Thanks much Baker
NASA Names Sean Gallagher as Chief Information Officer
Jun 23, 2026
NASA has selected Sean Gallagher as the agency’s chief information officer (CIO). In this role, he is responsible for the agency’s entire portfolio of Information Technology products and services.
Gallagher has been serving in an acting capacity since January and his permanent role is effective immediately.
“Sean Gallagher’s leadership has been instrumental in strengthening NASA’s IT foundation and ensuring our workforce has the secure, modern tools needed to enable groundbreaking missions every day,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson.
“As CIO, Sean will continue advancing the agency’s technology capabilities to support discovery, innovation, and mission success across NASA.”
Most recently, Gallagher also has served as the deputy chief information officer for Operations in the Office of the Chief Information Officer at NASA Headquarters in Washington, as well as a senior advisor for Transformation.
This team provides services to tens of thousands of end users located in the U.S. and abroad in support of NASA missions, enabling discoveries, faster data sharing, increased workforce productivity, and more.
Gallagher has worked with all NASA centers to implement efficient and effective IT operating models.
Previously, Gallagher was the CIO of NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, leading IT initiatives for aeronautics, space, research and engineering, and test missions.
He joined NASA in 2012 as Glenn’s deputy CIO and previously worked at Booz Allen Hamilton as a senior associate supporting a variety of federal, defense, and commercial customers.
Gallagher developed his leadership and management experience as a Signal Corps officer in the United States Army.
He also served as a platoon leader managing the combat service support readiness of a tactical communications unit, a human resource manager for the 40th Signal Battalion, and as a network engineer for the 11th Signal Brigade.
He has a bachelor’s degree in physics from John Carroll University and a master’s degree in computer information systems from the University of Phoenix.
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-names-sean-gallagher-as-chief-information-officer/
extra NASA 3
https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/programs/cosmic-origins/community/ammg-stig-seminar-july-1-2026/
https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/earth-science/csda-selects-eight-commercial-satellite-data-providers-for-on-ramp-2-contract-awards/
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/58th-girl-scouts-unite-event/
https://astrobiology.com/2026/06/how-to-actually-build-your-own-working-tricorder.html
Sen. Warren seeks ethics pledge from Raytheon exec nominated to top space acquisition job
June 24, 2026 12:09 PM ET
A U.S. senator wants a Raytheon executive who was nominated to serve as a top Air Force space acquisition official to commit to impartial and ethical business dealings if confirmed to the post, according to a new letter reviewed by Defense One.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is seeking an ethics pledge from Erich Hernandez-Baquero, Raytheon’s vice president for space intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, according to the letter sent from her office on Tuesday.
He was nominated by the White House to serve as the Air Force’s assistant secretary for space acquisition and integration in April.
In her letter, Warren asked the former Air Force officer and current defense executive to recuse himself from all matters involving his former employer for four years and not to seek money from a firm tied to the Defense Department for four years after he leaves the role.
“Your relationship with a defense contractor that you served for five years as a senior executive will raise concerns about the appearance of impartiality if you are confirmed in your new role,” she wrote.
“In order to address the concerns about your conflicts, I urge you to voluntarily commit to mitigate your conflicts of interest and assure Americans that you will serve in their best interest.”
Hernandez-Baquero could not be reached at multiple numbers listed for him in public records.
Raytheon spokespeople did not return a request for comment.
Warren’s letter is part of her continued crusade against the government-defense revolving door, which ethics watchdogs have warned can lead to self-dealing and conflicts of interest within the Pentagon.
She has asked for similar commitments from Lloyd Austin, who became defense secretary after serving on Raytheon’s board, and former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown, who joined the Trump-backed drone firm Powerus shortly after being booted from the administration.
A 2023 report from Warren’s office listed roughly 700 former high-ranking defense and government officials who were later hired by the top 20 defense contractors.
Federal ethics laws prohibit government employees from being involved in matters that concern their former employers for one year; the laws also prohibit being involved in deals that an employee would financially benefit from.
Warren is seeking a more substantial pledge including “committing not to work for or accept compensation for at least four years from any company that you engage with while serving” after exiting the role.
“While these laws create important guardrails, they fall short of fully addressing conflict of interest concerns: they may still allow government officials to work on matters that could affect their previous employers once a one-year period and full divestiture have passed, and they can be undermined by exemptions,” she wrote.
“And they still allow officials to move through the revolving door by accepting senior advisory roles within the defense industry or lobbying DoD.”
Hernandez-Baquero joined Raytheon in 2021 after a 27-year career in the Air Force, according to his LinkedIn page.
In April, the defense executive signed an ethics agreement where he agreed that once confirmed he would “forfeit my unvested restricted stock units, unvested performance stock units, and unvested stock appreciation rights” after resigning from the defense contractor.
https://www.defenseone.com/business/2026/06/sen-warren-seeks-ethics-pledge-raytheon-exec-nominated-top-space-acquisition-job/414385/
extra general space
https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbottannounces-axiom-space-redomiciles-in-texas
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260624883923/en/LambdaVision-and-Vast-Sign-Agreement-to-Advance-Space-Based-Manufacturing-of-Protein-Based-Artificial-Retina-and-Microgravity-Bioprocesses
https://stories.purdue.edu/when-gravity-disappears/
https://en.as.com/latest_news/new-space-images-reveal-a-previously-unknown-structure-stretching-almost-5000-miles-across-in-the-atlantic-ocean-f202606-n/
https://phys.org/news/2026-06-scientists-classical-space-crystals-majorana.html
Space Force Unveils New Mess Dress Uniform at Air Force Weapons School Graduation
June 24, 2026
The Chief of Space Operations, Gen. Chance Saltzman, showcased a prototype of the Space Force’s new mess dress uniform during a formal event, marking a significant step in the service’s uniform development.
The unveiling took place at the Air Force Weapons School graduation held in Las Vegas, Nevada, where Saltzman wore the first iteration of the mess dress, designed for black-tie functions.
The new uniform is strikingly all black, complete with silver buttons running down the front. Notably, it features a distinctive silver outline that swirls into a diamond shape around the Space Force’s emblem located on the wrist of the sleeve.
Additionally, the jacket’s shoulders are adorned with four silver stars, encircled by the service’s recognizable delta symbol.
This mess dress will be part of the formal attire for the Space Force, as specified in an upcoming memorandum detailing personal appearance and dress guidelines expected to be finalized by August 2025.
The uniform’s formality aligns it with civilian standards equivalent to black-tie events, such as tuxedos and evening gowns.
While the Space Force’s mess dress is still undergoing testing and is not yet widely available, the Air Force’s existing mess dress may be worn by enlisted personnel on an optional basis.
Officers and enlisted members can also utilize a semi-formal uniform until the Space Force’s version is accessible.
The new mess dress is set to enter formal wear testing in the fall, as indicated by a Department of the Air Force spokesperson, who noted that production timelines are still being determined in collaboration with industry partners.
