posts are getting hung up on something

https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/science-enabling-technology/technology-highlights/new-onboard-capability-to-enable-autonomous-spacecraft-operations/

extra NASA

https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/04/27/progress-95-cargo-craft-docks-to-station-with-food-fuel-and-supplies/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUpVpUw3rkM

https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/news/feature-articles/kicking-off-development-new-earth-observation-solutions

https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/fiery-fall-color-in-southern-chile/

https://science.nasa.gov/get-involved/citizen-science/you-can-help-humans-thrive-in-space/

New Onboard Capability to Enable Autonomous Spacecraft Operations

Apr 28, 2026

Imagine what a mission could accomplish if it were possible to put the combined expertise of the science and operations teams onboard a spacecraft.

It could detect events and then use that information to determine its next actions in real time without input from humans. Event-driven autonomous operations will be key to a new class of missions that could accomplish amazing things—from traversing subterranean caves on Mars, to unlocking the secrets of turbulence in the solar wind, to exploring under the ice of Europa.

Mission operations engineers face the daunting tasks of maintaining the health and functionality of a spacecraft and its payload, capturing high-value data, and responding to a dynamically evolving environment.

They must plan activities days or weeks into the future using very limited information. These tasks become even more complicated when one factors in the lengthy time between spacecraft contacts, the light-time delay of bidirectional communications, the transient nature of ephemeral science targets, and the prospect of multiple spacecraft operating simultaneously.

In an effort sponsored by the Space Technology Mission Directorate’s Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program, Aurora Engineering has developed an onboard autonomous operations agent that can help mitigate these challenges.

Rather than a ground team planning spacecraft activities according to a schedule that is determined weeks in advance and is often based on predictive models with significant limitations, the Module for Event Driven Operations on Spacecraft (MEDOS) drives onboard operations by detecting events as they occur and determining a rational response the spacecraft can make in real time.

How does MEDOS work?

The MEDOS autonomous operations agent uses raw telemetry from multiple sources and fuses them together in real time to derive physically significant parameters.

These parameters are then compared to known events and based on these comparisons, MEDOS concludes, with a transparent and easily understood confidence measure, that a given event is occurring so it can decide on the appropriate autonomous response.

Unlike many machine learning applications, MEDOS does not require volumes of labeled training data, and it does not require precise numeric values to compare against. Rather, MEDOS incorporates uncertainty into its classification of events by encoding years of subject matter expert experience into an easy-to-understand mathematical construct.

By combining multiple derived parameters—each weighted appropriately—MEDOS arrives at an overall assessment.

For example, as shown in Figure 2, MEDOS takes the raw data from onboard instruments and derives physical parameters to indicate changes in the signal density, the environment, etc.

A sudden, coordinated change across multiple parameters (e.g., the energy and density of particle populations and the magnetic field activity simultaneously increase) could indicate the onset of a significant space weather event.

Once MEDOS recognizes the signature in the data and flags the corresponding measurements as a “Space Weather Event,” it then prioritizes the data for downlink.

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Since several different events might credibly explain the observations, MEDOS assigns each possible event a computed likelihood (i.e., the percentage of confidence of detected events in Figure 2.)

If, for example, the signal is always coming from the same direction in space regardless of spacecraft orientation, the signal is likely a real event measured from the local environment.

If, however, the signal is always coming from the same corner of the spacecraft and rotates with the spacecraft, the signal is more likely due to a hardware issue, reflection, etc. Given this information, the spacecraft can then execute a rational responsive action.

By encapsulating the subject matter expertise of multiple ground-based teams, MEDOS can algorithmically encode their rules of ‘what to look for’ into knowledge that the spacecraft can act upon without human intervention.

And because MEDOS fuses multiple data products, each with its own random and systematic noise, its autonomous decision-making is robust against imprecision in those values.

For example, if there are multiple scientific definitions of an event, or if the sensor data is not well calibrated, the overall picture and associated detection would remain the same, but MEDOS would assign a lower confidence.

