August 17, 2026 — Deadline to reach US-Iran deal expires, Trump threatens Oman

• European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot is scheduled to perform a spacewalk today, August 18. • This mission marks a historic milestone as Adenot becomes the first French woman to ever conduct a spacewalk.

• NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day highlights an upcoming total solar eclipse scheduled to occur over Spain on August 13, 2026. • The event provides a critical opportunity for scientists to study the solar corona and investigate why it remains millions of degrees hotter than the Sun's surface.

• Scientists achieved a quantum breakthrough on May 5, 2026, by successfully connecting a "time crystal"—a form of matter that oscillates indefinitely without energy input—to a real-world device. • A separate study published on May 4, 2026, discovered that manipulating magnetic fields over time can create entirely new forms of matter that are otherwise impossible under normal conditions.

• The Facility for Outreach and Community Engagement (FORCE) hosted events to train the next generation of planetary scientists in public engagement skills. • Visitors toured the facility, met the research team, and explored equipment used to simulate planetary interiors, while interns presented their research at a poster session.

• The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced over $1.5 billion in funding for foundational research to bolster American technological leadership. • The investment is being distributed through 12 new notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs) targeting both basic and use-inspired scientific inquiry.

• NASA announced on August 14 that it will host a two-day aerospace expo titled "Max Power" this November. • The event will take place at the Kennedy Space Center, featuring an experience designed to let attendees "feel the Gs."

• AI is being utilized by scientists to develop next-generation batteries designed to replace current lithium-ion technology. • Researchers are using AI to discover novel porous materials, which could lead to the creation of more powerful and efficient energy storage.

• The International Space Station (ISS) appeared as a silhouette across the face of the sun during a recent total solar eclipse. • This rare visual event occurred as the orbiting laboratory passed directly between the sun and observers on Earth.

• SpaceX set a new spaceflight record on Saturday, August 15, by launching two Falcon 9 rockets just 38 minutes apart. • The missions were executed simultaneously from opposite coasts of the United States to achieve the rapid turnaround.

• A lifecycle emissions analysis reveals that replacing a functional fossil-fuel vehicle with an electric vehicle (EV) is almost always beneficial for the climate, even if the existing car is new. • Although manufacturing a new EV generates an initial "carbon debt," the study finds that this is typically offset by lower driving emissions within three years.

• NASA is deploying modified ER-2 jets, based on Cold War-era U-2 spy planes, to investigate wildfire-generated storms. • The agency is utilizing these specific aircraft because their high-altitude flying capabilities allow for the study of weather phenomena that are otherwise difficult to observe.