Perihelion Logo
PERIHELION
Closest to the Source
HELIOBIOS APP Space Weather Orbit Tracker
Explore full coverage by segment
Global Space #karman-east · Russia February 28, 2026

Russia establishes drone research centers, signals autonomous systems pivot

Published about 2 hours ago
Quality
50%
Expedition 39 Crewmembers Inflight Portrait
NASA / JSC

Russia establishes drone research centers, signals autonomous systems pivot

Putin Orders Major Drone Testing Infrastructure Buildout

Russia is establishing dedicated research centers and testing sites for unmanned aerial systems across the country, following a presidential directive issued this week. The move signals a strategic pivot toward developing domestic autonomous systems capabilities, with the Kremlin expecting progress reports every six months starting in June 2026.

According to a decree published by the Russian government, the infrastructure buildout will include specialized facilities for certifying different classes of autonomous systems—from small commercial drones to larger military and industrial platforms. The government has been tasked with determining funding sources and levels for the initiative, suggesting this is a resourced, long-term commitment rather than aspirational policy.

Why This Matters for the Industry

The timing and scope of Russia's directive reflect growing global competition in autonomous systems development. While Western nations—particularly the U.S., Israel, and European powers—have invested heavily in drone R&D over the past two decades, Russia has historically lagged in civilian autonomous systems integration, relying instead on imported or reverse-engineered platforms.

This centralized push for testing infrastructure suggests Russia aims to accelerate domestic design, certification, and production cycles. The emphasis on "research centers" for each system type indicates an attempt to create specialized expertise hubs rather than a single monolithic facility—a model similar to how aerospace development is distributed across multiple design bureaus in Russia's traditional space and defense sectors.

The directive also references easing regulatory requirements for drone operators performing work for "their own needs," suggesting parallel efforts to liberalize the civilian drone market. This two-track approach—tightening state control over testing infrastructure while loosening operator restrictions—mirrors strategies adopted by China and is designed to stimulate both commercial markets and state capability development simultaneously.

Context: The Autonomous Systems Race

Global drone markets are projected to exceed $50 billion annually by 2030, driven by applications in agriculture, infrastructure inspection, logistics, and defense. The U.S. maintains technological superiority in advanced autonomous systems, but China has captured significant market share in affordable commercial platforms. Russia has competed primarily in the defense segment, with mixed results in international sales.

Establishing dedicated testing and certification infrastructure is essential for any nation seeking indigenous drone production at scale. Without standardized testing protocols and certified facilities, platforms cannot meet international export standards or integrate effectively into military operations. The fact that Russia is formalizing this infrastructure now suggests recognition that ad-hoc development and testing have become insufficient.

What Comes Next

Watch for announcements regarding which research institutions will lead these centers—likely candidates include the Moscow Aviation Institute, existing defense contractors like Kalashnikov Concern, and specialized unmanned systems firms. The June 2026 progress report deadline will be telling: whether centers are actually operational or still in planning phases will indicate how serious this push is.

The broader implication is that Russia is preparing for a long-term competition in autonomous systems, allocating resources comparable to what it dedicates to other strategic technologies. For international observers and industry analysts, this represents another data point in the ongoing reconfiguration of technology competition along geopolitical lines—where autonomous systems, like semiconductor manufacturing and artificial intelligence, are increasingly treated as strategic national assets rather than purely commercial technologies.

Related Entities

Vladimir Putin·person
Russian Government·agency
Cabinet of Ministers·agency
Kremlin·agency
📍Russia