Recently, guardians selected for the wear test have completed fittings for the mess dress. Although a mandatory wear date has yet to be established, this will not occur until the uniform becomes universally available to all Space Force personnel.
This latest event is not the first instance of Gen. Saltzman wearing the new mess dress.
He initially debuted the uniform at the Goddard Memorial Dinner in March and later at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in late April, although the latter event was cut short due to an armed security threat.
The Space Force, in its relatively short existence of just over six years, has been actively cultivating its uniform designs, integrating early prototypes with feedback from service members and various testing phases.
Saltzman’s public appearance in the mess dress marks a critical milestone for the Space Force, as it moves closer to finalizing its uniform standards and aesthetics.
In addition to the mess dress, the Space Force has previously introduced a new dress uniform, which features a dark blue jacket accented with silver buttons styled diagonally on the right shoulder, worn over a white shirt.
This ensemble is to be complemented by a matching tie and cap, alongside gray pants or skirts for female personnel. The Space Force announced that this dress uniform would be available from mid-2026, although a definitive mandatory wear date has not yet been set.
As the Space Force continues to evolve its identity and operational standards, including its uniforms, cultural representation within the military is becoming increasingly relevant in shaping the future of the service.
https://news.ssbcrack.com/space-force-unveils-new-mess-dress-uniform-at-air-force-weapons-school-graduation/
extra Space Force
https://www.al.com/news/huntsville/2026/06/us-space-command-takes-another-step-in-alabama-move-200-personnel-expected-by-years-end.html
https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Newsroom/Article-Display/Article/4524820/in-space-acquisition-commercial-integration-is-not-an-eitheror-decision
https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4524750/533rd-training-squadron-change-of-command/
https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2026/06/space-force-must-prepare-all-out-warfare-think-tank-says/414374/
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4524458/space-cowboys-america-250-event-at-falcon-stadium/
United States Space Force
@USSpaceForce
Thank you for having us!
@Nationals
Quote
Nationals Park
@NationalsPark
Jun 22
proud to honor the @USSpaceForce tonight at Nationals Park 🇺🇸❤️
honoring the commitment, innovation and service of our Guardians → http://nationals.com/militaryappreciation
6:14 AM · Jun 24, 2026
https://x.com/USSpaceForce/status/2069771263501828233
moar Space Force social media
https://x.com/SpaceForceCSO/status/2069228755680174220
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Euclid/ESA_s_Euclid_captures_the_Milky_Way_s_crowded_heart
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2026/06/ESA_s_Euclid_captures_the_Milky_Way_s_crowded_heart
extra ESA
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2026/06/The_art_of_hadrons
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2026/06/Close_approach_of_asteroid_152637_1997_NC1
ESA’s Euclid captures the Milky Way’s crowded heart
24/06/2026
In brief
The largest and most detailed photo ever made of our Milky Way galaxy’s centre in visible light is revealed today by the European Space Agency’s Euclid mission.
Packed with more than 60 million stars, this image opens the door for scientists to confirm the existence of any exoplanet found in this region and measure its mass using tiny changes in starlight over time.
In-depth
For just one day, our dark Universe detective, Euclid, turned its gaze towards the light: the extremely bright inner region of our Milky Way galaxy, known as the galactic bulge.
This special request came from astronomers who were after what Euclid does best: capturing huge areas of the sky in crisp detail.
Designed to observe billions of faraway galaxies, the space telescope’s visible light camera is sensitive enough to tell apart individual stars in our super-crowded galactic bulge, without being blinded.
This rare ability is crucial for what scientists want to use this image for: studying planets around other stars using a special technique called microlensing.
But before diving into that, let’s first take a closer look at this awe-inspiring image itself.
On 23 March 2025, Euclid captured this enormous photo in just about 26 hours. It’s a mosaic of nine ‘pointings’ from its visible light camera [1], with each pointing covering a patch of the sky larger than the full Moon.
For comparison, Euclid’s sharpness and sensitivity in visible light is similar to the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope’s wide field camera. But each pointing that Euclid captures in a few hours spans an area 270 times larger than Hubble's field of view.
To observe the same Euclid mosaic, the Keck Observatory would need around 2000 hours. Euclid is faster, and able to capture details from fainter stars that would be otherwise missed when observing from the ground.
This single mosaic also encompasses the entire region that the upcoming Roman space telescope will monitor for planet hunting.
Euclid captured more than 60 million stars in this photo, along with nebulas and star clusters. This crowded region of our galaxy is the perfect place for astronomers to search for exoplanets with microlensing. Text continues after image slider.
Finding exoplanets with gravitational microlensing
Microlensing is a form of gravitational lensing. While Euclid mostly uses lensing to explore massive faraway objects, such as clusters of galaxies, this new image of the galactic centre helps scientists to study lenses on the smallest scales – caused by stars and exoplanets in our own galaxy.
Microlensing relies on the chance alignment of two stars with an observer. As one star crosses in front of another, the nearer star acts like a cosmic magnifying glass, bending and brightening the background star’s light.
If a planet orbits the nearer star, its gravity also bends this light, in a slightly uneven way. This tiny additional change in brightness is how the presence of a planet is revealed.
“To catch microlensing, you need to observe parts of the sky that are crowded with stars, such as close to the centre of our galaxy,” explains Jean-Philippe Beaulieu of the Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris in France, and the University of Tasmania in Australia.
Jean-Philippe was the original instigator of Euclid’s galactic bulge survey, and he co-led the exoplanet working group of the Euclid Consortium.
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“During the last twenty years, almost 300 exoplanets have been discovered using this technique, all with ground-based telescopes and all towards the centre of our galaxy.
This image from Euclid includes 51 known planetary systems – and it will assist in studying many more that will be found,” he adds.
Measuring planet masses with Euclid
To catch a microlensing event, a telescope would need to study a star for over twenty days. This is needed to see the unevenness of the light being bent, as the planet orbits around its host star.
So, in Euclid’s one day of observation, no new events can be found. But what makes this image so special is that it allows scientists to measure the mass of planets that are already known, as well as planets that are yet to be discovered.
“In 24 hours, Euclid has already captured the stars involved in all the future microlensing events that the Roman space telescope will detect, but before the stars and planets involved have aligned,” says Natalia Rektsini of the Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris in France, who led the release of Euclid’s galactic bulge survey data for the scientific community.
“This means that anyone who detects a microlensing event in the same region, for example with Roman, will be able from now on to use Euclid data as a time reference in the past and see how the stars looked before they overlapped,” Natalia explains.
“Since Euclid can clearly separate individual stars, one can then measure how fast they move over time and use that information to confirm the existence of a planet and determine its mass. This would not be possible with data from one point in time.”
Icy planets and more
With most planet-hunting techniques, it’s easier to find large, hot planets orbiting massive stars. For microlensing that is not the case. “This technique is unbiased, we discover whatever is out there,” says Natalia.
“It is uniquely suited to discover cold exoplanets. And we expect every star in the Milky Way to host at least one such planet.”
The host stars of two known cold exoplanets appear in Euclid’s data, and both are special to the team.
