California · Regional Lead · 2026-10-20
San Carlos satellite company joins NOAA orbital-processing research
Cowboy Space will fund and operate a planned 2027 test satellite under a two-year agreement.
NOAA announced a two-year research agreement October 20 with Cowboy Space Corporation, a satellite company based in San Carlos, California. The project will test processing environmental observations in orbit before transmitting selected results to Earth.
The company will fund, build, launch and operate Reason-2, scheduled for 2027. NOAA will supply an existing open-source model and historical raw data from its Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite.
The California connection is the participating company’s location. The announcement does not establish a new local factory, a completed launch or demonstrated improvements to forecasts. The partners will evaluate data quality and the approach’s possible future use.
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Science · 2026-10-26
NASA details expanded agricultural data cooperation with USDA
The October 26 release describes an agreement signed October 24 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
NASA announced October 26 that it and the U.S. Department of Agriculture had signed a memorandum expanding cooperation on Earth observation and agricultural data. The agreement was signed October 24 during an event at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
The agencies plan to align satellite observations, geospatial analysis and advanced data tools more closely with agricultural needs. Potential areas include crop monitoring, acreage and yield estimation, drought assessment and other natural-hazard applications. The work supports USDA’s broader data-modernization effort.
Read articleNation · 2026-10-25
Sunday fire report records lighter initial attack as eight large fires remain uncontained
The October 25 federal snapshot lists 33 initial-attack fires and 1,225 personnel assigned to reported active incidents.
The National Interagency Coordination Center’s October 25 report records light initial-attack activity, with 33 fires in the preceding reporting period. Eight large fires remain uncontained, while national preparedness is listed at Level 1. The bulletin was issued at 7:30 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time.
The active-incident resource summary lists 1,225 personnel, down 49 from the preceding report. It also records 19 crews, 68 engines and eight helicopters. These figures cover the incidents represented in that table rather than every firefighter or emergency resource operating nationwide.
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