Continue Reading

SpaceX Falcon Heavy STP-2 Liftoff
Defenseabout 2 hours ago

Pentagon Threatens Defense Contractor Over AI Safety Rules

AI Ethics Clash Threatens Pentagon-Anthropic Partnership In a rare showdown between a major defense contractor and an AI company over ethical guardrails, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has publicly refused Pentagon demands to remove safety restrictions on how its Claude AI model can be deployed in military operations. The Department of Defense has given the company until 5:01 PM ET Friday to capitulate or face designation as a "supply chain risk"—a label previously reserved for adversarial nations—and potential invocation of the Defense Production Act to forcibly remove the safeguards. At the center of the dispute: Anthropic's refusal to loosen policies that prevent its AI from being used in lethal autonomous weapons and mass domestic surveillance operations. While Pentagon officials claim they have "no interest" in either application, they argue that no private company should be allowed to impose restrictions on how the U.S. military uses its own tools—a governance question with implications far beyond this single contract. The Escalation The conflict erupted after the Department of Defense's Chief Digital & AI Office awarded Anthropic (along with Google, xAI, and OpenAI) contracts worth up to $200 million each in summer 2025 to customize generative AI systems for military applications. Since then, classified versions of Claude have been made available to Defense Department personnel through Amazon and Palantir infrastructure. Amodei reportedly met with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth this week in a direct attempt to resolve the dispute, but negotiations failed. DoD Undersecretary for Research and Engineering Emil Michael accused Amodei of harboring a "God-complex" and attempting to "personally control the US Military," framing Anthropic's position as a threat to national security. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell characterized the request as "simple, common-sense"—allowing military use for "all lawful purposes"—and warned that refusal could "jeopardize critical military operations and potentially put our warfighters at risk." Amodei countered that the Pentagon's threats are "inherently contradictory": simultaneously labeling Anthropic a security risk while declaring Claude essential to national security. He emphasized the company's willingness to support U.S. defense and democratic interests, citing previous decisions to cut off funding to China and existing Pentagon partnerships. However, he drew a clear line on two areas where "AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values." The Deeper Governance Question This dispute reflects a fundamental tension in defense procurement: the extent to which private technology companies should retain control over their own products' applications. Michael argued it would be "not democratic" to "let any one company dictate a new set of policies above and beyond what Congress has passed," while Amodei framed the safeguards as necessary guardrails on powerful dual-use technology. Anthropically's position echoes broader industry concerns about AI autonomy and accountability that have emerged across defense and civilian sectors. The company has previously published detailed policies on acceptable AI use, drawing both praise from safety advocates and criticism from military and intelligence officials who view such restrictions as impediments to operational effectiveness. What Happens Next With a Friday deadline now public, the coming 48 hours will determine whether Anthropic capitulates, maintains its stance and accepts supply-chain-risk designation, or negotiates a middle ground with Pentagon leadership. Any resolution will likely establish precedent for how other AI companies—and broader tech contractors—negotiate ethical and operational constraints with the Defense Department. The outcome also carries implications for international security partnerships, as NATO allies and democratic nations watch how the U.S. reconciles technological capability with governance principles.

#defense
70%
NASA Administrator at Stennis Space Center
Innovationabout 2 hours ago

NASA Bets on Private Space Stations as ISS Sunset Looms

The ISS Era Ends; the Commercial Era Begins NASA has awarded back-to-back Private Astronaut Missions to Vast Space and Axiom Space, marking a decisive pivot in how America operates in low Earth orbit. Both companies will launch crewed missions to the International Space Station in 2027, ferrying four-person crews aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon. But these aren't mere tourism flights—they're stepping stones. NASA is deliberately using the ISS's remaining operational years to nurture the companies that will replace it once the agency retires the station in 2030. This strategy represents a fundamental shift in how government views space infrastructure. Rather than building and operating orbital facilities directly, NASA is contracting private companies to do the heavy lifting while maintaining scientific continuity and crew safety oversight. It's a calculated handoff, not an abandonment. Two Paths to Commercial Orbit Axiom Space brings veteran credibility to the mission. The company has already flown four crewed missions to the ISS, delivering 14 astronauts from 11 nations since 2022. Its fifth PAM mission will launch in January 2027. Meanwhile, Axiom is assembling its own multi-module commercial station at the ISS itself—a station that will eventually undock and become a free-flying facility. The company recently secured $350 million in fresh financing and has begun welding primary structures for its first module with partner Thales Alenia Space. Axiom is also building the AxEMU spacesuits for NASA's Artemis III lunar missions, cementing its role as a critical infrastructure provider. Vast Space is the newcomer with the bolder vision. Its 14-day PAM mission—launching summer 2027—will be Vast's first crewed flight and the first private astronaut mission by a company other than Axiom. More ambitiously, Vast is developing Haven-1, a single-module commercial station designed to launch atop a Falcon 9 in 2027. The company has completed cleanroom integration on Haven-1 and is conducting full-scale life-support testing at its Long Beach headquarters. A prototype, Haven Demo, launched in November 2025 and recently demonstrated a critical perigee-lowering maneuver—proof that Vast can control orbital decay and ensure safe deorbiting. Haven-2, Vast's nine-module flagship station, will require SpaceX's Falcon Heavy and Starship, but only if Vast secures additional NASA Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destination (CLD) funding. Why This Matters Now The ISS was designed for a 15-year lifespan; it has now operated for over 25 years. While it remains scientifically productive, NASA faces a choice: spend billions on life-extension upgrades or transition to a distributed network of smaller, cheaper commercial facilities. The CLD program, established in 2020-2021, funds Axiom, Vast, Blue Origin's Orbital Reef, Starlab Space's Starlab, and Northrop Grumman's unnamed station. Competition drives innovation and cost reduction. These PAM awards also serve a practical purpose: they generate revenue for emerging commercial operators while they build their own stations. Vast and Axiom each receive NASA contracts for crew consumables, cargo, and storage. In return, NASA purchases cold-chain sample return capability—a service only available on crewed missions with onboard freezers. Watch for Launch Windows The 2027 launch corridor is critical. Axiom-5 flies first (January 2027), followed by Vast's inaugural crewed mission (summer 2027). Axiom's first commercial station module should reach orbit that same year, as will Vast's Haven-1. By 2028, the first commercial stations could be operational as the ISS enters its final operational chapter. The next two years will determine whether America's transition to commercial orbital infrastructure succeeds—or stumbles.

