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NASA Breaks Silence on Deaths and Disappearances of Scientists With Ties to Space Tech
April 21, 2026, 12:10 pm ET
The Trump administration has launched an investigation into the disappearances and deaths of 11 American scientists, the vast majority of whom were associated with federal nuclear or space research programs.
Three of the scientists had direct ties to NASA, and the agency has finally broken its silence on the matter.
“NASA is coordinating and cooperating with the relevant agencies in relation to the missing scientists,” agency Press Secretary Bethany Stevens said Monday.
“At this time, nothing related to NASA indicates a national security threat. The agency is committed to transparency and will provide more information as able.”
Authorities have maintained that there is no confirmed connection between the 11 scientists, but the fact that they were all involved in highly valued, strategically sensitive fields has drawn concern from federal officials.
Those fields include nuclear weapons security and defense systems, NASA space missions and asteroid tracking, fusion energy and plasma physics, advanced aerospace and military technologies, and biomedical research.
“We’re very concerned about this. This is a national security concern. This would suggest that something sinister may be happening,” House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) said during a Sunday appearance on Fox News’s Fox & Friends.
One missing, two dead NASA scientists
Three of the 11 scientists at the center of this investigation were employees at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Monica Jacinto Reza, a 60-year-old aerospace engineer who worked on rocket engines, disappeared on June 22, 2025, while hiking in Los Angeles County.
Frank Maiwald, a senior radio frequency engineer who worked at JPL for more than 25 years, died on July 4, 2024, at the age of 61.
And Michael David Hicks, a JPL research scientist who studied the physical properties of comets and asteroids and worked on planetary defense projects, died on July 30, 2023, at the age of 59.
Again, there is no confirmed connection between these two deaths and Reza’s disappearance aside from their employment at NASA JPL, which could be coincidental.
Swirling speculation
Tabloids and social media have been abuzz with speculation about the circumstances of these 11 deaths and disappearances.
Some have suggested that Reza’s disappearance may be connected to that of William McCasland, a retired U.S. Air Force general who was reported missing on February 27, 2026.
Various reports have alleged that Reza and McCasland had a professional relationship, but Gizmodo was unable to verify that claim.
Conspiracy theories surrounding McCasland’s disappearance have centered on his former role as commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson, an air base surrounded by UFO theories.
There is no evidence to suggest that Maiwald and Hicks died under suspicious circumstances, though their causes of death have not been made public.
Considering that two of the 11 missing or dead scientists—Nuno Lureiro of MIT and Carl Grillmar of Caltech—were shot and killed in targeted attacks, it’s understandable that some would be quick to jump to conclusions about the others.
But at this point, there simply isn’t enough evidence pointing to a shared motive or pattern behind the remaining cases.
As NASA works with the agencies leading this investigation, we could get more clarity on the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Mailwald and Hicks, and the disappearance of Reza, but that remains to be seen.
https://gizmodo.com/nasa-breaks-silence-on-deaths-and-disappearances-of-scientists-with-ties-to-space-tech-2000749047
https://x.com/NASASpox/status/2046330761414857076
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJIhWAiC4go (Grant Stinchfield: What They're Not Telling You About Our Top UFO Researchers)
Space Health Research Fills Day Before Cargo Craft Departs
April 20, 2026 12:36PM
The trash-packed Progress 93 cargo spacecraft from Roscosmos will depart the International Space Station later today completing a seven-month mission docked to the Zvezda service module’s aft port.
Progress 93 will conduct an automated deorbit maneuver several hours later and reenter the Earth’s atmosphere above the South Pacific Ocean for a fiery, but safe disposal.
The Roscosmos resupply ship arrived at the orbital outpost on September 13, 2025, delivering about three tons of food, fuel, and supplies two days after it launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Meanwhile, the seven-member Expedition 74 crew kicked off the work week with a full schedule of space research investigating blood stem cells, plant-microbe interactions, and more to benefit human health on and off the Earth.
The orbital residents also serviced a variety of lab hardware to ensure ongoing science operations while maintaining space station life support systems.
NASA flight engineer Jack Hathaway had a busy day on Monday loading a microscope with blood stem cell samples and installing Earth observation and biology research equipment on an external platform.
Hathway spent the first half of his shift swapping sample hardware containing blood stem cells inside the KERMIT fluorescent microscope.
Scientists on the ground are using KERMIT’s remote imaging capabilities to view the samples with an eye toward enabling stem cell production in space and developing blood disease and cancer therapies.
Next, Hathaway installed three science payloads on the NanoRacks External Platform for placement outside the Kibo laboratory module in the vacuum of space.
Two payloads will test Earth observation technologies including ultra-high resolution hyperspectral imagery and a device that measures radio signals passing through Earth’s ionosphere.
A third investigation will observe how round worms adapt to weightlessness to identify space-sensitive proteins and evaluate therapies to protect mobility and neuromuscular health during a spaceflight.
NASA flight engineers Chris Williams and Jessica Meir each worked on a different botany investigation for two separate purposes on Monday.
Williams checked on alfalfa plants growing inside the Columbus laboratory module’s Veggie facility and videotaped the operation of the botany research gear.
The Veg-06 study is exploring beneficial plant-microbe interactions and whether organic carbon and nitrogen can be recycled to support plant growth for food production in space.
Meir videotaped packs of Japanese rice samples that will be returned to Earth for cultivation promoting space education and space commercialization.
Flight engineer Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) installed the AstroPi imaging computer inside the Destiny laboratory module’s Earth observation window for a pair of student challenges.
The first challenge will see students using sensor data and Earth imagery collected from AstroPi to accurately calculate the space station’s orbital speed.
During the second challenge students will write code creating pixel art imagery on AstroPi’s LED matrix to be shared back on Earth.
Station commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and flight engineer Sergei Mikaev, both Roscosmos cosmonauts, joined each other at the beginning of their shift and trained to use simulation software that prepares a crew for returning to Earth aboard a Soyuz spacecraft.
Kud-Sverchkov then moved on to ventilation system maintenance inside Zvezda while Mikaev studied artificial intelligence tools to boost crew efficiency.
Roscosmos flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev strapped an acoustic sensor to his neck that recorded his breathing for a space respiration study early in his shift.
Next, Fedyaev worked on a laptop computer that supports the European robotic arm then ensured flow valves inside the Nauka science module were safely configured and properly operating.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/04/20/space-health-research-fills-day-before-cargo-craft-departs/
extra ISS
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/04/20/roscosmos-progress-93-cargo-spacecraft-departs-station/
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-to-cover-progress-95-spacecraft-launch-docking/
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/mars-science-laboratory/curiosity-rover/nasas-curiosity-finds-organic-molecules-never-seen-before-on-mars/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-curiosity-finds-organic-molecules-never-seen-before-on-mars/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-70656-0
NASA’s Curiosity Finds Organic Molecules Never Seen Before on Mars
Apr 21, 2026
After years of lab work, the results are in: A rock that NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover drilled and analyzed in 2020 includes the most diverse collection of organic molecules ever found on the Red Planet.
Of the 21 carbon-containing molecules identified in the sample, seven of them were detected for the first time on Mars.
Scientists have no way of knowing whether these organic molecules were created by biologic or geologic processes — either path is possible — but their discovery renewed confirmation that ancient Mars had the right chemistry to support life.
What’s more, the molecules join a growing list of compounds known to be preserved in rocks even after billions of years of exposure on Mars to radiation, which can break down these molecules over time.
The findings are detailed in a new paper published Tuesday in Nature Communications.
The rock sample, nicknamed “Mary Anning 3” after an English fossil collector and paleontologist, was collected on a part of Mount Sharp covered by lakes and streams billions of years ago.
This oasis surged and dried up multiple times in the planet’s ancient past, eventually enriching the area with clay minerals, which are especially good at preserving organic compounds — carbon-containing molecules that are the building blocks of life and are found throughout the solar system.
