>>24404268 LB
Have a magical above ground birthday
TYB
>>24404903 super late LB
Tennessee Congressman Claims NASA Is ‘Lying’ About UFOs, Is Hiding Classified Files
Last Updated Mar 20, 2026 10:11 am
Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett claims that NASA is “lying” about what it knows about UFOs. He also claims the American space agency is hiding classified files on the subject.
Burchett, a member of the House Oversight Committee that is investigating UFO reports, claims to believe this because he has attended meetings with NASA to discuss alien aircraft.
“The lying that goes on in these departments,” he said during an appearance on One America News this week. “NASA saying, ‘We don’t have any of this’ or ‘We haven’t studied any of this.’
“I have been in meetings with them, or they’ve told me they studied it and that they have stuff that is classified that they can’t share with the public.”
When asked why there aren’t more whistleblowers willing to come forward with what they know about UFOs, Tim Burchett responded that he thinks it is because “they’re afraid someone will disappear them.”
“I think being murdered is what they’re afraid of,” he said. “I think some of them truly are because of things they’ve seen.”
When contacted by DailyMail.com to comment on Burchett’s statements about NASA hiding information about UFOs, the space agency replied with a link to an X post from its press secretary, Bethany Stevens.
It reads: “We continue to make all NASA data publicly available and welcome public participation using our data.
As the NASA Administrator has said, there are certainly things he’s come across in the job that he can’t explain… but they relate more to unnecessarily costly programs than they do to extraterrestrial life.”
Previous claims and current coincidences
Congressman Burchett’s claims come in the same week that the United States government mysteriously purchased two new domain names: alien.gov and aliens.gov.
His statements also come shortly after Donald Trump announced plans to declassify federal information on unexplained aerial phenomena (UAPs, or what the government now calls UFOs) and alien life.
They also coincide with the mysterious disappearance of retired U.S. Air Force Major General William Neil McCasland.
Burchett is no stranger to making outlandish UFO claims, however. In 2023, he accused the government of not being honest with the public about UFOs and aliens.
He has also claimed the United States government has alien tech in its possession that it is currently reverse-engineering which could “turn us into a charcoal briquette.”
In 2025, the Congressman claimed that the United States government has knowledge about underwater alien bases. As a part of his claims, Burchett said there are “entities” located at five or six deep-water sites on Earth.
https://brobible.com/culture/article/tennessee-congressman-nasa-lying-ufos-classified-files/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdEEpxeXyng (Air Force General Vanishes After UFO Secrets: What Did He Know?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cayhdcTqTRw (The Hannibal TV: NASA Just Released Footage of Something We Can't Explain)
Crew Enjoys Light-Duty Day, Debriefs Spacewalk
March 19, 2026 12:04PM
Four International Space Station residents had a light-duty day Thursday as they enjoyed some time off and worked on close out procedures following the conclusion of yesterday’s spacewalk.
The three other Expedition 74 crew members spent the day inspecting various modules of the orbital complex, cleaning, and stowing cargo.
NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Chris Williams concluded a seven-hour, two-minute spacewalk yesterday at 3:54 p.m. EDT, completing their primary objectives which included preparing the 2A power channel for the future installation of roll-out solar arrays.
It was Meir’s fourth spacewalk and Williams’ first.
The spacewalkers, along with NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot, enjoyed the morning off.
Hathaway and Adenot, who monitored yesterday’s spacewalk and assisted Meir and Williams with donning and doffing their suits, joined the duo in the afternoon for a post-spacewalk debrief with ground teams.
Later in the evening, Williams completed some spacesuit work, performed a water recharge and reset a torque wrench.
Meir also worked in some time for health research, collecting biological samples for analysis, routine work that helps scientists take a closer look at the effects of spaceflight on the human body.
In the Roscosmos segment, the three cosmonauts spent the day exercising, inspecting modules, cleaning, and stowing cargo.
In the morning, flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev exercised on the station’s treadmill before moving throughout the station to collect radiation sensors. Once gathered, he logged radiation measurements for analysis.
In the Zarya module, flight engineer Sergei Mikaev inspected and photographed lighting units for documentation, then vacuumed the space.
He later moved into the Nauka module to record ventilation fan operations for possible repairs in the future.
Meanwhile, Commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov performed various inspections in the Zvezda Service Module before teaming up with Mikaev to gather and load cargo items into the Progress 93 cargo spacecraft for future disposal.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/03/19/crew-enjoys-light-duty-day-debriefs-spacewalk/
Artemis II Moon Rocket Heads Back to Launch Pad
March 20, 2026 12:26AM
NASA’s Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft slated to send four astronauts around the Moon began rolling to Launch Pad 39B at 12:20 a.m. EDT on Friday, March 20.
Rollout operations at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida were delayed earlier in the day due to high winds in the area.
The trek to the pad is expected to take up to 12 hours, as NASA’s crawler-transporter 2 carefully carries the rocket on top of the mobile launcher approximately 4 miles along the crawlerway. A live feed of the rollout is available on NASA’s YouTube channel.
Following a successful wet dress rehearsal on Feb. 21, teams identified an issue preventing helium from flowing to the rocket’s upper stage, prompting a return to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) where the issue was repaired.
While the rocket and spacecraft were in the VAB, engineers also refreshed and retested several systems on the rocket.
Engineers activated a new set of flight termination system batteries, replaced other batteries on the upper stage, core stage, and solid rocket boosters, and charged Orion’s launch abort system batteries.
Engineers also replaced a seal on the core stage liquid oxygen feed line and reassembled and retested the oxygen tail service mast umbilical plate to confirm a tight seal interface.
Artemis II will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on an approximately 10-day mission around the Moon and back, marking the first crewed flight of the Artemis program.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/03/20/artemis-ii-moon-rocket-heads-back-to-launch-pad/
Restless Kīlauea Launches Lava and Ash
Mar 20, 2026
Kīlauea has entered its second year of episodic activity after reawakening in December 2024. Since then, the Hawaiian volcano has gone through dozens of bouts of lava fountaining, each lasting several hours to several days.
Activity ramped up once again on March 10, 2026, for episode 43 of the eruption. From approximately 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time that day, lava spewed from two active vents on the southwest side of Halema‘uma‘u Crater, adding to the ever-thickening layer of fresh basaltic rock in the summit caldera.
The flareup also featured the highest lava fountains of the current eruption, estimated at 1,770 feet (540 meters). Meanwhile, ash and other airborne debris fell on communities up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) away.
About 4 hours after fountaining subsided, the Landsat 9 satellite passed over the Island of Hawai‘i.
This image shows shortwave infrared and near-infrared data, acquired with the satellite’s OLI (Operational Land Imager) at 10:20 p.m. local time on March 10 (08:20 Universal Time on March 11), revealing heat emanating from the still-sizzling lava.
That information is layered over a composite of daytime Landsat images and a digital elevation model.
An estimated 16 million cubic yards (12 million cubic meters) of lava erupted during the episode, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), bringing the total volume erupted across all episodes since December 2024 to close to 325 million cubic yards (250 million cubic meters).
Over the same period, the depth of lava in the crater has increased by about 300 feet (90 meters).
While lava remained confined to the summit area, other erupted material traveled much farther. Images captured by satellites orbiting over the area during the daytime showed a volcanic plume drifting northeast from the vents.
Volcanic gas and ash reached a maximum height in the atmosphere of more than 30,000 feet (9,100 meters) above sea level, the HVO said.
The aviation color code was elevated to red during the eruption, and several flights at the airport in Hilo were canceled, according to news reports.
Volcanic fragments up to several inches in diameter fell along the north rim of the caldera and in adjacent communities.
The hazards and accumulation of debris caused the temporary closure of Highway 11 and the evacuation of visitors from parts of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
Smaller particles were carried farther: people reported ash and Pele’s hair falling tens of miles to the north and east of Kīlauea, including in Hilo, Keaʻau, and other communities on the coast.
Volcanic debris is an eye, skin, and respiratory irritant, the HVO warned, and it may affect water quality for those using rainwater catchment systems.