#innovation
70%
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Finds Dead Stars 'Polluted with Planet Debris'
Debris Fieldabout 2 hours ago

Chinese Astronauts Stranded After Space Debris Cracks Spacecraft Window

A Crack in the Void: How Chinese Astronauts Discovered Silent Danger In November 2025, the crew of China's Shenzhou-20 mission made a discovery that transformed a routine maintenance check into a potential emergency. While performing standard spacecraft inspections aboard the Tiangong space station, mission commander Chen Dong spotted what he initially mistook for a leaf stuck to the viewport. Within seconds, that mundane assumption gave way to a chilling realization: a triangular crack had penetrated the window of their return capsule, likely struck by micrometeorite or space debris traveling at orbital velocities. What state media had initially reported as "minimal damage" proved far more serious—cracks that had breached not just the surface, but multiple protective layers designed to shield astronauts from the vacuum. The incident forced an immediate operational pivot. China's space authorities delayed the crew's return and launched an uncrewed replacement spacecraft to ensure safe extraction. It was a textbook response to an unpredictable hazard—one that underscores both the resilience of modern spacecraft design and the razor-thin margins by which human spaceflight operates. The Architecture That Saved Them What prevented panic—and what may have prevented tragedy—was the redundancy built into the Shenzhou capsule's viewport system. Crew member Wang Jie explained the design philosophy with the confidence of someone who understands his life depends on it: the outermost layer serves as a sacrificial shield, while two pressure-bearing layers sit beneath, creating a buffer between the vacuum and the crew compartment. As long as cabin pressure remained stable, the astronauts were safe. This layered approach is not unique to Chinese spacecraft. Soyuz capsules, Dragon spacecraft, and CST-100 Starliner all employ similar redundancy—a lesson learned painfully over decades of human spaceflight. The vulnerability exposed by this incident, however, reveals an ongoing tension in space operations: detecting and diagnosing damage in real-time remains challenging, and options for remediation are severely limited once in orbit. Innovation Under Pressure China's response demonstrated the kind of adaptive engineering that separates functional space programs from aspirational ones. The CNSA deployed a specialized "porthole crack repair device" that astronauts installed to enhance heat protection and sealing capabilities during the critical re-entry phase. This wasn't a fix in the conventional sense—engineers couldn't patch a cracked window in the vacuum—but rather an augmentation of the thermal protection system to ensure structural integrity during the 3,000-degree Fahrenheit gauntlet of atmospheric re-entry. The return capsule landed safely, but the mission's final chapter tested ground crews equally. Because the spacecraft was uncrewed, the main parachute failed to detach automatically after touchdown. In strong crosswinds, the deployed chute threatened to drag the capsule across the recovery zone. On-site commander Xu Peng's team responded with old-school problem-solving: they sprinted to the landing site and manually cut the parachute lines, keeping the capsule stationary and safe. What This Means for Space Operations The Shenzhou-20 incident is a stark reminder that the space debris problem isn't theoretical—it's operational, immediate, and growing. With an estimated 34,000 objects larger than 10 centimeters tracked in Earth orbit, every crewed mission accepts some degree of impact risk. The recent Chinese incident validates investment in redundancy, rapid-response protocols, and the irreplaceable value of trained personnel on the ground. For the broader space industry, this serves as a data point in an ongoing conversation about sustainability and safety. As commercial spaceflight expands and orbital congestion increases, lessons from Shenzhou-20 will likely influence design standards across national and commercial programs. The astronauts' composure and the ground team's ingenuity prevented a potential disaster—but the best outcome is still prevention through better tracking, debris mitigation, and collision avoidance systems.

