TYB
Preliminary Assessment by Avi Loeb of the Second Release of UFO Files by the U.S. Department of War
May 22, 2026
The U.S. Department of War has just released here its second batch of newly public files on Unidentified Objects (UFO/UAP). These are objects that the Pentagon and the intelligence agencies cannot identify.
If they are real and not spurious, there are two possible interpretations: either these are familiar human-made or natural objects or these are non-human-made objects. Either way, the matter is of great importance for national security or for basic science.
This second release contains 50 videos, 7 audio files with NASA logo, and 6 documents from 1949 to late 2025 that cover CIA, DOE, DOD/ODNI, and national laboratory sources.
UAP activity was unambiguously documented near nuclear or weapons facilities like Sandia, Los Alamos, Pantex and more. One document contains 116 pages related to a series of reported sightings in a top-secret facility in Sandia, New Mexico, from 1948 to 1950.
This includes 209 sightings of green orbs, discs and fireballs reported near a military base. Another document describes a senior U.S. Intelligence Community officer sharing a firsthand helicopter mission to investigate UAP activity on a military test range in late 2025.
The detailed narrative is operationally specific, indicating that we are dealing with a serious matter that should not be dismissed by policy makers or by scientists.
Among the videos, there is one (labeled DOW-UAP-PR067) which shows a startling spherical UAP going through the clouds. Another video (labeled DOW-UAP-PR051) from 2021 shows apparent instantaneous acceleration where a UAP moves sideways abruptly.
Other videos show unusual motions, but it is difficult to ascertain whether we are witnessing parallax by the motion of the camera rather than the UAP. One of the videos shows a crash site of a UAP. It would be interesting to study the material remains from that crash.
After scrolling through the data from the two releases so far, there is no doubt that UAP are a serious concern for national security and that one of the reasons for them to be classified is to avoid exposing the vulnerability of the U.S. Defense system and intelligence infrastructure.
If UAPs represent drones, balloons or aircraft manufactured by adversarial nations, then the Chinese spy balloon incident from 2023 is just the tip of a giant iceberg of national security malfunction.
However, if any of the UAP was not produced by humans, then it represents the biggest discovery ever made by humans.
Given that astronomers train their telescopes on small portions of the sky at any given time and that the defense budget for 2026 — nearly a trillion dollars, is two orders of magnitude larger than the national science budget, the U.S. government is likely to be the first to notice rare and unusual objects of extraterrestrial origin.
Whether it did or not it found alien technologies remains to be demonstrated with better quality data. The U.S. government has higher-resolution data with a few inches per pixel resolution from the fleet of reconnaissance satellites it operates, but we have not seen UAP from such data so far.
Former intelligence director, John Ratcliffe, noted in 2021 that satellite imagery picked up UAP (as reported here), but such data may not be released because it was obtained by highly classified sensors.
Instead of waiting for the U.S. Government to tell us whether objects from outside the Solar system are visiting Earth, we can simply look up.
The Galileo Project under my leadership operates three new observatories, where we analyze data on millions of objects with AI algorithms in search for outliers which move beyond the performance envelope of human made technologies.
Here’s hoping that we will know more in the coming months, either from additional UAP releases from the U.S. Government or from the Galileo Observatories data.
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/preliminary-assessment-by-avi-loeb-of-the-second-release-of-ufo-files-by-the-u-s-department-of-war-03b6c8d5123d
https://www.war.gov/ufo/
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-announces-realignment-to-accelerate-mission-delivery/
https://www.nasa.gov/nasa-leadership/
extra NASA
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/stop-lying-conspiracy-theorist-confronts-artemis-2-astronauts-accuses-them-of-faking-their-moon-mission
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasa-seeks-interest-for-artemis-mission-cubesats/
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-joins-artemis-accords-workshop-as-global-signings-rise/
https://www.nasa.gov/general/nasa-wins-four-telly-awards-for-artemis-moon-coverage-more/
NASA Announces Realignment to Accelerate Mission Delivery
May 22, 2026
NASA announced Friday an agencywide realignment to increase mission focus and move out on the National Space Policy. These changes position the agency to better deliver on the nation’s highest‑priority objectives with speed and efficiency.
During the Ignition event in late March, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and agency leaders outlined the most pressing objectives to deliver on the next chapter of American leadership in space.
President Trump’s Executive Order Ensuring American Space Superiority, otherwise known as the National Space Policy, directed NASA to focus talent and resources on objectives including accelerating the Artemis program, establishing a Moon Base, developing a nuclear space reactor, igniting the orbital economy, and expanding missions of science and discovery.
To support the agency’s ambitious short- and long-term goals, NASA is taking action to increase specialization at centers and integrate mission directorates, elevating delivery of technically excellent work. Some of these actions include:
Center directors will continue reporting to Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya, empowered to foster the unique capabilities of each center, and strengthen investments in infrastructure and the health of their workforce.
Mission directorates will now report directly to the administrator, ensuring focus on the mission and enabling them to leverage resources across centers, industry, and international partnerships with greater speed and efficiency.
The associate administrator also now serves as NASA chief engineer, reinforcing the agency’s technical backbone and ensuring continuity and autonomy in critical engineering decisions.
The agency continues to focus on rebuilding core competencies, insourcing contractors to civil servants where appropriate, strengthening the intern pipeline, and leveraging the agency’s joint recruitment initiative with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, NASA Force, to build a strong, sustainable workforce for generations to come.
