Illegal spam on the TYB?
TYB, stay fabulous.
Fireball meteor spotted over Southeast Michigan Monday night, American Meteor Society gets 197 reports
Updated on: June 2, 2026 / 8:40 AM EDT / CBS Detroit
If you missed the meteor sighting over Southeast Michigan early on May 27, perhaps you saw the latest one on Monday night.
A fireball, which is a bright meteor, was seen about 10:42 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday in a wider geographic area around Lake Erie than the one that was seen last week.
The American Meteor Society said it received 197 reports from Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ontario of Monday's meteor.
The meteor view was described as bright blue-green, and the fragments broke up and burned up in the atmosphere.
"That was super cool. I've never seen anything like that," one of the Michigan reports read.
The Southeast Michigan reports came from places such as Brighton, Dexter, Detroit, Garden City, Ida, Madison Heights, Marysville, Milan, Smiths Creek and Tucker.
"Several thousand meteors of fireball magnitude occur in the Earth's atmosphere each day.
The vast majority of these, however, occur over the oceans and uninhabited regions, and a good many are masked by daylight," the American Meteor Society said.
Other fireball sightings that received attention in Michigan this year include a meteor shower in late March.
https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/bright-meteor-gets-attention-monday-night-across-great-lakes-region/
https://fireball.amsmeteors.org/members/imo_view/event/2026/3962
https://x.com/MrMBB333/status/2061813713225871487
https://x.com/MrPeaNut_810/status/2061822672468648390
other space objects
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2026/06/Webb_sniffs_methane_from_interstellar_Comet_3I_ATLAS
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/the-smartest-investments-in-our-future-are-in-space-c97990e6209c
Stem Cell Research for Cancer, Spacesuit Work Kick Off June
June 1, 2026 11:58AM
The Expedition 74 crew kicked off June with a busy schedule of microgravity research harvesting stem cells, installing physics hardware, and watering plants aboard the International Space Station.
Spacesuit work and life support maintenance rounded out the day for the orbital residents.
Manufacturing blood stem cells in space is a key objective of a new biotechnology investigation taking place aboard the orbiting lab.
NASA flight engineer Jessica Meir harvested stem cell samples growing inside the Kibo laboratory module and placed them inside the KERMIT fluorescent microscope for observation on Monday.
Flight engineer Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) assisted Meir with the research operations collecting the samples for processing then stowing them in a science freezer for preservation and later analysis.
Doctors are exploring how the stem cells self-replicate in weightlessness with an eye toward using the space environment to develop treatments for cancer and blood diseases.
Adenot started her Monday shift installing the Solid Combustion Experiment Module inside Kibo’s multi-purpose small payload rack.
She then inserted a gas bottle in the combustion research device to continue studying how solid materials ignite, burn, propagate flame, and self-extinguish in microgravity.
She also joined NASA flight engineer Jack Hathaway and helped him unpack hardware stowed inside the Quest airlock to make room for upcoming spacewalk preparations.
Hathway spent the majority of his time inside Quest checking out the functionality and installing batteries on a spacesuit jetpack.
A spacewalker would use the jetpack, also called Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue (SAFER), to safely maneuver back to the space station in the unlikely event they became untethered from their worksite.
He also activated sample-containing tubes filled with seeds and microbes for a variety of student-designed experiments in the Harmony module.
Finally, he watered and photographed alfalfa plants growing inside the Columbus laboratory module’s Veggie facility for the Veg-06 study to promote food production in space.
Flight engineer Chris Williams worked throughout Monday setting up fluid physics hardware and specialized imaging gear inside Columbus.
The new components will enable the observation of how fluids boil, condense, and flow in microgravity possibly leading to newer, more advanced thermal systems for future spacecraft on missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev continued stowing spacewalking tools they used during a science hardware spacewalk on May 27.
The duo also returned a set of U.S. tools, including lights, cameras, and batteries, they wore on their Orlan suits, to William who stowed them back inside Quest.
Roscosmos flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev began his shift collecting air samples for analysis from inside the Zvezda and Nauka modules.
The samples are analyzed for ammonia, carbon dioxide, and other elements to determine the quality of the station’s atmosphere.
