TYB
https://dailygalaxy.com/2026/07/rare-fireballs-meteor-showers-summer/
https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space/look-up-perseid-meteor-shower-here-skywatchers-could-see-up-100-shooting-stars-per-hour
Rare Fireballs And Hidden Meteor Showers Are About To Light Up Summer Skies
July 19, 2026 at 13:35
The Perseids may dominate the headlines, but six lesser-known meteor showers will offer skywatchers more opportunities to catch shooting stars throughout the summer.
The Perseid meteor shower is widely regarded as the highlight of the Northern Hemisphere’s summer sky, drawing thousands of observers every August. Yet it is far from the only celestial display worth watching.
Throughout July and August, Earth crosses multiple streams of cosmic debris that generate several lesser-known meteor showers, each offering its own combination of bright fireballs, slow-moving meteors, and unique viewing opportunities.
Six Meteor Showers Extend The Summer Stargazing Season
While the Perseids often receive the most attention, the summer meteor calendar actually begins much earlier.
Starting in early July, Earth encounters debris left behind by ancient comets and asteroids, producing a succession of meteor showers that remain active well into late August.
Most of these displays generate fewer meteors than the Perseids, but they compensate by extending the observing season and occasionally producing exceptionally bright fireballs that can rival those seen during larger showers.
The first to appear are the Capricornids, active from around July 10 through mid-August. Their hourly rates are modest, usually only a handful of meteors each hour under excellent conditions.
Their real appeal lies in the brightness of some of their meteors, which can produce striking fireballs crossing the southern sky.
Shortly afterward come the Delta Aquariids, one of July’s strongest showers, capable of producing several dozen meteors per hour under ideal dark-sky conditions.
Their meteors tend to be faint and travel at moderate speeds, though a small percentage leave glowing trails that linger briefly after passing.
Observers can also watch for the Piscis Australids, another relatively weak shower that peaks near the end of July. Although their activity is limited, they add to the overall number of meteors visible during the season.
The Alpha Capricornids, peaking on July 31, are especially popular among astrophotographers because of their tendency to generate brilliant yellow fireballs despite producing only a few meteors per hour.
Moonlight Will Shape The Best Nights For Viewing
One of the biggest factors affecting meteor observations is not the showers themselves but the brightness of the Moon.
According to Space.com, several of this year’s late-July meteor showers coincide with a nearly full Moon, washing out many of the fainter meteors that would otherwise be visible.
The Delta Aquariids, Piscis Australids, and Alpha Capricornids will all face significant interference from moonlight during their expected peaks.
That does not necessarily mean these showers should be ignored. Meteor activity extends for days or even weeks before and after maximum activity, allowing observers to choose darker nights when lunar interference is reduced.
Even during periods of bright moonlight, the largest fireballs can remain easily visible, particularly under clear rural skies with little artificial light pollution.
The situation improves dramatically by mid-August. The Moon will have little impact during the Perseid maximum, creating some of the best observing conditions in recent years.
This favorable alignment gives skywatchers an excellent chance of seeing dozens of meteors each hour during the shower’s peak while also enjoying activity from overlapping minor streams.
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The Perseids Still Reign, But They Are Not Alone
The Perseids remain the undisputed centerpiece of the summer meteor season.
Originating from debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle, the shower regularly produces more than 50 meteors per hour under dark skies, with occasional outbursts delivering even higher rates.
Many Perseid meteors are fast, bright, and capable of leaving glowing trains that remain visible for several seconds.
The shower is expected to peak around August 13, when its radiant climbs high into the northeastern sky before dawn.
Because the Moon will be close to its new phase, observers should benefit from exceptionally dark conditions that maximize visibility.
This favorable timing makes the Perseids one of the year’s premier astronomical events and an ideal opportunity for both experienced astronomers and first-time skywatchers.
Still, focusing exclusively on the Perseids means missing much of what summer has to offer.
The weeks leading up to the peak feature a rich mix of overlapping meteor streams that create a steady flow of celestial activity across the night sky.
Rather than waiting for a single night in August, observers can enjoy nearly two months of meteor watching.
The Final Shower Brings One More Chance For Fireballs
After the Perseids begin to fade, the Kappa Cygnids provide one final opportunity to enjoy summer meteors.
Although this shower typically produces only a few meteors each hour, it has earned a reputation for slow-moving, bright fireballs that can become memorable highlights of an observing session.
Its radiant sits high overhead during the evening, making it convenient for observers who prefer not to stay out until dawn.
Astronomers also remind skywatchers that meteor showers are never the only source of activity overhead.
Random sporadic meteors appear throughout the night regardless of scheduled showers, adding several additional shooting stars each hour under dark conditions.
Together with the overlapping minor showers, these sporadic meteors ensure that nearly any clear summer night has the potential to reward patient observers.
No telescopes or binoculars are required to enjoy meteor showers.
The best approach remains surprisingly simple: find a location away from city lights, allow your eyes time to adapt to the darkness, dress warmly, and look roughly 30 degrees away from a shower’s radiant rather than directly at it.
While the Perseids continue to dominate public attention, these six lesser-known meteor showers demonstrate that summer offers far more opportunities for unforgettable nights beneath the stars.
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https://www.dailymail.com/sciencetech/article-15991091/Moon-landing-conspiracies-57th-anniversary-Apollo-11.html
moar NASA
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/four-astronauts-3-spacecraft-2-weeks-in-orbit-artemis-iii-will-be-nasas-most-complicated-mission-ever
https://www.nasa.gov/general/from-hampton-to-mars-how-nasa-langley-helped-land-on-the-red-planet/
https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/news/testing-tools-gauge-snow-depth
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/shaping-the-emerald-city/
Moon landing conspiracies are reignited online on the 57th anniversary of Apollo 11 - as experts reveal three pieces of evidence that prove NASA's lunar missions were real
10:52 EDT, 20 July 2026 | Updated: 10:55 EDT, 20 July 2026
Moon landing conspiracies have been reignited online once again, as NASA celebrates the 57th anniversary of Apollo 11.
This historic mission took place on 20 July 1969, and saw Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first people to set foot on the moon.
Since then, only 10 others have followed suit, bringing the total number of moonwalkers to just 12.
Taking to social media, many sceptics have used the anniversary as an opportunity to spout their weird and wonderful conspiracies.
'It remained at 12, because that's how you keep the lie from getting out,' one X user said.
Another added: 'Apollo missions were fake. They never walked the moon,' while one simply stated: 'News flash the moon landing was fake.'
Unfortunately for these conspiracy theorists, there are three key pieces of evidence that prove NASA's Apollo 11 mission was real.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, scientists say we simply have to look at the scientific equipment astronauts left behind, the 380kg of rock they brought back, and the 8,400 publicly available photos they took while they were there.
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Equipment on the moon
When the Apollo 11 mission landed on the moon in 1969, the astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin did not leave the lunar surface as they found it.
Every NASA mission to the lunar surface has left behind a trail of abandoned landers, rovers and various pieces of scientific equipment.
Although these are difficult to see from Earth, more recent missions have confirmed that they are still there.
In 2011, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mapped the moon in the highest resolution ever, creating hundreds of terabytes of images.
The orbiter has photographed three Apollo landing sites – Apollo 12, 14, and 17 – with an unprecedented level of accuracy.
In the photos of the Apollo 12 landing site, you can even see the astronauts' footprints, which have been perfectly preserved in the wind–less lunar surface for decades.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dr Greg Brown, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, said: 'This imagery has been independently verified by institutions across the world, and not just by NASA and the USA.
If that wasn't convincing enough, you could look at the data from the pieces of scientific equipment astronauts installed.
Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15, and 16 all installed lunar seismometers to measure how impacts from asteroids travelled through the lunar rock.
This data was key in developing our understanding of the moon's composition and formation.
But, most importantly, Apollo 11 installed a piece of equipment called the lunar laser ranging retroreflector array, which is essentially a large mirror.
'These are still used today to determine the precise distance to the Moon by bouncing laser light off of them and timing the beam's return,' says Dr Brown.
'It is these measurements that revealed that the Moon is moving very slowly away from the Earth at around the rate your fingernails grow!'
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Lunar rocks
Besides leaving things behind, NASA astronauts also took plenty of souvenirs home with them when they returned from the moon.
In total, across all the Apollo missions, NASA has brought back 382kg of lunar rock and debris.
These rocks have been distributed to laboratories all around the world for analysis, including to labs in Russia and China, which would have loved to prove the landings were a hoax.
Dr Brown said: 'That analysis has shown that the moon's composition, while similar to the Earth in some ways, has some key differences.'
The lunar rocks contain a different combination of minerals and isotopes from those found on Earth, proving their extraterrestrial origins.
Scientists are also able to compare these samples to so–called lunar meteorites, pieces of rock that have fallen to Earth after being dislodged from the moon.
Today, these samples can even be compared to lunar rocks collected by China's Chang'e–5 and Chang'e–6 missions.
At no point in the five decades these rocks have been available for study has anyone found evidence that they didn't come from the moon.
Additionally, the lunar samples brought back by NASA form the basis of our scientific knowledge about the moon.
The fact that the moon has similar, but slightly different, rocks to Earth suggests that they might have a common origin.
'This has lent support to the theory that the Moon likely formed from a collision between the early Earth and a Mars–sized object while the Earth was still mostly molten,' Dr Brown said.
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It would have been nearly impossible to fake
Perhaps one of the strongest pieces of evidence that the moon landings really happened is just how hard they would have been to fake.
Dr Brown explained: 'In a world of AI imagery and special effects, it is sometimes easy to forget that up until very recently, producing convincing footage of people in space was just not possible.'
There are over 8,000 photos, thousands of hours of video footage, and endless recordings of air–to–ground conversations taken during the moon landing that are all available to the public.
However, at no point has anyone found serious proof of tampering or that the photos were not taken on the lunar surface.
'On top of that, the Space Race was just that, a competition between the USA and the USSR,' said Dr Brown.
'While the USSR managed many of the firsts, they have never disputed that ultimately the USA landed on the Moon first, a remarkable agreement considering the politics of the time.'
At the same time, each of the missions was carefully tracked by observers from multiple nations using radio signals and no foul play was detected.
In fact, tracking the moon missions was so easy that a group of students at Kettering Grammar School successfully monitored Soviet and US missions using only basic radio equipment.
The Apollo missions themselves required a vast number of people to be involved, ranging from scientists to janitors and security guards.
At the very low end, this means tens of thousands of people were in on the conspiracy, and yet no credible evidence of fakery has ever emerged.
Likewise, none of the supposed arguments that the landings were fake hold up to any scrutiny.
For example, some sceptics complain that you can't see the stars in photos of the lunar landing.
However, rather than being an enormous blunder in an otherwise flawless conspiracy, this is simply a feature of how cameras work.
'Cameras work broadly like our own eyes, capable of seeing bright things and faint things but not equally well at the same time,' Dr Brown explained.
On the moon during daytime, the surface is experiencing light just as bright as a sunny day on Earth, even though the sky looks black because there is no atmosphere.
That means a camera cannot take clear pictures that show both the brightly lit astronauts and the faint stars.
Dr Brown added: 'If you want to try a test for yourself, go out at night, stand in a bright light and try and get your camera to take a clear image of you while also showing the stars in the background.
'While not completely impossible, it's very tough to do without a lot of work.'
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Scientists discover nearby super-Earth is leaking helium into space, revealing its atmosphere
July 20, 2026
The researchers think that the planet has hosted its atmosphere for over 3 billion years, which makes it a compelling target for future studies.
For the first time, astronomers have detected an atmosphere on a rocky, Earth-like planet lying in the liquid-water habitable zone of a nearby red dwarf star.
The planet, called LHS 1140 b, drifts around the star just 48 light-years from Earth and is the strongest evidence to date that Earth-like planets with the potential to support life can exist outside our solar system.
The findings of the study have been published in the journal Science.
"An atmosphere is essential for a planet to support life as we know it," said lead author Collin Cherubim, who recently earned his Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Sciences from Harvard University, in a statement.
Theoretical models have long predicted that atmospheres of rocky planets can protect the surface from ionizing radiation, make the presence of liquid water possible, and regulate the climate.
But while large, gas-rich exoplanets have been found to have atmospheres, cooler rocky planets have been a different story altogether.
Firstly, the overwhelming size and brightness of the stars they orbit make detection difficult. One way around this problem is to study planets orbiting red dwarf stars, which are much smaller and much dimmer.
However, such dim stars are more active than Sun-like stars and emit high-energy radiation that causes detectable atmospheric escape from closely orbiting planets.
As a result, most small rocky planets observed have either revealed themselves to be airless or to have atmospheres too weak to be detected.
As for LHS 1140 b, Cherubim and his colleagues came up with a theoretical model that predicted that the planet has a helium-rich upper atmosphere that is slowly leaking into space.
To test their prediction, the team used the Warm Infrared Echelle (WINERED) Spectrograph mounted on the Magellan Clay telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. The team observed that LHS 1140 b transited its star on the same night as another planet, which is rare.
Their analysis showed no sign of atmosphere on the other planet, but LHS 1140 b revealed a clear signal of helium escaping into space—exactly what the model had predicted.
"Twenty years ago we wondered whether other terrestrial-type planets even existed," said Robin Wordsworth, Gordon McKay Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering and Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard and one of Cherubim’s dissertation advisors.
“Then we learned they're common, and found some in the habitable zone. The next question was whether any of them had managed to keep an atmosphere. Now we know at least one has."
The researchers estimate that LHS 1140 b has possibly retained its atmosphere for more than three billion years, suggesting remarkable long-term stability that makes this planet a compelling target for future investigations.
Cherubim also plans to find out the full composition of the planet's atmosphere and uncover whether it has surface oceans.
https://starlust.org/scientists-discover-nearby-super-earth-is-leaking-helium-into-space-revealing-its-atmosphere/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI__LqazidI (John Michael Godier: LHS 1140b An Earth-Like Exoplanet with an Atmosphere Discovered)
Department of the Air Force appoints 14 members to Scientific Advisory Board
July 20, 2026
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
The Department of the Air Force has appointed 14 new members to serve on the Department of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board.
These appointments, nominated by the secretary of the Air Force and approved by the secretary of War, bring a diverse range of expertise from the private sector and academia.
The new members will play a crucial role in advising senior Air Force and Space Force leadership, including the secretary of the Air Force, the chief of staff of the Air Force and the chief of Space Operations, on complex scientific and technical challenges.
Their insights and recommendations will be instrumental in shaping the future of air and space capabilities, ensuring the Department remains at the forefront of innovation.
The newly appointed members are:
• Dr. Mark R. Ackermann
• Mr. Patrick M. Antkowiak
• Dr. Brent D. Appleby
• Dr. Michael J. Bear
• Dr. Suzanne M. Beers
• Honorable Robert F. Behler
• Dr. Josh G. Erling
• Dr. Pamela R. Evans (Chair)
• Mr. Mark McDaniel
• Dr. James D. Moreland, Jr.
• Dr. Kevin J. Saeger
• Dr. Nils R. Sandell, Jr.
