-tver/
https://ukranews.com/en/news/1126842-russians-hit-police-car-in-zaporizhzhia-with-fpv-drone-injured-reported
https://www.euronews.com/2026/01/06/russias-latest-drone-barrage-against-ukraine-kills-two-as-allies-meet-in-paris
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4077065-russian-drone-kills-priest-in-kherson-region.html
https://dailytimes.com.pk/1430586/ukrainian-drone-hit-halts-russian-trains/
https://united24media.com/latest-news/ukraines-drones-wrecked-20-billion-of-russian-military-might-in-7-months-14785
https://english.nv.ua/nation/russia-launches-61-shahed-type-drones-at-ukraine-air-defense-down-53-50573566.html
Ukraine hit Russia’s major oil depot and artillery arsenal as explosions rock multiple Russian cities in latest overnight drone assault
06/01/2026
A series of drone attacks targeted several Russian regions overnight on 6 January, with multiple explosions, fires, and strikes on industrial sites reported by locals and regional officials, according to Exilenova+ and Astra.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed its air defenses allegedly shot down 129 drones over Russian territory and occupied Crimea.
Kyiv continues its deep-strike campaign, targeting the military, defense-industrial, and fuel facilities inside Russia to degrade Russia's capability to sustain its invasion of Ukraine.
Fire confirmed at oil facility in Lipetsk Oblast
The most visible damage came in Lipetsk Oblast, where a fire broke out at the Usman oil depot following a drone attack. The site located in Streletskie Khutora near Usman is involved in the storage, sale, and transport of petroleum products.
Residents reported explosions and fire, with footage published by the Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ showing tall flames over the industrial site. Russian news channel Astra analyzed the footage and identified the burning facility as the Usman oil base.
Governor Igor Artamonov confirmed a fire at an industrial site in the Usman district, saying it followed the “fall of a drone,” but did not specify the exact object. The blaze reportedly involved a tank area on the depot’s premises.
Strike on GRAU arsenal in Kostroma Oblast
Exilenova+ reported a successful drone strike on Russia's 100th arsenal of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate (GRAU) in the town of Neya, Kostroma Oblast, overnight on 6 January.
The channel noted doubts about the strike due to explosions continuing all night, but the governor later confirmed evacuations from locations near the GRAU site. Exilenova+ stated this was likely a successful hit and shared photos of a large plume of black smoke.
The same arsenal had been targeted before. It supplies ammunition stocks for Russia’s western and central directions, which are then distributed to lower-level bases.
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Damage reported at Penza transport site
In Penza, locals heard a series of explosions — reportedly around 10 — and observed bright flashes and the sound of drones in the sky.
While early speculation suggested possible hits on the Biomintez plant or a bearing factory, Astra later stated that a drone had likely struck a site within the GATP-2 enterprise in the Shuist district.
According to Astra, GATP-2 is a cargo transport company whose premises are leased by various businesses. No official confirmation of damage was issued by local authorities, but Astra asserted the location based on its sources.
Drone activity reported near sensitive sites, no confirmed hits
A series of explosions occurred in Sterlitamak, Bashkortostan, around 5 a.m. The city is home to the large Sterlitamaksky Petrochemical Plant (SNKhZ), which produces aviation fuel and other chemicals used in Russia’s military-industrial complex.
Locals reported blasts, and Exilenova+ published video from the area. However, there has been no confirmation of a direct hit on the facility during this incident.
In Yaroslavl, explosions were heard in the Neftestroy district, where oil facilities are located. Readers of Astra reported the sounds, but no confirmed impact or damage has been reported so far.
In Tver, a drone crashed into a residential building, allegedly killing one person and injuring two. Russian authorities stated the drone’s debris caused the impact.
Astra noted the building lies just one kilometer from the Tver Railcar Plant, one of Russia’s main train equipment manufacturers, raising the possibility that it was the intended target. No strike on the plant itself was confirmed.
Infrastructure disrupted in Voronezh and Leningrad oblasts
In Voronezh Oblast, debris from a downed drone fell onto railway tracks, delaying multiple trains and damaging what the governor described as an “infrastructure object.” He said the wreckage had been suppressed by electronic warfare systems before crashing.
In Leningrad Oblast’s Volkhov district, drone fragments reportedly landed near Berezhki village on the territory of a compressor station. The governor claimed electronic warfare disabled the drone, causing it to crash.
No injuries or fire occurred, but police cordoned off the site, and damage is being assessed.
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IDF strikes Gaza terrorist planning imminent attack
Jan. 6, 2026
The Israel Defense Forces carried out a strike on Monday against a Hamas terrorist who was planning an attack on soldiers operating in the southern Gaza Strip, the military said.
“The terrorist posed an imminent threat to the troops and therefore was precisely struck,” according to the statement.
Prior to the attack, measures were taken to minimize harm to civilians, including the use of precision-guided munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence.
“IDF troops in the Southern Command remain deployed in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat,” the military added.
During military operations in the southern Strip on Monday, a soldier of the Golani Brigade’s 13th Battalion was seriously injured as the result of an accident, the IDF announced on Tuesday morning.
