ship

Denmark was building the world’s largest wind farm when a 400-year-old sunken ship was found

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Although we have been watching for years how China builds renewable mega-facilities like It is on the Tibetan plateau or this other colossal wind farm with 136 wind turbines 100 kilometers offshoreis not the only country with great ambitions to generate clean energy. Without going any further, Denmark is in the preliminary stages of setting up the largest offshore wind farm in the world, Hornsea 3. But for now this installation will have to wait because in the middle of prospecting work, they have found gold. Or rather, lead: the one reveals the existence of a wreck with a cargo of lead ingots. The discovery. This huge wind farm is being installed by the energy company Ørsted, in the North Sea, off the coast of Yorkshire. There, about 120 kilometers from Norfolk and about 40 meters deep, they were doing safety surveys of the seabed in search of possible unexploded ordnance from the Second World War when they came across a 17th century shipwreck. The curious thing was the trigger for such a discovery: what appeared on the monitors were three lead ingots weighing 70 kilograms each that were still stacked in their original position. There were also some remains of wood and some hull of the ship that transported them. Thanks to the mark that the smelter left on the ingots, it is possible to try to trace their origin, in this case of hypothetically linked to Derbyshire. Why is it important. Because it clearly evidences the early modern English lead trade. In this case, the wreck found is directly on the route that linked Hull with the Netherlands through the North Sea. Context. At that time and as the MSDS Marine explainsEngland produced large quantities of lead, especially in the mines of Derbyshire and the Peak District. From Hull and London it was exported to other locations, such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Before we discovered the toxic effects of lead, this element was commonly used for pipes, cookware, weapons, and other products. Transforming it into ingots made it easier to transport as merchandise. A curiosity: the heritage legislation of the United Kingdom requires archaeological studies to be carried out before the construction of this type of infrastructure and thank goodness, because in British offshore wind farms in recent years a roman anchor has been found. In detail. More specifically, the three recovered lead ingots have three different engraved markings (“IS”, “EB” and “H”). These signs are reminiscent of those found in the Kennemerlanda Dutch East India Company ship sunk in 1664 near the Shetland Islands. For this reason, in this preliminary phase the research team holds that the ship was probably Dutch and was heading back to the Netherlands loaded. Yes, but. At the moment, almost everything is hypothesis: a deeper investigation is needed to determine the origin of the ship and a more precise dating beyond the “17th century.” Furthermore, the geological origin of lead has not been analytically confirmed either. In Xataka | 80 years ago an American destroyer attacked what it believed to be an enemy submarine. We just discovered it was a sunken ship In Xataka | Barcelona started digging to build a parking lot. He ended up discovering a 10 m medieval ship of uncertain origin. Cover | Fredrik Öhlander and MSDS Marine

North Korea’s new frigate looked like a 21st century ship. Until you look at the sides and discover their solution against drones

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In October 2000, the US destroyer USS Cole suffered an attack with a small boat loaded with explosives while refueling in Yemen. The attack led the United States Navy to reinforce the use of machine guns heavy weapons to protect their ships against short-range threats, a decision that is once again gaining prominence today for a very different reason: drones. A frigate with great aspirations. The new Kang Kon It represents North Korea’s biggest leap in surface ships. Although Pyongyang classifies it as a destroyer, its displacement about 5,000 tons places it closer to a frigate by international standards. On paper, the ship brings together almost everything you would expect from a modern design: dozens of vertical launch cells for missiles, a main gun, point defense systems, electronic warfare and cruise missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The most striking detail. However, the broadcast images After the latest tests of the ship they have diverted attention to a much more unexpected element. At least a dozen heavy machine guns can be seen along one of its sides. 14.5 millimeter KPVdistributed between remote-controlled double mounts and other positions integrated into the superstructure. The scene turns out almost disconcerting: a frigate that seems designed for the 21st century, at the same time uses a solution reminiscent of the great naval combats of the past. The Kang Kon was seen firing its machine guns during a demonstration last week The war in Ukraine explains it. Although at first glance it may seem like an extravagance, the logic behind this configuration responds to a very current threat. The drone proliferation aerial and unmanned vessels has forced many navies to reinforce the short-range defense of their ships with additional small-caliber weapons. Russia has been incorporating additional machine guns, remote weapons stations and even improvised protection structures for years to try to stop drone attacks, an experience that North Korea has been able to observe very closely thanks to their growing cooperation military with Moscow. A weapon with more than half a century of history. Plus: KPVs are not exactly a modern system either. Designed by the Soviet Union At the end of World War II, these machine guns continue to be used in many countries due to their power and range against light targets. Your ammunition 14.5 millimeters It can destroy drones, speedboats or lightly armored vehicles, which explains why a weapon conceived decades ago is once again gaining prominence in a scenario dominated by much more recent threats. Survival remains the great unknown. The abundant Kang Kon weaponry It does not clear up doubts about their ability to survive in a high-intensity conflict. The TWZ analysts They consider that a ship of these characteristics would be one of the first objectives of any adversary and that North Korea will hardly be able to build enough units to give depth to its fleet. The reason? Even if it incorporates technologies of Russian origin, converting a missile-laden platform into a truly resilient ship requires much more complex sensors, training, coordination and operational doctrine than adding new weapons on deck. A ship that reflects how naval warfare is changing. The Kang Kon It leaves a striking image because it summarizes one of the great paradoxes of current conflicts. Long-range missiles, radars and electronic warfare represent the most advanced naval technology, but defense against drones has brought back the spotlight to surprisingly simple solutions. that one of the most modern frigates North Korea’s proud display of a heavy machine gun battery speaks volumes about how the war in Ukraine is redefining design priorities in even the newest warships. Image | North Korea State Media In Xataka | A small river lost between Russia and North Korea is testing something much bigger: China’s patience with both. In Xataka | South Korea has just entered the most exclusive club on the planet. And China and North Korea are not exactly calm

