January 16, 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.
- Voyager announces minor name change and major re-organization
The company has divided itself into three divisions, only one of which is focused on its space station project. The goal is to try to get business in other areas.
- A review of Starliner’s unknown status months after the capsule returned to Earth
No new information, which in itself bodes badly for Starliner. It appears Boeing is increasingly reluctant to move forward if it will cost it any more money.
- Berger claims multiple sources confirm the arrival of David Limp as CEO of Blue Origin last year saved the company
No news here either. The change was obvious from day one.
- Hubble faces budget cuts
To translate: Give us more money! I’d be more sympathetic if NASA was more willing to consider a rescue mission. If not, then there is every reason in the world to begin winding down operations.
- China touts its lunar rover concepts
The video is in Chinese, has great dramatic background music, but shows nothing but very simple concepts.
- India’s government approves third launchpad at its main spaceport at Sriharikota
They need more redundancy as their gear up for their first manned missions.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
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.
- Voyager announces minor name change and major re-organization
The company has divided itself into three divisions, only one of which is focused on its space station project. The goal is to try to get business in other areas.
- A review of Starliner’s unknown status months after the capsule returned to Earth
No new information, which in itself bodes badly for Starliner. It appears Boeing is increasingly reluctant to move forward if it will cost it any more money.
- Berger claims multiple sources confirm the arrival of David Limp as CEO of Blue Origin last year saved the company
No news here either. The change was obvious from day one.
- Hubble faces budget cuts
To translate: Give us more money! I’d be more sympathetic if NASA was more willing to consider a rescue mission. If not, then there is every reason in the world to begin winding down operations.
- China touts its lunar rover concepts
The video is in Chinese, has great dramatic background music, but shows nothing but very simple concepts.
- India’s government approves third launchpad at its main spaceport at Sriharikota
They need more redundancy as their gear up for their first manned missions.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
I think I might play devil’s advocate here, kinda: It is the STScI which is surging against cuts, and STScI did not make the call on the rescue mission.
That said, there’s a new sheriff in town on Monday (OK, it may be a few weeks before Isaacman gets his vote in the Senate), and once he’s in place, I think it’s reasonable to assume the whole thing gets a new look. Though obviously I can’t imagine the NASA Administrator is going to have the time to do the mission — at least, not before 2029!
There’s still a lot of good science to be had out of Hubble. I hope a boost/rescue mission does get approved. And that Hubble keeps getting funded after that.
Agreed
“Today, Norway and the U.S. signed a Technology Safeguards Agreement (TSA), which will facilitate the launch of U.S. launchers and satellites from Andøya Spaceport.”
(https://www.regjeringen.no/en/aktuelt/norge-undertegner-romavtale-med-usa/id3084042/)
The Berger article on Starliner is dated November 1. There has been no update from Boeing since then?
Thank you Surly. The tweet that I saw emphasizing Boeing’s stance on Starliner was from yesterday and linked to that article. I used that instead of the tweet. I will look at the dates more closely.