Starlink Satellite Broke Apart in Orbit after Suffering an Unexplained "anomaly."

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A Starlink satellite broke apart in orbit after suffering an unexplained "anomaly," apparently due to an "internal energetic source" rather than a collision. "The incident appears to have created some debris, with fragments likely to fall to Earth over the next few weeks," reports Scientific American. From the report:

The satellite lost communication at about 560 kilometers above Earth, Starlink said. While the statement from Starlink, which is a subsidiary of Musk's rocket company SpaceX, merely noted that investigations are ongoing, LeoLabs said its radar observations of the event indicated an "internal energetic source" as the likely cause rather than a collision.

The incident underscores the potential hazards of the increasingly large numbers of satellites and other spacecraft in low-Earth orbit -- some 10,000 Starlinks are currently in orbit and counting. Starlink's statement said that "the event poses no new risk" to the International Space Station or to the upcoming launch of NASA's Artemis II mission, targeted for 11th April 2026

ARISS Outlines Opportunities for Space Station Contacts in 2027

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The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program is seeking formal and informal educational institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to host an amateur radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS.

Crew members will participate in scheduled amateur radio contacts. These radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-answer session.

ARISS anticipates that the contact would be held between January 1 and June 30, 2027. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan.

The deadline to submit a proposal is 22nd May 22, 2026, 11:59 PM Pacific Time.

Proposal information and necessary details are at http://www.ariss-usa.org/proposal-overview/

Funds Would Expand, Upgrade Noaa's Weather Radio Network

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Funds Would Expand, Upgrade Noaa's Weather Radio Network

Even as Canada moves to shut down its nationwide weather radio services, lawmakers in the US are looking to commit funds that would modernize and expand the radio network of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency.

Lawmakers in Washington, DC, have moved ahead with their commitment to invest $100 million in improved antennas and transmitter equipment to expand coverage for the VHF weather radio service of NOAA. A bipartisan measure that authorizes the expense was passed recently by members of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.

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