The statues look great, very regal.
TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
July 30, 2026
Red Sun through Wildfire Smoke
This could be the view from an exoplanet orbiting around a red dwarf star, but it is our own Sun. This image was taken on July 22, 2026, in the Okanagan region in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Wildfire smoke from the Pacific Northwest acted as a solar filter, allowing the photographer to take this photo of the Sun directly. Several sunspots are also visible in this eerie image; just below and right of the center is AR 4493, a fast evolving, giant active solar region and sunspot group. The smoke is made of tiny particles that help block and scatter light with bluer colors, so the light we see coming from the Sun is dimmer and redder than usual (but it is never safe to stare directly at the Sun). Sunsets and sunrises are also more colorful because of the smoke. Some 6 billion years from now, the Sun will actually start to turn redder as it approaches its red giant phase.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EolSQlDYBTI
moar APOD
https://science.nasa.gov/apod/apod-education/
https://science.nasa.gov/apod/apod-calendar/
https://science.nasa.gov/apod/submit/
7/29/2026 – Massive damage in Japan from M7.1 (M6.8) Earthquake + California activity increase (Dutchsinse and frens)
July 30, 2026
Japan was hit by the expected magnitude (M6.8 to M7.1) in the location which was warned from last week, South Japan Kyushu. The warning was issued on youtube in video, seen on my channel from 11 days ago.
In the video from 10 days before the Japan earthquake, I used Kyushu Japan and Mexico as two example of the "tennis match" back and forth that we look for. You can see the video from July 17, 2026 here: • 7/17/2026 LARGE M7.3 Earthquake Tsun…
Move forward 10 days from the video (after the Mexico M7.3 earthquake), and now a M7.1 (m6.8) hits the exact location in Japan that was part of the PREVIOUS back and forth that I used as an example from several years ago.
Simply put, 10 days after we talked about watching for a back and forth across the Pacific of "same sized earthquakes"… a same sized earthquake struck across the Pacific in the exact example location.
This new video now on July 29, 2026 covers the Japan earthquake, USA earthquakes, and general increase in activity worth mentioning over the past few days worldwide.
Additionally, this video also shows the new features from my earthquake program we are making such as the moon complete with the correct phase (lighting) of the moon (full, half, quarter, new etc), also the distance from the Earth (perigee and apogee), and an ANTIPODE SEARCH option!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGM4xZkaFn0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mflKnIZ98s (Stefan Burns: It Wasn't Supposed to Happen Like This…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8lI_o907TQ (Mr Weatherman: Tropical Wave Coming…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbbcICfe4Kc (MrMBB333: It's the LARGEST on Earth and MILLIONS are in it's PATH!)
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/mars-double-storm-problem
https://www.weatherbug.com/news/Heat%20Wave%20Continues%20Across%20Central%20U.S.?source=news
https://www.wbal.com/severe-storm-leaves-more-than-30000-customers-without-power
https://www.dw.com/en/india-news-assam-flood-toll-rises-to-78-more-rain-predicted/live-78168101
https://www.the-sun.com/news/16767766/hurricane-genevieve-flood-risk-us-coast/
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/indiana-tornado-sirens-fail-data-centre-mishap-1811445
https://midmichigannow.com/news/special-reports/is-tornado-alley-shifting-into-michigan
https://cnynews.com/ixp/39/p/madison-county-tornado-2/
https://www.dailymail.com/sciencetech/article-16016655/earthquake-explosion-utah-mining.html
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2026/07/29/two-earthquakes-rattle-northern-sonoma-county/
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/842695/magnitude-5-point-9-earthquake-strikes-kermadec-islands-region
https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/japan-earthquake-hits-kumamoto-castle-samurai-fortress-damaged-1820011014-1
https://x.com/SunWeatherMan/status/2082577379629920516
https://x.com/SunWeatherMan/status/2082642679624773708
https://schumannresonance.today/
https://www.weatherbug.com/news/Today-s-Weather-Outlook
https://www.tornadohq.com/
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes-volcanoes/news/321805/Volcano-earthquake-report-for-Thursday-30-Jul-2026.html
https://www.spaceweather.gov/
https://spaceweather.com/
Comet Tempel 2 to make its closest approach to Earth on August 3—viewing tips and its likely coordinates
July 30, 2026
The comet is named after German astronomer Wilhelm Tempel, who discovered it on July 4, 1873.