“The soldier was evacuated to receive medical treatment at a hospital and his family has been notified,” stated the military.
Meanwhile, the IDF reported on Sunday that troops operating along the Yellow Line, the ceasefire line in the Gaza Strip, had destroyed terrorist infrastructure above and below ground.
As part of these efforts, the Northern Gaza Brigade dismantled approximately two kilometers (1.3 miles) of a Hamas tunnel route in the Beit Lahia area.
Also Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that President Donald Trump has been “unequivocal” that Hamas needs to disarm as a condition for his peace plan to proceed.
“This is a necessary and fundamental condition for the implementation of his 20-point plan. He made no concessions on this and showed no flexibility on this matter,” Netanyahu stated.
Netanyahu’s visit last week to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla., contributed to “deepening the dual relationship—between Israel and the United States, and of course the personal bond,” he added.
During the visit, Trump told journalists that Hamas would be allowed a “very short period of time” to demilitarize or “there will be hell to pay for them.”
While the president said he wants to move to Phase 2 of the ceasefire “as quickly as we can,” he stopped short of offering any concrete timeline.
https://www.jns.org/idf-strikes-gaza-terrorist-planning-imminent-attack/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KWMOmV4Kb4
other Israel
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/lebanese-media-two-dead-one-injured-in-idf-strike-on-countrys-south/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/two-idf-soldiers-seriously-hurt-in-separate-accidents-in-gaza-northern-israel/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-confirms-it-hit-hamas-hezbollah-weapons-sites-in-lebanon-strikes-yesterday/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/israeli-troops-raid-west-banks-birzeit-university-seize-property-from-student-group-dominated-by-hamas-tied-bloc/
https://5townscentral.com/2026/01/05/idf-warns-iran-plotting-to-assassinate-syrias-president-as-israel-pushes-to-maintain-military-presence-in-syrian-territory/
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2026/01/forget-the-u-s-military-israels-merkava-might-be-the-best-tank-in-2026/
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sjxr3h5n11l
https://www.jns.org/idf-deeply-values-some-7000-lone-soldiers-in-service/
Chaos erupts near Venezuela's Miraflores Palace amid drone scare
Last updated: January 06, 2026 | 06:09
Caracas descended into panic late on Monday, as reports flooded social media of intense gunfire, anti-aircraft bursts, and drones hovering near the Presidential Palace (Miraflores).
Videos captured tracer rounds lighting up the night sky, explosions echoing through the capital, and BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles patrolling streets alongside pro-Maduro “Colectivos” militias.
Residents described sustained small-arms fire and loud blasts, fuelling fears of a coup or foreign incursion just days after US forces ousted Nicolás Maduro in a dramatic raid.
Footage showed security forces unleashing anti-air craft fire at unidentified aerial targets around 8pm local time, with armored vehicles mobilising rapidly.
AFP cited government sources confirming drones overflew the palace, prompting the response.
Clarifications
The frenzy quickly unravelled as clarifications emerged: it was friendly fire.
Presidential Guard mistook Venezuelan Army surveillance drones — testing new palace security — for threats, triggering the barrage.
No casualties were reported. The situation calmed within 30 minutes, though blackouts followed in areas like El Paraíso, as per Politico.
This blunder underscores post-Maduro fragility under interim leader Delcy Rodriguez, with militias on edge amid US “stabilising” presence.
Tensions persist as investigations probe infiltrations, as Daily Mail.
https://gulfnews.com/world/americas/chaos-erupts-near-venezuelas-miraflores-palace-amid-drone-scare-1.500399583
https://www.nbcnews.com/video/shorts/venezuelan-police-open-fire-on-unidentified-drones-255458885710
https://www.rt.com/news/630652-venezuela-coup-attempt-reported/
https://twitter.com/War_Radar2/status/2008343204262015278
https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/2008346157236339156
https://twitter.com/Worldsource24/status/2008335109720596925
other Venezuela
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-15435657/secret-US-war-drone-Maduro-capture-venezuela.html
https://asiatimes.com/2026/01/chinas-drone-carriers-hide-in-plain-sight-among-merchant-ships/
https://maritime-executive.com/article/chinese-container-ship-gets-mobile-launch-track-for-drone-fighters
China’s drone carriers hide in plain sight among merchant ships
January 6, 2026
Weaponized merchant ships could turn global trade routes into a gray-zone battlefield, upending deterrence and maritime security
What if China’s next aircraft carrier doesn’t look like a warship at all – but like an ordinary cargo vessel quietly turning global trade routes into launchpads for drone warfare?
This month, multiple media outlets reported that China appears to be testing a new way to rapidly convert civilian cargo ships into drone-launch platforms, according to recent imagery and analysis.
Photos emerging since late December show a Chinese medium cargo vessel, Zhongda 79, reconfigured to carry a modular, truck-mounted electromagnetic catapult system capable of launching large fixed-wing combat drones, with the activity centered at Shanghai’s Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard.
