#Nuclear Program Acceleration

[jetmagworldtm]

🦚 Quincy Travels

⚒️OPERATION MIDNIGHT HAMMER

‼️‼️ Intelligent 🧐🤔🤨

🤨ANTICIPATED Reactions

🇮🇷Iran to Operation Midnight Hammer

(🇵🇸): (🇮🇱)🤨💅🏾👩🏾‍💻 @furyblaze76tm @greenpartyoftheunitedstates-blog @instagram @greenpeaceusa @waynestate @dukeupress @life @detroitlib @defectivegembrain

The U.S. military's **OPERATION MIDNIGHT HAMMER**, which targeted three key Iranian nuclear facilities—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—has undoubtedly provoked significant geopolitical tension.

While Iran's official response is still unfolding, several potential reactions can be ANTICIPATED BASED on Historical Patterns & the Operation's Implications.

@democraticsenator @goppolsme @blackstarlineage

💅🏾👩🏾‍💻Cyberattacks

Iran has a history of employing cyber warfare as a means of retaliation.

It could launch cyberattacks targeting U.S. infrastructure, financial systems, or military networks.

Such actions would allow Iran to respond asymmetrically without engaging in direct military conflict.

Diplomatic Condemnation

Iran is likely to issue strong diplomatic condemnations of the strikes, framing them as violations of its sovereignty and international law. Historically, Iran has used such incidents to rally domestic and international support, portraying itself as a victim of U.S. aggression.

This could lead to heightened anti-American rhetoric & calls for solidarity from allies like Russia and China.

🌳✌🏾📑Green Peace

Retaliatory Military Actions

Iran may respond with direct or indirect military actions. This could include:

- **Missile Strikes**:

Targeting U.S. bases in the Middle East or allied nations like Israel and Saudi Arabia.

- **Proxy Warfare**:

Utilizing allied militias, such as Hezbollah or groups in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, to attack U.S. interests or allies in the region.

- **Naval Escalation**:

Disrupting shipping lanes in the STRAIT OF HORMUZ, a critical chokepoint for global oil supplies, which Iran has threatened to target in the past during heightened tensions.

Nuclear Program Acceleration

Rather than deterring Iran, the strikes could prompt it to accelerate its nuclear program in defiance of international pressure.

Iran may argue that the attack justifies its need for nuclear deterrence and could withdraw from any remaining commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or other agreements.

Regional Destabilization

Iran's response could destabilize the broader Middle East. Increased tensions might lead to:

- Escalation of conflicts in Syria, Iraq, or Yemen, where Iran has significant influence.

- Strained relations between the U.S. & its Regional Allies, as they navigate the fallout from the strikes.

- Heightened sectarian tensions, particularly between Sunni and Shia populations in the region.

🌐Appeals to International Bodies

Iran may seek to leverage international organizations like the United Nations to condemn the U.S. actions.

This could involve lobbying for resolutions against the Strike or attempting to ISOLATE the U.S. diplomatically.

Iran's reaction to Operation Midnight Hammer will likely be multifaceted, combining diplomatic, military, and cyber strategies. The situation remains fluid, and the potential for escalation is significant.

The operation has not only impacted Iran's nuclear ambitions but also set the stage for a complex geopolitical chess game in the Middle East.

#operationmidnightclimax ....

#qtnews📿🪶®️

#kaniahkennedy

#naturallawparty

@fitcoachkania @fantasia

[realpersonfacts]

Perhaps the most predictable consequence of an Iran defeat is the acceleration of a global arms race, particularly around nuclear weapons. Iran, a relatively large and sophisticated regional actor, has attempted to deter attack by developing nuclear capabilities, apparently below the threshold of actual weapons for now. If that deterrent fails and Iran’s nuclear program is dismantled, the signal to other regimes will be unmistakable: the only way to ensure your sovereignty in a U.S.-Israeli-dominated world is through acquiring nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

This logic has already played out, but to a far lesser extent. Libya gave up its WMD programs in 2003 only to see its regime violently overthrown. North Korea took the opposite path, developing a credible nuclear deterrent, and as a result has remained largely immune from foreign intervention. After Iran, more states will very likely pursue this path, viewing international treaties and inspections as traps rather than protections.

The risk is not just nuclear proliferation, but the normalization of preventive military action against non-nuclear states. The incentive structure becomes perverse: develop nuclear weapons quickly or risk regime change. The end result is a world more dangerous, more armed, and more unstable.

The Perils of a Victory over Iran (from June 17th 2025)

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this New York Times story:

Three years ago, when Utah’s Great Salt Lake was at its lowest levels, state lawmakers were alarmed enough to try what may be impossible: save the lake from drying up.

If Utah succeeds, it would be the first place in the world to reverse a saline lake’s decline. The salt lake — the largest in the Western Hemisphere — once covered an area larger than Rhode Island. Today, more than half its water is gone. About 800 square miles of lake bed sits exposed, baking in the desert heat, sometimes billowing toxic dust plumes across the state’s urban core.

“Fast crises often get more attention than slow crises,” said Brian Steed, the state’s newly appointed Great Salt Lake commissioner, tasked with developing a strategic plan for the lake. “And in this case, it’s been a slow crisis until 2022, when we realized how dire the situation was.”

That year, Joel Ferry, then a lawmaker in the Utah House of Representatives, called for emergency action, saying the depleted lake was an “environmental nuclear bomb.” A flurry of bills overhauled water laws dating to the pioneer era.

But the measures the state is pursuing will take decades to reap results, if ever. Critics now say the pace and scale of the efforts must greatly increase. What is at stake, they warn, is a public health disaster, the collapse of an ecosystem that supports millions of migrating birds, and a devastating blow to the state’s tourism, skiing, mining and real estate industries.

