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Supernova Remnant Video From NASA’s Chandra Is Decades in Making
Jan 06, 2026
A new video shows the evolution of Kepler’s Supernova Remnant using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory captured over more than two and a half decades.
Kepler’s Supernova Remnant, named after the German astronomer Johannes Kepler, was first spotted in the night sky in 1604.
Today, astronomers know that a white dwarf star exploded when it exceeded a critical mass, after pulling material from a companion star, or merging with another white dwarf.
This kind of supernova is known as a Type Ia, and scientists use it to measure the expansion of the universe.
Supernova remnants, the debris fields left behind after a stellar explosion, often glow strongly in X-ray light because the material has been heated to millions of degrees from the blast.
The remnant is located in our galaxy, about 17,000 light-years from Earth, allowing Chandra to make detailed images of the debris and how it changes with time.
This latest video includes its X-ray data from 2000, 2004, 2006, 2014, and 2025. This makes it the longest-spanning video that Chandra has ever released, enabled by Chandra’s longevity.
“The plot of Kepler’s story is just now beginning to unfold,” said Jessye Gassel, a graduate student at George Mason University in Virginia, who led the work.
“It’s remarkable that we can watch as these remains from this shattered star crash into material already thrown out into space.”
Gassel presented the new Chandra video and the associated research at the 247th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Phoenix.
The researchers used the video to show that the fastest parts of the remnant are traveling at about 13.8 million miles per hour (2% of the speed of light), moving toward the bottom of the image.
Meanwhile, the slowest parts are traveling toward the top at about 4 million miles per hour (0.5% of the speed of light).
This large difference in speed is because the gas that the remnant is plowing into toward the top of the image is denser than the gas toward the bottom.
This gives scientists information about the environments into which this star exploded.
“Supernova explosions and the elements they hurl into space are the lifeblood of new stars and planets,” said Brian Williams of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and principal investigator of the new Chandra observations of Kepler.
“Understanding exactly how they behave is crucial to knowing our cosmic history.”
The team also examined the widths of the rims forming the blast wave of the explosion. The blast wave is the leading edge of the explosion and the first to encounter material outside of the star.
By measuring how wide it is and how fast it is traveling, astronomers glean more information about both the explosion of the star and its surroundings.
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Chandra program.
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/chandra/supernova-remnant-video-from-nasas-chandra-is-decades-in-making/
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/chandra/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nvq59gmhX2w
Life Science Fills Day as Expedition 74 Nears Thursday Spacewalk
January 6, 2026
Exercise research and biomedical science promoting healthy humans on and off Earth topped the schedule aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, two NASA astronauts are preparing for the year’s first spacewalk, scheduled to begin Thursday.
Expedition 74 Commander Mike Fincke of NASA spent Tuesday exploring how exercising in weightlessness affects a crew member’s musculoskeletal system.
Fincke first set up specialized video gear and calibrated the hardware to monitor how his body responds to working out on the Tranquility module’s advanced resistive exercise device (ARED).
Next, he performed a series of squats on the ARED—a device that mimics free weights on Earth—as researchers on the ground monitored.
Insights from this study will allow doctors to adjust and improve spaceflight workouts, ensuring astronauts maximize muscle and bone health.
Potential Earth benefits include improving athletic training and advancing recovery and rehabilitation techniques.
NASA Flight Engineers Zena Cardman and Chris Williams partnered in the Columbus laboratory module for a pair of eye checks for human research.
Cardman led both checks, first operating hardware that sent light signals to electrodes attached around Williams’ eyes. Biomedical software then recorded how his retinas and the cells in the back of his eyes responded to the flashes of light.
For the second eye exam, Cardman operated medical imaging gear that Williams peered into for a different look at his retina, cornea, and lens.
The downlinked data will help researchers understand and treat potential space-caused changes to eye anatomy and function.
Fincke and Cardman are scheduled to begin a six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk at 8 a.m. EST on Thursday, with live NASA+ coverage starting at 6:30 a.m.
The duo will finalize their preparations on Wednesday by organizing tools, checking spacesuits, and reviewing spacewalk procedures with assistance from Williams and Flight Engineer Kimiya Yui of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency).
During the spacewalk, they will install a modification kit and route cables to set up the station’s port-side truss structure for a future roll-out solar array.
NASA managers previewed on X Thursday’s spacewalk and a second spacewalk planned for Jan. 15.
Yui began his day Tuesday practicing robotic maneuvers planned for the Jan. 15 spacewalk, which will involve installing and relocating hardware on the orbital outpost.
Afterward, Yui collected water samples from an oxygen generator for ground analysis, then cleaned a filter and screen on the life support device.
Roscosmos Flight Engineers Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev studied how living and working in microgravity affects the respiratory system.
The cosmonauts took turns wearing an acoustic sensor around their tracheas to record sounds as they forcefully exhaled.
Results will help doctors and crews monitor the respiratory system and provide early signs of possible space-caused breathing disorders.
Roscosmos Flight Engineer Oleg Platonov started his shift photographing his cosmonaut crewmates as they conducted lung research activities.
