June 17, 2026, No quick links today
BtB’s stringer Jay had a power outage yesterday and was unable to send me links. However, I decided to schedule this post anyway as an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues.
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 or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. 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 saw a post on LinkedIn basically complaining about SpaceX not getting to the moon in 20 years but NASA did it in 5 with older technology. I had to point out that Apollo was eating 4% of the GDP at the time (I meant government spending).
I guess people really don’t understand the difference between a government program and a commercial company that has to make money or they cease to exist.
I know this is likely old hat to most of you, but the Moon, Venus and Mercury are lined up tonight in an impressive display. First time I can remember seeing Mercury with the naked eye. Aware that not rare but exciting for me.
That’s awesome, I’m more used to seeing Mercury in the early morning, it’s fun to have it be an evening star!
I can’t see mercury, the mountains are in the way.
Here’s the headline from the 16th;
“For the first time in 11 years, the crescent Moon will pass in front of Venus in broad daylight over the USA.
This amazing event ends with a twilight exclamation mark. After sunset, Venus, the Moon, Jupiter and Mercury will line up in the western sky for a gorgeous alignment“
Jupiter is lower than Venus now, the two stars to the right of it is Gemini that nearly lines up at it. Soon they will all be behind the sun.
Interesting they don’t mention that NASA has been (kinda) trying to get back to the moon since Constellation (2005) and then Artemis or the billions spent on SLS/Orion.
Since it’s an open thread, I’d like to ask a space helmet hardware question that’s been bugging me for a while:
What is the purpose of the bail on the helmets? When you rotate it down, and (it looks like) lock it, what function does it perform?
The guys at NSF or Secret projects forum could probably answer that.
Cryogenic cables
https://phys.org/news/2026-06-flexible-cryogenic-cables-dilution-refrigerators.html
Necessary for quantum system development is an environment in which the fragile nature of quantum bits (qubits) is stabilized and the thermal noise (fluctuations in current/voltage) inherent in superconducting electronics is dampened. That environment requires cryogenic temperatures, those ranging from 5 to 10 millikelvins, colder than the extreme temperatures encountered in space. Dilution refrigerators create this needed cryogenic condition.
Dilution refrigerators used for quantum R&D need a wiring system that can operate in cryogenic temperatures, maintain a power-efficient direct current, and support high-speed data transmission. Researchers at MIT Lincoln Laboratory have prototyped flexible, ribbon-like, low-frequency (LF) cables that not only meet these demands, but also are compatible with commercial circuit-board manufacturing processes. Maybell Quantum, a Colorado-based company supplying hardware for developing quantum systems, licensed the design for these cables and is adapting them for use in their dilution refrigerators.
“We’re planning to integrate Maybell LF CryoTrace, the ribbon wiring system transferred from MIT Lincoln Laboratory, across all thermal stages of our dilution refrigerators. Initially, the cables will be used for LF services, such as thermometry, heaters, and sensors, with feasibility studies planned for additional functions,” says Lasse Nielsen, strategy and operations lead at Maybell Quantum. “After qualification testing, LF CryoTrace is planned for the next iteration of our internal wiring across the Maybell product family.”
I could see depots perhaps as dual use for quantum systems.
There are ways to deal with low heat that might work in space–if depot/servers are in the shade:
https://phys.org/news/2026-05-honey-regime-ultrathin-semiconductors.html
Down here, you need heavy systems. In space—at very low temperatures….newer tech might be more effective
Not sure what you mean by “bail.” Do you mean the visor? The visor must be down and locked to keep the air in the suit. So whenever there is some significant chance of a loss-of-pressure event – notably takeoffs and re-entries – the suits are on and the visors are down and locked.
Or did you have something else in mind entirely? If so, I’ll confess I have no idea what it might be.