The system consists of multiple heavy trucks locked together to form a scalable launch track, potentially allowing drones weighing up to two tons to be launched without a traditional runway, either from land or from flat-decked merchant ships.
The concept, if operational, could enable the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to disperse airpower across China’s vast commercial fleet, complicating adversaries’ targeting and expanding drone reach in scenarios ranging from the Taiwan Strait to the Pacific island chains.
The same vessel had earlier been seen carrying containerized missile launchers, radars and close-in weapon systems (CIWS), suggesting a broader experiment with modular, container-based naval warfare.
However, key questions remain over the system’s maturity, including its stability at sea, power demands and the apparent lack of a recovery mechanism for launched drones, raising the possibility that the ship is intended for one-way strike missions or demonstrations rather than sustained carrier-style operations.
China’s large merchant fleet – at around 9,000 ships – provides it a functionally unlimited supply of potential ships for conversion into ad-hoc combatants.
These ships could be indistinguishable from civilian ships plying critical sea lanes of communication from Kaohsiung in Taiwan to Long Beach in California, presenting a “Trojan horse” dilemma to adversaries.
From a cost perspective, a containerized, modular weapons system could give a commercial ship worth US$80-120 million the firepower of a $2 billion destroyer, with more shooters possibly being more decisive than fewer fast shooters.
With its modular truck-mounted electromagnetic catapult, China may have turned the traditional aircraft carrier concept on its head.
Instead of concentrating so much capability into a few expensive and potentially vulnerable warships, containerized drone launchers enable distributed drone-centric air operations that greatly enhance tactical reach and agility.
Hidden aboard civilian ships, hundreds of containerized missiles or drones could be used in a surprise initial attack to catch adversaries off guard and destroy key targets.
In the case of Taiwan, China could covertly arm a significant number of its merchant vessels with containerized drones or missiles, reducing the tell-tale signs of a military buildup to take Taiwan.
In the event of an invasion, these ships could contribute to an initial decapitation strike against Taiwan’s political and military leadership and key energy infrastructure.
China may employ cruise and ballistic missiles alongside drones to minimize losses, reserving manned aircraft for later use to secure control over Taiwanese airspace or to deter US and allied intervention.
Given China’s global merchant fleet, containerized missile and drone launchers could disperse lethality throughout the Indo-Pacific and complicate targeting.
This approach would also reduce China’s need for overseas military bases, as it operates or is a stakeholder in multiple Pacific port projects that could accommodate merchant ships armed with containerized weapons and ease the burden on logistics by using ubiquitous civilian container handling equipment.
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These locations may include Papua New Guinea, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Samoa and Vanuatu. Beyond the Pacific, China has similar infrastructure in South America, notably in Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Panama and Mexico.
China also has port investments in the US – at Long Beach, California, and at Seattle Container Terminal.
The prospect of such an attack from so close to the US – or from US territory itself – could force the US to implement a new screening process for Chinese merchant ships heading for US ports – a potentially escalatory move – or to accept more risk.
In the extreme, the mere possibility of containerized drone or missile launches from merchant shipping near US ports could force the US to assume worst-case scenarios, reshaping homeland defense planning even if such attacks never materialize.
But perhaps the most significant takeaway from China’s containerized missile launcher and modular electromagnetic catapult is the decoupling of combat capability from platforms – overturning a significant foundation of maritime law and the laws of armed conflict.
The approach plays on the strengths of China’s grey zone warfare tactics that blur the distinction between trade and naval warfare.
Instead of focusing on the purely destructive firepower of containerized missiles and drones, China’s weaponized merchant ships could aim to overstretch US and allied intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities while imposing stress on the latter’s decision-making, as any merchant ship could be a possible threat.
However, merchant ships have several limitations. For one, they are slow – cruising at around 25 to 29 kilometers per hour – making them unsuitable for fleet operations.
They may also lack the deep survivability features of warships, such as structural strength, robust damage control and extensive internal compartmentalization.
Medium cargo vessels such as the Zhongda 79 may be limited to near-shore operations. However, containerized missiles or drones could be deployed on larger cargo ships with greater range and endurance.
But each merchant vessel converted into a drone or missile carrier means one less ship for trade – possibly further weakening trade, which wartime disruptions may already weaken.
Building more capable drones could raise costs significantly, defeating the cost-effectiveness advantage that ad-hoc drone carriers offer.
In addition to that, a successful attack on one of these ships could mean the loss of an entire drone swarm or its entire missile load – a significant capability loss.
It is also unclear whether the institutions supporting China’s merchant marine – its shipping companies and merchant marine academies, for instance – are ready for loss of revenue, the stresses of high-intensity naval combat operations, and are willing to sustain heavy casualties.
Taken together, China’s experiment with weaponized merchant ships signals a strategic shift toward mass, ambiguity and cost-imposition, where combat power is no longer tied to clearly identifiable platforms but embedded within the global fabric of trade itself.
Whether or not the concept proves viable at sea, it alone forces the US and its allies to confront a destabilizing future in which every cargo ship is a potential combatant, stretching deterrence, maritime law and crisis management to their limits.
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