Next, he cleaned, inspected, and photographed fans and ventilation system components in the Nauka science module.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/01/06/life-science-fills-day-as-expedition-74-nears-thursday-spacewalk/
https://www.miragenews.com/nasa-marshall-set-to-demolish-historic-1598130/
NASA Marshall Set to Demolish Historic Facilities
07 Jan 2026 5:48 am
Engineers and technicians hoist the first flight version of the Saturn IB rocket's first stage into the T-tower for static testing at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, on March 15, 1965.
NASA is preparing for the demolition of three iconic structures at the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Crews began demolition in mid-December at the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator, a facility built in the late 1960s that once enabled NASA astronauts and researchers to experience near-weightlessness.
The facility was also used to conduct underwater testing of space hardware and practice runs for servicing the Hubble Space Telescope. The simulator was closed in 1997.
Two test stands - the Propulsion and Structural Test Facility and Dynamic Test Facility - are also slated for demolition, one after the other, by carefully coordinated implosion no earlier than sunrise on Jan. 10, 2026.
"This work reflects smart stewardship of taxpayer resources," said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.
"Clearing outdated infrastructure allows NASA to safely modernize, streamline operations, and fully leverage the infrastructure investments signed into law by President Trump to keep Marshall positioned at the forefront of aerospace innovation."
Built in 1964, the Dynamic Test Stand initially was used to test fully assembled Saturn V rockets.
In 1978, engineers integrated all space shuttle elements for the first time, including the orbiter, external fuel tank, and solid rocket boosters. It was last used in the early 2000s for microgravity testing.
The space shuttle orbiter Enterprise lifted by crane into the Structural Dynamic Test Facility at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for vibration testing in July 1978.
The Propulsion and Structural Test Facility - better known at Marshall as the "T-tower" due to its unique shape - was built in 1957 by the U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency and transferred to NASA when Marshall was founded in 1960.
There, engineers tested components of the Saturn launch vehicles, the Army's Redstone Rocket, and shuttle solid rocket boosters. It was last used for space shuttle solid rocket motor tests in the 1990s.
"Each one of these structures helped NASA make history," said Rae Ann Meyer, acting center director at Marshall. "While it is hard to let them go, they've earned their retirement.
The people who built and managed these facilities and empowered our mission of space exploration are the most important part of their legacy."
"These structures are not safe," continued Meyer. "Strategic demolition is a necessary step in shaping the future of NASA's mission to explore, innovate, and inspire.
By removing these structures that we have not used in decades, we are saving money on upkeep of facilities we can't use. We also are making these areas safe to use for future NASA exploration endeavors and investments."
A legacy worth remembering
When NASA opened the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator in 1968, it was one of few places on Earth that could recreate the weightlessness of microgravity.
The facility provided a simulated zero-gravity environment in which engineers and astronauts could find out how their designs might handle in orbit.
The tank has been central to planning and problem-solving for Skylab missions, repairs to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, and more.
The tank is 75 feet in diameter, 40 feet deep, and designed to hold up to nearly 1.5 million gallons of water. It was replaced in 1997 by a new, larger facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
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Astronaut Kathryn Thornton practices maneuvers planned for the STS-61 mission in the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, on August 9, 1963. The Propulsion and Structural Test Facility is one of the oldest test stands at Marshall.
The dual-position test stand, sometimes called the T-tower, was built for static testing large rockets and launch systems - like launching a rocket while keeping it restrained and wired to instruments that collect data.
The tests and data played a role in the development of the Saturn family of rockets, including the F-1 engine and S-IC.
The Dynamic Test Stand, a 360-foot tower topped by a 64-foot derrick, was once the tallest human-made structure in North Alabama.
Engineers there conducted full-scale tests of Saturn V rockets - the same powerful vehicles that carried Apollo astronauts to the Moon.
Later, the stand served as the first location where all space shuttle elements were integrated.
Preserving history for future generations
The irreplaceable historical value of these landmarks has prompted NASA to undertake extensive efforts to preserve their stories for future generations.
The three facilities were made national landmarks in 1985 for their part in human spaceflight. In keeping with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, master planners and engineers at Marshall completed a rigorous consultation and mitigation process for each landmark, working closely with Alabama's State Historic Preservation Office to preserve their history for future generations.
Detailed architectural documentation, written histories, and large-format photographs are permanently archived in the Library of Congress' Historic American Engineering Record collection, making this history accessible to researchers and the public for generations.
Additionally, NASA has partnered with Auburn University to create high-resolution digital models of each facility. The project used technologies like LiDAR and 360-photography of the structures in detail before demolition.
Their goal is to preserve not just the appearance, but the sense of scale and engineering achievement they represent. The models are still in work, but they'll eventually be publicly available.
Select artifacts from the facilities have also been identified and transferred to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center through NASA's Artifact Program, ensuring tangible pieces of this history remain available for educational purposes.