Among the newly identified molecules is a nitrogen heterocycle, a ring of carbon atoms that includes nitrogen. This kind of molecular structure is considered a predecessor to RNA and DNA, two nucleic acids that are key to genetic information.
“That detection is pretty profound because these structures can be chemical precursors to more complex nitrogen-bearing molecules,” said the paper’s lead author, Amy Williams of the University of Florida in Gainesville. “Nitrogen heterorcycles have never been found before on the Martian surface or confirmed in Martian meteorites.”
Another exciting discovery was benzothiophene, a carbon- and sulfur-bearing molecule that’s been found in many meteorites.
These meteorites, along with the organic molecules within them, are thought by some scientists to have seeded prebiotic chemistry across the early solar system.
Martian chemistry
The new paper complements last year’s finding of the largest organic molecules ever discovered on Mars: long-chain hydrocarbons, including decane, undecane, and dodecane.
“This is Curiosity and our team at their best. It took dozens of scientists and engineers to locate this site, drill the sample, and make these discoveries with our awesome robot,” said the mission’s project scientist, Ashwin Vasavada of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
“This collection of organic molecules once again increases the prospect that Mars offered a home for life in the ancient past.”
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Both sets of findings were made with a sophisticated minilab called Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM), located in Curiosity’s belly.
A drill on the end of the rover’s robotic arm pulverizes a carefully selected rock sample into powder and then trickles it into SAM, where a high-temperature oven heats the material, releasing gases that instruments in the lab analyze to reveal the rock’s composition.
In addition, SAM can perform “wet chemistry,” dropping samples into a small cup of solvent. The resulting reactions can break apart larger molecules that would be difficult to detect and identify otherwise.
While the instrument has several such cups, only two contain tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), a powerful solution reserved for the highest-value samples. The Mary Anning 3 sample was the first to be exposed to TMAH.
To verify TMAH’s reactions with otherworldly materials, the paper’s authors also tested the technique on Earth with a piece of the Murchison meteorite, one of the most studied meteorites of all time.
More than 4 billion years old, Murchison contains organic molecules that were seeded throughout the early solar system. A Murchison sample exposed to TMAH was found to break much larger molecules into some of the ones seen in Mary Anning 3, including benzothiophene.
That result verifies that the Martian molecules found in Mary Anning 3 could have been generated from the breakdown of even more complex compounds relevant to life.
Curiosity recently used its second and final TMAH cup while exploring weblike boxwork ridges, which were formed by ancient groundwater. The mission team will be analyzing those results for a future peer-reviewed paper.
Trailblazing for future missions
Built by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, SAM is based on larger, commercial-grade lab instruments.
Getting such complex equipment into the rover required engineers to dramatically shrink it down and develop a way for it to run on less power.
Scientists had to learn how to heat up SAM’s oven more slowly over longer periods in order to conduct some of these experiments.
“It was a feat just figuring out how to conduct this kind of chemistry for the first time on Mars,” said Charles Malespin, the instrument’s principal investigator at NASA Goddard and a study coauthor.
“But now that we’ve had some practice, we’re prepared to run similar experiments on future missions.”
In fact, NASA Goddard has provided several components, including the mass spectrometer, for a next-generation version of SAM, called the Mars Organic Molecular Analyzer, for ESA’s (European Space Agency) Rosalind Franklin Mars rover.
A similar instrument, the Dragonfly Mass Spectrometer, will explore Saturn’s moon Titan on NASA’s Dragonfly rotorcraft. Both instruments will be able to perform wet chemistry with the TMAH solvent.
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https://nasawatch.com/activism/over-100-former-nasa-astronauts-launch-astronauts-for-america-to-uphold-the-constitution/
https://www.astronautsforamerica.org/#letter
Over 100 Former NASA Astronauts Launch “Astronauts For America” to Uphold the Constitution
April 21, 2026
Washington, D.C. – Today, a group of 103 former NASA Astronauts launched Astronauts For America, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to upholding constitutional values; restoring public trust in American democracy; and supporting leaders who respect science, use data to make decisions, and work across political differences for the good of the American people.
As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, the former NASA Astronauts are reaffirming the oath they each took to support and defend the U.S. Constitution. More below
In an open letter to the American people, the Astronauts call on their fellow patriots to join their mission to put country over party, writing, “If you’re like us, you might not be used to talking about politics outside of your home.
We didn’t spend time discussing who we voted for when we were working in the NASA Astronaut Corps. We know the importance of respecting one another and speaking up when things don’t look right.
We’ve seen what Americans can achieve when we work as a team toward a common goal.”
Astronauts For America is rooted in patriotism and commitment to our nation’s foundational documents.
The organization plans to release candidate scorecards that educate voters, support sound leadership, and hold leaders accountable when they ignore the Constitution and the rule of law.
Astronauts For America members will also meet directly with federal policymakers to advocate for evidence-based leadership and for Congress to exercise its constitutional authority.
Astronauts For America is a coalition of former Astronauts from across the political spectrum who believe deeply in truth, science, and service.
The Astronauts include veterans, scientists, teachers, and engineers from all political backgrounds and all parts of the country.
Astronauts For America members believe respect for the peaceful transfer of power, bipartisan cooperation, equal opportunity, and constitutional limits are all essential to a functioning democracy.
Astronauts For America is co-chaired by two seasoned NASA Astronauts, Garrett Reisman and Steve Lindsey.
Reisman flew two Space Shuttle missions to the International Space Station and was Director of Space Operations at SpaceX, where he played a central role in the first commercial spacecraft to carry astronauts to orbit.
Lindsey flew five Space Shuttle missions and served as Chief of the Astronaut Office, overseeing astronaut training and space operations. He is a former U.S. Air Force Colonel and test pilot.
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In all their years of friendship, Reisman and Lindsey were focused on the mission, not on politics. Only recently did they discover that one is a registered Democrat, and the other a registered Republican.
While their political affiliations may differ, they share a deep love of country and respect for the Constitution.
“America is a beacon of freedom and democracy,” said Garrett Reisman, Co-Chair of Astronauts For America. “I love this country and I’m forever grateful that NASA allowed me to live the American dream.
The goal of Astronauts For America is to ensure the American dream endures for our children, grandchildren, and all Americans. From space, you see what unites us is more important than what divides us.
I took on many difficult missions throughout my career, and I view this newest mission as yet another way to bring patriots together and put our country first.”
“On my many voyages to space, my colleagues and I set aside our differences to reach a common goal,” said Steve Lindsey, Co-Chair of Astronauts For America.
“That is exactly what Astronauts For America aims to achieve. Our organization will proudly support leaders who exercise objective evidenced-based reasoning, respect truth and honesty, and display the ability to work together with civility, regardless of political affiliations.
As former Astronauts, we understand that truth, science, and teamwork are not optional. In spaceflight, ignoring evidence costs lives. In democracy, it costs trust, stability, and freedom.”
“When we prepared for spaceflight, we treated our crewmembers with mutual respect and we compromised when the mission required it,” said Charles Bolden, Astronauts For America Co-Founder, former NASA Administrator, and U.S. Marine Corps Major General (ret.).
“That’s how our nation’s leaders should operate. Through my service in the Marines and at NASA, my colleagues and I defended the U.S. Constitution and the American values that have allowed our nation to become the greatest country in the world.
Creating a safer and more prosperous American future requires a return to those ideals.”
As a coalition of former NASA Astronauts, Astronauts For America members have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution and lived that oath through service in NASA and, for many, in the U.S. armed forces.
Astronauts For America is grounded in the commitment to service, demonstration of good judgment, and patriotism that are hallmarks of Astronauts.
We exist to remind Americans of the values that make self-government possible and to use the unique trust placed in astronauts to strengthen American democracy for the long term.