During the second half of his shift, Fedyaev was back inside Nauka inspecting and cleaning a pair of laptop computers before servicing the science module’s ventilation system.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/06/01/stem-cell-research-for-cancer-spacesuit-work-kick-off-june/
other NASA
https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/johnson/spacewalking-with-scott-wray-artemis-eva-training-lead/
https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/kennedy/nasa-testing-wastewater-treatment-facility-for-future-moon-base/
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/smallsatellites/2026/06/01/nasa-wideband-demo-completes-primary-mission-extends-operations/
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/pretty-in-pink-2/
NASA to Conduct Low-Altitude Flights Near Houston
Jun 01, 2026
Five research aircraft will support a Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) mission out of Ellington Field in Houston.
Flights are expected from Wednesday, June 3 to Saturday, June 13. During the mission, select maneuvers will be conducted at low altitudes over the Houston area.
Pilots will fly remote sensing payloads in raster patterns, or parallel back-and-forth lines.
The instruments flown could help researchers map the movement of the gases and particles that make up Earth’s atmosphere, changes to the lowest part of the atmosphere near the coastline, and the natural processes affecting the land and water in that area.
The flights will primarily take place in the Houston area, with some extending over the Gulf of America.
While many of the flights will operate at higher altitudes, a WP-3D Orion will conduct maneuvers as low as 1,000 feet above ground level.
Owned and operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this aircraft is used as a hurricane hunter and has supported several airborne science missions for NASA.
It is equipped with a multitude of scientific instrumentation, radars, and recording systems for both in-flight and remote sensing measurements of the atmosphere, the Earth, and its environment.
The NASA-operated aircraft participating in the mission also are equipped with a variety of remote sensing instruments, including two lidars, a synthetic-aperture radar, an imaging spectrometer, and two spectrometers.
The operations will involve the agency’s Gulfstream V (N95NA), Gulfstream C-20A (N802NA), and Gulfstream III (N520NA), as well as NOAA’s WP-3D Orion (N43RF) and a King Air B200 aircraft (N46L) owned by Dynamic Aviation and contracted by NASA.
The flights can be tracked in real time at NASA Airborne Science Program Tracker.
The SARP effort is an eight-week summer internship program that provides undergraduate students with hands-on experience by engaging in field research and data analysis and with access to one or more NASA Airborne Science Program flying science laboratories.
https://www.nasa.gov/general/nasa-to-conduct-low-altitude-flights-near-houston/
https://airbornescience.nasa.gov/
other NASA 2
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-awards-modification-contract-for-reduced-gravity-test-aircraft/
https://www.nasa.gov/reference/advanced-aircraft-concepts-for-environmental-sustainability-2050/
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-invites-media-to-see-roman-space-telescope-arrive-at-kennedy/
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/fires-footprint-on-santa-rosa-island/
Spam file message
Artemis III Crew Announcement Watch Party
June 9, 2026
On June 9, 2026, at 11:00 AM, NASA will announce the crew of the upcoming Artemis III mission. Join us in the Rocket Garden for a special watch party as we stream the live announcement on a large screen.
A visitor complex communicator will be nearby to share updates and answer questions throughout.
Limited bleacher seating will be available. The watch party will conclude following the live broadcast.
About NASA’s Artemis III:
NASA’s Artemis III mission is scheduled to launch in 2027. This mission will send a crew in the Orion spacecraft on top of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket to low Earth Orbit.
There, they will test rendezvous and docking capabilities between Orion and commercial spacecraft needed to land astronauts on the Moon.
https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/event/artemis-iii-crew-announcement-watch-party/
other NASA 3
https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/dragonfly/2026/06/01/nasas-dragonfly-flight-system-faces-heat/
https://science.nasa.gov/get-involved/citizen-science/help-galaxy-zoo-clump-scout-ii-project/
https://www.nasa.gov/podcasts/curious-universe/catching-up-with-perseverance/
https://www.gearpatrol.com/outdoors/fisher-america-250-cerakote-astronaut-space-pen/
https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/whats-up-june-2026-skywatching-tips-from-nasa/
spam file message again
Chief Master Sergeant of Space Force’s Instagram hacked
Mon, June 1, 2026 at 4:30 AM PDT
Pro-Iran hackers gained access to the official Instagram account of John Bentivegna, the top enlisted guardian in Space Force, for several hours on Sunday evening.
Bentivegna’s account for his role as Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force included at least one profile post showing pro-Iranian art, and several Instagram stories showing anti-American and pro-Iranian messages were posted over the course of the evening of May 31. Photos of the hacked account and its posts spread around military social media and Reddit pages.
