• Space Quote: Senators Question NASA Cuts

    “Although Congress has not completed the appropriations process for FY 2026, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has already disregarded Congress’s constitutional authority to direct government spending, unlawfully impounding congressionally appropriated NASA FY 2025 funds. Before Congress had approved a single appropriations bill, the Trump Administration and OMB Director Russell Vought directed…

  • Study Findings: The Case for Mars Terraforming Research

    Nature Astronomy abstract of the study findings: Terraforming Mars has long captured the imagination but has received surprisingly little rigorous study. Progress in Mars science, climate science, launch capabilities and bioscience motivates a fresh look at Mars terraforming research. Since Sagan’s time, it has been understood that terraforming Mars would involve warming to enable oxygenic photosynthesis by…

  • Business as Usual: Launch of a New Crew to the ISS

    After a one day delay due to rain, a new crew is heading to the International Space Station (ISS). Earlier today, three astronauts and one cosmonaut departed from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew members are NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut…

  • Pic of the Week: “Another World”

    This week’s image comes from Ireland’s DIAS Reach for the Stars 2025 astronomy photo competition. The 2025 winners have yet to be announced, but the photos are available for the public to view (and vote on until last week). This shortlisted entry by photographer Felix Sproll is titled “Another World.” It was taken in Dun…

  • The Successful Launch of the NISAR Satellite

    Earlier today the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite was successfully launched from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre. ISRO stands for the Indian Space Research Organisation, which is India’s national space agency. This first of its kind mission between NASA and India puts into orbit the NISAR satellite that can see the Earth in a…

  • In Case You Missed It: A Mystery Beneath the Ice

    We live in a time of conspiracies, as the newspapers demonstrate everyday. One conspiracy from the World War II era related to Hitler maintaining a secret base in Antarctica. While that story has been debunked, have you heard the one about the secret U.S. base hidden beneath the ice? Last May, Newsweek told this story…

  • Space Stories: 25 Years of Humans on the ISS, Life in Outer Space, and Astronomical Interference

    Here are some recent space-related stories of interest. —NASA: “Celebrating 25 Years of Continuous Human Presence Aboard the International Space Station “ NASA and its partners have supported humans continuously living and working in space since November 2000. A truly global endeavor, the International Space Station has been visited by more than 280 people from 23 countries…

  • Many Departures at NASA, No Clear Path Forward

    The problem with a poorly-planned downsizing of an organization is that you may lose too many people in key positions and the disarray demotivates those who remain. Hence, it should be no surprise that this is what we are seeing at NASA as well as other agencies. NASA is now looking at losing about 20…

  • Musk: Let Them Eat Burgers

    So, what is the next step for Elon Musk now that he decimated NASA and the federal government in general? A trip to the Moon? A trip to Mars? No, his next goal is serving burgers and fries. That’s right, Mr. Musk is now proudly selling diner food at his Tesla Diner in Hollywood where…

  • Television: A Second Season for Murderbot

    If you had a chance to watch Murderbot on Apple TV+, then you will not be surprised to learn that it has been green-lighted for a second season. If you missed it, then you should add it to your watch list. While I was a little nervous about the casting and ability to bring to…