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NASA Welcomes Latvia as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory
Apr 20, 2026
The Republic of Latvia signed the Artemis Accords Monday during a ceremony hosted by NASA at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, becoming the 62nd nation to commit to responsible space exploration for all humanity.
“We are proud to welcome Latvia to the Artemis Accords,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “Each new signatory strengthens a coalition committed to the transparent and peaceful exploration of space.
The accords are the foundation for real missions and real cooperation on the lunar surface, and Latvia’s commitment strengthens our shared vision for this next great era of exploration.”
Latvia’s Minister for Education and Science Dace Melbārde signed on behalf of the country. Chargé d’affaires a.i. at the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia to the United States Jānis Beķeris and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg also participated in the event.
“Today, Latvia aligns with a shared vision for humanity beyond Earth, grounded in international cooperation and the peaceful, transparent, and responsible exploration of outer space,” said Melbārde. “By joining the Artemis Accords, we make a clear commitment to these principles.
Latvia already contributes to the global space ecosystem through its industry and research, and we look forward to the opportunity to deepen cooperation with the United States and NASA, contributing to future space activities under the Artemis framework.
Participation in the Artemis Accords is also an investment in the development of our students, researchers, and innovators.”
Last month, NASA announced plans to return to the Moon routinely and affordably, establishing an enduring presence and building a sustained lunar base.
More than 40 Artemis Accords countries across six continents sent representatives to Washington for the event, announcing new opportunities for exploration and science. The group represented more than two thirds of the current Artemis Accords signatories.
In 2020, during the first Trump Administration, the United States, led by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, joined with seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords, responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies.
The accords introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety and coordination between like-minded nations as they explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Signing the Artemis Accords means committing to explore peaceably and transparently, to render aid to those in need, to enable access to scientific data that all of humanity can learn from, to ensure activities do not interfere with those of others, and to preserve historically significant sites and artifacts by developing best practices for space exploration for the benefit of all.
More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead, as NASA continues its work to establish a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space.
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-welcomes-latvia-as-newest-artemis-accords-signatory/
extra NASA
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/wallops/2026/04/20/nasa-wallops-to-support-april-rocket-launch/
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/wheels-up-for-x-59/
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/a-school-of-mud-volcano-islands-in-azerbaijan/
https://unos.org/media-resources/releases/unos-partners-with-nasa-to-study-transporting-organs-by-drone/
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
@NASAAdmin
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is in final preparations for an early September launch, eight months AHEAD of schedule and UNDER budget.
This milestone is the result of more than a decade of dedication and millions of hours of work by NASA and our industry partners. Their commitment is what’s making this moment possible and helping drive Gold Standard Science.
Roman will help answer some of the biggest questions in science, investigating dark matter, dark energy, and the structure of the universe. Its images will be so large and detailed, there isn’t a screen in existence big enough to display them.
This is just the beginning.
7:23 AM · Apr 21, 2026
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2046595795583955209
extra NASA 2
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-rolls-out-artemis-iii-moon-rocket-core-stage/
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/nasa-on-track-for-future-missions-with-initial-artemis-ii-assessments/
https://ew.com/bill-nye-warns-trump-proposed-cuts-could-end-nasa-huge-mistake-11954591
New Glenn grounded after launch issue
April 20, 2026 at 5:53 pm EDT
TITUSVILLE, Fla. — Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is grounded for now after a launch anomaly left a broadband satellite stuck in an orbit too low to be usable. AST SpaceMobile says the satellite must be deorbited.
“This is a significant setback, absolutely no doubt about it,” said Dr. Ken Kremer with Space UpClose.
Blue Origin is leading the investigation into what went wrong during the second stage of the launch. According to Blue Origin CEO David Limp, early indications suggest that one of the BE-3U engines did not produce enough thrust to place the satellite in its planned orbit.
AST SpaceMobile says the financial hit should be covered by insurance, and the company isn’t slowing down. It still plans to launch new satellites into low Earth orbit every one to two months, using a mix of launch providers.
“They are expecting to launch more versions of the satellite with other launch providers, so they’re not totally dependent on Blue Origin,” Kremer said. The FAA is also involved, overseeing the investigation.
In a statement, the agency says a return to flight of the New Glenn vehicle is based on the FAA determining that any system, process, or procedure related to the mishap does not affect public safety.
https://www.wftv.com/news/local/brevard-county/new-glenn-grounded-after-launch-issue/KESFWTCPCRGIJKKBZCE2PXD3L4/
https://www.blueorigin.com/
FIRST LOOK: US Space Command unveils Redstone Arsenal HQ rendering
Updated: 1:36 PM CDT April 20, 2026
The future of U.S. Space Command's permanent warfighting headquarters took shape Monday when Gen. Stephen Whiting, USSPACECOM commander, shared a conceptual rendering of the planned facility at Redstone Arsenal — offering the public its first look at the command's future home.
The reveal came during a luncheon address to the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce's annual Congressional fly-in, where roughly 200 business, civic, and military-community leaders from the Huntsville and Madison County area had gathered in Washington for two days of meetings and advocacy on Capitol Hill.
The rendering which showcases a large, octagonal building as the centerpiece signals another step forward in the relocation process, which remains under a legal challenge.
Colorado — home to USSPACECOM's current temporary headquarters in Colorado Springs — filed a lawsuit in October seeking to block the move, characterizing it as a retaliatory measure by the Trump administration. The Pentagon has continued pressing forward despite the lawsuit.
The first wave of permanent USSPACECOM personnel — members of the J2 Intelligence Directorate — have already arrived at Redstone Arsenal, according to earlier reporting. Up to 200 total personnel are expected to be in place by the end of 2026, with hundreds more anticipated to follow later in the decade.
Monday's fly-in agenda reflected Huntsville's growing prominence at the intersection of civilian space exploration and national defense.
Attendees heard from NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman over breakfast — a notable appearance for a community that is home to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center — before Gen. Whiting addressed the group at lunch.
The Chamber used the trip to advance its Federal Agenda, a set of legislative and funding priorities tied to the region's aerospace, defense, and technology sectors.
The stakes are high: federal space and defense budgets are under intense scrutiny, and Huntsville's identity as "Rocket City" makes its Congressional relationships especially consequential.
The delegation moves to Capitol Hill Monday evening for a reception in the Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building.
Tuesday's schedule included breakfast with Alabama's two U.S. Senators, Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville, a group photo on the Capitol steps with Congressman Dale Strong, and a luncheon with the full Alabama Congressional Delegation.
The rendering release follows a notable gathering last week at the Space Foundation's Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, where a photograph circulated showing Gen. Whiting and Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink alongside the mayors of both Huntsville and Colorado Springs — a striking image that brought together the leaders of the community losing the headquarters and the one set to gain it.
The permanent headquarters facility at Redstone Arsenal will serve as the nerve center for U.S. Space Command, which is responsible for deterring aggression in space and, if necessary, conducting space operations to support the joint force and the nation.
https://www.rocketcitynow.com/article/news/local/first-look-us-space-command-unveils-redstone-arsenal-hq-rendering/525-920891af-5a3e-44e4-b4db-990c6dd57bca
https://www.al.com/news/huntsville/2026/04/space-command-unveils-rendering-of-alabama-headquarters-and-its-straight-out-of-the-future.html
USSF terminates contract for the Global Positioning System Next Generation Operational Control System
April 20, 2026
The Global Positioning System Next Generation Operational Control System program was cancelled by the Defense Acquisition Executive on April 17, based upon the recommendation of the acting service acquisition executive.
OCX was intended to update command and control of the GPS satellite constellation, replacing the current system, known as the Architecture Evolution Plan, as well as replacing the Launch, Anomaly and Disposal Operations system.
However, the program was unable to deliver needed capabilities on an operationally relevant timeline at an acceptable level of risk to meet the GPS constellation modernization needs.