• Dr. Patrick A. Stadter (Vice Chair)
• Dr. Grant H. Stokes
These leaders will provide independent, data-driven advice to assist the Department accelerate the development and deployment of advanced technology.
DAF SAB recommendations enhance the readiness and capabilities of the Air Force and Space Force, ensuring that Airmen and Guardians maintain a decisive advantage.
For more information about the Department of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board and its mission, visit the official website at https://www.scientificadvisoryboard.af.mil/.
https://www.afrc.af.mil/News/Article/4550090/department-of-the-air-force-appoints-14-members-to-scientific-advisory-board/
Moon Day focuses growing concerns around space junk
20 July 2026
Amid surging lunar exploration, the UN on Monday urged governments to ensure that humanity's return to the Moon does not come at the expense of planet Earth – or the long-term sustainability of space.
“Decades of rapidly expanding space activity have shown that each launch leaves an environmental footprint, and it can take a long time to understand the impact fully.
This is why it is so crucial to consider the sustainability of these programmes early on,” said Jason Jabbour, Senior Officer at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
Why this matters
Space debris is rapidly increasing around Earth.
Satellite pollution may affect the atmosphere and ozone.
UN treaties promote responsible exploration and debris reduction.
Protecting space helps safeguard life and ecosystems on Earth.
Although international agreements are in place to avoid contaminating outer space, an estimated 140 million pieces of debris larger than one millimetre now orbit Earth.
Most of these are too small to track but they remain capable of damaging satellites and spacecraft.
But environmental concerns extend beyond the risk of collision.
Satellite constellations
Defunct satellites eventually re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, where they release metals such as aluminium, lithium and copper. Scientists are studying whether these materials could affect atmospheric chemistry, cloud formation and the ozone layer.
Detachable rocket sections also contribute to the problem. Some remain in orbit for years before breaking apart or falling back to Earth, while others fragment into thousands of pieces.
Hundreds of tonnes of spacecraft and rocket bodies are estimated to re-enter the atmosphere each year, a figure that’s expected to increase as satellite constellations grow.
Smaller mission-related objects – including bolts, lens caps and protective covers – also add to orbital congestion, while repeated collisions and explosions create microscopic particles that scientists believe are already increasing the brightness of the night sky.
Enduring risk
Although most spacecraft burn up during re-entry, larger heat-resistant components can survive the journey, posing risks to people, infrastructure and marine life.
The Moon has fascinated humanity for millennia, inspiring mythology, science and navigation while quietly shaping life on Earth through its powerful gravitational influence.
Marking International Moon Day on 20 July, the United Nations is highlighting not only the importance of Earth’s closest celestial neighbour but also the environmental challenges accompanying a new era of space exploration.
Moon’s life-giving role
From nearly 400,000 kilometres away, the Moon generates tides that oxygenate coastal waters, transport nutrients and help sustain rich marine ecosystems, including the Great Barrier Reef.
Scientists say understanding the Moon also offers vital clues about the origins and evolution of the wider solar system.
Interest in lunar exploration has surged in recent years.
Earlier this year, NASA’s Artemis II mission carried four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon as part of plans to establish a long-term human presence on its surface during the 2030s.
China, India, Japan and several private companies are also pursuing ambitious lunar programmes. But as activity in space expands, so too does concern over its environmental consequences.
The concept of space sustainability calls for exploration and activities beyond Earth to preserve the space environment for future generations.
Protection launchpad
Building on those commitments, UN Member States have adopted guidelines to limit the creation of space debris by reducing unnecessary waste, preventing explosions, avoiding the deliberate destruction of spacecraft and safely removing retired satellites and rocket stages from orbit.
Under the 1972 UN Liability Convention, launching countries are responsible for damage caused by their space objects on Earth, including launches conducted jointly by multiple countries.
To address these emerging risks, UNEP and the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs are working together to strengthen scientific understanding of the environmental impacts of space activities and to ensure environmental protection is embedded in future space governance.
As humanity prepares for a sustained return to the Moon, the UN says safeguarding space and Earth's environment must remain central to the next chapter of exploration.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/07/1167976
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
@NASAAdmin
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, the crew of Apollo 11, showed the world that America can undertake and achieve the near-impossible.
The pioneers and heroes of that era inspired generations of astronauts, pilots, explorers, engineers, scientists, and technicians, many of whom now show up to work each day at @NASA and across the most technologically advanced aerospace industry on Earth.
President Reagan called for our return to the Moon, but @POTUS gave us Artemis, the National Space Policy, and the resources in the Working Family Tax Cut Act.
Now the best and brightest across YOUR space agency, alongside industry and our international partners, will deliver.
America is going back. We will fulfill Gene Cernan's immortal words from Apollo 17: "God willing, as we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind." Artemis III is up next in 2027. Artemis IV lands in 2028.
The Moon Base project is already underway…and America will never give up the Moon again.
7:58 AM · Jul 20, 2026
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2079219466878005456
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2079187818530668822
https://x.com/WilliamShatner/status/2079209545558368308
https://x.com/NASA_Marshall/status/2079234416635777235
https://x.com/NASAJohnson/status/2079194949418201181
Anil Menon
@astro_anil
The lineup for the out of this World Cup 2026.
12:25 PM · Jul 19, 2026
https://x.com/astro_anil/status/2078924098147692691
extra
https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2079041984325652521
https://x.com/johnkrausphotos/status/2079204183429841137
https://x.com/DJSnM/status/2078665527166455875
Twice in a row: SpaceX rocket aborts launch at last second again
July 20, 2026
That's two last-second launch aborts in a row for SpaceX.
One of the company's Falcon 9 rockets tried to loft 24 Starlink internet satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California this morning (July 20), but the attempt was aborted just as the first-stage engines started firing up.
Something similar happened on Thursday afternoon (July 16), when SpaceX attempted to launch the 13th test flight of its Starship megarocket.
The two events likely have little in common other than a proximity in time. They involved two very different vehicles, after all: The workhorse Falcon 9 is the most reliable and active rocket on the planet; it has already launched 84 times this year, with zero failures.
Starship, on the other hand, remains in the development-and-testing phase. SpaceX has high hopes for the giant vehicle, which combines full reusability with unprecedented brawn. (It's the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built.)
The two vehicles are also powered by different engines. The Falcon 9's first stage employs nine Merlin 1Ds, whereas Starship's Super Heavy booster uses 33 next-gen Raptors.
SpaceX decided to swap out two of those Raptors ahead of the next Flight 13 launch attempt, which is scheduled for Thursday afternoon (July 23).
The Vandenberg Starlink launch, meanwhile, is back on the docket for Tuesday morning (July 21).
It's scheduled to lift off during a nearly four-hour window that opens at 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT; 7 a.m. local California time), according to a SpaceX mission description.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-launch-abort-falcon-9-starlink-satellites-vandenberg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6zHWNWecF4 (Scrub! SpaceX aborts Starlink launch from California at T-0)
moar SpaceX
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/07/20/unplanned-impact-nasa-says-spacex-rocket-parts-could-hit-moon
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-invests-in-homegrown-space-tech-to-boost-national-resilience
moar ESA
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/epsilon/Sophie_Adenot_s_autobiography_to_be_published_by_JCLattes_in_early_2027
UK invests in homegrown space tech to boost national resilience
20 July 2026
British businesses, universities and researchers will receive access to more than £62 million in government funding to develop homegrown space technologies, boosting the UK’s national resilience and helping protect its independence in a strategically vital sector.
£62 million to develop homegrown satellite communications and space technologies
Investment will strengthen the UK’s ability to monitor and protect assets in orbit and access space-based services we rely on, including broadband for remote communities and mobile connectivity on rail, in the air and at sea.