“I led the team that discovered OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb 20 years ago,” says Jean-Philippe. “It’s an icy planet, a bit like Hoth from Star Wars. After all this time, I’m excited that Euclid might finally allow us to measure its precise mass.”
“OGLE-2013-BLG-341Lb is a rare and fascinating system,” says Natalia. “It consists of two stars and one planet. By combining earlier observations from Keck and Hubble with new Euclid data, we can finally separate the stars and confirm the planet’s mass.”
“This result shows what a relatively small, dedicated team, can achieve within a large international mission,” says Valeria Pettorino, Euclid Project Scientist at ESA.
“The exoplanet team included strong contributions from early-career researchers and was supported by the Science Ground Segment unit working on the visible instrument.”
“In just 24 hours, Euclid has delivered unique data on the Milky Way’s centre, with a large and sharp view of this region. With time, the separation between sources and lenses increases.
That’s why this Euclid data will be a time reference for past and future missions and enable studies of exoplanets and their masses. This data can also be used for other scientific applications, from brown dwarfs and binary stars to stellar motions and dust across our galaxy.”
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China's space plane appears to have released a mystery object in orbit
Jun 23, 2026
"This activity is consistent with sub-satellite deployments conducted by the space plane in previous missions," private space surveillance company LeoLabs wrote after detecting the object.
China's Shenlong space plane appears to have released a mystery object while in orbit, according to a private space surveillance firm.
Shenlong launched on its fourth mission on Feb. 6, 2026 atop a Long March 2F rocket that lifted off from China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. As with previous flights, the objectives of this mission were not disclosed to the public.
But according to recent observations by the commercial orbital intelligence company LeoLabs, one part of Shenlong's latest mission appears to involve releasing an unknown object.
"At 02:30 UTC on 22 June 2026, LeoLabs detected an unknown object in the vicinity of the Chinese Shenlong reusable space plane," LeoLabs posted to X. "This object did not correlate to any other object in our catalog. It was first observed by our Tracker radar in New Zealand."
"Following additional observations across our global network and analysis via LeoLabs Delta, we have independently cataloged this object and assessed with high confidence that it was released from the Chinese space plane," the company added in the post.
"This activity is consistent with sub-satellite deployments conducted by the space plane in previous missions."
Space tracker Jonathan McDowell noted on X that the object has now been catalogued by the U.S. Space Force.
Shenlong, or "Divine Dragon," is a reusable space plane that launches atop a rocket but lands on a runway like an aircraft. Its overall design is believed to be similar to the United States Space Force's X-37B, or somewhat like NASA's storied space shuttle.
Exact specifications are difficult to come by, given how secretive China's space program remains about Shenlong.
Very few images exist of Shenlong, and most of what we have seen of the space plane are telescopic images of the vehicle taken from ground-based telescopes.
This isn't the first time that Shenlong has appeared to release objects while in orbit. In June 2024, observers noticed that the space plane may have released a subsatellite or ejected an unnecessary piece of hardware as it approached the end of its mission.
Six months earlier, observers believed the space plane had ejected six objects at once, but those were later determined to be debris left over from launch.
Observers on the ground have also noticed what appear to be solar arrays extending from Shenlong, based on analysis of telescope imagery.
On previous missions, Shenlong has appeared to conduct what are known as rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO), meaning it tested the capability to maneuver close to other objects in space, according to SpaceNews.
White these RPOs can be conducted for peaceful purposes such as repairing or refueling other spacecraft, it might also be the case that space superpowers such as China and Russia are developing these capabilities to potentially tamper with adversary satellites should warfare ever make it to space.
In May, two Russian satellites came within 10 feet (3 meters) of one another in orbit, following a pattern of the country testing the capabilities of these so-called "inspector" spacecraft.
There's no reason to believe the United States isn't developing its own RPO capabilities for similar reasons, and the nation has released official artwork suggesting as much.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/chinas-space-plane-appears-to-have-released-a-mystery-object-in-orbit
extra China space
https://www.leonarddavid.com/chinas-space-station-set-to-expand/
https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/chinas-einstein-probe-detected-a-mysterious-cosmic-explosion-and-scientists-have-no-idea-what-caused-it
State-backed raiders seize Odessa church from Ukraine’s largest denomination
24 Jun, 2026 13:55 | Updated 24 Jun, 2026 15:00
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is being forced from its places of worship as Kiev accuses it of serving Russia
A church in Odessa dedicated to the Russian Orthodox saint Aleksandr Nevsky has been seized by anti-Russian activists. The incident follows a pattern of government-backed crackdowns on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), the country’s largest denomination.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Ukrainian authorities have carried out raids on monasteries and churches, imposed sanctions on clergy members, and backed efforts to transfer UOC properties to the rival Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), whose clerics reportedly participated in the church takeover on Tuesday.
Why is there a church schism in Ukraine?
The OCU was launched as part of then-President Pyotr Poroshenko’s reelection campaign in 2019 and is considered schismatic by the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and the UOC.
The canonical Ukrainian church has denied accusations that it serves Moscow’s interests and formally severed all administrative ties with the ROC in 2022.
Despite that, it faces a possible legal ban under a law that current Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky signed in 2024.
How was the Odessa church targeted?
According to the UOC’s Odessa diocese, priests and parishioners arrived at the Aleksandr Nevsky church in the morning to find the gates locked.
During a confrontation outside, one of the men involved in the takeover, who appeared to be a private security employee hired by the OCU, allegedly grabbed a priest by the throat.
In a video posted online, OCU cleric Teodor Orobets claimed the church now belongs to “real parishioners,” including “military service members, veterans, and our military chaplains.”
He declared the church to be re-dedicated to an 11th-century monk of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery.
In footage filmed inside the church after the takeover, he criticized icons depicting saints who have no connection to modern-day Ukraine, denouncing them as “markers of Moscow religious life.”
What was the Church response?
The UOC said it will challenge the seizure in court. Church officials noted that the congregation restored the building between 1999 and 2001 and has used it ever since.
The church was originally built in 1897 on the grounds of a military hospital, but it was forced to shut down in the late 1940s under Soviet rule.
The temple is dedicated to Aleksandr Nevsky, a medieval Russian prince and Orthodox saint who ruled several principalities, including Kiev. The OCU has rejected his veneration, citing his role in the development of Russian statehood.
Among the images singled out by Orobets was an icon of Tsar Nicholas II and his family. The last Russian emperor, his wife, and their children were executed by the Bolsheviks in 1918. They were later canonized by the ROC.