Skywatchers are in for an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the comet Tempel 2 as it makes its latest passage through the inner solar system.
On August 3, 2026, the comet will make its closest approach to Earth, providing a window of opportunity across several weeks to photograph the comet.
What's more, telescopic observation may also reveal a thin trail of dust that will be visible on either side of the comet's nucleus, showing debris left behind by the comet in its orbital plane over hundreds of years of orbiting the Sun.
Designated as 10P, the comet is about the same size as Halley's comet at 6.6 miles wide. It completes one trip around the Sun over a period of 5.4 years.
For this trip, its perihelion (its closest approach to its host star) falls a day before it travels at its closest distance from Earth at 0.4 Astronomical Units or around 37 million miles.
Its approach to us will be its most favorable appearance since 1967. The comet was named after German astronomer Wilhelm Tempel, who discovered it on July 4, 1873.
Tempel 2 is categorized as a Jupiter-family comet due to its short orbital period of less than 20 years. Its elliptical trajectory around the Sun brings it relatively close to the orbit of the gas giant at its furthest point (aphelion).
The origin of Jupiter-family comets is thought to have been beyond Neptune's orbit in a region known as the Kuiper Belt, where they were later perturbed by the gravitational influence of Jupiter to settle them in short orbits around the Sun.
How to spot comet 10P/Tempel 2
Tempel 2 will be found near the constellation Capricornus on July 30, 2026. It will be surrounded by a greenish coma, and its tail will not be visible to us owing to it pointing away from both us and the Sun.
The comet itself can be seen using binoculars or small telescopes, although its visibility at a magnitude of 7 to 8 might be challenged by the brightness of a waning gibbous Moon—which passed its full Buck Moon phase just a day prior.
By the time of 10P's perihelion on August 2, the comet will have moved closer to the horizon towards the Piscis Austrinus constellation.
Since the Alpha Capricornids and Southern Delta Aquariids meteor showers are also going to coincide with the presence of the comet in the sky this week, their radiant points can be used as a general regional guide to locate the comet.
Tempel 2 will be to the east of the Southern Delta Aquariids radiant and in the southwest direction from the Alpha Capricornids radiant for US-based skywatchers, according to TheSkyLive.
With a right ascension of 21h 49m 08s and a declination of -23° 14’ 38”, Tempel 2 will remain close to the horizon for northern hemisphere observers, especially those in the US.
https://starlust.org/comet-tempel-2-to-make-its-closest-approach-to-earth-on-august-3-viewing-tips-and-likely-coordinates/
other space objects
https://www.space.com/stargazing/july-full-moon-delights-skywatchers-worldwide-here-are-our-favorite-photos-of-the-majestic-buck-moon
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/article/two-meteor-showers-will-peak-tonight-how-to-watch-the-southern-delta-aquariids-and-the-alpha-capricornids-184846111.html
https://gizmodo.com/mercury-has-a-radiation-belt-after-all-but-its-super-wonky-2000791955
https://www.kvoa.com/news/local/mount-graham-scope-helps-crack-mystery-of-3-lobed-asteroid/article_96762e10-6759-4117-b2f1-37aa93a498f3.html
https://news.arizona.edu/news/three-lobed-asteroid-world-unlike-any-other
https://mycharisma.com/most-recent/on-august-12th-we-will-witness-a-total-solar-eclipse-a-rare-parade-of-6-planets-and-the-peak-of-the-perseid-meteor-shower/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaEWTPa0p8M (Angry Astronaut: Fifty times faster than 3I Atlas?! All coming from the same place? What are they??)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsaS_WEIg8U (Moontropolis: The Grey Moon – Illusion and Truth | Mini-Doc | Astronomy | Lunar Research | Global Moon Map)
Starburst Galaxy Centaurus A
Jul 30, 2026
In this July 6, 2026, image, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) reveals the nearby galaxy Centaurus A, exposing the dusty structures and hidden activity that shape this unusual system.