#debris
70%
James Webb Space Telescope Alignment Image
Anomaliesabout 2 hours ago

We're finally close to spotting alien moons orbiting distant worlds

The Hunt for Worlds Beyond Planets For decades, astronomers have been finding exoplanets by the thousands. Yet despite discovering over 5,000 worlds orbiting distant stars, they've confirmed zero exomoons and zero exorings. That dry spell may be ending. Recent advances in detection technology and new observational techniques are bringing the first confirmed exomoon within reach—a milestone that could reshape our understanding of planetary system architecture across the galaxy. The challenge is fundamental: exomoons orbit planets that orbit stars light-years away. They're too faint and too close to their host planets to image directly with current telescopes. But astronomers have developed clever indirect methods to hunt for them, and the results are tantalizing. Following the Shadows The most established technique exploits the transit method—the same approach that identified most known exoplanets. When a planet passes in front of its star from our vantage point, the star dims slightly. An orbiting moon should create subtle asymmetries in this brightness dip, distorting the expected U- or V-shaped curve that astronomers plot over time. Kepler-1625b offers a prime example. Discovered in 2016, this super-Jupiter (a world with the mass of roughly a dozen Jupiters) showed odd bumps in its light curve that astronomers attributed to a massive exomoon—one roughly Neptune-sized, orbiting its host planet. Since then, the evidence has proven controversial, with competing papers arguing for and against its existence. It remains a candidate, not yet confirmed. Other detection methods are gaining traction. Transit timing variations measure subtle shifts in when and how long planetary transits occur, caused by the gravitational tug of orbiting moons. Astrometry—measuring the precise position and wobble of planets across the sky—offers another avenue. The GRAVITY instrument on the Very Large Telescope in Chile recently detected borderline evidence for a massive companion around HD 206893 B, a brown dwarf about 20 times Jupiter's mass. If real, this "moon" would orbit every nine months and carry roughly half Jupiter's mass. A Hot New Method: Following the Volcanoes Perhaps most intriguingly, astronomers are now hunting exomoons through volcanic activity—inspired by Jupiter's Io, which erupts constantly as the giant planet's gravity heats its interior. Using the James Webb Space Telescope and other observatories, researchers detected fluctuating sulfur dioxide clouds around the exoplanet WASP-39b and near WASP-49Ab, suggesting potential eruptions from tidally heated exomoons that might rival Io in ferocity. These detections aren't conclusive, but they signal a new pathway opening up. Unlike direct imaging, which remains impractical, these methods exploit the physical consequences of exomoon existence—transits, gravitational wobbles, thermal signatures—making detection feasible with instruments already in the sky. What About Rings? Exorings, while seemingly simpler to detect given their large area and brightness, present unexpected challenges. They can fade or align edge-on relative to our vantage point, making them temporarily invisible even if present around many exoplanets. What's Next The next critical milestone arrives with GRAVITY+, a sharper-eyed upgrade currently in testing. This enhanced instrument should definitively confirm or rule out the HD 206893 B companion within the next few years. Meanwhile, continued JWST observations and transit data from missions like TESS will accumulate evidence for other candidates. Within five years, astronomers expect to confirm the first exomoon—a watershed moment that will prove moons and rings are as common around distant planets as they are in our own solar system.

#anomalies
50%
Juliana Neves Monitors Cement Paste Samples
Anomaliesabout 2 hours ago