MEDOS in action

NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission has flight verified and successfully demonstrated MEDOS.

The MMS mission consists of four identical spacecraft designed to investigate how the Sun’s and Earth’s magnetic fields connect and disconnect, explosively transferring energy from one to the other in a process known as magnetic reconnection.

Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process that powers a wide variety of space plasma events, from giant explosions on the Sun to the geospace weather that affects modern technological systems such as telecommunications networks, GPS navigation, and electrical power grids.

On MMS, MEDOS’ onboard activities involved taking raw science instrument data (e.g., counts, voltages, etc.) and transforming them into scientifically meaningful parameters such as plasma temperature, object velocity, mass fraction of a gas, relative separation, etc.

Using these parameters, MEDOS determined the probability that an MMS instrument was experiencing penetrating radiation, which would require a stand down of instrument’s high voltage system.

For example, MEDOS detected a radiation event in real time—an MMS passage through the Van Allen radiation belts—that was not predicted by ground systems, and determined corresponding action for the spacecraft.

Figure 3 shows a schematic of one MMS orbit (in green) superimposed with event durations predicted by ground-based planning (blue arcs) and with those from actual MEDOS flight data (red arcs).

The ground prediction (blue), and associated time tagged operational commands (determined weeks in advance), could not anticipate the inflation of the radiation belt that occurred in response to recent changes in the space weather environment.

As a result, the predetermined command load failed to step down the high voltage system during one of the MMS passages through the outer radiation belt, enhancing the risk of instrument damage.

However, MEDOS detected both passages through this shifted radiation belt (red arcs) and raised a flag to disable high voltage during these periods. A report on this topic was presented at the18th International Conference on Space Operations in 2025.

This demonstration shows the value of real-time, in-situ detection of dynamic transient events rather than reliance on predicted or human-in-the-loop responses.

Additionally, MEDOS is well suited to recommend activities that are routine, but require specific conditions, such as calibration sequences, boundary crossings, and region classification.

As space missions become increasingly complex, autonomous operation will become even more vital. MEDOS encodes human knowledge into spacecraft operations in a way that is explainable, transparent, computationally lightweight, and trustworthy.

This type of technology could potentially help enable the next generation of NASA missions exploring destinations like the Moon, Mars, and the outer planets.

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NASA’s Artemis Core Stage Arrives at Kennedy

April 27, 2026 3:33PM

The largest rocket section for NASA’s Artemis III mission arrived at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 27.

The SLS (Space Launch System) core stage traveled 900 miles on the Pegasus barge from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans where the stage is manufactured, to complete assembly of the massive rocket at NASA Kennedy.

Teams will transport the top four-fifths of the 212-foot-long core stage, the section containing the liquid hydrogen tank, liquid oxygen tank, intertank, and forward skirt, on Tuesday, April 28 to NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building to join the previously delivered boat-tail and engine section in the facility’s High Bay 2 for outfitting and vertical integration to complete the full stage.

Artemis III will launch crew aboard the Orion spacecraft on top of the SLS rocket to test rendezvous and docking capabilities between Orion and commercial spacecraft needed to land astronauts on the Moon.

Watch a livestream of the unloading and transporting of the core stage to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA Kennedy beginning at approximately 8 a.m. April 28.

https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/27/nasas-artemis-core-stage-arrives-at-kennedy/

https://www.nasa.gov/gallery/core-stage-3-rollout/

https://www.popsci.com/science/how-to-buy-rise-plushie-nasa/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWe8kvpxzsI

extra NASA

https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/notes-from-the-field/2026/04/27/off-uruguay-pace-partners-connect-data-from-satellite-and-sea/

https://science.nasa.gov/astrobiology/researchers/life-detection-resources/ladder-of-life-detection/

Senate Appropriations NASA Budget Hearing

April 27, 2026

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS), will host a hearing with Jared Isaacman on the President’s fiscal year 2027 budget request for NASA on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 10:00 am EDT in Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 138.