80 years ago an American destroyer attacked what it believed to be an enemy submarine. We just discovered it was a sunken ship

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In June 1942, something unprecedented in modern American history happened: someone invaded them. In the middle of World War II, Japanese troops landed on Attu Island, in the extreme west of Alaska. What took place then was an icy and fleeting battle that resulted in the death of more than 3,000 people in less than three weeks. Faced with well-known operations reproduced ad nauseam in cinema on the European front or the South Pacific, the battle of Attu She was and is a great unknown. Eighty years later, the remains of that battle were still sunk on the seabed of the Aleutian Islands. Until nothing ago. The discovery. In July 2024, an archeology team funded by the US oceanographic agency NOAA and the US National Park Service carried out the first in-depth underwater exploration in the waters of Attu. There they found two shipwrecks from World War II: on the one hand, the Kotohira Maru, a Japanese military cargo ship sunk on January 5, 1943 by B-24 bombers. On the other hand, the SS Dellwood, an American cable ship that ran aground on an underwater pinnacle seven months later, on July 20, 1943. Both wrecks lie just 25 kilometers apart from each other. Why is it important. Because the Battle of Attu is probably the least studied campaign of the war and this finding is only the beginning of deeper research. Beyond recovering this military history, this discovery brings to the forefront another little-known tragedy: the one suffered by the Saskinax̂ indigenous people of Attu. After the occupation, the Saskinax̂ were deported to Japan, but when the war ended they were prohibited from returning: Attu had become a US military base. Of the 41 prisoners sent to Japan, only 25 survived and most ended up relocated to another island. Context. Despite being a brief and almost unknown battle, it was the fiercest: the ratio of American to Japanese casualties was the second highest of the war, only surpassed by the famous battle of Iwo Jima, as explained by the research team. The Kotohira Maru was bombed when it was trying to supply the troops isolated in Attu: it was carrying wood, food, fuel and construction materials, essential for the survival of the Japanese soldiers, who endured harsh climatic conditions (it is practically in the Arctic) and almost no trees. For its part, the SS Dellwood ran aground while laying communications cables between islands. In detail. To find the ships, the researchers dragged from their boat a high-resolution sonar capable of “photographing” the seabed with an accuracy of centimeters. When the sonar detected something of interest, they sent an underwater drone to investigate it closely with a video camera. In five days of work they inspected more than 1,000 targets at the bottom. But perhaps the most striking thing was not what they found, but what they solved. In May 1943, the destroyer USS Phelps attacked what it believed to be a Japanese submarine near Holtz Bay. They were wrong: this study has revealed that what the destroyer had detected as a submarine was actually the hull of the Kotohira Maru deposited on the seabed. Yes, but. The study has certain limitations. Strong underwater currents made the remote-controlled underwater robot’s work difficult, especially on the Kotohira Maru, leaving large areas of the wreck undocumented. The team recognizes that they need a more powerful robot to complete the job. There are also unanswered questions. Without going any further, the identity of the Kotohira Maru crew remains a mystery: the files only confirm that two people were rescued, a figure that the study’s own authors consider improbably low. And no one has yet addressed a thorny issue: who has legal sovereignty over these war wrecks. In Xataka | Barcelona started digging to build a parking lot. He ended up discovering a 10 m medieval ship of uncertain origin. In Xataka | The 17th century ship refloated in Cádiz held a surprise for archaeologists. One of more than 50 meters Cover | US Navy and Exploration of Alaska’s World War II Submerged Heritage: The Kotahira Maru and S.S. Dellwood Wreck Sites off Attu Island