Honoring the past, building the future
For the employees, retirees, and community members who remember these facilities over the decades, their removal marks the end of an era. But their contributions live on in every NASA mission, from the International Space Station to the upcoming Artemis II lunar missions and more.
"NASA's vision of space exploration remains vibrant, and as we look to an exciting future, we honor the past, especially the dedication of the men and women who built these structures and tested hardware that has launched into space, made unprecedented scientific discoveries, and inspired generations of Americans to reach for the stars," said Meyer.
The demolitions represent more than removing obsolete infrastructure. They're part of NASA's commitment to building a dynamic, interconnected campus ready for the next era of space exploration while honoring the bold spirit that has always driven the agency forward.
Virtual tours and preserved documentation will be made available on Marshall's digital channels. Marshall will also share video of the test stand demolitions after the event.
For communities near Redstone Arsenal, there could be a loud noise associated with the demolition on the morning of Jan. 10.
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NASA Discovers Distant Planet With Conditions That Could Sustain Rocks
January 6, 2026
WASHINGTON—Lauding the breakthrough as a pivotal moment in the search for stones beyond the solar system, researchers at NASA announced Tuesday the discovery of a distant planet with perfect conditions for sustaining rocks.
“After analysis of HD 101581 b’s atmosphere and surface conditions, we are confident this astronomical body meets all known criteria for supporting rocks,” said NASA administrator Jared Isaacman, specifying that the warm, dry atmosphere and presence of elements such as potassium and calcium point to the exoplanet containing an abundance of sand, pebbles, and other key building blocks of rocks.
“Many extrasolar planets are gas giants like Jupiter, which have no place for rocks to sit. Indeed, there’s only a narrow zone in every star’s orbit that is hospitable to rocks, and thanks to advancements in satellite imagery, we can confirm that a planet like this may one day play host to the very rocks we find here on Earth.”
NASA scientists cautioned that while the presence of rocks outside the solar system was all but assured, the odds were astonishing low that humans would ever encounter intelligent rocks.
https://theonion.com/nasa-discovers-distant-planet-with-conditions-that-could-sustain-rocks/
Astrobiology Expedition to Lake Untersee Antarctica Is Underway
January 6, 2026
Astrobiologist Dale Andersen is heading back in Antarctica at Lake Untersee in January-February 2026 for another field season of research. Update: Dale and team have landed. Picture below.
After a 5-6 hr flight from Cape Town, South Africa, Dale and his team will land at the Novolazarevskaya Station ice-runway in Antarctica. They will unpack, gather their stored gear, and prepare for the overland traverse to their research camp at Lake Untersee in a few days.
Dale’s work is coordinated through the SETI Institute. We’ll be posting his updates here. You can read about his prior exploits from this field season and past field seasons back t the 1990s.
Dale’s flight to Antarctica was aboard this IL-76TD jet seen just prior to departure from Cape Town today, 6 January 2026.
“The Ilyushin Il-76 is a multi-purpose, fixed-wing, four-engine turbofan strategic airlifter designed by the Soviet Union’s Ilyushin design bureau as a commercial freighter in 1967.
The Il-76 has seen extensive service as a commercial freighter for ramp-delivered cargo, especially for outsized or heavy items that cannot be carried by other means.
It has also been used as an emergency response transport for civilian evacuations as well as for humanitarian aid and disaster relief around the world.
Thanks to its ability to operate from unpaved runways, it has been useful in undeveloped areas. Specialized models have also been produced for aerial firefighting and zero-G training.”
Weather at Novo Station as Dale departed South Africa. Here is the current condition webcam at Current weather condition at Ultima Airbase – Ultima Antarctic Logistics
https://astrobiology.com/2026/01/dale-andersens-astrobiology-antarctic-status-report-6-january-2026-flying-south-to-novolazarevskaya-station-antarctica.html
https://nasawatch.com/astrobiology/astrobiology-expedition-to-lake-untersee-antarctica-is-underway/
Sextans A Context Image (Webb and KPNO)
January 6, 2026
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s image of a portion of the nearby Sextans A galaxy is put into context using a ground-based image from the Nicholas U.
Mayall 4-meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. The image from Webb shows the galaxy in both near- and mid-infrared light, while Kitt Peak captures optical, or visible, light.
Sextans A is an irregular dwarf galaxy, and is only 4 million light-years away, which is nearby to the Milky Way in relative terms.
It’s also a fairly small galaxy, measuring 5,000 light-years across (the Milky Way is about 100,000 light-years across).
Sextans A is chemically primitive, meaning it has a very low content of metals heavier than hydrogen and helium.
https://science.nasa.gov/asset/webb/sextans-a-context-image-webb-and-kpno/
Don't Miss Jupiter's Spectacular Show On January 10, NASA Shares Skywatching Tips
Jan 06, 2026 22:10 pm IST
Stargazers are set to witness Jupiter's spectacular show on January 10, 2026, when the gas giant will reach "opposition".
Hence, it will be the brightest and largest it appears in the night sky all year. NASA explained the term 'opposition', saying that it happens when Earth is directly between Jupiter and the Sun. This alignment makes Jupiter appear bigger and brighter.
