Researchers led by synthetic biologist George Church have demonstrated that two separate genetic codes can operate at the same time in a laboratory setting. The genetic code translates DNA sequences into protein sequences and is nearly universal across all living organisms, making it difficult to modify without affecting existing cellular functions. Previous work has added new amino acids to bacterial cells or re‑engineered entire genomes to accommodate alternative codes, a process that requires extensive changes to many genes. In this study, the team designed two populations of transfer RNAs that differ only at a short sequence region and created corresponding ribosomes with altered RNA interactions, allowing each ribosome to recognize only its matching tRNA set. Using a cell‑free translation system that incorporated robotics, next‑generation sequencing, and analytical chemistry, the researchers showed that each ribosome–tRNA pair can translate a shared messenger RNA to produce a different protein, confirming that two orthogonal genetic codes can function concurrently. The authors noted that the approach has been validated only in vitro; introducing the dual code into living cells could disrupt normal protein synthesis and lead to malformed proteins, so further testing is required. The work provides a new method for constructing synthetic genetic circuits and may accelerate synthetic biology applications, though the practical implications remain to be explored.

NASA pilots flew a WB‑57F high‑altitude research aircraft from Ellington Field in Houston to Iceland to observe the total solar eclipse on August 12. The mission aimed to study the Sun’s corona, the outer atmosphere that is hotter than the visible surface. The corona can be examined only during totality when the Moon blocks the Sun’s bright disk. Flying at about 50,000 feet placed the aircraft above most clouds, dust, and water vapor, reducing atmospheric interference. At that altitude the instruments could record infrared wavelengths that are absorbed lower in the atmosphere. The flight path was calculated in advance to keep the aircraft within the Moon’s shadow for as long as possible. Pilot Tom Parent said the mission required close coordination between the science team, maintenance crew, and flight crew. Pilot John Gustine positioned the aircraft along the eclipse path to maximize observation time. Sensor operator Cary Klemm adjusted camera focus and exposure while tracking features during totality. Amir Caspi, principal investigator at Southwest Research Institute, said the high‑altitude platform provided unique access to needed wavelengths, especially because the eclipse path crossed a cloudy ocean region. Data collected will help scientists investigate solar plasma, magnetic fields, and space weather, processes that also occur throughout the universe.

NASA began plume‑surface interaction tests at its Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, to study how a lander’s engine exhaust moves lunar dust, soil and rocks, supporting the Artemis program’s goal of returning humans to the Moon and enabling future Mars missions. The tests are conducted inside a 60‑foot spherical vacuum chamber and involve NASA, academic institutions and commercial partners. In the first phase, a NASA‑designed ethane plume simulation system built and operated by Purdue University generates about 100 pounds of thrust and is fired into a six‑and‑a‑half‑foot‑diameter, one‑foot‑deep bin of simulated lunar regolith called Black Point‑1. Instruments such as the Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies record crater formation, ejecta angle and height, spatial distribution of solid particles and particle speed during each roughly six‑second test run. A second phase later this year will use a 14‑inch, 3D‑printed hybrid rocket motor developed at Utah State University and tested at Marshall Space Flight Center, producing about 35 pounds of thrust from a combination of solid propellant and gaseous oxygen. Tests will be performed at multiple heights to evaluate different spacecraft designs. Ashley Korzun, testing lead at Langley, said the test is the most complex of its kind and important for understanding how plume‑surface interaction affects landers, payloads and crew safety. Daniel Stubbs, an engineer with NASA’s Human Landing Systems plume and aero environments team at Marshall, said the data will help validate predictive models for Moon and Mars landings and improve mission success. The modular nature of the campaign allows the simulant and hardware to be changed for Mars conditions and supports broader exploration goals.

SpaceNews' Mike Gruss interviewed Frontgrade CTO Lorne Graves about how spacecraft processing is adapting to the rise of megaconstellations and what lessons can be drawn from electronic warfare. Frontgrade, which has supported every U.S. crewed space mission since Apollo 11, provides radio frequency systems, mission processing, microelectronics, and motion control for modular spacecraft architectures. The Space Minds podcast, a new SpaceNews series, features weekly interviews with space leaders, experts, and scientists. Graves said increasing numbers of satellites in megaconstellations require greater on‑board processing to manage data routing, payload operations, and real‑time adjustments. He noted that enhanced processing can improve mission efficiency, reduce reliance on ground stations, and enable faster responses to changing orbital conditions. The conversation also highlighted how electronic warfare techniques inform spacecraft design for resilience against interference and cyber threats. Frontgrade's capabilities include modular hardware and software solutions intended to accelerate mission development and integration. The podcast releases new episodes each Thursday on SpaceNews.com and its YouTube, Spotify, and Apple channels, and registration offers early access to upcoming episodes.

ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot and NASA astronaut Anil Menon completed US EVA‑98 on 25 August 2026 at 20:57 CEST, marking Adenot’s second spacewalk and the 32nd conducted by a European astronaut.

The 6‑hour 30‑minute extravehicular activity was part of ongoing ISS assembly and maintenance operations and followed a spacewalk on 18 August during which work on a faulty antenna was initiated.

At 14:27 CEST the astronauts switched their suits to battery power, began the EVA, and exited the Quest airlock. They retrieved a foot restraint and attached it to Canadarm2, which NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway controlled from inside the station. Menon rode the robotic arm to External Platform 3, where the spare Space‑to‑Ground Antenna (SGANT) had been stored since 2009, while Adenot moved to the platform on foot. After removing the bolts securing the antenna, Menon held it steady as Canadarm2 transferred him and the antenna to the Z1 truss. Adenot cleaned and lubricated the bolt inserts in preparation for installation. The spare antenna was mounted on the boom, secured, and its electrical connections were completed. Gimbal locks that limited rotation were removed, and a heat shield was installed.

The pair then retrieved the antenna that had been temporarily secured during the previous spacewalk. After Adenot released the tie‑downs, Menon took control of the antenna and, using Canadarm2, transported it to its stowage location. At the worksite they secured the failed antenna permanently.

Adenot detached from the portable foot restraint, and both astronauts returned to the airlock and re‑entered the station. Adenot has now accumulated 12 hours 53 minutes of EVA time across two spacewalks. The event marked the 283rd spacewalk supporting ISS assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

The newly installed antenna is expected to improve Space‑to‑Ground communications, and additional EVAs are planned to continue station maintenance.

Nature-based projects now produce large volumes of environmental data. Satellites observe landscapes from orbit, while field teams capture ground conditions. These sources are often disconnected, reducing their value for developers, investors, and carbon markets.

LatConnect 60 and Phi Earth Technologies announced a partnership to connect satellite observations with validated field data for nature‑based projects.

The integration combines LC60’s Earth Observation capabilities with Phi Earth’s audit‑ready digital Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (dMRV) platform. It creates an Earth Observation‑enabled digital twin that links space data with ground‑truth measurements.

This connection establishes a continuous feedback loop intended to improve operational decision‑making and environmental reporting.

The partnership supports projects from planning through monitoring, helping developers, landowners, and ecosystem partners make better decisions throughout the project lifecycle.

Field observations will continuously validate satellite‑derived insights, improving the quality of Earth intelligence and providing actionable information on the ground.

Stewart Gunnery, CEO of Phi Earth Technologies, said that good data are useful when they enable better decisions. He explained that linking satellite observations with on‑ground measurements creates a clearer picture of project performance, supporting more effective operations and greater investor confidence.

The collaboration will initially focus on projects in Malaysia and Australia that involve biomass and regenerative agriculture, including napier grass, sweet sorghum, and agave.

This crop diversity lets LC60 demonstrate Earth Observation capabilities across a range of biomass systems and gives Phi Earth richer ground‑truth data to strengthen its platform.

Venkat Pillay, CEO and Founder of LC60, said that satellite‑based Earth Observation proves its value in the field. He said the partnership will show how the data can improve digital MRV, expand into new biomass crops, and deliver practical outcomes for developers, landowners, and the climate economy.

Growing demand for transparent, verifiable, and operationally useful environmental data makes digital infrastructure as important as the projects themselves. By linking space observation, Earth intelligence, ground truth, and operational intelligence, the companies aim to build a stronger digital foundation for regenerative agriculture, biomass, and high‑integrity carbon projects.

LC60’s SWIRSAT constellation captures high‑resolution Short Wave Infrared data to generate insights on biomass growth, moisture, and carbon sequestration. The roadmap includes two satellite launches in Q1 2027 and an 18‑satellite constellation by 2029. The SWIRSAT program is supported by the Australian Space Agency and the Government of Western Australia.

NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day featured a photograph on August 27, 2026 of a visible aurora over Skógafoss waterfall in Iceland, taken in a single five‑second exposure in April 2025. The image shows the night sky illuminated with green, red and blue bands that appear to rain over the waterfall.

Auroras form when charged particles from the solar wind are captured by Earth’s magnetosphere and guided toward the poles, where they collide with atmospheric gases at different altitudes. Green emissions result from oxygen at lower altitudes, while red and blue colors arise from oxygen and nitrogen at higher levels.

The photograph was taken by Victor Lima, whose work is credited on the image, and was published as part of NASA’s daily feature that now redirects from apod.nasa.gov to science.nasa.gov/apod. The scene requires high solar activity, clear dark skies and a location at high latitude, conditions that make auroral displays more common in the Northern Hemisphere.

The picture underscores the ongoing observation of auroral activity in Iceland and illustrates how such natural light shows can be captured with modest equipment.