May 15, 2026 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.
- German Pangea Propulsion touts successfull static fire testing of its ARCOS methane-fueled “thrust module”
It will be used on the company’s planned aerospike engine.
- Video of fuel dump by China’s Zhuque-2E upper stage over Minnesota
Its flight path was polar. Future such launches will produce similar sky shows.
- Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile yesterday agreed in principle to form a joint venture
They will work together to “fill long-time [cellphone] coverage gaps, especially in rural areas.” It also appears they did this out of fear of Starlink.
- On May 15, 1960 Korabl-Sputnik 1 was launched (known as Sputnik 4 in the West).
First unmanned test flight of the Soviet’s manned Vostok capsule. It did not de-orbit as planned, with one section remaining in space until 1962, and another until 1965. It also fueled fake rumors a man was trapped on board because the Soviets used taped recordings to test their communications systems.
- On this day in 1973, Skylab launched, the first American space station
It was occupied by three crews over the next six months on missions lasting 28, 59, and 84 days. The first and second crews also did extensive repairs to the station, which had been damaged during launch. See chapter 3 in Leaving Earth.
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
Wow, that fuel dump was an incredible sight.
Also amazing is the sheer number of satellites tracking in every direction across the sky. I’ve got a new camera with very good low-light capability; I have GOT to try getting out there and shooting some astro-landscapes like that.
Green doom-and-gloom debunked
https://phys.org/news/2026-05-climate-favors-shallower-cyclones-current.html
https://phys.org/news/2026-05-scientists-dispute-hypothesis-climate-unleash.html
Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile are probably being wise to form a united front now. The recently announced, but little-remarked-upon, Starlink Mobile service, once it is up and running, represents direct competition for all of them, not just a cooperative gap-filler service for emergencies and use in the boondocks as is SpaceX’s current modest direct-to-cell service. Starlink Mobile has the potential to be the largest cell service provider on the planet at some point, handily surpassing even the quite lucrative Starlink broadband Internet service in customer base and annual revenue.
I will be entirely unsurprised if we soon hear that this new combine has hooked up with AST SpaceMobile as its space-based service provider.
Trump’s follow on?
https://www.al.com/politics/2026/05/katie-britt-for-president-popular-alabama-senator-on-the-not-so-short-list-to-succeed-trump-in-2028.html
I have to think that this is maneuvering by people in Britt’s orbit to make her into a regular subject in 2028 Veep Stakes discussions.
Richard M,
Probably so. Alabama has been, shall we say, a tad less politically influential since the retirement of Richard Shelby. This looks to be an effort to try raising the profile of his successor. Ms. Britt will find there are many Republicans standing well ahead of her in the line of hopefuls to be the next President. That’s what comes of the Republicans having a real bench. In fairness to Ms. Britt, she would handily outclass all of the dregs and bozos on the list of Democratic Presidential wannabees even while still being far enough back in the Republican ranks that she can’t even really see the front of said line.
Where the heck are the Green’s on this? Not just a rhetorical question. Environmental awareness should know no boundaries, yet China seems to get a pass on everything industrial. I understand the common philosophy, but am also aware that Western pseudo-collectivists aren’t rushing to emigrate.
Even Gates is off the Green bandwagon somewhat.
People in California and New York are made poorer by emissions nonsense.
Green initiatives will be made on the down-low.
I see little Greta is bashing Sweden…Asmongold detailed some favorable press who still got assaulted by ruffians.
Suicide via tolerance…takes longer than hanging…but both parties seem pleased.
In other news, we saw some x-rated F-18 joining in Idaho today.
Oddest in-flight collision ever. No fatalities.
Blair Ivey,
“Greens” are pretty much all “watermelons” – green on the outside, red on the inside. No enemies on the left. As long as the PRC is commie, it gets an all-event pass from the “Greens.”