May 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.
- Anther new startup, Cochrane Exploration, proposes two direct-to-orbit spaceplanes
So far nothing more than great graphics.
- Computer simulations say Jupiter was once twice its size and had a much more powerful magnetic field
To say there is uncertainty in these conclusions is a mild understatement.
- Axiom touts its partnership with Omega watches
As Jay notes, “I remember Mel Brooks from Space Balls: ‘Merchandising, merchandising, where the real money from the movie is made.'”
- Video of fire at SpaceX test stand during static fire test
The tweet speculates this might have been a failure of a Raptor-3 engine.
- French parliament report worries about job losses if Airbus and Thalia Alenia merger goes through
The report also worried about decreasing interest in ESA’s government Iris2 constellation, proposed to compete with Starlink but far more expensive and not expected to launch for years.
The second point is actually more important. It signals the shift among European governments away from the failed government model, something that the French parliament is apparently not yet able to comprehend.
- On this day in 1978 Pioneer Venus was launched to orbit Venus
It was the first American orbiter to arrive there, and operated from late 1978 until October 1992.
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.
- Anther new startup, Cochrane Exploration, proposes two direct-to-orbit spaceplanes
So far nothing more than great graphics.
- Computer simulations say Jupiter was once twice its size and had a much more powerful magnetic field
To say there is uncertainty in these conclusions is a mild understatement.
- Axiom touts its partnership with Omega watches
As Jay notes, “I remember Mel Brooks from Space Balls: ‘Merchandising, merchandising, where the real money from the movie is made.'”
- Video of fire at SpaceX test stand during static fire test
The tweet speculates this might have been a failure of a Raptor-3 engine.
- French parliament report worries about job losses if Airbus and Thalia Alenia merger goes through
The report also worried about decreasing interest in ESA’s government Iris2 constellation, proposed to compete with Starlink but far more expensive and not expected to launch for years.The second point is actually more important. It signals the shift among European governments away from the failed government model, something that the French parliament is apparently not yet able to comprehend.
- On this day in 1978 Pioneer Venus was launched to orbit Venus
It was the first American orbiter to arrive there, and operated from late 1978 until October 1992.