Centaurus A is 11 million light-years away from Earth, relatively close in cosmic terms. Yet, unlike most nearby galaxies, it is very active, making it a powerful laboratory for understanding how galaxies and black holes grow and evolve together.
Explore the galaxy through an interactive map. https://science.nasa.gov/asset/webb/centaurus-a-miri-image/
https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/starburst-galaxy-centaurus-a/
moar NASA
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-awards-2026-innovative-technology-concepts/
https://www.nasa.gov/space-science-and-astrobiology-at-ames/division-overview/planetary-systems-branch-overview-stt/mcmc/history/
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/landsat/news/moving-marshes-in-the-puget-sound/
https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/johnson/nasa-johnson-interns-shaping-the-future-of-exploration/
Crew Conducts Futuristic Workouts, Advanced Eye Exams During Spacewalk Preps
July 29, 2026 2:57PM
Futuristic workouts, eye exams, and virtual reality led the research schedule for the Expedition 75 crew aboard the International Space Station on Wednesday. Spacewalk training and lab maintenance filled the rest of the shift for the seven orbital residents.
Living in weightlessness speeds up muscle and bone loss since it takes much less effort for an astronaut to move around a spacecraft than on Earth. Fluids also rise toward a crew member’s head in microgravity creating pressure on the back of the eye potentially affecting vision.
Doctors are constantly monitoring astronaut health to understand microgravity’s effect on the human body while living in space, develop countermeasures to treat space-caused issues, and promote long-term mission success as NASA and its international partners plan missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
NASA flight engineer Jack Hathaway tested new workout methods on the European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device (E4D) installed in the Columbus laboratory module.
Hathaway first pedaled on the E4D’s exercise cycle then he reconfigured the device for resistance workouts including bicep curls, squats, bench press, and more.
Afterward, he joined flight engineer Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) and called down to researchers to discuss their experiences on the futuristic workout device optimized for exercising in space.
Adenot also reviewed her support role for when she helps a pair of astronauts suit up ahead of the first spacewalk planned in August.
Adenot and Hathway then joined Roscosmos flight engineers Andrey Pyotr Dubrov and Fedyaev for eye checks in the Harmony module.
Adenot led the first eye imaging round as Hathaway peered into a biomedical device that lets researchers on the ground examine his retina, lens, and cornea in real-time. Dubrov took charge of the second-round and guided Fedyaev as he took his optical exam.
Station commander Jessica Meir participated in an advanced eye exam while wearing a set of virtual reality goggles, also called the Nevada Screening Vision System.
The head-mounted display system measures visual function using a series of vision screening apps testing visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and more. Earlier, she took turns with NASA flight engineer Anil Menon and practicing their spacewalk procedures on a computer using 3D interactive animation software.
The astronauts are scheduled to begin a spacewalk at 7:35 a.m. EDT on Thursday, Aug. 6. Menon also worked inside the Kibo laboratory module and cleaned its cooling fluid systems.
Dubrov partnered with Roscosmos flight engineer Anna Kikina and began their shift together testing the performance of life support hardware inside the Zarya module.
