May 30, 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.
- Another Chinese pseudo-company, Astronstone, raises money, proposes copycat rocket
More here. As noted at the first link, the design appears to be a steal of the rocket being built by another Chinese pseudo-company, Space Epoch. This is not surprising, as the Chinese government requires its fake companies to share all data with the government and other companies. The only design difference is that Astronstone is stealing SpaceX’s chopstick launch tower design for its rocket’s landing.
- Pictures of Space Epoch’s recovered YXZ-1 grasshopper test stage after its soft vertical splashdown in the ocean
There are dents and some damage, but overall the rocket’s condition looks good. A vertical touch down on land would probably have been less harmful than falling over into the ocean.
- Sources claim Russia will begin deploying its own “Starlink constellation” by the end of this year
The sources say each launch will place 16 satellites in orbit. We shall see. The Russians have not met any schedule even close now for decades, often missing proposed targets by decades.
- On this day in 1971, Mariner 9 was launched, becoming upon arrival the first successful Martian orbiter
It arrived during a global dust storm, waited it out, and eventually discovered that Mars was not like the Moon as suggested by earlier fly-by missions, but had giant volcanoes, canyons, and many meandering channels suggestive of flowing water.
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
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.
- Another Chinese pseudo-company, Astronstone, raises money, proposes copycat rocket
More here. As noted at the first link, the design appears to be a steal of the rocket being built by another Chinese pseudo-company, Space Epoch. This is not surprising, as the Chinese government requires its fake companies to share all data with the government and other companies. The only design difference is that Astronstone is stealing SpaceX’s chopstick launch tower design for its rocket’s landing.
- Pictures of Space Epoch’s recovered YXZ-1 grasshopper test stage after its soft vertical splashdown in the ocean
There are dents and some damage, but overall the rocket’s condition looks good. A vertical touch down on land would probably have been less harmful than falling over into the ocean.
- Sources claim Russia will begin deploying its own “Starlink constellation” by the end of this year
The sources say each launch will place 16 satellites in orbit. We shall see. The Russians have not met any schedule even close now for decades, often missing proposed targets by decades.
- On this day in 1971, Mariner 9 was launched, becoming upon arrival the first successful Martian orbiter
It arrived during a global dust storm, waited it out, and eventually discovered that Mars was not like the Moon as suggested by earlier fly-by missions, but had giant volcanoes, canyons, and many meandering channels suggestive of flowing water.
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
The actual FY26 budget proposal dropped a couple of hours ago. The Roman Space Telescope was spared, but other than that, the proposal is as bad as everyone thought it would be. Maybe worse. Ugh.
Ah, here we go:
Atlas Centaur AC-23
Mariner 9 Launch (5/30/1971)
San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives
https://youtu.be/U-A_ToPpsuY
28:18
Nice and long, multiple camera angles, Color, but it’s silent….”
“Film from the Atlas Centaur Heritage Film Collection which was donated to the San Diego Air and Space Museum by Lockheed Martin and United Launch Alliance. The Collection contains 3,000 reels of 16-millimeter film.”
Hello Bob,
I just shot you an email on a story developing this afternoon (in case you had not heard). But I sent it from my other main gmail account, so don’t let it throw you off base.
Hello again Bob,
I keep getting an access denied — perhaps because I used a new email address to you?
Anyway….there’s mounting reporting this afternoon that the White House is pulling Jared Isaacman’s nomination as NASA administrator. That is the story.
Semafor:
https://www.semafor.com/article/05/31/2025/white-house-expected-to-pull-nasa-nominee-isaacman
Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/05/31/nasa-nomination-administrator-senate-isaacman/
Politico:
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/31/trump-nasa-nomination-pulled-00378805
A lot of stuff on Twitter, too, but these are the major media reports.
Eric Berger is not holding back: “A likely disaster for NASA. There were two final choices for admin six months ago. One was a budget cutter. The other was Jared.” There is spicier commentary on his feed, but I do not want to violate your rules!
https://x.com/SciGuySpace/status/1928898435194753447
Homer Hickam: “I simply cannot believe this might happen. Disaster? Yes. Tragic? Absolutely. Sickening? I think so. Jared
@rookisaacman doesn’t need @NASA but it surely needs him.”
https://x.com/realhomerhickam/status/1928901269042642959
There is still not a formal announcement from the White House, so take it all for what it is worth.
Now Jeff Foust has talked to someone at the White House:
https://x.com/jeff_foust/status/1928910389397303566
I was just about to mention the news about Jared Isaacman’s nomination, but I see Richard M. beat me to it. I guess Jared’s statements in support of NASA’s science programs were what did him in. I thought he was doing a good job threading the needle between accepting steep cuts while supporting enough science to get confirmed, but apparently not. Sigh.
We’ll see what happens, but this could really turn into a train wreck. Ugh.
Richard M: I’m not sure why your email did not arrive. I will email you directly.