"To see Jupiter at its best this year, look to the east and all evening long, you'll be able to see the planet in the constellation Gemini. It will be one of the brightest objects in the night sky (only the moon and Venus will be brighter)," NASA wrote in a blog post.
When And Where To Watch
Date: January 10, 2026
Time: Jupiter will be visible all night, but best viewed around midnight when it's highest in the sky.
Location: Look east around sunset to spot Jupiter in the constellation Gemini.
Visibility: A telescope is not required as Jupiter will be the brightest star-like object in the night sky, outshining all stars except for Venus (which will be hidden behind the Sun).
Jupiter will shine at magnitude -2.7, making it easily visible to the naked eye. Its disk will appear 45.6 arcseconds in diameter, making it a stunning sight through binoculars or a telescope.
https://www.ndtv.com/science/dont-miss-jupiters-spectacular-show-on-january-10-nasa-shares-skywatching-tips-10420344
Scientists Identify ‘Astronomy’s Platypus’ with NASA’s Webb Telescope
Jan 06, 2026
After combing through NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s archive of sweeping extragalactic cosmic fields, a small team of astronomers at the University of Missouri says they have identified a sample of galaxies that have a previously unseen combination of features.
Principal investigator Haojing Yan compares the discovery to an infamous oddball in another branch of science: biology’s taxonomy-defying platypus.
“It seems that we’ve identified a population of galaxies that we can’t categorize, they are so odd.
On the one hand they are extremely tiny and compact, like a point source, yet we do not see the characteristics of a quasar, an active supermassive black hole, which is what most distant point sources are,” said Yan.
The research was presented in a press conference at the 247th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Phoenix.
Image A: Galaxies in CEERS Field (NIRCam image)
“I looked at these characteristics and thought, this is like looking at a platypus. You think that these things should not exist together, but there it is right in front of you, and it’s undeniable,” Yan said.
The team whittled down a sample of 2,000 sources across several Webb surveys to identify nine point-like sources that existed 12 to 12.6 billion years ago (compared to the universe’s age of 13.8 billion years).
Spectral data gives astronomers more information than they can get from an image alone, and for these nine sources it doesn’t fit existing definitions.
They are too far away to be stars in our own galaxy, and too faint to be quasars, which are so brilliant that they outshine their host galaxies.
Though the spectra resemble the less distant “green pea” galaxies discovered in 2009, the galaxies in this sample are much more compact.
“Like spectra, the detailed genetic code of a platypus provides additional information that shows just how unusual the animal is, sharing genetic features with birds, reptiles, and mammals,” said Yan.
“Together, Webb’s imaging and spectra are telling us that these galaxies have an unexpected combination of features.”
Yan explained that for typical quasars, the peaks in their characteristic spectral emission lines look like hills, with a broad base, indicating the high velocity of gas swirling around their supermassive black hole.
Instead, the peaks for the “platypus population” are narrow and sharp, indicating slower gas movement.
While there are narrow-line galaxies that host active supermassive black holes, they do not have the point-like feature of the sample Yan’s team has identified.
Image B: Galaxy CEERS 4233-42232: Comparison With Quasar Spectrum
Has Yan’s team discovered a missing link in the cosmos?
Once the team determined that the objects didn’t fit the definition of a quasar, graduate student researcher Bangzheng Sun analyzed the data to see if there were signatures of star-forming galaxies.
“From the low-resolution spectra we have, we can’t rule out the possibility that these nine objects are star-forming galaxies. That data fits,” said Sun.
“The strange thing in that case is that the galaxies are so tiny and compact, even though Webb has the resolving power to show us a lot of detail at this distance.”
One proposal the team suggests is that Webb, as promised, is revealing earlier stages of galaxy formation and evolution than we have ever been able to see before.
It is generally accepted across the astronomy community that large, massive galaxies like our own Milky Way grew by many smaller galaxies merging together. But, Yan asks, what comes before small galaxies?
“I think this new research is presenting us with the question, how does the process of galaxy formation first begin?
Can such small, building-block galaxies be formed in a quiet way, before chaotic mergers begin, as their point-like appearance suggests?” Yan said.
To begin answering that question, as well as to determine more about the nature of their odd platypuses, the team says they need a much larger sample than nine to analyze, and with higher-resolution spectra.
“We cast a wide net, and we found a few examples of something incredible. These nine objects weren’t the focus; they were just in the background of broad Webb surveys,” said Yan.
“Now it’s time to think about the implications of that, and how we can use Webb’s capabilities to learn more.”
The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s premier space science observatory.
Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it.
Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency).
https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/scientists-identify-astronomys-platypus-with-nasas-webb-telescope/
China's space station captures mesmerizing views of Earth
2026-01-07 17:23 Last Updated At 18:52
China Manned Space Engineering Office on Wednesday released footage of the Earth taken by the country's Tiangong space station.
The footage was captured by a camera held by an astronaut in the Tianhe core module of the Tiangong space station, showcasing a backdrop of a blue and green planet occasionally obscured by vast clouds.