Every time a rocket ship fails, an industry grows. And China has just decided that it wants to be the owner and mistress

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In 2016, a SpaceX’s Falcon 9 exploded at Cape Canaveral destroying Israel’s Amos-6 communications satellite. Luckily, like when you get hit by a car while parking, there was insurance behind it that paid for the mess because the incident cost almost 300 million dollars. Because imagine that your latest and most ambitious project explodes and that as a consequence you end up bankrupt. Insurance is that industry that when everything goes well seems like a superfluous expense and that saves you when there is an accident. Applied to space, they move more than 4 billion dollars a year. Well, space insurance is undergoing a historic transformation: China has decided who no longer wants to be a mere customer, she wants to be the owner of the business. China goes from client to insurer. China had been insuring its satellites for years through the state insurer PICC, but part of the real risk was absorbed by the international market via reinsurance. So when ChinaSat-18 failed in 2019, it was foreign insurers that absorbed part of the hit, according to SpaceNews. China paid the premiums and London and Paris, where space reinsurance business is concentratedthey stayed with the business. Everything changed in March 2025: a consortium from Beijing covered 25 private launches for $1.47 billion in its first year, bringing together domestic insurers so that everything, money and control, stays at home, according to Caixin Global. It is the first consortium dedicated exclusively to the Chinese commercial aerospace sector. Why is it important. Because if there is no insurance, there is no investment and without that financing there are no rockets either. A fact: a geostationary satellite costs between 150 and 400 million dollars to manufacture and launch, according to the Satellite Industry Association. If there is a failure, the economic impact is tremendous and could lead to the bankruptcy of the operator, so having an insurance policy is a condition for any investor to dare to put money into a space project. Controlling space insurance is controlling who can take certain risks and how. The Chinese government is clear: according to the IISSShanghai allocated 300 million yuan in subsidies to the commercial aerospace sector in April 2025, and Beijing has announced targeted insurance premium subsidies for space companies. China replicates the move it has already used in semiconductors or batteries: state push to achieve strategic independence. Context. The space insurance market is growing simply because the commercial space sector is also growing, and because insurance is an essential condition for operating in it: Space Liability Convention of 1972 establishes that states are responsible for damages caused by their space objects. Lloyd’s of London has been insuring satellites since 1965 and for decades, this was a closed market dominated in Europe by companies such as Munich Re, Swiss Re or AXA XL. According to Orbital Radarthis market generates between 500 and 600 million in annual premiums and remains concentrated in London, Paris and Bermuda. SpaceX changed everything: more launches, lower unit cost, new risk profiles… and now new Chinese private launchers such as LandSpace, CAS Space, Space Pioneer bring a new transformation: everything stays at home, China cooks it and China eats it. In detail. As with cars, insurance premiums depend on the history of the rocket and here China has a potential gap to slip through: for new rockets with no history, the premiums are very high. Orbital Radar Explained that launch premiums range between 5% and 15% of the insured value depending on the vehicle and orbit. Therein lies the great advantage of the Chinese consortium: it can take risks where other insurers put their “buts.” A revealing fact: of 10,000 active satellites in orbit, only 300 have insurance, according to Space Insider. In fact, SpaceX does not even externally secure its own Starlink. Yes, but. The market that China wants to enter with everything is in trouble: in 2024 it paid more in claims than it earned in premiums, according to Insurance Business Magazineamong other things due to the loss of Intelsat 33e. And it’s going to get worse: space debris is growing faster than the ability to calculate it and here China is largely to blame. Furthermore, in accordance with the regulations OFAC of the US Department of the Treasury.when a Chinese rocket fails, American and European insurers can’t always pay: Western sanctions legally prohibit them from dealing with certain Chinese assets, so the market is fragmented. In Xataka | SpaceX has always been 10 years ahead of the competition. The problem is that in China that law no longer applies. In Xataka | The race to become “China’s SpaceX”: who’s who in its private space launch sector Cover | Ivan Diaz and zhang kaiyv