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/restless-kilauea-launches-lava-and-ash/
Ferrari Teamed Up With NASA To Understand Why EV Acceleration Can Disturb The Brain
3/20/2026 8:02:07 AM
The high-end EV market is facing some struggles, but despite this, Ferrari is plowing ahead with its first-ever electric car, the aptly named Luce.
While the brand is perhaps the last you’d ever expect to enter the EV world, it’s confident the model will offer all the driving thrills expected of a Prancing Horse.
During a recent interview, Ferrari chief executive Benedetto Vigna insisted that the Luce will deliver each of the five key drivers of driving thrills, ensuring it is befitting of the brand’s badge and can succeed where some EVs have failed: to tug at the emotional heartstrings.
https://www.autospies.com/news/index.aspx?submissionid=128844
https://www.carscoops.com/2026/03/ferrari-luce-torque-nasa/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrlu2btXZ_I
Capito visits with NASA administrator
Mar 20, 2026
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation, visited the Katherine Johnson Independent and Validation (IV&V) Facility in Fairmont Monday, with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.
“West Virginia has played a critical role in America’s leadership in space, and seeing the incredible work being done at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and the Katherine Johnson IV&V Facility today only reinforces that legacy,” Capito said.
“The men and women here will play a critical role in accelerating America’s return to the moon.
“I was glad to visit with Administrator Isaacman who conveyed the agency’s strong commitment to the workforce and capabilities here in West Virginia.
And it was a fitting day to visit on the 100th anniversary of Robert Goddard’s first rocket fueled rocket launch. That legacy lives on at Katherine Johnson IV&V.”
“Thank you to Senator Capito for joining the team at the IV&V Facility today,” said Isaacman.
“The work happening here in West Virginia strengthens NASA’s entire mission, helping ensure the software behind our spacecraft and programs performs safely and reliably across the agency.”
In 2019, Capito led the successful effort to rename NASA’s Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) Facility in Fairmont after West Virginia native and pioneering mathematician Katherine Johnson, ensuring her historic contributions to the nation’s space program would be permanently recognized.
She also introduced a Senate resolution honoring Johnson’s remarkable life and legacy.
Continuing her work to elevate Johnson’s impact, Senator Capito led the congressional effort in September 2024 to award Johnson and her colleagues the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the nation’s highest civilian honors, recognizing the “Hidden Figures” whose brilliance and perseverance helped propel the United States into the space age.
Based in Fairmont, the IV&V Program supports NASA missions by providing systems engineering and independent software assurance, helping improve reliability, identify defects earlier, reduce development costs, and mitigate risks in safety- and mission-critical software.
This work also contributes to the advancement of the NASA Artemis Program, the initiative to return humans to the Moon and eventually travel to Mars.
Alongside the IV&V Program, West Virginia’s aerospace manufacturers, companies, and research universities support Artemis through engineering, testing, and workforce development.
https://www.theintermountain.com/news/communities/2026/03/capito-visits-with-nasa-administrator/
extra Isaacman
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2034698626614927472
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2034972834611495356
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2035012441969483834
While Searching The Bermuda Triangle For Lost Aircraft, History Channel Made A Tragic Discovery – And Contacted NASA To Confirm
March 19, 2026
While exploring its natural habitat – the Bermuda Triangle – in 2022, History Channel stumbled across an intriguing piece of material, prompting them to contact NASA for further analysis.
Intrigue surrounding the Bermuda Triangle, a loosely-defined area of ocean between Florida, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda, can largely be traced back to an incident in 1945, known as "Flight 19".
On 5 December 1945, five TBM Avenger torpedo bombers carrying 14 men were participating in a mock bombing run in the Bahamas, a training exercise for student pilots.
In the second leg of the exercise, the team ran into some unusual trouble. In intercepted radio messages, one student pilot could be heard asking a crew member for a compass reading.
"I don’t know where we are," they could be heard replying. "We must have gotten lost after that last turn."
U.S. Navy Lieutenant Charles Carroll Taylor, an experienced pilot leading the flight, was later heard confirming similar issues to another pilot.
"Both my compasses are out, and I am trying to find Fort Lauderdale, Florida," he said in the recordings. "I am over land, but it’s broken. I am sure I’m in the Keys, but I don’t know how far down and I don’t know how to get to Fort Lauderdale."
That pilot urged Taylor to use the Sun, putting it on the port side, and the coastline to navigate their way back to Fort Lauderdale, but for reasons unknown, the advice was ignored.
"If we would just fly west we would get home," one voice was heard saying. "Dammit, if we would just fly west we would get home."
In one communication, Taylor can be heard saying that when the first plane's fuel goes below 10 gallons, then all planes would attempt a water landing.
But the planes didn't return, and they likely went down in the ocean, never to be seen again. Since then, other incidents of lost planes and ships have been attributed to the "Bermuda Triangle", and it has became a popular mystery.
These days, there is waning interest in the Bermuda Triangle, with studies finding there is no real mystery to solve here, as the area does not see a statistically significant number of disappearances compared with other areas of the ocean.
But that won't deter an organization as dedicated as History Channel – which these days is known for some of its more sensationalist programming – from investigating, and in this case we're glad they did.
In 2022, the channel was filming the program The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters in Florida, searching for World War II aircraft on the ocean floor, when they spotted a large piece of wreckage partially obscured by sand off the coast.
Looking at the object, they found it was clearly of human construction, and covered in 20 centimeter (8 inch) square tiles. As well as that, divers could tell that it did not come from an aircraft.
Knowing they were close to Florida, which NASA essentially uses as a big launch pad, History Channel contacted the US space agency for its opinion.
Soon, the agency confirmed that the debris was an artifact from the space shuttle Challenger, which tragically broke apart 73 seconds into its flight in 1986, killing all seven astronauts on board.
The disaster, investigations determined, was the result of two failed O-rings sealing a joint on one of the rocket boosters.
“While it has been nearly 37 years since seven daring and brave explorers lost their lives aboard Challenger, this tragedy will forever be seared in the collective memory of our country.
For millions around the globe, myself included, Jan. 28, 1986, still feels like yesterday,” then NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement.
“This discovery gives us an opportunity to pause once again, to uplift the legacies of the seven pioneers we lost, and to reflect on how this tragedy changed us.
At NASA, the core value of safety is – and must forever remain – our top priority, especially as our missions explore more of the cosmos than ever before.”
A salvage operation shortly after the disaster, the largest ever attempted, recovered 167 pieces of the shuttle, weighing a total of 118 tons, but other pieces such as the one discovered above are likely still laying on the ocean floor.
https://www.iflscience.com/while-searching-the-bermuda-triangle-for-lost-aircraft-history-channel-made-a-tragic-discovery-and-contacted-nasa-to-confirm-82908
Exotrojans Could Be the Next Big Discovery in Space: Here’s How Scientists Are Looking for Them
March 20, 2026 at 10:15
Astronomers are on the cusp of a groundbreaking discovery that could reshape our understanding of cosmic bodies beyond our solar system.
A new search for “exotrojans”, objects that could orbit at the Lagrange points of distant pulsar systems, has captivated the scientific community, though conclusive evidence remains elusive.
The Search for Exotrojans: A New Frontier in Space Exploration
Exotrojans are hypothetical celestial objects that orbit at the Lagrange points of distant stars. The concept of a Trojan is familiar to astronomers, as it refers to asteroids that share an orbit with a planet.
In our own solar system, Jupiter is home to thousands of Trojans, asteroids that cluster at points 60 degrees ahead of and behind the planet in its orbit. Scientists have long speculated that similar objects might exist around stars outside our solar system.
These objects, dubbed “exotrojans,” could offer insight into the gravitational dynamics of distant star systems, much like their counterparts do in our own backyard.
The hunt for exotrojans has been challenging, especially in the case of pulsar systems. Unlike typical stars, pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars that emit intense radiation and magnetic fields.