“This initiative reflects NASA’s extreme focus on executing the mission in direct support of the National Space Policy.
We are focusing resources on the most pressing objectives only NASA is capable of undertaking and liberating the workforce from unnecessary bureaucracy and obstacles that impede progress.
We aim to rebuild competencies and instill a culture that attracts the best and brightest capable of pursuing the most demanding engineering challenges and moving safely and urgently,” said Isaacman.
“There will be no reduction in force, no program cancellations, no closures, but we will achieve cost savings through more efficient execution and taking an active role in delivering the outcomes the world has been waiting for from NASA.
This is how we deliver on the mission, meet the moment, and continue to make history on behalf of the American people.”
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Mission directorate realignment is as follows:
Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate (HSMD): With human spaceflight operational to both low Earth orbit and the Moon, the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate and Space Operations Mission Directorate will unify as HSMD.
Research and Technology Mission Directorate (RTMD): NASA will integrate the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate and Space Technology Mission Directorate into the new RTMD.
As a combined research, space technology, and aeronautics organization charged with nuclear power and propulsion development, RTMD will ensure NASA has the capabilities needed for the mission of today and the future.
Science Mission Directorate (SMD): Remains unchanged and continues to provide the foundation for NASA’s world‑leading scientific discovery.
Additional leadership roles, in alphabetical order, include:
John Bailey, associate administrator, Mission Support Directorate
Kevin Coggins, director, SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation), RTMD
Wesley Deadrick, director, Katherine Johnson IV&V Facility
Jamie Dunn, director, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Carlos García-Galán, program manager, Moon Base, HSMD
Dr. Lori Glaze, associate administrator, HSMD
Laurie Grindle, director, Aeronautics Division, RTMD
Marvin Horne, deputy assistant administrator for Procurement
Brian Hughes, director, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
Kathleen Karika, associate administrator, Office of International and Interagency Relations, OIIR
Dr. James Kenyon, associate administrator, RTMD
Kelvin Manning, deputy associate administrator, HSMD
Meredith McKay, deputy associate administrator, OIIR
Dave Mitchell, special assignment lead for NASA Headquarters Relocation
Joel Montalbano, deputy associate administrator, HSMD
Bradley Niese, associate administrator for Procurement
Eli Ouder, acting deputy associate administrator, Mission Support Directorate
Jeremy Parsons, program manager, Artemis, HSMD
Bob Pearce to retire as head of ARMD after an amazing 36-year career at NASA
Wanda Peters, deputy associate administrator, RTMD
Dawn Schaible, director, NASA’s Glenn Research Center
Cynthia Simmons, deputy director, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Steve Sinacore, acting director, Space Reactor Office; program manager for SR-1, LR-1, RTMD
Adam Steltzner, chief engineer for Special Projects
Greg Stover, director, Advanced Research and Technology Division, RTMD
Dana Weigel, program manager, Low Earth Orbit, HSMD
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ultra dank
NASA to Compete Contract for Jet Propulsion Laboratory Management
May 22, 2026
NASA announced plans Friday to compete the next contract for managing and operating the agency’s federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) in Southern California at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), to ensure continued accountability and strong value for U.S. taxpayers.
The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has managed the laboratory since its inception in the 1930s, and previous NASA contracts for its management and operations have been awarded sole source to the university since the facility was transferred from the U.S. Army to NASA in 1958.
The rapid growth of the U.S. space economy indicates there may now be a viable competitive market for programmatic and institutional elements of the FFRDC operations.
Conducting a competition for this contract enables NASA to assess the potential benefits of alternative management approaches to the FFRDC, including opportunities to enhance mission performance, innovation, and overall cost and operational efficiency, consistent with federal competition requirements.
This decision is part of a broader governmentwide and agency effort to find efficiencies, strengthen performance, and drive mission outcomes faster and more affordably.
“The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has delivered some of the most extraordinary scientific and engineering achievements in NASA’s history,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.
“As America’s space economy evolves, we have a responsibility to the American people and the scientific community to evaluate how we can execute faster, operate more efficiently, and continue to deliver world-class science and engineering at the highest level.
The decision to compete this contract reflects NASA’s commitment to strong stewardship of taxpayer resources and positions Jet Propulsion Laboratory to continue driving world-changing scientific discovery and technological innovation for decades to come.”
The work conducted at JPL remains critically important to the agency, and NASA is committed to maintaining continuity for active and future missions throughout the procurement process. NASA also is committed to maintaining the FFRDC’s existing physical location.
This approach is consistent with broader government practices, including at the Department of Energy, which has held full and open competitions for five of its 16 FFRDC management and operations contracts over the past 10 years.
The current contract with Caltech began Oct. 1, 2018, and runs through Sept. 30, 2028, with a potential maximum value of $30 billion, if all options are exercised. NASA has initiated the procurement process to compete the contract.
Beginning this process now allows the agency sufficient time to conduct a comprehensive competition and award cycle while maintaining continuity for ongoing missions and laboratory operations.
