Micah Hanks, Author at The Debrief

As House Panel Prepares to Examine Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, New Questions Emerge

Here’s what we know about next week's Congressional hearings on UFOs, and the DOD's ongoing investigations into the phenomenon.

Micah Hanks·May 12, 2022

The Debrief reached out to the DOD to learn the latest about its UAP investigative group, the AOIMSG, and its coordination with Congress on the U.S. government's ongoing UAP investigations.

Intelligence Chief Warns of “Prolonged Conflict” in Ukraine

Micah Hanks·May 12, 2022

In recent days, DNI Avril Haines provided concerning new details on intelligence assessments about Russia’s long game in Ukraine.

$40 Billion Military Aid Bill for Ukraine Passes the House, as DOD Urges Support

Micah Hanks·May 11, 2022

The Ukraine bill, which adds $7 billion to the initial request for aid from President Biden, saw urging from DOD officials earlier this week.

Washington’s Ongoing UAP Problem

Micah Hanks·May 4, 2022

Here's what the Pentagon’s track record with UAP says about its level of transparency, and what must change going forward.

Ukraine: The Greatest Challenge

Micah Hanks·April 27, 2022

This week's newsletter focuses on recent statements by U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, and why he believes the war in Ukraine represents a threat to the global international security order.

“Probable Threat” over the U.S. Capitol was a Close Call, but Points to Problems for the FAA

Micah Hanks·April 21, 2022

This week, an aviation incident in Washington that occurred Wednesday night has many concerned about oversight by aviation officials in the Nation's Capitol.

How The Pentagon Helped Confirm an Interstellar Object Made Its Way to Earth

Micah Hanks·April 13, 2022

This week we'll be looking at how a meteor that might have gone unnoticed was revealed to have interstellar origins, with help from the Pentagon.

Brazilian Senators Call for Hearings to Examine Question of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena

Micah Hanks·April 7, 2022

Brazilian Senators are calling for a special session that aims to bring greater public awareness to the issue of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), according to an official Senate Requirement that was recently filed.

War Crimes in Ukraine: The Latest Evidence

Micah Hanks·April 6, 2022

In recent days, the world was shocked by images coming out of Ukraine depicting the apparent killings of civilians in Bucha.

NASA to Get a $26 Billion Boost in Biden’s 2023 Budget

Micah Hanks·March 30, 2022

With the recent release of the U.S. government’s proposed 2023 budget, this week we look at what President Biden’s proposal will help NASA accomplish in the coming year.

A Collective of Internet Archivists is Working to Preserve Ukraine’s Presence on the Web

Micah Hanks·March 29, 2022

A collective of rogue archivists is working to preserve online resources created by Ukraine, which are at risk of being lost forever in the midst of the country's war with Russia.

Analysis: Newly Released Version of Once-Classified Report Presents New Clues About the U.S. Government’s UAP Investigations

Micah Hanks·March 24, 2022

A once-classified version of the ODNI's June 2021 UAP report presents a clearer picture of the U.S. government's UAP investigations, but also raises new questions.

Meanwhile in Russia: War Crimes, Vanishing Officials, and Defiant Soldiers

Micah Hanks·March 24, 2022

As the battle in Ukraine rages on, hopes that the conflict will soon end are now being voiced by an increasing number of Russians.

NASA’s Airborn Observatory SOFIA Makes Its Way to South America to Study Nearby Galaxies

Micah Hanks·March 23, 2022

NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is equipped for scanning the South American skies with a reflecting telescope mounted aboard a Boeing 747SP.

NASA’s Moon Rocket Rollout to Bring Artemis-I Mission Closer to Launch

Micah Hanks·March 16, 2022

This week, we'll be looking at what NASA engineers and technicians had to say recently about the forthcoming rollout of the Artemis I mission's space launch system.

Scientific Conference on Anomalous Aerospace Phenomena To Convene This Summer

Micah Hanks·March 16, 2022

One of the largest scientific conferences dealing with the study of anomalous phenomena occurring in U.S. airspace has just been announced, according to a leading scientific coalition that studies aerial mysteries.

Texas Company Colossal to Battle Extinction with Breakthrough Genetic Engineering

Colossal Biosciences says it plans to take on the environmental issues that lead to critical endangerment, and even revive long-extinct species.