Among other posts, the Instagram stories included riffs on the Battle of the Bastards from “Game of Thrones” as well as footage of Ali Larijani, the late secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, who was killed on March 17 as part of the ongoing American and Israeli war with Iran.
Another story featured audio from Trịnh Thị Ngọ, better known as “Hanoi Hannah,” who broadcast anti-American messages in English during the Vietnam War.
That was captioned with a Farsi warning, which translated said “This is your fate if you get close to the Middle East.”
The hack lasted for several hours, with Bentivegna publicly acknowledging it. The hack appears limited to Bentivegna’s Instagram account, as he responded to the intrusion in a post on Facebook (Meta owns both social media apps), saying he was working to regain access.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/chief-master-sergeant-space-force-113000768.html
https://www.facebook.com/CMSSFofficial/posts/pfbid0xYPCN9M542S8M4DKuF6p1xSXkZpnYE9e989RUvtLinLstNgpSZPHzNfvj6hkobQ9l
https://www.facebook.com/AFamnncosnco/posts/inbox-looks-like-space-force-e9-got-hacked/1322686363326303/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wqWlM4vL4w
Huntsville's America 250 plans get bigger with Space Fest
June 2, 2026
Huntsville is finalizing its marquee event marking the summer of America's 250th anniversary, and adding to the lineup of events with the city's first Rocket City Space Fest.
Why it matters: The July 4 celebration headlines the summer at Big Spring Park, while Space Fest highlights Huntsville's overlooked but pivotal role in the Apollo Moon landings.
The latest: On Monday, leaders of the Huntsville Salutes America's 250th committee announced that the park festivities will kick off at 4pm with a DJ, vendor market, food trucks, reenactments and educational experiences.
The American Eras Parade kicks off on Monroe Street at 5pm, followed by live music that starts at 6pm with Groove opening for Jazz McKenzie.
At 9pm, the Huntsville Concert Band will accompany a 25-minute fireworks show in Big Spring Park.
By the numbers: Sally Warden, who chairs the Huntsville Salutes America's 250th committee, said 1,000 work hours have gone into the parade alone, and there are 17 events planned — not counting ongoing events like 11 performances of the musical "1776" by Theatre Huntsville.
What they're saying: "This year's celebration is unique … in that it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate July 4 in Big Spring Park," said Natasha Parker, chair of the July 4 Celebration Committee.
Henry Thornton, community development regional manager for Meta, the event's exclusive sponsor, said it is "our largest sponsorship ever."
The company is putting up $75,000, organizers told Axios earlier this year.
🚀 Space Fest launches
"Historians agree that the single greatest event of the 20th century was the Moon landing," said Ralph Petroff, an entrepreneur and one of the organizers of Space Fest, which is planned for July 16–20.
Yes, but: "When most people think about putting a man on the Moon, they think of Canaveral, they think of Houston … and that makes sense, because that's what people saw on TV," he said.
"Houston may have had Mission Control, but Huntsville did the hardest part: building the ride, the amazing Saturn V rocket."
Zoom in: Space Fest's inaugural year kicks off on the anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch July 16 with an event at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center biergarten.
The nine-day celebration will also mark Apollo Day, when astronauts first landed on the Moon, on July 20th in conjunction with Arts Huntsville's Concert in the Park.
The bottom line: Petroff called this year's Space Fest "the first chapter in what we believe will become one of Huntsville's signature celebrations," where people from around the world "come to celebrate humanity's giant leap."
https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2026/06/02/huntsville-alabama-250-america-birthday-july-fourth-4
extra Space Force
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4506429/starcom-stands-up-c2-course-to-prepare-guardians-for-joint-operations/
https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4506010/marine-corps-war-college-visits-vandenberg-space-force-base/
https://www.stripes.com/branches/space_force/2026-06-02/space-forces-korea-new-commander-21848930.html
May's Blue Moon wows stargazers worldwide — see these stunning photos of the smallest full moon of 2026
June 2, 2026
May's full Blue Moon put on a dazzling display over the weekend, flooding the night sky with moonlight as the red supergiant star Antares glowed nearby.
A Blue Moon is the name given to the second full moon in a single calendar month — a rare occurrence that only takes place about once every 2.5 years, because the moon's 29.5-day cycle doesn't neatly align with the calendar.
It's also the name given to the third full moon in a single season containing four full moons — though this original meaning doesn't apply for the May 31 lunar event.
