AST SpaceMobile's Quest For Global Satellite Service

Information column from NextBigFuture.com:

In the realm of space and technology, a most intriguing tale unfolds, of AST SpaceMobile's quest for a service most fine. Their Block 2 BlueBird satellite, a marvel of modern design, is set to soar into low Earth orbit, courtesy of Blue Origin's New Glenn-3. The launch, slated for late February, will mark a crucial step towards AST's goal of providing continuous service by late 2026, a feat that requires a constellation of 45-60 satellites to orbit the Earth. As the days tick by, the clock ticks on, and the world waits with bated breath, for the moment when AST's satellites will dance in the sky, providing voice, video, and streaming services at a speed of 120 Mbps per cell, a true marvel of modern technology. But, alas, the road to success is fraught with challenges, and the journey is long, for a full global rollout, a staggering 90+ satellites will be needed, a task of monumental proportions. Meanwhile, Blue Origin, the stalwart space pioneer, prioritizes Amazon's satellites, a mega constellation of 3,276 satellites, known as Amazon Leo, or Project Kuiper, a testament to the power of innovation and progress. The satellites, placed in 98

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NASA's Artemis II Mission Faces Delay Due To Liquid Hydrogen Leak

She delves into the realm of space exploration, where a most intriguing development has unfolded. According to bgr. com, NASA's Artemis II mission, poised to be the first crewed mission to the moon in 50 years, has encountered a vexing issue - a persistent leak of liquid hydrogen. This anomaly, which occurred during a launch rehearsal, has proven to be a formidable challenge, necessitating a postponement of the launch from February 8, 2026, to March. The Artemis II mission, a pivotal step in NASA's lunar ambitions, aims to send a quartet of astronauts - Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen - on a 10-day odyssey around the moon. As the successor to the uncrewed Artemis I mission, which successfully traversed the moon and back in late 2022, Artemis II is a crucial precursor to the forthcoming Artemis III and IV missions, which envision sending humans to the moon's surface and establishing a lunar space station, respectively. With its unwavering commitment to space exploration, NASA --- undeterred, striving to overcome the current hurdles and propel the Artemis mission series forward.

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National Labor Relations Board Dismisses High-Profile Case Against SpaceX, Sparking Outrage Over ...

The nation's labor landscape has been dealt a significant blow, as the National Labor Relations Board has opted to dismiss a high-profile case against SpaceX. This decision has far-reaching implications, casting a shadow over the rights of workers to engage in collective activities without fear of reprisal. The case in question centered on the firing of eight employees who dared to criticize the company's enigmatic leader, Elon Musk, sparking a heated debate about the limits of free speech in the workplace. As the situation unfolded, it became clear that the employees' actions were motivated by a desire to distance the company from Musk's controversial social media comments, including those that made light of serious accusations. The subsequent firings, which occurred in 2022, were widely seen as a retaliatory measure, prompting the labor board to issue a complaint in 2024. However, in a surprising turn of events, the board has now abandoned the case, citing a lack of jurisdiction and deferring to the National Mediation Board as the proper authority. This development has been met with outrage and disappointment from the affected employees, who view the decision as a stark example of the government's growing hostility towards labor rights. According to Deborah Lawrence, one of the fired employees, the decision is a stark reminder of the many

The nation's top labor regulator has announced that it is dismissing a case accusing SpaceX of illegally firing eight employees who criticized the ...

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A Celestial Wanderer In The Void

A Silent Traveler in the Velvet Dark

Space breathes. Beyond the reach of our atmosphere, where the sun’s light catches the jagged edges of ancient stone, a visitor named 2026 CC approaches with a dignity that reminds us of our own small, precious place in the grand tapestry of time. This celestial wanderer, carved from the very materials that built our world, glides 379,000 miles away, a distance that feels vast yet keeps the traveler close enough to be whispered about under a canopy of stars.

The rock remembers. A silent voyager carved from the dawn of creation dances through the shivering dark, trailing ancient dust as it glides past our world in a shimmering arc of history that spans four billion years.

The Architecture of the Void

We watch closely. NASA’s watchful eyes track every mile of this journey, ensuring that while the asteroid moves at a speed that would leave our pulses racing, it poses no danger to the lives we build and the grace we nurture here on the ground. Measuring roughly one hundred feet across, the size of a plane lost in the infinite, this rock represents a fragment of a story that began long before the first heart beat on Earth.

Hope remains constant. While the universe is filled with these drifting ghosts of the solar system’s birth, the realization that they pass us by without harm allows us to look at the night sky with wonder rather than fear.