New figures show the UK Space Agency’s Accelerator programme has already backed 289 founders and helped raise more than £102 million contributing to early-stage business growth
The funding – unveiled on Monday 20 July at Farnborough International Airshow by Space Minister Liz Lloyd – will support new satellite communications systems and space innovation projects, helping turn early-stage ideas into commercial products, strengthen the UK’s ability to monitor and protect assets in orbit, and build a more resilient domestic space sector.
Building domestic capability in these areas is vital to strengthen the UK’s national security, economic resilience and ability to act confidently on the world stage.
Today’s funding puts that ambition into action. It will help UK innovators build the satellite communications, space security and commercial technologies that strengthen Britain’s competitiveness, resilience and security.
New figures from the UK Space Agency show that pipeline is already expanding. Its Accelerator programme, which works with new space companies to help them attract investment, develop their technologies and win customers, has supported 289 founders and helped raise more than £102 million in investment.
Space Minister Liz Lloyd said:
Space is not just a scientific frontier, it is a strategic one. If we do not build national capabilities at home, we become overly dependent on others for technologies we cannot afford to be without.
That is why today we are announcing £62 million for satellite communications and space innovation, investing in the British businesses and researchers who will make that capability real.
This funding will help develop new satellite communications technologies to keep remote communities connected, capture a growing market for on-orbit manufactured products and strengthen our ability to monitor and protect assets in orbit, while supporting the next generation of space innovators turning early-stage ideas into commercial products.
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Strengthening domestic capability in these areas, alongside working with international partners, will help ensure the UK remains secure, resilient and a leader on the world stage.
The £62 million includes £42 million to develop new British satellite communications technologies and £20 million to support space innovation projects across industry and universities.
Backing the next generation of satellite communications
The Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit (C-LEO) Programme is opening its third funding round, offering £42 million to UK businesses, universities and research organisations to develop new satellite communications technologies.
Satellite communications are increasingly delivering essential connectivity services to remote regions and are increasingly essential to national resilience.
Projects must focus on one or more of five areas: on-board processing, active antennas, optical links, networking and routing, or user terminals. This round will bring total C-LEO funding to UK organisations to up to £77 million.
Fuelling space innovation across industry and academia
The National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP) is launching a new £20 million funding call to support the development of space technologies across UK industry, universities and research organisations, with projects due to begin in April 2027.
The funding is available through two routes: Kick Starter, for early-stage ideas, and Major Projects, for businesses looking to grow and commercialise.
Applications are welcome across all areas of space technology, with up to 40% of the budget focused on Space Domain Awareness and In-Space Assembly and Manufacturing — two areas where domestic capability is vital to the UK’s ability to understand and respond to threats in orbit.
Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund call
Additionally, the Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund (SCIF) is inviting organisations to register their interest ahead of a new funding call launching in Autumn. The upcoming call will award £37 million in grants by 2030, building on a pilot phase that delivered 13 projects across the UK.
A fragmented or underdeveloped domestic space sector leaves the UK exposed — SCIF directly addresses this by strengthening regional space infrastructure and capabilities, reducing dependence on international partners for access to critical space assets.
Organisations interested in applying are encouraged to register their interest before the full call opens later this year.
Nearly 300 founders backed and over £100 million raised
A new report published today by the UK Space Agency shows its Accelerator programme has supported 289 founders, helped them raise £102.2 million in investment, created 209 jobs, and seen 89% of businesses still trading since the programme launched in 2021.
The Accelerator helps new space businesses grow, offering support on leadership, attracting investment and winning customers, and connects startups with investors, partners and regional networks across the UK, building the domestic talent pipeline that sovereign capability depends on.
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Ten people injured as 400+ Ukrainian drones launched towards Moscow and suburbs – officials
20 Jul, 2026 03:34 | Updated 20 Jul, 2026 09:18
At least 85 UAVs were neutralized on approach to the Russian capital, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has said
At least 10 people have been injured in a Ukrainian drone raid on the Russian capital and its surrounding region, including three Chinese citizens, Moscow Region Governor Andrey Vorobyov has said.
On Monday morning, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported that more than 400 UAVs had been launched toward the city and its suburbs overnight in one of the largest raids on the region to date.
Russian air defenses detected the incoming UAVs between 8:30 PM on Sunday and 5 AM on Monday, Sobyanin wrote on social media. Most were intercepted far from the capital, while another 85 were destroyed as they approached Moscow, he said.
“Most were neutralized by air defense forces at distant approaches. Eighty-five UAVs were destroyed on approach to Moscow,” the mayor said, adding that emergency crews were working at sites where debris had fallen.
Moscow Region Governor Andrey Vorobyov later said 10 people, including one child, were hurt in the drone attack. Six have been hospitalized in Domodedovo, including three Chinese citizens, he said, adding that some of the patients suffered shrapnel wounds and fractures.
Two women were injured in Podolsk, while an 11-year-old girl in the Odintsovo district was diagnosed with an acute stress reaction but did not require hospitalization.
The main consequences of the raid were recorded in Podolsk, Domodedovo, and the Odintsovo urban district, Vorobyov said. Falling drones damaged several private homes and civilian infrastructure facilities and sparked multiple fires, he added.
In Odintsovo, a car and a private home were damaged, although no injuries were reported. In Podolsk, fires broke out and several civilian infrastructure sites were damaged, along with a private home in the village of Maloye Tolbino.
Separately, Acting Bryansk Governor Egor Kovalchuk said one person was killed and 13 others were injured in attacks launched by “Ukrainian terrorists.”
In an interview with RT, Stanislav Krapivnik, a former US Army officer, said that Ukraine is unable to effectively attack Russian military and key industrial targets due to increased air defenses, opting instead to “go after softer civilian economic targets and civilians themselves.”
The latest attack followed several massive Ukrainian drone raids on Moscow and its suburbs last week.
Sobyanin said that 1,892 UAVs had been launched toward the region between July 11 and 18, with most intercepted at long range and 207 destroyed closer to the capital.
During one overnight attack alone, more than 370 drones flew toward the Moscow Region.
The same wave of strikes hit two logistics centers operated by the Russian online retailer Wildberries in Kotovsk, Tambov Region, and Elektrostal, near Moscow. The attacks killed eight people and injured dozens more, according to regional officials.
Wildberries, often called the Russian version of Amazon, is one of the country’s most popular online retailers. Kiev confirmed that it had deliberately targeted the warehouses, claiming they stored components used in drone and navigation equipment.
Ukraine has sharply intensified its long-range drone campaign in recent weeks, targeting oil facilities, warehouses, residential buildings, and other infrastructure deep inside Russian territory.
Moscow has described the raids as terrorist attacks on civilians and says its retaliatory strikes are directed at Ukrainian military and defense-related facilities.
https://www.rt.com/russia/643246-moscow-ukrainian-drone-raid/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/russia/643231-fsb-drone-unit-video/
https://www.rt.com/russia/643260-belgorod-bus-drone-attack/
https://www.rt.com/russia/643248-ukraine-hitting-civilians-only-thing-it-can-do/
https://www.rt.com/russia/643241-konstantinovka-ukrainian-flag-pr-stunt/
Russian online giant targeted again in mass drone attack on Moscow
20.07.2026, 06:39
A logistics center belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, was evacuated on Monday during a massive Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow and its surrounding region.
Social media reports said the company’s Koledino hub in the town of Podolsk, a major distribution center, had been targeted.
Wildberries, which has been described as the Russian equivalent of Amazon, said the site was evacuated as a precaution and later resumed normal operations.
Ukraine has accused Wildberries of selling military supplies used in Russia’s war effort.