The effects would reach far beyond Utah. Minerals from the lake are used in America’s beverage cans and in fertilizer for much of the world’s organic fruits and nuts. The lake’s brine shrimp eggs support a global seafood industry. Dust laden with arsenic and other heavy metals could blow across other states. And as climate change intensifies drought across the West, it would also bring accelerated evaporation of the lake.

“They’ve stated they’ve done enough,” Deeda Seed, a campaigner with the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit group suing the state, said of lawmakers. “It’s not working.”

Utah has a conservative Republican governor and supermajority in the statehouse, and most legislators bristle at regulation.

They have been reluctant to constrain the industries that use the most water. Real estate development is a priority in Utah, one of the five fastest-growing states in the U.S. last year. Agriculture, and one of its primary cash crops, alfalfa, is the basis of much of Utah’s rural economy. And the dairy and beef industries rely on alfalfa hay to feed cattle.

Utah policymakers tout $1 billion invested in water conservation in 2022 and 2023. More than a quarter of that was provided by the federal government, mostly from pandemic-era aid. Separately, about $50 million in federal aid meant to restore wetlands and help fund a water-leasing program was paused by the Trump administration. The state recently learned that the money would be released, but it is unclear if there will be any future federal aid for the project.

For now, the lake’s 20-year decline has stabilized, although that has nothing to do with action by lawmakers. A recent year of record snow replenished mountain streams and reservoirs, allowing more water to flow to the Great Salt Lake. It currently is five feet higher than its all-time low, but it will need to rise another five to attain a minimum healthy elevation.

To reach that level in five years, Mr. Steed’s analysis and strategic plan show, all water users in the Great Salt Lake basin would need to cut their consumption by half. The shift would have enormous consequences for the state’s economy.

[eaurpguz]

I made a drawing!

A launch vehicle I recall from home. I don't remember the name, but I'm sure "nuclear" was in there somewhere.

Here's what I told our friend Sofia about it.

left: overview of the entire launch vehicle. since i don't know mellanish anymore i don't know what it's called. Drawing a blank. Anyway. It's a nuclear rocket. The first stage is a cluster of solid rocket motors which gets the rocket flying fast and high and out of the thickest part of Gymnome's atmosphere, where the solid core nuclear thermal rocket can take over.

The rocket uses a water tank for propellant during stage 2A (the initial burn), because although the efficiency (Isp) is low for a waterlogged NTR, the thrust is as high as conventional hydrogen/oxygen chemical rockets but in a much smaller tank size. (this is because SCNTRs and Chemical rockets are both constrained in temperature to about the same amount, and so the thrust power is the same and all that can change is the mass flow rate.)

Once the rocket has accelerated up such that it no longer needs to worry about falling down, the vehicle can switch to Stage 2B, and start running hydrogen through the NTR. The thrust is lower, but the velocity gain per unit mass of fuel is much higher due to the fact that the hydrogen can be accelerated to a higher speed than the water. (with all that pesky oxygen).

It was noticed at some point that these rockets were really well suited for orbital refueling. This is still fairly early all things considered so that kind of infrastructre had been thought about a lot, but not actually built. The first time it was tried was in a sort of self contained way.

on the right you can see a diagram of the upper stage with a different payload, which I think was maybe used OH! I thought it was an ice giant probe or something but I bet this was from after the Zaldans left and the space program was rushing to figure out why, so they needed something to zip over to Oldsky around Omen real fast. Maybe. Point is, you need a small payload going very fast.

normally with an LH2/LO2 chemical rocket you would just build a small upper stage that can fit on top of the lower stage, and use that to kick the payload. But for whatever reason they decided to make good on the theoretical refuelability use case of the rocket stage in a goofy self-contained way.

They just added a hydrogen tank (which was actually straight off of an LH2/LO2 chemical rocket upper stage), and plumbed it into the water tank. They plumbed it into the water tank instead of the LH2 tank because, well probably partly just to show that they could. But also because of the ullage gas (shown in transparent orange in the diagram). Ullage gas, usually helium, fills up the empty part of a fuel tank to keep the propellant from boiling away as it's used. There's separate spheres of helium used for the job. With propellant still inside of the main hydrogen tank, but the water tank totally emptied (aside from the little reservoir used for cooling the reactor on startup and shutdown), it would be easier to force the hydrogen into the water tank than to simply refill the hydrogen tank.

at least, that was the theory.

it didn't work, but i don't recall why. If I had to guess, some component was overlooked when testing the water tank and associated plumbing's ability to work with frigid liquid hydrogen.

Anyway investigating Oldsky to figure out the disappearance of the Zaldans had to wait for the next Omen apparition.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

In 2018, the Mossad infiltrated a secret warehouse in Tehran and took 100,000 documents showing the nuclear weapons work of Iran's AMAD Project between 1999 and 2003. The trove documented years of work on atomic weapons, warhead designs and production plans.

Part of that trove described Iran developing and manufacturing a key nuclear weapon subcomponent called a “shock wave generator.”  Manufacturing of components of this generator, and testing of them, occurred near the village of Sanjarian, and the facility was called the "Sanjarian Facitlity" in the documentation. 

Less than a year ago, the Institute for Science and International Security (the "Good ISIS") said that Sanjarian was up and running again:

During the last year and a half, Iran has reportedly reactivated and accelerated activities at two former Amad Plan sites that were key to Iran’s development of nuclear weapons during its crash nuclear weapons program in the early 2000s, according to Western intelligence officials who decided to release officially the information to the Institute on the condition of remaining anonymous. The two sites, Sanjarian and Golab Dareh, were central to the Amad Plan’s development of a sophisticated multipoint initiation (MPI) system to initiate the high explosives for spherical implosion in a nuclear weapon, to develop and test high-speed diagnostic equipment or their subcomponents, and to conduct a range of tests to ensure that the MPI system and diagnostic equipment worked.  The officials emphasized that this recent activity is being conducted by experts in the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (aka SPND or SEPAND) who participated in weaponization work in the Amad Plan. SPND is a DARPA-like defense entity, which evolved from the Amad Plan, and still holds many of the personnel and material assets of the Amad Plan and is widely viewed as the locus of Iranian work on nuclear weaponization. The former AMAD personnel involved at these two sites appear to have freedom of action within SPND.