Tiny water bears reveal Mars soil's secret defense against Earth life

Mars May Have Built-In Planetary Quarantine Scientists have discovered that Martian soil itself might act as a barrier to Earth microbes—an unexpected finding that could reshape both human settlement plans and planetary protection strategies. Researchers at Penn State University exposed tardigrades, microscopic animals also called water bears, to simulated Martian regolith and found their activity levels plummeted within days. But here's the plot twist: a simple water wash removed the harmful compounds, suggesting Mars's surface chemistry could naturally suppress Earth contaminants while remaining manageable for human use. The study, published in the International Journal of Astrobiology, tested two regolith simulants based on samples from NASA's Curiosity Rover at Gale Crater. The MGS-1 simulant—designed to represent Mars's global surface—severely damaged tardigrade activity within 48 hours. The OUCM-1 simulant, engineered to more precisely match the specific sampling location, proved less toxic. "We were a little surprised by how damaging MGS-1 was," said Corien Bakermans, lead researcher and Penn State Altoona professor of microbiology. The Planetary Protection Angle This research addresses one of spaceflight's thorniest governance questions: planetary protection. International space treaties require missions to prevent Earth organisms from contaminating other worlds while protecting Earth from potential extraterrestrial biological hazards. For decades, agencies like NASA have relied on sterilization protocols and containment procedures. If Martian regolith naturally inhibits Earth life, mission planners could leverage that as a defensive layer—reducing the engineering burden of keeping Earth and Mars biologically separate. However, the same compounds that suppress Earth microbes could also harm human explorers or prevent cultivation of food crops—a critical concern for any long-duration Martian base. "When considering sending people to non-Earth environments, we need to understand two things: how the environment will impact the people and how the people will impact the environment," Bakermans said. What Made the Difference The researchers theorized that water-soluble compounds—possibly perchlorates or similar salts known to exist in Martian soil—were responsible for the toxicity. When they rinsed MGS-1 with water and reintroduced fresh tardigrades, the activity suppression nearly disappeared. Tardigrades, which can enter a dormant state and survive extreme conditions, proved sensitive enough to detect these harmful components while remaining relevant models for understanding broader biological impacts. The water-wash finding carries practical implications. Water is indeed scarce in space, making this no universal solution. Yet identifying that the harmful agent is water-soluble opens pathways for targeted mitigation—perhaps through electrochemical extraction, freeze-thaw cycling, or other resource-efficient purification methods that engineers could design for Mars missions. Next Steps in the Survival Equation Bakermans's team is now investigating the specific chemical identity of the inhibitory compound and testing how it affects other organisms beyond tardigrades. Understanding whether the effect scales across bacteria, fungi, plants, and mammals will be crucial for mission architecture. Future human Mars bases may need to either neutralize this Martian defense mechanism or design habitats that work around it—or, counterintuitively, leverage it to maintain planetary protection boundaries. This research represents an early data point in the long process of characterizing Mars's habitability for human settlement. As commercial and governmental missions accelerate timelines for crewed landings, such findings transform abstract planetary protection theory into actionable biological data. The irony is sharp: Mars may have evolved its own immune system—and humanity must now learn whether to suppress it or coexist with it.

#anomalies
70%
NASA Lends Space Artifacts to Air Force Museum
Defenseabout 2 hours ago

Space Force bets $2 billion to replace aging radar planes with satellites

The News The U.S. Space Force is accelerating development of space-based radar satellites designed to track fast-moving aircraft, drones, and missiles—a capability historically provided by aging airborne platforms now vulnerable to modern air defenses. Speaking at the Air Force Association's annual Warfare Conference this week, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman revealed that incoming fiscal 2026 funding totaling $2 billion (pending congressional approval) will speed development of Airborne Moving Target Indicator (AMTI) satellites, with both the Space Force and National Reconnaissance Office reporting "highly encouraging" results from prototype demonstrations. The timing is significant: these satellites are intended to replace the U.S. Air Force's E-7 Wedgetail aircraft—itself a modernized alternative to the 1970s-era E-3 AWACS—before it fully enters service. The strategic logic is blunt. "JSTARS and AWACS are not going to survive right off the coast of China at the beginning of a war," Gen. Gregory Gagnon, commander of Space Force Combat Forces Command, told the conference. As adversary air defenses improve, the Pentagon is betting that space-based sensors are the only way to maintain persistent surveillance of enemy air and naval movements. The Bigger Picture This effort is part of a broader Pentagon shift from air-breathing platforms to orbital ones. The Space Force is simultaneously developing Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) satellites—designed to replace the aging E-8 JSTARS fleet for tracking ships, tanks, and mobile missile launchers on Earth's surface. Both programs are foundational to the Trump administration's "Golden Dome" initiative, an ambitious plan to create a comprehensive air- and missile-defense shield over the continental United States by the early 2030s. The AMTI program represents a technical leap in difficulty compared to GMTI. Tracking slow-moving ground vehicles is straightforward; tracking fast jets and hypersonic missiles presents what NRO officials call a "multi-phenomenology challenge." The data processing burden is immense: satellite sensors must detect targets, transmit data to ground stations, have that data automatically fused with information from other sensors (both space-based and airborne), and deliver actionable targeting coordinates to warfighters—all in near-real time, often measured in seconds. Technical Hurdles and Solutions Gen. Saltzman emphasized that the Space Force's prior experience building GMTI satellites provides a roadmap. "How will the RF links come back? How do we do data processing? How do we rapidly fuse the information?" he said, noting that solutions developed for ground-target tracking will accelerate AMTI development. The key differentiators for AMTI, according to Space Force leadership, are speed (both of targets and of data analysis) and clutter—the challenge of distinguishing fast-moving aircraft from other radar returns in the upper atmosphere. To tackle sensor fusion at scale, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink announced a new series of exercises called "Ringleader," designed to help the Air and Space Force coordinate disparate sensing systems into a unified targeting network. This orchestration problem may prove as challenging as the satellite technology itself. What's Next While Saltzman declined to provide specific timelines or contractor names (citing classification), Space Force leaders are optimistic about FY27 budget prospects under the Trump administration's planned $1.5 trillion defense topline. Both AMTI and GMTI are slated for operational orbit by the early 2030s—a compressed timeline that depends on sustained funding and successful prototype-to-production transitions. Congress will need to approve the $2 billion AMTI allocation, and watch for announcements about the full constellation architecture and launch vehicle assignments.