https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/a-review-of-the-presidents-fiscal-year-2027-budget-request-for-the-national-aeronautics-and-space-administration

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRbb1C0v2G8 (House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies 4/27)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYHZr160Sc (NOAA Review)

https://www.nasa.gov/solar-system/planets/mars/nasas-perseverance-curiosity-panoramas-capture-two-sides-of-mars/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_P0swqaZDk

moar rovers roving

https://science.nasa.gov/photojournal/six-years-of-curiositys-wheels-on-the-move/

NASA’s Perseverance, Curiosity Panoramas Capture Two Sides of Mars

Apr 27, 2026

NASA’s Curiosity and Perseverance rovers have captured two 360-degree landscapes that highlight how the missions are revealing details of the Red Planet’s formation, watery past, and potential for life.

Located 2,345 miles (3,775 kilometers) apart from each other on Mars — about the distance from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. — both rovers are exploring areas that are billions of years old.

But as the nearly 15-year-old Curiosity reaches ever-younger terrain in the foothills of Mount Sharp, the 5-year-old Perseverance is venturing into some of the oldest landscapes in the entire solar system.

By time-traveling in opposite directions, the rovers are filling in missing details about the planet’s history.

Stitched together from 1,031 images taken between Nov. 9 and Dec. 7, 2025, Curiosity’s 360-degree panorama offers a detailed look into a region filled with a vast network of boxwork formations:

Resembling giant spiderwebs in orbiter images, the low ridges were created by groundwater that once flowed through large fractures in the bedrock. The minerals left behind hardened the rock along the fractures, resulting in erosion-resistant ridges.

Perseverance’s panorama focuses on a place nicknamed “Lac de Charmes,” which sits outside the rim of Jezero Crater.

Taken between Dec. 18, 2025, and Jan. 25, 2026, 980 images were stitched together for a 360-degree view capturing the Jezero rim and ancient rocks around the crater.

Driven by Curiosity

Today, both of these landscapes are frigid deserts, but evidence of a more dynamic past hides within. When Curiosity landed on the floor of Gale Crater in 2012, it set out to determine whether Mars once had the conditions to support life.

Within a year, a sample drilled from an ancient lakebed confirmed those conditions had been present, including the right chemistry and potential nutrients for microbes.

Since 2014, Curiosity has been ascending Mount Sharp. Towering 3 miles (5 kilometers) above the crater floor, the mountain first began forming when layers of sediment were deposited in a series of lakes.

Long after those lakes dried up, ponds and streams returned several times, leaving a record in the mountain’s layers that formed in drier eras.

Because the lowest layers are oldest and higher layers are youngest, Curiosity is essentially progressing back through geological time as it slowly climbs the mountain.

Last year, Curiosity’s team documented how they found that the mineral siderite might be storing carbon dioxide that once was part of a thicker, early atmosphere.

Scientists had long suspected that carbonate minerals such as siderite formed when carbon dioxide dissolved into ancient lakes, but such deposits had only rarely been found.

The mission also announced the detection of three of the largest organic molecules ever found on Mars in a sample it had drilled in 2013.

The discovery of these long-chain hydrocarbons — possibly the remnants of fatty acids — are a milestone in the search for more complex, prebiotic chemistry on the Red Planet.

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And this year, they announced that a rock Curiosity 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.

Persevering for science

Perseverance landed in Mars’ Jezero Crater in 2021 to study the origin of ancient rocks within the crater and to hunt for evidence that microbial life once existed.

Billions of years ago, molten rock cooled to form the floor of Jezero Crater. A river then fed a lake in the crater, leaving behind sediments where traces of microbes could have been preserved.

In 2024, the mission discovered a rock nicknamed “Cheyava Falls” that was dotted with “leopard spots,” a pattern formed by chemical reactions that microbes are known to create in rocks here on Earth.

While Curiosity pulverizes its rock samples for analysis, Perseverance collects samples as intact rock cores, each about the size of a piece of blackboard chalk, and stores them in metal tubes.

