Television: New Star Wars Series Acolyte

Posted on by onespaceman2000

Do we really need one more Star Wars television series? Not really, but we will get one anyway. It starts tomorrow (June 4) and is called Acolyte. It reminds me of the movie Solo, which was made for no other purpose other than to mine the diminishing appeal of the Star Wars empire (financial empire, that is). We seem to be getting to the point of better special effects and the disappearance of any meaningful story.

Here is the pitch for the new series (and trailer):

In “Star Wars: The Acolyte,” an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems….

I would much rather see a bolder and better told story for The Mandalorian, or an earlier release of the second (and sadly last) season of Andor, which was pushed until next year. Instead, we get the a mishmash of old themes that represents one more stirring of a old pot.

This is a combination of everything that poisoned the original series – too many special effects in episodes I-III and a less than original story in episodes VII-IX. At least The Mandalorian was fun, and Andor gave us an interesting piece of the overall story (as did the movie Rouge One). The rest is chaff.

Nonetheless, the series will continue and we are expected to abide. As Darth Vader said in The Empire Strikes Back, “There is no escape. Don’t make me destroy you.”

Update: I ended my viewing after the second episode. The program was too stiff with little humor or self-awareness. I do not need to spend my time with CSI: Star Wars. I will await the return of Andor.

Credit: Disney+

China Lands Chang’e 6 on the Far Side of the Moon

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The Chang’e 6 stacked in the clean room here on Earth before its successful launch to the Moon. (China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation)

Yesterday, China successfully landed on the Moon again, this time on the far side with its Chang’e 6 mission. The probe is now in the unexplored South Pole region where it can study the lunar surface.

If all goes well, collected samples from this area will be returned to Earth for additional study. The Chang’e-6 mission includes an orbiter, a returner, a lander and an ascender.

China already returned a lunar sample successfully back in 2020 as part of its Chang’e 5 mission.

You can watch a video of the lunar landing here.

You can also read more about the mission at this China National Space Administration (CNSA) site.

Boeing Starliner Stalled Again

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The Starliner awaiting launch, should it ever happen. (NASA)

Nothing to report about the Boeing Starliner, again. This time it was a computer glitch that stopped the countdown earlier today only a few minutes before the planned launch.

While a launch tomorrow was initially proposed, Boeing stating:

NASA, Boeing, and ULA (United Launch Alliance) are forgoing a Starliner Crew Flight Test launch attempt Sunday, June 2, to give the team additional time to assess a ground support equipment issue at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex-41 in Florida.

The launch of the crewed capsule towards the International Space Station will be delayed until at least the middle of next week.

After years of waiting, I guess we should not be surprised. However, we can be disappointed. Boeing has a long list of accomplishments in the space industry. We are at the edge of the next great space race. This is no time to stumble.

Progress 88 Resupply Mission Approaches ISS

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The Progress 85 cargo craft after undocking from International Space Station on Feb. 12. (NASA)

Yesterday saw another successful resupply launch towards the International Space Station (ISS). The Russian Progress 88 uncrewed spacecraft attached to a Soyuz rocket left Kazakhstan early Thursday morning. It will dock with the ISS Saturday morning (which you can watch on NASA TV).

These missions have become so routine that you generally see few if any stories about such missions. That is a sign of an efficient system. The residents on the ISS like boring efficiency as long as it gets them the supplies they need.

Stay tuned for a little more drama when the Boeing Starliner heads to the ISS tomorrow.

Pic of the Week: The Dorado Group

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The Dorado group in the southern hemisphere. (ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA)

This week’s image was captured by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Euclid space telescope. Launched last summer to create a 3D map of the universe, it has been pretty busy sending back some impressive images. This particular image shows the Dorado group of galaxies, one of the richest group of galaxies in the southern hemisphere. The grouping of approximately 70 galaxies is about 62 million light-years away.