Micah Hanks·March 11, 2022

Colossal Biosciences says it plans to take on the environmental issues that lead to critical endangerment, and even revive long-extinct species.

Cislunar Patrol: Enhancing the U.S. Military’s Detection of Objects in Space

Micah Hanks·March 9, 2022

This week, we look at the Air Force Research Laboratory's plans for its new Cislunar Highway Patrol System.

The “Moscow Signal”: How Russian Directed Microwave Rays Once Caused an International Incident

Decades ago, the Soviet Union admitted it spent decades blasting the U.S. Embassy in Moscow with "mysterious" beams.

Micah Hanks·March 4, 2022

Decades ago, the Soviet Union admitted it spent decades blasting the U.S. Embassy in Moscow with mysterious rays later dubbed the "Moscow Signal".

Politics in Orbit: Russia and the Future of the International Space Station

Micah Hanks·March 2, 2022

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Intelligence Brief… with the battle ensuing on the ground in Ukraine, international...

Cyberattack Concerns Mount in the West as Russia Invades Ukraine

Micah Hanks·February 23, 2022

As the U.S. and other nations announce sanctions against Russia amidst the crisis in Ukraine, this week we examine concerns over retaliatory cyberattacks.

Into the Cosmic “Webb”: The Search for Interstellar Interlopers

Micah Hanks·February 17, 2022

The James Webb Space Telescope could do more than just give us glimpses of distant alien worlds; it may even help us spot a few interstellar visitors.

Nominee for DOD Inspector General Pledges “Comprehensive Assessment” of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena if Confirmed

Micah Hanks·February 16, 2022

The Biden Administration's nominee to serve as watchdog for the DoD admitted UAP was "not an issue with which I am currently familiar,” but that he is "willing to look into that and take any action that’s appropriate.”

NASA Just Revealed Who Will be Helping It Retrieve Samples from Mars

Micah Hanks·February 9, 2022

This week, NASA has made a big announcement about its future plans to retrieve samples from the surface of Mars.

NASA’s Updated Transition Plan for the International Space Station Includes Crashing it Into the Pacific

Micah Hanks·February 4, 2022

NASA has updated its transition plan for the international space station, as it nears the end of its operational lifespan.

A Surprise Discovery on Mars Offers Clues in the Search for Life

Micah Hanks·February 2, 2022

This week we look at what recent findings suggest about the possible existence of life on ancient Mars, and why the question of biology shouldn’t be ruled out.

“Ghosts” of the Early Universe Reveal Clues, and Controversies, About the Formation of Galaxies

Micah Hanks·February 1, 2022

Astronomers have learned surprising things from the oldest and most distant galaxies in our universe, a search that has also led to a few controversies.

A Rocket is About to Collide With the Moon… And That Might Be a Good Thing

Micah Hanks·January 26, 2022

A rocket is expected to crash into the Moon in early March... so why aren't many experts concerned? This week, we examine the surprising reasons why.

The James Webb Space Telescope Has Just Reached its New Home in Space

Micah Hanks·January 26, 2022

The James Webb Space Telescope will soon begin its long-anticipated mission of peering more deeply into the history of space than any telescope has ever done.

Report: NASA’s Human Space Exploration Efforts Need an Upgrade

Micah Hanks·January 19, 2022

This week, we look at what a newly released report says about NASA and how it can optimize its efforts toward human space exploration in the years ahead.

Welcome to the Future, as Seen From the Past

Micah Hanks·January 13, 2022

This week, The Intelligence Brief takes a trip back in time, as we take a look at how people in decades envisioned the future world of 2022.

The Expedition 66 Team Kicks Off 2022 on the ISS With Science and Spacewalks

Micah Hanks·January 6, 2022

The Expedition 66 crew aboard the International Space Station is conducting experiments and preparing for a spacewalk in early 2022.

The Pentagon’s Secret War Against COVID 19

Micah Hanks·January 5, 2022

With Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testing positive for COVID 19, we look at how the coronavirus has remained a challenge to U.S. national security.

