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New Leader Takes Space Force Helm as Dangers in Orbit Loom

Pentagon leaders emphasized the growing importance of missions in orbit Wednesday as they welcomed the second general to command the Space Force. The new chief of space operations, Gen. Chance Saltzman, pledged to get his young service ready for war.

November Space Council Meetings Could Shape Commercial Regulations

The National Space Council asked for comment on new commercial space systems and how the commercial space sector could be regulated during a pair of online meetings set for November. The council wants input from industry and the public. The move is part of a Biden Administration push to deal with issues including crowded orbits and the safety of space tourists.

NASA’s EMIT Instrument Detects Massive Methane Emitters

One of NASA’s newest instruments on the International Space Station (ISS) is proving to be a multipurpose climate research tool as it demonstrated a secondary capability to detect methane gas emissions. The Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) mission seeks to better understand varieties of dust and the effects on the climate. The instrument, launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in July 2022, is an imaging spectrometer that gathers data to determine the mineral compositions of arid regions on Earth.