June 20, 2024 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.
- Starlab space station partners with AI software company Palantir
They will use the AI software to operate the station once in orbit.
- Blue Origin touts a picture of its BE-7 rocket engine
The engine is to be used on the company’s proposed Blue Moon manned lunar landers
- Hawaii-based International Lunar Observator (ILO) signs deal with China to put telescope on Chang’e-7 lunar mission
ILO has been around for awhile, trying repeatedly to get a private optical telescope on the Moon.
- NASA touts the planned mass of Lunar Gateway at 63 metric tons
The tweet notes that this mass is equivalent to “100 cows, 10 elephants, or 10 Webb telescopes!” Nice to know that the $10 billion-plus Webb equals 1 elephant in weight.
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
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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.
- Starlab space station partners with AI software company Palantir
They will use the AI software to operate the station once in orbit.
- Blue Origin touts a picture of its BE-7 rocket engine
The engine is to be used on the company’s proposed Blue Moon manned lunar landers
- Hawaii-based International Lunar Observator (ILO) signs deal with China to put telescope on Chang’e-7 lunar mission
ILO has been around for awhile, trying repeatedly to get a private optical telescope on the Moon.
- NASA touts the planned mass of Lunar Gateway at 63 metric tons
The tweet notes that this mass is equivalent to “100 cows, 10 elephants, or 10 Webb telescopes!” Nice to know that the $10 billion-plus Webb equals 1 elephant in weight.
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.
” . . .trying repeatedly to get a private optical telescope on the Moon.”
‘Might as well be on the Moon’ is an expression for something unobtainable. Weird, that literally putting a telescope on the Moon is probably easier than putting one in Hawai’i.
The Moon lacks disgruntled tribal natives. Major advantage.
But didn’t a native group sue over cremated remains being sent to the moon? Kind of a everyone owns the moon so no one can use it statement?
“They will use the AI software to operate the station once in orbit.”
Hello, Dave. What are you doing, Dave?