He is criticizing a ship that does not exist

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One of the most important media outlets in China, the South China Morning Post, has been echoed from a peer-reviewed study that was published last March in the journal Chinese Space Science and Technology. In it, a team of Chinese researchers criticized the propulsion system of NASA’s Artemis lander and praised the one designed by their own engineers. With what is said in this study, of course, it seems that NASA is taking a gamble ahead of its next landing on the Moon. However, there is a detail that is not discussed in this article and that makes it clear that, in reality, it is a criticism with little foundation. Doesn’t anyone think about the HLS? Broadly speaking, the Chinese article criticism that NASA’s lander uses only one engine for the two critical maneuvers of the moon landing: descent and subsequent ascent. If this fails, there is no backup to bring the Orion ship to port. This is true. It would be a big problem to use a single engine, as they already did in the Apollo missions. However, with Artemis, NASA is not going to resort to the traditional two-stage system used in previous moon landings. On this occasion the Orion spacecraft will dock in lunar orbit with the Human Landing System (HLS) of SpaceX either Blue Origin. None of them have only one engine, so the problem that China points out does not really exist. The background of the Apollo missions. On the Apollo missions The ship used consisted of two stages. One remained orbiting the Moon, with one person on board, and the other separated to embark on the moon landing with the rest of the crew inside. This lander heading to the Moon effectively had a single engine for each critical phase. That is, there was an ascent engine and a descent engine. For Artemis, it was decided that this system could be risky, so the Orion spacecraft has a single stage, which never lands on the moon. In exchange, it docks with an external lander that should be waiting for it when it reaches lunar orbit. SpaceX or Blue Origin. NASA has contracted the services of SpaceX and Blue Origin to develop its HLS. If everything goes well, both must show their viability in Artemis IIIalthough SpaceX’s HLS will be the first to land on Artemis IV, introducing Blue Origin to later missions. Of course, if there were incidents with SpaceX and Blue Origin if it arrived on time, there would be no problem with reversing the order. Be that as it may, the key here is the propulsion used by the HLS of these companies. SpaceX’s HLS-Starshipfor example, has six engines: three sea-level and three vacuum, all fueled by subcooled liquid methane and liquid oxygen in a full-flow, staged combustion cycle. This enables high thrust-to-weight ratios and efficiency in vacuum conditions essential for lunar descent and ascent. For its part, Blue Moon Mark 2, Blue Origin’s HLShas three engines to descend to the Moon from lunar orbit. Of course, although the data may vary, at the moment it is only known that for the ascent it has a single separate stage, with a hypergolic propulsion system. If this fails, there could be a problem like those pointed out by China. SpaceX engine in a test prior to Starship Flight 12 The China option. Of course, the lander proposed by China is also a great option. On the one hand, it has a primary system that includes four variable thrust engines, so that if one fails, the other three continue to generate thrust comparable to that of the classic NASA engine. In addition, it has an additional layer with six smaller orbital control thrusters, which could be ignited on the lunar surface for an emergency ascent in case the main ones fail. The weight problem. Seen this way, the more engines, the better. But of course, it is not something that simple. More engines mean more weight, which reduces the ship’s efficiency and payload capacity. All the extra weight that the engines represent can be less materials to build lunar bases or supplies for astronauts, for example. This is why NASA’s traditional design included a single engine. China solves this problem by using a tank in which the fuel and the oxidizer used to start the combustion reaction are separated by a wall. Traditionally two tanks are used, instead of just one with a wall. Therefore, each extra tank meant much more weight. This type of tank results in a saving of hundreds of kilograms in the weight of the ship, which can be used to introduce more engines. China has good tools to go to the Moonbut NASA too. For now, China has tested its proposal in a hot ignition test, in which the engines are tested in real conditions, but without taking off. Everything has worked correctly, although the importance of very precisely controlling the tank pressure has been proven. It is a country that is preparing very well in its own race to the Moon. But that does not invalidate the steps that NASA is taking. Artemis is not Apollo. This time the single-engine moon landing will not be at stake, so the chances of success are greater than in the past. Image | Patricia Moore (Wikimedia Commons) | SpaceX In Xataka | China’s most ambitious space project: an advanced hyperspectral satellite to make a “CT” of the Earth

The US had a ship with 2,000 marines ready to invade Iran. Now he has sent it right to the place where China worries the most

