• A Day in Astronomy: Happy Star Trek Day!

    Today we remember the beginning of the Star Trek phenomenon that started back on September 8, 1966 with the introduction of the Star Trek television series. Created by Gene Roddenberry, the series initiated books, movies, and more over the years that provided a positive vision of our future in space, though it came after some…

  • Space Quote: Exciting Days Ahead for the US Space Program

    “After having no other U.S. options for over 30 years, three different human spacecraft programs are now underway. In addition to the SpaceX Crew Dragon and the Boeing Starliner, NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission, is planned to fly four astronauts around the Moon in the next couple of years. These programs have…

  • Starliner: So Far, So Good

    The Boeing CST-100 Starliner capsule has started its journey back to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS). Soon we will learn whether the spacecraft is operating as expected and could have returned the two astronauts safely. The extra caution is not unexpected, and this does not spell doom for Boeing, but it is a…

  • Pic of the Week: Picture Perfect Spiral Galaxy

    This week’s image comes from the Hubble Space Telescope. It shows an almost too perfect spiral galaxy that might have come from AI software, but it is a real image from NASA and ESA. You are looking at spiral galaxy IC 4709, which is about 240 million light-years away. Here is more information on the…

  • Europa Clipper and Starliner: Two Missions, Two Dates

    NASA has decided to move forward with the Europa Clipper mission even though there have been some questions about its ability to withstand the moon’s radiation. The launch is set for an October 10 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA is also moving…

  • Space Stories: ESA Drill Going to the Moon, ROMAN Takes on the Ever-changing Universe, and Six New Worlds Discovered

    Here are some recent stories of interest. —European Space Agency: “European Drill and Mini Lab Secure Ride to the Moon“ ESA’s Prospect package, including drill and a miniaturised laboratory, will fly to the Moon’s South Polar region in search of volatiles, including water ice, as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative…NASA has selected Intuitive…

  • Two Astronauts Will Be Staying Home This Month

    So now that the Boeing Starliner is returning to Earth empty and the next crewed mission to the shuttle will need to be two astronauts short, who are the two astronauts staying home this month? NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson will not make the September 24 flight, but they are most likely going…

  • SpaceX Rockets: The Good and Bad News

    First the good news. SpaceX is able to launch its Falcon 9 rockets following a booster issue last week. That led to the immediate launch yesterday of two back-to-back launches of Starlink satellites. Now the bad news. Russian scientists have reported that SpaceX’s second launch of its Starship rocket last November created a hole in…

  • Space Quote: Elon Musk’s Spat Jeopardizes Starlink Operations in Brazil

    “He can’t go around insulting presidents, insulting deputies, insulting the Senate, insulting the Chamber, insulting the Supreme Court. Who does he think he is?…That guy has to accept the rules of this country, and if this country made a decision through the Supreme Court, he has to comply. If it applies to me, it applies…

  • Movie: Slingshot

    Just in time for the Labor Day weekend, we are offered a new space film that seemed to have had little publicity until it popped onto the scene. The new film Slingshot, starting today and starring Casey Affleck and Laurence Fishburne, takes us on a trip to Saturn’s moon Titan, or that is the plan.…