• We Need More Ukrainian Initiative in the Space Industry

    It is a sad truth that war can create some useful items that propel mankind forward. Maybe these inventions would have occurred anyway, but the desire to survive can certainly stimulate the mind. Ukraine is a perfect example. Recent stories about its Flamingo cruise missile indicate that the same Ukranian know-how that created the drones…

  • Space Stories: Dragonfly Issues, NASA Under a Government Shutdown, and Threats from Venus

    Here are some recent space-related stories of interest. —Physics World: “NASA Criticized Over its Management of $3.3bn Dragonfly Mission to Titan“ An internal audit has slammed NASA over its handling of the Dragonfly mission to Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. The drone-like rotorcraft, which is designed to land on and gather samples from Titan, has been hit by a…

  • Television: Season One of Alien: Earth Exceeded Expectations

    I already miss the weekly episodes of Alien: Earth. The acting, story line, and overall energy far surpassed anything I expected going into this series. And while it was gory in the typical Alien way, it had more to say than some of the earlier movies. Fortunately, with a cliff-hanger like the last episode, we…

  • NASA Moves Away from an ISS Cargo Contractor

    Back in 2016 NASA was looking for more commercial cargo haulers for its International Space Station (ISS), and Sierra Space’s reusable Dream Chaser spaceplane was one of those options. NASA contracted for multiple resupply missions to the ISS. However, all of that is now over. NASA has announced that the contract has been modified so…

  • Movie: The Mandalorian and Grogu

    While have waited long enough for a new season of The Mandalorian, it appears we will need to settle for a movie instead. The Mandalorian and Grogu will premiere in theaters on May 22, 2026. The movie trailer dropped earlier this week. It is everything you might expect, but it almost has an Andor feel…

  • Space Quote: Three Missions Launched to Monitor the Sun

    “These three unique missions will help us get to know our Sun and its effects on Earth better than ever before…This knowledge is critical because the Sun’s activity directly impacts our daily lives, from power grids to GPS. These missions will help us ensure the safety and resilience of our interconnected world.” –Statement by Joe…

  • Pic of the Week: The Indescribable NGC 2775

    This week’s image is from the NASA/European Space Agency (ESA) Hubble Space Telescope. It shows the odd galaxy NGC 2275 that is hard to describe. Is it an elliptical galaxy, a spiral galaxy, or something else? The ESA weighs in on the issue below: NGC 2775 sports a smooth, featureless centre that is devoid of…

  • A Day in Astronomy: Luna 16 Lunar Sample Return

    On this day in 1970, the USSR’s Luna 16 spacecraft returned to Earth with a lunar sample. The Luna 16 spacecraft landed on the Moon on September 20 to collect a 3.5 ounce sample before returning to Earth. While the Apollo 11 and 12 missions had already returned with more than 120 pounds of lunar…

  • Space Stories: Artemis II to Launch February 2026, 10 New Astronauts Selected, and Plans to Destroy an Incoming Asteroid

    Here are some recent space-related stories of interest. —BBC News: “Nasa Plans First Crewed Moon Mission in 50 years for February 2026“ Nasa has said it hopes to send astronauts on a ten-day trip around the Moon as soon as February. The US space agency had previously committed to launching no later than the end of…

  • Happy Autumn Equinox!

    Day in AutumnRainer Maria Rilke (1875 –1926) After the summer’s yield, Lord, it is timeto let your shadow lengthen on the sundialsand in the pastures let the rough winds fly. As for the final fruits, coax them to roundness.Direct on them two days of warmer lightto hale them golden toward their term, and harrythe last…