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An image that is still studied in military academies occurred in 1942, when during the call Battle of Midway The Americans managed to sink four Japanese aircraft carriers in just a few hours. That battle showed that, in the Pacific, moving a handful of ships to the right place could upset the strategic balance of an entire region, a lesson that continues to influence American naval planning more than eight decades later. A movement and what it reveals. For weeks there was speculation that the United States would expand its confrontation with Iran through more aggressive operations on the ground in the Persian Gulf. However, one of the most significant military moves has occurred far from the Middle East. He USS Boxeran amphibious assault ship capable of landing troops, vehicles and combat aircraft has abandoned any potential role in a ground operation against Iran and has set course to the South China Sea. On board is the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, some 2,000 troops specialized in rapid interventions and amphibious assaults. The decision suggests that Washington considers that the main strategic challenge today is not in Tehran, but in the growing rivalry with China. From the Gulf to the China Sea. When the Boxer left San Diego In March, in the midst of the crisis with Iran, many interpreted its deployment as a way to keep open the option of carrying out limited landings or capturing strategic objectives if the conflict escalated. However, after a logistics stopover in Singapore and a transit through the Andaman Sea, the ship has reappeared in the South China Sea integrated into the Indo-Pacific Command structure. It is a platform comparable in concept to the Juan Carlos I Spanish, capable of operating landing craft, amphibious vehicles, helicopters and F-35 fighters, allowing it to act as both a light aircraft carrier and a ground intervention force. What changes for Iran. The boxer exit It further reduces the chances of a US amphibious operation against Iranian targets. While the USS Tripoli continues in the region performing functions focused on air strikes and naval support, Washington seems to be betting on a strategy based on blockades, precision bombings and economic pressure, avoiding committing troops on the ground. The decision can be interpreted as a partial military de-escalation, although it also reflects a simpler reality: the United States believes it can contain Iran without deploying significant amphibious forces, while competition with China requires a constant presence and visible in Asia. The concern of Asian allies. Reuters counted that the issue was very present in the Singapore Shangri-La Dialoguewhere numerous Asian defense officials expressed doubts about whether the United States will be able to simultaneously maintain its focus on the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific. Although Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth insisted in which Washington can manage both scenarios at the same time, countries such as the Philippines, Japan, Australia, Canada and New Zealand they are reinforcing their military capabilities and deepening their mutual ties to complement the American security umbrella. The goal is to build a stronger regional network in the face of growing pressure from Beijing. Japan and the new security architecture. Japan is becoming one of the pillars of that strategy. Tokyo has made more flexible historically its arms export rules and aspires to act as a connection point between the different partners in the region. The idea is that deterrence against China do not depend exclusively of the United States, but of an increasingly integrated network of countries capable of sharing equipment, training and military cooperation. This shift reflects the extent to which the perception of China’s military rise is transforming Asian security policy. The center of gravity of global competition. The arrival of the Boxer coincides with intense military activity in the Indo-Pacific. The USS George Washington aircraft carrier has started new patrols from Japan, while the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning operates in the Western Pacific under surveillance of neighboring countries. In this context, the deployment of a US amphibious force in the South China Sea has a strong symbolic and operational value. Because beyond the crisis with Iran, the Boxer’s journey summarizes an increasingly evident trend: although the Middle East continues to generate immediate conflicts, the great strategic competition that defines Washington’s priorities is being fought in Asia and, especially, in the face of the rise of China. Image | US Navy In Xataka | China has resurrected the strangest concept of the Cold War: a plane, a ship and a missile launcher in one machine In Xataka | Something is happening over the skies of Chile: the US and China are fighting their particular “cold war” in silence

