Space Quote: No One Knows Anything While Ukraine Burns

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Credit: Space Frontpage.

“Well, I don’t know if it was anybody, because it wasn’t me, and I don’t think it was Elon, and from what I understand, it’s the same as it’s always been.”

–Statement by President Trump after being asked about interference with the Starlink system used by the Ukrainians to defend their country against Russian attacks. Elon Musk and the US Government operate the Starlink and Starshield systems, respectively, over Ukraine. The New Republic is now reporting that Mr. Musk approached President Trump about “slowing down” the satellite service while the White House touts a false ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine for the purpose of obtaining Russian diesel fuel to replace fuel lost as a result of the war with Iran. The planned deal between Russia and the US would violate US law while also harming Ukraine. The White House is blaming Ukraine for attacking Russian energy assets while saying nothing about how Russia continues to violate international law as well as a treaty between Ukraine, the US, and Russia. Mr. Musk should probably figure this out quickly since the Ukrainian uncertainty is already impacting SpaceX stock, the only thing he seems to care about these days.

Crew-13 Safely Arrives at the ISS

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The SpaceX Dragon, with its nose cone open and carrying four Crew-13 members, approaches the International Space Station for a docking yesterday evening. (NASA)

A new ISS crew was launched from Cape Canaveral at 11:10 a.m. EDT Thursday, October 1, 2026 . Crew-13, consisting of NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. The ride to the space station was scheduled to be about 8 hours. The SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying the crew safely docked with the ISS at 9:19 p.m. EDT.

The new crew will replace Crew‑12 consisting of NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. These four crew members will be returning to Earth as soon as Monday, weather permitting.

Image (Credit): From left to right, Crew-13 NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, CSA astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. (NASA)

Space Stories: Russian Supplies Arrive at ISS, Youngest Exoplanet Detected, and Greater European Flexibility in Space

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Image (Credit): Sections of the International Space Station. (Russianspaceweb.com)

Here are some recent space-related stories of interest.

—Spaceflight Now: “Russian Progress cargo ship arrives at International Space Station”

An unpiloted Russian Progress cargo ship arrived at the International Space Station Saturday carrying supplies and equipment for the orbiting outpost. The Progress M-25 docked at the space-facing port of Russia’s Poisk module at 9:44 a.m. EDT (1344 UTC). It circled the station before making its final approach using the automated Kurs rendezvous system. Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina were standing by to take manual control of the approach using remote controls, but everything went smoothly as the craft closed in, 260 miles above the Black Sea. A series of hooks inside the docking mechanism were driven closed to complete the docking operation.

—Science Daily: “Astronomers Just Found the Youngest Known Planet Ever“

Astronomers have confirmed the youngest known planet yet, a world less than 1 million years old that is still surrounded by the gas and dust from which it formed. The planet, called Elias 2-24 b, was identified using observations preserved in NASA-funded archives. It is still orbiting within its young star’s dusty disk, giving scientists a rare opportunity to study planet formation while it is still happening.

—Radio France Internationale: “Europe Weighs the Cost of Sending Its Own Astronauts into Space“

French President Emmanuel Macron wants Europe to develop its own way of sending astronauts into space within a decade. Europe already builds rockets and satellites and sends astronauts to the International Space Station – but it still relies on American spacecraft to get them there. As the global space sector expands, the question is whether Europe should invest in closing that gap, and what it would take to do so.

Note: Here is the podcast version of this post.

A New Crew Arrives at the ISS

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Image (Credit): An American astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts head to the ISS aboard a Soyuz rocket launched earlier today from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Earlier today, NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina left Russia and arrived safely at the International Space Station (ISS).

With their arrival, Expedition 74 will come to a close by month’s end and Expedition 75 will begin.

The Expedition 74 crew currently on the ISS includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, and Chris Williams; European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot; and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev, and Andrey Fedyaev.

Expedition 75 will begin once NASA’s Williams and Roscosmos’s Kud-Sverchkov, and Mikaev depart the station after an eight month mission.

With all of the attention on the Chinese and race to the Moon, it is sometimes easy to forget that Russian cosmonauts have been working together with NASA aboard the ISS for over 25 years. The first crew on the ISS in November 2000 was composed of NASA astronaut William M. Shepherd and Russian cosmonauts Yuri P. Gidzenko and Sergei K. Krikalev (shown below). The three were the Expedition 1 crew, and stayed aboard the station until March 2001.

Image (Credit): Expedition 1 crew members (from left to right) Sergei K. Krikalev, Yuri P. Gidzenko, and William M. Shepherd in the ISS’s Zvezda Service Module. (NASA)

Space Stories: Swift Recovery, Saudi Space Sight-seeing Plans, and Ukrainian Reprisals in Russia

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Image (Credit): Artist rendering of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory in orbit with parts of spacecraft highlighted. (NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab)

Here are some recent space-related stories.

—Science Alert: “Heads Up: NASA to Launch ‘Daring’ Telescope Rescue Mission This Week“

NASA will soon attempt something it’s never done before: Save a space telescope from falling back to Earth using a servicing robot. It sounds like something right out of a sci-fi film, but NASA is hoping it might be enough to keep its sinking Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory in action a little longer. According to the US space agency, the mission could launch as soon as this Tuesday 30 June, 6:17 am EDT (10:17 UTC), and we’ll be keeping you updated on the progress. If this mission works, the much-beloved Hubble Space Telescope is one of the next targets to have its life extended.

—The National News: “Stellar Places to Watch the Night Sky Across the Arab World“

Saudi Arabia has announced plans for AlUla Manara, a major astronomical observatory and research centre in the kingdom’s north-west…AlUla Manara is planned to include large telescopes, observation platforms, exhibitions, interactive experiences, a planetarium, a restaurant and a visitor and research centre. The project is intended to support scientific research as well as public astronomy experiences. No opening date has been announced.

—MSN: “Ukraine Strikes Russian Space Hub as Nuclear Orbit Fears Grow“

Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed its forces struck the Vladimir Space Communications Center near Gus-Khrustalny on 22 June, destroying the main 25‑metre parabolic antenna, damaging satellite modem halls, multiplexers, and cooling systems. Additional damage to the Main Hardware and Software Complex and a key technical building severely degraded Russia’s satellite operations…The Vladimir facility plays a central role in Russia’s satellite communications, and its loss comes amid accusations that Moscow has manoeuvred satellites near European systems used by Ukraine, causing GPS disruption across Europe, Greenland, and Canada.

Note: Here is the podcast version of this post.