Kikina then moved on and checked the data output of scientific hardware then tested the functionality of video recording gear. Fedyaev spent his shift in the orbital outpost’s Roscosmos segment working on orbital plumbing duties and Elektron oxygen generator maintenance.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/07/29/crew-conducts-futuristic-workouts-advanced-eye-exams-during-spacewalk-preps/
moar more
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/nasa-launched-this-spacecraft-to-save-a-satellite-now-it-needs-saving-too
https://www.scoutingnewsroom.org/press-releases/eagle-scout-and-nasa-leader-joel-r-montalbano-keynotes-leadership-heights-at-the-2026-scouting-america-national-jamboree/
https://science.nasa.gov/photojournal/nasas-curiosity-views-a-sand-capped-butte/
https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/solicitations/roses-2025/correction-to-c-4-planetary-science-enabling-facilities/
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
@NASAAdmin
NASA’s next great exploration asset, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, will launch aboard a Falcon Heavy from Kennedy Space Center on August 30, ahead of schedule and under budget!
Congratulations to the entire @NASA and @NASAScience_ team. This is the way.
9:13 AM · Jul 30, 2026
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2082862106022473761
moar Isaacman
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2082855085206323260
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2082596563201745366
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2082640022864367884
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2082656083404026262
NASA Universe
@NASAUniverse
Is it just us or do you see a shark? 👀
This superbubble in star cluster NGC 1929 may resemble one. But how?
Massive new stars create radiation, quickly expel matter, and race through their evolution to explode as supernovae.
Their outflows and shock waves sculpt these cavities.
10:31 AM · Jul 29, 2026
https://x.com/NASAUniverse/status/2082519300103938289
moar
https://x.com/LearnWithNASA/status/2082832589006541220
https://x.com/NASA/status/2082543233087799484
https://x.com/NASAArmstrong/status/2082851477840687390
https://x.com/Space_Station/status/2082828560478134695
it could be if you matched timestaps and dug a little on anything space and advanced tech instead of whatever that is.
But go on, stay on politics only.
>Game changer prolly
kek
I dunno what they mean by it but I am curious to know if it has fricken laser beams.
It all adds to the story, always means something, and who knows, there could be some deepness in there and someone may get a revelation from it.
Army, Navy, Space Force Team Up on 'Hammer of the Gods'
Jul 30, 2026 5:50 AM CDT
Trial off the West Coast shows the jamming system can stymie GPS-guided missiles, artillery
The Army just took its "Hammer of the Gods" to sea.
The portable electronic warfare system, built to quietly disrupt the navigation tools that guide enemy precision weapons, got its first overseas maritime test in mid-July off the US West Coast, officials said Sunday, per Fox News.
Previously tried out on land, the system's new sea-based version is designed to jam positioning, navigation, and timing signals—including GPS data—that long-range artillery, guided missiles, and cruise missiles depend on.
Knocking out that data can sharply reduce accuracy and slow down missions.
The system also helps friendly forces by stitching together a communications network meant to hold up under heavy electronic attack.
The test, part of the Project Convergence Capstone 6 experiment, involved the Army, Navy, Space Force, and other commands.
"Joint experimentation is how we prepare for future fights," says Lt. Col. Darrin Hall of Space Forces Pacific, per a release.
"By integrating space, cyber, and conventional forces into realistic scenarios, we strengthen our ability to operate as one joint team in contested environments."
https://www.newser.com/story/393761/army-tests-hammer-of-the-gods-jamming-system-at-sea.html
https://www.army.mil/article/294121/project_convergence_capstone_6_experiments_with_hammer_of_the_gods
Space Force Awards Task Orders to Launch Space Based Sensing and Targeting Capabilities
July 29, 2026
Summary: The U.S. Space Force Space Access portfolio supports the Nation’s sensing and targeting capabilities through the award of two more National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 task orders.
PATRICK SPACE FORCE BASE, Fla. – The U.S. Space Force’s Space Access portfolio will deliver sensing and targeting capabilities through National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 launches awarded under two task orders.
The task orders, awarded to SpaceX for a total of $1.6 billion, assure 18 Falcon 9 launches in support of the Space Based Sensing and Targeting (SBST) portfolio.
All launches will lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., and are expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
“Sensing and targeting of airborne objects from space and providing near-real-time communications across the Joint Force, are vital to the defense of our nation.
