The Signpost: 17 December 2025

[edit]

Wikifunctions & Abstract Wikipedia Newsletter #231 is out: We wish you a happy new Gregorian year!

[edit]

There is a new update for Abstract Wikipedia and Wikifunctions. Please, come and read it!

In this issue, we showcase some templates using Wikifunctions functions on several projects, and we wrap up work for this Gregorian year, wishing you happy holidays.

The updates will resume in the week of January 14, so if you feel like you want more, you can always read the previous updates in our archive!

Enjoy the reading! -- User:Sannita (WMF) (talk) 16:01, 18 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Wikidata weekly summary #711

[edit]

Tech News: 2025-52

[edit]

MediaWiki message delivery 21:43, 22 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

V V V - Reviving wikiproject Amateur radio! - V V V

[edit]

In an attempt to revive the Wikipedia:WikiProject Amateur radio, I'm posting a message on the talk pages of the partecipants asking them to update their status and include ways they can contribute (as The Signpost says, the first step is updating the list of active members).

We've already started, come see! Check out the new navigational Template:Amateur radio topics!

Feel free to invite new members personally or through public postings! Sinucep (talk) 23:52, 22 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

[edit]
The Downlink The WikiProject Spaceflight Newsletter
2025
1 October — 30 November
Volume 3 — Issue 10
Spaceflight Project • Project discussion • Members • Assessment • Open tasks • Popular pages • The Downlink
In the News
  • On 13 November, the ESCAPADE spacecraft SIMPLEx-4A (Blue) and SIMPLEx-4B (Gold) were launched on board a New Glenn rocket. They will orbit Earth at its L2 point until the Mars transfer window opens in late 2026.
  • On the second flight of New Glenn, the first stage, "Never Tell Me the Odds," landed on the drone ship Jacklyn on 13 November. This made New Glenn the first orbital-class booster capable of landing propulsively not manufactured by SpaceX.
  • As a result of damage caused by space debris, China's Shenzhou 20 was rendered unusable for returning its crew back to Earth. The crew instead returned on board the Shenzhou 21 craft on 14 November, with Shenzhou 22 being launched uncrewed on 25 November to serve as a return vessel for the crew of Shenzhou 21.
  • On 27 November, Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31, the only launch site used by Russia to reach the ISS, was significantly damaged during the launch of Soyuz MS-28.
Featured Content
Article of the month

Zond 6 was a formal member of the Soviet Zond program, and an unpiloted version of the Soyuz 7K-L1 crewed Moon-flyby spacecraft. It was launched on a lunar flyby mission on November 10, 1968, from a parent satellite (68-101B) in Earth parking orbit. The spacecraft carried a biological payload of turtles, flies, and bacteria. It also carried scientific probes including cosmic ray, micrometeoroid detectors, and photographic equipment.

The mission was a precursor to a crewed circumlunar flight which the Soviets hoped could occur in December 1968, thus beating the American Apollo 8. However, after rounding the Moon on November 14, Zond 6 crashed on its return to Earth, due to a parachute failure when the parachute was detached from the capsule too early.

Image of the month
Explosion on the Cygnus CRS Orb-3

On 28 October, 2014, Cygnus Orb-3 was launched at 22:22:38 UTC. 15 seconds after liftoff, one of the launch vehicle's AJ26 (modified NK-33s) ruptured, resulting in the craft falling. The mission was scrubbed eight seconds later at 22:23:01 UTC. The subsequent investigation found that the liquid oxygen turbopump exploded, severing nearby propellant lines. This resulted in a fire that damaged various engine components. The cause of the LOX turbopump's failure remains unknown.

Members

New Members:

Number of active members: 217. Total number of members: 444.

October–November Launches
All times stated here are in UTC. See a current list here.


  1. China Long March 8A — 9 Guowang (16 Oct. at 01:33:00) (success)
  2. JapanItalyMexicoThailandMalaysia H3-24WHTV-X1, various cubeSats (26 Oct. at 00:00:15) (success)
  3. China Long March 2F/G — Shenzhou 21 (31 Oct. at 15:44:00) (success)
  4. India LVM3GSAT-7R (2 Nov. at 11:56:00) (success)
  5. United States New GlennESCAPADE Blue and Gold (13 Nov. at 20:55:01) (success)
  6. United States Atlas V 551 — Viasat 3 EMEA (14 Nov. at 03:04:00) (success)
  7. Russia Soyuz-2.1aSoyuz MS-28 (27 Nov. at 09:27:57) (successful launch; spaceport damaged)
Article Statistics
This data reflects values from 30 November 2025.

Monthly Changes

Since September 2025, there are one more high-importance, three more mid-importance, 56 more low-importance, eleven more eight NA-importance, and 42 more unknown-importance articles, for a total of 113 more articles. There are also eight more B-class articles, 43 more C-class articles, 28 more Start-class articles, 25 more Stub-class articles, and three more lists.

Discuss & propose changes to The Downlink at The Downlink talk page. To unsubscribe from the newsletter remove your name from the Mailing list.
Newsletter contributors: Ships&Space

MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 06:46, 26 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

New pages patrol January–February 2026 Backlog drive

[edit]
January–February 2026 Backlog Drive | New pages patrol

New Pages Patrol is hosting a one-time, two-month experimental backlog drive aimed at reducing the backlog. This will be a combo drive: both articles and redirects will earn points.

  • The drive will run from 1 January to 28 February 2026.
  • The drive is divided into two phases. Participants may take part in either phase or across both phases, depending on availability.
  • Barnstars will be awarded based on the number of articles and redirects patrolled during the drive.
  • Two-month drive-exclusive barnstars will be awarded to eligible participants.
  • Each article review earns 1 point, while each redirect review earns 0.2 points.
  • Streak awards will be granted based on consistently meeting weekly point thresholds.
  • Barnstars will also be awarded for re-reviewing articles previously reviewed by other patrollers during the drive.
  • Interested in participating? Sign up here.
You are receiving this message because you are a New Pages Patrol reviewer. To opt out of future mailings, please remove yourself from here.

MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 17:22, 27 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Wikidata weekly summary #712

[edit]