November 21, 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.
- Scientists think they have identified a new ancient population of Kuiper Belt objects at about 43 astronomical units from the Sun
That’s about four billion miles. It is however not yet confirmed if the objects found at this distance really form a distinct ancient population
- Chinese pseudo-company Galactic Energy completes its investigation into its failed Ceres-1 launch on November 10th
It appears the insulation on a cable melted from too much heat, causing a short circuit.
- Another Chinese pseudo-company, dubbed Fstspace
Its copycat Falcon 9 will use 9 engines in the 1st stage, fueled by methane. There are a LOT of these Chinese rocket startups. Most will never see the light of day.
- On this day in 1998, the first module of ISS was launched from Baikonur
Dubbed Zarya, it was built by Russia but paid for by the U.S., which still owns it. Though it is the oldest module on ISS, it is the Russian Zvezda module, launched two years later, that presently has the stress fractures in its hull from which the station’s atmosphere is leaking, and which threaten the station’s survival in the next four years.
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.
- Scientists think they have identified a new ancient population of Kuiper Belt objects at about 43 astronomical units from the Sun
That’s about four billion miles. It is however not yet confirmed if the objects found at this distance really form a distinct ancient population
- Chinese pseudo-company Galactic Energy completes its investigation into its failed Ceres-1 launch on November 10th
It appears the insulation on a cable melted from too much heat, causing a short circuit.
- Another Chinese pseudo-company, dubbed Fstspace
Its copycat Falcon 9 will use 9 engines in the 1st stage, fueled by methane. There are a LOT of these Chinese rocket startups. Most will never see the light of day.
- On this day in 1998, the first module of ISS was launched from Baikonur
Dubbed Zarya, it was built by Russia but paid for by the U.S., which still owns it. Though it is the oldest module on ISS, it is the Russian Zvezda module, launched two years later, that presently has the stress fractures in its hull from which the station’s atmosphere is leaking, and which threaten the station’s survival in the next four years.
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


On aerospace and computing
https://techxplore.com/news/2025-11-large-language-qa-aerospace.html
What Paul Harvey would call a strange:
https://techxplore.com/news/2025-11-polarization-motion-ferroelectric-fluids-redefine.html
This will TRANSFER ELECTRICAL ENERGY INTO MECHANICAL MOTION-
…at low voltages (phooey).
Hard to believe it’s been 27 years since ISS assembly began. How the time flies.
Another minor space note of interest, from Eric Berger:
“NASA no longer has any astronauts assigned to Starliner-1. Scott Tingle was on the crew but has become chief of the astronaut office. Luke Delaney was also assigned, but has now moved to Crew-13, per a source.”
https://x.com/SciGuySpace/status/1991998986526634140
Make of that what you will.
So how are all the other astronauts getting into space?
Seriously.
Its about time. even NASA can no longer ignore the troubles.
NASA just announced officially (about 45 minutes ago) that the next Starliner flight has had its contract modified to be a cargo delivery mission. Contract modified from 6 flights down to 4, with “up to” three crew missions pending Starliner 1.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/commercialcrew/2025/11/24/nasa-boeing-modify-commercial-crew-contract/
And now we know why there are no NASA astronauts assigned to it any longer.
Also, Blue Origin is on some kind of mad run of activity right now. Today, it’s an announcement of a Blue Ring mission.
https://www.blueorigin.com/news/blue-ring-optimum-technologies-sensor
Richard M,
Interesting news anent Starliner, but not surprising. Those three crew missions, I suppose, are tentatively penciled in for 2027, ’28 and ’29. Small wonder crew assignments are not a current priority.
Hi Dick,
Most likely. But I think that’s the *most optimistic* outcome at this point. It absolutely depends on a flawless mission for Starliner-1, and no other hiccups.
If we were betting men, we’d bet that it is not going to deliver three crew missions.