>>24958380

TYB

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

August 21, 2026

Time-Lapse of the Star S301 Orbiting the Black Hole in the Center of the Galaxy

What does it feel like to zoom around a spinning supermassive black hole? The featured video is an animation showing a time-lapse of 4 years of observations of the star S301 orbiting Sagittarius A, the 4-million-solar-mass black hole in the center of our Galaxy. S301 was discovered in 2023 with the Very Large Telescope Interferometer of the European Southern Observatory, located in the Atacama Desert in Chile. Astronomers recently found that S301 takes approximately 8.7 years to go around the black hole and reaches speeds of 25,000 km/s. It comes closer to the black hole than any other stars detected before, at a distance similar to that from Saturn to the Sun. Because it comes so close to Sagittarius A, S301 could be used to directly measure how fast the black hole spins and test Einstein's theory of general relativity. According to the theory, a spinning black hole drags the fabric of spacetime around itself, affecting the orbits of close-by objects.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1IEbB4aBsA

Noteworthy M8 Solar Flare from the Sun Eastern Limb (left side) NO AUDIO – dutchsinse and frens

8/20/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQayPrQAAUM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8aBN_lDRJI (Solarham: M1.7 LDE and Energetic CME (8/21/2026))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrtvgwqcO8Q (Mr Weatherman: Tropical Waves to Watch…)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXsmGrmfEB4 (Accuweather: The Forecast Feed: Hurricane Moke to Approach Hawaii)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNBwBd6ZpTQ (Stefan Burns: The Situation Just Got A Lot More Intense…)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UGzqATulPA (On the Pulse with Silki: THE TIMING IS TERRIFYING — Peru Hit After 8.8 Megaquake Drill)

• solar

https://watchers.news/2026/08/20/solar-activity-reaches-moderate-levels-following-strong-m8-1-flare-from-active-region-4513/

• storms and floods

https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/arizona-severe-dust-storm-monsoon-phoenix-power-outage

https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/severe-weather-flooding-mid-atlantic-carolinas-east-coast-august-2026

https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/lightning-kills-man-in-virginia-amid-more-than-500-nearby-strikes/1925353

https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/weather/2026/08/21/flash-flood-new-york-brooklyn-storms/91400032007/

https://www.nj.com/hudson/2026/08/terrifying-flash-floods-trap-nearly-70-drivers-in-their-cars-as-jersey-city-streets-turn-into-rivers.html

https://www.wthr.com/article/weather/indiana-flooding/indiana-flooding-response-emergency-aid-nipsco-power-outages-fema-governor-mike-braun/531-401dc104-36e2-483b-b438-558628e6b2e6

https://www.wcsjnews.com/news/local/gov-pritzker-issues-state-disaster-proclamation-following-recent-severe-weather-across-illinois/article_ac80baa9-f28a-4057-8696-60883f66c60b.html

https://rollingout.com/2026/08/21/chicago-severe-storms-today-forecast/

https://ema.alabama.gov/15017/a-few-severe-storms-possible-friday/

https://www.scrippsnews.com/science-and-tech/natural-disasters/severe-storms-slam-northeast-triggering-flood-rescues-and-possible-tornadoes

https://www.connexionfrance.com/news/videos-torrential-storms-cause-flash-flooding-in-south-east-france/808931

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3364774/philippine-flood-control-scandal-resurfaces-after-latest-monsoon-deluge

https://ticotimes.net/2026/08/21/costa-rica-flooding-emergency-nine-areas

https://nz.news.yahoo.com/italy-spain-hit-flash-floods-152023397.html

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2289565/288-houses-damaged-in-zambales-amid-heavy-rains-flooding

• wildfires

https://news.am/en/news/1056852

https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-forecasts/lightning-from-pacific-storm-could-spark-new-wildfires-across-the-northwest/1925002

https://yubanet.com/regional/wildfire-ready-coalition-of-nevada-county-urges-residents-to-follow-the-science-in-adopting-zone-0-rule/

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/2-florida-wildfires-burned-900-144111886.html

https://www.oregonlive.com/wildfires/2026/08/flames-from-above-drone-video-shows-2-growing-wildfires-in-umatilla-national-forest.html

https://chinookobserver.com/2026/08/20/major-wildfire-erupts-in-eastern-pacific-county/

https://www.fox13now.com/news/utah-wildfires/new-salt-wells-fire-growing-rapidly-in-box-elder-county

https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2026/aug/21/wildfires-in-union-and-ashley-counties-contained/

https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20260821-millions-in-france-report-eco-anxiety-after-summer-of-heat-and-wildfires