The Tiangong space station is now crewed by the Shenzhou-21 mission, which comprises three astronauts sent into space on Oct 31, 2025 for a six-month stay.
The Shenzhou-21 crew consists of mission commander Zhang Lu, along with astronauts Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang.
The trio serve respectively as space pilot, flight engineer and payload specialist, representing the three categories of Chinese astronauts currently employed in the country's space program.
https://www.bastillepost.com/global/article/5509259-chinas-space-station-captures-mesmerizing-views-of-earth
Key breakthrough achieved in data simulation for China's Xuntian Space Telescope
2026-01-07 20:59:16
China has made progress in scientific data simulation for the Chinese Space Station Telescope (CSST), also known as the Xuntian Space Telescope, marking a crucial step in preparing for the country's flagship space astronomy facility.
A collaborative Chinese research team built an end-to-end observation simulation suite for both the telescope's main optical system and various observation terminals.
The suite achieved high-quality, pixel-level simulation of observation data, which will be used for the comprehensive evaluation of the telescope's overall performance.
The research was published online Wednesday in a special issue of the journal Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, and is expected to lay the foundation for high-yield original scientific output after the telescope is launched.
The CSST is a major space astronomy facility planned as part of China's manned space program. Equipped with a 2-meter-aperture primary mirror, the telescope features a large field of view, high image quality and wide waveband coverage.
It is expected to facilitate major scientific discoveries across various astrophysical fields, including cosmology, the study of galaxies, the Milky Way, stars and planets, according to the National Astronomical Observatories under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC), which led the study.
Scientific simulation is an indispensable procedure prior to the launch. It acts as a "digital rehearsal" for the mission, generating mock data to validate the process flow and optimize observation strategies before the launch.
"The work provides clear expectations for the CSST's capabilities in the direct imaging of exoplanets, offering technical guarantees for scientific output in this frontier field," said Ji Jianghui, a researcher at the Purple Mountain Observatory.
Li Cheng, a professor at the Department of Astronomy at Tsinghua University, noted that the papers systematically demonstrated the instrument performance and simulated data of the telescope's modules.
"This offers reliable data support for the development of data processing systems, scientific pre-research, and post-launch scientific operations," Li added.
The CSST is an important component of China's space station. After launch, it will fly independently in the same orbit as the space station and can dock with the station for supply, maintenance and upgrades.
https://english.news.cn/20260107/cae89549cb5c43e7ba06fbef776b9736/c.html
https://news.az/news/chinese-astronauts-study-lithium-ion-batteries-in-space
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202601/1352530.shtml
NASA Administrator, Space Camp alum donates jet to U.S. Space & Rocket Center
Updated: Jan 6, 2026 / 02:04 PM CST
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – Newly appointed NASA Administrator and citizen astronaut, Jared Isaacman, has donated a jet to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, they announced on Monday.
The L39 Albatross will adorn the entrance to the Inspiration4 Skills Training Complex, a facility named for the first all-civilian mission to space.
The jet is decorated like the one flown by “Space Camp Hall of Famer” Isaacman in the Black Diamond Jet Team.
In June 2025, Isaacman donated $15 million to the USSRC to go towards the I4 facility. This large sum was not the first from Isaacman; he donated $10 million to Space Camp facilities in 2022.
The $15 million will go towards Space Camp activities at the I4 training complex, like simulated space missions, a realistic space station mission, including onboard operations, and a mission control center.
https://whnt.com/news/nasa-administrator-space-camp-alum-donates-jet-to-u-s-space-rocket-center/
Aegis Aerospace and United Semiconductors Launch In-Space Advanced Materials Manufacturing Facility
2026-01-07
Aegis Aerospace Inc. is partnering with United Semiconductors LLC to pioneer semiconductor manufacturing in space.
This collaboration follows Aegis Aerospace’s recent grant agreement with the Texas Space Commission to develop an in-space manufacturing platform for advanced materials in low Earth orbit (LEO).
“We are thrilled to join forces with United Semiconductors,” said Stephanie Murphy, CEO of Aegis Aerospace.
“Together, we will accelerate the in-space manufacturing of essential semiconductor materials, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in space technology.”
The Aegis Advanced Materials Manufacturing Platform (AMMP) aims to showcase the unique properties and manufacturing capabilities afforded by the microgravity environment of LEO.
By leveraging United Semiconductors’ established expertise as a provider to the U.S. Department of Defense, this partnership will expedite the commercialization of semiconductor manufacturing in space.
As a result, Aegis Aerospace anticipates creating new job opportunities in Texas and offering this innovative service globally.
“United Semiconductors is honored to collaborate with Aegis Aerospace,” stated Dr. Partha Dutta, Chief Technologist of United Semiconductors.
“Our decades of experience in semiconductor manufacturing, including successful experiments aboard the International Space Station, combined with Aegis Aerospace’s expertise in building and operating space infrastructure, will create a powerful partnership.”