The May 2026 Blue Moon was also the smallest full moon of the year — known as a micromoon — having turned full at a distant point in its elliptical orbit of Earth.
As a result, it appeared subtly smaller in Earth's sky as it tracked across the sky, but still shone bright enough to throw a veil of moonlight over all but the brightest nearby stars.
Read on to see a selection of gorgeous photos of the May 2026 Blue Moon.
https://www.space.com/stargazing/astrophotography/mays-blue-moon-wows-stargazers-worldwide-see-these-stunning-photos-of-the-smallest-full-moon-of-2026
extra space things
https://www.space.com/stargazing/manhattanhenge-is-back-space-photo-of-the-day-for-june-1-2026
https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/space-nordic-launches-to-unite-nordic-space-industry/70300/
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/China-Solar-Makers-Launch-Space-Energy-Development-Alliance.html
https://www.esa.int/Applications/Satellite_navigation/ESA_joins_agreement_to_strengthen_global_geodesy_supply_chain
extra ESA / UK
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/astronaut-with-physical-disability-could-be-first-to-enter-orbit-after-ground-breaking-agreement
ESA joins agreement to strengthen global geodesy supply chain
02/06/2026
In May, the European Space Agency (ESA) joined the Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding of the United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence (UN-GGCE).
This initiative aims to strengthen the global geodesy supply chain and promote international cooperation to produce reliable geodetic products, which are essential for many satellite applications, including positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services.
From monitoring crop yields and tracking natural disasters to enabling navigation, communications and defence capabilities, satellites are critical for many aspects of modern life.
Regardless of their size, design or purpose, all satellites depend on two indispensable pieces of information to carry out their task: knowing where they are in space and knowing where on Earth to point at, considering the planet’s shape, orientation and gravity field.
The reference data, known as ‘geodetic products’, is created through a global geodesy supply chain spanning from ground and space-based observatories that monitor Earth and satellite motion, to data centres that collect data, and analysis centres that process that data to make usable products available to the public.
Despite its importance, this supply chain remains fragile, under-resourced and decentralised.
A 2024 United Nations report noted that approximately half of the geodetic ground observation stations are no longer fully operational due to ageing and insufficient funding, while the number of geodetic professionals continues to decline.
Today, less than 0.05% of the revenue generated by global navigation satellite systems and Earth observation services are reinvested in the global geodesy supply chain.
ESA has actively contributed to the supply chain for more than two decades and has been key in raising the awareness of its current state.
To help further address this imbalance, ESA has joined a growing network of national and international partners coordinated by the UN-GGCE.
Created in 2020, the UN-GGCE assists Member States and geodetic organisations to coordinate and collaborate to sustain an accurate, accessible and sustainable geodetic reference frame.
Operational since March 2025, the Multilateral Memorandum of Understand was signed by Francisco-Javier Benedicto-Ruiz, ESA Director of Navigation, and Rolf Densing, ESA Director of Operations in May.
The memorandum is structured in two main phases: first, it aims to avoid degradation of the supply chain, and second, to build long-term resilience.
The global geodesy supply chain is inherently cooperative. No single nation can generate it on its own, so collaboration is essential.
By joining the Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding, ESA is committing to both strengthening the global geodesy supply chain and international cooperation.
1/2
“The geodesy supply chain is at the core of PNT but is also essential for Earth science, and societal applications. This includes sea-level and climate change monitoring, natural hazard and disaster management, and sustainable development.
Establishing accurate and stable reference frames on Earth and in space is critical and increasingly in demand,” says Javier Benedicto, ESA Director of Navigation.
Through this collaboration, ESA will contribute to enhancing the reliability, sustainability, and global coordination of geodetic infrastructure, which will also support Europe’s satellite missions, from Earth observation to navigation.
ESA’s Navigation Support Office
Based at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), the Navigation Support Office is ESA’s centre of excellence for precise navigation and geodesy.
As ESA’s geodetic service provider, the office provides the spatial reference for ESA missions. Given that this reference fundamentally relies on the global geodetic infrastructure, the Navigation Support Office is also a key contributor to the global geodesy supply chain, operating analysis centres for all four space-geodetic techniques. In this role, it acts as ESA’s interface with the geodetic community and coordinates ESA’s contributions.
The Navigation Support Office ensures ESA’s access to global spatial references, forming the foundation for PNT and thereby safeguarding ESA’s space operations.