“It’s important we refine and update acquisition processes to prioritize rapid, incremental capability delivery versus complex ‘all or nothing’ system deliveries,” said Acting Service Acquisition Executive Tom Ainsworth.
“The Department of War has made clear that we need to deliver warfighting capability at a faster rate.
We must continue to work with industry to meet the needs of our warfighters as we focus on delivering the right technology on the right timeline to enhance our capabilities and maintain space superiority.”
In July 2025, following a multi-year regimen of factory testing, the Space Force contractually accepted OCX from Raytheon and began extensive integrated systems testing to resolve liens carried over from factory testing, as well as to ensure the system could operate within the broader GPS enterprise of ground systems, satellites, and user equipment.
As of January 2026, the program cost was approximately $6.27 billion which included complete Raytheon funding to date and other government costs, such as the cost of government testing and support costs to the OCX acquisition program office.
“Regrettably, extensive system issues arose during the integrated testing of OCX with the broader GPS enterprise,” said Mission Delta 31 Commander Col. Stephen Hobbs.
“Despite repeated collaborative approaches by the entire government and contractor team, the challenges of onboarding the system in an operationally relevant timeline proved insurmountable.
We discovered problems across a broad range of capability areas that would put current GPS military and civilian capabilities at risk.”
Due to past delays on the OCX program, the Space Force has made incremental improvements over the last 10 years to AEP.
These successful upgrades provide confidence that further upgrades to GPS ground systems will continue to support the enterprise and deliver new capabilities.
“Ultimately, we analyzed the work remaining on OCX and compared this with the current GPS control system capability,” Hobbs said.
“The analysis revealed additional investment in OCX was no longer the best solution for protecting and advancing GPS capabilities. Instead, we will continue enhancing the current control system to operate the GPS satellite constellation.”
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4465024/ussf-terminates-contract-for-the-global-positioning-system-next-generation-oper/
https://defence-industry.eu/u-s-space-force-cancels-6-27-billion-gps-ground-system-program-after-delays/
extra Space Force
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4464565/45th-weather-squadron-enables-joint-recovery-efforts-in-human-spaceflight/
GPS III-8 Launch Succeeds, Bolstering National Defense and Economy as America Marks 250th Anniversary
April 21, 2026
The U.S. Space Force successfully launched Global Positioning Satellite III-8 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40. The mission delivered the final satellite in the GPS III series into orbit.
It reinforces the critical role of space-based positioning, navigation and timing in safeguarding the nation and powering its economy as the United States celebrates 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Space Systems Command and Space Launch Delta 45 played pivotal roles in the mission’s success. SSC acquired, developed and fielded the GPS satellite while managing the National Security Space Launch program.
SLD 45, as the operator of the Eastern Range, provided range safety, launch control and infrastructure that turned a complex mission into another routine success.
The delta’s Guardians and Airmen secured the high-tempo launch environment at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, supporting national security, civil and commercial missions alike.
U.S. Space Force Col. Brian L. Chatman, commander of Space Launch Delta 45, highlighted the delta’s excellence.
“Our combined efforts across the Delta drove us to a record-breaking 109 space launches in 2025, cementing our status, once again, as the most productive spaceport in the world,” Chatman said.
“I am looking forward to working alongside each of you for another record-setting year!”
The successful GPS III-8 launch advances that record-setting momentum.
GPS III satellites deliver three times greater accuracy and eight times better resistance to jamming than earlier versions. Equipped with the military’s M-code signal, they give warfighters a decisive edge in contested environments.
The satellites enable precise navigation for aircraft, ships, ground forces and precision-guided munitions even when adversaries attempt to disrupt signals.
This space access mission delivers resilient positioning, navigation and timing that directly supports joint warfighting lethality and rapid reconstitution of space-based assets.
The benefits of this constellation extend far beyond the battlefield. GPS underpins trillions of dollars in U.S. economic activity each year. It supports aviation, maritime navigation, financial transactions, power-grid synchronization and emergency response for civil and commercial users worldwide.
GPS III satellites enhance this with the new L1C civil signal, delivering more reliable service to billions of users and supporting American commerce and daily life.
“Space capabilities are a core, vital interest of the United States,” Chatman said. “They not only enable joint warfighters to deter aggression, fight and win, but also underpin our nation’s economy.”
This mission exemplifies the U.S. Space Force’s core purpose. Established to organize, train and equip forces for operations in, from and to space, the service guarantees the nation’s access to the ultimate high ground.
In a domain where adversaries seek to challenge U.S. advantages, the Space Force delivers resilient capabilities that deter conflict and underwrite American prosperity.
“Nobody wants a fight in space, but if our adversaries try to take offensive actions against our space assets, we will be ready to rapidly reconstitute space-based capabilities,” Chatman said.
The successful GPS III-8 launch puts those words into action, delivering another vital asset to strengthen the constellation.
As fireworks light the skies for the nation’s 250th birthday in July, the successful GPS III-8 launch carries a powerful message. Our forefathers never envisioned a society conquering space launch, and we could only wonder what another 250 years will bring from a technology standpoint.
America’s space professionals remain committed to protecting the freedoms forged 250 years ago by ensuring the technologies that defend the nation and drive its future never go dark.
The GPS III series may be concluding, but the Space Force’s mission to deliver space capabilities continues, stronger and more vital than ever.
https://www.patrick.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4465476/gps-iii-8-launch-succeeds-bolstering-national-defense-and-economy-as-america-ma/
https://www.spacex.com/launches/gpsiii8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLYUyFJUYBQ
Russia knows how Ukraine conflict will end – Putin
21 Apr, 2026 17:35
Russia’s adversaries are busy thinking about how to “shape” the country’s victory in the Ukraine conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested.
The president made the remarks in response to remarks made by the head of the local legislature of the city of Nizhny Novgorod, Evgeny Chintsov, during a meeting with representatives of the country’s municipalities.
Chintsov said that “nobody, including the enemy” doubts that the conflict will result in Russia’s victory.
Putin agreed but appeared to caution against making overly bold statements prematurely.
“Yes, they are just thinking about how to shape it all; we’ll see. However, military action is always a very complicated and dangerous thing.
We know how everything will end, but we will not make any public statements about it. We will simply strive to achieve the goals we have set,” the president said.
Early in the conflict, Moscow outlined the goals it seeks to achieve through the Ukraine operation and maintains they have remained unchanged ever since.
These include demilitarization and denazification of the country and protection of Russian speakers, as well as ensuring Ukrainian neutrality. Additional goals that emerged later also include the recognition of the formerly Ukrainian regions that voted to join Russia.
Moscow has repeatedly signaled openness to resolve the hostilities through diplomacy, should its demands be met, while maintaining its readiness to achieve its goals by force should the negotiating efforts ultimately fail.
Territorial issues seem to have become the main obstacle in the negotiations, as Kiev has repeatedly refused to withdraw its forces from the parts of Donbass it still controls.
https://www.rt.com/russia/638856-putin-ukraine-conflict-end/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/russia/638837-ukraine-sbu-draft-enforcers-extortion/
https://www.rt.com/russia/638816-zelensky-accuses-trump-envoys-disrespect/
https://www.rt.com/news/638774-iran-enriched-uranium-stockpile/
https://www.rt.com/news/638793-hungary-magyar-netanyahu-arrest/
extra extra RT
Hungary’s Magyar warns Netanyahu of arrest
Updated 21 Apr, 2026 11:05
Hungary’s incoming prime minister, Peter Magyar, has said he would order the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he enters the country, marking a sharp reversal of predecessor Viktor Orban’s policy.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Magyar said he would halt Hungary’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), initiated by Orban, and stressed that as a member state Budapest is legally obliged to enforce its arrest warrants.
The ICC issued warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel claimed earlier this week that Magyar had spoken with Netanyahu and invited him to visit Hungary after his Tisza party’s landslide win on April 12.