The James Webb Space Telescope: NASA’s Most Advanced Space Science Observatory Pursues the Unknown

Micah Hanks·December 29, 2021

This week, we look at the historic launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, the critical days ahead, and the discoveries it is expected to make.

The SETI Institute Looks Back on 2021, and Forward to the Future

Micah Hanks·December 22, 2021

As The Debrief looks back on its first year in business, one of the big areas we have covered involves the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, or SETI.

The Senate Just Passed a Defense Bill the DoD is Calling “Historic”

Micah Hanks·December 15, 2021

This week, as the Senate passes a defense bill that significantly increases the Pentagon's budget, we analyze some of its key provisions, and historic implications.

NASA Lasers in Space, Mysterious Solar Particles, and a “Hut” on the Moon

Micah Hanks·December 9, 2021

This week, we look at a joint NASA and U.S. Naval Research Laboratory experiment that got a bit of help from the U.S. Space Force in recent days.

As Defense Bill Stalls in Senate, Experts Are Divided Over the Pentagon’s New UAP Investigations Unit.

Senators, scientists, and defense experts express mixed opinions about the DoD’s latest efforts to address military encounters with unidentified aerial phenomena.

Micah Hanks·December 6, 2021

Senators, scientists, and defense experts express mixed opinions about the DoD’s latest efforts to address military encounters with unidentified aerial phenomena.

NASA’s Retirement Plans for the International Space Station

Micah Hanks·December 1, 2021

This week, we look at the retirement plans NASA has outlined for the International Space Station, and future space stations it will build with commercial partners.

DART, NASA’s New Planetary Defense Mission, Has Launched Aboard a SpaceX Rocket

Micah Hanks·November 26, 2021

A mission to test technology that may one day be used to defend our planet against potentially deadly asteroids and other near-Earth objects was successfully launched on Wednesday, according to NASA.

Preliminary Assessment: The Pentagon’s New UAP Investigative Group

Micah Hanks·November 25, 2021

This week, we examine the DoD's all new UAP investigation effort, the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group.

DoD Announces the Establishment of “Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group” to Study UAP

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks says the AOIMSG will assume the current duties of the Navy’s UAP task force.

Micah Hanks·November 24, 2021

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks says the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG) will assume the current duties of the Navy’s UAP task force.

NASA Anomaly Review Board Investigates “Incident” with the James Webb Space Telescope

Micah Hanks·November 24, 2021

The launch of the James Webb Space Telescope has been delayed after an "incident" that is currently under investigation, NASA officials say.

Russia’s Anti-Satellite Missile Test: A Danger to Future Space Operations

Micah Hanks·November 17, 2021

This week, we analyze a concerning incident involving a test by Russia and its burgeoning anti-satellite missile technology.

“We don’t understand everything that we’re seeing”: Group Convenes in Washington to Discuss Space, the Future, and Extraterrestrials

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and a range of panelists gathered to address the "Final Frontier," and humankind’s search for the unexplained.

Micah Hanks·November 11, 2021

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and a range of panelists gathered to address space, the future, and humankind’s search for the unexplained.

Aerial Threats: Foreign, Domestic, and Exotic

Micah Hanks·November 10, 2021

This week, we examine Russia's aspirations for the country’s new state armament program, and how this relates to unidentifed aerial threats.

NASA Announces New Climate Mission to Study Unexplained Weather Phenomena

Micah Hanks·November 10, 2021

NASA’s new earth science mission, the Investigation of Convective Updrafts (INCUS), will explore little-understood climate phenomena.

New Senate Proposal Seeks to Establish “Anomaly Surveillance and Resolution Office” to Gather Intelligence on UAP

The proposal calls for "Field Investigations of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena", and greater transparency on information the United States collects about it.

Micah Hanks·November 9, 2021

A new proposal in Washington could lead to the establishment of an "Anomaly Surveillance and Resolution Office" within the DOD.

NASA’s DART Program and the Future of Planetary Defense

Micah Hanks·November 3, 2021

This week, news of a surprise visit from an asteroid in late October has NASA talking about the prospects of its DART program.

A Massive Solar Flare is Headed for Earth this Halloween

Micah Hanks·October 29, 2021

This week, we turn our attention toward the Sun and the solar flare that has been brewing there in recent days that has researchers at NASA talking.