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-to-compete-contract-for-jet-propulsion-laboratory-management/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/jpl-prime-contract-update/
extra extra NASA
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/workforce-updates/2026/05/22/a-message-from-administrator-jared-issacman/
https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/hubble-captures-galaxy-cluster/
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-to-showcase-mission-to-boost-swift-spacecrafts-orbit/
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/tornado-draws-a-jagged-line-in-mississippi/
Crew Conducting Advanced Health Research and More Spacewalk Preps
May 21, 2026 2:04PM
Four Expedition 74 astronauts had a light duty day with an array of advanced research still scheduled for Thursday. The three cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station focused on ongoing spacewalk preparations and robotics training.
NASA flight engineers Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, and Chris Williams, and ESA (European Space Agency) flight engineer Sophie Adenot had a busy week of unloading and activating critical new science experiments delivered aboard a SpaceX Dragon on Sunday, May 17.
The quartet relaxed half of the day Thursday after an intense few days that saw the crew kicking off advanced investigations into cancer treatments, growing blood-clotting platelets, and engineering cartilage tissue, all seeking to benefit health on and off the Earth.
When Meir was back on shift Thursday, she photographed microgreens growing to help botanists learn how to provide a healthy diet for astronauts aboard a spacecraft.
Next, she nourished stem cell samples inside Kibo’s Life Science Glovebox being incubated to learn how to manufacture space-designed therapies to treat cancer and blood conditions.
Hathaway assisted Meir with the sample nourishing by first setting up the Life Science Glovebox, and retrieving the stem cell samples from a science freezer for thawing, then handing them over to Meir for processing.
He also installed lights, batteries, and video cameras on a pair of Orlan spacesuits two cosmonauts will wear on an upcoming spacewalk.
Williams loaded materials research carriers onto a platform that will be placed inside the Kibo laboratory module’s airlock for retrieval.
The Japanese robotic arm will grapple the hardware and install it on an external platform where the materials will be exposed to the microgravity environment for analysis.
The long-running physics study seeks to assist engineers designing equipment, hardware, fabrics, and more to better withstand the harsh environment of outer space.
Adenot spent most of her on-duty time installing combustion research hardware in one of Kibo’s multi-purpose small payload racks to study how solid materials ignite, burn, propagate flame, and self-extinguish in microgravity.
Station commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and flight engineer Sergei Mikaev, both from Roscosmos, partnered with Hathaway installing electronic and video components on the Orlan spacesuits.
The cosmonaut pair later studied the tasks and the associated maneuvers, displayed digitally on a computer screen, planned for an upcoming spacewalk next week.
Roscosmos flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev familiarized himself with the operation of the European robotic arm and the job it will perform in support of next week’s spacewalk.
Kud-Sverchkov and Mikaev joined Fedyaev for the robotic reviews then later regrouped for the spacewalk computer training.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/05/21/crew-conducting-advanced-health-research-and-more-spacewalk-preps/
extra NASA 3
https://science.nasa.gov/d-3-agigo-new-joint-observing-program-with-xmm-newton-added-to-ixpe-go-cycle-4/
https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/news/worldview-image-archive/fire-chars-santa-rosa-island
https://www.nasa.gov/general/new-material-melt-moon-rocks/
https://journal.com.ph/filipino-students-experiment-performed-by-nasa-astronaut-in-space/
Rocket Lab launches private Japanese Earth-observing satellite to orbit
May 22, 2026
Rocket Lab launched an Earth-observing radar satellite for the Japanese company Synspective early Friday morning (May 22).
An Electron rocket carrying one of Synspective's Strix satellites blasted off from Rocket Lab's New Zealand site on Friday at 5:33 a.m. EDT (0933 GMT; 9:33 p.m. local New Zealand time), on a mission called "Viva La Strix."
Everything went according to plan: Electron deployed the Strix satellite in low Earth orbit, at an altitude of about 355 miles (572 kilometers), according to the company.
Synspective is building out a "synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging constellation over Japan that provides data for urban development planning, construction and infrastructure monitoring, and disaster response," Rocket Lab wrote in a description of Friday's mission.
SAR satellites can peer through cloud cover and observe Earth in all lighting conditions, even darkness. That latter fact may explain the name that Tokyo-based Synspective gave to these satellites — Strix is a widespread genus of owls.
"Viva La Strix" was the ninth mission that Rocket Lab flew for Synspective. And many more are on the docket.
"Rocket Lab has been the sole launch provider for Synspective's constellation since 2020, with another 18 missions booked to deliver the rest of their constellation to orbit before 2030," Rocket Lab wrote in the mission description.
The 59-foot-tall (18-meter-tall) Electron gives small satellites dedicated rides to Earth orbit and beyond. The rocket debuted with a test flight in May 2017 and now has 78 liftoffs under its belt to date.
Rocket Lab has also flown seven missions with a suborbital version of Electron called HASTE, which allows customers to test hypersonic technologies in the space environment.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/watch-rocket-lab-launch-private-japanese-earth-observing-satellite-early-on-may-22
https://rocketlabcorp.com/missions/launches/viva-la-strix-2/
https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2057779029080781293
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyrrCpLFU88
Wall Street is about to fund the first city on Mars. Here are the craziest details from the SpaceX S-1
May 22, 2026
Imagine looking at your retirement account and seeing that your money is helping build a city on Mars.
That scenario is no longer science fiction. SpaceX has officially filed its S-1 paperwork to go public, opening its doors to Wall Street and retail investors alike.
An S-1 is a formal document a company must file with the government before selling stock to the public. It is designed to lay out financial truths and risk factors.