The rapid acquisition capabilities provided by our NSSL Phase 3 dual-lane approach allows us the flexibility to deliver satellites for our warfighters in an increasingly efficient manner,” said Space Force Col. Eric Zarybnisky, acting portfolio acquisition executive for Space Access.
“We have set an unprecedented two-month acquisition timeline under the Phase 3 Lane 1 contract from requirement identification to award.
This includes the one-month period for the launch service providers’ proposal preparation. Ultimately, this timeline results in the speed our warfighter demands more than ever before.”
SSC is the U.S. Space Force field command responsible for acquiring, developing, and delivering resilient capabilities to outpace emerging threats and protect our Nation’s strategic advantage in, from, and to space.
SSC manages a $15.6 billion annual space acquisition budget for the Department of War, working with joint forces, industry partners, government agencies, academia, and allied nations.
For more information, visit ssc.spaceforce.mil and follow @USSF-SSC on LinkedIn.
https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Newsroom/Article-Display/Article/4559276/space-force-awards-task-orders-to-launch-space-based-sensing-and-targeting-capa
moar Space Force
https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4559429/spaceport-of-the-future-industry-day/
https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Video/videoid/1016782/
https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Newsroom/Article-Display/Article/4558913/space-force-increases-on-orbit-warfighter-capability-support-through-expanded-s
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4559692/space-force-outlines-acquisition-wins-amid-ongoing-department-wide-transformati/
A SpaceX rocket will crash into the moon next week, and scientists aren't sure what to expect
July 30, 2026
"Watching this one gives us a rare chance to open up ejecta-plume science and calibrate those models against a real event, which matters for every future thing we deliver to the moon."
On Aug. 5, Earth's moon is due for a human-made, high-speed impact from an identified flying object: a spent SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage. The event will lead to a literal "dust up" on the lunar landscape.
That Falcon 9 upper stage is a leftover from the launch that sent Firefly's Blue Ghost-1 lander to the moon on Jan. 15, 2025. Onboard the same flight was the Hakuto-R Mission 2, called Resilience, a robotic lunar lander developed by the Japanese company ispace.
And according to a new study by an international team published on the open-source arXiv server, the resulting impact plume may briefly be bright enough to see against the dark sky near the moon's edge.
That means it might be visible to moongazers with sufficiently sensitive telescopes.
This head-on collision of the errant stage is expected to occur near the Einstein and Bell craters near the western lunar limb.
It may well be visible to ground and space-based assets. Indeed, putting aside all the unknowns and modeling uncertainties, some specialists suggest if you've got the time and observational prowess, it might be worth a look.
Visible ejecta spike
Using special physics simulations to model the impact, William Jo, a graduate research assistant at the University of Texas, Austin and colleagues predict the debris plume from the impact will have the central ejecta spike reaching roughly 47 miles to over 60 miles (75 kilometers to 100 kilometers) altitude.
"Our calculations suggest the plume should be several orders of magnitude brighter than the dark-sky background for the first few minutes after impact," Jo told Space.com.
"So the plume should be visible, though I'd stress this is a single nominal case. The real one will look different, and the numbers are on the optimistic side. But the point worth making is that the flash isn't really the story here."
Jo emphasized that there's great slam-dunk science to be had. "Watching this one gives us a rare chance to open up ejecta-plume science and calibrate those models against a real event, which matters for every future thing we deliver to the moon," Jo said.
Implications for future moon missions
According to new research led by Benjamin Fernando of the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, the impact flash and resultant ejecta plume are "potentially observable" from ground- and space-based observational facilities.
"This event provides an opportunity to attempt the recording of an artificial impact in real-time; although many of the properties of the event (such as visual magnitude) are imprecisely predicted at present," Fernando and colleagues report.
Moreover, this rocket stage meets moon occasion yields an opportunity to test a pipeline for localizing impacts on the lunar surface for future seismic experiments, investigating the dust and plume dynamics from impact events on the moon, and considering hazards from artificial space debris impacts that future astronauts on the lunar surface might have to avoid, Fernando and team members point out.