Aside from a backup set of 10 tubes Perseverance deposited in a sample depot, the rover keeps all its samples (23 so far) on board in its interior.

Scientists hope to get these samples into labs on Earth where they can investigate them more fully with instruments far bigger and more complicated than those that can be sent to Mars.

Meanwhile, Perseverance continues to investigate other aspects of the Red Planet.

For instance, this past fall, mission scientists shared the first recordings of electrical sparks in passing dust devils — a phenomenon that had only been theorized before Perseverance’s microphones caught them.

A separate study detailed how one of Perseverance’s sensitive cameras was able to capture the first visible light auroras from the surface of another planet.

Both missions are looking forward to the next discoveries as they continue to unravel the secrets of Mars.

Curiosity has left the boxwork region behind as it continues to explore a mountain layer enriched in salty minerals called sulfates; Perseverance will keep heading toward locations that hold exceptionally old terrain, including one called “Singing Canyon.”

Managed for NASA by Caltech, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California built and manages operations of both Curiosity and Perseverance on behalf of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate as part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program portfolio.

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“The world’s largest untapped frontier” — Why a NASA-led startup is replacing $3 million-a-month ships with persistent ‘AI-infused’ autonomous robots that stay at sea for months to monitor energy assets and subsea cables with no humans in the loop

Mon, April 27, 2026 at 1:40 PM PDT

Offshore inspections remain expensive due to heavy reliance on vessels

Autonomous robots aim to remove humans entirely from offshore operations

Persistent deployment replaces short missions with continuous data collection

Offshore operations have long depended on vessels and crews that cost up to $100,000 per day, which is not only expensive but also dangerous and difficult to scale.

Bubble Robotics, a startup founded by former NASA and ETH Zürich robotics engineers, now claims to have a better solution.

The company emerged from stealth in April 2026 with $5 million in pre-seed funding and a plan to replace those costly ships with autonomous robots.

Persistent robots instead of episodic vessels

Bubble Robotics' core argument is straightforward: offshore operations should not require humans at sea, and rather than sending out ships for short missions, it deploys robotic systems that remain on site for months at a time.

These AI-infused machines inspect, monitor, and collect data continuously without human intervention.

“Today, 80 to 90% of offshore inspection costs come from vessels and crews,” said Jean Crosetti, CEO and Co-Founder of Bubble Robotics.

“By removing that dependency, we unlock a step change in cost, safety, and operational frequency. What used to be episodic becomes continuous.”

The timing of this approach aligns with a serious industry problem. The energy sector alone needs an additional 600,000 professionals by 2030, yet the existing workforce is already stretched thin.

Bubble’s robots operate under a robotics-as-a-service model, which means industrial customers pay for capability without upfront capital expenses or offshore mobilization.

This model reduces costs, addresses workforce shortages, and increases inspection frequency.

Beyond industrial applications, maritime security remains a persistent concern, as subsea cables, ports, and energy assets are largely unmonitored in real time despite growing exposure to threats.

Persistent autonomous systems offer a way to detect anomalies and secure infrastructure without deploying human crews.

This technology relies on advances in edge AI and satellite connectivity that have allegedly reached an inflection point.

Whether these systems can truly operate for months in harsh ocean conditions without failure remains an open question.

Despite this concern, there are signed letters of intent worth over $4 million, which implies interest from the market.

However, actual deployments will reveal whether the robots perform as advertised.

The ocean sits at the center of energy transition, global trade, and climate resilience — yet history is littered with ambitious marine technologies that struggled against saltwater, storms, and biological fouling.

Bubble Robotics may have a compelling thesis, but persistent autonomy at sea is a claim that demands proof, not just press releases.

https://tech.yahoo.com/ai/articles/world-largest-untapped-frontier-why-204000106.html

https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4471347/securing-the-ultimate-high-ground-how-the-space-force-is-revolutionizing-airbor/

extra Space Force

https://www.petersonschriever.spaceforce.mil/Newsroom/News/Display/Article/4471727/sbd-1-friends-of-space-group-tours-peterson/

Securing the ultimate high ground: how the Space Force is revolutionizing airborne target tracking

April 27, 2026

In the modern era of emerging and pacing threats, the ability to clearly see the battlespace is no longer a given.