• hurricanes and frens

https://weather.com/2026/08/21/storms/hurricane/atlantic-hurricane-season-least-active-start-in-decades

https://weather.com/2026/08/21/storms/hurricane/hawaii-tropical-storm-moke-forecast

https://www.nola.com/news/hurricane/hurricane-forecast-tropical-outlook/article_409f238c-80d2-4850-ba56-bae7204b7eaf.html

https://weather.com/2026/08/20/storms/hurricane/hurricane-season-maps-tracker-atlantic-pacific

https://gulfnews.com/world/europe/drought-floods-and-record-heat-what-el-nino-could-bring-next-1.500647749

1/2

>>24958885

• tornadoes

https://cedarnews.net/newstasks/946338/maps-show-every-confirmed-tornado-hit-us/

https://www.fox5ny.com/news/long-island-water-spout-tornado-storm-damage-atlantic-beach

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/state/new-york/new-york-city/2026/08/21/tornadoes-reported-in-new-york-city-following-strong-winds-heavy-rain-nyc-tornado/91401134007/

https://watchers.news/2026/08/21/dover-declares-state-of-emergency-after-tornadoes-and-severe-storms-strike-parts-of-pennsylvania-and-delaware/

• earthquakes

https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/242-earthquakes-reported-utah-cluster-milford/

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/scitech/science/999381/magnitude-5-1-earthquake-hits-jabonga-in-agusan-del-norte/story/

https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2026/08/21/55-magnitude-earthquake-strikes-off-japan039s-hachijo-island-shaking-felt-in-tokyo

https://watchers.news/2026/08/20/granada-seismic-sequence-exceeds-620-earthquakes-around-600-residents-evacuated-spain/

https://watchers.news/2026/08/20/strong-m6-7-earthquake-hits-ayacucho-peru/

https://pe.usembassy.gov/natural-disaster-alert-earthquake-in-ayacucho-region-u-s-embassy-lima-peru/

https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/peru-earthquake-ayacucho-region-damage-1815602

https://www.telesurenglish.net/7-2-earthquake-shakes-peru-monitoring/

• volcanoes

https://pia.gov.ph/news/more-restive-mayon-volcano-seen-as-increased-sulfur-emissions-continue-on-4th-day/

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2289376/taal-volcano-logs-46-volcanic-earthquakes-up-from-14

https://www.nomadlawyer.org/indonesia-aviation-crisis-178-delays-17-cancellations-triple-volcano-eruptions-2026

• dailys

https://schumannresonance.today/

https://www.weather.gov/

https://www.weatherbug.com/news/Plethora-of-Severe-Threats-Target-Central-US-and-Carolinas

https://www.nifc.gov/fire-information/nfn

https://www.tornadohq.com/

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/

https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes-volcanoes/news/327495/Volcano-earthquake-report-for-Friday-21-Aug-2026.html

https://www.spaceweather.gov/

https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=21&month=08&year=2026

I Found Clues About Where These FIREBALLS Are Coming From

Aug 20, 2026

Something unexpected is happening with recent fireball activity, and I found important clues about where some of these objects may be coming from.

In this investigation, I examine the March 17, 2026 Ohio fireball, the recovered Wadsworth meteorites, the New Zealand event, the Washington fireball, and evidence connecting certain meteoroids to asteroids and comet debris.

The Ohio object produced a brilliant daytime fireball, powerful sonic booms, and meteorites that were recovered across a narrow strewn field.

Scientists officially classified the Wadsworth meteorite as a rare monomict eucrite, part of the HED family of achondrites commonly associated with asteroid 4 Vesta. Hundreds of pieces were recovered, including a 509.9-gram main mass.

I will show the real fireball recordings, recovered meteorite photographs, trajectory information, scientific classifications, and the evidence researchers use to reconstruct where these objects traveled before reaching Earth.

Did these fireballs arrive randomly? Are some connected to asteroid fragments or comet debris? Is anything disturbing the asteroid belt? Let’s carefully separate confirmed evidence from speculation and follow the clues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE9mIpJttbQ

extra space objects

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwS6DkukI8U (Dobsonian Power: IMPRESSIVE SOLAR EXPLOSIONS AFFECTING THE EARTH NOW!)

