Sleek Design, but Unlikely to Fly by 2026
Vehicle looks great, but I have a hard time seeing this plane taking flight in 2026.
Thales Alenia Space Obsesses Over ‘
If you had a nickel for every time Thales Alenia Space mentioned “corrosion” in its Gateway press statement you would be … dead broke. https://t.co/b8lWgVy6tX
Lunar Gateway Corrosion Confirmed as Serious Issue
Both Northrop and European space officials have confirmed the Lunar Gateway corrosion issue is real and significant. https://t.co/Z8Alf6N3mn
NASA Admits Lunar Gateway Modules Are Corroded
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman just testified before Congress that both the Lunar Gateway habitable modules delivered to NASA (HALO and I-HAB) were corroded. 🚨
Artemis Suits Likely Fine; Axiom Praised for Future Bets
Actually, I think the Artemis spacesuits are probably going to be fine. Axiom deserves credit for betting on the future. https://t.co/UJmwDHUmCE
NASA Suit Report Highlights Commercial LEO Destination Debate
This line in the new OIG report on NASA's next-generation spacesuits is interesting in light of the recent debate about commercial LEO destinations. https://t.co/xWmu75FG2y https://t.co/Z6Zzd7s7em
New Glenn Upper‑Stage Issue Highlights Need for Reliable Launches
Bummed about the issue with New Glenn’s upper stage today. NASA and its lunar partners really need this rocket to fly reliably and often. I expect @davill and team to address this aggressively and decisively.
NASA Denies Non‑Polar Artemis IV Landing Rumors
FYI I've been hearing murmurings that NASA is seriously considering a non-polar landing for Artemis IV. @SpcPlcyOnline also had an intriguing story about a month ago (linked below). Anyway, I asked NASA about it this week and got a firm...
Orion Reentry Hints at Unreleased Public Disclosure
On Orion’s reentry: “And then there was a point—there’s something that I feel that I am not ready to say to the public yet.” https://t.co/HGK65yHVNJ
We’d Have Landed on Moon With Full Control
“If you had given us the keys to the lander, we would have taken it down and landed on the Moon.” https://t.co/GDANrzqFE6
NASA Bets on Blue Origin for Lunar Victory
For the first time, but probably not the last, NASA and the United States are counting on Blue Origin to deliver a meaningful win on the Moon. https://t.co/lBZt9oTdXy
Voyager Secures Seventh Private ISS Mission for 2028
Just in: Voyager gets the 7th private astronaut mission to the ISS, joining Axiom Space and Vast Space. Launching NET 2028. https://t.co/m3wiSmrnkx
Blue Origin's Revised Stock Plan May Finally Fix Mess
I wrote about Blue Origin's new employee stock plan. The previous plan was such a mess it has raised concerns the new one will be no better. But if Bezos is serious about course correcting, this plan could do so....
Blue Origin's Stock Plan Sparks Employee Outrage Ahead of Launch
Story coming in a bit on Blue Origin's new stock option plan. One person described it as "pure fucking trash," so things seem to be going well with employee morale as Blue approaches a critical New Glenn launch.
Europe Questions Gateway's End, Doubts Post‑ISS Station
An interesting view from Europe of the dissolution of Gateway, what it means for European boots on the Moon, and a discussion of working with JAXA and Canada on a post-ISS space station with Gateway elements. The latter idea seems...
NASA Announces Crew‑13 Lineup for Nov 21 Launch
Not sure when NASA will make it official, but Crew-13 will consist of: • Jessica Watkins • Luke Delaney • Josh Kutryk (CSA) • Sergey Teteryatnikov (Russia) Great crew. Launch date is NET Nov 21, 2026. (Which would be happy 24th anniversary to the lovely...
Artemis Era Launches: A Global Celebration for NASA
Epic day for NASA and everyone around the world who contributed to this. The Artemis era has truly begun.
Senior Official Calls for Orion Valve Redesign, Embraces Transparency
During the final Artemis II mission briefing yesterday there were lots of questions about Orion's helium valves. Lower level officials were hesitant to provide too much information on the consequences. Halfway through the senior official on stage, Amit Kshatriya, clearly...
Blue Moon Mk1 Exits NASA Vacuum Chamber, No Issues Reported
Amit Kshatriya of NASA said Blue Moon Mk 1 has “just” come out of the vacuum chamber at Johnson Space Center and will soon be shipped back to Florida. No comment on how it performed but he did not indicate...
Artemis III's Initial Orbit Remains Undecided, Officials Say
“One of the questions is what the initial orbit will be for Artemis III." https://t.co/atoSFLDYEs
NASA Official Confirms Lunar Landers Progress Amid SLS, Orion Success
With SLS and Orion flying great, I checked in with a senior NASA official on how the lunar landers are coming along. https://t.co/qbbFfY0kA8
Lunar Flyby Footage Falls Short: Here’s Why
You're probably going to be disappointed with the video imagery of the lunar flyby. Here's why: https://t.co/20YF81w0uA
Ridiculous NASA Budget Complicates Isaacman's Mission, Congress Steps In
It's hard to get too exercised about the ridiculous White House budget for NASA, because Congress will address a lot of its issues. But this will make Isaacman's job a lot more difficult than it need be.
Artemis II Prioritizes Practical Gains Over Cultural Iconic Impact
Artemis II probably will not have a profound cultural impact like Apollo 8, and that's totally fine. We're not trying to win hearts and minds this time, but to have carts and mines. https://t.co/kBHD2sshu1
Artemis II Poised for Engine Burn, Mission on Track
All things considered the Artemis II mission seems to be going splendidly. Big moment for today comes this afternoon with the go/no go decision to burn Orion’s engines for the Moon.