While most tech companies use this space to talk about software subscriptions and advertising revenue, SpaceX used it to map out the future of humanity in deep space.
The document is hundreds of pages long, but it reads less like a corporate disclosure and more like a blueprint for an interplanetary civilization.
Here are the most fascinating details revealed in the filing.
Quick Read
The company operates as three integrated businesses: Starlink generating $11.4B revenue, a newly incorpated Starbase city in Texas, and an AI segment losing $6.4B annually.
Starship V3 will deliver 100-ton payloads to orbit in H2 2026 with plans for 100 gigawatts of orbital AI compute capacity by decade’s end.
The Unprecedented Risk Factors
Every company must list what could go wrong with their business model. Usually, these are things like "increased competition" or "changing consumer tastes." SpaceX took a radically different approach.
Extraterrestrial Liability: The filing explicitly warns investors that Martian colonization will require massive amounts of capital and may not see a return on investment for decades, if ever.
Loss of Human Life: In a stark legal acknowledgment, the company states that deep space exploration carries an inherent risk of catastrophic mission failure and the potential loss of human life.
The Key Man Risk: The document devotes a massive section to Elon Musk. It details the potential danger of his split attention across his other ventures like Tesla, X, and xAI, noting that his public persona represents a unique volatility risk for shareholders.
Starlink is Funding the Voyage
How do you pay for a fleet of spaceships capable of carrying millions of tons of cargo to another planet? The answer is everyday internet users.
The S-1 confirms that Starlink, the company's satellite internet division, has crossed the threshold into massive profitability.
The Cash Cow: Starlink subscriptions from regular consumers, commercial airlines, and cruise ships are now generating more steady, recurring revenue than traditional rocket launches.
The Financial Loop: SpaceX is essentially a telecom company disguised as a rocket company. The profits from beaming internet to Earth are directly funding the development of Starship, the massive rocket designed for Mars.
Starshield and the Pentagon
While Mars captures the public imagination, the U.S. military is securing the company's immediate financial future. The filing sheds light on "Starshield," a specialized defense version of Starlink.
Government Dependency: The document reveals just how deeply the U.S. government relies on SpaceX for national security, featuring billions of dollars in classified and unclassified defense contracts.
The Orbital Moat: Because legacy defense contractors cannot match the low cost of SpaceX's reusable rockets, Starshield has effectively built a monopoly on modern space-based defense infrastructure.
The Verdict for Investors
The SpaceX S-1 presents Wall Street with a profound paradox.
On one hand, you have a company with a functional monopoly on space launch and global satellite internet, spinning off incredible amounts of cash.
On the other hand, the leadership is openly committed to spending those profits on a high-risk, multi-decade mission to settle a cold, dead planet.
For the average investor, buying a share of SpaceX will mean choosing to participate in history's largest financial gamble: whether humanity can truly become a multi-planetary species.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/wall-street-is-about-to-fund-the-first-city-on-mars-here-are-the-craziest-details-from-the-spacex-s-1/ar-AA23JIme
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1181412/000162828026036936/spaceexplorationtechnologi.htm
https://www.spacex.com/humanspaceflight/mars
extra SpaceX
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-launching-new-v3-starship-megarocket-for-1st-time-on-may-22-watch-live
https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/ground-system-issue-scrubs-first-launch-of-spacexs-starship-v3-rocket/
https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-12
https://www.tmz.com/2026/05/22/nicki-minaj-elon-musk-spacex-starship/
https://x.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/2057609776578654240
https://x.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/2057626166706549148
Vandenberg executes back-to-back space, ICBM launches as operations deputy marks final mission
May 21, 2026
As the sun set over the central coast of California May 19, a Falcon 9 rocket soared into the sky at 7:42 p.m.,, carrying 24 satellites into low-Earth orbit.
Just over four hours later, at 12:01 a.m., May 20, an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile pierced the darkness over the Pacific Ocean.
The increasing frequency of launches might suggest that space and test launch from the Vandenberg Spaceport and test range has become routine.
But inside the Western Range Operations Control Center, where personnel manage complex airspace and launch corridors, the atmosphere is anything but common.
Executing a dual-launch night demands relentless precision. While strategic nuclear deterrence missions like the unarmed Minuteman III test are scheduled years in advance, spaceport launches are dictated by the requirements of orbital mechanics.
When those timelines intersect, the rapid pivot from deploying orbital assets to testing the nation’s nuclear deterrent leaves no room for error.
"Assured access to space is no longer just a capability; it is an absolute requirement of our national security," said Col. Dorian Hatcher, Space Launch Delta 30 deputy commander for operations.
"As the cadence of these launches accelerates, so does the weight on our Guardians' shoulders. You might think the sheer volume would desensitize us, but it’s the exact opposite.
Delivering this level of excellence day in and day out requires dedication, because we know the nation is relying on us."
The midnight unarmed ICBM test capped a demanding evening for the installation and marked a personal milestone for Hatcher. It was his final operation as the launch decision authority.
Concluding a two-year tour defined by an unprecedented operational pace, he will now depart Vandenberg to take command of U.S. Space Forces-Korea.
During his tenure, Hatcher oversaw more than 130 space launch and test range operations — the busiest period at Vandenberg since the Cold War.
He supported an enterprise of more than 11,000 military, civilian and contractor personnel and managed integrated operations spanning 118,000 acres.