These extreme conditions make it harder to detect smaller objects that might be orbiting at the Lagrange points. Despite the obstacles, astronomers are not deterred and are turning to innovative techniques to detect these elusive objects.
Black Widow Pulsars: Extreme Environments for Exotrojans
The recent study, led by Jackson Taylor of West Virginia University and his team, focuses on pulsar binary systems, specifically, black widow pulsars.
These systems consist of a rapidly spinning pulsar paired with a much smaller companion star, which is often only 1% the size of the Sun.
The pulsar’s immense gravitational pull slowly strips away material from its companion, eventually destroying it over time.
This process, which leads to the “black widow” nickname, presents a unique environment to search for exotic objects such as Trojans.
While the black widow pulsars may seem inhospitable to planets, the reality is quite the opposite.
The low mass of the companion star actually makes it more likely that a stable orbit could exist for smaller objects, such as an exotrojan. This could provide the perfect opportunity to study co-orbital dynamics in these extreme environments.
However, detecting such objects is far from easy. Traditional methods of exoplanet detection, such as tracking the gravitational pull a planet exerts on its star, are rendered ineffective by the extreme conditions of pulsar systems.
New Techniques for Detecting Exotrojans
To overcome these challenges, the team employed two innovative detection techniques. The first method involved comparing optical light curves with radio data from the pulsar system PSR J1641+8049.
Optical light peaks occur when the heated side of the companion star faces Earth, while radio pulses are emitted by the pulsar and track the orbital center of mass of the entire system.
If there were a mismatch between the two, it would suggest that a third body, such as a Trojan, was influencing the system’s gravitational dynamics.
The second technique relied on a dataset from the NANOGrav project, which tracks radio pulse timing over a period of 15 years.
Known as Time of Arrival (TOA) measurements, these data points can reveal subtle oscillations in the system’s center of mass, which could indicate the presence of a third object.
If an exotrojan were orbiting in a stable Lagrange point, it would cause the system to wobble, resulting in detectable changes in the radio pulse timing.
No Conclusive Evidence Yet, But Hope Remains
Despite the promising methodologies, the researchers did not find conclusive evidence of any exotrojans in their sample.
Two systems showed what the authors believe were false positive signals, likely caused by noise or limitations in the data.
In the remaining seven systems, no objects larger than the size of Earth were detected, although one system did show hints of an object up to eight times the mass of Jupiter.
While these findings may seem disappointing, they do not signal the end of the search. The researchers emphasize that the search for exotrojans is still in its early stages.
Given the complexity of pulsar systems and the limitations of current technology, it’s possible that smaller, more elusive objects are present but remain undetected.
With further data from upcoming projects like NANOGrav’s 20-year dataset, astronomers remain hopeful that the elusive exotrojan will soon be found.
https://dailygalaxy.com/2026/03/exotrojans-could-be-the-next-big-discovery-in-space-heres-how-scientists-are-looking-for-them/
Earthshine will reveal the moon's hidden face tonight— here's how to see it
March 20, 2026
Look to the west after sunset this week for a spectacular sight, as the razor-thin waxing crescent moon hangs low above the horizon with earthshine bathing its unlit surface in a soft, otherworldly glow.
This month's new moon phase occurred at 9:23 p.m. EDT on March 18 (0123 GMT on March 19) as the moon lay between the sun and Earth in the daytime sky.
Earthshine — also known as the Da Vinci glow, or romantically as the old moon in the new moon's arms — occurs on the nights directly preceding and following the new moon phase, when sunlight bounces off Earth's surface to strike the shadowed expanse of the lunar disk.
Your first chance to spot earthshine infusing the lunar surface will come immediately after sunset on March 19, though you'll need to be lucky and stake out a viewing spot with a clear view of the western horizon to stand a fighting chance.
The whisper-thin waxing crescent moon will be visible to the lower right of Venus 10 degrees above the horizon — approximately the width of your clenched fist held at arm's length.
You'll have a much better chance of spotting the phenomenon at sunset on the following night (March 20), by which time the lunar disk will have leapt above Venus, appearing higher in the southern sky.
Look out for the moon's upturned crescent, now just 2%-lit, above the evening star of Venus, as light reflected from Earth's clouds picks out the faint shapes of lunar seas, or mare, scarring the moon's ancient surface where lava once filled vast networks of impact basins.
https://www.space.com/stargazing/earthshine-will-reveal-the-moons-hidden-face-this-week-heres-how-to-see-it
Cyprus becomes associate member of European Space Agency
Thursday 19 March | 15:56
Cyprus has become an associate member of the European Space Agency, the agency announced on Thursday.
It said that a seven-year agreement for the island’s associate membership entered force on Tuesday, after its director-general Joseph Aschbacher notified Research Deputy Minister Nicodemos Damianou.
“The transition of the Republic of Cyprus from ‘cooperating state’ to ‘associate member’ builds on the positive assessments carried out by both the European Space Agency and the government of Cyprus regarding the country’s maturing space ecosystem, its growing capabilities, and its potential to contribute to European space programmes,” it said.
It added that associate membership will allow Cyprus to participate in optional programmes undertaken by the agency.
The joining of the European Space Agency comes a year and a half after the island signed the Artemis Accords, a set of principles and agreements established to govern international cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space.
“As we move deeper into the space age, it is imperative that we cultivate knowledge, share collaboration across disciplines and borders,” Damianou said at the time, adding that “space should be at the core of our efforts, diversify our economies, and create value for future generations.”
https://cyprus-mail.com/2026/03/19/cyprus-becomes-associate-member-of-european-space-agency
extra ESA
https://www.esa.int/Applications/Satellite_navigation/Seven_scientific_benefits_of_ESA_s_Genesis_mission
https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Week_in_images/Week_in_images_16-20_March_2026
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2026/03/3_weeks_and_3_cargo_departures_for_epsilon
https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Preparing_for_the_Future/Discovery_and_Preparation/Building_Better_Interfaces_A_New_Approach_to_Multi-Material_3D_Printing
https://aviationweek.com/space/space-exploration/esa-boss-set-artemis-talks-nasa
the future commander of the non terrestrial forces?
Canadian Space Agency cancels lunar rover mission
Mar 20, 2026 8:22 AM PDT
As part of its 2026-2027 departmental plan, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has cancelled its ambitious lunar rover mission.
The lunar rover was announced in 2022. It would have been Canada’s first rover, built by Canadensys, and hitching a ride to the moon on a commercial launch vehicle built by a private U.S. company, Firefly Aerospace.
News of the cancellation was first reported by space industry website SpaceQ.
The principal investigator of the mission, Gordon Osinski, a planetary geologist from Western University, said that he found out about a month ago, and that he was “devastated” by the news.
“It was going to be one of the most exciting missions in Canadian space history,” he said. “We were going to send Canada's first-ever rover mission to the surface of another planetary body, which is something that we've been trying to do for decades.”
The rover would have landed in the south polar region of the moon, a region that is of extreme interest and importance to space exploration due to the presence of water. It is also the location of the future Artemis IV mission that is set to return humans to the lunar surface.
Artemis II, a mission in which four astronauts will fly around the moon — including Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen — is set to launch in early April.
“After our little rover drove off the Firefly Lander, we would be running our own mission, which would [have been] the first time in history,” Osinski said.
“Usually it's the other way around: We're contributing to a small piece of another mission such as the Mars rovers and things. So yeah, that was going to be very special.”
CSA responds
“The Canadian Space Agency remains committed to deep-space and lunar surface exploration and will ensure that Canada maximizes the value of the investments in the project thus far,” the CSA told CBC News in an email.
The lunar rover was part of the CSA's Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP), which awards businesses with contracts for lunar missions.
"The lunar rover mission led to strong collaborations between academia and industry partners.
The science team, composed of 50 scientists from Canada and abroad, will be able to continue their research for the length of their grants, allowing them to gain hands-on experience to help guide science decisions for future missions," the CSA said in the email.
"The knowledge and capabilities in robotics mobility attained so far could be used on other missions, such as the lunar utility rover, and serve commercialization purposes."
CBC News reached out to Canadensys, but did not receive a reply by the time of publication.