As adversaries develop increasingly sophisticated ways to deny and contest traditional airspace, the U.S. military is looking upward to maintain its tactical advantage.

Enter the U.S. Space Force’s latest push to secure the high ground: the Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator (SB-AMTI) program.

Spearheaded by the Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) for Space-Based Sensing and Targeting (SBST), this ambitious initiative is designed to provide the Joint Force with persistent vigilance over the battlefield, tracking airborne threats continuously from space.

The mission: persistent vigilance in contested domains

For decades, the military has relied heavily on terrestrial and airborne sensors to track moving targets in the air.

However, deploying these traditional sensing aircraft into highly contested environments is becoming increasingly unviable, as those platforms face unprecedented risks.

SB-AMTI directly answers the 2026 National Defense Strategy mandate to ensure the joint force maintains second-to-none operational flexibility and the ability to conduct operations anywhere in the world.

While achieving all-domain MTI against all targets still requires a multi-domain capability, SB-AMTI fortifies a layered, connective tissue by leveraging the space vantage point to generate an expansive reach.

Designed as a complex "system-of-systems," SB-AMTI isn't just a single satellite. It is a highly integrated architecture encompassing advanced space-based sensors, artificial intelligence-driven resilient ground processing and secure communication links.

By leveraging AI to filter clutter and identify targets hidden within massive data streams, the ultimate goal is to provide warfighters with continuous oversight and real-time tracking data, eliminating operational blind spots regardless of what is happening in the airspace below.

“Our mission is to deliver a resilient sensing layer that ensures our joint warfighters maintain a decisive information advantage in the air domain—especially in a denied or contested environment,” USSF Col. Ryan Frazier, PAE for SBST, explained. “We are providing continuous oversight where traditional sensors cannot reach to protect their freedom of maneuver.”

By eliminating blind spots, commanders in every domain can decisively act with total air domain awareness—maximizing outcomes that maintain superiority within their battlespace, without incurring undue risk to their personnel and assets.

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The engine: moving at the speed of relevance

Developing a space-based system of this magnitude requires executing the 2026 NDS mandate to supercharge the defense industrial base and clear away outdated policies with a deliberate shift to accelerate defense contracting.

In its charge to deliver capabilities into warfighter hands at a speed relevant to the fight ahead of them, the Space Force has fundamentally shifted its acquisition strategy.

In commitment to this same charge, the SBST office launched a comprehensive, multi-vendor strategy with leading innovators from across the national security space industrial base.

While the contractual details are complex, the operational impact is simple: it creates a dynamic, high-speed marketplace for advanced SB-AMTI capabilities.

By leveraging this multi-vendor approach, the Space Force isn't just buying a product; they are building a sustainable industrial ecosystem.

It allows the Department of War to rapidly integrate cutting-edge commercial space technologies, software and processing capabilities from a highly diversified pool of traditional and non-traditional vendors.

This diverse pool will also include varying levels of size and maturity, opening the aperture as wide as possible to identify and align the best-suited vendors into the ecosystem.

“By utilizing this multi-vendor framework, we are capitalizing on established industry capacity to field these essential capabilities at speed and scale, while also partnering with industry to ensure a strong competitive industrial base well into the future,” Col. Frazier noted.

Looking ahead: a call to industry

SB-AMTI program serves as another clear indicator that the Space Force continues to actively tear down barriers to entry for commercial space innovators.

“Crucially, this acquisition approach serves as the baseline for a broader, sustainable strategy,” Frazier added.

“It allows us to foster a competitive industrial environment, preparing a wide array of partners for future capability competitions while delivering advanced, mission-critical solutions to the joint force at the speed of need.”

As the SBST portfolio continues to evolve, the message to the aerospace and tech industries is clear: the Space Force is moving fast, and they are looking for partners ready to help deliver the ultimate high ground advantage.

