Earth Science News -- ScienceDaily

• SpaceX launched the Transporter-17 rideshare mission on July 7, continuing its series of dedicated small-satellite deployments. • The launch occurs amid growing industry concerns regarding the long-term viability and future of the Transporter program.

• MIT physicist Areg Danagoulian has proposed a new satellite detector capable of identifying hidden nuclear weapons in orbit with over 99 percent confidence. • The technology addresses a critical verification gap, as there is currently no peer-reviewed scientific method to prove a satellite is carrying nuclear material without opening it.

• NASA and Katalyst have postponed a mission to relocate an aging satellite into a safer orbit, citing technical difficulties and unfavorable weather conditions. • Amazon is preparing to launch its Leo broadband satellite network, while India's Skyroot Aerospace, founded by former ISRO engineers, is gearing up for its first private satellite launch.

• NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has successfully woken up in good health after completing its longest hibernation period to date, which lasted nearly one year. • The spacecraft is now ready to resume transmitting data as it continues its mission to explore the distant reaches of the solar system.

• NASA's New Horizons probe has successfully woken up from a nearly year-long hibernation while positioned approximately 6 billion miles away beyond Pluto. • The spacecraft is equipped with advanced scientific instruments that allow for more sensitive measurements of the distant solar system than previous missions.

• A new study suggests that Earth may avoid being swallowed by the sun when it evolves into a red giant approximately 5 billion years from now. • Researchers based their findings on observations of other sun-like giant stars, indicating that the planet's orbit might shift enough to escape the star's expanding outer layers.

• SciENcv, a new platform, is now live as announced by NASA Science. • As of 1 September 2026, SciENcv will be required for all NSPIRES proposals, marking a significant change in the proposal submission process.

• Scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have detected an unidentified chemical signature on both Pluto and Saturn's moon Titan. • The discovery was made as part of the "Titan Climate, Composition and Clouds" proposal, led by a research team including scientist Bézard.

• Scientists and the American Meteorological Society are working to preserve climate data and research after information began disappearing from federal websites. • To maintain momentum for the sixth National Climate Assessment, the group has issued an invitation for climate manuscripts to be submitted for review.

• China's Tianwen-2 probe has captured and transmitted the first photograph of the asteroid 2016HO3, popularly known as the quasi-moon Kamo'oalewa. • The image provides a rare look at this elusive celestial body, which orbits the Sun in a pattern that makes it appear to orbit Earth.

• SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket from California at 3:12 a.m. ET on Tuesday, July 7. • The Transporter-17 rideshare mission delivered 81 separate payloads into orbit.