Asked to clarify, Magyar confirmed the call but downplayed the invitation, saying he had spoken with multiple leaders and broadly invited them to attend an upcoming anniversary of the 1956 popular uprising.
He added that Netanyahu was informed Hungary would seek to remain in the ICC – and what that implies.
“I made it clear to the Israeli prime minister that we are not stepping back [from the ICC]. It is the Tisza government’s intention to stop this and for Hungary to remain a member,” Magyar said.
“So I think I didn’t mislead anyone. If a country is a member of the ICC and if a person who is wanted enters that country’s territory, they must be taken into custody… I assume that every state and government leader is aware of these regulations.”
Magyar’s position marks a direct break with the stance of the outgoing government, which rejected the ICC’s jurisdiction and guaranteed Netanyahu safe passage.
Orban dismissed the warrant as “brazen and cynical.” Last April, Budapest moved to withdraw from the ICC, arguing the court had become politicized.
The country’s parliament approved the move in May, though under the Rome Statute withdrawal only takes effect a year after formal UN notification, currently set for June 2.
Magyar campaigned on repairing ties with Brussels and unlocking more than €16 billion ($19 billion) in EU funds for Hungary currently frozen due to rule-of-law and corruption allegations.
Since his victory, Magyar has also pledged to reform state media, consider Eurozone membership, and end vetoes on Ukraine aid – though with caveats.
He backed Hungary’s opt-out from the EU’s €90 billion loan package to Kiev, citing budget constraints, and said Ukraine’s EU accession within a decade is unrealistic.
At Monday’s press conference, he also urged Kiev to reopen the Russian Druzhba pipeline and said Hungary would not accept “any kind of blackmail” over energy supplies.
He previously said Budapest would continue buying Russian energy, prioritize the cheapest oil, and signaled he would “pick up” if Russian President Vladimir Putin called.
https://www.rt.com/africa/638817-joint-uganda-congo-military-force-rescues-teen-hostages-adf-militants/
https://www.rt.com/africa/638832-zimbabwe-gold-zig-currency-undervalued-dollar/
Ukraine targets Russia’s oil, railway infrastructure in new drone strikes
April 21, 2026, 17:11:14 IST
Ukraine has intensified its drone campaign targeting Russia’s military, railway and energy infrastructure across multiple regions, according to media reports.
Rail infrastructure hit in Rostov
Drones struck railway infrastructure near a military facility in the Russian city of Novocherkassk on April 21, even as explosions were reported across the wider Rostov region.
According to the Russian Telegram channel Astra, residents reported multiple blasts overnight. Analysis by the channel indicated that one of the explosions occurred near a railway line in the settlement of Persianovsky, around 1.6 kilometres from military unit No. 22179.
Regional authorities claimed that more than 40 drones were intercepted and destroyed, but acknowledged disruptions to the railway’s overhead contact system, affecting operations.
Oil facility targeted in Samara
Separately, Ukrainian forces struck the Samara oil distribution station in Russia’s Samara Oblast, hitting a key node in the country’s oil transport network, according to a report by the Kyiv Independent.
The strike, reportedly carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine’s Alfa Special Operations Center, triggered a massive fire. Preliminary information suggested that up to five crude oil storage tanks were damaged.
Eyewitnesses also reported explosions near railway-linked military areas, while Ukrainian sources said the attack caused significant damage to energy infrastructure.
Focus shifts to logistics and energy networks
In recent months, Ukraine has increasingly focused on disrupting Russia’s logistics and energy backbone.
The General Staff of Ukraine previously confirmed a strike on the Krymskaya oil pumping station, a critical facility for supplying Russian forces.
Ukrainian drones have also demonstrated long-range strike capability, including reported attacks on Russian drilling platforms in the Caspian Sea used for resource extraction and military support.
Strikes reported in Crimea
In a separate development, Ukrainian military intelligence reportedly targeted Russian assets in Sevastopol Bay in Crimea, including two landing ships and a radar station.
The vessels, estimated to be worth around $150 million, were reportedly hit, with radar systems also destroyed, according to media reports.
According to Ukraine’s military leadership, sustained strikes on oil depots and energy infrastructure are intended to undermine Russia’s ability to sustain its war effort.
https://www.firstpost.com/world/ukraine-targets-russias-oil-railway-infrastructure-in-new-drone-strikes-14002835.html
https://united24media.com/latest-news/russian-railway-network-and-military-assets-hit-by-overnight-drone-strikes-in-rostov-region-18090
other Russia and Ukraine
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/russia-s-tuapse-refinery-halts-operations-1776793819.html
https://united24media.com/latest-news/russian-oil-output-sees-biggest-drop-since-covid-following-ukrainian-drone-blitz-18113
https://english.nv.ua/nation/drone-attack-on-tuapse-oil-refinery-smoke-from-fire-reaches-stavropol-50602004.html
https://english.nv.ua/russian-war/russian-drone-attack-on-sumy-injures-15-damages-homes-and-hospital-50601896.html
https://nextgendefense.com/ukraine-anubis-seth-drone/
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/2026-04-21/live-updates-893667
other Israel
https://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/idf-soldiers-jailed-jesus-statue
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/rk8ngo4azl
https://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/idf-october-7-footage-deletion
https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/our-mission-our-values/our-story-78-years-later-israel-independence-day-2026/
https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/our-soldiers/what-they-left-behind-even-in-our-darkest-times-we-have-hope/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-hezbollah-breached-truce-by-launching-rockets-at-troops-drone-at-israel/
https://www.jns.org/news/israel-news/watch-oct-7-massacre-targeted-entire-jewish-people-idf-chief-says-on-memorial-day
Live Updates: Israelis ring in 78th Independence Day as Lebanon, Iran ceasefire talks loom
April 21, 2026
April 21, 9:27 PM
Iran's foreign minister says US blockade of Iranian ports is an 'act of war'
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the US blockade of Iranian ports was an "act of war" and thus a violation of the ceasefire.
"Iran knows how to neutralize restrictions, how to defend its interests, and how to resist bullying," he said in a post on X on Tuesday.
April 21, 9:00 PM
US imposes new Iran-related sanctions, Treasury website shows
The United States imposed new Iran-related sanctions on Tuesday, according to the Treasury Department website, including on individuals and companies linked to trading and air travel.
April 21, 9:00 PM
Lebanese state not seeking confrontation with Hezbollah but won't be intimidated, PM says
Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Tuesday his government was not seeking confrontation with Iran-backed Hezbollah, but it would not allow itself to be intimidated as it continues direct talks with Israel to end the conflict.
Speaking at a news conference alongside France's President Emmanuel Macron, Salam said he would need all Lebanon's partners to help as direct talks at the ambassador level continue later this week in Washington.
"We are continuing along this path, convinced that diplomacy is not a sign of weakness, but a responsible act to leave no avenue unexplored in restoring my country's sovereignty and protecting its people," Salam said.
April 21, 8:32 PM
Vance's trip to Pakistan for Iran talks on hold, NYT reports
US Vice President JD Vance's trip to Islamabad, Pakistan, for further talks with Iran has been put on hold, according to a report by The New York Times on Tuesday.
The report cited an unnamed US official with "direct knowledge of the situation," adding that the trip could be reinstated at any moment.
April 21, 7:53 PM
IDF confirms Hezbollah drone caused sirens in northern Israel in violation of ceasefire
Despite this, when sirens sounded along the Lebanese border, the IDF classified the event as a 'false identification.'
Hezbollah terrorists fired a rocket at IDF troops operating in southern Lebanon, violating the current ceasefire, Israeli media reported on Tuesday.
Despite this, when sirens sounded along the Lebanese border, the IDF classified the event as a "false identification."
Later, the IDF announced that the siren had actually been the result of a UAV from Lebanon being intercepted before it crossed into Israeli territory.
