June 3, 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.
- Vast touts completion of second major weld (of ten) for the primary hull of its Haven-1 space module
Time is pressing if they want to launch on schedule in 2026.
- Firefly releases four-camera video taken during Blue Ghost’s lunar landing in March
The video is quite beautiful.
- Graphic showing images of all eight Chinese pseudo-company prototypes testing vertical rocket landings
This shows in graphic form the summary of this Chinese effort that I posted on May 29, 2025. There is also a ninth company attempting the same work. It must be underlined that the Chinese government demands that these companies share their results. There is no such thing as propriety data under its totalitarian rule.
- On this day in 2003 Europe’s Mars Express orbiter was launched
It is still operating in orbit around Mars.
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.
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.
- Vast touts completion of second major weld (of ten) for the primary hull of its Haven-1 space module
Time is pressing if they want to launch on schedule in 2026.
- Firefly releases four-camera video taken during Blue Ghost’s lunar landing in March
The video is quite beautiful.
- Graphic showing images of all eight Chinese pseudo-company prototypes testing vertical rocket landings
This shows in graphic form the summary of this Chinese effort that I posted on May 29, 2025. There is also a ninth company attempting the same work. It must be underlined that the Chinese government demands that these companies share their results. There is no such thing as propriety data under its totalitarian rule.
- On this day in 2003 Europe’s Mars Express orbiter was launched
It is still operating in orbit around Mars.
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.
“With two hypersonic flights, we have demonstrated the growing capabilities of autonomous systems including separation and engine ignition, controlled acceleration through transonic range to the hypersonic regime, and programmed autonomous landing.”
Emphasis mine. Looks like a pretty definitive declaration to me.
Dick Eagleson: My brain is not working. Thank you. I have deleted my comment, as I was wrong.
Wow!
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1929950051415273504?s=46
Ha! Gary, you just beat me to it.
For those unable or unwilling to open the X link, it is Elon Musk tweeting about SpaceX finances:
NASA was certainly indispensable to SpaceX’s survival in its early days, as Elon Musk has repeatedly affirmed. But it is obvious that today, they are a small piece of their revenue pie. (A prestigious piece, to be sure.)
P.S. That Firefly landing video *is* amazing.
Not related;
The Senate finally had it’s first meeting last week concerning the MNRA shots. Democrats show up and give their heartfelt testimony with assurances and bluster… but no documentation on their claims, just flowery words and threats of disaster.
The other side shows up with data, Peer reviewed science, unusual medical trends and results of experimentation. (and all of the cheering from the audience)
https://www.youtube.com/live/610s7Q9TzKs?si=n4n_EqyTS9jIEC2a
Max,
It looks like we still have a split between the liberals (I just listened to Gov Green of Hawaii – a Democrat and MD) and the conservatives. As you said, conservatives brought data, liberals brought anecdotes. Hawaii took the position that visitors to the state had to quarantine for 14 days before enjoying the views and warm weather there. That brought tourism to a halt, which is a main reason for visiting. A member of my family canceled reservations in late 2020 because there was no clear answer on when the quarantine would be lifted.
Science should confirm answers based on best available results at the time, subject to future revisions. And we are still asked to believe the liberals anecdotes. Richard Feynman said that he would rather have questions that can’t be answered, than answers that can’t be questioned. Many ‘educated’ folks still haven’t learned that principle.
Don C.
That’s a great quote.
A good example brought up by The Hawaiian governor would be the claim that more people need to get vaccinated against the measles outbreak. A problem, with only one solution offered.
Unfortunately genetic testing of the virus has determined that the measles outbreak was caused “by the measles vaccination” in a series of “vaccine failures”. It’s genetic strain matches the pharmaceutical patent, not the wild virus like the recent flight from Turkey.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3381670/
And,
https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/measles/measles-vaccine-failure-linked-very-low-transmission-rates
Or in the news this morning, a woman on business from Canada received her vaccines for the trip.
https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/passenger-with-measles-traveled-in-out-of-salt-lake-city-intl-airport-report-says
“More than 70,000 passengers pass through the airport each day, prompting questions about the potential spread of the highly contagious virus. However, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services said the risk of transmission was considered low, which is why no public advisory was issued”
Purposely causing an outbreak in the name of saving lives is evil. Redirecting and covering up “cause and affect science” for a political lie to maintain power where “means justify the end” result… is the ultimate evil. Especially when they nominate themselves for sainthood!
No nuremberg trails, the auto pen gave everyone a pardon for crimes they have not yet been convicted of… just like the pharmaceuticals that cannot be held responsible for a deadly product that does not work. Evil
FYI: Tonight’s Starlink launch (11-22) from Vandenberg will be SpaceX;’s 500th orbital launch of a Falcon rocket, including Falcon 1, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/06/04/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-27-starlink-satellites-on-falcon-9-rocket-from-vandenberg-sfb-4/
Amazing to think about. 500 Falcons!
That’s why China is funding so many clones…I guess they figure if they can’t beat in in quality–they will in volume.
The best way to build a railway isn’t to start at one coast and move towards the other –but pre-position numerous work crews along the path such that each builds a rail segment that terminates where the work crew ahead started.
I don’t know that works for spacelift though.
It does show that they are serious.