Howdy folks, my name is Nik and I am the managing editor of
@WeAreSpaceScout
. I also published the Turtledove Award Winning timeline Proxima: A Human Exploration of Mars, and am currently pursuing a career in space policy.
Read more below on my Medium, and on Space Scout!
Project Lyra explores the possibility of sending a spacecraft to chase 'Oumuamua using an Earth gravity assist to reach Jupiter, which robs the craft of almost all its speed, causing it to drop to the Sun for an Oberth maneuver.
Thanks
@hibberdadam994
for the trajectory data!
the only thing about this is that crew dragon can't carry cargo in the trunk during crew launches due to abort constraints. as cool as this would be for crew EVA work, F9 is limited in this capacity
My concept idea of how
@SpaceX
and
#polaris
could create a cheap(ish) and safe airlock system and expand the living area of a Crew Dragon module for extended missions using current proven technology without having to make alterations to the dragon design.
Starliner recovery seems so much better than Crew Dragon, with Dragon, you're bobbing and moving and already very nauseous from adjustment to gravity, which I'm sure isn't helped by being in the ocean. With Starliner, you're still and stable and ready to be helped out of the ship
love how our early observations of venus were like oh it could be so amazing on the surface perhaps a lush rainforest then we looked and it was actually hell
real fucking tired of every corporation wanting to invest in satellite internet. it sucks for the space environment, it destroys our global commons, and only furthers the risk of debris collisions that endangers our important assets in space
Intelsat 901 seen from the approaching Mission Extension Vehicle 1. Scenes like this will become more common as satellite servicing kits also built by Northrop Grumman come online
One of the most egregious acts of disregard for preservation, it does not shock me that Virgin Galactic would do something like this.
I hope for our future endeavors in archeology and preservation, we do better.
[2/3]The recent launch of Australopithecus sediba and Homo naledi bones, including part of a type specimen, into sub-orbit on a Virgin Galactic spacecraft poses significant risks to their preservation and historical value.
As LEO becomes more crowded, unplanned corrections will become more common. This is why we need comprehensive regulation on end of life procedures for spacecraft.
An unplanned orbit correction of the ISS was performed today o avoid a piece of space debris. At 15:07 UTC, the engines of
#ProgressMS24
fired for 316,5 sec, increasing the station’s orbit for 900 m.
here’s my take cause no one asked - we have a long road ahead if this vehicle is going to be our cornerstone to Lunar return and sustainability. NASA’s tests for SLS were slow, careful and produced a successful flight. Starship IFT did not feel like that.
[Pinned]
Hi! I'm Nick! My pronouns are they/them and I'm the author of Proxima: A Human Exploration of Mars! I'm an environmental scientist, railfan and enjoyer of obscure topics! You can check out the links to my work in this thread!
This photo from
@ulalaunch
showing
@astrobotic
's Peregrine lunar lander being integrated truly gives a sense of scale for this mammoth vehicle - Truly a beast!
One of Ingenuity’s greatest accomplishments, in my mind, is the new looks it provided on things like discarded hardware. This image of Perseverance’s backshell and parachute would never ever be possible without a scout like Ingenuity. Credit:
@NASAJPL
today is May 17, 2022. Humans are gearing up to go back to the moon, we are setting records all the time in spaceflight endurance and operations, and amazing machines are unlocking the mysteries of the cosmos
The piece about Blue Origin serves to highlight key failures about modern ideas of space exploration: it lacks equity and relies on the suffering of others to turn a profit.
somewhere out there, a telescope is preparing to unfold the universe. and while this year has been a turbulent one, that little diamond floating in the cosmos gives me hope for the future.
Collins Aerospace has released a video of testing the dexterity of their EVA spacesuit prototype.
Under NASA’s xEVAS program, these spacesuits will replace the current aging EVA spacesuits used on the International Space Station.
I am thinking about how ESA has opened up its astronaut candidacy for people with disabilities, and how Japan has opened their astronaut corps to those who don't hold science degrees- i think that's a huge step for learning more about living and working in space
This is not a sustainable policy framework - if we are to lose payloads on the way to or on the lunar surface, it puts human architecture in jeopardy. We must enact policy that ensures success driven mission planning for every mission.
Without this, we fail.
Sometimes, failure is an option.
Our new commercial lunar delivery service will enable American companies to provide affordable, rapid, and frequent access to the Moon. This innovative approach comes with high risks and high rewards.
Every day I am blown away by the fact that a helicopter on Mars, intended to be a tech demonstration flying 5 or so sorties, has now flown 70 times - truly an immense testament to engineering! Godspeed Ingenuity!
Credit:
@NASAJPL
In some personal and professional news, I’m taking over
@WeAreSpaceScout
from my good friend
@lavie154
. It is an absolute honor to be heading up such a diverse and talented group of people - and I can’t wait to share what we have in store:
Read more here:
Time flies when you’re exploring another planet! This week marks my one-year landiversary on Mars (Feb. 18) and I have several drives planned and more rocks to see. Meanwhile, my team back on Earth has various ways you can celebrate my first year at Mars:
cant carry any additional cargo in the trunk bc abort constraints, isn’t designed for EVAs, consumable margins would be tight at altitudes approaching Hubble, and would be even tighter maneuvering the whole telescope
From 1996 to 2023, from the first to the last,
@Arianespace
's Ariane 5 has powered over 900 tons into orbit, delivered cargo to the ISS, and opened the doors to our universe.
You will be missed - Godspeed Ariane 5.