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April 21, 7:10 PM
Vance has not yet left for Iran talks, White House official says
US Vice President JD Vance has not yet departed Washington for talks on Iran and is participating in additional policy meetings, a White House official said on Tuesday.
Two sources familiar with the details told The Jerusalem Post that arguments were taking place at the top of the Iranian government between senior Revolutionary Guards and the Iranian president and parliament speaker, who are interested in an agreement.
April 21, 6:48 PM
IDF announces sirens in northern Israel were false alarm
The IDF stated that sirens which sounded in northern Israel on Tuesday were a false alarm.
April 21, 6:14 PM
IDF kills terrorists in Lebanon
The Israel Air Force identified and killed several terrorists who had crossed the Forward Defense Line in southern Lebanon over the last two days, the IDF announced on Tuesday.
Several of the terrorists killed on Monday were armed, the IDF said, and posed an immediate threat.
The IDF did not specify exactly how many terrorists were killed.
April 21, 6:01 PM
Pakistan still awaiting Iran's confirmation on second round of talks, minister says
Pakistan is still awaiting a formal response from Iran about confirmation of delegation to attend a second round of peace talks with the US in Islamabad, the country's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a post on X.
"Decision from Iran to attend the talks before the end of two weeks ceasefire is critical," Tarar said in a post on X, adding that Pakistan has made sincere efforts to convince the Iranian leadership to participate in the second round of talks.
April 21, 5:43 PM
European Union weighs more American jet fuel, cleaner aviation industry amid strains from Iran war
The European Commission is due to present a broader package of energy and transport measures, with the EU's transport chief noting no signs of "widespread [flight] cancellations" in the near future.
The European Union will provide guidance to airlines on how to handle issues such as airport slots, passenger rights, and public service obligations in the event of jet fuel shortages because of the Iran war, the bloc's transport chief said on Tuesday.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas said there were no shortages "as of today" but warned a prolonged blockage of the Strait of Hormuz would be "catastrophic" for Europe and the global economy.
About one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas transited Hormuz before the US and Israel began bombing Iran on February 28. The EU imports 30% to 40% of its jet fuel needs, with about half coming from the Middle East.
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Troops Uncover Suspected Terrorist Drone Launch Site In Borno
April 21, 2026
Troops of the Nigerian military have uncovered a suspected drone launch site used by terrorists during a fighting patrol in Bitta, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, in what signals a growing shift in insurgents’ tactics in the North-East.
Security sources said the operation, conducted at about 6:30 a.m. on Monday, followed intelligence reports of unusual drone activity and bush burning allegedly carried out by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram (JAS) fighters operating around the Damboa axis.
According to counter-insurgency analyst, Zagazola Makama, who monitors developments in the Lake Chad region, the troops moved into the area to verify the intelligence and subsequently discovered a location believed to have been used by the terrorists for launching drones.
The site, according to the sources, has been marked for possible ambush operations as part of broader efforts to disrupt the group’s surveillance and battlefield coordination capabilities.
“The position has been earmarked for a possible ambush operation as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt terrorist surveillance and operational capabilities,” the source was quoted as saying.
It was also gathered that patrols and intelligence surveillance in the area have been intensified to deny the insurgents freedom of movement and reduce the risk of further coordinated attacks.
The latest discovery comes amid increasing concerns over the growing use of drones by terrorist groups operating in the Lake Chad Basin.
A recent analysis by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) revealed that IS-linked factions have conducted about 20 drone-related attacks in West Africa, most of them in Nigeria, marking a shift in the sophistication of insurgent operations.Nigerian travel guides
One of the most deadly of such attacks occurred on January 29 in Borno State, when terrorists reportedly launched a coordinated assault involving armed drones and ground fighters on a military base.
The Nigerian military said nine soldiers were killed in that attack, underscoring the evolving threat posed by drone-enabled warfare in the region.
Security experts have warned that the increasing adoption of unmanned aerial systems by insurgent groups could further complicate counter-terrorism operations, particularly in remote and hard-to-reach communities across Borno and neighbouring states.
Military authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the latest discovery as of press time.
https://platformtimes.com.ng/troops-uncover-suspected-terrorist-drone-launch-site-in-borno/
U.S. intelligence agency launches biodegradable drone research
Apr 21, 2026
Key Points
IARPA published RFI IARPA-RFI-26-01 on April 20, 2026, seeking information on bio-derived materials for transient UAV propulsion systems, with responses due May 15, 2026.
The RFI targets turbines, motors, and engine components that degrade via environmental triggers beyond UV or water exposure, leaving minimal physical residue.
The core technical problem IARPA is trying to solve is straightforward in concept but formidable in execution: build drone engines and motors out of materials that perform reliably during a mission, then break down on their own afterward, leaving little or no physical trace.
Current drone propulsion components — turbine blades, motor housings, combustion chambers, and associated control systems — are made from metal alloys, engineering plastics, and advanced composites.
Those materials are durable by design, meaning a lost or downed drone can leave hardware in the field for decades or longer. IARPA wants to know whether biological materials can replace or augment those components in ways that allow the hardware to simply disappear under the right environmental conditions.
The challenge is considerably harder for propulsion systems than it has been for airframes.
DARPA previously demonstrated transient materials through its ICARUS program — short for Inbound, Controlled, Air-Releasable, Unrecoverable Systems — which showed that structural drone components could be built from ultraviolet-triggered photopolymers that degrade on command.
But propulsion systems are a different problem entirely. Turbines and motors operate under extreme heat, mechanical stress, and chemical exposure. UV light — ICARUS’s primary trigger — may not penetrate enclosed engine assemblies.
IARPA is specifically looking for degradation triggers that don’t rely on UV or water exposure, asking instead about biological mechanisms such as enzymatic activity, microbial action, humidity, thermal cycling, and oxidation — conditions far more reliably present across diverse operational environments.
The biological materials IARPA has identified as candidates span a wide range.
Structural proteins including silk, keratin, and collagen; polysaccharides like chitin and cellulose; fungal and mycelium-based composites; bio-acrylics; and bio-derived ceramics are all listed as areas of interest.
Recent advances in synthetic biology and biomanufacturing have pushed some of these materials toward performance levels once considered achievable only with conventional engineered materials.
Genetically modified structural proteins with tailored mechanical properties and enzymatically sensitive polymers with programmable degradation rates are among the specific examples cited.
Still, IARPA acknowledges that significant gaps remain between what has been demonstrated in laboratory settings and what would be required in an operational propulsion system subjected to real-world mission stresses.
The propulsion components IARPA specifically wants addressed include turbine and engine elements, electric motor components, and auxiliary systems.
The agency is asking respondents to address not just whether bio-derived materials can survive high-temperature environments above 500 degrees Celsius and high-stress conditions above 100 megapascals, but also whether they can be manufactured to the dimensional tolerances and surface finish standards required for reliable operation.
Questions about scalable production, quality control, and cost are also explicitly included in the RFI.
Intelligence and military drone operations frequently involve missions in denied or contested environments where recovery of downed systems is impossible.
A drone engine that survives its mission but then degrades beyond forensic usefulness offers obvious advantages in limiting adversary exploitation of captured hardware and reducing the intelligence signature left behind.
The ICARUS program established that this concept is achievable for airframes; IARPA is now probing whether the same logic can be extended to the parts of the drone that actually generate thrust.
https://defence-blog.com/u-s-intelligence-agency-launches-biodegradable-drone-research/
extra US drones
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/lapd-drone-surveillance-privacy-concerns-1792853
https://www.twz.com/news-features/navy-fires-dronefrying-locust-laser-from-supercarrier-uss-george-h-w-bush
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/non-fiction/chasing-aliens-review-ufos-daniel-lavelle/
Any Anon Ayys out there?
Are you an alien?