"Supporting Air Force Global Strike Command’s deterrence mission is a no-fail endeavor," said Lt. Col. Ralph Salazar, 2nd Range Operations Squadron commander.
"Executing a night like this requires proficiency and exceptional leadership. Col. Hatcher has provided that vision over the last two years, navigating this unprecedented launch pace.
We owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude as he takes his expertise to the Indo-Pacific."
The Minuteman III launch, known as GT-256, served as a critical demonstration of military readiness, rounding out the night's operations.
"These operational tests are the most visible and vital way we verify the readiness of our Minuteman III ICBM systems," said Col. Dustin Harmon, 377th Test and Evaluation Group commander, which is headquartered here at Vandenberg SFB.
"More importantly, they are a direct reflection of the unmatched skill and dedication of the Airmen in our missile community and the Guardians who support us at Vandenberg.”
For Hatcher, the back-to-back launches provided a fitting conclusion to a transformative tour.
“These past two years have redefined what operational excellence looks like on the Western Range,” Hatcher said.
“I leave here knowing this team isn't just reacting to the future of space — they are actively shaping it to ensure our nation’s strategic edge remains unmatched.”
https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4498966/vandenberg-executes-back-to-back-space-icbm-launches-as-operations-deputy-marks/
extra Space Force
https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4499023/gt-256-patching-ceremony/
https://www.waff.com/2026/05/21/us-space-rocket-center-commission-votes-new-ceo/
ESA Chief Calls on Europe to Double Funds for Space
May 22, 2026
Europe has made huge strides increasing public funds to grow its space economy, but to some in the industry, enough is not enough.
“If we’re not making big changes, we will never catch up. We will always run behind [the US],” ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher told Politico at the GLOBSEC forum yesterday.
His rationale—laid out in a detailed op-ed published Monday—hinged on the idea that if Europe wants sovereign space exploration capabilities, it has to act now—before the EU finalizes its Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028-2034.
Message received: After months of tiptoeing around a direct response to NASA’s about-face changes to the Artemis program in March, Aschbacher used the op-ed to speak bluntly: “Europe has become too exposed to decisions beyond its control.”
By making the unilateral decision to pause Gateway and cancel Mars Sample Return, the US disrupted Europe’s space exploration plans, he argued.
As a result, Europe needs to be the master of its own destiny—something that will require the European nations to “multiply our investment by a factor of two, at least, if not three,” Aschbacher said at the event.
But funds alone can’t bring Europe into a sovereign space future. The region also needs the “political will,” to set itself on a path of autonomous activities in space—and reduce its dependency on American space dominance.
In some ways, this willpower is already on the rise across the region.
ESA’s 2025 Council of Ministers wrapped in November, with 24 of 27 contributing nations increasing their subscriptions to the multinational agency. During the past year, multiple nations have upped their public space and defense budgets.
Uphill battles: The risk remains, however, that these budget increases don’t coalesce into a unified framework for regional sovereignty in space.
“Strength only exists if we act together,” Aschbacher said in his op-ed. “European nations must resist the temptation to look inward—forging solo paths on the Moon and beyond. In the long run, no single member state can achieve on their own what we can achieve together.”
Bad omens: Despite ESA’s budget ballooning, multiple member nations are instead directing funds to boost themselves, forgoing potential opportunities to work together.
Germany and France have earmarked €35B and €4.2B in public funds, respectively, for their national space defense sectors.
In March, Germany also announced a plan to spend approximately €10B on a 100-sat communications constellation to operate separate from IRIS2;
Even Luxembourg, famously small and landlocked, has set aside €150M in a “National Defence Fund” for its local A&D industry.
Sustained political will also faces challenges from divided national budgets, which can spend big on defense while pulling funds for space science and exploration in hard financial times.
In April, the French government did just that, directing CNES Chair and CEO François Jacq to cut €320M from the agency’s budget to align with the country’s austerity measures.
If other European nations fall into financial disrepair, space budgets could similarly find themselves on the chopping block.
Now or never: To get around these hurdles, Aschbacher pushed for urgency. His call to action: Lock in a decisive plan to set Europe on a path to sovereign space capabilities, and commit to the years of work necessary to get the job done.
“If we started today, it would still take us many years to build autonomous capability—we must act quickly. The cost of inaction would far outweigh the necessary investment,” Aschbacher said.
“We have everything we need. What remains are the confidence and political will to act.”
https://payloadspace.com/esa-chief-calls-on-europe-to-double-funds-for-space/
extra ESA
https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/ESA_at_GLOBSEC_2026
https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Business_with_ESA/ESA_s_Prodex_programme_brings_scientific_research_to_space
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/ESA_astronaut_reserve_completes_training_programme
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2026/05/Earth_from_Space_Algerian_arid_landscape
https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Week_in_images/Week_in_images_18-22_May_2026
Kremlin condemns ‘monstrous’ Ukrainian attack
22 May, 2026 10:20 | Updated 22 May, 2026 14:42
A Ukrainian drone attack on a school in Russia’s Lugansk People’s Republic that caused a dormitory to collapse, killing and injuring people, was a “monstrous crime,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Peskov was commenting on an overnight strike in the town of Starobelsk that killed at least six people and injured 40 others, including 14 minors, according to the regional Health Ministry.