This is but one data point that shows that Iran had indeed resurrected its nuclear weaponization program that the West insisted had laid dormant for so long.

David Albright of ISIS reported yesterday that, based on satellite image analysis, Israel destroyed most (but not all) of the Sanjarian facilities. 

He notes that the IAEA has never visited Sanjarian.

Israel is saving the world. 

[whirligig-girl]

OOC question (unless any OCs wanna take it in which case validd) - does Mellanus have any interesting ways of getting stuff to orbit or is it just conventional (for Star Trek) spacecraft?

Hi, this is Lieutenant J.G. Eaurp Guz. Most warp-capable societies use a combination of fusion rockets (usually impulse drives) and antigravity manifolds for lifting payloads into orbit. Yes, you heard me right. You'd think it'd be transporters, right? And yes, transporters get used a lot, but their energy efficiency is abysmal compared to any kind of ballistic approach. So when it comes to moving large amounts of material, the go to is always gonna be some manner of shuttlecraft. Antigravs are used to get off the ground, then they're slowly disengaged and the impulse drive is used to accelerate against the antigrav (Whenever you're using an antigrav you're basically storing downward acceleration you're going to have to take care of inertially eventually), and then accelerate to orbit. Shuttlecraft impulse engines are usually tuned to use purely subspace-field-coil-accelerated atmospheric gases for propulsion in-atmosphere, which avoids harmful radiation or excessive thrust power that can damage structures and humanoid hearing and soforth. That's why the Cerritos usually lands infrastructure equipment using shuttles. Now, the thing is, Mellanus is only kind of a warp capable planet. Aside from the USS Liberty, which had a lot of help, no crewed mellanoid spacecraft has left the Zwo-nmu planetary system. Any kind of subspace technologies is, for the moment, still highly specialized. And we also don't know how to make our own fusion reactors. (at least, not ones that break even.) So, in short, we still use conventional rockets for the most part.

The current heavy-lift rocket, though, is this beautiful thing. See, during the Dominion war, the Federation installed fusion-powered phaser and shield grid stations on Mellanus, to protect against potential invasion from the Dominion, who might have seen another fluidic species as either an asset or a threat. In peacetime, the fusion powerplants were redistributed to tie into the power grids, at least where possible. But a crazy beautiful engineer by the name of Urbleagh came up with the idea to reuse old laser-launch plans thought up before first contact and marry them with the phaser-repeater warships that were designed but never launched during the war. By aligning the frequency of the ground-based phaser and its shields in just the right way, the phaser-propelled launch vehicle can collect thermal energy from the phaser beam and use it to power an aerospike rocket engine with water propellant. That nets a specific impulse of over 900 seconds and a high thrust to weight ratio. And because there's no reactor onboard, it can be used in reusable or expendable configuration without losing much. This phaser rocket is the new heavy lifter for the space program, and has been in operation since 2377. I still haven't gotten to see one launch myself. The rocket is not used for gooed (ed note: crewed) launches because of the risk of total vaporization with no capability for abort if there's a malfunction in the phaser or the shields. The space program's other workhorse is the older and more reliable NTR-IV, a closed cycle gas core nuclear thermal rocket SSTO. Fission or chemical fueled SSTOs aren't really plausible on heavier worlds like Earth or Vulcan or Tellar Prime, but they work well enough on Mellanus because the delta-v to orbit is lower and so's the gravity. Side note: There's a reason Pre-Surak Vulcans, Orions, and Tellarites invented nuclear pulse rockets before fusion or fission-thermal drives. If your planet is so heavy that getting to orbit is difficult full stop, then you'll tend to just go ahead and invent the crazy deathbomb superrocket, and when you GET to orbit, you'll be better equipped to explore the rest of your system. Earth is juuuust small enough that chemical rockets and NTRs sufficed for orbiting, and electric, NTR, and fusion rockets were later used for space exploration. Of course the post-Surak Vulcans didn't do crewed space exploration again until they'd harnessed antigravity and impulse drives, but that's a highly ideological thing I think. Anyway, the NTR-IV is a mandatory reuse vehicle due to the nuclear reactor, so the turnaround time is pretty long. For relatively small launches, the Mellanus Space Program still uses conventional chemical rockets, primarily methalox or hydrolox rockets. Solid rocket boosters are rare these days. Rutherford jokes that that's because Mellanoids will always prefer a fluidic version of a technology over a solid one, which is honestly not far off. In space (for instability reasons that haven't yet been hammered out this can't be done in atmosphere), mellanoid rockets use fission-impulse drives, which are NTRs (usually solid core or liquid core, but I think open cycle gas core has been tried) with an additional solid core reactor powering subspace field coils, as in a normal fusion-impulse drive. This raises the effective exhaust velocity substantially, and basically sucks free energy out of subspace. (that's a massive, massive oversimplification, but my next shift is soon and I don't have time to get into the details.) Does that answer your question? I might have gotten lost at some point.

[usafphantom2]

B-2 Gets Big Upgrade with New Open Mission Systems Capability

July 18, 2024 | By John A. Tirpak

The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber has been upgraded with a new open missions systems (OMS) software capability and other improvements to keep it relevant and credible until it’s succeeded by the B-21 Raider, Northrop Grumman announced. The changes accelerate the rate at which new weapons can be added to the B-2; allow it to accept constant software updates, and adapt it to changing conditions.