Russian officials said 10 people were wounded across the Moscow region. Fires broke out at an industrial park in the city of Domodedovo and at an oil depot in Podolsk.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had struck logistics facilities and an oil depot more than 400 kilometers from Ukraine’s border.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 85 drones were intercepted near the capital, while Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that 381 were downed across the country and over the Black and Azov seas.
Sellers count losses
The attack came two days after strikes on Wildberries warehouses in the cities of Elektrostal and Kotovsk that, according to media reports, killed eight people and injured dozens.
Investigative news website The Insider reported that sellers whose goods were destroyed face losses running into millions of rubles.
Wildberries changed its terms earlier in July to limit its liability for goods destroyed in drone attacks and other wartime incidents.
https://tvpworld.com/94434357/ukrainian-drone-attack-targets-wildberries-warehouse-near-moscow
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/07/20/what-we-know-about-the-aftermath-of-ukraines-wildberries-drone-strikes-a93285
https://militarnyi.com/en/news/drone-strike-oil-depot-4-warehouses-moscow/
other Russia and Ukraine
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/07/20/moscow-judge-orders-detention-of-space-researcher-on-treason-allegations-a93284
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Drone-Strike-Halts-Exports-at-Strategic-Black-Sea-Oil-Terminal.html
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/80688
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/drone-marked-with-russian-letter-washes-ashore-1784561524.html
https://censor.net/en/videonews/4014395/fpv-drones-eliminate-20-russian-troops-in-zaporizhzhia-region
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/2026-07-20/live-updates-903016
other Israel
https://worldisraelnews.com/us-says-lebanese-army-begins-takeover-of-villages-held-by-idf/
https://www.jns.org/news/israel-news/dozens-of-hezbollah-terrorists-trapped-in-tunnel-complex-supplies-expected-to-run-out-within-days-report
https://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/israel-iran-confrontation-warning
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/bahrain-says-iranian-drone-attacks-targeted-civil-air-navigation-systems/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/in-first-idf-reportedly-to-begin-withdrawing-tomorrow-from-pilot-zone-in-south-lebanon/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/us-says-lebanese-army-deploying-to-pilot-zones-including-one-idf-will-withdraw-from/
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1tlzhsnmg
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/2-palestinians-killed-by-idf-fire-in-west-bank-idf-says-troops-attacked-while-trying-to-evacuate-settlers-in-village/
https://vinnews.com/2026/07/20/idf-kills-pij-terrorist-who-commanded-abduction-at-nova-festival-another-operative-in-separate-strike/
Live Updates: Explosions heard near Eilat as Iranian missiles launched towards Jordan
July 20, 2026
IDF unit shares process of dismantling Hezbollah's 'crazy, Iranian' terror tunnels • Sirens sound in Kuwait, Bahrain • IRGC claims two vessels in Hormuz had 'accident' amid US strikes
July 20, 7:16 PM
Seven commercial vessels redirected, one disabled as US enforces blockade on Strait of Hormuz
The US military has redirected seven commercial vessels and disabled one as it enforces the recently reimposed blockade on Iranian ports along the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated on Monday.
July 20, 5:14 PM
IRGC claims to have struck, 'destroyed' US military sites in Bahrain, Kuwait - report
Iran claimed to have struck US drone maintenance facilities and vessel preparation sheds, the IRGC-run Fars News Agency said.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have struck and "destroyed" US military sites and equipment in Bahrain and Kuwait, the IRGC-run Fars News Agency claimed on Sunday.
According to Fars, the IRGC claimed to have struck US drone maintenance facilities at Bahrain’s Sakhir Air Base and vessel preparation sheds at Salman port.
Camp Arifjan in Kuwait was also allegedly struck, according to the Iranian report.
July 20, 4:04 PM
Missile sirens sound in Bahrain, Interior Ministry warns residents to seek cover
Missile sirens sounded in Bahrain on Monday, according to Bahrain’s Interior Ministry.
The ministry advised all citizens and residents to remain calm and move to the nearest safe location until further updates are released.
July 20, 2:36 PM
Dozens of US soldiers wounded by Iran in Jordan, helicopters struck unmentioned by CENTCOM - report
One official told the NYT that CENTCOM is not obligated to reveal information about wounded soldiers, particularly when the soldiers are expected to quickly return to duty.
Iranian attacks have wounded dozens of American soldiers in Jordan over the last week, but only a few were announced by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), The New York Times reported on Monday.
The Iranian strikes also damaged several helicopters, several anonymous US officials revealed.
One official told the NYT that CENTCOM is not obligated to reveal information about wounded soldiers, particularly when the soldiers are expected to quickly return to duty, and when doing so could give Iran a tactical advantage in targeting future attacks.
July 20, 2:36 PM
Iran used illegal white phosphorus incendiary in drone attack, say Kurdish fighters - report
“Based on eyewitness observations, medical examinations, and extensive fires caused at the targeted site, the munitions employed in the drone attack are believed to have contained white phosphorus."
The Kurdistan Freedom Party accused Iran of using white phosphorus in a drone attack on one of its bases on July 19. Iran has carried out numerous deadly attacks targeting Kurdish Iranian dissident groups.
Many of these groups have bases and posts in the Kurdistan Region of Northern Iraq. This is because they have been forced to leave Iran due to the oppression of the regime. The Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) is one of the groups.
On July 19, the PAK said that a drone attack carried out early in the morning had targeted a base of the PAK’s Kurdistan National Army (SMK). This is their unit of fighters.
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July 20, 2:36 PM
Jordanian espionage assisted in attack on US troops, claim Iran despite low support in region
The IRGC claimed on Monday to have damaged aircraft in attacks on Jordan’s Aqaba Airport, which notably came after Amman denied having evacuated the airport and seaport.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) thanked the “Honorable people and mujahid soldiers (those who struggle for jihad) of Jordan,” claiming it was provided with intelligence that supported recent attacks on the US military, the IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency reported on Monday morning.
“Honorable people and mujahid soldiers of Jordan, with thanks for your sincere cooperation and precise information that enabled the accurate targeting of Islamic fighters and the destruction of 20 warehouses housing the positions of the child-killing American army forces in the Al-Azraq region and the killing of dozens of American terrorist forces,” the IRGC released in a statement, alleging to have received “intelligence” on the US’s C17 transport aircraft and P8 command-and-control aircraft.
The IRGC claimed on Monday to have damaged the crafts in attacks on Jordan’s Aqaba Airport, which notably came after Amman denied having evacuated the airport and seaport.
July 20, 2:36 PM
Hamas names Khalil al-Hayya, former wartime negotiator, as new head of political bureau
He is the first person appointed to the position since Yahya Sinwar's death in October 2024.
Hamas on Monday named Khalil al-Hayya, who served as chief negotiator for the terrorist organization during the Israel-Hamas war, as the new head of its political bureau.
He is the first person appointed to the position since Yahya Sinwar's death in October 2024.
Al-Hayya, the group's exiled Gaza chief and top negotiator, has become an increasingly central figure in the leadership of Hamas since the deaths of Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Iran in July 2024.
July 20, 12:53 PM
Iran's Baghaei confirms mediators continue push for peace, says US had 'no excuse' to violate MoU
"The principle of the matter is clear: mediators are working and trying to prevent tension from escalating," Baghaei explained.
Mediators between Iran and the United States have proposed new ideas, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed at a press conference on Sunday.
"The principle of the matter is clear: mediators are working and trying to prevent tension from escalating," Baghaei explained.
On the other hand, Baghaei said, Iran was also determined to continue "stopping the crimes" of the US.