Together, Aegis Aerospace’s AMMP and United Semiconductors products are believed to be the first dedicated commercial facility for in-space materials production.
https://www.eetasia.com/aegis-aerospace-and-united-semiconductors-launch-in-space-advanced-materials-manufacturing-facility/
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-01-07/maduro-ouster-china-loses-space-ally-after-us-operation-in-venezuela
China Loses a Space Ally With Ouster of Venezuela’s Maduro
January 7, 2026 at 7:00 AM PST
Three things you need to know today:
• US labor board abandons one of its lawsuits against SpaceX.
• Blue Origin names ex-ULA boss Tory Bruno to new national security group.
• Russia delays debut launch of new rocket at Baiterek project.
Latin American rivalry
The US capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro immediately deprived China of a key ally in Beijing’s competition with Washington for dominance in space, even as the news could add momentum to countries seeking to reduce their reliance on the Americans for access to orbit.
China’s long been playing catchup to the US in space diplomacy.
About 60 countries have endorsed the Artemis Accords, the plan for space that President Donald Trump’s administration launched during his first term to go along with the planned return to the moon by US astronauts.
Meanwhile, Beijing has struggled to win support for its competing plan, centered on a proposed international lunar research station.
Oil-rich Venezuela a few years ago was among the first to support that Chinese project.
“Venezuela is going to the moon. Who would have thought it?” Maduro said in this report from Chinese state television. “I want to thank China for this special relationship.”
The lunar project was just the latest in a history of bilateral space cooperation that dated back to China’s launch of Venezuela’s first satellite back in 2008, celebrated by then-leader Hugo Chávez.
More recently, China has trained at least 150 Venezuelan space personnel and built two ground control facilities in the country, according to a report published last year in The Diplomat by R. Evan Ellis, a research professor at the US Army War College Strategic Studies Institute.
Maduro’s capture – and Trump’s declaration that the US is now running Venezuela – puts all that at risk, but Beijing does have other allies in Latin America, most notably Brazil.
Beijing scored a win last month when the chief of staff to Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced that the country would start offering broadband internet service in 2026 from SpaceSail, one of the Chinese companies rolling out a low-Earth orbit satellite network to compete against SpaceX’s Starlink.
And with worries growing about Trump’s ambitions from Greenland to Colombia, Brazil is one of several countries that might benefit from interest in reducing reliance on rocket launches from the US.
A few days after the SpaceSail announcement, a South Korean company staged the first commercial orbital launch from Alcântara, the spaceport in northeast Brazil. The launch was a failure, but Innospace has vowed to try again this year.
The list of would-be space nations hoping someday to rival Cape Canaveral also includes another target of Trump insults, Somalia. The US president frequently derides the East African nation.
Where Trump sees a “hellhole,” though, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sees potential for a spaceport, given Somalia’s location near the Equator and its long Indian Ocean coastline.
Late last month, Erdoğan met with his Somali counterpart, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and afterwards Turkish media reported that construction on a spaceport was underway.
Much can still go wrong, of course. Let’s see how long it takes for Turkey to finish its Somali spaceport.
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And as we’ve seen in Brazil – where the government has faced challenges recruiting other companies to join Innospace in launching from Alcântara – just having a working spaceport is no guarantee of success.
But an unpredictable US may make such projects more interesting for would-be space powers. — Bruce Einhorn
Starfighters Space’s post-IPO plans
Bloomberg Television recently interviewed Rick Svetkoff, chief executive officer and founder of Starfighters Space.
The company, which began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in mid-December, owns and operates a commercial supersonic aircraft fleet that can be used to launch payloads to space.
“Ultimately, we will be looking to actually shoot these rockets that we would carry on our vehicle up into low-Earth orbit,” he said. Starfighters should have a role to play in what’s shaping up to be the next big thing in the space industry: orbital data centers.
“We’re hoping to be that innovative company that helps support the data centers in space,” he said. — Bruce Einhorn
L3Harris’ sale
L3Harris on Monday announced it has agreed to sell a controlling interest in its Space Propulsion and Power Systems business to AE Industrial Partners in a deal with enterprise value of $845 million.
L3Harris expects the transaction to close in second half of 2026.
The company also announced a reorganization of its remaining businesses, including the Space & Mission Systems.
That division will integrate satellite and payload capabilities, including missile warning and defense, with maritime, air special missions and other global defense and civil government programs, L3Harris said in a statement.
Investors welcomed the news, sending L3Harris shares to a record high.
The deal adds to the space portfolio of Boca Raton, Florida-based AE Industrial, which has invested in Firefly Aerospace, Redwire and York Space Systems. — Bruce Einhorn
What we’re reading
Before Honda dreamed of rockets, Chrysler was launching astronauts: MotorTrend.
NASA library closure at Maryland’s Goddard Center is latest in Trump cuts to space research, the Baltimore Banner reports.
PBS News Hour looks at Rocket Lab’s effort to outpace larger space rivals.
In our orbit
Jan. 8: ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher’s annual press conference in Paris.
Jan. 12: India to launch a hyperspectral imaging satellite aboard a PSLV rocket, following a failure in May.
