Random thoughts on politics, current events, popular culture, and whatever else interests me.
Monday, September 21, 2026
Sunday, September 20, 2026
President Trump will be remembered, along with John F. Kennedy Jr. and Ronald Reagan, as one of the American presidents who took America’s space program to new heights. The world is going back to the moon, largely because of Trump and the two men he appointed to be NASA administrator — Jim Bridenstine in his first term and Jarad Isaacman in his second.
However, two recent social media posts by Trump have been perplexing.
The latest political controversy du jour is that if we do not slow down or even stop the development of artificial intelligence systems, they will inevitably destroy the human species. How such a calamity will happen, whether prognosticated by “whistleblowers” from the industry or unscrupulous politicians, is unclear.
Saturday, September 19, 2026
Friday, September 18, 2026
Thursday, September 17, 2026
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Monday, September 14, 2026
Sunday, September 13, 2026
Given these differing opinions, what, if anything, can be done to give development of a commercial space infrastructure in low Earth orbit an extra boost?
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Friday, September 11, 2026
Thursday, September 10, 2026
Wednesday, September 09, 2026
Tuesday, September 08, 2026
Monday, September 07, 2026
This should be a fun read with some insider revelations.
Sunday, September 06, 2026
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman’s support for Elon Musk’s idea to put AI data centers in space and power them with solar panels did not occur in a vacuum. It comes not just against a background of rising, bipartisan opposition to ground-based data centers but also the recent announcement of an immense, SpaceX Starbase to be built in Louisiana.
Saturday, September 05, 2026
From Book 1: July, 1969, the crew of Apollo 11 has triumphantly returned to Earth. In this alternate history thriller, President Richard Nixon puts into a motion a scheme to ramp up the space race to pressure the Soviets into making diplomatic and military concessions. Thus begins a story of high adventure on the final frontier and of low intrigue in the corridors of power back on Earth. It will prove to be the fulfillment of a dream for Wendy Pendleton to be the first woman to walk on the moon. It will be a nightmare for Cal Lauren, a political operative determined to stop the space race at all costs to fund the social programs he holds dear.
Children of Apollo: The Space Race Gambit continues with Children of Apollo: The Hard Road to the Stars and concludes with Children of Apollo: The First Woman on the Moon.
Friday, September 04, 2026
Thursday, September 03, 2026
Wednesday, September 02, 2026
Tuesday, September 01, 2026
Monday, August 31, 2026
Sunday, August 30, 2026
The liftoff of China’s Chang’e 7 mission to the moon has been delayed into 2027. Ars Technica reports that the Chinese are being vague about the exact reasons for the delay, only suggesting it is due to, adhering to “the principle of proceeding prudently and reliably, and ensuring absolute success.”
Saturday, August 29, 2026
Friday, August 28, 2026
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Tuesday, August 25, 2026
Monday, August 24, 2026
Sunday, August 23, 2026
With the Artemis program going full out to establish a base on the moon and with dreams by SpaceX’s Elon Musk to build a city on Mars, the question arises about how these worlds will be governed once humans are living on them. Adriana C. Ocampo Uria, a planetary scientist and self-described space ethics specialist, has taken to Space News to propose one answer.
Saturday, August 22, 2026
Friday, August 21, 2026
Thursday, August 20, 2026
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Monday, August 17, 2026
Sunday, August 16, 2026
Redwire, working through its space-based pharmaceutical subsidiary, SpaceMD, has bought the first operational flight of the SpaceX Starfall to continue the research and development of drugs using microgravity to improve their potency and other qualities. If and when the company creates space-manufactured drugs, they will constitute the first physical product created beyond the Earth.