Ancient Echoes of Creation

Time stands still. These near-Earth objects are ▩▧▦ debris; they are the rugged, metallic fingerprints of a universe still in the making, circulating through the inner solar system like memories that refuse to be forgotten. Though we recently marveled at the dizzying spin of the massive 2025 MN45, our current guest, 2026 CC, offers a quieter moment of reflection as it mirrors the lonely beauty of the vacuum.

Fate is kind. We find ourselves protected by the immense geometry of the heavens, watching a plane-sized miracle drift through the darkness while we remain safe within the warm embrace of our atmosphere.

By the Numbers

• 100: The diameter in feet of the asteroid 2026 CC as it navigates the silent void.
• 379,000: The distance in miles from Earth at its closest approach, a comforting margin beyond our moon.
• 239,000: The average mileage between our world and the silver moon that guards our nights.
• 4.6 Billion: The staggering number of years these rocky masses have existed since the solar system first formed.
• 120 Million: The mileage threshold that defines the orbital neighborhood of our planet's near-Earth objects.

The space rock known as "2026 CC" measures around 100 feet in diameter. It is projected to make its closest approach tomorrow at around 379,000 ...

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UT Arlington Establishes Center For Space Physics And Data Science With $1. 5 Million NSF Grant

Information column from New UTA center prepares students for space careers - News Center - The University of Texas at Arlington:

The University of Texas at Arlington has embarked on an ambitious endeavor to cement its position as a premier institution for space physics education and research. With the establishment of the Center for Space Physics and Data Science, the university aims to bolster its leadership in this field, while fostering a new generation of space professionals. This initiative has been made possible through a substantial $1. 5 million grant from the National Science Foundation's Faculty Development in GeoSpace Science project, awarded in 2024. The center's mission is multifaceted, seeking to enhance undergraduate and graduate degree programs, advance research collaborations with esteemed organizations such as NASA and the U. S. Air Force, and ultimately propel the university into the top tier of space physics institutions nationwide. As Dr. Deng, the principal investigator on the NSF grant, aptly notes, the university already boasts a robust foundation in space physics research, and the creation of this center is poised to elevate its stature within the space science community. The center's core faculty comprises a diverse array of esteemed academics, including Yujie Chi, Mingwu Jin, and Amir Shahmoradi, among others, who will contribute their expertise to train students across six key focus areas: space simulation, space instrumentation, astrophysics, data science, aerospace engineering, and

For years, The University of Texas at Arlington has been a leader in space physics education and research.

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Jupiter's Size Revised: New NASA Data Suggests A Slightly Smaller Gas Giant

According to Smithsonian Magazine:

The gas giant Jupiter, long revered as the solar system's largest planet, may be slightly smaller than previously thought, according to new data from NASA's Juno spacecraft. Recent findings, published in Nature Astronomy, suggest that Jupiter's shape is a bit thinner and flatter than initially estimated, although this revised measurement will not relinquish its title as the largest planet. The updated calculation is based on 24 precise measurements taken by the Juno spacecraft, which has been orbiting Jupiter since 2016, utilizing a technique called radio occultation to determine the planet's size. This method involves analyzing how radio signals sent from the spacecraft are slowed or bent as they pass through Jupiter's atmosphere. Notably, the previous estimates, made almost 50 years ago by NASA's Voyager and Pioneer missions, did not account for the influence of Jupiter's strong winds on its shape. As Dr. Scott J. Bolton, Juno's principal investigator, notes, the spacecraft's new orbital route provides an opportunity for novel science objectives, enabling accurate measurements of Jupiter's size. This new information can help scientists better understand the planet's internal workings, a notion echoed by Dr. Oded Aharonson, who emphasizes that having these new constraints could aid in building more accurate interior models of

New data from NASA's Juno spacecraft hint that Jupiter is a bit thinner and flatter than previously thought, although the updated numbers won't take...

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Six Planets To Converge In Rare Night Sky Spectacle

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a celestial event of great magnitude is about to unfold in the night sky. This weekend, a most wondrous spectacle shall be visible to the naked eye, as six planets converge in a majestic display, often mistakenly referred to as a planetary alignment. Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus shall all be visible, albeit with varying degrees of difficulty, from this weekend until the end of February, just after sunset. The outer gas giants, Neptune and Uranus, shall pose a challenge to observers, requiring the aid of a telescope and binoculars, respectively. Notwithstanding the obstacles posed by light pollution, the planets shall remain visible, their proximity to Earth rendering them impervious to its effects. It is worth noting, that the planets are always roughly aligned, owing to their orbits around the sun in the same flat plane, known as the ecliptic. Thus, the forthcoming spectacle is merely a testament to good timing, rather than a rare alignment. Information for this article was obtained from Forbes.

A planet parade — mistakenly called a planetary alignment by many — is set to unfold this weekend as six planets appear together in the night sky.

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