Osinski said he hopes that the team's work will live on in some way.
"We really built an entire science team around it. And I'm still very proud of that," he said. "We've accomplished a lot."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/csa-lunar-rover-cancellation-9.7135987
https://spaceq.ca/canadian-space-agency-terminates-lunar-rover-mission-in-2026-27-plan/
Kayhan Space Launches Satcat Terminal
March 20, 2026
Business and liberal arts majors rejoice! Kayhan Space, a startup behind the Satcat orbital data aggregation tool, just launched a new digital product focused on making it easier for the not-engineering-trained to understand what’s happening on orbit.
Satcat Terminal—a reference to the Bloomberg Terminal for financial data—presents all of the data that Kayhan gathers on 36,000+ orbital objects in a way that’s intended for market movers.
“Satcat started with the mind of connecting different data sources together, and that was very satellite centric,” Kayhan Chief Product Officer Hyun Seo told Payload.
“As we aggregated more data together we found out, if we add a little bit more curation and perspective…[we can] extend that to the actual personas of insurance, finance, or anyone that’s not a space operator.”
The rub: While the terminal is built on the same catalogue of information housed in Satcat, its user interface is immediately familiar to the shortcut-minded.
The terminal presents a large language model that can parse through the orbital trajectory data to surface insights and answer questions such as “What are the top 10 companies with satellite losses this year?” or “How many conjunctions do a company’s satellites experience per month?”
Much like a Bloomberg Terminal, the Satcat version can also display out-of-the-box and custom dashboards to keep users abreast of up-to-date information. It can display a wide range of information including:
Continuously updated orbital trajectory data on 17,000+ payloads, 15,000 high risk debris objects, and 600 unidentified objects;
Space weather information;
Real-time data on “close approach” events;
Information on satellite coverage over various parts of the planet—at any point in time;
Fleet-wide monitoring for groups of satellites.
https://payloadspace.com/kayhan-space-launches-satcat-terminal/
https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Newsroom/Article-Display/Article/4439687/ussf-prioritizes-gps-iii-capability-delivery-timeline-executes-launch-provider
extra Space Force
https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Newsroom/Article/4438302/us-space-force-forms-a-new-ground-management-agreement-for-meo-mwt-launch-and-o
https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Newsroom/Article-Display/Article/4434259/systems-delta-88-rolls-out-comprehensive-training-program
USSF prioritizes GPS III capability delivery timeline, executes launch provider exchange for NSSL mission
March 20, 2026
The U.S. Space Force is executing a change in launch service provider from ULA to SpaceX for the Global Positioning System (GPS) National Security Space Launch (NSSL) mission known as GPS III-8.
The change ensures continued delivery of this critical system through responsive and reliable launch capabilities while the investigation into Vulcan anomaly continues.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – The U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Access portfolio and Space Systems Command System Delta 80 (SYD 80) are executing a change in launch service provider from United Launch Alliance (ULA) to SpaceX for the upcoming Global Positioning System (GPS) National Security Space Launch (NSSL) mission, GPS III-8.
GPS III-8 will now launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket which is set to deliver the last GPS III Space Vehicle (SV-10) to orbit no earlier than late April from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla.
“The Space Access and NSSL teams’ primary mission is to deliver critical capabilities for the warfighter—when and where it’s needed,” said USSF Col. Ryan Hiserote, SYD 80 commander and NSSL system program director.
“With this change, we are answering the call for rapid delivery of advanced GPS capability while the Vulcan anomaly investigation continues.
We are once again demonstrating our team’s flexibility and are fully committed to leverage all options available for responsive and reliable launch for the Nation.”
With SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket now launching the GPS III-8 mission, ULA’s Vulcan rocket will now launch the USSF-70 mission, slated to launch no earlier than the summer of 2028.
No additional details or changes to the launch manifest are available at this time.
Questions regarding this topic can be directed the sscpa.media@spaceforce.mil
The following FAQs are anticipated questions, and pre-drafted answers for clearance to minimize coordination delays for response to queries.
Please flag and add any additional questions anticipated and drafted responses for review. All responses will be approved through the appropriate channels prior to query closeout with media.
FAQs
With the change from ULA to SpaceX for the GPS III-8 mission, does that mean there is an update to the Vulcan investigation occurring following the anomaly during the USSF-87 launch?
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[ATTRIBUTION TO COL HISEROTE – ALIGNED TO QUOTE]
There are no updates regarding the investigation at this time. The collective investigation efforts continue and remain focused on carrying out the mission assurance process to provide a meticulous, data-driven review that enables our ability to identify and address the cause of the anomaly.
Is this change in launch providers similar to previous mission swaps, or is ULA going to face a reduction in missions assigned from the NSSL task order?
[ATTRIBUTION TO COL HISEROTE]
This change from ULA to SpaceX is conducted similarly to previous mission swaps. As a result of shifting the GPS III-8 mission from Vulcan to a Falcon 9, the USSF-70 mission slated for no earlier than summer of 2028 will be shifted from SpaceX to ULA.
This change from ULA to SpaceX is the fourth time the NSSL program has had to adjust the manifest because of Vulcan availability? At what point does the USSF take different action in holding them accountable, and what does that accountability look like?
[RECOMMEND ATTRIBUTION TO COL Z]
The work we do is by definition rocket science. It’s complex, and things can happen, but we will always ensure we are doing our technical due diligence to make sure we are meeting the customers’ requirements.
The focus of every investigation, including this one, is to carry out a meticulous, data-driven review to understand what happened, and what corrective actions need to take place.
The Space Access priority at all times is to deliver capabilities to orbit where and when they are needed.
I have a number of tools in my toolkit to deliver capability as quickly as possible, and we will use the flexibility of all options at our disposal to ensure that is the standard we uphold at all times.
When was the mission originally expected to launch?
We’ve seen external language that it was planned to occur in March, but was that a firm plan meaning this anomaly and provider change is driving a delay in delivering the GPS III space vehicle to orbit?
Were there any other delays based on SV availability or has the SV been ready and awaiting launch?
[RECOMMEND ATTRIBUTION TO COL HISEROTE]
GPS III-8 was previously expected to launch on Vulcan near mid-March. As a result of the anomaly and ongoing investigation, the Space Access and NSSL teams anticipated the potential for delays as a natural outcome.
However, the NSSL program’s flexibility and continued prioritization of responsive and reliable launch capabilities allowed us to execute this option in collaboration with SpaceX.
This decision ensures any change in launch timeline was minimal with no impact to this critical capability our warfighters and Nation expect the USSF to deliver.
There were no delays to this mission as a result of space vehicle readiness or availability.
What other NSSL manifest impacts are to be expected? Or is the GPS III-8 mission the only one facing a confirmed impact at this time? (Answered in draft release)
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>Delta 88
SpaceX Starlink Mission
March 20, 2026
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is targeting the launch of 25 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about five minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the X TV app.
This will be the fourth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched NROL-105 and two Starlink missions.
Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
There is the possibility that residents of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the launch, but what residents experience will depend on weather and other conditions.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/sl-17-15
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjqKDBuQS-A
extra SpaceX
https://starlust.org/blue-origin-joins-space-x-in-the-orbital-data-center-race-aims-to-launch-over-50-000-satellites/
https://ca.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/nasa-cuts-boeings-role-in-moon-mission-elevates-spacex-4524033
‘Deliberate attack’: RT correspondent recounts surviving Israeli airstrike
19 Mar, 2026 11:21
RT correspondent Steve Sweeney and his cameraman, Ali Rida Sbeity, have been injured in an Israeli strike while filming in southern Lebanon.
They said an Israeli aircraft fired a missile at their filming position near Al-Qasmiya Bridge, not far from a local military base.
Rida said Israeli forces “deliberately attacked” the crew despite their wearing uniforms displaying their press credentials.
Rida’s camera captured the moment of the strike as he filmed Sweeney’s report. The footage shows the missile hitting less than ten meters behind Sweeney as he ducks for cover.