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/026/08/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-launches-the-golden-age-of-space-transportation/

https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2090551289612538000

https://x.com/mkratsios47/status/2090547746918854746

Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Launches the Golden Age of Space Transportation

Aug 20, 2026

RENEWING AMERICAN SPACE TRANSPORTATION LEADERSHIP:

Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum to reinvigorate America’s leadership in space transportation and enable over 1,000 launches and reentries on American soil annually by 2030.

The Memorandum repeals an outdated National Space Transportation Policy.

It replaces that policy with one that delivers a comprehensive America First approach to assuring reliable, affordable, modernized access to space transportation services that promote a vibrant, competitive, and resilient U.S. space transportation industrial base.

The Memorandum directs agencies to incentivize co-development of space transportation infrastructure with private sector partners, expedite permitting and environmental reviews, develop fair and transparent cost recovery policies for common space services and infrastructure, and develop range scheduling criteria and publish range schedules to maximize allocation of launch resources.

The Memorandum directs the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the Secretary of War and the Administrator of NASA, to identify future additional space transportation infrastructure locations, including additional launch and reentry sites.

It also designates priority airspace for critical space launch corridors and integration of space transportation activities into air traffic control modernization efforts.

The Memorandum directs the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST) to coordinate interagency efforts to develop and implement a space transportation industrial base strategy that promotes and maintains America’s space transportation industry, streamlines procurement, implements relevant space security strategies, and ensures an appropriate workforce to accomplish these goals.

The Memorandum directs the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce to ensure U.S. space transportation market access to promote and enable U.S. space transportation capabilities and standards.

The Memorandum directs the Administrator of NASA to facilitate commercial transportation to and from the moon, to facilitate commercial robotic access to Mars, and to explore commercial avenues to send humans to and from Mars.

The Memorandum directs the Secretary of War to pursue, maximize, and explore in-space transportation services for existing and potential missions to support the in-space transportation industry.

1/2

>>24958986

SECURING AMERICA’S NATIONAL AND ECONOMIC INTERESTS:

At a time when our adversaries are challenging American space superiority, President Trump is securing and defending our vital national and economic interests in, from, and to space while unlocking new commercial space opportunities.

By 2030, U.S. space transportation must expand to support more than 1,000 launches and reentries each year.

Protecting critical space assets and activities is essential for military readiness and for defending America’s economic dominance.

Growing a vibrant commercial space economy and space transportation capabilities through the power of American free enterprise will build prosperity and open new economic opportunities, such as high-paying aerospace manufacturing jobs here in America, and decrease the price for developing and deploying new space systems.

Novel in-space manufacturing and transportation capabilities will enable discovery and development of high-value materials and pharmaceuticals, unlock new space architectures, and sustain American technology leadership.

Enabling next-generation space capabilities will give Americans better positioning, navigation, and timing services for precision agriculture, more accurate weather forecasts for safe and predictable airline travel, and ubiquitous satellite-enabled communications for global broadband internet access.

Expanding human reach and American presence in space honors our pioneering legacy, ensures America remains at the forefront of space discovery and achievement, and drives innovation.

BUILDING AMERICAN STRENGTH AND DRIVING ACHIEVEMENT:

President Trump has demonstrated consistent leadership as a driving force for American strength and achievement in space.

President Trump spearheaded the establishment of the Space Force, the first new branch of the Armed Forces since the creation of the Air Force more than 70 years ago. The Space Force is critical to preparing the Department of War for evolving warfighting conditions and expanding our capabilities.

During his first term, President Trump issued seven groundbreaking Space Policy Directives that instructed NASA to return American astronauts to the Moon and beyond through the Artemis Program, reformed our Nation’s commercial space regulatory framework, established cybersecurity principles for space systems, and much more.

In April 2026, America sent astronauts on Artemis II to lunar orbit for the first time in over 50 years.

In August 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to enable competition in the commercial space industry, ensuring the United States maintains its leading role in the commercial use of space.

In December 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order that set a bold vision for an America First space policy, ensuring the United States leads the world in space exploration, security, and commerce.

In July 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a significant proposed rulemaking to waive burdensome environmental reviews for launch infrastructure and enable a commercial space launch renaissance.

2/2

Launch Dress Rehearsal Complete Ahead of NASA Roman Space Telescope Liftoff

August 20, 2026 5:22PM

The team preparing to launch NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope completed a mission dress rehearsal on Thursday from Florida’s space coast.

During the exercise, Roman teams ran through a full end-to-end simulation of launch-day operations leading up to liftoff.