a plane, a ship and a missile launcher in one machine

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In the middle of the Cold War, American spy satellites detected a Soviet machine in the Caspian Sea so enormous and strange that CIA analysts thought for months that it could be a photographic error. That experimental creature, named after as “Caspian Sea Monster”ended up becoming one of the military projects most disconcerting never seen on the water. The return of the monster. For decades, Soviet ekranoplanes seemed like a technological extravagance impossible to repeat: gigantic machines that they mixed concepts of plane, ship and missile platform in an absurd hybrid even by Cold War standards. They flew skimming the sea at enormous speed, partially escaping radar and taking advantage of the so-called “ground effect” to move as if they were suspended over the water. The most famous, as we said, was the Caspian Sea Monstera military creature born in the sixties that seemed straight out of a Soviet science fiction novel and that ended up becoming one of the strangest military experiments ever built. Now China is resurrecting that idea with the call “Bohai Sea Monster”an aircraft that combines features of a seaplane, amphibious vehicle, military transport and possible missile launcher, recovering a concept that seemed buried near the end of the USSR. China and an obsession. The new images of the Bohai Sea Monster show that Beijing is not working on a simple experimental or maritime rescue device. Supports appear under the wings compatible with weaponspossibly torpedoes or anti-ship missiles, while the configuration of the device confirms that it is a vehicle specifically designed to operate at very low altitudes above the water. The detail is important because it completely changes the initial perception of the project: it stops looking like a strange seaplane and becomes a potential offensive platform. In essence, China is trying to unite several capabilities into a single machine: the mobility of an aircraft, the maritime persistence of a ship, and the strike capability of a military aircraft. The result is exactly the type hybrid concept that fascinated Soviets and Americans for decades and that now re-emerges in the 21st century. Designed for the Pacific. Chinese interest in this type of vehicle makes a lot of sense within a hypothetical conflict in the Pacific. Ekranoplanes can scroll quickly between archipelagos, forward bases and coasts without relying on traditional landing strips, something especially useful in the South China Sea or in a scenario around Taiwan. When flying just a few meters above the water, there are partially hidden below the radar horizon and are much more difficult to detect than a conventional aircraft. Additionally, they can transport cargo, troops, sensors or weapons while operating in areas where a ship would be slow and vulnerable and where an aircraft would need infrastructure. China appears to be exploring precisely that space in between: a machine capable of resupplying artificial islands, supporting amphibious landings, launching drones or attacking enemy ships without behaving entirely like a ship or a conventional aircraft. Mon Class The Soviet shadow. The entire program inevitably reminds us of the large soviet ekranoplanes of the Cold War, especially to Mon-classwhich carried anti-ship missiles on the fuselage and was conceived as an ultra-fast naval attack platform. The USSR dedicated enormous resources to these vehicles because they offered very specific advantages over NATO: speed greater than that of ships, lower radar visibility and ability to operate over enormous maritime distances. The problem was that they were also complex devices, vulnerable to bad weather and difficult to maintain. After the Soviet collapse, almost all of these projects disappeared and the concept was reduced to a historical curiosity. However, China seems to have concluded that current technology (better sensors, materials, digital navigation and drones) can turn that old idea into a reality. something much more viable than it was half a century ago. Much more than a simple prototype. Another of the keys to the Bohai Sea Monster is that it probably not the definitive modelbut a smaller technological “demo” intended to validate the concept before building much larger versions. The pictures show a relatively compact device, but several analysts believe that the ultimate goal could be a platform for much larger sizepossibly equipped with more powerful engines, greater autonomy and a considerable military load. That would fit with China’s usual strategy of revealing ambiguous prototypes that appear experimental until, years later, they end up becoming fully operational systems. The fact that the project appears precisely when the United States canceled the Liberty Lifter of DARPA is also revealing: while Washington abandoned its modern attempt to create a logistical ekranoplane, Beijing seems determined to explore exactly that path. The new military logic. The Bohai Sea Monster also fits into a transformation much broader of the Chinese armed forces. Beijing has been developing platforms for years that mix traditional categories and break the classic divisions between ship, plane, missile and drone. Their new military doctrines seek saturate the Pacific with systems that are cheap, fast, difficult to detect and capable of operating from multiple domains at the same time. In that context, an armed ekranoplane stops seeming like an oddity and begins to make sense as a piece of a broader strategy based on extreme mobility, distributed warfare and control of disputed maritime spaces. The fascinating thing is that China is not only recovering a technology forgotten of the cold war: It is trying to adapt it to a scenario where sensors, missiles and drones have completely changed the way of fighting at sea. Image | x, Vyacheslav Bukharov In Xataka | China has been designing the future of its hypersonic fighters and missiles for 30 years: an engine for all speeds In Xataka | China created the C919 to stand up to Airbus and Boeing. And we already have data to know if it is being successful

The Earth has had a traveling companion for millions of years and we don’t know where it came from, but there is a ship ready to give us answers