ESA’s Genesis mission
Looking ahead, ESA’s Genesis mission will contribute significantly to advancing accuracy, interoperability and long-term resilience of the global geodesy supply chain, which is recognised by the United Nations for its essential role in global geospatial infrastructure.
By collocating and synchronising the main geodetic techniques on a single satellite, Genesis will help identify the biases of the different techniques, ultimately leading to more precise geodetic products, including a more accurate ITRF.
Lessons learned and improvements from the Genesis mission will further advance ESA's contributions to the geodesy supply chain.
After passing preliminary design review in December 2025, Genesis models are being built and tested in preparation for the critical design review starting later this year.
In parallel, ESA is regularly working with representatives from the scientific community and all the geodetic services to test and calibrate Genesis and to develop data tools to process and utilise Genesis’ data.
This collaboration will maximise Genesis’ impact on the global geodesy supply chain.
About Genesis
Genesis is a mission of the FutureNAV programme, an optional ESA Navigation programme with support from Italy, Belgium, Germany, France, Switzerland, Hungary, Finland and the UK.
Genesis aims to significantly contribute to improving the accuracy and stability of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF), which serves as a reference for all space- and ground-based observations for navigation and Earth sciences.
Improving the ITRF will impact navigation applications such as aviation, autonomous vehicle driving and traffic management. In Earth sciences it will help refine models used for climate and environmental monitoring and much more.
Genesis's extreme accuracy is achieved by co-locating the four geodetic (Earth-measuring) techniques (satellite navigation, very-long-baseline interferometry, satellite laser ranging and DORIS) onboard one well calibrated satellite that acts as a flying observatory.
The instruments will be synchronized by an ultra-stable oscillator (USO).
2/2
Blackouts hit Kiev as Russia targets Ukrainian war infrastructure (VIDEOS)
2 Jun, 2026 02:22 | Updated 2 Jun, 2026 08:47
The Defense Ministry in Moscow has confirmed a large-scale raid on military-related targets
Multiple videos have been published on social media showing explosions rocking Kiev and other Ukrainian cities amid Russian airstrikes.
The Defense Ministry in Moscow confirmed carrying out a major raid on military-related targets across Ukraine in response to terror attacks by Vladimir Zelensky’s government.
The first wave of blasts in the Ukrainian capital was heard at around 1:30 AM local time, followed by more explosions in early morning hours, according to Ukrainian officials and media.
In one clip, a powerful blast is followed by the lights going out, plunging much of Kiev into darkness. Other footage captured the sounds of repeated secondary explosions.
The exact locations and types of facilities hit are difficult to verify as Ukrainian authorities tightly restrict information about strike sites and penalize those who share footage of impacts, except when civilian infrastructure is affected.
Multiple blasts were also reported in parts of Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhye still under Ukrainian control, as well as in Sumy and Kharkov regions.
Later on Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that its bombardment targeted defense industry facilities, fuel and transport infrastructure facilities used by Ukrainian forces, and military airfields across the country.
Land- and sea-based precision weapons, including hypersonic missiles and drones, were deployed during the attack, it said.
Moscow previously pledged to conduct “systematic and consistent strikes” on Kiev’s military installations, drone manufacturing sites, command posts, and “decision-making centers” in retaliation for the deadly “terrorist attack” in Russia’s Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) on May 22.
The attack on the Starobelsk college dormitory, conducted in several waves late at night while students were sleeping inside, left 21 people dead, mainly teenage girls.
With the Starobelsk massacre, “the Kiev leadership has decided to open a new chapter in its crime spree, to add a new dimension to the conflict as a whole,” President Vladimir Putin said on Monday, adding that the perpetrators will suffer a “well-deserved and inevitable punishment.”
https://www.rt.com/russia/640839-kiev-missile-drone-strikes/
https://www.rt.com/about-us/press-releases/ukraine-fire-point-zelensky/
https://www.rt.com/russia/640843-ukraine-strike-terrorist-moscow/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/russia/640854-ukraine-finland-drone-launch/
https://www.rt.com/news/640837-zaporozhye-attacks-iaea-reaction/
https://www.rt.com/news/640834-putin-vows-inevitable-punishment-for-starobelsk/
Ukrainian Drone Strike Sets Russian Refinery Supplying Occupation Forces Ablaze in Krasnodar Region
Jun 02, 2026 12:00
A fire broke out at Russia’s Ilsky oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai after a drone strike overnight on June 2, according to footage published by the OSINT community Exilenova+.