They practiced powering up the spacecraft, simulated fueling operations for the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, conducted mock weather briefings, and practiced troubleshooting a variety of scenarios.

This rehearsal is a standard part of preparation and contributes to mission success, especially since NASA missions often involve unique requirements specific to a given spacecraft.

During the simulation, the team was on console at NASA and SpaceX facilities at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and at SpaceX facilities at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center, where they tested and demonstrated proficiency on everything from communications to mission systems.

Completing the rehearsal brings the team one step closer to sending Roman on its mission to address essential questions about dark energy, planets outside our solar system, and infrared astrophysics.

By conducting wide-field surveys, the telescope will explore the universe’s structure, evolution, and composition.

NASA and SpaceX are targeting launch no earlier than 7:26 a.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 30, from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy.

https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/roman/2026/08/20/launch-dress-rehearsal-complete-ahead-of-nasa-roman-space-telescope-liftoff/

moar

https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/08/20/spacewalk-preps-continue-to-finish-antenna-installation-job-next-week/

https://www.nasa.gov/smallspacecraft/what-is-sspicy/

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/aqua/aqua-photo-gallery/

https://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/nasa-is-giving-away-a-bunch-of-free-e-books

https://www.dailymail.com/sciencetech/article-16067531/nasa-charles-buhler-florida-ufo.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGq6xtIh4a0 (Danny Jones: The Air Force Knows What the Orbs Are and Isn't Worried | Charles Buhler)

moar

https://science.nasa.gov/earth/europes-scorching-summer/

https://www.wdel.com/news/nasa-hired-artists-to-document-the-space-race/article_64b708bc-f077-4ff0-9d95-0cc73a71a6c5.html#/questions

https://x.com/NASA/status/2090487779268407625

https://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/imvi/issm/workshops/issm-workshop-2016/

https://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/imvi/issm/workshops/issm-workshop-2025/

UFO 'that looked like a giant nuclear weapon' stalked me before disappearing into sea, says NASA scientist

10:30 EDT, 21 August 2026 | Updated: 11:48 EDT, 21 August 2026

A NASA engineer has detailed a frightening experience involving glowing orbs over Florida and what the US military did when they intercepted the UFOs.

Dr Charles Buhler, a physicist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, claimed that in 2014 he and his wife were at Cocoa Beach when they spotted a strange orb appear in the sky, which lit up like a 'nuclear bomb went off,' three miles away.

'It looked like a giant nuclear weapon. It wasn't a mushroom cloud with it, but it was just the brightness of it,' Buhler told podcast host Danny Jones.

'And we were like, "This is weird." So the helicopter hung over for a few minutes and then just went back and the light was still there.'

The incident got even stranger after Buhler said a military helicopter from Patrick Air Force Base flew out to examine the UFO and then simply flew off without taking action.

Buhler said: 'They're like, "Okay, they know what it's not. It's not the Russians. It's not the Chinese. So, okay, it's not them. We'll be fine. Let's go back." That's my guess. They know what it's not.'

However, Buhler claimed the glowing orb began moving toward him after the military left the area, coming within 200 feet of the shore, following the scientist and then breaking into five or six separate basketball-sized orbs.

The objects were allegedly seen rotating like a wheel, with half of them going underwater while the other half stayed visible from the beach.

Despite similar sightings being recently released in the Pentagon's UFO disclosure files, and thousands of other orb encounters reported to civilian-run websites, the US government and NASA have maintained that there is no physical proof that UFOs or extraterrestrials exist.

1/2

>>24959094

Buhler claimed the orb appeared around 10pm ET along the eastern coast of Florida, noting that countless people likely saw the craft from the nearby buildings and condos facing the Atlantic.

The scientist initially thought the object was a boat on the water before it pulsed with a light that illuminated the entire area and was too bright to be a standard signal flare.

'Then it gets real bright… It got so bright it lit up the whole beach as far as I can see. It made shadows of us against the buildings behind us,' Buhler said on the Danny Jones Podcast on August 14.

That was when one or two aircraft reportedly took off from the nearby military base and were seen hovering over the pulsating orb in the Atlantic.

Despite all of this taking place near a populated beach community and a major Air Force facility, Buhler said he could not find a single mention or report of the incident the following day.

However, his experience with the orbs is reportedly a well-known phenomenon in the area, with tour groups actively seeking them out and attempting to summon the orbs through psychic communication.