“As a monstrous crime, this is yet another crime of the Kiev regime. It was a strike on an educational facility where children and young people were present,” he said on Friday, adding that those responsible for the attack must be punished.
The strike hit the main academic building and dormitory of the Starobelsk Professional College. Acting Governor Leonid Pasechnik said 86 students aged 14-18 were inside the facility at the time of the attack.
Rescue services said people could still be trapped under the rubble as emergency crews continue to clear debris.
Commenting on the attack, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Kiev is deliberately targeting children while the West remains “brutally silent.”
“Terrorists are deliberately targeting children and taking pleasure in it,” Zakharova said, recalling the Nazi atrocities against schoolchildren in Kerch during World War II.
She added that Western countries remain silent while continuing to listen to Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s “fake claims” about children taken by Russia.
The Russian Investigative Committee said four Ukrainian drones were used in the raid, which the agency designated as a terrorist attack.
https://www.rt.com/russia/640379-moscow-condemns-ukraine-attack/
https://www.rt.com/russia/640362-school-dorm-drone-strike/
https://www.rt.com/russia/640360-starobelsk-ukrainian-school-strike/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/news/640359-ukrainian-drones-russia-nato-war/
https://www.rt.com/news/640358-nato-direct-ukrainian-drones/
https://www.rt.com/russia/640327-ukraine-and-road-to-ruin/
https://www.rt.com/russia/640335-zelensky-inauguration-speech-anniversary/
https://www.rt.com/russia/640406-ukraine-strikes-civilians-recap/
Russia Requests UN Security Council Meeting After Deadly Ukrainian Attack on Luhansk Vocational School
May 22, 2026
Russia has called a Ukrainian drone attack on a vocational school in the occupied Luhansk region that left at least six people dead and dozens more wounded a “monstrous crime” and requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council over the incident.
Leonid Pasechnik, the Kremlin-backed head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic, said dozens of students and faculty were inside the Starobilsk Vocational School and its dormitory in the town of Starobilsk at the time of the attack early Friday.
Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry, which operates in Luhansk and other occupied parts of Ukraine, said first responders were sifting through the rubble of the destroyed educational facility in search of bodies.
By Friday afternoon, President Vladimir Putin said six people had been confirmed killed without specifying whether they were students or faculty. Pasechnik had said earlier that students attending the vocational school were ages 14 to 18.
“This strike was not an accident,” Putin said at a meeting with military officers in the Kremlin. “It just once again confirms the terrorist nature of the Kyiv regime.”
The president said he had instructed the military to prepare options for a retaliatory response to the attack on Starobilsk, which has been under Russian control since March 2022.
“In situations like these, it’s impossible to limit ourselves to statements issued through the Foreign Ministry,” Putin said.
There was no immediate response from Ukraine.
Russian Army Preparing ‘Appropriate’ Response After Latvia Accused of Hosting Ukrainian Drones
The Investigative Committee, Russia’s top investigative body, said Ukraine launched a total of four drones at the Starobilsk Vocational School, though Putin later put the number at 16. The law enforcement body opened a criminal probe into terrorism.
Russia requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council later on Friday following the deadly attack.
“In carrying out this atrocity against children in Starobelsk, the Kyiv regime and its sponsors assume complete responsibility for escalating the hostilities and sabotaging political and diplomatic efforts to settle the conflict,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Moscow claimed to annex parts of occupied Ukraine, including Luhansk, following sham referendums staged by Kremlin-backed officials in September 2022.
Meanwhile, in Russia, Ukraine said Friday it carried out a drone attack against the Slavneft oil refinery in the Yaroslavl region. It previously claimed to have struck the facility on May 8.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/05/22/russia-requests-un-security-council-meeting-after-deadly-ukrainian-attack-on-luhansk-vocational-school-a92818
https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-russia-claims-deadly-ukrainian-drone-strike-hit-dormitory-in-occupied-luhansk-oblast-kyiv-calls-it-misleading-information/
extra Russia and Ukraine
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Ukraine-Hits-300000-Bpd-Gazprom-Neft-Refinery-in-Overnight-Drone-Strike.html
https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/05/22/russia-is-directing-ukrainian-drones-into-nato-territory-estonian-foreign-minister-says/
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/russias-fourth-largest-refinery-cuts-output-after-ukrainian-drone-strike-19075
https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/05/22/russia-is-directing-ukrainian-drones-into-nato-territory-estonian-foreign-minister-says/
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/2026-05-22/live-updates-897006
extra Israel
https://www.jns.org/news/israel-news/idf-foils-hamas-shooting-in-hebron-arrests-suspects
https://www.jfeed.com/latest-news/released-flotilla-activist-spreads-rape-accusations-against-idf-soldiers-44492
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/defense/artc-idf-kills-two-armed-suspects-in-airstrike-near-northern-border-live-blog
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-896996
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-897009
Live Updates: Pakistan tries to bridge gaps between Iran, US on uranium as peace talks continue
May 22, 2026
UAE's Gargash warns second round of US-Iran fighting could deepen complications • Rubio to tell NATO ministers Trump 'very disappointed' over Iran war stance • IDF strikes Hezbollah weapons facility
May 22, 8:30 PM
Iran's foreign ministry says delegation from Qatar is holding talks with foreign minister
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Friday that a Qatari delegation was currently holding talks with Iran’s foreign minister, adding that Pakistan remained the main mediator in the negotiations.