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SpaceX Viasat-3 F3 Mission

April 28, 2026

SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, April 29 for a Falcon Heavy launch of the ViaSat-3 F3 mission to geosynchronous transfer orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The 85-minute launch window opens at 10:13 a.m. ET. If needed, a backup opportunity is available Thursday, April 30 during an 85-minute window that opens at 10:09 a.m. ET.

A live webcast of this mission will begin about 15 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the X TV app.

One of the side boosters on this mission previously supported SDA-0A, SARah-2, Transporter-11, and 18 Starlink missions, and the second previously supported launch of the GOES-U mission.

Following stage separation, Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters will land on SpaceX’s Landing Zones 2 and 40 (LZ-2 and LZ-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

https://www.spacex.com/launches/viasat3f3

https://www.wftv.com/news/local/sonic-boom-warning-issued-ahead-falcon-heavy-rocket-launch-florida/YBCCWGX2URAAZCWUR3H3NU2RM4/

Kiev’s attacks on Russian refinery cutting global oil supply – Kremlin

28 Apr, 2026 13:00 | Updated 28 Apr, 2026 14:05

Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure on the Black Sea coast are worsening the global oil crunch caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

Multiple Ukrainian drone strikes have hit Tuapse, a key densely-populated port in Russia’s Krasnodar Region, have targeted its refinery and adjacent marine terminal.

Regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev reported fires at the site, including a major blaze at the refinery, prompting evacuations of nearby residents and emergency response measures.

The attacks led to high-risk air pollution, with residents advised to use respirators, as an oil spill destroyed miles of the beach in the resort town. Kondratyev also released a video of the town filled with smoke, with a clean-up operation ongoing on the beach.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Peskov confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had been briefed on the situation. “The Kiev regime has once again struck oil storage facilities, where the oil was intended for export operations, that is, for fulfilling export contract obligations,” he said.

Peskov stressed that the Ukrainian drone raids “further increase the oil deficit on global markets, which are already experiencing significant difficulties because of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, and provoking further destabilization on global energy markets.”

The US-Israeli war on Iran led to a de-facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly 20% of global oil consumption, sending benchmark Brent oil prices up well beyond $100 per barrel.

To alleviate the pressure on oil markets, the Trump administration went so far as to issue a sanctions waiver on Russian oil already at sea.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the attacks on Tuapse caused civilian casualties and damage to homes, social infrastructure, and environment and criticized a lack of response from the EU and NATO.

“What are the European Union and NATO saying about this? They are silent,” she charged. “There is a serious environmental threat. The pollution is covering 10,000 sq. m. Where are these Western environmentalists?

https://www.rt.com/russia/639210-ukraine-attacks-refinery-global-oil-suply/

extra RT

https://www.rt.com/news/639185-merz-territorial-concessions-ukraine-eu-bid/

Ukrainian Drone Strikes Russian “Rubikon” Ammo Depot in Belgorod Region

Apr 28, 2026 14:52

A Ukrainian drone struck an ammunition depot belonging to Russia’s “Rubikon” unit on Russian territory, according to analysts from the CyberBoroshno monitoring group on April 28.

The depot was reportedly located inside a disused sugar factory in the settlement of Nova Tavolzhanka in Russia’s Belgorod region, near the border with Ukraine and the city of Vovchansk.

Footage released by the analysts appears to show a series of explosions at the site, with Russian soldiers seen taking cover in a basement as ammunition detonates.

This is not the first time Ukrainian forces have targeted infrastructure linked to the “Rubikon” unit.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces released footage of a strike on a logistics base associated with the secretive Russian drone technology center in the temporarily occupied town of Mangush in the Donetsk region.

The attack, carried out overnight on April 17 by mid-range strike units, triggered explosions and large-scale fires at the site, according to a statement published on Telegram.