“The B-2 program recently achieved a major milestone by providing the bomber with its first fieldable, agile integrated functional capability called Spirit Realm 1 (SR 1),” the company said in a release. It announced the upgrade going operational on July 17, the 35th anniversary of the B-2’s first flight.

SR 1 was developed inside the Spirit Realm software factory codeveloped by the Air Force and Northrop to facilitate software improvements for the B-2. “Open mission systems” means that the aircraft has a non-proprietary software architecture that simplifies software refresh and enhances interoperability with other systems.

“SR 1 provides mission-critical capability upgrades to the communications and weapons systems via an open mission systems architecture, directly enhancing combat capability and allowing the fleet to initiate a new phase of agile software releases,” Northrop said in its release.

The system is intended to deliver problem-free software on the first go—but should they arise, correct software issues much earlier in the process.

The SR 1 was “fully developed inside the B-2 Spirit Realm software factory that was established through a partnership with Air Force Global Strike Command and the B-2 Systems Program Office,” Northrop said.

The Spirit Realm software factory came into being less than two years ago, with four goals: to reduce flight test risk and testing time through high-fidelity ground testing; to capture more data test points through targeted upgrades; to improve the B-2’s functional capabilities through more frequent, automated testing; and to facilitate more capability upgrades to the jet.

The Air Force said B-2 software updates which used to take two years can now be implemented in less than three months.

In addition to B61 or B83 nuclear weapons, the B-2 can carry a large number of precision-guided conventional munitions. However, the Air Force is preparing to introduce a slate of new weapons that will require near-constant target updates and the ability to integrate with USAF’s evolving long-range kill chain. A quicker process for integrating these new weapons with the B-2’s onboard communications, navigation, and sensor systems was needed.

The upgrade also includes improved displays, flight hardware and other enhancements to the B-2’s survivability, Northrop said.

“We are rapidly fielding capabilities with zero software defects through the software factory development ecosystem and further enhancing the B-2 fleet’s mission effectiveness,” said Jerry McBrearty, Northrop’s acting B-2 program manager.

The upgrade makes the B-2 the first legacy nuclear weapons platform “to utilize the Department of Defense’s DevSecOps [development, security, and operations] processes and digital toolsets,” it added.

The software factory approach accelerates adding new and future weapons to the stealth bomber, and thus improve deterrence, said Air Force Col. Frank Marino, senior materiel leader for the B-2.

The B-2 was not designed using digital methods—the way its younger stablemate, the B-21 Raider was—but the SR 1 leverages digital technology “to design, manage, build and test B-2 software more efficiently than ever before,” the company said.

The digital tools can also link with those developed for other legacy systems to accomplish “more rapid testing and fielding and help identify and fix potential risks earlier in the software development process.”

Following two crashes in recent years, the stealthy B-2 fleet comprises 19 aircraft, which are the only penetrating aircraft in the Air Force’s bomber fleet until the first B-21s are declared to have achieved initial operational capability at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. A timeline for IOC has not been disclosed.

The B-2 is a stealthy, long-range, penetrating nuclear and conventional strike bomber. It is based on a flying wing design combining LO with high aerodynamic efficiency. The aircraft’s blended fuselage/wing holds two weapons bays capable of carrying nearly 60,000 lb in various combinations.

Spirit entered combat during Allied Force on March 24, 1999, striking Serbian targets. Production was completed in three blocks, and all aircraft were upgraded to Block 30 standard with AESA radar. Production was limited to 21 aircraft due to cost, and a single B-2 was subsequently lost in a crash at Andersen, Feb. 23, 2008.

Modernization is focused on safeguarding the B-2A’s penetrating strike capability in high-end threat environments and integrating advanced weapons.

The B-2 achieved a major milestone in 2022 with the integration of a Radar Aided Targeting System (RATS), enabling delivery of the modernized B61-12 precision-guided thermonuclear freefall weapon. RATS uses the aircraft’s radar to guide the weapon in GPS-denied conditions, while additional Flex Strike upgrades feed GPS data to weapons prerelease to thwart jamming. A B-2A successfully dropped an inert B61-12 using RATS on June 14, 2022, and successfully employed the longer-range JASSM-ER cruise missile in a test launch last December.

Ongoing upgrades include replacing the primary cockpit displays, the Adaptable Communications Suite (ACS) to provide Link 16-based jam-resistant in-flight retasking, advanced IFF, crash-survivable data recorders, and weapons integration. USAF is also working to enhance the fleet’s maintainability with LO signature improvements to coatings, materials, and radar-absorptive structures such as the radome and engine inlets/exhausts.

Two B-2s were damaged in separate landing accidents at Whiteman on Sept. 14, 2021, and Dec. 10, 2022, the latter prompting an indefinite fleetwide stand-down until May 18, 2023. USAF plans to retire the fleet once the B-21 Raider enters service in sufficient numbers around 2032.

Contractors: Northrop Grumman; Boeing; Vought.

First Flight: July 17, 1989.

Delivered: December 1993-December 1997.

IOC: April 1997, Whiteman AFB, Mo.

Production: 21.

Inventory: 20.

Operator: AFGSC, AFMC, ANG (associate).

Aircraft Location: Edwards AFB, Calif.; Whiteman AFB, Mo.

Active Variant: •B-2A. Production aircraft upgraded to Block 30 standards.

Dimensions: Span 172 ft, length 69 ft, height 17 ft.

Weight: Max T-O 336,500 lb.

Power Plant: Four GE Aviation F118-GE-100 turbofans, each 17,300 lb thrust.

Performance: Speed high subsonic, range 6,900 miles (further with air refueling).

Ceiling: 50,000 ft.