July 20, 11:09 AM
Iranian Sunni cleric killed by unknown gunmen in country's southeast, state media
Molavi Mohammad Anvar Rigi, a Sunni Friday prayer leader in the southeastern Iranian border town of Mirjaveh, was killed on Monday by unidentified gunmen, Iran's state media reported, citing local authorities.
Sistan-Baluchistan province, one of the country's poorest provinces and with a large Sunni Baluch population, has long experienced Islamist or ethnic militants fighting security forces or other figures aligned with Tehran.
Officials said investigations were ongoing and urged residents to remain calm, saying the attack was aimed at undermining security and stoking sectarian divisions in the province.
July 20, 10:48 AM
Lebanese Army to deploy planned pilot program securing Hezbollah-free zones, sources tell ‘Post'
An Israeli official said after last week's talks that the sides had reached an agreement on the two designated pilot areas.
A pilot program under which Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) troops will enter designated areas in southern Lebanon to verify they have been cleared of Hezbollah operatives and weapons is expected to begin in the near future, two sources familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.
The development follows last week's meeting in Rome between the Israeli and Lebanese delegations, led by Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh Mouawad, under the auspices of senior US administration officials.
An Israeli official said after last week's talks that the sides had reached an agreement on the two designated pilot areas.
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China’s military mouthpiece issues full-page warning on Japan’s growing drone power
6:10pm, 20 Jul 2026Updated: 6:57pm, 20 Jul 2026
PLA Daily says unmanned platforms have allowed Tokyo to circumvent constitutional constraints on military development
China’s military mouthpiece on Monday dedicated a full page to warning about Japan’s expanding offensive drone capabilities, which it said threatened regional peace and security.
PLA Daily said Japan’s right-wing political forces had long sought to bypass Tokyo’s constitutional ban, adopted after World War II, on offensive combat capabilities.
Uncrewed platforms have allowed Japan to circumvent these constraints on military development, according to one of four PLA Daily articles on the topic in Monday’s edition.
“Japan is seeking to build asymmetric advantages on future battlefields by relying on unmanned combat capabilities, thereby advancing its broader agenda of ‘remilitarisation’ – a trend whose potential risks should not be underestimated,” another article stated.
It said Japan’s three key national security documents, passed in 2022, had identified “unmanned defence capabilities” as a priority to establish Japan’s counterstrike ability.
According to the documents, integrating unmanned systems, artificial intelligence and manned platforms is “a game changer” for Japan to build asymmetric advantages.
In its 2022 Defence Build-up Programme, Japan said it would invest 1 trillion yen (US$6.2 billion) in uncrewed systems over the five-year period starting in 2023.
This financial year alone, Japan has allocated 277 billion yen for drones, including 100 billion yen for building a multilayered littoral defence system called Synchronised, Hybrid, Integrated and Enhanced Littoral Defence (Shield).
PLA Daily said the Shield platform was similar in concept to the “hellscape” scenario that the US military had envisioned for a Taiwan contingency, where unmanned systems would deploy en masse very quickly.
The articles detailed Japan’s drone development across land, sea and air, adding that Tokyo had been focusing on loitering munitions, also known as suicide drones, and armed reconnaissance-strike unmanned platforms.
They said Japan was aligning its drone development with that of the US. Tokyo upgraded the US-Japan Defence Industrial Cooperation, Acquisition and Sustainment consultation mechanism this year to shift focus towards small unmanned aerial systems and other areas.
Japan plans to buy 23 US-made MQ-9B SeaGuardian unmanned aircraft as well as American-made robotic dogs, unmanned surface vessels and uncrewed underwater vehicles for missions including forward reconnaissance and short-range strike operations, according to one of the articles.
PLA Daily also noted that Japan was deploying drone assets in Kyushu, Okinawa, Ishigaki Island and Yonaguni Island as well as in key passages such as the Miyako Strait and Osumi Strait, where they could cooperate with US forces along the first island chain.
Japan is exploiting the rapid development of unmanned military technology to transform its forces into ones capable of long-range precision strikes, pre-emptive operations and joint offensive warfare with the United States, according to the newspaper.
“By repeatedly crossing the red line of its ‘exclusive self-defence’ policy, Japan is transforming into a ‘state capable of waging war’ and emerging as a dangerous wild card that threatens regional peace and stability,” one of the articles warned.
Under Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the country has shifted away from its post-World War II pacifist policies and carried out a military build-up, citing what it claims are Beijing’s more assertive defence policies.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3361224/chinas-military-mouthpiece-issues-full-page-warning-japans-growing-drone-power
FBI Director Kash Patel reveals shocking number of drones thwarted during US World Cup
13:22 EDT, 20 July 2026 | Updated: 14:07 EDT, 20 July 2026
The FBI seized more than 700 illegal drones during the 2026 World Cup and detected nearly 1,600 more flying into restricted 'no-fly' airspace around the games, the bureau has revealed.
The figures, shared with the Daily Mail by director Kash Patel, pull the curtain back on the scale of the airborne threat hanging over the largest sporting event in history, one that drew millions of fans to 16 host cities across North America.
Unauthorized drone operators faced up to $100,000 in fines and a year in federal prison, depending on the severity of the offense. It's unknown how many fines have been administered.
To counter them, the FBI deployed a fairly new form of airborne defense designed to identify and neutralize drones flying into protected zones around stadiums and affiliated 'fan fests.'
'The 2026 FIFA World Cup was the largest sporting event in the history of the world, shattering previous attendance records by double digits,' Patel told the Daily Mail.
'It was the equivalent of 78 Super Bowls in 38 days, along with 40 base camps, endless fan zones, and celebrations in nearly every state.'
The security operation was a herculean undertaking: Sixteen months of planning, a dedicated World Cup Task Force, and coordination with 50 federal agencies and some 400 more state and local law enforcement organizations.
The FBI alone dedicated nearly 5,000 personnel across headquarters, field, and international offices.
'We stood up a Joint Ops Center, International Police Coordination Center, Intelligence Coordination Center, and more, all from scratch, to collect and share intel in live time,' Patel said.
President Donald Trump took to social media Monday to praise the 'spectacular success' of the tournament, which he called 'by far' the safest in FIFA history.
But it was not without its unique security challenges.
Securing a weeks-long international tournament is no small feat, and Patel told the Daily Mail it involved the largest resource dedication the FBI has ever made for any event.
In the run-up to the World Cup, the FBI conducted some 300,000 background checks. The FBI also hosted the International Police Cooperation Center, or a secure, real-time 'command center' staffed by US federal agencies and law enforcement from 44 host countries.
And it ensured that any illegal drone flights would be met with an adept, well-trained response.
In preparation for the rise in unmanned aircraft, the FBI dispatched state and local law enforcement to Huntsville, Alabama – where a portion of its 22,000-square-foot replica town was repurposed temporarily for ‘counter-drone’ training, with the goal of helping officers track and intercept illegal drone flights.
The beefed-up drone defense comes as the US and other countries have seen a sharp uptick in the ownership and use of so-called unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
There are roughly 800,000 legally registered drones in the US - and many more who may be operating illegally, according to data from the FAA.
Protecting the airspace surrounding major events has, in turn, become a top priority of the US government.
The FBI banned drones from flying within 3,000 feet of all World Cup stadiums, and within a 1,000-foot radius of any official 'fan fests' hosted outside the games.
https://www.dailymail.com/news/us-politics/article-15990881/Kash-Patel-FBI-threats-World-Cup-drones.html
https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2078996853618835637
https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2079160492258451775
https://x.com/FBI_Response/status/2079228129218908323
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/why-i-agreed-to-lead-the-uap-science-advisory-council-for-the-u-s-government-dde90610dfa2
https://uapsac.com/
moar Avi Loeb
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/a-distance-measurement-is-worth-a-thousand-words-regarding-the-nature-of-uap-72c99e900636
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/how-will-the-soccer-worlds-cup-look-like-once-humans-settle-on-mars-1032b8c21c3d
Why I Agreed to Lead the UAP Science Advisory Council for the U.S. Government
July 20, 2026
A month and a half ago, I was visited by a representative from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).