21 April 2026 9:00am BST
Forty-one per cent of Americans think ET walks among us. Intrepid young journalist Daniel Lavelle went on a road trip to ask them why
Aliens aren’t “out there” – they’re here on Earth. You may have seen one. You may even be one. And if you read the foregoing sentences with mounting scorn, that’s because you’re a normie whose brain has been poisoned with pesticides, vaccines and preservatives.
So says Jacob Chansley, better known as the “QAnon Shaman”. If you’ve forgotten, he was the American jailed for 41 months for his part in the 2021 US Capitol riots, during which, sporting a bison-horned headdress and wielding a spear with the Stars and Stripes tied to it, he told interviewers that the Bilderberg Group and cabals of paedophiles secretly ruled the world. Prize-winning journalist Daniel Lavelle describes Chansley as a “younger, more attractive Alex Jones”, which is the most backhanded of compliments.
Chansley today proselytises for the idea that some of us are the descendants of interdimensional beings from other planets.
And yet: Chansley is one of the more plausible oddballs we encounter in Chasing Aliens, Lavelle’s new book, in which the young British writer boldly goes into the heartlands of the United States to meet “ufologists”, alien-hunting professors, ET-upgraded humans and those who believe that flying saucers may be time machines piloted by future humans returning to ward off the apocalypse.
Chansley’s notion that some humans have been altered by alien powers, in order to form a cognitive elite, is held by many who believe in UFOs today; but it isn’t new.
HG Wells’s 1937 novel Star Begotten: A Biological Fantasia explored the idea that Martians used cosmic rays to genetically modify us. For Lavelle, this makes for chilly reading, because back on Earth, Wells was an enthusiast for eugenics.
In 1901, for instance, Wells mused on how a new republic might treat “those swarms of black, and brown, and dirty-white, and yellow people, who do not come into the new needs of efficiency… Well, the world is a world, not a charitable situation, and I take it they will have to go”.
Wells, at least, revised his theories after the scale of the Holocaust became apparent. But the eugenicist tendency survived him and his ilk, and in the second half of the 20th century, it went intergalactic.
For instance, while the LSD enthusiast Timothy Leary was languishing in Folsom State Prison, he claimed that Sirius was telling him to gather Earth’s most intelligent and head off in a spaceship to the nearest habitable planet so he could found a master race.
(Those of you who point out, in your plodding way, that Sirius is a star rather than a planet, and thus more like a giant nuclear reactor than a communicative god, need to open your minds.)
Lavelle’s travels take him to some unexpected places.
In 2021, the Pentagon revealed that it had been taking UFOs so seriously that in 2007 it discreetly set up the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), which has been gathering data on unexplained aerial phenomena (UAPs) ever since.
The US government remains publicly agnostic about whether there are indeed aliens in our skies, but most of the maverick Americans whom Lavelle encounters have no doubts.
The most engaging passages are those in which the descendants of Wells and Leary explain to the increasingly sceptical Lavelle how Earth could be perfected by communing with aliens, leaving the rest of us idiots behind. Eugenics and ufology are, for them, often expressly interlinked.
In such close encounters with the credulous kind, Lavelle’s travelogue echoes the documentaries with which Louis Theroux made his name, by inquiring into the dotty beliefs of maverick Americans. Some of their countrymen, of course, roll their eyes.
When he meets a sensible African-American army veteran in a New Orleans diner, Lavelle explains his journalistic mission. The veteran retorts: “Man, when do you ever hear black people talking about that s—?
If I saw the mothership, the first thing I’d do is say, ‘Take me, take me. I’m ready.’” Fair point, though anyone familiar with UFO-abduction lore might point to the persistent conjunction of two words: “anal” and “probes”.
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The big question threaded through Chasing Aliens is a sociological one: why is the US the heartland of UFO sightings? A 2021 poll by the analytics company Gallup found that 41 per cent of Americans believed aliens were among us.
There are counterexamples, such as David Icke, the former BBC presenter, who has hypothesised that extraterrestrial shape-shifting lizards, whose earthly forms include the Royal family, secretly control the world.
But in general and in Lavelle’s book, apart from, say, a meeting with some ufologists in a Manchester pub, aliens are overwhelmingly as American as apple pie.
Even the most famous sighting on British soil, that of a 2m-high triangular spacecraft in Rendlesham Forest in December 1980, was witnessed by USAF security police officers stationed in East Anglia.
“Maybe,” writes Lavelle, “this story really does just boil down to a group of easily excitable Americans getting spooked by deer, a lighthouse and some stars.”
The most convincing explanation for America’s obsession with UFOs is simple: the US government preferred to dupe its citizens into treating the weird stuff they saw in the skies over New Mexico, Nevada and Arizona as extraterrestrial rather than cutting-edge military.
According to The Wall Street Journal, in the 1980s a US army colonel visited a roadside bar near Area 51, a highly classified US Air Force facility in southern Nevada, and handed the owner photographs of flying saucers that soon proliferated around the world.
But, as the colonel told the Pentagon in 2023, the whole thing was a ploy designed to hide Area 51’s true purpose: military research.
The result? “Today,” writes Lavelle, “alien themes are everywhere in the US, from kitsch sneakers to maize-based snacks… they encapsulate American fear, American dreams and American life.”
Lavelle also contends that the post-truth era from which Donald Trump has so cannily profited, in which any old guff can be asserted online without fear of contradiction, has “enabled your garden-variety village idiot to contact every other village idiot on planet Earth and create entire movements like Flat-Earthers, Birthers and QAnon”.
We might add to that list the Mutual UFO Network, from whose boot camp Lavelle was awarded a certificate of completion on how to spot aliens.
Lavelle has won awards for his journalism, including an Orwell Prize for his 2022 book about his experiences of homelessness, Down and Out.
While Chasing Aliens may seem a frivolous sequel to such substantial work, in fact it speaks eloquently to an age in which airy nothings and weaponised lies predominate.
As well as covering the internecine feuds of UFO enthusiasts – in truth, he spends too long on this – he also meets paranormal believers who have conned the US government into giving them billions of tax dollars to chase poltergeists and dinosaurs on a remote Utah ranch.
He speaks to Terry Lovelace, a retired assistant attorney general in Vermont, who claims that, while camping with friends in northern Arkansas in 1977, he saw three bright lights emanating from a black prism as wide as two city blocks.
Thanks to hypnosis, Lovelace later recalled what had happened next. He and his friends were “scanned” by a blue laser beam from the flying saucer, which made them sleepy; they were taken aboard the spaceship; and they were painfully probed by around a dozen aliens the size of small children. Then they were returned to their tent.
In the end, Lavelle admits that his mission has been a failure: “I was supposed to be chasing aliens, but all I found were their shadows.” Ludwig Feuerbach, the German philosopher, posited that God is merely the projection of human wishes; aliens, quite possibly, are God’s secular equivalent.
But it leads Lavelle to reflect on the will to believe, and our struggles to find meaning in a seemingly meaningless universe. He quotes Avi Loeb, the Harvard professor and alien-hunter, who hopes that discovering extraterrestrial life would amount to “finding a partner” in the cosmos, someone who could “teach us things that we can imitate, that we can aspire to, will give us a meaning to our cosmic existence”.
In the meantime, none of this conclusively proves that there are, or aren’t, aliens hovering outside your window. Perhaps Ziggy Stardust was right: “There’s a starman waiting in the sky / He’d like to come and meet us / But he thinks he’d blow our minds.” It’s possible.
2/2
we won't be needing any of that with where we're going
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/when-will-donald-trump-release-ufo-files-new-activity-aliengov-explained-1792836
https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOB/comments/1snxr21/theres_a_different_error_message_at_aliensgov_now/
https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/1sr8d2t/rep_burlison_says_ufo_videos_to_be_released
https://twitter.com/AZ_Intel_/status/2045278271495942558
https://twitter.com/unusual_whales/status/2044898126004125805
https://alien.gov/
When Will Donald Trump Release UFO Files? New Activity On alien.gov Explained
21 April 2026, 12:08 PM BST
Donald Trump's supporters and UFO enthusiasts are poring over fresh clues from Washington, after a little-known White House-linked domain, alien.gov, suddenly began throwing encrypted error messages this week, fuelling speculation that the president is preparing to release long-promised UFO files.