Armament: Nuclear: 16 B61-7, B61-12, B83, or eight B61-11 bombs (on rotary launchers). Conventional: 80 Mk 62 (500-lb) sea mines, 80 Mk 82 (500-lb) bombs, 80 GBU-38 JDAMs, or 34 CBU-87/89 munitions (on rack assemblies); or 16 GBU-31 JDAMs, 16 Mk 84 (2,000-lb) bombs, 16 AGM-154 JSOWs, 16 AGM-158 JASSMs, or eight GBU-28 LGBs.

Accommodation: Two pilots on ACES II zero/zero ejection seats.

[transgenderer]

Project Iceworm was a top secret United States Army program of the Cold War, which aimed to build a network of mobile nuclear missile launch sites under the Greenland ice sheet. This was according to documents declassified in 1996.[1] The missiles, which could strike targets within the Soviet Union, were never fielded and necessary consent from the Danish Government to do so was never obtained.

To study the feasibility of working under the ice, a highly publicized "cover" project, known as Camp Century, was launched in 1959.[2] Unstable ice conditions within the ice sheet caused the project to be canceled in 1966.

When built, Camp Century was publicized as a demonstration for affordable ice-cap military outposts and a base for scientific research.[2][3]

The camp operated from 1959 until 1967. It consisted of 21 tunnels with a total length of 9,800 feet (3.0 km) and was powered by a nuclear reactor.

The trenches constructed in 1959 had compressed both vertically and horizontally within four years, to the extent that many already had reached their design margins. After that, extensive snow trimming was required to maintain the trenches.[14] The trenches were covered with a steel arch and the longest trench extended to 1,100 feet (340 m), while both its width and height were 26 feet (7,9m).[12]

The subsurface camp provided good protection from the elements and had modern bathroom, dining, and medical facilities. Prefabricated buildings were placed inside the trenches.[2] The reactor powered the base for more than three years, but was shut down due to unexpected accelerated compression of the reactor trenches, in part due to the residual heat in the reactor area required to maintain the feed water pools.

Both snow trimming required to maintain the trenches and sewage disposal were ongoing problems with the facility. The sewage sump was 150 feet (46 m) from the nearest building and initially, was not vented. As a result, the odor of sewage became almost unbearable in the nearest quarters after the first year of operation. Subsequent venting of the sump reduced the odor, but did not eliminate the fundamental condition. In 1962, core samples were taken in the areas near the sump and found that liquid wastes had permeated up to 170 feet (52 meters) horizontally. Thus, this accelerated trench deformation and odor from the sump affected nearby trenches containing sleeping quarters.[15]

[trump-executive-orders]

The Iron Dome for America

Issued January 27, 2025.

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including my authority as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose. The threat of attack by ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, and other advanced aerial attacks, remains the most catastrophic threat facing the United States.

President Ronald Reagan endeavored to build an effective defense against nuclear attacks, and while this program resulted in many technological advances it was canceled before its goal could be realized. And since the United States withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002 and initiated development of limited homeland missile defense, official United States homeland missile defense policy has remained only to stay ahead of rogue-nation threats and accidental or unauthorized missile launches.

Over the past 40 years, rather than lessening, the threat from next-generation strategic weapons has become more intense and complex with the development by peer and near-peer adversaries of next-generation delivery systems and their own homeland integrated air and missile defense capabilities.

Sec. 2. Policy. To further the goal of peace through strength, it is the policy of the United States that:

(a) The United States will provide for the common defense of its citizens and the Nation by deploying and maintaining a next-generation missile defense shield;

(b) The United States will deter -- and defend its citizens and critical infrastructure against -- any foreign aerial attack on the Homeland; and

(c) The United States will guarantee its secure second-strike capability.

Sec. 3. Implementation. Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall:

(a) Submit to the President a reference architecture, capabilities-based requirements, and an implementation plan for the next-generation missile defense shield. The architecture shall include, at minimum, plans for:

(i) Defense of the United States against ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles, and other next-generation aerial attacks from peer, near-peer, and rogue adversaries;

(ii) Acceleration of the deployment of the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor layer;

(iii) Development and deployment of proliferated space-based interceptors capable of boost-phase intercept;

(iv) Deployment of underlayer and terminal-phase intercept capabilities postured to defeat a countervalue attack;

(v) Development and deployment of a custody layer of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture;

(vi) Development and deployment of capabilities to defeat missile attacks prior to launch and in the boost phase;

(vii) Development and deployment of a secure supply chain for all components with next-generation security and resilience features; and

(viii) Development and deployment of non-kinetic capabilities to augment the kinetic defeat of ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles, and other next-generation aerial attacks;

(b) Review relevant authorities and organization of the Department of Defense to develop and deploy capabilities at the necessary speed to implement this directive;

(c) Jointly with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, submit to the President a plan to fund this directive, allowing sufficient time for consideration by the President before finalization of the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget; and

(d) In Cooperation with United States Strategic Command and United States Northern Command, submit to the President:

(i) An updated assessment of the strategic missile threat to the Homeland; and

(ii) A prioritized set of locations to progressively defend against a countervalue attack by nuclear adversaries.

Sec. 4. Allied and Theater Missile Defense Review. The United States continues to cooperate on missile defense with its allies and partners to aid in the defense of ally populations and troops and of forward-deployed United States troops. Following the submission to the President of the next-generation missile defense reference architecture under section 3(a) of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall direct a review of theater missile defense posture and initiatives to identify ways in which the United States and its allies and partners can:

(a) Increase bilateral and multilateral cooperation on missile defense technology development, capabilities, and operations;

(b) Improve theater missile defense of forward-deployed United States troops and allied territories, troops, and populations; and

(c) Increase and accelerate the provision of United States missile defense capabilities to allies and partners.