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The Earth does not travel alone around the sun. And not only because of the Moon, which logically always accompanies it, orbiting around it. It also has several traveling companions: objects, called co-orbitals, that take exactly the same time as our planet to make a complete revolution around the star. These objects are well known, but their origin is quite mysterious. There are astronomers who bet that they escaped from the asteroid belt. However, their silicate content suggests that they could be fragments of the Moon that jumped from its surface after the impact of a meteorite. Now, a team of scientists has assigned probabilities to each option, although for definitive proof of its origin we will have to wait a little longer. (469219) Kamo’oalewa. This is the name of one of the best-known coorbitals on Earth. It measures between 24 and 107 meters in diameter and the spectral analyzes that have been able to be carried out Telescopes such as the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) and the Lowell Discovery Telescope (LDT) indicate that it is very rich in silicates, so it is likely that it comes from the Moon. In fact, the most accepted hypothesis so far indicates that it could have been formed during the impact that gave rise to the Giordano Bruno crater on our satellite. However, this new study, published in the journal Icarus, suggests that it is more likely that it is an asteroid escaped of the belt between Mars and Jupiter. Very unlikely. For an asteroid or a piece of the Moon to become co-orbital, they must not only escape from their place. Also They must have enough energy to be located in what is known as a quasi-satellite orbit. This, for a body the size of Kamo’oalewa, is highly unlikely. Quasi-what? A quasi-satellite has certain similarities with a satellite, but it is not the same. When we look at one of them from the planet it accompanies, in the direction of the Sun, it appears that it is in orbit around the planet, but in reality it rotates around the Sun itself. This, among other reasons, is due to the fact that is outside the Hill sphere of the planet. That is, the environment dominated by its gravity. Being outside of said orbit, it is influenced by the planet’s gravity, but above all, in this case, it is influenced by that of the Sun. Be that as it may, falling and staying in that orbit is complicated, as we have already seen and, above all, as these scientists have demonstrated. Win the asteroid option. These scientists have created models that simulate the trajectory of 12,000 synthetic particles launched from the lunar surface at different speeds and angles, following their orbits for millions of years. The goal was to see how many stabilized at co-orbital points with the Earth. In total they found 70 objects with a diameter greater than 10 meters capable of doing so. 70 out of 12,000! Now, when they repeated the procedure by swapping lunar particles for objects from the asteroid belt, they found more candidates. 1,600 in total. Tianwen-2 will return samples to answer the mystery in 2027 Tianwen-2 will have the key. The origin of coorbitals is so intriguing that China already has sent a ship to analyze the surface of one of them. Specifically from Kamo’oalewa himself. The Tianwen-2 mission left in May 2025 towards this object, with the aim of collecting at least 100 grams of samples and return them to Earth for analysis. It is already known that there are silicates, or at least it is suspected, but a deeper idea of ​​the composition is needed to understand the origin of this object. Orbit insertion is expected to occur next June if all goes well. Then he will spend a few months collecting samples to put them in a capsule, which will land back on Earth. already in 2027. Two options. If the analyzes of Tianwen-2 conclude that Kamo’oalewa came from the Moon, the lunar impact mechanics would have to be rethought, since it would be very rare for one of these fragments to have been able to reach its final location with what we know so far. On the other hand, if it is proven that it comes from an asteroid, it would be necessary to study where these silicates come from, since they are very unconventional for an object of these characteristics. Whatever is concluded, there will be a lot of fabric to cut, that is clear. ç Image | NASA |China News Service In Xataka | The Earth has moons that we don’t know about: exploring them is key to revealing the secrets of our solar system

The most advanced ship China has ever built doesn’t know if it’s an aircraft carrier or an assault ship. And that’s exactly what makes it dangerous