Rida also shared footage of doctors removing shrapnel from Sweeney’s arm.
In a separate video, he said both he and Sweeney were fine, joking that “it turns out that when a missile is flying at you, you can hear it.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has condemned Israel over Thursday’s strike, saying the attack on journalists wearing press markings “cannot be called accidental given the killing of two hundred journalists in Gaza.”
“Especially since the rocket did not hit a ‘significant strategic military facility’, but rather the location where the report was being filmed,” she wrote on Telegram, adding that Moscow is “awaiting the response of international organizations.”
On Friday, the Lebanese-based Al Mayadeen TV channel issued a statement, strongly condemning the attack on the RT crew and expressing solidarity with the Russian broadcaster.
Al Mayadeen said the “premeditated” strike fits the pattern of the “Israeli occupiers’ criminal practice” of targeting journalists who are covering the conflict in Southern Lebanon.
Sweeney later told Rick Sanchez on The Sanchez Effect that he was treated for shrapnel wounds to his arms.
“I’m amazed that we survived. We were incredibly lucky to come away with the injuries we did,” the journalist said.
“This was a deliberate, targeted attack. There is no question about it,” Sweeney added.
Israeli armed forces are thought to have deliberately murdered hundreds of journalists reporting in Gaza and the West Bank over the past three years.
The incident comes amid Israel’s “limited and targeted” ground operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, launched on Monday after the group – which has close ties to Iran – carried out strikes on Israel following the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
On Wednesday, Israel explicitly threatened to target bridges in southern Lebanon.
The military said it aimed to hit crossings over the Litani River to prevent Hezbollah from moving reinforcements and weapons south, and declared the area south of the Zahrani River a military zone, warning that any vehicle there could also be targeted.
Lebanese officials say more than 1 million people have been displaced by Israel’s ground offensive and airstrikes since the start of the month.
RT journalists have frequently been injured while covering major conflicts, particularly in Ukraine, including, most recently, correspondents Igor Zhdanov and Roman Kosarev, who were wounded in drone and artillery strikes while embedded with frontline units.
RT Arabic stringer Khaled Alkhateb, 25, was killed in 2017 while covering a Syrian government offensive against Islamic State. The network later established the Khaled Alkhateb International Memorial Awards for Best Journalism from a Conflict Zone in his honor.
https://www.rt.com/news/635531-rt-crew-injured-lebanon/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/russia/635614-germany-ukraine-negotiations-seat/
https://www.rt.com/news/635565-eu-energy-tsunami-dmitriev/
Ukrainian Drone Strike on Taman Power Substation Causes Fire
March 20, 2026
A nighttime strike by Ukrainian drones on the Russian Taman power substation in the Krasnodar Krai resulted in a fire, which was captured by satellites.
The local operational headquarters reported the UAV attack and the subsequent fire.
This substation is a key node of Russia’s so-called energy bridge to the temporarily occupied Crimea.
The fire at the energy facility near the village of Starotitarovsk in the Temryuk district was also detected by NASA FIRMS satellites.
The image shows several hotspots, although the Russians have already claimed to have extinguished the fire with the help of 40 people and 13 pieces of equipment.
As is customary for the Russian Federation, regional authorities stated that the fire was caused by falling ‘UAV debris.’ There are reportedly no casualties.
In the morning, the aggressor country’s Ministry of Defense announced the downing of 26 Ukrainian drones, including 14 over the territory of the Krasnodar Krai.
A previous attack on this power substation took place on the night of February 27 using 13 drones at once. The strike partially disabled it.
The importance of the Taman power substation
The Taman power substation (500/220 kV Taman) is a large 500 kV trunk substation that is part of Russia’s unified power grid.
It is one of the key elements of the power supply to occupied Crimea via the Kerch Strait. All four lines of the power bridge from the Krasnodar Krai of the Russian Federation to the occupied peninsula pass through the substation.
Disabling such facilities creates a power shortage on the occupied peninsula and limits the operation of Russian industrial and military facilities.
As a reminder, yesterday the Ukrainian Navy deployed domestically produced FP-2 kamikaze drones to strike a Russian air defense repair facility in Sevastopol.
https://militarnyi.com/en/news/ukrainian-drone-strike-taman-power-fire/
other Russia and Ukraine
https://ukranews.com/en/news/1141177-fpv-drone-destroys-russian-helicopter-in-donetsk-region
https://newsbook.com.mt/en/from-aerial-strikes-to-maritime-drones-how-arctic-metagaz-attack-unfolded/
https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-heads-to-us-with-drone-proposal-trump-dismissed/
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/ukraine-middle-east-deploy-unit-intercept-drone-war-6006871
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/03/20/ukrainian-drone-strike-kills-man-in-belgorod-region-a92282
https://militarnyi.com/en/news/drone-strike-hits-metallurgical-plant-in-occupied-alchevsk/
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/russian-drone-hits-evacuation-team-in-ukraine-1773997563.html
https://united24media.com/latest-news/russian-drone-strike-damages-two-commercial-grain-vessels-in-odesa-threatening-global-food-security-17072
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-march-20-2026/
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-03-20/ty-article-live/idf-launches-wave-of-strikes-against-iranian-terror-regime-in-tehran/0000019d-0935-d46f-affd-99bfd1a60000
ther Israel
https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/world/idf-eliminates-esmail-ahmadi-mehdi-shmastan-tehran-intelligence-strike-u78q46u0
https://english.nv.ua/nation/idf-confirm-elimination-of-mohammad-naini-who-was-irgc-s-chief-propagandist-50593558.html
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/424298
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-890659
https://www.thedailyjagran.com/world/irani-srael-war-latest-updates-idf-launches-fresh-attack-on-tehran-day-after-trump-asked-not-to-strikes-on-iranian-natural-gas-infrastructure-10304263
https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-golani-troops-enter-south-lebanon-eliminate-hezbollah-terrorists/
https://themedialine.org/headlines/idf-strikes-syrian-regime-targets-amid-violence-against-druze-in-as-suwayda/
https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-idf-destroys-four-hezbollah-occupied-bridges-that-span-the-litani-river/
https://www.latestly.com/world/israel-idf-reservist-charged-with-spying-for-iran-passing-iron-dome-information-for-usd-1000-in-cryptocurrency-7361523.html
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-its-drones-being-shot-down-over-iran/
IDF says it struck weapon factories, ballistic missiles storage sites amid 8 salvos from Iran
March 20, 2026
7:08 pm
IDF says it struck weapon factories in Tehran, ballistic missiles storage sites in central Iran
In two waves of airstrikes in Tehran and central Iran overnight and this morning, the Israeli Air Force bombed dozens of Iranian military sites, the IDF says.
In Tehran, the IDF says it struck several weapon factories, along with sites used to develop components for ballistic missiles.
East of Tehran, IAF aircraft hit facilities where ballistic missiles were being stored, while Iranian soldiers were operating there, the military says.
The IDF says that in recent days it has identified that Iran is firing ballistic missiles at Israel from the center of the country, after the military “degraded most of the regime’s capabilities to launch from western Iran.”
51min ago
Settler extremists boast of attacks on Palestinians during Hebrew month of Adar in public WhatsApp channel
A public WhatsApp channel run by Jewish extremists posts a message in the group boasting of how many attacks had been carried out against Palestinian civilians and their property in the West Bank over the course of the Hebrew month of Adar, which ended on Wednesday.
The attacks touted included five targeting the Palestinian village of Mikhmas, three targeting the Jordan Valley region of Masafer Yatta and attacks targeting 26 other villages.
In these attacks, 19 vehicles were destroyed, dozens of tires were slashed, 16 homes were destroyed, 37 Palestinians were injured and two mosques were torched, according to the message.
Such attacks take place on a near-daily basis, with almost complete impunity.
Yesterday, a lawmaker from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party said she was not familiar with the phenomenon at all.
1hr ago
Harvard says Trump lawsuit ‘another retaliatory action’ over its refusal to let gov’t control school
Harvard University calls the Trump administration lawsuit over its treatment of Jewish students “another pretextual and retaliatory action” over its refusal to turn over control of the school to the government.