#defense
70%
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Discoveryabout 2 hours ago

Moon's magnetic field solved: rare bursts, not constant.

Ancient Mystery Finally Cracked For decades, planetary scientists have been locked in a fundamental debate about the moon's early history: Did Earth's satellite once generate a powerful magnetic field or a weak one? A new study from the University of Oxford published in Nature Geoscience this week suggests the answer is both—and the resolution hinges on a decades-old sampling mistake. The moon today is magnetically inert. Yet many rock samples brought back by NASA's Apollo missions display strong evidence of magnetism, implying the young moon hosted a vigorous internal dynamo capable of generating a global magnetic field comparable to or stronger than Earth's today. But this created a theoretical headache: the moon is relatively small. The physics of planetary cooling suggested it couldn't sustain such intense magnetism for hundreds of millions of years. An alternative camp argued the moon's core only produced a weak baseline field, with asteroid impacts occasionally amplifying it temporarily. The Sampling Bias That Changed Everything Oxford researchers, led by associate professor Claire Nichols, revisited Apollo rock samples and discovered the entire decades-long disagreement stemmed from where NASA chose to land. All six Apollo missions touched down in relatively flat, dark plains called mare regions—volcanic plains rich in specific rock types that, as it turns out, preferentially recorded rare magnetic events. "Our new study suggests that the Apollo samples are biased to extremely rare events that lasted a few thousand years—but up to now, these have been interpreted as representing 0.5 billion years of lunar history," Nichols said. The team identified a clear chemical signature: rocks recording strong magnetic fields contained high levels of titanium, while those recording weak fields had low titanium content. This link between titanium-rich volcanism and intense magnetism proved transformative. The new model proposes that for the vast majority of the moon's early history—between 3.5 and 4 billion years ago—the lunar magnetic field was weak. But during rare, fleeting windows lasting only a few thousand years (possibly even just decades), melting of titanium-rich rocks at the moon's core-mantle boundary generated temporary pulses of extremely strong magnetism. Computer models confirmed that random sampling of the lunar surface would have missed these spikes almost entirely, validating the bias hypothesis. Why This Matters Beyond Lunar Science Understanding the moon's magnetic past is more than academic curiosity. Magnetic fields shield planetary surfaces from solar wind, a crucial factor in whether worlds retain atmospheres. By pinpointing when and how the moon's dynamo operated, scientists gain insight into core cooling, mantle evolution, and why lunar geological activity faded. The findings also illuminate a profound contrast: Earth's magnetic field remains robust today, while the moon's vanished. Some researchers speculate the moon's ancient magnetosphere may have even interacted with Earth's early magnetic environment, potentially influencing how our planet retained its protective atmosphere—a cascading effect across the inner solar system. What Comes Next The research arrives as NASA prepares the Artemis program to explore new lunar regions beyond the traditional mare landing zones. These missions will provide the first opportunity to test the Oxford team's predictions directly, sampling regions that should reveal weaker magnetic signatures and validate the rare-spike hypothesis. For lunar scientists, the next few years of sample analysis could either cement this framework or reveal new surprises about how planetary dynamos operate on worlds far smaller than Earth.

#discoveries
70%
NASA Administrator at Stennis Space Center
Space Weatherabout 2 hours ago

