Science · category
Space Policy
- 1Astronomers warn Reflect Orbital mirror plans would harm astronomy●"'They're saying we want to launch 50,000 mirrors by 2035,' Benvenuti said. 'That would be catastrophic for astronomy, t
Astronomers are raising alarms over Reflect Orbital's proposal, approved by the US FCC, to launch tens of thousands of sunlight-reflecting satellites. A representative warned the company's stated goal of 50,000 mirrors in orbit by 2035 would be 'catastrophic for astronomy', as bright artificial glints in the night sky would interfere with telescope observations of faint celestial objects.
- 2Environmental groups petition FCC over space sunlight startup●"Four environmental organizations filed a petition Thursday asking the Federal Communications Commission to reverse appr
Four environmental organizations filed a petition Thursday asking the Federal Communications Commission to reverse its approval of a startup's plan to beam on-demand sunlight from space to Earth. The groups argue the agency ignored the project's potential impacts on wildlife and astronomy when clearing the plan.
- 3Measurements show AST SpaceMobile satellites far brighter than agreed limits●"Our measurements reveal an average brightness seven times brighter than mitigation targets cited in FCC filings and pea
New measurements of AST SpaceMobile satellites found average brightness seven times above mitigation targets cited in the company's FCC filings, with peak brightness over 200 times the International Astronomical Union's recommended threshold of visual magnitude 7. Astronomers warn that planned further deployments could worsen interference with ground-based observations, renewing criticism of how satellite constellations are regulated.
- 4Falling space junk risk rising, experts warn●"For now, people are more likely to be struck by lightning than by falling space junk. But those odds are shifting. Sean
Experts, including former NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe, say the odds of a person being struck by falling space debris are increasing as launches multiply, even though getting hit by lightning remains more likely for now. They are calling on governments and companies to be required to use materials that will fully burn up on re-entry, amid growing debate over regulating the space industry.
- 5Google Gemini reportedly sends private Drive files and emails to human reviewers●Google Gemini routes personal Drive files and emails to human annotators
A newly circulated report claims Google's Gemini AI routes users' personal Google Drive files and Gmail messages to human annotators for review, raising fresh privacy concerns about how data shared with the assistant is handled. Commenters are questioning the scope of the practice, whether users were adequately informed, and what it means for trust in Google's AI products.
- 6Trump Celebrates US Space Policy in Kennedy Space Center Remarks●JUST IN: President Trump Celebrates US Space Policy In Remarks At Kennedy Space Center In Florida
President Donald Trump delivered remarks at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, celebrating US space policy. The appearance highlights his administration's push on space initiatives, drawing broad attention as footage of the address circulates widely. Observers are weighing what the remarks signal for the future direction of American space ambitions and priorities.
- 7Outlook.com now rejecting email from domains without DMARC●Outlook.com is rejecting email from domains without DMARC
Microsoft's Outlook.com has begun rejecting incoming email from domains that lack DMARC records, a change flagged and widely discussed by email administrators. The move pushes senders to adopt authentication standards like SPF, DKIM and DMARC, which help prevent spoofing and phishing. Admins are debating whether the stricter policy improves security or unfairly blocks legitimate small domains that never set up DMARC.
- 8Trump establishes US Space Academy as Artemis II crew honored▼Trump establishes US space academy as Artemis II crew receives Space Medal of Honor
President Trump has announced the establishment of a US Space Academy, a new institution for training astronauts and space professionals, while the Artemis II crew received the Space Medal of Honor. The medal recognizes the four astronauts slated to fly the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo, and both announcements landed the same day, drawing attention to the administration's push on human spaceflight.
- 9NASA targets summer 2027 launch for Artemis III astronauts▼NASA is on track to launch Artemis III astronauts in summer 2027
NASA says it remains on schedule to send astronauts to the Moon on the Artemis III mission in summer 2027, a flight that would mark humanity's first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972. Outlets are reporting the agency's confirmation of the timeline as preparations for the mission continue.
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A small CubeSat has successfully completed a demanding optical laser communication link with a ground station, demonstrating that miniature satellites can perform high-bandwidth laser downlinks previously reserved for larger spacecraft. The achievement points to faster data transmission from small satellites and could influence future designs for low-cost space missions and communications constellations.