Agapetus of Pechersk, after whom the OCU wants to rename the church, is recognized as a saint by both the Ukrainian church it seeks to replace and the Russian one.
https://www.rt.com/russia/642048-odessa-ouc-church-raid/
https://www.rt.com/russia/610327-un-ukraines-crackdown-christian-church/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/news/642044-zelensky-skip-conference-poland-scandal-nazi-row/
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/78850
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukraine-reportedly-targets-key-gazprom-gas-facility-in-orenburg-during-overnight-drone-attack-20109
other Russia and Ukraine
https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/06/24/ukraine-drones-black-out-all-of-occupied-sevastopol-balaklava-power-plant-was-the-target/
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4137282-drone-signal-relay-stations-in-belarus-no-longer-operating-zelensky.html
https://www.intellinews.com/russia-s-oil-sector-bruised-but-not-broken-by-ukraine-s-drone-strikes-450691/
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/moscow-oil-refinery-may-remain-offline-until-1782306406.html
https://en.defence-ua.com/news/ukraines_khartiia_drone_operators_destroy_russian_tank_in_precision_strike_video-18921.html
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/06/24/ukrainian-drone-attack-kills-2-in-nizhny-novgorod-region-a93082
https://maritime-executive.com/article/ukraine-destroys-russian-drone-boats-fitted-with-illicit-starlink-terminals
Mass Drone Raid Hits Orenburg Gas Giant 1,500 km From Ukraine, Russia’s Only Helium Plant Ablaze
June 24, 2026, 10:44 am
A large gas processing plant in Russia’s Orenburg region came under a reported drone attack overnight, with explosions, fires, and airport shutdowns recorded across the area.
Ukrainian monitoring Telegram channel Exilenova+ said multiple fires were recorded at the industrial site. Satellite data, according to the channel, showed several areas burning at the plant following the explosions.
The Orenburg region is located in southern Russia and borders Kazakhstan to the south.
Local residents reported at least three impacts in the industrial zone.
Authorities temporarily suspended operations at Orenburg airport, with similar restrictions introduced in Orsk and Yasnoye, halting air traffic for security reasons.
The governor of Orenburg region, Yevgeny Solntsev, said on Telegram that “a massive drone attack on our region was organized by the criminal regime of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).”
He added that several drones were shot down over an industrial facility, urged residents to remain calm, and said no casualties had been reported. He also warned that sharing drone-related photos and videos is prohibited.
The Orenburg Gas Processing Plant, built on the Orenburg gas condensate field, is described by Russian sources as the “largest gas chemical complex in the world.”
Located about 1,500 km (932 miles) from the Ukrainian border, it is a key Gazprom facility involved in gas purification, processing, and helium production. It is also the only producer of natural odorants in Russia.
The plant is part of the KazRosGaz project, processing gas from Kazakhstan’s Karachaganak field.
The facility was previously targeted in October of 2025, when a fire broke out and Gazprom reported an emergency disruption of gas intake.
In May 2026, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had struck Russian gas infrastructure in the Orenburg region.
In a later Telegram update, Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed the strike on Orenburg Gas Processing Plant and Russia’s only helium plant.
“Units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine in the Orenburg region struck the Orenburg Gas Processing Plant and the only helium plant in Russia. The distance is more than 1,200 km (746 miles) from the line of combat contact,” the report reads.
A fire was recorded at both facilities, while the extent of the damage is still being assessed.
The General Staff noted that the gas plant and the Orenburg Helium Plant form a single industrial complex.
The gas plant produces purified natural gas and sulfur, the latter of which is used, among other things, in the production of explosives and black powder.
The helium plant processes purified sulfur-free gas and, using deep-cooling technology, extracts valuable components such as helium and ethane.
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The facility was previously targeted in October of 2025, when a fire broke out and Gazprom reported an emergency disruption of gas intake.
In May 2026, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had struck Russian gas infrastructure in the Orenburg region.
In a later Telegram update, Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed the strike on Orenburg Gas Processing Plant and Russia’s only helium plant.
“Units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine in the Orenburg region struck the Orenburg Gas Processing Plant and the only helium plant in Russia. The distance is more than 1,200 km (746 miles) from the line of combat contact,” the report reads.
A fire was recorded at both facilities, while the extent of the damage is still being assessed.
The General Staff noted that the gas plant and the Orenburg Helium Plant form a single industrial complex.
The gas plant produces purified natural gas and sulfur, the latter of which is used, among other things, in the production of explosives and black powder.
The helium plant processes purified sulfur-free gas and, using deep-cooling technology, extracts valuable components such as helium and ethane.
Regional governor Gleb Nikitin said two people were killed and two injured in a drone attack on an industrial facility, adding that 23 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were shot down and debris damaged buildings and vehicles.
He did not specify which facility was hit, adding that there was no critical damage to the industrial infrastructure.
However, the General Staff did not comment on Ukraine’s involvement in this attack.
The General Staff also reported a strike on the Russian first-person view (FPV) drone depot near Alekseyevka in Russia’s Belgorod region.
“Also, the control points of the occupants’ UAVs in the areas of Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region, Basan and Hrozove in the Zaporizhzhia region, Tyotkino and Popovo-Lezhachi in the Kursk region of Russia, as well as Zhuravlyovka in the Belgorod region of Russia were hit,” the report added.
In addition, damage was confirmed to two buildings that later caught fire at the Vladimir Space Communications Center in Russia’s Vladimir region.
The center supports satellite and long-distance space communication systems used, among other things, by Russian security forces.
Meanwhile, occupied Sevastopol was left without electricity after an overnight drone attack on energy infrastructure in Crimea, Moscow-installed governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said on Wednesday.
Razvozhayev revealed the blackout was caused by a strike on energy facilities. “As a result of the enemy attack on our energy infrastructure, the city temporarily remained without electricity,” he wrote.
Ukrainian monitoring channels reported explosions across Crimea during the night. The Telegram channel Krymsky Veter said the Balaklava thermal power plant in Sevastopol was a key target, though the extent of damage remains unclear.
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https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/2026-06-24/live-updates-900328
other Israel
https://www.ifcj.org/news/stand-for-israel-blog/israel-and-lebanon-discuss-idf-withdrawal
https://www.jns.org/news/israel-news/idf-kills-hezbollah-terrorists-operating-near-security-zone
https://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/279145317/israel-defence-minister-says-idf-will-not-withdraw-from-lebanon-even-if-there-an-american-demand
https://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/shay-levy-idf-lebanon-transparency-failure-military
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-900372
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/rubio-confirms-jerusalem-beirut-discussing-possible-scale-back-of-idf-from-lebanon/
https://www.rt.com/news/642052-israel-killed-palestinian-children/
Live Updates: Trump says Iran making ‘big consessions’ as Israel-Lebanon negotiations enter second day
June 24, 2026
Second day of Israel-Lebanon talks begin in Washington • Iran, Oman push to become administrators of Strait of Hormuz • EU diplomatic service proposes mission to train Lebanese forces
June 24, 8:43 PM
Trump says Iran is making big concessions
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran is making very big concessions.
"We're winning by a lot. Iran is making very big concessions. We'll see what happens," Trump told reporters.
June 24, 7:56 PM
Rubio: Hezbollah threat one of main issues to be discussed
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to reporters in Kuwait on Wednesday, emphasized that the threat posed by Hezbollah will be one of the main topics of discussion.