"The maximum ballistic range of resolved particles is found to be slightly under 1,000 km, which is far enough to be significant from the perspective of presenting a hazard to future astronauts or infrastructure across much of the lunar surface," Fernando et al wrote in the study.
Before and after
Brent Garry is a project scientist for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
LRO will be passing over the projected rocket stage crash site about seven days prior to the impact and about seven days after the impact, Garry explains.
"After the impact we might have a little bit more knowledge of where it is. We can do some additional targeting about a week after the impact and get some targeting over where the site is," said Garry, as noted in earlier Space.com reporting.
Meanwhile, Jo at the University of Texas, Austin underscores the fact that a spent rocket stage is a hollow, spacecraft-like body, and there are very few impact models for human-made objects like it.
They seem to produce very different plumes than natural impactors, like asteroids or comets do. But Jo stresses that the real scientific contributions will come by studying the moments after the impact.
"My concern is that most observers will stop at the sub-second flash and never track down the ejecta, which is the part that should actually be visible, and where the science is."
https://www.space.com/astronomy/moon/a-spacex-rocket-will-crash-into-the-moon-next-week-and-scientists-arent-sure-what-to-expect
https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/SMOS/SMOS_salinity_could_offer_early_indicator_of_El_Nino
extra ESA
https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/From_drone_flight_to_sounding_rocket
SMOS salinity could offer early indicator of El Niño
30/07/2026
As the Pacific Ocean moves into an El Niño phase, scientists are monitoring changes in sea-surface temperature, but also sea-surface salinity – which is another key indicator of this phenomenon.
Measurements from satellites such as the European Space Agency's SMOS mission are revealing how freshwater and salt patterns shift across the Pacific as this year’s El Niño develops – offering a potential new pathway for early detection.
Sea-surface salinity, the concentration of dissolved salts in the upper layer of the ocean, is much more than a measure of how salty the sea is.
It responds rapidly to changes in rainfall, evaporation, river discharge and, specifically in polar regions, the melting and formation of sea ice. Salinity is both an important driver of ocean circulation and a tracer of the movement of water masses and surface currents.
Together with temperature, salinity controls the density of seawater, triggering ocean currents that redistribute heat around the planet.
Observing both variables gives scientists a much more complete picture of how the coupled ocean–atmosphere system behaves during El Niño – the warm phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
ENSO is a single climate phenomenon, but it has three phases; the two opposite phases, El Niño and La Niña, and a neutral phase in the middle of the continuum.
During the current emerging El Niño, satellites have detected notable changes in the tropical Pacific.
During normal, or neutral, conditions, strong trade winds trap a large layer of low-salinity surface water, known as the freshwater pool, in the far western Pacific.
However, during El Niño, the easterly trade winds weaken or even reverse, removing the force that normally confines this warm western Pacific freshwater pool.
Drawing on data from ESA’s SMOS and NASA’s SMAP missions and other data sources, the animation above illustrates the movement of the freshwater pool during the 2023 El Niño and La Niña events, and the current emerging El Niño.
Here, the eastern edge of the western Pacific freshwater pool shifts eastwards, together with the associated belt of deep atmospheric convection and heavy rainfall.
1/2
One of the most striking features is the eastward displacement of the saltier waters immediately to the east of the freshwater pool, while salinity within much of the pool itself remains relatively low.
This evolution reflects the combined influence of changing rainfall patterns and ocean surface currents as the trade winds weaken during El Niño.
This redistribution of warm surface waters and rainfall creates distinct regional salinity anomalies. Areas experiencing more rainfall become fresher than normal, while regions with less precipitation and greater evaporation become more saline.
Together, these contrasting patterns trace the redistribution of atmospheric moisture and highlight the close coupling between the ocean and the global hydrological cycle.
Measurements of changing sea-surface temperature and salinity are helping researchers better understand the processes driving the El Niño and improve predictions of the phenomenon’s far-reaching impacts on weather, climate and marine ecosystems around the world.