According to the SSO, “Rubikon” plays a key role in deploying most of Russia’s strike and reconnaissance drones used against Ukraine’s Defense Forces, excluding Shahed/Gheran-type UAVs.

The unit is known to operate a wide range of systems, including conventional and fiber-optic FPV drones, as well as strike platforms such as Molniya and Lancet drones, and reconnaissance UAVs like ZALA, Orlan, and SuperCam.

It has also been linked to the use of maritime drones.

Additionally, units of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces have previously targeted multiple Russian military sites, including a storage facility for an Iskander missile system and a remote piloting position used by the “Rubikon” unit.

In the village of Pasichne in occupied Crimea, Ukrainian forces hit a site used to store an operational-tactical Iskander missile system, triggering powerful explosions.

In a separate strike, a remote piloting post of the “Rubikon” unit was destroyed in the village of Vysoke in the occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region.

https://united24media.com/latest-news/ukrainian-drone-strikes-russian-rubikon-ammo-depot-in-belgorod-region-18290

https://t.me/kiber_boroshno/12876

other Russia and Ukraine

https://eadaily.com/en/news/2026/04/28/open-call-a-british-fighter-shot-down-a-russian-drone-over-the-black-sea

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/74932

https://kyivindependent.com/daytime-russian-drone-attack-on-kyiv-damages-building-cemeterys-territory/

https://censor.net/en/videonews/4000438/fire-at-the-tuapse-oil-refinery-following-a-drone-attack

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/2026-04-28/live-updates-894376

https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-blows-up-2-vast-hezbollah-attack-tunnels-built-with-direct-guidance-from-iran/

https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/04/28/idf-tunnel-blast-in-lebanon-triggers-earthquake-alerts-in-israel/

https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-blows-up-2-vast-hezbollah-attack-tunnels-built-with-direct-guidance-from-iran/

other Israel

https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-idf-raids-and-destroys-over-1000-hezbollah-structures-uncovers-hundreds-of-weapons/

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-several-more-explosive-drones-launched-at-troops-in-southern-lebanon-yesterday/

Live Updates: IDF blows up massive Hezbollah tunnel in s. Lebanon, Trump claims Iran in 'state of collapse'

April 28, 2026

Tehran fears popular protests amid economic uncertainty • US warns against working with Iranian airlines • Israelis receive threatening messages, likely from Iranian hackers

April 28, 8:18 PM

WATCH: IDF dismantles largest Hezbollah tunnel network in southern Lebanon

The IDF said that the tunnel runs two kilometers in length and 10 kilometers in width, and was capable of fitting thousands of terrorists.

IDF destroys the largest Hezbollah tunnel city in Southern Lebanon, built with aid from Iran. April 28, 2026.

The IDF on Tuesday announced it has destroyed the largest Hezbollah tunnel city in all of southern Lebanon, a network built with significant aid from Iran.

According to the IDF, this network could house and provide weapons, communications, and other operational infrastructure for thousands of Radwan special forces fighters in the area.

During the 2024 invasion of Lebanon, the IDF previously found three tunnel city-type networks, but this one, near Kantara, is the largest.g to return.

April 28, 8:18 PM

Netanyahu: 'Hand still outstretched' after destruction of Hezbollah tunnel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the IDF's success in blowing up an enormous Hezbollah tunnel in Lebanon, adding that Israel was ready to continue acting against the terrorist organization.

"We're destroying their terror infrastructure, we're killing many dozens of their terrorists - and still, our hand is outstretched," he said.

Netanyahu added that he had given an order several weeks ago to prepare a special initiative to destroy the threat of Hezbollah drones. "It will take time," he said, "But we'll blow that up too."

April 28, 7:16 PM

IDF blows up Lebanon tunnel

The IDF blew up a Hezbollah tunnel in Lebanon on Tuesday afternoon, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced.

"The Lebanese government and the Lebanese army pledged to free southern Lebanon from Hezbollah terrorists and weapons, and these are the results," he said.

He also blamed Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, for bringing about the destruction of Lebanon's homes and villages.