“The only reason Israel is in Lebanon is that Hezbollah launches rockets and drones from there,” Rubio stated. “If Hezbollah wasn't launching against them, they wouldn't be there.”
He expressed hope that, through the mechanisms established during the US-mediated talks, “the legitimate sovereign Lebanese government will continue to be able to control and secure more and more of their own territory.”
June 24, 7:41 PM
IDF kills Hamas terrorist who participated in October 7 attacks, was rebuilding Hamas in Gaza
The IDF killed Hamas terrorist Muhammad Mahmoud Abu Mazi, who participated in the October 7 attacks and was operating to restore the terrorist organization's control in Gaza.
The military said in a Thursday statement that Abu Mazi had been working to "restore the terrorist organization's capabilities and advance terror attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians."
June 24, 6:14 PM
Second day of Israel-Lebanon talks begin in Washington, US official tells 'Post'
According to the official, the goal of the talks is to “continue to advance a comprehensive peace and security between the two countries.”
A second day of Israel-Lebanon negotiations has begun in Washington on Wednesday, a US State Department official told The Jerusalem Post.
According to the official, the goal of the talks is to “continue to advance a comprehensive peace and security between the two countries.”
Go to the full article >
June 24, 6:02 PM
Iran, Oman push to become administrators of Strait of Hormuz as toll system remains unclear
Both countries emphasize “their sovereignty and sovereign rights over their territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz” and “agreed to maintain their dialogue on this issue."
Oman and Iran have agreed to pursue discussions on the potential future administration of the Strait of Hormuz, asserting their “sovereignty and sovereign rights over their territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz,” the two countries said in a joint statement following talks on Tuesday.
The statement marks a notable shift for Oman, which has largely remained silent amid a stream of declarations by Iranian officials regarding Tehran's claims over the waterway and proposals for shared administration with Muscat.
The two countries emphasize “their sovereignty and sovereign rights over their territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz” and “agreed to maintain their dialogue on this issue through a joint working group between the two foreign ministries in order to reach agreement on the future administration of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the services that will be provided in this regard and the costs associated with them in accordance with international standards.”
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June 24, 6:02 PM
Marco Rubio in UAE warns Iran-backed militias in Iraq threaten regional stability
Washington has used a combination of sanctions, terrorist designations, and rewards for information on militia leaders.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in the United Arab Emirates on June 23. During his visit he made an important statement about the role of Iranian-backed militias in Iraq.
The statement was posted by the Department of State and other accounts that are linked to the US administration. By calling out Iraq he is sending an important message. The US wants Iraq to rein in the militias.
"You can't have the end of hostilities and conflict in the region as long as Iranian proxies are launching missiles and drones from Iraq and are participating in terrorism… It is an issue that will be gotten to at the appropriate time in these negotiations,” Rubio said. Kurdish media in the Kurdistan autonomous region of northern Iraq also noted the comments.
The US has been increasing pressure on the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. Washington has used a combination of sanctions, terrorist designations, and rewards for information on militia leaders.
June 24, 5:30 PM
EU diplomatic service proposes mission to train Lebanese forces, document shows
Discussion over a possible EU mission comes as the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon is set to expire at the end of 2026, when it is expected to begin a year-long drawdown and withdrawal.
The European Union’s diplomatic service has proposed a three-year military and civilian mission to advise and train Lebanese forces, including in border and maritime security, according to a document seen by Reuters on Wednesday.
The proposal stems from the EU studying ways to strengthen Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces to help free up the Lebanese army to focus on disarming the terrorist group Hezbollah.
Discussion over a possible EU mission comes as the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon is set to expire at the end of 2026, when it is expected to begin a year-long drawdown and withdrawal.
The EU is not considering replacing UNIFIL, but rather strengthening Lebanese forces. Any such mission would require approval from the EU’s 27 member countries.
June 24, 4:35 PM
US Embassy in Kuwait resumes operations after Iranian attacks
The US Embassy in Kuwait has resumed operations that were suspended following attacks by Iran, a US State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday.
June 24, 3:27 PM
Trump says Iran has told US no tolls being sought at Strait of Hormuz
"Additionally, no money has been given to Iran, or released from their money to them, by the US," Trump wrote.
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran has told the United States that no tolls were being sought from ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.
The two countries, which ended a first round of negotiations in Switzerland on Monday, have offered conflicting accounts about financial incentives for Iran, control of the Strait of Hormuz, and Israel's parallel war in Lebanon - all major aspects of their framework deal signed last week, aiming to end the war.
Trump has faced criticism over the deal domestically, including from hardliners in his Republican Party.
"Iran has informed the U.S. that, despite troublemaking Fake News reporting to the contrary, there are 'NO TOLLS, NO INSURANCE COSTS, & NO OTHER CHARGES OF ANY KIND BEING SOUGHT OR RECEIVED BY IRAN ON SHIPS TRAVELING THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ' Trump wrote in a social media post.
"If this is false information, negotiations would end, immediately!"
June 24, 3:27 PM
Iran FM Abbas Araghchi says Gaza war to be raised in US talks, reaffirms Hamas support - report
The comments came in a phone call with Hamas representative Basem Naim, who praised Iran’s “steadfast support” for Palestinians, according to state and IRGC-linked outlets.
Iran stands with Hamas against Israel, and is raising the issue of Israeli aggression in Gaza with the US during talks, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told senior Hamas official Basem Naim on Tuesday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported.
Araghchi said the Iranian negotiation team, of which he is a senior member, will "raise the issue of the occupiers' ongoing aggression against Gaza," with Washington, the report noted.
Naim praised Iran's steadfast support for the Palestinian people "against the Israeli regime," in a phone call with Araghchi.
He also thanked Iran for its "consistent and firm position regarding the Palestinian cause," Iranian state media, Press TV, reported.
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America 250 drone show illuminates Bluffton sky
Jun 24, 2026
On a beautiful evening in Bluffton, area families gathered on June 19 for a drone show celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Held at Harmon Field after the annual Festival of Wheels, few knew quite what to expect at Bluffton’s very first drone show.
Anticipation built along the line to get into the stadium, which stretched from the front gates to past Riley Creek bridge. Gates opened at 8:30 p.m. sharp, with visitors seated in the stands on the home side of the football stadium.
Visitors were also directed to stand along the fence and could see the show from across the street.
As the sun went down, show sponsors were announced and visitors visited. Suddenly, the stadium lights clicked off and a green glow came from under the visitor bleachers.
Several dots of light rose to the sky and the music began. Viewers saw beautiful formations of patriotic images.
First was the Declaration of Independence with “1776” inside to signify when America began, then the bust of George Washington, followed by a soldier signifying the Revolutionary War.
After that, the visual theme turned to Bluffton as the words “Bluffton – 1861” lit up the sky. The show included several shapes signifying Bluffton before the lights returned to white and descended to the ground.