He raised a simple question: “Would you be willing to establish and lead a new advisory council for the U.S. Government on the science of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP). I responded: “You had me at `hello.’
The request is unusual for several reasons. First, how often do government employees admit that they cannot fulfill their duties and ask scientists for help?
Second, why would ODNI admit that the best sensors employed by the U.S. military are unable to identify objects in our sky if the most down-to-Earth interpretation is that such objects might be manufactured by adversarial nations.
We know about the Chinese spy balloon that was shot down in 2023. When finding an ant in the kitchen, we get alarmed because we realize that there must be many more ants hiding elsewhere. For every spy balloon that we know about there must be many drones that were flagged as UAP orbs.
There was no doubt in mind that I should accept this role. As a U.S. citizen, I feel obligated to help ODNI and the Pentagon fulfil their mission of protecting national security.
Moreover, if one in a million UAP happens to have a non-human origin, this will constitute the biggest cosmic discovery ever made by humanity.
Yes, the U.S. government is capable of making a cosmic discovery.
While astronomers train their telescope on a small portion of the sky at any given time and ignore objects that fly overhead, the U.S. government monitors the entire sky with a focus on “low-hanging fruits” to protect national security.
In addition, the government invests much more money in developing state-of-the-art sensors that are more advanced than those used for astronomical observations.
For example, in the early 1960s the U.S. Air Force and the Advanced Research Projects Agency developed the Vela satellite program to verify compliance of the Soviet Union with the 1963 Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which prohibited nuclear weapons tests in the atmosphere, underwater, and in space.
The U.S. needed a way to catch the Soviet Union cheating through the detonation of nuclear warheads in space where ground-based seismic and acoustic detectors could not pick them up. Each Vela satellite included gamma-ray sensors designed to detect the radiation flash of a nuclear explosion.
The satellites were launched in pairs to about a third of the distance to the Moon, and positioned so that each pair could triangulate the location of any detected event by comparing arrival times between the two satellites.
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On July 2, 1967, the Vela 4 satellite pair detected a burst of gamma radiation that looked nothing like a nuclear explosion. It was too bright, too short, and had the wrong spectral shape as no nuclear weapon produces gamma rays with these characteristics.
Subsequently, Los Alamos scientists found sixteen similar events in the archived Vela data. They published their findings in a 1973 paper, announcing the discovery of new astronomical sources.
The delay between 1967 and 1973 was partly due to the classified nature of the Vela program as the data could not be published until the relevant records were declassified.
A quarter of a century later, astronomers realized that long-duration gamma-ray bursts originate from the collapse of a massive star to a black hole at cosmological distances. As material spirals towards the black hole, it launches two opposing jets near the speed of light.
Each jet drills a hole in the envelope of the stellar progenitor and emits a flash of gamma-rays that can be seen by an observer who is aligned with its direction.
In retrospect, the Vela satellites discovered the birth of black holes at the edge of the Universe while seeking the signatures of Soviet atomic detonations near Earth.
In support of President Trump’s directive on UAP transparency, I was tasked by ODNI, the White House, the Pentagon’s All Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), the FBI and the Intelligence Community, to establish and lead the new UAP Science Advisory Council.
The council reports to the UAP Governing Board which includes representatives from the above-mentioned organizations. Its goal is to advise the U.S. government on how to resolve the nature of UAP.
The council already submitted a request for more than 50 items of information concerning past incidents and possible related materials.
The council’s scientific analysis and findings will be shared publicly on the website https://uapsac.com/ The size of the council was chosen not to be too small — so as to lack sufficient expertise, nor too big — to trigger regression to the mean.
For its members, I chose brilliant scientists with expertise in physics, oceanography, data analysis, statistics and psychology, who are all open minded to go wherever the evidence guides us.
I also included a skeptic to make sure that there are no biases in the analysis and to make sure that the conclusions reached are beyond any doubt.
We must keep our eyes on the orbs and not on social media. We should not be tempted to jump into premature conclusions unless the evidence is beyond a reasonable doubt.
Historical records and new observations are not competing priorities. Past government records may contain scientifically valuable data that has never been available to independent scientists.
The council can pursue those records while also encouraging new evidence that meets modern scientific standards. The council will process only unclassified information.
This is intentional as it allows scientific analysis, methods, and conclusions to be shared publicly. Classified access goes through the UAP Governing Board and relevant agencies, which the council advises.
The council is not starting with a conclusion. Unknown does not mean extraterrestrial, but it also should not be explained away without evidence. The task is to reduce uncertainty by improving the quality of the data.
The nature of UAP is a detective story and we should resolve it by collecting new clues that were not recognized before. I will do my best to overcome the anti-science sentiments expressed too often by believers and skeptics.
The future can be better than the past. History does not have to repeat itself.
The best is yet to come. Stay tuned!
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OVERCLASSIFIED
@overclassifiedx
🔥 BREAKING: Ross Coulthart Drops Images of Alleged Extraterrestrial Tech & Alien Languages! 🛸
Veteran journalist Ross Coulthart just showcased visuals from the leaked CARET documents on NewsNation, technical reports, diagrams of recovered non-human artifacts/technology, and pages of what appears to be extraterrestrial symbolic script/language.
Coulthart: “I think there’s something to the CARET documents… I have a pretty good idea what PACL CARET were and who was behind it… And it’s an ongoing investigation.”
This points straight to crash retrievals, reverse-engineering programs, and NHI communication, the very core of the UAP/UFO cover-up that’s been hinted at by Grusch and others for years.
If real, these photos could be game-changers in proving we’re not alone… and that the government has been hiding physical evidence of NHI tech and biologics.
What do the symbols say?
Who really ran CARET?
7:37 PM · Jul 19, 2026
https://x.com/overclassifiedx/status/2079032909693145575
https://x.com/HighlyStrange/status/2078829137238573140
https://x.com/The_Astral_/status/2078840917037834569
https://ia601400.us.archive.org/31/items/isaac-caret-q-4-86-research-report/Isaac_caret-q4-86-research-report_text.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vky8TA15UAA (Ross Coulthart Q&A: Trump's 'discombobulator' and whistleblower retaliation | Reality Check)
UAP 𓂀 Luigi 👁️ 🇺🇸 κρυπτός W.👽MJ12 SOM1-01
@UAPLuigi
BREAKING: 🚨‼️NEW UAPDA UPDATE - House Rules Committee Poised to Allow Consideration of Revised Burlison UAP Disclosure Amendment V2 2027 📜😳🛸
Representative Eric Burlison (@EricBurlison / @RepEricBurlison
R-MO) has submitted a revised version (“Version 2”) of his UAP disclosure amendment to the House Rules Committee.
The committee now appears likely to make the measure eligible for consideration when the House debates its version of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA, H.R. 8800) in the coming days.
As of early July 19, 2026, Burlison’s Version 2 is listed as “Made in Order” on the Rules Committee website. The committee is scheduled to meet on July 20 at 2:00 p.m. EDT to finalize floor procedures for H.R. 8800.
The full text of Version 2 (dated July 15, 2026) is available in the first reply.
Key Changes in Version 2
The main revisions remove references to the oversight roles of the House and Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees.
The updated version now names only the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
These deletions were likely made to simplify the approval process and reduce the number of required sign-offs for the 62-page amendment. They do not necessarily indicate what the final oversight structure will look like after the House-Senate conference.