May 22, 7:39 PM
Pakistan military chief arrives in Tehran for talks, army says
Pakistan's military chief Asim Munir has arrived in the Iranian capital as part of the ongoing mediation efforts between the US and Iran, the Pakistan military said in a statement on Friday.
May 22, 4:57 PM
Rubio says US did not ask NATO for help on Hormuz
There was no specific ask from the US on Friday for help from NATO on the Strait of Hormuz, but there needs to be a Plan B if Iran refuses to reopen the supply route, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after a NATO ministers meeting in Sweden.
May 22, 3:42 PM
Several drones impact Israel-Lebanon border area, IDF says
Several suspicious aerial targets impacted areas along the Israel-Lebanon border on Friday following sirens in the area, according to an IDF statement.
The military added that it is reviewing the details of the incident.
May 22, 2:43 PM
IDF kills five Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon
IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon killed five Hezbollah terrorists entering a terror command center on Thursday.
Additionally, on Thursday, the IDF struck Hezbollah weapons storage facilities and additional terrorist infrastructure, and killed additional Hezbollah terrorists.
1/2
May 22, 12:32 PM
UKMTO says vessel approached by a small craft north of Yemen's Socotra
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said on Friday it had received a report of an incident 98 nautical miles north of Yemen's Socotra island, where a vessel confirmed it had been approached by a small craft carrying five people on board.
Authorities were investigating the incident, UKMTO said.
May 22, 12:31 PM
UAE's Gargash warns second round of US-Iran fighting could deepen complications
Another round of fighting between the United States and Iran would further complicate the situation, while any political solution must address underlying issues in a way that avoids creating future complications, Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the United Arab Emirates president, said on Friday.
May 22, 11:17 AM
US and Iran dispute over uranium stockpile, Strait of Hormuz, Pakistan attempts mediation
Two days after presenting the Iranians with the latest US message in the negotiations, Syed Mohsin Naqvi held another round of talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Tehran.
Iran's foreign minister met Pakistan's interior minister on Friday to discuss proposals to end the US-Israeli war, Iranian media reported, with Tehran and Washington still at odds over Tehran's uranium stockpile and controls on the Strait of Hormuz.
Two days after presenting the Iranians with the latest US message in the negotiations, Syed Mohsin Naqvi held another round of talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Tehran, the semi-official Tasnim and ISNA news agencies reported.
Naqvi was facilitating communication to try and achieve a framework for ending the war and resolving differences, ISNA reported.
May 22, 6:39 AM
IDF kills armed terrorists approaching troops near Lebanon border
The IDF killed two terrorists on Thursday who approached troops stationed in southern Lebanon near the border, announced the military.
The armed terrorists were spotted near IDF soldiers and were killed by an airstrike when they approached the troops’ position.
"IDF soldiers operating in the area subsequently began searches to ensure no additional hostile presence remained in the area," the military said, adding that no suspicious findings were identified.
The military also guaranteed that they are "in continuous contact with communities in northern Israel and will provide updates on any developments."
May 22, 6:18 AM
Iran could launch surprise attack against Gulf States, Israel, say officials
Warnings of a potential surprise Iranian attack on Gulf States and Israel come as US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disagree on how to proceed with Tehran.
Iran could potentially be planning a surprise attack involving missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles against Gulf States and Israel, intelligence officials warned on Thursday.
The possibility of a preemptive Iranian attack was raised following a situational assessment with top military leaders and Defense Minister Israel Katz.
The warnings come as the US and Iran continue ceasefire negotiations, with US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly disagreeing about how to move forward with Iran.
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What does the second batch of UFO files tell us?
Updated: May 22, 2026 / 12:46 PM CDT
The Pentagon’s second batch of UFO material included more than 50 files, the majority of them previously unreleased videos of UAP sightings.
Among those are objects spotted near foreign assets, suggesting that some sightings may involve technology deployed by another nation. NewsNation’s Ross Coulthart will be offering more analysis live on YouTube at 5 p.m. CT/ 6 p.m. ET.
Here’s what we’ve learned from the latest batch.
Lawmakers pushed for release
Lawmakers, led by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., threatened to use subpoenas to get access to more than 40 UAP videos.
Those videos were included in this batch of files.
Video shows UAP dismissed as commercial lighting balloon
The All-fomain Anomaly Resolution Office released a report saying that a UAP sighted near Eglin Air Force Base in Florida was a commercial lighting balloon.
While the incident was previously made public, this is the first time the video of the object has been released.
UAP seen near foreign submarine
Two videos show UAPs near foreign assets, raising the possibility that they could be technology being used by another nation.
In one, the U.S. is tracking a foreign submarine that has surfaced when a UAP appears.
UAP seen near Lake Huron balloon
Another video shows, for the first time, the military shooting down what is believed to have been a Chinese spy balloon over Lake Huron. A UAP appears on the footage as well.