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Some time ago we knew the existence of the Type 076a warship very suitable to take the recognition of the most advanced that China has ever built. After completing his training maneuvers, he recently was seen crossing the South China Seaquite turbulent waters from a geopolitical and military point of view. And of course, having a 40,000-ton giant there does not go unnoticed. Your own category. The Sichuan is technically an amphibious assault ship, designed to transport troops, armored vehicles and all types of vessels. But to call it just that would be an understatement. With a full-length flight deck, a double-island superstructure and, above all, an electromagnetic catapult Capable of launching conventional fixed-wing aircraft, this ship also functions as a light aircraft carrier. In this way, you could say that the Type 076 is in a category of its own. It is a category of its own, a hybrid between an assault ship and an aircraft carrier that can operate fighters like the J-35the latest generation Chinese stealth, as well as drones and helicopters. Its length is around 260 meters and can house up to 1,000 navy soldiers. Your catapult. Most of the amphibious ships that exist in the world can carry aircraft, yes, but only those with the ability to take off vertically or over very short distances, such as the American F-35B. The Sichuan does not have this limitation, since its electromagnetic catapult, between 100 and 130 meters in length, is of the same generation as that of the aircraft carrier. Fujian and equivalent to the technology that the United States has developed for its latest superaircraft carriers. This gives it unparalleled versatility for a ship of its type and a much greater operating margin in terms of load, range and armament of its aircraft. Electrified. The Sichuan propulsion system it’s electric. Of course, to power it, two 21 MW gas turbines need to be combined with six 6 MW diesel generators, which gives a total power of about 78 MW. This design is used both to power the propulsion motors and also to manage the energy peaks demanded by the electromagnetic catapult. This type of engine has several advantages over conventional diesel, including faster starting, greater operational flexibility, less vibrations and a smaller underwater acoustic footprint, making it more difficult to detect. Testing in the most tense place in the world. The Chinese Navy confirmed At the end of April, the Sichuan had set sail for the South China Sea to carry out its first tests in waters other than those of its base. Zhang Junshe, military expert, counted to the Global Times that it is “rapid and efficient progress” that brings the Sichuan closer to its official commissioning. The previous tests that we reported on last year were carried out in waters near Shanghai, where they evaluated the stability of the propulsion system and electrical systems. Now, in the South China Sea, it is time for something more demanding: complex climatic and maritime conditions, high humidity and variable waves, an environment that will help them validate flight operations, amphibious maneuvers and test the performance of their combat systems in real conditions. A whole birthday has come together. The Sichuan reached the South China Sea at the same time that the United States, the Philippines, Japan, Australia, Canada, France and New Zealand began the Balikatan maneuvers, a set of military exercises that are carried out annually and involve nearly 19,000 soldiers, according to Admiral Samuel Paparo, head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, before the Senate Armed Services Committee. In addition, the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning He also headed towards the same sea those days. And of course, in the face of such deployment, there are many who think that China is carrying out a calculated show of force in waters that it claims for the most part as its own, and where precisely it has open territorial disputes with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and other countries in the region. What comes next. Once these tests in the South China Sea are completed, the tests should include integrated operations with embarked fighters, helicopters and amphibious forces. When all test cycles are complete, the Sichuan will be ready to enter service with operational combat capability. Junshe counted told the Global Times that the ship’s construction speed is “considered fast” and reflects China’s increasing maturity in building large warships. Cover image | Xinhua In Xataka | China is manufacturing missiles at an unprecedented speed. And the final objective is not Taiwan, it is another island 3,000 km away

NASA has an appointment with Mars today (although its ship already has its eyes set elsewhere)

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The Psyche spaceship, launched by NASA in 2023 to study the asteroid with the same name, it will reach its destination in 2029. However, today it will make its first stop along the way. If we stop at gas stations and roadside bars to stretch our legs and have a coffee, Psyche will approach Mars at almost 20,000 kilometers per hour, to tune some of its instruments while taking photographs worthy of the best wallpaper. In fact, we can already see some of them. Too close for space. Psyche won’t stop at the gas station like we did, but she will make a great approach. At 3:28 PM EDT (9:28 p.m., Spanish peninsular time), will be located 4,500 kilometers from the red planet. That, in spatial terms, is very little. Gravity assist. At this stop along the way, Psyche will take the opportunity to take some photographs and adjust her instruments, but she will also use Mars as a springboard to reach her destination faster. When a ship approaches a moving planet, it is attracted by its gravitational field. It does not touch the planet, but that interaction changes its trajectory and helps it gain speed with less propellant expenditure. We can imagine it as a ball being thrown towards a moving vehicle. This changes its trajectory and also gives it speed on the return trip. Psyche uses solar-electric propulsion, with xenon gas as fuel. Thanks to that push, known as gravitational assist, you can save quite a bit of propellant. A whole entourage. The result of this interaction will be studied by the two NASA rovers that are currently on Mars, Curiosity and Perseveranceas well as by American and European orbiters that are carrying out their respective missions. Not only photographs will be taken. Possible changes to the Martian surface and atmosphere will also be detected. first photos. Psyche has already taken a very interesting photoin which the night side of Mars is seen as the spacecraft approaches it. The result is something similar to a half moon, although logically it has nothing to do with it. The real goal. Thanks to Martian gravitational assistance, Psyche will reach the asteroid with the same name in 2029. This is located in the asteroid beltbetween Mars and Jupiter. Shaped like a potato and 278 km long and 232 km wide, it is a metallic asteroid, one of the least abundant types in that location. That’s why it’s so interesting to explore. In fact, it is believed that it is actually the iron-nickel core of a planet in formation that could not complete the process because it was destroyed by cosmic collisions. For all this, Psyche (the ship and the asteroid) has a lot to teach us about the birth of a planet and, possibly, about the dawn of the solar system. As we often say, to know where we are going, it is also important to know where we come from. That is what makes this type of research so important. Image | POT In Xataka | NASA has sent its spacecraft to observe a dead robot on Mars. The reason: seeing how it accumulates dust

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