Retained Core Provisions
Most of the provisions important to UAP disclosure advocates remain in place and closely follow the original Schumer-Rounds UAP Disclosure Act from 2023.
The amendment would establish a temporary federal review board: presidentially appointed and Senate-confirmed - with professional staff tasked with locating and reviewing UAP-related records.
The measure continues to reference “non-human intelligence,” defined as any sentient intelligent non-human lifeform that may be responsible for UAP or known to the federal government.
It also addresses “technologies of unknown origin,” defined as devices that incorporate science and technology without prosaic explanation or known human manufacturing methods.
Version 2 retains the eminent domain provision that would require the government to take control of “all recovered technologies of unknown origin and biological evidence of non-human intelligence” currently held by private persons or entities.
Legislative Context
The Rules Committee is revising its initial list of amendments after the original rule for H.R. 8800 failed on the House floor on June 30 (198–224).
Thirteen Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the rule, and both Burlison and Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) cited the exclusion of the UAP amendment as one of their reasons for voting no.
Of the more than 300 amendments made in order, some will be grouped into en bloc packages and passed by voice vote, while others may receive separate roll-call votes.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) and other leaders will heavily influence which amendments are bundled together.
At a June 25 Capitol Hill forum hosted by The Disclosure Foundation, Burlison said he wanted the amendment made in order “so that when it comes to the floor, at least we get an opportunity to have a vote on the UAP Disclosure Act.
And then you’ll know who supports it and who doesn’t.”
An amendment included in an en bloc package has a clearer path to the House-Senate conference committee.
A standalone amendment rejected on the floor would face much greater difficulty advancing further. No UAP- or UFO-specific amendment has ever received a standalone roll-call vote on the floor of either chamber.
Burlison’s Version 2 is cosponsored by Reps. Eli Crane (R-AZ), André Carson (D-IN), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), and Nick Begich (R-AK).
11:46 AM · Jul 19, 2026
https://x.com/UAPLuigi/status/2078914514989552004
https://amendments-rules.house.gov/amendments/BURLIS_087_xml260717152417711.pdf
extra
https://x.com/UAPLuigi/status/2074522189882380739
https://x.com/UAPLuigi/status/2078855339680964952
https://x.com/UAPLuigi/status/2078668316814749992
https://x.com/UAPLuigi/status/2078275915449024531
Disclosure Party
@disclosureorg
Journalist D. Dean Johnson reports that @RepEricBurlison's revised UAP Disclosure Act amendment is now listed as “Made in Order,” potentially clearing the way for consideration during House debate on the FY2027 National Defense Authorization Act.
The amendmentretains its core provisions, including an independent UAP records review board and eminent domain authority over privately held technologies of unknown origin and biological evidence of non-human intelligence.
D. Dean Johnson and Eric Burlison
Quote
D. Dean Johnson
@ddeanjohnson
HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE APPEARS POISED TO ALLOW VOTE ON REVISED BURLISON UAP DISCLOSURE AMENDMENT
9:07 AM · Jul 19, 2026
https://x.com/disclosureorg/status/2078874444450132443
https://x.com/ddeanjohnson/status/2078854788670767357
moar extra
https://x.com/The_Astral_/status/2078554041064300851
https://x.com/TheUfoJoe/status/2076366390764949980
https://x.com/wow36932525/status/2079166168280019258
https://x.com/RealLTCRicBosi/status/2078963434155384899
https://rumble.com/v7cxe56-alien-disclosure-mkultra-and-the-occult-reset-hollywoods-sinister-role-w-ma.html
NASA’s Biggest Secret Just Got Exposed (The Truth About The Moon)
Jul 20, 2026
Our American Alchemist this week is Maaneli "Max" Derakhshani. Check out Max's work here https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Maaneli-Derakhshani
Theoretical physicist Maaneli Derakhshani, a Utrecht PhD working on lunar anomalies, discovered that NASA holds two versions of the same Apollo 14 photograph: in one, a blue orb hangs in the sky above astronaut Ed Mitchell, and in the other it has been redacted out.
He has found the same across other Apollo missions, and Ken Johnston Sr., a former NASA consultant and pilot who worked with the astronauts, says he was ordered to destroy early negatives showing things that weren't supposed to be there.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
2:28 - Maaneli's Background
3:54 - Stony Brook, Renaissance, and Brookhaven
10:45 - Clementine and the Space Act
15:03 - Does NASA Know More?
18:52 - Apollo 17 Blue Lights
21:22 - Sponsors (DOSE)
22:51 - Apollo 17 Metallic Object
25:50 - Cosmic Rays and Lens Flare
28:58 - Buzz Aldrin's Apollo 11 Sighting
35:45 - Cernan and Mitchell's Experiences
39:32 - Enforced Secrecy and Dean Radin
41:11 - Freemasonry Inside NASA
43:26 - NASA Insiders and Gary McKinnon
46:03 - Ken Johnston and Archive Inconsistencies
51:59 - Shuttle Footage and Code Words
57:24 - Wishbone Structure and Lunar Erosion
1:00:37 - Withholding and the Brookings Report
1:02:42 - Brandenburg, Mars, and Carl Sagan
1:05:00 - Sagan's Two Sides and the Face on Mars
1:10:53 - Menzel and Narrative Management
1:11:37 - Villarroel and the Palomar Transients
1:16:23 - Fast Walkers and DSP Satellites
1:20:12 - Armstrong's Ecuador Expedition
1:21:45 - The Phobos Monolith and Arthur C. Clarke
1:26:51 - Mars Anomalies and NASA's Silence
1:29:50 - Blue Book, Condon, and AARO
1:32:27 - Sponsors (ZBiotics)
1:33:44 - Sponsors (The Perfect Jean)
1:35:02 - Compton-Belkovich Heat Anomaly
1:38:58 - Nuclear Sites and UFO Correlation
1:40:49 - Aristarchus Crater
1:44:06 - Lunex and the Secret Space Program
1:48:23 - Is the Moon Hollow?
1:51:21 - Moon Formation Anomalies
1:55:08 - Directed Panspermia and Mars Origins
1:57:53 - The Moon Landing Question
2:01:37 - Jim Keller's Hoax Case
2:03:15 - Getting Into Parapsychology
2:07:32 - The Ganzfeld Protocol and Psi Statistics
2:13:37 - Spacetime Metric Engineering
2:19:02 - Joining the Legacy Program
2:21:01 - Why No Theoretical Physicists?
2:26:17 - Teller, Lazar, and Townsend Brown
2:27:54 - The Galileo iPhone Analogy
2:29:40 - The Cumulative Case for ET
2:33:26 - Closing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVVqFg2v7ro
https://x.com/AlchemyAmerican/status/2079270977259909197
extra disclosure dejour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf8MORyNcgM (Why Files: The Basement: Jeremy Corbell | Whistleblowers, Congress, and the Cost of Telling the Truth)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23wFskBkKTI (Michael Salla: 50 Years Inside the UFO Cover-Up: MJ-12, Crash Retrievals and the Truth About Disclosure)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hHQWaNBMSM (NASA’s Biggest Cover-Up: The Search for Life | Ancient Aliens)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZAeu3bFOjo (Angry Astronaut: The best UFO footage EVER isn't from the Pentagon or even the US. It's from here!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcsRV4HW_Eg (Raelian Movement: Rael, Refinement and Femininity)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc_uXok8Uk8 (David Nino Rodriguez: "Open The Gates of Hell” Department of Defense Issues Worldwide Alert to Americans feat. Lara Logan)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvesRCwcRpM (WeAreChange: OH SH*T: They're About to Drop the Nephilim Bomb…)