Harvard says in a statement that it is committed to ensuring that members of the Jewish and Israeli communities are embraced and respected, and can thrive on campus.
Harvard says its efforts reflect the opposite of what the Trump administration called “deliberate indifference,” and says it will defend against the lawsuit.
2hr ago
Report: Trump weighing Kharg Island takeover to coax Iran into reopening Hormuz
The US is weighing plans to occupy or blockade Iran’s Kharg Island to pressure the Islamic Republic to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reports, citing four unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
Kharg Island processes 90 percent of Iran’s crude oil exports.
“He wants Hormuz open. If he has to take Kharg Island to make it happen, that’s going to happen. If he decides to have a coastal invasion, that’s going to happen. But that decision hasn’t been made,” a senior administration official tells Axios.
Taking over Kharg would likely require a massive US ground troop presence.
“We’ve always had boots on the ground in conflicts under every president, including Trump. I know this is a fixation in the media, and I get the politics, but the president is going to do what’s right,” a second senior official says, adding that no decision had been made.
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2hr ago
NATO says it has relocated all its Iraq mission personnel to Europe
NATO’s Iraq mission has safely relocated all of its personnel from the Middle East to Europe, the military alliance says.
“I would like to thank the Republic of Iraq and all the Allies who assisted in the safe relocation of NATO personnel from Iraq,” US Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, says in a statement.
The mission advises Iraqi security forces and is not involved in combat, NATO says.
“NATO Mission Iraq will continue from Joint Force Command Naples,” the statement adds.
2hr ago
Dubai property sector shows early signs of weakness
Dubai’s property market is beginning to show early signs of weakening, nearly three weeks into the US-Israeli war on Iran, with data from analysts showing tanking transaction volumes and some real estate agents pointing to price reductions.
The war, and Tehran’s strikes against Israel, US bases and Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, have pierced Dubai’s image as a safe haven for the world’s wealthy.
Real estate transaction volumes in the UAE fell 37% year-on-year in the first 12 days of March, and 49% month-on-month, Goldman Sachs analysts estimated in a note published this week.
Some properties are already being offered at big discounts, with price cuts of 12-15%, according to some real estate agents and messages on social media that Reuters reviewed.
For instance, a seller was looking for a “quick sale” for a property close to the Burj Khalifa — the world’s tallest building — a message shared by an agent read. The seller was looking for $650,000, down about 12% from a previous price of $735,000, “due to the current situation.” The agent spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
An off-plan flat in Dubai’s coveted Palm Jumeirah was also being offered at a 15% discount to its original price of around $2 million, according to a message reviewed by Reuters on a WhatsApp group created a week into the war.
3hr ago
Cops forcefully disperse hundreds holding Eid al-Fitr prayers outside Old City amid Al-Aqsa closure
Police forcefully disperse hundreds of Muslim worshipers outside the gates of Jerusalem’s Old City earlier today, where Eid al-Fitr prayers were held in light of the wartime closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The holiday, which marks the end of Ramadan, typically sees tens of thousands of Muslims pray inside the mosque and in the courtyards surrounding the holy site, located atop the Temple Mount.
This year, the area is closed, along with other holy sites in the Old City such as the Western Wall and Church of the Holy Sepulchre, due to the ongoing war with Iran.
In footage from earlier today, officers are seen using tear gas and batons against the crowd of Palestinians, running after individuals who had gathered to pray outside Herod’s Gate.
At least one individual was arrested, Haaretz reports.
Authorities maintain that they are solely concerned with enforcing Home Front Command wartime guidelines, but critics have accused law enforcement of operating on a double standard when it comes to Jewish versus Arab public gatherings.
Earlier this week, the Foreign Press Association lambasted police for what it called an “unprovoked assault” on journalists covering evening prayers outside the walls of the Old City, which left a CNN producer with a fractured wrist.
Officers detained several reporters, damaged photographic equipment and confiscated memory cards, the statement read.
3hr ago
Mojtaba Khamenei said to issue written statement to mark Persian New Year, denying attacks on Turkey and Oman
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei purportedly releases a written message on marking the start of the Persian New Year, which he names the year of a “resistance economy under national unity and national security.”
In the statement, released on his Telegram channel, Khamenei says that attacks against Turkey and Oman were not carried out by Iran or its allied forces.
Khamenei has yet to publicly show his face since he was reportedly injured in the Israeli strike that killed his father and other family members on February 28.
3hr ago
No injuries, direct impacts reported following day’s 8th Iran missile attack
By Emanuel Fabian
No injuries or direct impacts are reported following Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack on Israel, the eighth since midnight.
The small number of missiles, which triggered sirens in the southern Negev Desert and in areas of northern Israel, were intercepted or struck open areas, according to preliminary military assessments.
3hr ago
IDF detects Iran missile launch en route toward Israel’s north as sirens still ringing in south
As sirens sound in Dimona and several nearby towns in the Negev Desert amid an Iranian ballistic missile attack, an early warning is issued in northern Israel as another Iran missile launch is detected by the IDF.
2/2
https://www.iranintl.com/en/liveblog/202603192844
other Iran and related
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2026/03/283578/drone-attack-hits-kuwait-refinery-as-gulf-tensions-escalate/
https://shafaq.com/en/Security/Two-drones-target-Baghdad-International-Airport-Perimeter
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/20/irans-khamenei-says-enemy-defeated-in-written-nowruz-message
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/world/2026/03/20/gulf-states-say-responding-to-missile-drone-attacks
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-890610
Trump says no Iran leaders left to talk to, faults NATO refusal to join war
March 20, 2026
Summary
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US President Donald Trump on Friday said NATO allies were failing to support efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. “Without the U.S.A., NATO is a paper tiger." He also said no more leader is left in Iran to engage in talks.
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Explosions were reported across multiple Iranian cities and a fire broke out at Bandar Lengeh port on Friday. Blasts were also heard in Tehran, Bandar Abbas, Isfahan, Yazd, Bardsir, Baft, Kerman and Arak.
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Ali Mohammad Naini, spokesperson for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, was killed in strikes carried out by the United States and Israel, IRGC said in a Friday statement.
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A US F-35 fighter jet flying a combat mission over Iran made an emergency landing at a US airbase in the Middle East, the Pentagon said, with sources telling CNN they suspect the aircraft may have been hit by Iranian fire.
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European nations and Japan said on Thursday they were ready to join efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and to help stabilize energy markets.
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US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said senior roles in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are now “temp jobs” and that US forces have pushed Iran’s navy “to the bottom half” of the ocean.
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Iran is weighing tolls on ships in the Strait of Hormuz as officials push for greater control of the waterway following attacks on energy sites in the Persian Gulf.
-
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards navy commander warned oil facilities linked to the United States could be targeted alongside American bases in the region after Israel struck a major gas site in southern
-
Israel struck parts of the South Pars natural gas facilities in Iran in coordination with and with approval from the US, Axios reported citing Israeli officials.
13 minutes ago
Nowruz at war: Images of Trump, Netanyahu appear on Haft-Seen table
A video obtained by Iran International shows an Iranian family celebrating Nowruz with a Haft-Seen table featuring images of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alongside pro-monarchy symbols.
2 hours ago
No video again: Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence continues in Nowruz message
A written Nowruz message attributed to Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was released on Friday without any video or audio, as his continued absence fuels questions about his condition and whereabouts.
The message urged domestic media to “seriously refrain from highlighting weaknesses,” emphasizing the need to maintain internal cohesion.
It also said that Iranian armed forces and the so-called “resistance” front were not involved in recent attacks on Turkey and Oman.
"The attacks carried out in Turkey and Oman — both of which have good relations with Iran — were in no way conducted by the armed forces of the Islamic Republic or other forces of the Resistance Front," the message reads.
He said this is a ploy by the “Zionist enemy,” using false-flag tactics to create division between the Islamic Republic and its neighbors, and that it may also occur in some other countries.