Witnesses began reporting strikes on the refinery shortly after 3 am, describing multiple explosions across the region, with the Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces confirming the strike.
Videos and photos shared by local residents showed a large fire and thick columns of smoke rising from the refinery’s territory. The blaze was reportedly visible from nearby settlements more than 10 kilometers away.
The operational headquarters of Krasnodar Krai confirmed that the fire at the Ilsky oil refinery was caused by a drone attack.
The Ilsky refinery, officially KNGK-INPZ LLC, is one of the largest private oil refining facilities in the region. It plays an important role in supplying fuel both to Russia’s domestic market and for export.
The refinery is located in the village of Ilsky in Seversky District, about 30 kilometers from Krasnodar.
The facility specializes in primary oil processing and produces petroleum products, including diesel fuel, gasoline, fuel oil, and bitumen. Its designed processing capacity is around 6.6 million tons of oil per year.
The refinery is also considered an important link in fuel supplies to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and to Russian military units in the Southern Military District.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine’s defense forces have successfully targeted 15 Russian oil refineries since the beginning of this year, significantly degrading the country’s fuel production capabilities.
Long-range operations have effectively neutralized nearly 40% of Russia’s primary oil refining capacity as of May, he said.
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukrainian-drone-strike-sets-russian-refinery-supplying-occupation-forces-ablaze-in-krasnodar-region-19410
other Russia and Ukraine
https://kyivindependent.com/neva-radar-pantsir-air-defense-and-a-tugboat-ukraine-releases-latest-drone-strike-hit-list/
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/06/02/russias-aircraft-output-more-than-doubles-as-drone-production-surges-a92905
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukrainian-drone-strike-hits-two-russias-tu-142-at-rostov-airfield-satellite-images-confirm-19435
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-02/russia-gushes-crude-exports-as-drone-strikes-hobble-refineries
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/77313
Rolls‑Royce adopts automated drone scanning to transform engine inspections
2nd Jun 2026
Rolls-Royce is transforming how it inspects engines, by combining automation, data, and human expertise for smarter, more efficient and safer operations.
Historically, engine inspections required colleagues to take hundreds of photographs of each engine from multiple angles.
Inspectors often needed to work from elevated platforms to capture the necessary views, before reviewing and stitching together images. This process was time-consuming and could make it harder to maintain fully standardised inspection records.
But now, using advanced drone technology, a full 360-degree inspection of the engine exterior can be done in just minutes.
A Rolls-Royce Pearl engine can be scanned in around four and a half minutes, while a Rolls-Royce Trent engine takes approximately nine and a half minutes.
Built for the aerospace industry, these drones are fully automated systems, that don't need GPS or manual piloting.
Instead, they use laser-based LiDAR positioning and advanced obstacle-avoidance navigation with millimetre precision to capture high-resolution images of the engine exterior.
The drone also has built-in emergency landing programming and backup battery storage to ensure it always lands smoothly and safely.
The drone produces a digital model so detailed that engineers can zoom in on serial numbers or instantly identify scratches or other external defects with 0.5 mm precision +/- 3% of the distance.
Rolls-Royce’s external technology partner for drone scanning has a decade of experience in automated aircraft inspection and already collaborates with several aerospace and MRO businesses.
Working with such an experienced partner enables the company to bring its shopfloor closer to Industry 4.0 standard, where automation, data, and human expertise complement each other.
The result? Faster, safer, and more traceable inspections, with less room for human error.
Although it is still in the early stages of deployment, the technology has already proven its worth in several of Rolls-Royce’s facilities by consistently producing high-quality images and easily accessible digital data, thereby strengthening productivity and increasing people safety and product quality.
Drones are helping the company’s quality control teams to work more safely, efficiently, and precisely than ever before.
Rolls-Royce says the future of inspection is not about replacing people with machines or AI; it’s about equipping skilled inspection teams with the technology that enables them to further excel in their job.
https://www.aero-mag.com/rolls-royce-adopts-automated-drone-scanning-to-transform-engine-inspections
extra UK drones
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/drones-take-flight-to-help-restore-peak-district-ravine-woodlands
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/russian-drone-injuring-civilians-in-romania-underscores-dangers-of-its-ongoing-war-against-ukraine-uk-statement-to-the-osce