ESA’s SMOS Mission Manager, Klaus Scipal, said, “Salinity acts as a fingerprint of the water cycle.
“Where temperatures tell us how much heat the ocean contains, salinity gives us a first approximation where freshwater is entering or leaving the ocean.
“Together, these measurements allow us to better understand the exchange of heat and water between the ocean and atmosphere, improving our ability to monitor and predict climate variability.”
Although sea-surface temperature remains the defining characteristic of El Niño, scientists say salinity has become an indispensable companion variable – offering a clearer picture of how heat and freshwater move through the coupled ocean-atmosphere system.
Researchers are developing an ENSO-specific sea-surface salinity index to complement traditional sea-surface temperature indices.
The aim is to determine whether spatial patterns of sea-surface salinity can improve forecasts of the timing and intensity of ENSO events by providing an earlier signal than sea-surface temperature alone.
As the current El Niño unfolds, satellites are providing a unique, global perspective on one of Earth's most influential climate phenomena.
Launched in 2009, ESA's SMOS, which stands for Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity, mission is specifically designed to map sea-surface salinity from space while also measuring soil moisture over land.
Using an imaging microwave radiometer, SMOS can detect tiny variations in the natural microwave emissions from Earth's surface, allowing scientists to monitor subtle changes in ocean salinity.
More than 15 years after launch, the mission continues to add to the long-term record that is advancing our understanding of the global water cycle, ocean circulation and climate variability.
2/2
Russia strikes Ukrainian airfield and logistics sites – MOD
30 Jul, 2026 06:49 | Updated 30 Jul, 2026 07:22
The overnight barrage has also hit arms production and storage facilities, according to the Defense Ministry
Russian forces carried out long-range strikes across Ukraine overnight, targeting airfields, defense industry facilities, telecommunications infrastructure and logistics hubs, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said.
The attacks struck targets in Kiev and Lviv, as well as in the regions of Ivano-Frankivsk, Zhitomir, Rovno, Vinnitsa and Dnepropetrovsk, the ministry announced on Thursday morning.
According to Ukrainian media, around half of the Russian missiles and drones launched during the barrage were directed at western Ukraine. Metro stations in Kiev reportedly became overcrowded as residents sought shelter ahead of the expected attacks.
The Russian military said the operation focused on facilities used to manufacture, store and deploy Ukrainian missiles and drones involved in long-range strikes against Russia. Three vessels suspected of transporting military cargo were also targeted, the ministry added.
In a later update, the ministry listed the specific locations it had selected for the strikes. They included The Mayak plant in Kiev, which produces components for FP-1 and FP-2 kamikaze drones, and another drone plant in the Ukrainian capital.
The two locations hit in Lviv were involved in the production of missile engines and electronic components for long-range missiles, it said.
Elsewhere in Ukraine, Russia struck locations involved in the production of FB-5 Flamingo and Neptun-MD missiles and other long-range weapons as well as naval drones, the ministry added.
Meanwhile, overnight Ukrainian attacks reportedly struck two warehouses belonging to the Russian e-commerce company Wildberries in Penza and Sarapul. The firm said one person was injured.
On Wednesday, the Ukrainian military said that it had lost another F-16 fighter jet during a combat interception mission. The pilot ejected and was rescued, according to Kiev.
Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure and commercial vessels since Vladimir Zelensky announced a 40-day “pressure campaign” against Moscow last month.
Ukrainian officials have said the campaign is intended to damage the Russian economy and make the public feel the effects of the conflict more directly.
Zelensky traveled to Washington this week for talks with US President Donald Trump; he is seeking additional Patriot interceptor missiles for Ukraine’s air defenses.
However, American stockpiles have reportedly been substantially reduced by the conflict with Iran and could take years to replenish, suggesting that Kiev’s shortage of key air-defense munitions is unlikely to be resolved soon.