"We promised security to residents of the North, and that is what we will do," he concluded.

April 28, 6:27 PM

Sirens sounded in Misgav Am after targets intercepted in Lebanon

Sirens sounded in Misgav Am after the IDF intercepted suspicious targets identified near where soldiers were operating in southern Lebanon.

The alerts came according to protocol due to a concern of falling debris from the interceptors, the IDF said.

April 28, 6:25 PM

IDF launches interceptors within southern Lebanon

The IDF launched interceptors on Tuesday against a suspicious target in the area of Israeli troops within southern Lebanon.

The target did not cross into Israel's territory, the military said, and as such no sirens were sounded.

The IDF also announced that, earlier on Tuesday, Hezbollah had launched several explosive drones at IDF soldiers in Lebanon, violating the ceasefire agreement.

No soldiers were wounded in the attack.

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>>24550103

April 28, 4:50 PM

Iran in ‘state of collapse,’ Trump claims

US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran has informed him that they are in a “state of collapse” as they figure out their leadership situation, in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday.

He added that Iran also wants the US to open the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as possible.”

This is a developing story.

April 28, 4:38 PM

Did Israel risk lives? Debate rages over Israel sending Arrow missiles to Germany mid-Iran war

Israel's capacity to produce Arrow missiles for Israeli defense increased between seven and 10 times, The Jerusalem Post learned.

A debate is raging over whether Israel's sending Arrow air defense missiles to Germany during the middle of the Iran war, when it was being showered with ballistic missiles, cost Israeli civilian lives.

The Jerusalem Post has confirmed that Israel continued to send Arrow missiles to Berlin mid-war as part of a contract between the countries, even though Israel had a shortage of its own interceptors.

Some commentators upon learning this information have accused the Israeli government of allowing at least five persons to die and hundreds to be injured when the IDF did not use the Arrow to defend from certain attacks.

April 28, 2:53 PM

Iranian embassies openly recruit for ‘sacrificing life’ campaign in the West

Iranian embassies in the UK, Germany, Australia, and Sri Lanka have openly sought recruits for a martyrdom campaign amid ongoing conflict with the US and Israel.

The Iranian embassies in the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and Sri Lanka have openly attempted to recruit fighters willing to “sacrifice their lives” in a new campaign as Tehran continues to refuse terms for an end to the war with the US and Israel.

On April 15, Tehran’s official embassy page in London called for “proud compatriots residing in the United Kingdom” to join the efforts.

April 28, 2:52 PM

Rubio on White House shooting: 'A lot of leadership' and warns Iran 'seeks to dominate the region'

Rubio called the shooting an “unfortunate situation” that an individual could disrupt the important event, and said, "That’s kind of the world we live in right now.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised US President Donald Trump’s leadership and transparency during the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, as he also addressed ongoing tensions with Iran and conflict involving Hezbollah in an interview with Fox News Channel’s Trey Yingst on Monday.

Rubio called the shooting an “unfortunate situation” that an individual could disrupt the important event, and said, "That’s kind of the world we live in right now.”

When asked what it was like to rush back to the White House he said, “I think the President’s decision to return to the White House, release the video, and then address the American people in a press conference…really showed a lot of leadership by the President, and I think calmed the nation down, and I think has allowed us to pivot towards the investigation and move on with the work of the country.”

April 28, 2:52 PM

Israel's purchase of 'stolen' Ukrainian grain is not 'legitimate', Zelensky says

Ukrainian President Zelensky condemned Israel's purchase of grain from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, stating it cannot be considered legitimate business and warning of sanctions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that Israel's purchase of grain from occupied Ukrainian territory "stolen" by Russia "cannot be legitimate business" and that Kyiv was readying sanctions against those attempting to profit from it.

"Another vessel carrying such grain has arrived at a port in Israel and is preparing to unload," Zelensky said on X/Twitter. "This is not – and cannot be – legitimate business."

"Israeli authorities cannot be unaware of which ships are arriving at the country's ports and what cargo they are carrying," he stated.

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