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

[indelicateink]

21/06/2025

Donald Trump announced on Saturday night that the US had completed strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran, directly joining Israel’s effort this month to destroy the country’s nuclear program. […]

[…] New York Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez went further and called for Trump’s impeachment – something that has been tried twice before. “The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers. He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment,” she said on X.

Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House, said Trump had “misled” Americans. “The risk of war has now dramatically increased, and I pray for the safety of our troops in the region who have been put in harm’s way,” he said in a statement.

He added: “Trump misled the country about his intentions, failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East.”

[…] Other Democrats also came out strongly against the attack, echoing Khanna’s stance. “President Trump has no constitutional authority to take us to war with Iran without authorization from Congress, and Congress has not authorized it,” said Virginia congressman Don Beyer.

Illinois congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi told the Guardian: “If Iran was not fully committed to building a nuclear bomb in an accelerated timeframe I’d be shocked if they are not now – have we just unleashed something that’s worse than what was happening before?”

[mariacallous]

Israel’s strike on Iran starting early Friday morning followed a dizzying 24 hours in which the international community rebuked Iran for its nuclear malfeasance, Iranian officials said they would retaliate by accelerating nuclearization and signs piled up of a potentially imminent strike — along with warnings that Israel could be simply rattling sabers at a pivotal moment.

In the hours before the attack, experts in the region said they thought Israel’s aggressive posture — which prompted the United States to begin moving some personnel out of the Middle East — could have been meant to extract concessions from Iran in its nuclear talks with the Trump administration. They noted that while tensions are rising between Iran and the West over Iran’s failure to abide by past nuclear agreements, no one is yet taking concrete measures against Iran.

But the situation was fluid enough to worry longtime observers of the region. The threat of military pressure can take on a life of its own, Shira Efron, the research director for the Israel Policy Forum who has advised Israeli governments on defense issues, said before Israel made its move.

“We can argue that the Israeli kinetic threat to attack Iran, could be pressuring the sides to come to an agreement” that Israel favors, which would be the total dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program, she said. The problem with such pressure is that Israel can’t control the outcomes, she said.

“I would advise Israel to sit aside, let the U.S. try to take their time in terms of trying to reach an agreement,” she said. She switched to Hebrew to cite a rabbinic saying: “The work of the righteous is done by others.”

President Donald Trump on Thursday said talks with Iran to forge a deal on its nuclear capabilities were still ongoing. His top envoy negotiating conflict de-escalation, Steve Witkoff, was due in Oman early next week to continue talks with Iran.

“We remain committed to a Diplomatic Resolution to the Iran Nuclear Issue!” Trump said on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns, on Thursday. “My entire Administration has been directed to negotiate with Iran.”

He’d said the same thing earlier in the day. “I’d love to avoid the conflict,” Trump said at a press conference, asked about the prospects of an Israeli attack. “Iran’s going to have to negotiate a little bit tougher, meaning, they’re going to have to give us some things they’re not willing to give us right now.”

Witkoff is seeking a deal that would allow Iran and other countries access to uranium enriched to non-weaponization levels at an offshore facility. Iran is insisting that such a facility be in Iran.

Trump’s oft-stated lack of enthusiasm for military action appeared to put a cramp on any Israeli plans to strike Iran; Israel by most estimations needs U.S. backup to carry out an effective strike.

But Israel has increasingly been seeking to show that it can act alone. And Israeli officials have told their U.S. counterparts that Israel is ready to strike, CBS reported on Thursday, citing unnamed officials.

Asked about the imminence of an Israeli strike, Trump said, “I don’t want to say ‘imminent,’ but it looks like it’s something that could very well happen.”

Here’s what you need to know about where the situation stood before Israel shook it all up with its preemptive strike.

[darkmaga-returns]

The “ceasefire” between Israel and Iran appears to be intact, in the sense that Tehran said it concluded its retaliatory attacks and wouldn’t launch anymore, as long as Israel didn’t attack. But beyond that, nothing has been resolved, and the U.S. has proven it can’t be trusted in negotiations aimed at establishing another “nuclear deal.”

Journalist and Geopolitical Analyst Danny Haiphong noted that the war against Iran is far from over, as the U.S. and Israel are still set on “regime change” in Tehran, with Trump sharing a parody video on social media about bombing Iran.

Follow Danny Haiphong on X, and check out his channel on YouTube

SOURCE LINKS:

25 June 2025 - Israel-Iran ceasefire holds, offering hope, but also uncertainty as Iran threatens to accelerate nuclear work

25 June 2025 - 'Obliterated': The firestorm over how Trump described damage to Iran nuclear sites

25 June 2025 - Trump: Deal with Iran not necessary following US strikes

25 June 2025 - Early US intelligence report suggests US strikes only set back Iran’s nuclear program by months

25 June 2025 - 7 Israeli troops are killed in a Gaza bombing as Palestinian officials say Israeli attacks kill 79

25 June 2025 - Israel bombs southern Lebanon amid conflict with Iran and assault on Gaza

25 June 2025 - With defence spending set to rise, Trump reassures NATO allies

25 June 2025 - Ukraine barely mentioned in NATO summit communique

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Vera C. Rubin Observatory Will Unlock New Understanding of Variable Stars

Rubin will observe more variable stars than any previous observatory, enabling investigations into the mechanisms that drive their varying brightness and mapping the outer limits of our galaxy

NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, will soon collect an unprecedented amount of data on the changing southern night sky. By observing millions of stars that change in brightness, Rubin will allow for studies of the inner workings of variable stars and help define the edges of our galaxy.