'Cape Canaveral is a huge port, and there's a lot of sightings off of cruise ships of these same red what you saw, what I saw, things following the cruise ships like dolphins do,' Buhler said.

'People have that on video. No one knows what the heck it is. I don't think anyone knows what it is.'

While Buhler believed the orb UFOs were attempting to communicate in a friendly manner, he said the experience on Cocoa Beach quickly turned scary.

Within 15 minutes of the Air Force helicopters leaving the UFO, Buhler claimed the glowing orb began moving closer to the shore, getting within one mile of the beach and appearing to head directly toward the scientist and his wife.

At roughly a third of a mile out, Buhler said the object split into five or six smaller lights which moved to where the waves were breaking, just 200 feet offshore, and began spinning in and out of the water.

'They went and rotated, these five lights, five or six lights… Went like bicycle spokes into the water, halfway out of the water, halfway into the water, and they just kept doing this,' Buhler described. 'It was like the freakiest, I don't know what the hell it was.'

He then detailed how when he and his wife started sprinting away, the lights followed while continuing the spinning motion.

Buhler claimed the whole episode lasted nearly 45 minutes.

Feeling scared, and drawing on things he had read about extraterrestrials as a child, Buhler said he closed his eyes and tried to tell the orbs to go away with his mind.

Shortly after, the lights sank into the water and did not return. 'It wouldn't have gone away if I didn't tell it to. I don't think it would have gone away unless I told it to. It was completely gone after that,' Buhler said.

2/2

NASA, Space Systems Command product support managers meet to discuss logistics

Aug. 20, 2026

Four members of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Logistics Management Division joined Space Systems Command’s (SSC) product support managers (PSMs) during a two-day forum at SSC headquarters Aug. 5-6.

The forum brought together SSC PSMs and other officials from the command’s S4 Installations, Logistics and Product Support directorate to discuss current efforts, issues and updates. The forum included presentations and a tour of SpaceX’s Hawthorne facility.

Working with NASA logistic officials isn’t new for SSC. Last year, officials from NASA, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the National Reconnaissance Office and U.S. Space Force headquarters met to discuss ways to increase domestic production of hydrazine fuel, used as spacecraft monopropellant.

“That kind of collaboration is where we in the space community can really help each other in different areas,” said Brad Leonard, director of SSC S4.

“Together we can discuss what we see coming down in the next five, 10 years. What should we be planning for? This forum sets us up for aligned development, growth and speed.”

Taylor McQuain, Integrated Logistics Support program manager for NASA, gave a presentation on the second day explaining how NASA organizes logistics.

Accompanying McQuain were Isabelle Di Grazia, NASA project support integrator at the NASA Ames Research Center; Anna Warner, project support manager for Airborne Science Program, and Ricardo Montenegro, deputy chief of logistics for NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

Logistics is a language, and the more both NASA and SSC understand the terms their counterparts use, the easier it is to call someone and begin solving common problems, McQuain said.

“We know that this next year is going to be difficult for NASA and for the Department of War in general, just with the challenges we’ve faced with critical minerals and the shortages and certain bans from certain countries,” McQuain said.

“We’re already seeing some challenges in various programs across NASA.”

McQuain referenced sharing resources as one way to collaborate, “Do we have assets collecting dust that you guys desperately need?” “Do you have warehouses with assets that we are trying to source?”

When the joint NASA and German Space Agency project, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) was discontinued in 2022, NASA logistics officials were tasked with disposing of the project’s assets, including the Boeing 747SP jetliner that carried the instruments, which went to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Ariz.

However, NASA’s SOFIA Closeout Team at Armstrong Flight Research Center was able to reutilize and/or sell 80 percent of the spare parts for the platform creating massive savings for the taxpayer.

As SSC pivots from large defense “primes” to working with smaller commercial space vendors, that presents its own set of challenges including trying to grow the industrial base for not just terrestrial uses, but also on-orbit logistics.

“Logistics determines mission outcomes,” Leonard explained. “As SSC fields capabilities, we have to make sure we have the right logistics structures in place, the supply chain, the transportation – to help our Combat Forces Command teammates in the fight.”

https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Newsroom/Article-Display/Article/4578424/nasa-space-systems-command-product-support-managers-meet-to-discuss-logistics

extra Space Force

https://x.com/USSpaceForce/status/2090496654180761668

https://www.ussf-cfc.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/3878190/mission-delta-31-pnt-scn-integrated-mission-delta