Todd Danielson

UAE Unveils Asteroid Probe for 5 Billion-Kilometer Mission The United Arab Emirates (UAE) unveiled a domestically developed space probe that will travel approximately 5 billion kilometers as part of a mission to explore seven asteroids. Developed, assembled and tested in the UAE, the probe reached flight readiness less than two years after its development agreement was signed. More than 150 engineers and scientists contributed to the project.

Peatland Fires Darken Skies in Indonesia Smoke from widespread fires blanketed parts of Indonesia in early September 2026 as drought created conditions for fires to spread through the country’s peatlands. NASA’s Aqua satellite captured extensive smoke over Borneo on Sept. 1, 2026, with its MODIS instrument. Satellite fire detections in red reveal numerous thermal anomalies across the southern portion of the island. Indonesia’s fire-monitoring system recorded 946 hotspots on Aug. 31.

Nepal Flash Flood Imaged by Satellites Satellite imagery captured the aftermath of a catastrophic flash flood that swept through northern Nepal on Aug. 26, 2026. The event began with a rapid slope failure associated with a glacier collapse on Langtang Lirung in Langtang National Park. Water, ice and debris then traveled downstream through the region, damaging communities and infrastructure along river valleys near the Nepal-China border.