Recent Posts
News•Feb 4, 2026
Book Review: Born to Explore – John Casani’s Grand Tour of the Solar System
Born to Explore – John Casani’s Grand Tour of the Solar System, written by space historian Jay Gallentine, chronicles the career of JPL legend John Casani, who oversaw Voyager, Galileo and Cassini. The 400‑page hardcover, released by Nebraska Press, blends technical detail with personal anecdotes, highlighting Casani’s battles with politics, funding and engineering challenges. Casani, who died in June 2025 at age 92, is portrayed as a relentless manager who shaped America’s deep‑space program. The book serves as both tribute and insider’s guide to NASA’s most ambitious missions.
By Leonard David’s Inside Outer Space
News•Feb 2, 2026
Close Encounter: Earth Orbiting Leftovers
On December 25 2025 a defunct French Earth‑observation satellite, SPOT 3, came within roughly 20 meters of a fragment from the Soviet Cosmos 1275, which exploded in 1996. The near‑miss occurred at about 845 km altitude, roughly 525 km above Earth’s surface. Both objects have been orbiting...
By Leonard David’s Inside Outer Space
News•Jan 31, 2026
China Plans Deep Space L5 Probe
China’s space agency announced the Xihe‑2 deep‑space probe, slated for launch between 2028 and 2029, to station at the Sun‑Earth L5 Lagrange point. From this unique viewpoint the spacecraft will capture three‑dimensional solar data across new wavelengths, extending observation time...
By Leonard David’s Inside Outer Space
News•Jan 31, 2026
Earth to MAVEN? Re-Contact Effort Underway with Mars Orbiter
NASA’s Deep Space Network is actively trying to re‑establish contact with the MAVEN orbiter after telemetry ceased on Dec. 4, 2025, with a brief tracking fragment received on Dec. 6 suggesting the spacecraft rotated unexpectedly and may have shifted orbit. The Goldstone...
By Leonard David’s Inside Outer Space
News•Jan 28, 2026
Satellite Reentry: Atmospheric Implications
The rapid growth of satellite mega‑constellations means thousands of spacecraft are de‑orbited each decade, releasing heavy‑metal and black‑carbon particles into the stratosphere. Harvard physicist John Dykema warns that these emissions can alter sunlight absorption, disrupt stratospheric circulation, and accelerate ozone...
By Leonard David’s Inside Outer Space
News•Jan 25, 2026
Tracking Artemis II’s 10-Day Journey: Global Volunteers
NASA’s Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) program announced that 34 global volunteers will track the Orion spacecraft during Artemis II’s ten‑day lunar flyby. The participants span commercial service providers, academic institutions, and amateur‑radio enthusiasts who will passively receive the mission’s radio...
By Leonard David’s Inside Outer Space
News•Jan 24, 2026
Book Review: The Pale Blue Data Point – An Earth-Based Perspective on the Search for Alien Life
Jon Willis’s new book, *The Pale Blue Data Point*, examines Earth’s ecosystems as analogues for extraterrestrial life, weaving together recent exoplanet discoveries with field research. The author, an astronomy professor, highlights missions ranging from deep‑sea submersibles to Chilean observatories, illustrating...
By Leonard David’s Inside Outer Space
News•Jan 16, 2026
Unidentified Aerial Phenomena: State-Led Initiatives
Vermont lawmakers introduced bill H.654 to establish a ten‑person state task force focused on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). The task force will rely on the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies (SCU) for scientific analysis of reports ranging from drones to...
By Leonard David’s Inside Outer Space
News•Jan 15, 2026
NASA’s Top Five Challenges: New Report
The NASA Office of Inspector General released its 2025 Top Management and Performance Challenges report, highlighting five critical agency priorities, including returning humans to the Moon and sustaining low‑Earth‑orbit operations. The report flags a heat‑shield venting defect on Orion’s spacecraft...
By Leonard David’s Inside Outer Space
News•Dec 31, 2025
China Rocket Launch Stirs Up Advisory From Philippine Space Agency
The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) issued an advisory after China’s Long March 7A launch from Hainan, warning that unburned rocket debris is expected to fall within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone. The agency identified multiple drop zones ranging from 45 to 76...
By Leonard David’s Inside Outer Space
News•Dec 31, 2025
Space Debris Threat: Experts Voice Concerns
Experts warn that roughly 130 million pieces of human‑made debris now orbit Earth, a figure that rises each year as rockets, defunct satellites, and anti‑satellite weapon tests add to the clutter. The growing cloud increases collision probabilities, potentially triggering the Kessler...
By Leonard David’s Inside Outer Space
News•Dec 30, 2025
What Is NASA’s Future?
NASA’s 2025 outlook is clouded by aggressive budget cuts, looming personnel layoffs, and the possible cancellation of flagship science missions. The agency, still pursuing lunar and Martian ambitions, now faces congressional scrutiny over its fiscal stability. Political negotiations will determine...
By Leonard David’s Inside Outer Space