In another part of the message, Khamenei described Iran’s January protests a “coup,” praising the Islamic Republic's supporters for suppressing it.
2 hours ago
Pahlavi vows ‘final victory’ over Iran regime in New Year's message
Iranian exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi said in a message marking Nowruz, the start of the Persian New Year 1405, that Iranians would “bury this Zahhak-like regime once and for all” in the coming year.
“Today we begin our new year in the midst of a patriotic struggle, with the memory of all Iran’s brave and immortal sons,” he said.
Pahlavi promised the families of slain protesters that “we will turn the new year into the year of victory for Iran’s Lion and Sun revolution.”
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3 hours ago
US sending warships, thousands of Marines to Middle East - WSJ
The Pentagon is sending three warships and thousands of additional Marines to the Middle East, even as US President Donald Trump says he will not deploy troops on the ground in Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.
The deployment includes roughly 2,200 to 2,500 Marines from the USS Boxer amphibious ready group and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the report said.
It marks a second major deployment in a week, following the dispatch of the USS Tripoli and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit to the region, according to the report.
3 hours ago
US offers up to $10 million reward for information on IRGC leaders
The US State Department’s Rewards for Justice program said it is offering rewards of up to $10 million for information on several senior figures in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, urging people to submit tips.
“Five more chances to submit a tip. Send us information on these Iranian terrorist leaders. It could make you eligible for a reward and relocation,” the program said on X.
A poster shared by the program named Ahmad Vahidi, identified as commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Ali Abdollahi, chief of Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Sa’id Aghajani, a UAV commander in the IRGC aerospace force, Hamidreza Lashgarian, head of the IRGC cyber electronic command, and Majid Khademi, IRGC intelligence office commander.
4 hours ago
Trump criticizes NATO, urges action to reopen Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump on Friday said NATO allies were failing to support efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“Without the U.S.A., NATO is a paper tiger,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
“They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a nuclear powered Iran … they complain about the high oil prices … but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz,” he added.
5 hours ago
Mai Sato urges lifting internet shutdown and release of detainees in Iran
UN Special Rapporteur on Iran Mai Sato called on Iranian authorities to restore internet access and free detainees as Nowruz begins.
“I urge Iranian authorities to lift the internet shutdown and release all those arbitrarily detained — including those held in connection with the nationwide protests — so that families can be whole again,” she wrote on X Friday.
6 hours ago
UK arrests two suspected Iranian spies near submarine base – The Sun
Two suspected Iranian spies were arrested after attempting to enter a British nuclear submarine base in Scotland on Thursday, The Sun newspaper reported.
The Friday report said the individuals were detained before gaining access to the facility, with authorities investigating the incident.
6 hours ago
13 Basij members killed in Tabriz checkpoint attack
13 Basij members were killed and 18 others wounded in an attack on a checkpoint in Tabriz on Thursday evening, the Revolutionary Guards in East Azarbaijan province said.
Officials said the death toll could rise following the attack in the city’s Qaramalek area.
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https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/aerospace-news/2026/china-positions-hundreds-of-potential-drone-converted-j-6w-fighters-near-taiwan-for-air-defense-saturation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8dHqRj4XaM
China positions hundreds of potential drone-converted J-6W fighters near Taiwan for air defense saturation
20 Mar, 2026 - 12:43
China is positioning large numbers of legacy J-6 fighter jets, potentially converted into J-6W unmanned aerial systems, at forward airbases facing Taiwan, signaling a potential shift toward mass saturation strike capability.
Satellite imagery analyzed by Japan shows these aircraft deployed alongside modern J-16 multirole fighters, as well as preparation for high-intensity air operations potentially designed to overwhelm Taiwan's air defenses.
This force structure could enhance China’s ability to rapidly generate large drone waves, directly impacting Taiwan’s air defense capacity, interceptor stockpiles, and overall battlefield resilience in a high-intensity conflict scenario.
On March 17, 2026, the Japanese National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS) identified the increasing presence of 1960s-era J-6 fighters alongside modern J-16 multirole fighters at high-readiness bases facing Taiwan, based on satellite observation of coastal and inland airbases.
This configuration appears in parallel with the sustained expansion of airbase infrastructure, including runway duplication, apron enlargement, and hardened shelter construction across Fujian and Guangdong.
The central issue is the operational meaning of deploying such aging aircraft, but it becomes coherent when interpreted as part of a broader strategy integrating J-6W unmanned fighter jets.
However, the Japanese analysis focuses on spatial distribution rather than capability, examining how forward deployment, inland concentration, and infrastructure layout indicate a coordinated operational design.
The observed structure combines forward staging areas with rear-area stockpiles, suggesting a scalable force that can be expanded rapidly before or during a conflict.
The key variable is not the performance of individual fighter jets but the relationship between quantity, positioning, and intended use in a potential war against Taiwan.
First, forward airbases along the Taiwan Strait show consistent patterns of modernization designed to support sustained sortie generation.
At Suixi airfield, the addition of a parallel runway, expanded taxiways, and larger apron space increases aircraft handling capacity beyond peacetime requirements, enabling simultaneous operations of multiple squadrons.
Similar upgrades at Longtian airbase include hardened aircraft shelters, ammunition storage, and expanded parking areas capable of supporting dozens of fighters simultaneously.
These features reduce turnaround time between sorties and improve survivability under attack. Furthermore, the scale of construction indicates a possible preparation for continuous operations over multiple days rather than short-duration exercises.
Infrastructure density and redundancy also suggest that the Chinese bases are intended to sustain high attrition rates while maintaining operational output.
1/3
This configuration aligns with a possible operational model where drone-converted aircraft are expended in large numbers, mirroring the large-scale use of drones in the Ukraine war or by Iran in the Gulf.
At these forward bases, satellite imagery shows J-6 aircraft positioned on the same apron as J-16 fighters, despite the lack of relevance of these Soviet-era jets.
The modern J-16, equipped for air-to-ground and anti-ship missions, represents a modern strike asset with multi-role capability, while the J-6 is clearly not suited for contemporary air combat due to limited avionics, range, and survivability.
Furthermore, standard Chinese air force practice avoids mixing such fighter types at forward bases because it complicates logistics, maintenance, and mission planning.
The remaining stock of Shenyang J-6s, a jet fighter derived from the Soviet MiG-19 and developed in China during the 1960s, is not marginal but consists of hundreds to potentially several thousand airframes.
The deliberate co-location, therefore, indicates that the J-6 is assigned a role that does not interfere with modern fighter operations. The most plausible interpretation is that these aircraft are not intended for conventional combat but for expendable missions.
Their presence at forward bases suggests immediate availability for rapid launch rather than long-term storage or training use. A second spatial pattern is the concentration of large numbers of J-6 fighters at inland facilities such as Baofeng airfield in Henan province, located approximately 370 km southeast of Xi’an.
This site contains hundreds of legacy aircraft arranged in configurations allowing rapid movement, with taxiways extending into mountain areas that include underground storage.
The absence of hardened shelters and combat support infrastructure indicates that the site is not configured for frontline operations. Instead, the presence of maintenance buildings and open apron space supports the interpretation of a storage and preparation facility.
J-6s are positioned in a manner that allows immediate towing or flight preparation, indicating that they are maintained in a usable condition. This suggests that the inland site functions as a reserve pool from which aircraft can be drawn and redeployed to forward bases.
The distribution of aircraft between inland and coastal bases forms a logistical structure in which a large reserve is held in depth, and a smaller number is positioned forward.
This arrangement allows rapid scaling of available assets by transferring aircraft from rear to front in the period preceding or during a conflict.
If even 1,000 to 3,000 J-6 airframes remain usable, and a fraction is deployed immediately against Taiwan after conversion or preparation into J-6W drones, the number of such drones available for immediate operations can increase significantly within hours or days.
Ferry flight distances from inland sites to coastal bases fall within the operational range of the J-6, enabling relocation without specialized transport. This structure supports surge operations, where initial waves are followed by additional deployments drawn from the reserve.