The night sky might seem peaceful and still, but in fact millions of changes occur every night. Some of these changes are due to variable stars, which are stars that increase and decrease in brightness over time. These fluctuations can be the result of internal changes, such as the star swelling and shrinking, or external factors, such as the star being eclipsed by another star or a planet. Since the discovery of variable stars in the 1600s, scientists have used their rhythmic pulses to study stellar composition and evolution, as well as map vast cosmic distances.

Despite the long history of variable star studies, there is still a plethora of untapped knowledge to be uncovered, from understanding the exact mechanisms driving intrinsic brightness variability to identifying the most distant star in the Milky Way Galaxy. With its ability to precisely measure the light of faint objects and monitor how they change in time, Vera C. Rubin Observatory is expected to open up an entirely new realm of variable star investigations.

Rubin Observatory is a joint program of NSF NOIRLab and DOE’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, who will cooperatively operate Rubin.

Over 10 years Rubin Observatory will conduct the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), during which it will use the 3200-megapixel LSST Camera — the largest camera ever built — to image a different region of the southern hemisphere sky about every 40 seconds. By the end of this deep and wide survey, Rubin will have imaged each region about 800 times. In doing so, Rubin will create an ultra-wide, ultra-high-definition time-lapse record of the changing night sky that includes detailed information about millions of variable stars.

Scientists preparing to use Rubin data are excited about how it will revolutionize the way we study the Universe. “The transformative aspect of what Rubin will be doing is not just the scale but also the precision,” says Adam Miller, an astronomer at Northwestern University and Director of the LSST-Discovery Alliance Data Science Fellowship Program. “This is going to allow for a lot of science that before now has been very difficult to accomplish, specifically for a field that I like to study: variable stars.”

It’s estimated that Rubin will detect around 100 million variable stars throughout its survey. This will allow for unprecedented studies into what drives variable stars’ changes, which remains a mystery for many variable stars despite the long history of studies in this field.

“Most of what we know about stars is from the light that they emit,” says Miller. “However, the only emission that we can see comes from the outermost layers of the star whereas all the nuclear fusion happening inside the core of the star cannot be observed directly. It's almost like trying to understand how blood flows through the human body while only being able to look at the skin.”

With its ability to take extremely precise measurements of variable stars as they change in brightness over minutes, days, and years, Rubin will enable detailed investigations into their light patterns and allow scientists to study the intrinsic mechanisms driving their variability. “There are stars for which very precise measurements of the pulsations that happen in their outer layers directly tell us about what's happening in their core,” says Miller. “To date this has been extremely challenging for some stars, in particular massive stars, but Rubin will detect these in both the Milky Way and other nearby galaxies.”

In addition to providing insight into stellar life and evolution, variable stars are also used for making accurate distance measurements to study the Universe’s expansion and evolution. In the early 1900s astronomer Henrietta Swan Leavitt, working with a team of women ‘computers’ at the Harvard College Observatory, discovered that Cepheid variable stars possess an intrinsic brightness that is proportional to its period of variability. This intrinsic brightness, or luminosity, can be compared to a star’s observed brightness to yield its distance from Earth. Astronomers continue to rely on the Cepheid period-luminosity relationship, now known as Leavitt’s Law, when measuring cosmic distances.

Although using variable stars to measure cosmic distances is one of the oldest astronomical tools, there are still limits that have not yet been reached. “We still don't know the most distant star that is part of our Milky Way Galaxy,” says Miller. “But Rubin has the potential to answer that question for us.”

Rubin’s rapid observing cadence will produce approximately 20 terabytes of data every night. In addition to this data, Rubin’s processing pipelines will produce another 15 petabytes of data catalogs. By the end of its 10-year survey, Rubin data processing will generate around 500 petabytes of data, which is equivalent to the total amount of content written in every language throughout human history.

This extraordinary influx of data will immediately outpace all previous efforts to catalog variable stars. And Rubin’s ability to detect faint objects means it will catalog millions of variable stars that have never been detected before. With this vastly expanded census, scientists will be able to conduct statistical investigations into their varying nature and refine their periodic variability over longer periods of time.

“With every dataset that Rubin releases to the scientific community and public, our variable star science will get better because we’ll have significantly more information about how these objects vary over time,” says Miller. “Entirely new subfields of astronomy may be launched as discoveries emerge from this data. It’s likely Rubin will find things that no one has even predicted to exist before.”

More information

NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, is a groundbreaking new astronomy and astrophysics observatory under construction on Cerro Pachón in Chile, with first light expected in 2025. It is named after astronomer Vera Rubin, who provided the first convincing evidence for the existence of dark matter. Using the largest camera ever built, Rubin will repeatedly scan the sky for 10 years and create an ultra-wide, ultra-high-definition, time-lapse record of our Universe.

NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory is a joint initiative of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science (DOE/SC). Its primary mission is to carry out the Legacy Survey of Space and Time, providing an unprecedented data set for scientific research supported by both agencies. Rubin is operated jointly by NSF NOIRLab and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. NSF NOIRLab is managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) and SLAC is operated by Stanford University for the DOE. France provides key support to the construction and operations of Rubin Observatory through contributions from CNRS/IN2P3. Rubin Observatory is privileged to conduct research in Chile and gratefully acknowledges additional contributions from more than 40 international organizations and teams.

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 to promote the progress of science. NSF supports basic research and people to create knowledge that transforms the future.

The DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time.

NSF NOIRLab, the U.S. National Science Foundation center for ground-based optical-infrared astronomy, operates the International Gemini Observatory (a facility of NSF, NRC–Canada, ANID–Chile, MCTIC–Brazil, MINCyT–Argentina, and KASI–Republic of Korea), NSF Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), NSF Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), the Community Science and Data Center (CSDC), and NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory (in cooperation with DOE’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory). It is managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) under a cooperative agreement with NSF and is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona. 