Sun Goes Spotless for First Time in Three Years

The Sun Just Hit Pause For the first time since June 2022, the sun's surface went completely blank on February 22, 2026. No sunspots. No magnetic turbulence. No dark, cooler patches that typically herald incoming solar storms. The observation marks a rare moment of calm on our star's perpetually restless surface—but it lasted only days before new activity resumed. The spotless day, recorded by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, arrived as the sun enters what scientists call the declining phase of its 25th solar cycle. While brief, this moment offers a window into the machinery of solar weather and what Earth can expect in the coming years. Why Sunspots Matter Sunspots aren't cosmetic features. They're windows into the sun's magnetic violence. These cooler, darker patches form where extraordinarily strong magnetic fields—tens of thousands of times stronger than Earth's—prevent heat from rising to the surface. More importantly, they signal danger. Where there are sunspots, solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) tend to follow. These eruptions hurl billions of tons of plasma into space. When that plasma reaches Earth, it buffets our magnetosphere, triggering geomagnetic storms that disrupt satellite communications, GPS navigation, and electrical grids. During the current cycle's peak in 2024, such events became frequent enough to make headlines and trigger emergency protocols in critical infrastructure sectors. Conversely, when sunspots vanish, solar violence typically subsides. February's spotless observation suggests the sun is winding down from its peak, a cyclical process as reliable as seasons on Earth. The 11-Year Rhythm The sun operates on an 11-year heartbeat. Activity rises and falls in a predictable oscillation, with sunspot density peaking around the middle of each cycle and bottoming out during the solar minimum. The current cycle peaked in 2024, meaning we're now in the declining phase—but scientists caution we're not there yet. Historically, solar minimums are profound. Between 2018 and 2020, during the last minimum, the sun went spotless for over 700 days total—entire weeks without visible magnetic activity. The next solar minimum is expected around 2030, still four years away. That means the sun likely has more volatility ahead before settling into its quiet years. But here's the nuance: even during minimums, sporadic sunspots and flares can erupt. Quieter doesn't mean silent. It means fewer disruptions, on average, and more predictable space weather patterns. What February's Lull Reveals The fact that sunspots reappeared by February 24 demonstrates the sun isn't fully committed to shutdown yet. This brief spotlight-free window was more symbolism than substance—a data point in the larger narrative rather than a turning point. For space operators, satellite engineers, and power grid managers, February's observation serves as a reminder: we're transitioning from a period of elevated risk toward calmer conditions. Solar activity forecasts for the next four years will trend downward. That's good news for infrastructure stability and bad news for aurora photographers hoping for more show-stopping northern lights displays. Scientists continue monitoring the sun's surface daily, tracking sunspot emergence and solar flare activity. These observations feed into models that help industry prepare for space weather events and, conversely, anticipate periods when our orbit becomes safer. What's Next Watch for the frequency of spotless days to increase over the coming months and years as solar minimum approaches. By 2028–2030, extended weeks without visible sunspots should become the norm. Meanwhile, any major solar events between now and then will likely be isolated outbursts rather than sustained activity—the sun's final gasps before settling in for a quieter era.

#space-weather
70%
Image for: NASA's Twin Spacecraft Will Map Mars' Atmospheric Death
Space Weather1 day ago

NASA's Twin Spacecraft Will Map Mars' Atmospheric Death

NASA's Twin Spacecraft Will Map Mars' Atmospheric Death NASA's ESCAPADE mission has switched on its science instruments, marking the first operational phase of an unprecedented dual-spacecraft venture to understand how the Sun systematically stripped Mars of its once-habitable atmosphere. Launched November 13, 2025, aboard a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket, the two orbiters are currently looping around Lagrange Point 2—a gravitational waystation 1 million miles from Earth—before executing a gravity-assisted maneuver off our planet in November 2026 to reach Mars in September 2027. The mission arrives at a critical moment for Mars exploration. While robotic rovers have mapped the planet's surface for decades, ESCAPADE represents the first coordinated two-spacecraft investigation of Mars' magnetosphere and the solar wind processes that have transformed the Red Planet from a warm, wet world into a frozen desert over billions of years. "Having two spacecraft is going to help us understand cause and effect," said Michele Cash, ESCAPADE program scientist at NASA Headquarters. This stereo perspective—simultaneous measurements from two vantage points—will reveal how the solar wind interacts with Mars' magnetic field and drives atmospheric escape in real time. Why Mars Lost Its Atmosphere (And Why That Matters for Human Missions) Mars once possessed a dense atmosphere and a robust global magnetic field capable of deflecting the Sun's relentless particle stream. Today, the Red Planet's magnetosphere is a patchwork: remnants of ancient crustal magnetism combined with a weaker, induced field generated by solar wind interactions with charged particles in the upper atmosphere. This "hybrid" magnetosphere provides minimal protection against solar radiation—a critical liability for future human explorers. Understanding this process isn't merely academic. Before NASA sends astronauts to Mars, engineers must quantify radiation exposure on the surface and develop shielding protocols for habitats. ESCAPADE will also characterize Mars' ionosphere, the electrically charged upper atmosphere layer that future missions will rely on for radio communications and navigation systems. "If we ever want GPS at Mars or long-distance communications, we need to understand the ionosphere," said Rob Lillis, the mission's principal investigator at UC Berkeley. A New Approach to Mars Trajectory ESCADADE showcases a paradigm shift in deep-space mission planning. Traditional Mars launches required Earth-Mars orbital alignment—a constraint that restricted launch windows to every 26 months. By adopting a "loiter" orbit around Lagrange Point 2, ESCAPADE decouples launch timing from planetary mechanics, enabling missions to depart Earth almost on demand. During this extended loop, the twin spacecraft will traverse an unexplored region of Earth's distant magnetotail, approximately 1.2 million miles from our planet, collecting the first direct measurements of this region's plasma and magnetic field properties. Technical Innovation: Stereo Magnetosphere Monitoring Once in Mars orbit, ESCAPADE's dual-spacecraft architecture enables groundbreaking measurements. For the mission's first six months, the orbiters will follow identical orbital paths, passing over the same magnetic features at different times. This configuration allows detection of magnetosphere variations on timescales as short as two minutes—previously impossible with single-spacecraft missions. After six months, one spacecraft will climb to higher altitude while the other remains closer to Mars, enabling simultaneous upstream solar wind measurements and magnetosphere monitoring. "Prior spacecraft could either be in the upstream solar wind, or they could be close to the planet," Lillis noted. "ESCAPADE allows us to be in two places at once and measure the cause and the effect." What's Next The spacecraft will arrive at Mars in September 2027, initiating a multi-year science campaign timed to inform NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate planning for crewed missions. ESCAPADE's data will directly feed into radiation protection standards, landing site selection, and life support system requirements for Mars exploration. The mission's success could validate the Lagrange Point loiter trajectory as a standard approach for future deep-space missions, fundamentally reshaping how NASA schedules interplanetary exploration.