The fleet is therefore designed for volume and persistence, matching the requirements for the employment of the J-6W drone.
The functional role of these aircraft is linked to long-standing Chinese capabilities in unmanned conversion and remote operation, developed over several decades.
The J-6 airframe, originally capable of carrying up to 500 kg of payload and flying at supersonic speed, can be easily modified to remove pilot systems and integrate autopilot, remote control, or pre-programmed navigation.
In such a configuration, designated as J-6W, the aircraft can operate as a one-way attack system or as a decoy designed to trigger defensive responses.
A converted J-6 can carry an estimated 250 kg payload and travel at approximately 1,600 km/h, reaching targets within 30 to 40 minutes over a 700 km range.
For example, if a defense network can effectively engage 700 Iranian drones, and 1,000 Shaheds arrive within the same engagement window, then 300 drones will pass through unchallenged regardless of interception efficiency.
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This combination of speed and payload increases the kinetic and explosive effect compared to smaller drones, while reducing interception time. The absence of a pilot allows the aircraft to be used in missions where loss is expected.
In a Taiwan conflict scenario, these aircraft could be deployed in large numbers as an initial wave to force the activation of air defense systems and the expenditure of interceptors.
If we imagine, based on known information about China and Taiwan, that 700 to 1,000 J-6W drones could be launched within a short timeframe, and that Taiwan's defensive doctrine requires two interceptors per target, this would require 1,400 to 2,000 missiles to engage fully.
With an estimated available pool of 1,200 to 1,800 interceptors across all layers, the saturation would occur once the maximum number of incoming targets a Taiwanese air defense system can effectively detect, track, and attempt to intercept is exceeded.
Assuming an 80 percent interception rate, a wave of 1,000 J-6Ws would still result in 200 penetrating attacks, delivering approximately 50,000 kg of payload. The time required to launch such a wave, at 100 to 250 aircraft per hour from multiple bases, would range from 4 to 8 hours.
This creates a scenario in which Taiwan's missile defensive capacity can be degraded within a single operational day, given that an air defense radar cannot distinguish with certainty between an unmanned jet such as the J-6W and a modern fighter jet such as the J-16.
Recent conflicts, such as in Ukraine or around Iran, show that large-scale use of expendable aerial systems can impose unfavorable cost ratios on defenders, and it is common knowledge that China is studying them closely in order to improve its tactics.
In Ukraine, drones costing $10k to $50k have forced the use of interceptors costing up to $3M, creating sustained economic pressure and gradual depletion of missile stocks on both sides.
The J-6-based model differs in that each unit has a higher speed and payload, increasing destructive potential while maintaining a lower cost than modern missiles.
However, the larger radar signature of the aircraft makes detection easier, and reliance on runways limits launch flexibility compared to truck-launched drones.
The effectiveness of the approach, therefore, depends on maintaining a high launch rate and coordinating multiple waves to sustain pressure, to oblige Taiwan to use its stockpile of anti-aircraft missiles.
From a strategic perspective, the approach targets the depletion of Taiwan's air defense systems rather than attempting an immediate destruction of all assets.
Therefore, the decisive factor becomes the ratio between incoming targets and available interceptors, combined with the cost of each engagement. If defensive forces rely primarily on high-cost interceptors, a rapid depletion could occur within 24 to 48 hours under sustained attack.
If layered defense with lower-cost systems and electronic warfare systems is implemented, the saturation threshold increases to 1,200 to 1,500 incoming aircraft, extending the duration of effective defense to several days.
The tactic could therefore be effective for China in the initial phase of a conflict with Taiwan, particularly if it forces the use of expensive interceptors, but its long-term impact depends on the defender’s ability to adapt.
Like in Ukraine and in the Gulf, the potential outcome of this scenario would be determined by the scale of J-6 conversions, inventory depth, and the ability for Taiwan to maintain is defensive effectiveness under sustained pressure.
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https://dailygalaxy.com/2026/03/underwater-drone-detects-strange-object-at-2567-meters-it-turns-out-to-be-frances-deepest-known-shipwreck/
Underwater Drone Detects Strange Object at 2,567 Meters; It Turns Out to Be France’s Deepest-Known Shipwreck
March 20, 2026 at 07:15
For a while, it looked like just another anomaly on a sonar screen.
The French Navy was surveying the seabed off Ramatuelle, near Saint-Tropez, in early March 2025 when an underwater drone picked up something large more than 2,500 meters below the surface.
A follow-up look with a camera suggested this was no rock formation. It was a ship.
What emerged from the images was a wreck so deep that no one had catalogued anything like it before in French waters.
The vessel, now known as Camarat 4, lies at 2,567 meters in the Mediterranean Sea and appears to be a 16th-century merchant ship, still surrounded by much of its cargo.
French officials said it is the deepest shipwreck ever found in waters under French jurisdiction.
The depth explains why the discovery has drawn so much attention. At that distance below the surface, human interference is far less likely. Marine archaeologists were not looking for a Renaissance-era trading vessel when they found it.
The drone was part of a government mission focused on the seabed itself, including minerals and undersea cables, when it happened upon the wreck by chance.
Underwater Drone Discovery off the Coast of Ramatuelle
The first detection happened on March 4, 2025, during a French seabed operation off the Var coast.
According to Deputy Maritime Prefect Thierry de la Burgade, sonar revealed “something quite big,” prompting the team to return with a camera and then an underwater robot capable of taking sharper images.
Those later passes confirmed the site’s scale and structure.
Officials later identified the wreck as a merchant vessel from the 16th century. The provisional name comes from nearby Cap Camarat and its listing order in the area.
Arnaud Schaumasse, who heads the culture ministry’s underwater archaeology department, described the find in direct terms: “It’s the deepest shipwreck ever found in French territorial waters.”
That record matters because depth is central to the story. Unlike many shallower wrecks, this one remained out of reach for salvage, tourism, or casual disturbance. That alone makes it a major deep-sea archaeology discovery.
Ancient Cargo Preserved on the Mediterranean Seabed
The ship appears to have been sailing from northern Italy when it sank.
Among the most visible objects on the seabed are around 200 ceramic jugs with pinched spouts, many still grouped together, along with roughly 100 yellow plates, two cauldrons, six cannons, an anchor, and metal bars.
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Some of the jugs carry the monogram “IHS,” the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus, while others bear plant-inspired or geometric designs.
Those details point to the Liguria region in what is now northern Italy. The cargo makes the wreck more than a maritime mystery. It is also a snapshot of Renaissance trade moving across the western Mediterranean.
There are also signs that the ship still has more to reveal. Archaeologists have noted that part of the stern appears unusually empty, even though cargo space on merchant ships of that period was used carefully.
That raises the possibility that some material remains buried in the sediment around the wreck.
France’s Deepest Shipwreck Frozen in Time
The most striking feature of Camarat 4 may be its state of preservation.
Marine Sadania, an archaeologist working on the site, said, “The site—thanks to its depth, which prevented any recovery or looting—has remained intact, as if time froze, which is exceptional.”
At 2,567 meters down, the ship was simply out of reach for the kind of disturbance that often strips shallower wrecks of their contents.
That does not mean the site is untouched by the present. Researchers also spotted modern debris among the 16th-century artifacts, including a soda can and an empty yogurt pot.
The contrast is hard to miss: a preserved merchant ship from five centuries ago lying beside evidence of modern marine pollution.
That detail gives the discovery a second layer of relevance. The wreck is not only an archaeological story.
It is also a reminder that even the deep seabed now carries traces of contemporary waste.
3D Reconstruction Planned for the Camarat 4 Wreck
For now, the plan is not a full excavation. Over the next two years, the archaeological team intends to build a 3D reconstruction of the wreck and take selected samples for study.
The goal is to document the site closely while limiting disruption to a shipwreck that has survived for centuries in exceptional condition.
That caution is partly practical. The depth places the wreck near the limit of current equipment, which means any future intervention has to be carefully planned.
For now, the ship remains where it sank, in darkness far below the coast, with its ceramics, cannons, and metal cargo still spread across the seabed.
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