The 15-minute light show was organized by the Bluffton Celebrates committee as part of America 250 activities scheduled throughout 2026.
https://www.blufftonicon.com/photo/2026/06/24/america-250-drone-show-illuminates-bluffton-sky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZILkp_it4nQ
other USA drones
https://wpde.com/news/nation-world/more-than-300-drones-seized-by-tsa-transportation-security-administration-federal-air-marshals-for-violating-fifa-world-cup-no-fly-zones-fines-prison-time-faa-no-drone-zones-fbi
https://uasmagazine.com/articles/navy-researchers-demonstrate-laser-system-that-beans-power-and-counter-drones
https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/unmanned-vehicles/the-airspace-challenge-facing-americas-public-safety-drone-programs/
UFO experts, lawmakers to speak at Disclosure Forum
Updated: Jun 24, 2026 / 01:09 PM CDT
Scheduled for Jun 25, 2026
As lawmakers and whistleblowers continue a push for transparency on UFOs, Thursday’s Disclosure Forum will bring advocates together in a daylong session.
The forum will feature panel discussions on issues around UAPs, including the congressional push for transparency, national security implications and the economic and religious impact of sightings.
Forum speakers
Speakers will include well-known proponents of UAP disclosure, including Christopher Mellon, who served in the administrations of former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush; retired Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet, who has spoken out about UAP sightings; and Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb.
Multiple lawmakers are expected to attend, including Reps. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., Eric Burlison, R-Mo., Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., and Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, and Mike Rounds, R-SD.
Rising interest in UFOs
There has been a bipartisan push for UFO disclosure following claims from whistleblower David Grusch about secret Pentagon programs dedicated to retrieving and reverse engineering UFO technology.
Whistleblowers have said not only is the U.S. in possession of technology from crashed UFOs, the government is also in possession of nonhuman biological specimens.
Grusch’s testimony sparked congressional hearings on the subject and the rolling release of declassified UAP files by the U.S. government.
Path to transparency
However, lawmakers remain frustrated over the lack of progress and have accused the Pentagon of compartmentalizing information and using private contractors to avoid congressional oversight.
The Pentagon has denied the existence of any secret UAP programs and said there is no evidence sightings are connected to extraterrestrial life.
https://www.newsnationnow.com/space/ufo/ufo-experts-lawmakers-disclosure-forum/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3004GwnxwzM
https://forum.disclosure.org/
Avi Loeb to Newsmax: UFO Panel Will Focus on Data, Not Conspiracies
Wednesday, 24 June 2026 11:47 AM EDT
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb said a newly formed federal advisory panel on unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAPs, will focus on gathering better data and helping the U.S. government determine whether unexplained objects are linked to foreign adversaries or represent something more unusual.
The UAP Science Advisory Council, established as part of President Donald Trump's push for greater transparency on UFO-related records, is expected to advise the administration, the Pentagon, intelligence agencies and other federal entities as they review unexplained aerial sightings and related data.
Loeb, who is leading the council, discussed the effort during an appearance on Newsmax's "Wake Up America" on Wednesday.
"The government wants to cooperate [with UFO researchers] and I'm here to serve President Trump and the administration in figuring out these unusual objects, anomalous objects that the Pentagon and the intelligence agencies have difficulties explaining."
The Trump administration recently established a UAP Governance Board and a related scientific advisory effort to support the president’s directive on UAP transparency and coordinate the review and declassification of information across government agencies.
Loeb was selected to lead the science advisory council, which will work with unclassified information and provide recommendations on future research and data collection.
He argued on Wednesday that government monitoring systems have historically led to major scientific discoveries and suggested a similar approach could help explain some UAP reports.
"The U.S. government is responsible for some previous discoveries of the cosmos," he said, citing the discovery of gamma-ray bursts and the detection of interstellar meteors through military monitoring systems.
"Let's hope that perhaps they have some record of objects that may have been manufactured by technological civilizations other than ours," Loeb said. "And what we are here for is to help the government figure out if that's the case."
At the same time, Loeb stressed that national security concerns remain a primary motivation for the effort.
"Because if it's not the case, if these are human made, then they might be produced by adversarial nations," he said.
"And we have to help, as citizens of the United States, help the Pentagon figure them out so that there will not be holes in the defense of strategic assets."
Asked about the administration's push to release more UFO-related information amid decades of public speculation and conspiracy theories, Loeb said investigators should remain focused on evidence.
"My point is we should keep our eyes on the orbs, not on the audience," he said. "It's not about what is being said in social media. There are lots of crackpots and a lot of people with conspiracy theories.
That's completely irrelevant when we see objects that the Pentagon is unable to identify."
Loeb called for improved surveillance systems and scientific research rather than continued debate over incomplete historical reports.
"We should now build better sensors to protect the United States," he said.
When asked whether he would publicly disclose evidence of extraterrestrial life if it were found, Loeb answered unequivocally.
"Definitely," he said. "Steven Spielberg asked me a decade ago to tell him if I find anything, because he realizes that his imagination is not as good as reality. And so I will definitely keep you in mind as well."
Loeb added that because the council will analyze only unclassified information, its findings can be discussed openly.
"As of now, the council that I'm leading will analyze unclassified data, so we can definitely discuss it with the public in a transparent way," he said.
https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/avi-loeb-ufo-uap/2026/06/24/id/1260739/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrxRq-qK0f0
https://x.com/ProfAviLoeb
extra Avi Loeb
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-ufo-adviser-files-are-detective-story-loeb-12114391
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/cosmic-discoveries-by-national-security-sensors-bb6afa43e980
U.S. Air Force Reports on Roswell – This Day in History
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
On June 24, 1997, the U.S. Air Force released a report attempting to explain one of the most enduring mysteries in American history: the alleged UFO crash near Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947.
For half a century, speculation had swirled around what many believed was evidence of extraterrestrial visitation. The Air Force’s findings, however, pointed to a far more terrestrial explanation—one rooted in Cold War secrecy and military surveillance.
The Roswell incident began in early July 1947 when rancher William “Mac” Brazel discovered unusual debris scattered across his property near Roswell.
The material included strips of foil, rubber, and lightweight rods, unlike anything he had seen before. After reporting the discovery to local authorities, officials from the nearby Roswell Army Air Field investigated the site.
On July 8, the military issued a startling press release announcing that personnel had recovered a “flying disc.” Newspapers across the country quickly picked up the story, fueling public fascination with the possibility of alien spacecraft.
The excitement was short-lived. Within hours, military officials reversed course, stating that the debris was actually from a weather balloon. While the revised explanation seemed straightforward, many people remained skeptical.
Over the following decades, rumors persisted that the government had concealed the recovery of an extraterrestrial craft and possibly even alien bodies.
By the 1970s and 1980s, Roswell had become the centerpiece of countless books, documentaries, and conspiracy theories.
Seeking to address growing public interest, the U.S. Air Force conducted an extensive review of historical records.
Its 1997 report concluded that the debris recovered near Roswell was not from an alien spacecraft but from a highly classified military project known as Project Mogul.
Developed during the early years of the Cold War, Project Mogul used high-altitude balloons equipped with sensitive instruments to detect Soviet nuclear weapons tests.
