An interesting essay. I’m working with several people to pursue LASSO. It’s primarily a tech demo for low-altitude lunar orbit, but if it works, we could get a good map of the resource.
Category Archives: Space
The Current Artemis State Of Play
A good article from Irene Klotz.
[Afternoon update]
What comes after Artemis III?
The Musk derangement is strong in comments.
And this had me rolling my eyes: “”…one friend in the industry predicted a future without them to be so dire that Artemis III would be the last US human spaceflight of our lifetimes.”
An Amusing Scam
An account on X called @Gwynneshotwell7 claiming to be Gwynne Shotwell followed me the other day. Out of curiosity, I followed it back. It then initiated a DM conversation with it as following:
Scammer: Hello this is Gwynne Shotwell president of SpaceX Yesterday, 6:10 PM
Me: It obviously is not. Yesterday, 9:24 PM
Scammer: Yeah it true this is my private account and SpaceX is giving new opportunities to everyoneSpaceX. Is giving investment opportunities Potential benefits include substantial monthly revenue, potentially reaching $50,000 per week or more, depending on your investment and agreement. You would also have opportunities to participate in government contracts and partnerships, and contribute to decision-making in pioneering U.S. technology. Furthermore, there’s the exciting prospect of lunar and Martian travel, offering the chance to be among the first to explore new frontiers developed by SpaceX. 4:14 AM
Me: I know Gwynne. You are not Gwynne. 8:49 AM
Scammer: Yeah of course this is me and this is my private account Have we meant before? 10:35 AM
Me: Gwynne is grammatical and knows how to spell.10:52 AM
Scammer: It was likely a typographical error, as previously stated. This is the best chance to build generational wealth; it’s an opportunity you might never see again. Throughout my career as a financial engineer and investor, I can confidently say that this represents the most significant investment return I have ever seen. And of course this is Gwynne Shotwell 11:15 AM
Me: Of course you’re a scam artist. Your account will be ended shortly.
_______________________________________
It doesn’t know that I emailed Gwynne this morning about it. I think she knows someone who can do something about this…
The Hammer Drops
The administration is proposing ending Gateway, and SLS/Orion after Artemis III. That’s still two flights too many, but it all has yet to play out.
[Afternoon update]
Thoughts from Bob Zimmerman.
[Sunday-morning update]
Speaking of Bob Zimmerman, he’s less than impressed with Lockheed Martin’s delivery of the first crew-capable Orion.
[Bumped]
Thoughts On The Path Forward
I guess I should follow up with the main point: Once you explicitly accept that you're going to use multiple launches to get back to the Moon, it opens up the trade space for lots of different architectures. If NASA doesn't already have a tiger team doing trade studies to present…
— Not-So-OK Boomer (@Rand_Simberg) April 28, 2025
A New Market For Space Visits?
Aging Don Pettit says that he felt great in orbit.
The problem is that free fall also has a lot of the same effects as aging, so I’m not sure this is a great solution for seniors long term. But if we can figure out how to alleviate the negative effects (which may also be cures for aging down here), it might very well become a great place for senior living.
Progress In Space Solar
Things are moving along in the UK.
Reforming NASA
I largely agree with these recommendations. I doubt if there’s been any serious discussion with OMB about NASA.
Honoring Heinlein
A petition to name a Navy ship after him. Endorsed.
“It’s Very Pro-Commercial Space Right now”
Leonard David interviews Dave Cavossa.