Space Force Adopts "Semper Venator" Motto; NASA's X-59 Passes Key Tests; ISS Microbial Study Suggests Healthier Space Habitats

The U.S. Space Operations Command has adopted "Semper Venator" (Always the hunter) as its new motto, underscoring its orbital warfare and intelligence capabilities. This follows the Space Force's establishment in 2019 and Space Operations Command activation in 2020. Leadership recently engaged with allies in South Korea and Japan to enhance space capability integration. NASA's X-59 experimental aircraft completed electromagnetic interference testing at Lockheed Martin, indicating progress toward its first flight. The tests ensured onboard systems do not interfere with each other or with support aircraft, like the F-15D, which will measure shockwaves during flight. The X-59 aims to break the sound barrier quietly, potentially paving the way for future supersonic passenger aircraft. A study analyzing microbial samples from the International Space Station (ISS) suggests that introducing a greater variety of Earth-based microbes could improve astronaut health. The ISS microbial environment shows a loss of diversity due to sanitization, potentially affecting astronauts' immune systems. Researchers propose carefully introducing beneficial microbes to the ISS to mimic Earth's microbial diversity.