Back then (https://spacey.space/@astrodad/113836864029804066) I mentioned Cyclical development, which is the advantage SpaceX had - being able to fly paying missions, push the envelope of the hardware, improve reliability and process efficiency. I kinda meant iterative as well, but:

One of the problems with SLS is that the flights are so few and far between, the support teams and engineers can't learn from each mission to improve the next. Hopefully Blue Origin can find a happy medium between those two approaches.

*Le sigh*. Once again SpaceX showing that "move fast and break things" and "iterative development" is not always the best approach when it comes to large scale complex vehicles. When you've mucked up a couple of times and caused massive impact to other people, you need to rethink your assumptions and testing regimes.

The (comparitive) success of New Glenn in January should have been a wakeup call.

All my life, I've held that folks who go into justice work should be held to much higher standards of conduct than anyone else. I did my best to hold myself to it.

I developed this belief as a kid. Like maybe when I was 11, 12 or 13.

It's such a no brainer, and the fact that -children- can see *systemic failings* produced by bigoted authoritarian minded "adults" ...should have given everyone pause, way before now.

JFC people are brainwashed to become such hubristic POS.

"Yes we can"
Mangione sticker spotted in Berne, Switzerland

I haven't seen any comments from women in Spaceflight yet, but Marina Hyde definitely captures my feelings.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/15/lauren-sanchez-katy-perry-space-blue-origin-female-flight

"I always thought space travel was futuristic, but this was the first time it came off as travelling back in time, in this case using their little capsule to take us back to the most ludicrous inanities of 2010s girlboss feminism."

Hoping for this to be part of a deeper analysis from Ethno-ISS and other space #anthropology researchers (there are several).

@spaceflight
Some great folks at UCL if you're looking for a new home, @planet4589 ;)

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/research/domains/space/head-space-themes-host

@planet4589 : "When I was a kid 🧒, it was #LEO. Now, the frontier is out near the #asteroid belt, and the #Moon and #Mars are becoming part of where humanity just hangs out, maybe not yet as people, but with #robots. Meanwhile, #LEO is so normalized that it doesn’t take a #SpaceAgency to deal with it. You just call #SpaceX. Thousand years from now, perhaps more people live off Earth 🌌 than on it" https://www.cearkadia.edu.pl/jonathan-mcdowell-on-retiring-from-harvard-and-leaving-the-u-s

#SpaceExploration #SpaceHistory

As with all the New Shephard launches, I think yesterday's spectacle was negative rather than positive for the aims of human spaceflight. It gives detractors a chance to whine about the waste of money and pollution, and misogynists more fuel. There *was* still a risk to the passengers, they have had to overcome personal fears, true. But it's all distraction from real work that's actually being undertaken by women astronauts and the many on earth who build spacecraft and support missions.

Was sent this advert for a space related summer school run by Kings College London. The cost is probably worth it, but that still excludes a huge number of kids. Most egregious though, is that it's within term time, so only available to kids from private schools. As the feedback comments show. More needs to be done on #wideningparticipation

Ok it's note real space stuff (yet), but this is awesome: Blender artist renders Interstellar docking scene in Lego. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqSPkZ-jny8

@valerie And an interview with Rachel Lense who designed it: https://www.southernfriedscience.com/the-story-of-the-pride-flag-made-from-nasa-imagery-blueskys-most-liked-image/

In honor of trans day of visibility, I'm posting this pride flag that was created by NASA, but recently deleted from their website: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14627.

Coverage of the #Fram2 crewed mission on #SpaceX Dragon that launched earlier today / yesterday depending on your location. Includes a catchup with Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon who flew on Polaris Dawn last September, and with Marisa Rosenberg talking about some of the medical research that will be happening on the flight.

https://youtu.be/Gn8fR2CGviI

Clear skies means a really good pass of the #ISS over UK and Europe coming up shortly, about 19:10 UTC.
Look to the West and it should go straight overhead towards the East.

More opportunities over the next few days, 7-8pm ish
(screenshot is from the excellent Heavens Above android app)

Hmm. Kirill Dmitriev reaching out to Musk on a future US/Russia Mars mission.

Given the state of Roscosmos in recent years e.g. their attitude with the Soyuz leaks, I suspect this is more a distraction tactic for Musk & Trump during the negotiations over ending the war.

https://english.nv.ua/nation/putin-s-envoy-suggests-joint-u-s-russia-mars-mission-to-elon-musk-50498165.html

#NASA said it was pushing the return date even earlier, to Tuesday, to take advantage of a good weather ⛅ forecast along the Gulf Coast of #Florida where the #astronauts 👩‍🚀👨‍🚀 will splash down. Ms. Williams and Mr. Wilmore have lived on the #SpaceStation for nine months⏳ https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/16/us/spacex-iss-nasa-astronauts-return.html

#ISS

@oneoveralpha Odd that I can't see that toot from my main account, but can see others from you. Must be a block somewhere.

I have seen that strip advertised elsewhere but not looked at it. Always fun to find a new comic.

New video from Rocketlab showing their Hungry Hippo fairing system for the Neutron rocket.
https://youtu.be/Ink9O2OMrik

Boeing Starliner astronauts heading back to Earth on March 18 after 9 months in space: Watch it live
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/international-space-station/boeing-starliner-astronauts-spacex-crew-9-return-to-earth?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Excited to see Anne McClain back on the ISS! 6 years ago she sent kiddo a birthday message which made her day.