Because the program was top secret, military officials in 1947 could not publicly reveal its true purpose, contributing to confusion and suspicion.
The report also addressed claims about recovered alien bodies. According to Air Force investigators, many accounts likely stemmed from memories of military crash-test dummies and other aerospace experiments conducted in the region during the 1950s.
Although these activities occurred years after the original Roswell incident, the passage of time may have blurred details in eyewitness recollections.
Despite the Air Force’s conclusions, the Roswell mystery remains a cultural phenomenon. For believers, unanswered questions continue to fuel speculation about extraterrestrial life and government cover-ups.
For skeptics, the incident serves as a fascinating example of how secrecy, misinformation, and public imagination can combine to create a lasting legend.
Nearly 80 years after the debris was discovered in the New Mexico desert, Roswell continues to capture the public’s imagination, standing as one of the most famous and debated mysteries in modern American history.
https://amac.us/newsline/lifestyle/us-air-force-reports-on-roswell/
Baba Vanga's prophecy of 'alien invasion at sporting event' revived by self-styled psychic - 'I saw so much screaming'
Jun 24, 2026, 09:13 IST | Updated: Jun 24, 2026, 09:13 IST
Story highlights
Aliens will invade the June 24 Football World Cup match in Florida and abduct players and fans, according to Vó Bahiana, a self-proclaimed psychic from Brazil.
She claims to have witnessed the scene unfold in her dreams. This is in line with a famous Baba Vanga prediction.
Baba Vanga is said to have predicted an alien invasion during a major sporting event. Now, a self-proclaimed psychic is piggybacking on that said prophecy and has predicted an alien invasion during a June 24 Football World Cup match.
She has warned that thousands of people could be abducted on live television. Vó Bahiana is a Brazilian spiritualist with over 23 million followers on social media. She claims that the Brazil vs Scotland match in Florida will be the scene of this said alien invasion.
She even shared an AI-generated video of the abductions. She says she dreamt twice of this event this month. Bahiana has said that several extraterrestrial spacecraft will descend on the stadium and abduct the players as well as fans.
She claims one giant "mothership" will be at the helm of this event.
"I have to tell you that I dreamed again about aliens invading the soccer field in Miami. And I clearly saw the players being carried off by the first ship that arrived," Bahiana said with tears in her eyes in an Instagram post.
She claims that she was inside a spaceship in the dream. Later, the mothership came and took in thousands of people from the field. "I saw so much screaming, so much crying, so many tears, suffering," the self-proclaimed psychic said.
She says the supposed aliens will use devices resembling enormous mechanical arms to abduct people at the game.
Then a second craft carrying so-called "Reptilians" will arrive. According to conspiracy theories, Reptilians are a group of extraterrestrials who live on Earth like humans.
Her prophecy has triggered a flurry of reactions, with most people mocking her for it.
Vó Bahiana enjoys major following because of her past predictions
"I am very terrified because it is the second time I am dreaming about this," she said. Bahaiana enjoys a huge following in Brazil and claims to have predicted some major events.
Her supporters say she predicted the devastating floods in Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul state, and the deaths of musicians Chrystian and João Carneiro.
While her followers believe her, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security have said they have no evidence suggesting any such event would take place.
There is renewed interest in UFOs and aliens ever since Donald Trump ordered the release of all the files gathered over decades.
Three batches have since been released, detailing unexplained events and sightings. However, the US government has always maintained that there is no proof of extraterrestrials on Earth.
https://www.wionews.com/trending/baba-vanga-world-cup-prophecy-of-alien-invasion-revived-by-self-styled-psychic-1782271484018
https://english.pravda.ru/science/108800-vanga/
https://www.instagram.com/vobahianaoficial_
https://thedebrief.org/it-was-the-most-incredible-thing-i-ever-witnessed-new-film-details-worlds-first-private-astronauts-and-a-life-altering-uap-encounter/
“It Was the Most Incredible Thing I Ever Witnessed”: New Film Details World’s First Private Astronauts—and a Life-Altering UAP Encounter
June 24, 2026
The fascinating behind-the-scenes story of the exploits of the first team of private astronauts to cross the Kármán line is finally being told.
A newly released documentary film, “Beyond Blue Sky: The Untold Story of the First Private Astronauts,” now available on Apple TV and Amazon Prime, reveals the award-winning accomplishment and includes firsthand testimony from the pilots and engineers who made the inaugural private astronaut space flights possible.
The film also includes one of the two record-setting astronauts, U.S. Navy combat veteran Brian Binnie, sharing an unusual, life-altering experience for the first time on screen, an event that he credits for inspiring him to continue after a crushing setback almost ended his dreams of flying to space.
A Private Astronaut’s Failure and a UAP Encounter
In an email to The Debrief, documentary filmmaker Kevin Curran noted that his Emmy-nominated crew, “with a proven space pedigree,” including chronicling milestones of Blue Origin, SpaceX, Astrobotic, and NASA, was able to capture “razor’s-edge supersonic test flight footage” to reveal the story of the first team of private astronauts to join the small group of humans to have ventured into space.
Along the way, the documentary depicts the team’s successes and failures in their pursuit of reaching space for the first time—and then doing so two more times with extra ballast—to win a $10 million prize.
Although Binnie, a Princeton-educated aeronautical engineer and 20-year Navy pilot, would typically seem like the obvious choice for the award-winning space attempt, a difficult crash landing on the first rocket-powered test flight of the program had Binnie doubting whether he would get another opportunity to pilot SpaceShipOne for the remaining five test flights.
As incredible as the team’s historic accomplishments were, Curran told The Debrief that the story took an unexpected, but inspiring turn when Binnie revealed an out-of-this-world encounter that he credited with inspiring him to recover from that setback and ultimately make the historic flight.
“The rest of the documentary is pretty incredible/riveting, I think, but [Binnie’s] story makes it so topical right now with the Pentagon’s release of UAP files,” Curran told The Debrief.
“I Turned Around Expecting to See Them Behind Me”
According to Curran, his team had no idea about Binnie’s encounter when they started filming.
As the ebullient filmmaker noted, the team was about six weeks into production on a film that he says “we thought would simply be an untold, feel-good story involving perseverance and redemption within the birth of private spaceflight.” Then, while the cameras rolled, Binnie made his revelation.
Although Curran notes that the pilot had previously confided in “dozens of people within the aerospace and test flight world over the years about his extreme close encounter,” this was the first time the veteran of 33 combat missions had “courageously” shared his experience on-screen.
“Like any good story, it simply became more fascinating the more we pulled on the thread,” Curran told The Debrief.
The tale began on December 17, 2003, when Binnie successfully piloted SpaceShipOne to nearly 68,000 feet on its first rocket-powered test flight, a critical early accomplishment that made him the first pilot to go supersonic in a privately funded vehicle.
However, the flight ended in an extremely rough landing that damaged the craft’s landing gear, wing, and fuselage, putting Binnie’s future as one of three test pilots of SpaceShipOne in doubt.