UAP moving in an inexplicable manner
The object then accelerates and abruptly changes direction, despite having no visible propulsion. That behavior has been seen in other UAP sightings, and there remains no conventional explanation for how such maneuvering is possible.
https://www.newsnationnow.com/space/ufo/what-second-batch-ufo-files-tells/
https://www.newsnationnow.com/space/ufo/pentagon-second-batch-ufo-files-declassification/
https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4499305/department-of-war-publishes-second-release-of-unidentified-anomalous-phenomena/
https://www.war.gov/ufo/?releaseDate=Release+02
https://probed.space/ufo-files
https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/AARO/?ref=uaplogbook.com
https://x.com/RepLuna/status/2057808970060820797
https://x.com/RepLuna/status/2057849209215160420
https://x.com/chrisramsay52/status/2057834410884358288
UFO Files release 2 assorted megacosmicbun
https://www.foxnews.com/us/pentagon-declassifies-apollo-12-audio-astronauts-describing-unexplained-streaks-light-space
https://hannity.com/media-room/shot-down-over-lake-huron-newly-released-pentagon-video-fuels-ufo-frenzy-watch/
https://lamag.com/news/pentagons-new-ufo-files-reveal-chilling-non-human-theories-from-1948/
https://www.timesnownews.com/world/us/us-news/inside-new-ufo-files-when-apollo-12-crew-saw-mysterious-streaks-of-light-article-154378453
https://interestingengineering.com/culture/pentagon-uap-second-file-release-war-gov-ufo
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/2208720/ufo-files-unsealed-sightings-green-orbs-reported-near
https://thepostmillennial.com/fighter-jet-shoots-down-uap-over-lake-huron-in-trumps-2nd-ufo-files-release
https://www.dailywire.com/news/pentagon-releases-wild-footage-of-fighter-jet-taking-down-ufo
https://www.tmz.com/2026/05/22/ufo-shot-down-in-new-declassified-files/
https://news.ssbcrack.com/department-of-defense-releases-new-batch-of-ufo-files-to-ensure-transparency/
https://www.wionews.com/world/-green-orbs-discs-and-fireballs-pentagon-releases-second-batch-of-declassified-ufo-files-1779456364072
https://x.com/AshtonForbes/status/2057892816148480217
UFO FILES: Trump team releases DROP 2 of declassified & unexplained encounters (All Videos)
May 22, 2026
Earlier this month, hundreds of “never-before-seen” files on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) were made public.
The Department of War said the materials consist of unresolved cases, meaning the government has been unable to make a definitive determination about the nature of the observed phenomena.
Friday’s release included more than 50 previously classified videos and documents related to UAPs.
Among the new files was footage from an infrared sensor operated by the U.S. Coast Guard in April 2024 that appears to show an object flying near an aircraft over the southeastern U.S.
Another video, recorded in 2020 from an undisclosed location within U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility, appeared to capture a sphere flying over a populated area before ascending into the sky.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDX9QO-QiZg
Chris Ramsay
@chrisramsay52
"We have encountered a phenomenon which we cannot explain; crews have been followed by lights that blink on and off changing colors etc. The lights come very close and fly formation with our planes…"
"Foo Fighter" Reports of December 1944 released in the latest UFO drop.
7:42 AM · May 22, 2026
https://x.com/chrisramsay52/status/2057834410884358288
https://x.com/MOSCOW_EN/status/2057887439956611551
https://x.com/theblackvault/status/2057800997012197428
https://x.com/RedPandaKoala/status/2057881818679177370
https://x.com/TheSecretFilesX/status/2057871134486380707
BREAKING: Pentagon Drops 51 New UFO Videos! (Doomer Friday ft. Thomas Jane & Andy McGrillen)
May 22, 2026
BREAKING: The Pentagon has officially released Tranche 2 of the PURSUE UAP files, declassifying 51 new military videos, historic astronaut audio, and bombshell intelligence reports.
In this emergency livestream, we are conducting a rapid-response data breakdown of the massive 5.6GB file drop.
We are diving deep into the declassified 2023 Lake Huron shoot-down footage, historic Apollo/Mercury astronaut audio, and the stunning 2025 first-hand report from a senior intelligence officer left "virtually speechless" by swarming orange orbs.
To separate fact from friction, we’ve assembled an elite roundtable panel:
🛸 Andy McGrillen – Host of That UFO Podcast and author of the definitive global case study guide, Atlas of Unidentified Flying Objects and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena.
Andy brings his rigorous, data-driven tracking of legislative transparency to map exactly where these files fit in the disclosure timeline.
🎬 Thomas Jane – Acclaimed actor (The Expanse, The Punisher) and deeply respected UFO researcher. Thomas brings his unique, sharp perspective on disclosure politics, civilian tracking, and the broader institutional control systems surrounding the phenomenon.
Join the conversation live, drop your questions in the chat, and let's analyze what the Department of War and AARO just handed to the public.
🧠 Pavel – Creator of Psicoactivo, bringing a vital international and South American perspective to the panel. Pavel’s sharp analytical approach connects the dots between today's Pentagon release and global disclosure movements.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBvdy4CG-yc
extra disclosure dejour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmSjYldlee8 (Sacha Stone: POWERFUL DEEP DIVE with G EDWARD GRIFFIN)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL4-waojfrQ (David Icke & Dani Henderson - FULL DISCLOSURE! The AI God The failed Global Takeover & FREEDOM 4 ALL)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUQiVFD7im4 (Ashton Forbes: Zero Point Energy Controls Mass Inertia and Gravity)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iW4PAMeEt8 (My Lunch Break: They Erased the Evidence)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtoTH0hPzmA (Space Academy - Sector Earth: Law of Attraction and Manifestation - How It Works in My Life - OFF SCRIPT)