Short Takes – 6-19-25

Mysterious radio pulses detected high above Antarctica may be evidence of an exotic new particle, scientists say. Space.com article. Pull quote: “Further answers may have to wait for the "next big thing" in neutrino detection, the larger and more sensitive Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO) instrument, currently being developed by Penn State.”

The NASA Foundation: A method for privately funding NASA science. TheSpaceReview.com article. Pull quote: “The proposed NASA Foundation would allow individuals and corporations to make tax deductible donations to fund specific NASA programs and missions. Corporations could also contribute by creating “cause marketing” campaigns to raise funds for NASA. Cause marketing is a promotional strategy in which a portion of the sales price of an item is donated to a non-profit like the NASA Foundation. This would be ideal for corporations like Lego that often promote toys based on NASA programs. Corporations that support the NASA Foundation could be allowed to display a logo indicating their financial support of NASA that would serve to create greater visibility for the foundation.”

Starship destroyed in test stand explosion. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “The explosion deals another setback to SpaceX’s development of the Starship vehicle. Ship 36 was planned to be the upper stage for the next Starship test flight, known as Flight 10. A Federal Aviation Administration advisory June 18 indicated that Flight 10 could launch as soon as June 29, although SpaceX would still require approvals from the FAA before attempting a launch.”

Inside the US power struggle over coal. TechnologyReview.com commentary. Pull quote: “While the demise of coal has been great for US emissions, the real driver is economics. Coal used to be the cheapest form of electricity generation around, but the fracking boom handed that crown to natural gas over a decade ago. And now, even cheaper wind and solar power is coming online in droves.”

Portal Space Systems to build larger factory for Supernova vehicle. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: ““We can no longer build spacecraft that can only fly at one altitude, because now our adversaries are building spacecraft that are much more capable,” he said. “Maneuverability specifically is key to reasserting the free use of space for allied nations.””

Firefly Aerospace to launch 'Ocula' moon-imaging service as early as 2026. Space.com article. Pull quote: “"Powered by a constellation of Elytra vehicles in lunar orbit, and eventually Mars orbit, Ocula will provide critical data that informs future human and robotic missions and supports national security with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance," Firefly CEO Jason Kim said in an emailed statement. "This service will fill a void for our nation with advanced lunar imaging capabilities and a sustainable commercial business model."”

EO 14308: Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response. Federal Register.