Alien.gov had long appeared dormant, returning nothing of note when curious users typed it into their browsers.
That changed when the site began serving an SSL error, a technical response that typically indicates a website is active behind a security certificate rather than simply non-existent.
In the conspiratorial corners of the internet, that was more than enough to trigger a wave of theories that officials are quietly readying an official portal for Donald Trump's UFO files.
Alien.gov Glitch Spurs New Donald Trump UFO Files Theories
The altered behaviour of alien.gov was quickly spotted and dissected on Reddit, particularly on forums devoted to extra-terrestrial sightings and government secrecy.
Users shared screenshots of the error page, which warns: 'The web server reported that an error occurred while trying to access the website. Please return to the previous page.'
To most people, it is a mildly irritating dead end. To the UFO community, it looks like a locked door just about to open.
Several posters argued that the change suggests 'deployment might be close,' in reference to an anticipated release of UFO files. Another user wrote that they 'hope it comes soon,' speculating that any unveiling could follow a future 'disclosure speech' by Trump.
There is, it should be stressed, no official confirmation that alien.gov is linked to any planned release of UFO documents, or even that it is being actively managed for that purpose.
Yet the timing is awkwardly convenient. Just days before chatter around alien.gov intensified, Trump himself had again dangled the prospect of declassification before a friendly audience.
Trump Talks Up 'Very Interesting' UFO Documents
Speaking at a Turning Point event in Arizona on Friday, 17 April, Trump reminded the crowd that he had ordered the release of government files on UFOs and what US agencies now call 'unexplained aerial phenomena.'
He told attendees he had instructed US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to 'begin releasing government files relating to UFOs and unexplained aerial phenomena.'
Trump went further, claiming the process was already moving, 'I'm pleased to report today… that this process is well underway and we found many very interesting documents.'
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Those remarks, relayed and replayed by supporters, gave fresh oxygen to a community that has lived off partial disclosures and redacted reports for decades.
The idea that a dedicated federal portal could soon host the full cache of UFO files was always going to catch fire once alien.gov started behaving differently.
Vanishing Scientists And Rising Suspicion
In recent days, UFO conspiracists have been circulating claims about the disappearance or deaths of people they consider connected to sightings and research.
On Thursday, 16 April, Trump was asked by a journalist about reports involving 10 scientists who had either vanished or been found dead.
He replied, 'I hope it's random, but we're going to know in the next week and a half.' He added, 'Pretty serious stuff… Some of them were very important people, and we're going to look at them over the next short period.'
The president did not provide names, agencies, locations or any documentation to support the assertion.
It also remains entirely unclear whether these alleged disappearances bear any relation to the UFO files or to Trump's instructions to release them. No official link has been established, and at this point, that connection is purely speculative.
For UFO communities already inclined to see patterns where institutions insist there are none, the juxtaposition is irresistible.
A mysterious government domain linked to 'alien' access, a president talking about 'very interesting' documents, and vague hints about missing scientists form a narrative that almost writes itself.
Away from Reddit threads and YouTube breakdowns, the picture is far murkier. The United States government has not issued any formal announcement about alien.gov, its purpose, or its ownership structure.
There has been no detailed White House briefing on the status of the directive on Trump's UFO files.
What is clear is that a single technical change to an obscure government website has once again exposed just how primed the public conversation is around secrecy, national security, and the old question of whether we are alone.
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Benny Johnson
@bennyjohnson
Congressman Says the Trump White House Is Giving Him Unprecedented Access to Explore UFO Sites
Rep. Burlison calls Trump "a disclosure president."
"I've been granted permission by the White House to go to some of these locations in the United States. I think that's low hanging fruit to visit some of these sites."
"And frankly, you look back in history, this access was not given to Barry Goldwater. It wasn't given to Harry Reid."
Burlison says he’s already visited one military base tied to UFO lore and plans to check more — including Area 51.
Trump is actually delivering UFO transparency.
12:45 PM · Apr 21, 2026
https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/2046676737577111573
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFX5wUVDvjA
Sue
@SueJ2024
Trump is starting to release UFO files 🛸👽
12:59 PM · Apr 21, 2026
https://x.com/SueJ2024/status/2046680117993157050
extra goodies
https://x.com/MCapital1206/status/2046666377524572342
https://x.com/KeLebegindansi/status/2046666314702262654
https://x.com/Orbit_News10/status/2046668583330029862
https://x.com/WhiteTeeTurnip/status/2046665982215659891
Why America’s Top Scientists Are Going Missing [They Knew Too Much…]
April 21, 2026
Here are the facts about “The Missing Scientists” story: The Air Force general who ran Wright-Patterson's research lab, oversaw the Pentagon's most classified programs, and was named in WikiLeaks emails as a central figure in UFO disclosure vanished from his Albuquerque home without triggering a single surveillance camera. Eight days earlier, Trump ordered the Pentagon to begin releasing UFO files. In the same twelve-month window, the NASA scientist who co-invented a strategic rocket engine super alloy at the same Wright Patterson lab overseen by the General disappeared on a hike, an MIT fusion physicist (who was as deep as anybody on “fast magnetic reconnection problems” which are the fundamental bottleneck to widescale nuclear fusion) was assassinated on his doorstep, and a very-polymathic Caltech astronomer working on the state-of-the-art Vera Rubin Observatory was shot dead on his porch. There is a pattern: scientists at the frontier of fusion, exotic propulsion, advanced metallurgy, and space surveillance are being silenced and taken out. We trace this history back decades and place it in its proper context: scientific suppression in frontier areas isn’t new; it’s an almost-ubiquitous historical artifact.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
2:18 - Sponsor (Helix Sleep)
4:30 - McCasland Disappears
9:36 - McCasland's Secret Career
13:49 - The WikiLeaks Emails
18:15 - Theories on His Disappearance
23:11 - Sheehan's Secret Association
25:03 - McCasland's "Quiet Retirement"
30:20 - Sponsor (Incogni)
31:49 - Monica Reza and Mondaloy
35:14 - The Roswell Metal Lineage
38:26 - Monica Reza Vanishes
41:51 - Sponsor (MUDWTR)
43:34 - Melissa Casillas Disappears
48:54 - Carl Grillmair Murdered
56:45 - The Vera Rubin Observatory
1:03:12 - Nuno Loureiro
1:08:54 - The Brookline Assassination
1:12:25 - The Brown University Shooting
1:22:28 - TAE and Trump Media
1:25:55 - The Marconi Deaths
1:28:52 - Grinberg, MH370, Bentov
1:35:02 - Ning Li and John Norseen
1:39:54 - The Three-Body Problem
1:46:31 - Believe Merch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlsQIbpEKSM
https://x.com/AlchemyAmerican
extra disclosure dejour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AdMhAHU8Vo (Night Shift: The Mystery of Amy Eskridge: Anti-Gravity, NASA, and the Rocket City)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLHzwf3xhko (John Lenard Walson: Amy Eskridge’s inclusion as the 11th case recent string of scientist '"Secret" Space Platforms)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m20JT7zp9E (ChaosMoogle: INSANE UFO Sightings are OUT OF CONTROL!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJgxESkCbIU (thirdphaseofmoon: "Documentary" Escape From Area 51 J-Rod The INSIDE Story! WATCH NOW! 2026)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN3OyTW52bo (Jimmy Dore: Artemis 2 Moon Mission Story Is FULL OF HOLES!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlgztpjfmyQ (Tales From Out There: Man records UFO flying up close for two minutes in Nellis USA)
https://www.ufonews.co/post/why-the-fbi-and-cia-are-not-treating-this-seriously