The scientific community is honored to have the opportunity to conduct astronomical research on I’oligam Du’ag (Kitt Peak) in Arizona, on Maunakea in Hawai‘i, and on Cerro Tololo and Cerro Pachón in Chile. We recognize and acknowledge the very significant cultural role and reverence of I’oligam Du’ag to the Tohono O’odham Nation, and Maunakea to the Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) community.

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory explores how the universe works at the biggest, smallest and fastest scales and invents powerful tools used by researchers around the globe. As world leaders in ultrafast science and bold explorers of the physics of the universe, we forge new ground in understanding our origins and building a healthier and more sustainable future. Our discovery and innovation help develop new materials and chemical processes and open unprecedented views of the cosmos and life’s most delicate machinery. Building on more than 60 years of visionary research, we help shape the future by advancing areas such as quantum technology, scientific computing and the development of next-generation accelerators. SLAC is operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

IMAGE: This illustration depicts NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory capturing the light of variable stars — stars that increase and decrease in brightness over time. It’s estimated that during its 10-year-long Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) Rubin will detect around 100 million variable stars across the southern hemisphere sky. The rhythmic pulses of these stars’ light allows astronomers to study stellar composition and evolution, as well as map vast cosmic distances. With the enormous influx of data that will arrive once Rubin begins its survey, scientists will be able to conduct statistical investigations into the nature of variable stars and refine their periodic variability over longer periods of time.Credit: RubinObs/NOIRLab/SLAC/NSF/DOE/AURA/P. Marenfeld

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Politico:

One of President Joe Biden’s signature climate initiatives is on the clock.

The Department of Energy is racing to close $25 billion in pending loans to businesses building major clean energy projects across the country. The push is one of Biden’s last chances to cement his climate legacy before President-elect Donald Trump takes office next year under the promise of shredding Democratic spending programs.

The department’s Loan Programs Office emerged as one of Biden’s most potentially powerful tools for greening the economy, making billion-dollar deals to restart a nuclear power plant in Michigan, fund lithium mining in Nevada, and build factories for churning out electric vehicle components in Ohio and Tennessee.

But it faces an uncertain future under Trump, who as president backed only one project under the program and proposed slashing the office’s budget. And Trump’s recent pick to lead DOE, Chris Wright,��is a fracking executive who has criticized the use of “large government subsidies and mandates.”

That sets up a high-wire act in the closing weeks of Biden’s presidency — both for DOE and for energy companies seeking a financial lifeline from Washington.

Of the 29 loans and loan guarantees the administration has announced, 16 have yet to be completed. They include $9.2 billion for an EV battery project in Kentucky and Tennessee, a $1.5 billion guarantee for sustainable aviation fuel production in South Dakota, and $1 billion for electric vehicle charging infrastructure nationwide.

“There’s nothing like seeing your own coffin to get you moving faster,” said Andy Marsh, president and CEO of the hydrogen company Plug Power, which hopes to close a $1.7 billion loan from DOE.

Plug Power produces electrolyzers and other components needed to make hydrogen from electricity, a zero-emissions source of energy that could take a hit under Trump. The DOE loan would provide funding to help the company build up to six “green hydrogen” plants.

Marsh said he’s aiming to lock in the loan guarantee “before Jan. 20th” — when Trump will be inaugurated.

“We know that it’s in our best interest to have that resolved by then,” he said.

The pending loans, some of which were announced almost two years ago, preview a potential fight under Trump: pitting efforts to reduce U.S. dependence on Chinese imports against Republicans’ desire to cut spending. The loans stem from Biden’s wider effort to spur a green building boom to erode China’s clean energy dominance and slash planet-warming pollution.

[randomisocahedron]

Guidelines for Humans in Multi-Species Spacecraft

(I originally posted this to Reddit)

Gravity

Humans are capable of adapting to standard gravity within 2 to 8 standard days, during which time anti-nausea medication (see appendix E) is to be provided. In the case of humans who cannot adapt, or on craft which typically undergo non-standard acceleration, weights or air bladders are to be made available.

Sleep

Humans require sleep, but do not require it within any specified parameters. Any human, but especially those in an armed service branch, is capable of entering sleep in a wide variety of situations, and they may do so without warning. This is not cause for medical concern unless they have been diagnosed with narcolepsy.

Food

Humans are capable of consuming all standard rations except those containing ergotamine, for which lysergide or ethanol may be substituted. Food energy consumed per day varies greatly both between individuals and for the same individual over time, which is not to be considered a medical concern. Most humans are capable of meal preparation, and on vessels large enough to house a proper galley, they should be permitted to prepare their own food. Their food must be clearly labelled as such, including its name and any toxins it contains. Many humans enjoy sharing food, but crew are to be made aware that the human palate is highly varied due to a lack of cultural homogenization: just because you enjoy ONE human dish does not mean you will enjoy ALL human dishes.

Companion Animals

Many humans will take animals as companions. This is to be generally encouraged, because it keeps them calm. The captain of a vessel has discretion in allowing dangerous predators on board, but they are advised to allow it if the human can demonstrate control over the creature.

Psychological Factors

Autopsych programs are being developed for humans. Their capacity for compartmentalization and denial is quite high, so small vessels need not be concerned that human crew will not have regular counselling. However, great care is to be taken to ensure humans do not become bored, as bored humans are highly dangerous to everything around them. Any human who appears to be attempting to upgrade the ship must be redirected to open problems in mathematics, science, etc, or to creative pursuits, if at all possible. (ADDENDUM: Humans are not to be redirected to the following fields: Psychology; high-energy organic chemistry; yodelling; bioengineering; applied nuclear physics; contract law.)

Non-Humans on Primarily Human Vessels

It is strongly advised that non-humans not enter a human vessel, even briefly, until the ongoing space-vessels integration process is completed.