May 13, 2025 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
- Fire threatens city that serves Russia’s Vostochny spaceport
Video of the fire here. Russian authorities say all is under control, but that video is quite startling.
- China touts development in only 7 years of its high powered methane-fueled rocket engine
As Jay notes, “That’s because China did not do the R&D themselves!”
- Intuitive Machines claims issues with the altimeter and lighting caused its Athena lunar lander to fall over after landing
The company says the fixes are easy, but having had both of its two lunar landers tip over after landing suggests a more fundamental design flaw that is not yet addressed.
- Eutelsat’s OneWeb ground terminal as compared to SpaceX’s Starlink terminal
The tweet notes that the OneWeb terminal does not come off well when compared to Starlink.
- 75 years ago today the Bell X-1 “Glamorous Glennis” flew for the last time, piloted by Chuck Yaeger
The plane can be seen at the Air & Space Museum in Washington.
Readers!
My annual February birthday fund-raising drive for Behind the Black is now over. Thank you to everyone who donated or subscribed. While not a record-setter, the donations were more than sufficient and slightly above average.
As I have said many times before, I can’t express what it means to me to get such support, especially as no one is required to pay anything to read my work. Thank you all again!
For those readers who like my work here at Behind the Black and haven't contributed so far, please consider donating or subscribing. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
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You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
- Fire threatens city that serves Russia’s Vostochny spaceport
Video of the fire here. Russian authorities say all is under control, but that video is quite startling.
- China touts development in only 7 years of its high powered methane-fueled rocket engine
As Jay notes, “That’s because China did not do the R&D themselves!”
- Intuitive Machines claims issues with the altimeter and lighting caused its Athena lunar lander to fall over after landing
The company says the fixes are easy, but having had both of its two lunar landers tip over after landing suggests a more fundamental design flaw that is not yet addressed.
- Eutelsat’s OneWeb ground terminal as compared to SpaceX’s Starlink terminal
The tweet notes that the OneWeb terminal does not come off well when compared to Starlink.
- 75 years ago today the Bell X-1 “Glamorous Glennis” flew for the last time, piloted by Chuck Yaeger
The plane can be seen at the Air & Space Museum in Washington.
Readers!
My annual February birthday fund-raising drive for Behind the Black is now over. Thank you to everyone who donated or subscribed. While not a record-setter, the donations were more than sufficient and slightly above average.
As I have said many times before, I can’t express what it means to me to get such support, especially as no one is required to pay anything to read my work. Thank you all again!
For those readers who like my work here at Behind the Black and haven't contributed so far, please consider donating or subscribing. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
All IM landers should be classified as “Fletcher-class.”
Or named after Al Gore’s wife. The Tipper Class.
Sorry.
Eileen Class
If they simply accept that it will tip over, but then include a self righting package, they can call it the Chumbawamba class.
Your welcome.