Jan. 12: Opening day of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics SciTech Forum, billed as the world’s largest event for aerospace R&D.
2/2
SpaceX prepares world’s most powerful rocket amid pressure to meet moon goals
Jan 07, 2026 07:17 AM EST
SpaceX is preparing for a pivotal year for its Starship program.
The company shared a photo of the next Super Heavy booster that will fly on Starship Flight 12 on X. The image shows the booster inside the private space company’s Starbase facility in South Texas, with the caption “Stacking complete.”
Though SpaceX has yet to announce a launch date, Starship is expected to fly again in the first quarter of 2026. That flight test will kick off an important year for the Starship program, which must prove that it is on track to send astronauts to the Moon for NASA’s Artemis III mission, currently scheduled for “no earlier than 2027”.
Starship’s race to liftoff
The latest Starship flight was delayed when the Super Heavy booster designated for Flight 12 was damaged during testing in November.
That booster was the first of SpaceX’s “Version 3” Super Heavy boosters, designed for increased performance thanks to more powerful Raptor 3 engines, a redesigned, lighter structure, and integrated hot staging.
Now, a new Version 3 booster is fully stacked ahead of Flight 12 early this year. Flight testing Starship Version 3 will be pivotal for SpaceX, as it has faced several delays that could impact its Artemis III lunar contract.
NASA recently indicated that, due to these delays, it might search for another candidate to land its Artemis III crew on the Moon. In October, acting NASA chief Sean Duffy told CNBC in an interview: “I love SpaceX; it’s an amazing company.
The problem is, they’re behind. They’ve pushed their timelines out, and we’re in a race against China.”
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is aiming to fly its Mk1 lunar lander to the Moon early this year. If that lunar landing mission is a success, Blue Origin would be a prime candidate.
Starship is the world’s most powerful and tallest rocket, standing 400 feet (122 meters) tall when fully stacked. The rocket flew five times last year, with the last two flights meeting SpaceX’s requirements.
A pivotal year for Starship
Though SpaceX is in a race to keep its Artemis III lunar lander contract, Elon Musk’s private space company recently highlighted Starship’s capabilities to fly beyond the Moon.
The company said Starship Version 3 will be the first version of the rocket capable of flying to Mars. Elon Musk has previously noted that he would like to launch an uncrewed Starship to the Red Planet during the next alignment of Earth and Mars.
The two planets orbit close enough for travel once every 26 months, and the next opportunity occurs late this year.
However, before SpaceX could fly Starship to Mars or, indeed, the Moon, it must master on-orbit refueling.
Elon Musk himself has described orbital refueling as “an essential technology for making life multiplanetary.” And yet, a demonstration of the capability has been delayed on several occasions and was supposed to take place last year.
SpaceX will likely have to achieve the feat in 2026 for Starship to send astronauts to the Moon with Artemis III. An orbital refueling demonstration will also be crucial to achieving its goal of flying to Mars and taking humanity to the next level of space exploration.
https://interestingengineering.com/space/spacex-readies-worlds-most-powerful-rocket
The Next Frontier: Space Force Medicine focuses on people, policy in 2026
Jan. 7, 2026
The U.S. Air Force Surgeon General’s Space Force Medical Operations Directorate is directing its focus in 2026 on its most vital component: the medical experts who support the Guardian warfighter.
“This year is set to be a turning point, with a clear strategy to build the policies and the people needed for the future of Space Force Medicine,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Melissa Runge, deputy director of Space Force Medical Operations.
“A top priority is a new Department of the Air Force Instruction focused specifically on operational medical support for Guardians.”
The directorate is coordinating a Department of Air Force Instruction in the Aerospace Medicine 48-series, Space Force Medicine, which is expected to be published in late 2026.
It will formally address the unique medically related demands of the space mission, from working in isolated environments to the intense need for sustained cognitive agility, ensuring the Air Force Medical Service is fully postured to support space warfighters.
Runge said, in addition to developing policy, the directorate is capitalizing on its partnership with the Air Mobility Command to ensure feedback from Guardians in the field directly shapes future solutions.
With a focus on investing in people, the directorate is launching three major initiatives in 2026:
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The first Space Force Medicine Consultant The Surgeon General will appoint its first senior medical leader to steer the clinical and operational vision for Guardian health and, through talent management, align medics in roles consistent with their expertise.
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A new enlisted identifier For the first time, enlisted medics can earn a special experience identifier for expertise in space operational medicine, creating an opportunity to recognize medics’ experience.
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The inaugural Space Force Medicine Stakeholder Summit The directorate is hosting a summit Feb. 24-26 in Falls Church, Virginia, for medical and operational leaders to collaborate on the challenges and opportunities as the AFMS aligns strategy and policy with the USSF in support of Guardians.
“Great technology is a start, but our real advantage will always be our people,” Runge said. “In 2026, we're building the framework to grow our own experts — a team of medical professionals who live and breathe the Guardian mission.
They are the ones who will pioneer the solutions we need to keep our force healthy for decades to come.”