NASA’s SLS‑Orion Launch Shines Bright in Daylight
Epic launch of SLS and Orion. So much better in the daytime to observe. Congratulations to NASA and everyone involved. Y’all made us proud.
Artemis II Launch Delayed, No New Countdown Set.
NASA has not set a new T-0 but the Artemis II mission will not launch at 6:24 pm ET today. “A little more work” to do.
Artemis II Crew’s Perfect Blend Wins Hearts
The crew of Artemis II is just a perfect mix of personalities. It is so easy to like and root for Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy on their grand journey around the Moon. Godspeed, all.
Artemis II Fueling Progresses Smoothly, Sparking Cautious Optimism
Excited to see that the Artemis II fueling is going so well, but can't but feel ... https://t.co/gJGnTj2Cc7
Finally Thrilled: Orion's Third Flight Exceeds Expectations
I had mixed feelings about the first two flights of Orion. But not this one. https://t.co/9YROBrhJ7M
NASA Confirms Artemis II Launch Ready for Wednesday
Monday briefing: NASA remains “go” for launch of Artemis II at 6:24 pm ET on Wednesday. 🚀
NASA Halts Second Mobile Launch Tower Over Mismanagement
During a news conference today NASA's Shawn Quinn confirmed that a stop work order has been issued for the second Mobile Launch tower at Kennedy Space Center. This was a massively mismanaged program completely unnecessary for landing on the Moon,...
Critics Slam NASA's Controversial Commercial Space Station Plan
No one, it seems, is happy with NASA's new idea for commercial space stations. https://t.co/SVhXpYQAnK
European Space Power Backs Ignition Lunar Base Plan
One of the three major space powers in Europe signals its strong support for the Ignition plan to develop a sprawling lunar base over the next decade.
NASA Admits Limited Future for Humans in LEO
Pour one out for NASA's Joel Montalbano. Months ago he is confirmed to appear before the US House to speak about the future of humans in low-Earth orbit. On the day before his appearance NASA basically says there isn't much...
Carlos Garcia‑Galan Outlines Detailed Moon Base Roadmap
I’ve been waiting literally decades for NASA to articulate a plan for a Moon base. Now Carlos Garcia-Galan is doing a masterful job of precisely this. Dozens of landings. Drones. RTGs. Rovers. Habitats. Excavators. This is incredible stuff.
NASA Shifts to Commercial Launches, Moon Flights Every Six Months
NASA’s Lori Glaze said, beginning with Artemis VI, the agency will transition from government driven missions to commercial launches (ie Starship or New Glenn or others). Agency wants to launch humans to the Moon at least every six months.
Isaacman's Speech Praises NASA Transparency Over Cover‑ups
This is the speech Isaacman is presently giving. What is refreshing about this is that it acknowledges NASA’s shortcomings rather than minimizing or covering them up.
NASA Announces Major Program Updates at 9 Am ET
Expecting major news today across a broad range of programs at NASA. Event here at NASA HQ starts at 9 am ET. https://t.co/MGTEqhfgfV
NASA to Reveal Artemis Plans, Spotlight Former Gateway Manager
NASA will share a ton of Artemis planning information tomorrow at HQ. I’ve highlighted Garcia-Galan because he was deputy program manager for Gateway prior to this. https://t.co/HlCvRYr1N6
Bezos Invests in Terminator SSO Sunlit Space Gold Rush
Jeff Bezos joins the gold rush to Terminator SSO (and permanent sunlight in space near Earth). https://t.co/QyGifj6ehT
Rocket Lab Scores Timely Capability Win
Impressive win here for Rocket Lab: delivering the right capability at the right time. https://t.co/8vUinNNlgG
Ariane 6 Poised as Amazon Leo’s Workhorse
Who had Ariane 6 as the booster that would emerge from the Vulcan/New Glenn/Ariane 6 triumvirate of new rockets to become a workhorse for Amazon Leo?
NASA, SpaceX Clash over Starship’s Manual‑control Landing Requirement
NASA and SpaceX fought over this issue with Dragon a decade ago. Now, Starship. “There is disagreement between NASA and SpaceX on whether the provider’s current proposed approach for landing meets the intent of the Agency’s manual control requirement." https://t.co/5QEjeehemw
Tight Timeline Limits Science Payloads for Upcoming Test
A great question. Isaacman has talked about maximizing science and other exploration goals wherever possible. This will be an interesting test case. Unfortunately ~18 months between now and a potential launch date does not leave much time for scientific payloads.
Phantom Space: Countering China's Expanding Space Ambitions
Thank goodness for Phantom Space. Here to save us from the rising tide of China’s space program. 🤔
Blue Origin CEO Unveils New Stock Options After Criticism
A week ago I sent some questions to Blue Origin about its "monopoly money" stock options program. An hour ago, CEO Dave Limp tells the company they're launching a new stock options program. https://t.co/nNipz4qTtQ
Starbase Evolves Into World's Leading Rocket Factory
The growth of Starbase over the last decade, from nothing to arguably the world's premiere rocket factory, is remarkable. This image of V3 rolling out is gorgeous. https://t.co/vVNpNoROaJ
Isaacman Chooses Moon Transport Over Contractor Profits
Isaacman decided that vehicles to get us on the Moon are better than vehicles to enrich contractors. https://t.co/MB7VRZhxMB
NASA Justifies Sole-Source ULA Contract for Artemis Upper Stages
It's happening. "This justification provides the rationale for contracting by other than full and open competition to award a sole-source contract to United Launch Alliance (ULA) to procure replacement upper stages for use in the Space Launch System (SLS) for the...