Russian operations aimed at disrupting Ukrainian maritime shipments have meanwhile reportedly brought commercial traffic close to a standstill, with shipping companies considering the route too dangerous.
Ukraine relies heavily on its Black Sea ports to export wheat, metals and other major commodities.
https://www.rt.com/russia/643645-russian-long-range-strikes/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/news/643660-italian-mafia-ukraine-weapons/
https://www.rt.com/news/643654-ukraine-patriot-interceptors-boeing/
https://www.rt.com/news/643668-moscow-lauds-us-first-ladys-role-children/
https://www.rt.com/news/643635-russia-ukraine-conflict-medvedev/
https://www.rt.com/russia/643649-ukraine-military-torture-scandal/
Being able to use the GI Bill towards it was a smooth move.
Are there enlistment bonuses?
There should be.
Ukrainian Drones Hit 2 More Wildberries Warehouses in Russia
July 30, 2026
Ukrainian drones struck logistics facilities operated by Russia’s largest online retailer, Wildberries, in the Penza region and the Republic of Udmurtia overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, causing fires and disrupting the company’s operations.
The Moscow Times, citing Russian regional officials and Wildberries, said one person was injured in the Penza attack, while no casualties were reported in Udmurtia.
Warehouse in Penza catches fire
Penza Region Governor Oleg Melnichenko said a Wildberries warehouse came under a drone attack during the night.
“According to preliminary information, one person was injured, and about 200 employees were evacuated,” Melnichenko said, adding that firefighters were battling a blaze at the site.
Wildberries said it had temporarily suspended receiving and shipping goods from the damaged logistics center while rerouting deliveries through other facilities.
The warehouse, located near western Russia’s Penza, serves the country’s Volga Federal District and currently covers about 90,000 square meters (969,000 square feet).
The company had planned to expand the complex to 180,000 square meters (around 44 acres).
Second logistics hub targeted in Udmurtia
Authorities in Russia’s Republic of Udmurtia, located west of the Ural Mountains, also reported a drone strike on what acting regional head Olga Abramova described as “one of the enterprises” in the region.
Wildberries later confirmed that the targeted facility was its logistics center in the city of Sarapul.
The company said a fire broke out after the strike but that employees had been evacuated before the attack, preventing casualties.
The Sarapul logistics center spans over 50,000 square meters (538,000 square feet).
The latest strikes follow a series of Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Wildberries infrastructure.
Earlier this week, Reuters reported that the Russian government was considering financial support for the retailer after previous Ukrainian strikes damaged at least seven Wildberries warehouses, destroying around 10% of the company’s storage capacity and disrupting operations for thousands of businesses using the platform.
Ukraine has previously said Wildberries was targeted because of its role in supporting Russia’s military logistics and its partnership with the state-controlled bank VTB, which has been sanctioned by Western countries.
On Wednesday, Ukraine launched another wave of drone strikes deep inside Russia, hitting a Wildberries logistics hub and a major oil refinery in Ryazan.
Wildberries later confirmed it had evacuated staff from the facility and restricted access following the strike.
“Goods stored at the warehouse have been temporarily removed from sale,” the company said in a notice to sellers.
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/81392
https://united24media.com/world/ukrainian-drones-strike-wildberries-logistics-hubs-in-penza-and-udmurtia-21201
other Russia and Ukraine
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukraine-strikes-naval-drone-base-buk-m3-and-long-range-russian-radars-in-one-sweeping-operation-video-21210
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2026/07/30/Ukraine-deadly-Russian-strikes/1371785410129/
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukraine-shifts-drone-strategy-to-target-hard-to-replace-russian-energy-components-21211
https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/russian-mayonnaise-billionaire-arrested-drone-174832904.html
https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/07/30/eu-releases-another-3-47-billion-for-ukraines-urgent-needs/
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/kharkiv-plans-to-create-dome-against-fpv-1785426510.html
https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/5997571-ai-drone-revolution-military/
https://news.az/news/ukraine-latvia-ink-memorandums-on-joint-drone-development