As the Space Force grows, these efforts will ensure its medical support is ready for anything, she said.
With a long-term vision that includes specific Guardian medical standards and a population health dashboard, the directorate is setting a new standard for 21st-century military medicine.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4372237/the-next-frontier-space-force-medicine-focuses-on-people-policy-in-2026/
Space Force publishes further guidance on physical fitness
Jan. 6, 2026
The Space Force is strengthening its commitment to Guardian well-being with the Holistic Health Approach, focusing on long-term readiness and increasing positive behaviors.
As part of this initiative, the service is implementing new guidelines for the Human Performance Assessment.
Effective Jan. 1, 2026, all Guardians will be required to complete two HPAs annually, regardless of their enrollment in the Continuous Fitness Assessment.
In line with a Secretary of War memorandum dated Sept. 30, 2025, the two HPAs will consist of:
• Cardiorespiratory Fitness: Guardians will complete either a 2-mile run or the 20-meter High Aerobic Multi-Shuttle Run. At least one of the two annual assessments must consist of the 2-mile run.
• Muscular Strength: Exercises include tempo push-ups or hand-release push-ups.
• Endurance: Exercises include sit-ups, cross leg reverse crunches, or a timed forearm plank.
• Body composition: Guardians will be assessed using a waist-to-height ratio measurement.
“This evolution of our standards invests in Guardians' long-term readiness by cultivating the habits of sustained physical conditioning essential for successful performance of our critical missions,” said Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman.
“We’re ensuring every Guardian is prepared to thrive and win, reflecting our commitment to the force’s total well-being and our collective mission success.”
Per SecWar guidance, fitness scores will be included on officer and enlisted performance briefs beginning in February 2026. More guidance and direction will be provided in the coming weeks.
The Continuous Fitness Assessment Program
To support a culture of fitness and readiness, all Guardians are required to exercise regularly. The service’s approach leverages technology and emphasizes steady, consistent activity rather than short-term preparation for episodic testing requirements.
The CFA Personalized Readiness Integrated Through Monitoring and Engagement study, launched in October 2025, is designed to refine physical readiness standards, increase exercise goals and promote long-term health habits.
Over 7,300 Guardians enrolled during the first window in August 2025, with a second enrollment window planned for early 2026. PRIME’s data-driven approach will continue to guide the Space Force's readiness model.
The Holistic Health Approach
"The Space Force doesn't just talk about caring for its Guardians; we invest in them,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna.
“The Holistic Health Approach, coupled with the Human Performance Assessments, is a strategic investment in our most valuable asset: the human weapon system.
A healthy, resilient Guardian is a formidable warfighter, ready to face any challenge. We're not simply maintaining a force; we're forging a competitive edge that ensures we remain at the forefront of space superiority.”
Physical readiness is only one part of the Holistic Health Approach model.
The model also includes Public Health Capacity, a prevention-focused effort that supports community well-being, healthy habits, and long-term support networks across the eight domains of Total Force Fitness.
Public Health Capacity strengthens installation and community connections and builds skills that promote protective factors and increase positive behaviors across all eight domains of Total Force Fitness.
This includes lifestyle medicine education and strategies that encourage long-term health improvements.
Guardian Resilience Teams play a central role in carrying out the Holistic Health Approach.
These embedded, multidisciplinary teams operate at every Space Force base, the National Capital Region, Joint Base San Antonio and Basic Military Training, Kirtland Air Force Base and through a virtual team that supports geographically separated units and remote Guardians.
GRTs provide prevention skill-building and support at the individual, unit, family and community levels to promote resilience and reinforce healthy behaviors.
With the integration of the HPA, the Holistic Health Approach, and CFA PRIME, the Space Force emphasizes consistent physical activity, long-term health behaviors and whole-person support.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4371955/space-force-publishes-further-guidance-on-physical-fitness/
GISTDA_Space
@GISTDA
EP.3 THEOS-2A Launch Pad |
The THEOS-2A satellite will be launched into space at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) or Srihari Kota Range;
3:15 AM · Jan 7, 2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ0_M7zhl98
https://x.com/GISTDA/status/2008859911602782538
Russian soldiers ‘fulfilling God’s mission’ – Putin
6 Jan, 2026 23:45
Russia treats its soldiers as warriors on a holy mission from God, President Vladimir Putin said after attending a Christmas service on Wednesday.
The president met with veterans of the Ukraine conflict and their families at Saint George the Victorious Church outside Moscow.
“You should be rightfully proud of your fathers and your mothers, as the Russian people have always been proud of their warriors,” Putin told a group of children.
“We often call the Lord the Savior because he came to earth to save all people. It is the same with our warriors, because they are always, under the direction of the Lord, on a mission to defend the Fatherland and its people,” he added.
“Russia has always viewed its warriors as carrying out a holy mission under the direction of the Lord,” Putin said.
In a Christmas message released by the Kremlin, Putin also praised Christian organizations for their charity work and support for veterans.
https://www.rt.com/russia/630683-putin-russian-soldiers-mission-god/