“After the crash, the 47-year-old Binnie faced the reality that he may never fly the spaceship again on the remaining five test flights of the program,” a summary emailed to The Debrief explains.
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Six days after the hard landing, Binnie was awake one morning at around 4 a.m., unable to sleep comfortably in his bed. Then, according to the astronaut’s account, he noticed that “bright lights were coming through my window blinds.
I rose, opened the window blinds to find that daylight had manifested in my backyard.” The decorated Navy veteran noted that while his backyard was illuminated, everything else he looked at was dark.
The next part of Binnie’s story details the presence of around a dozen translucent, glowing “orbs” he said he could perceive within the lit area. However, the pilot recalled, the orbs did not seem bright enough to account for the inordinately bright light illuminating his backyard.
During his on-screen recollection, the award-winning pilot also details the movement of the orbs, including two of them approaching him from approximately 50 feet away, passing through his bedroom window, and entering his chest.
“I turned around expecting to see them behind me, but they weren’t there,” he said.
The Impact on Binnie and the Documentary Crew
When discussing the impact that the unusual experience had on him, Binnie told Curran’s team that he initially searched for a conventional explanation.
With advanced engineering degrees and a 20-year Navy career that led him to become both a test pilot and manager of the SpaceShipOne program, he was well accustomed to evaluating unusual observations.
However, after exhausting all prosaic possibilities, the trained scientist, pilot, and observer ultimately concluded that the mysterious glowing orbs represented an intelligent phenomenon that had somehow allowed him to perceive them.
“It gave me hope that I had a purpose, and that purpose was to not simply take defeat, but was to pick myself up and continue,” Binnie told the documentarian.
Binnie described the pre-dawn experience as “the most incredible thing I ever witnessed.”
After what the team calls “a bizarre series of events” that offered Binnie a second chance to pilot SpaceShipOne, the newly reinvigorated aviator boarded the craft’s final flight on October 4, 2004.
During the launch phase, when the pilot and craft are hauled to a high latitude by the mothership, White Knight, Binnie said he once again reflected on the apparent UAP experience, including how he felt the orbs had given him an intangible drive to complete his mission and make history.
By the time the flight was complete, winning both the Collier and Ansari XPRIZE, Curran said the accomplishment proved that a team of “renegade geniuses” could achieve a NASA-level feat for a fraction of the space agency’s typical cost.
As far as the late pilot’s unusual UAP encounter, Curran credits Binnie’s courage for sharing his experience with UAPs, while also noting the effect the man’s retelling had on him and his crew.
Brian Confided in Colleagues for Years, But This is His First Filmed Account
“One thing I wish to clarify, in the event it matters, is that I believe Brian’s story,” Curran told The Debrief, while once again citing the combat veteran’s impressive credentials.
The documentarian also noted that there has been a stigma around the UAP subject for a long time, and that Binnie “was really brave to come out to me in 2020 before any of the House Oversight Committee testimonies or recent releases by the Pentagon.”
Brian confided in only a few aerospace colleagues about the experience for many years, and even learned of another astronaut with a similar experience, but the story’s inclusion in the film was the first time he shared it on record before passing away.
“I simply want to protect Brian Binnie’s memory and surviving family, as he was always kind to me, inspiring, and I’m proud to have called him a friend,” Curran concluded.
The project “is dedicated to the memory of test pilots Brian Binnie and Mike Melvill, the first two private astronauts who had the courage to fly stick-and-rudder to space,” the documentary team states.
“Thankfully, they shared their extraordinary stories on camera before they were lost forever in the Mojave sand,” the team concludes.
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Disclosure Foundation
@disclosurefound
The Disclosure Foundation will review NASA archival material for UAP-related information.
The initiative builds on recommendations from NASA’s UAP Independent Study Team and will use expert analysis, citizen science, and modern data tools.
7:39 AM · Jun 24, 2026
https://x.com/disclosurefound/status/2069792459618468148
Disclosure Foundation to Review NASA Archives for Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena
June 24, 2026
A new executive committee will review NASA archival material for UAP-related information, using expert analysis, citizen science, and modern data tools to identify anomalies warranting further study.
The Disclosure Foundation will conduct a review of NASA archival material for information related to unidentified anomalous phenomena, also known as UAP.
The effort is intended to support public understanding, scientific analysis, and a more rigorous approach to records that are public but have not yet been fully examined for anomaly data.
The initiative will be led by an executive committee that includes former NASA Associate Administrator for Space Policy and Partnerships Mike Gold, Disclosure Foundation Executive Director Jordan Flowers, astronomer Beatriz Villarroel, PhD, theoretical physicist Maaneli Derakhshani, PhD, aerospace engineer Travis Taylor, PhD, former Under Secretary for Science and Technology at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Reggie Brothers, PhD, and clinical psychologist Stephen Bruehl, PhD.
Both Gold and Brothers previously served on NASA's UAP Independent Study Team.
The Foundation's review will build on recommendations from the NASA UAP Independent Study Team final report by bringing together additional experts, voluntary contributions from corporations, and citizen science to examine NASA imagery, data, and related archival material.
The objective is to identify anomalies that warrant further investigation and, where appropriate, share findings with the public and interested government entities.
The review is expected to make use of modern artificial intelligence and machine learning tools where they can support careful analysis of large public archives.
"Anomalies are what drive scientific progress, and I'm incredibly grateful to this amazing team for volunteering their time and expertise to review the NASA archives," said Mike Gold, a member of the Disclosure Foundation advisory committee.
"We are going to do our best to implement the recommendations of the NASA UAP Independent Study Team to apply AI and ML capabilities to identify the most promising evidence of anomalies for further study, in an effort to support transparency, scientific discovery, and national security."
The announcement follows the release of recent Disclosure Foundation polling showing that NASA is the public's most trusted government entity on the UAP issue.
"By conducting our review of the NASA archives, we are meeting the public where their confidence already lies," said Jordan Flowers, Executive Director of the Disclosure Foundation. "
This initiative is a direct response to what the data is telling us: that transparency, conducted rigorously and openly, is not only what the public wants, it is what this moment in history requires."
The executive committee has already met virtually and plans to hold its first in-person meeting in July. Updates on the initiative will be shared through the Disclosure Foundation website.
https://disclosure.org/news/disclosure-foundation-nasa-archives-uap-review-2026
https://x.com/disclosurefound/status/2069792459618468148
The Pulse with Ben Stewart | Soundtrack Into Contact with Shanin Blake
Jun 24, 2026
How Music Became a Portal for ET Communication
Ben Stewart and Shanin Blake explore the intersection of music, consciousness, and contact phenomena.
After overcoming years of trauma and hardship, the singer-songwriter began experiencing psychic downloads, encounters with non-human intelligences, and profound shifts in awareness that she believes were catalyzed through music itself.
This conversation examines creativity as a transformative force and the possibility that sound may open the mind to realities beyond ordinary perception.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tMzOnKYdNs
https://x.com/yourmothergaia
https://x.com/Shaninblake999
extra disclosure dejour
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