#space-weather
70%
NASA's SpaceX Crew-5 in space station mockups
Discovery1 day ago

NASA Just Made Moonlight into Breathable Air

The News NASA's Carbothermal Reduction Demonstration (CaRD) project has cleared a critical hurdle: successfully extracting oxygen from simulated lunar regolith using nothing but concentrated sunlight. The integrated prototype test, conducted aboard the International Space Station, confirmed that solar-driven chemistry can produce carbon monoxide from lunar soil—the essential first step toward generating breathable air for astronauts living on the Moon. This isn't theoretical anymore. It's hardware that works. Why This Matters Right Now The challenge facing long-duration lunar missions is brutally simple: you can't ship enough oxygen from Earth. Resupply missions are expensive, infrequent, and add massive weight to launch vehicles. For NASA's Artemis program to establish a sustainable lunar base—a cornerstone of the Moon-to-Mars architecture—the agency needs to generate life support resources on-site rather than hauling them across 240,000 miles of vacuum. CaRD solves this by turning lunar geology into life support. The Moon's regolith, the pulverized rock covering its surface, is approximately 45% oxygen by mass, locked inside silicate minerals. The catch: extracting it requires intense heat. CaRD uses a solar concentrator—essentially a sophisticated mirror array—to focus sunlight into a reactor hot enough to drive carbothermal reduction, the same chemistry used on Earth to refine metals from ore. The Technical Achievement The CaRD prototype integrates four major components: a carbothermal oxygen production reactor built by Sierra Space, a solar concentrator designed by NASA Glenn Research Center, precision mirrors from Composite Mirror Applications, and avionics and gas analysis systems from Kennedy Space Center. Johnson Space Center pulled the systems engineering together. During testing, they confirmed production of carbon monoxide (CO) from the regolith simulant—proof that the concept works in controlled conditions. The real power lies downstream: when CO is converted into O₂ using additional chemical processes already in development, the system could produce a steady oxygen supply for habitat life support, fuel cell operations, or even metallurgical processes. Why carbothermal reduction specifically? It's proven industrial chemistry, scalable, and—critically—it requires no chemical inputs that aren't already abundant on the Moon. Sunlight is the only external resource needed. What Comes Next The immediate path forward involves coupling this oxygen extraction with conversion technology to turn CO into usable O₂. Beyond the lunar south pole, NASA is already eyeing how to adapt CaRD for Mars, where the technology could extract oxygen from Martian regolith or even convert atmospheric CO₂ into propellant. The cost and logistics savings are staggering: reducing payload mass for human missions, decreasing launch frequency, and enabling crews to live off the land rather than Earth's supply chain. CaRD was funded by NASA's Game Changing Development program under the Space Technology Mission Directorate—signaling this is no longer moonshot research, but mainstream development. As Artemis missions ramp up in the coming years, technologies like this transition from "demonstration" to "flight hardware." The Moon just became a lot more hospitable.

#discoveries
70%