Sunday, June 29, 2025

How Starship can stay on schedule for Musk and NASA’s ambitions

On June 18, SpaceX rolled out the latest iteration of its Starship spacecraft to the test stand for a static fire test in preparation for a test flight scheduled for June 29. Then, around 11 pm Central Standard Time, the spacecraft exploded in a fireball, taking itself and the test stand out in a spectacular conflagration.

Gabriella's War #CommissionEarned

In 1944, with the world convulsed with war, the Contessa Gabriella Doria haunts the piazzas and canals of Venice. Few people know that she is not only an agent for Britain’s MI6 but that she is also a 450 year old vampire. But one SS officer, Kurt Hesselman, knows and has vowed to destroy her, using the occult powers he was born with. Their battle will rage from Gabriella’s beloved Venice to occupied France, and hence to Great Britain on the eve of the largest sea borne invasion in history. The outcome of the war and the fate of the world will hang in the balance.

Children of Apollo (3 book series) #CommissionEarned

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

Zohran Mamdani and the Jews What do Democrats have to say about their Israel-hating nominee to run New York City?
A Brother on the Moon (Stories of Alternate History by Mark R. Whittington Book 1) #CommissionEarned
Patton in Palestine (Stories of Alternate History by Mark R. Whittington Book 2) @CommissionEarned
Why is America Going Back to the Moon (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again)
U.S. Credibility Returns to the Middle East Apart from Israel, Saudi Arabia is the region’s big winner. Its crown prince is eager to modernize.
After the ‘Cease-Fire,’ Tests for Iran Trump can demand that Tehran let in the IAEA and drop its forever war.

Sunday, June 22, 2025

A US Golden Dome would be a geopolitical game changer

In May, President Trump announced plans for a Golden Dome missile defense system, a multi-layered system designed to ward off ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles launched against North America.

Gabriella's War #CommissionEarned
Children of Apollo (3 book series) #CommissionEarned
A Brother on the Moon (Stories of Alternate History by Mark R. Whittington Book 1) #CommissionEarned
Patton in Palestine (Stories of Alternate History by Mark R. Whittington Book 2) #CommissionEarned

Thursday, June 19, 2025

Regarding last night’s accident that destroyed Starship, it is too early for too many hot takes. Obviously, the next flight test has been pushed off for an indeterminate period of time, I have two suggestions, however.

Elon Musk might want to drop everything else and head to Starbase to take charge personally. Too many accidents and glitches are occurring for a vehicle that is crucial for the return to the moon and humans to Mars.

Also, wouldn’t it be great if we had a permanent NASA administrator who could determine how this latest accident affects Artemis and make the appropriate decisions? Just a thought.

Why is America Going Back to the Moon (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarned
Jared Isaacman, who should be NASA administrator, has some thoughts about -- we;; -- everything.

Apologies for the TLDR, but when you step back, it is kind of wild what we’ve all lived through over the last five years. No wonder so many young people are anxious about the future—the ‘disturbance in the force’ feels stronger by the day.

I don’t have any grand takeaways other than this--the world could use an immediate course correction in the direction of boring--or we may really need those Mars rockets sooner than expected. One thing is for sure--Israel is making a compelling case for Golden Dome.

After the Trump-Musk dustup, NASA has much to consider

The social media-driven feud between President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk may have simmered down a bit, with the rhetoric cooling and Musk even deleting some of his ill-considered posts about Trump from X and then apologizing for them.

But the shockwaves generated by the tit-for-tat insults and threats still reverberate through NASA and the commercial space sector.

Gabriella's War #CommissionEarned
It All Started With a Great Hire The 250th birthday of the U.S. Army might not be happening if Washington had not agreed to lead it.
Children of Apollo (3 book series) #CommissionEarned
A Brother on the Moon (Stories of Alternate History by Mark R. Whittington Book 1) #CommissionEarned
Patton in Palestine (Stories of Alternate History by Mark R. Whittington Book 2) #CommissionEarned
Why is America Going Back to the Moon (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarned

Sunday, June 08, 2025

Trump’s palace coup leaves NASA in limbo

The White House suddenly and with no clear reason why, pulled Isaacman’s nomination. After months of a confirmation process, NASA was back to square one for getting a new leader.

Gabriella's War #CommissionEarned
There seems to be a systematic attempt to smrear Jared Isaacman by the same White House cabal that shived him in the first place. Why the Guy Who Elon Wanted to Run NASA Had to Be Jettisoned
Children of Apollo (3 book series) #CommissionEarned
Why Musk’s feud with Trump could jeopardize his business empire

SpaceX held federal contracts with agencies like NASA and the Pentagon long before Trump’s presidency, becoming a crucial partner to the federal government as it phased out the space shuttle program.

If Musk reverses on his decision to keep Dragon in commission, experts say it could debilitate the U.S. space program

“If such threats were carried out, it would be catastrophic,” said space policy expert Mark Whittington, adding later, “Without SpaceX, we’re back to being dependent on the Russians.”

NASA has increasingly relied on SpaceX for its infrastructure, including the Dragon capsule, which is the only U.S. system capable of getting crews to the International Space Station.

Russia’s Souyuz capsules, the Associated Press reported, are the only other way to get crews to the space station.

A Brother on the Moon (Stories of Alternate History by Mark R. Whittington Book 1) #CommissionEarned
Patton in Palestine (Stories of Alternate History by Mark R. Whittington Book 2) #CommissionEarned
Trump Is Losing Patience With Musk’s Outbursts Over Megabill

The uneasy alliance between the two men was also strained by a recent move by the White House to nix Trump’s nominee to run NASA, Jared Isaacman, according to people familiar with the matter. Musk, a close ally of Isaacman, had advocated for him to get the job.

The decision infuriated Musk, who complained to associates over the weekend that he had donated hundreds of millions of dollars to help get Trump elected in last year’s campaign, only to see Isaacman’s nomination pulled, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said. Musk’s frustration over the NASA episode made him more willing to aggressively criticize the tax bill, people close to him said. Musk didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Will Trump Take ‘No’ for an Answer? Russia and Iran keep rejecting the President’s diplomatic offers
Pulled NASA nomination blindsides space community: ‘Major blunder’

“I was frankly gobsmacked,” Mark Whittington, an author who studies space, politics and policy, told The Hill. “Jared Isaacman is well regarded by just about everybody.”

Why is America Going Back to the Moon (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarned
@SciGuySpace mentioned Steven Kwast, a retired US Air Force Lt. General as a possible replacement for @rookisaacman. Here's a Space News piece in which he opens his mind on space policy.

How American entrepreneurs can help win the space race against China

The Moon, Mars, and Beyond: Two Tales from the Coming Space Age

Monday, June 02, 2025

Trump pulled his NASA pick after top aide lobbied against the nominee, source says'

The source told CNN that Musk’s exit left room for a faction of people in Trump’s inner circle, particularly Sergio Gor, the director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office and longtime MAGA supporter, to advocate for installing a different nominee.

Ukraine Still Isn’t Defeated Daring drone raids on air bases deep inside Russia show Kyiv’s continuing will to fight.

Sunday, June 01, 2025

Starship’s ninth test creates problems for Elon Musk

The good news is that SpaceX fixed those problems. Starship did not explode soon after separation from the Super Heavy. But, as so often happens during test flights of cutting-edge rockets, other problems arose.

Gabriella's War #CommissionEarned
Eric Berger has some more insights about Trump pulling Isaacman's nomination as NASA administrator

"Musk was a key factor behind Isaacman's nomination as NASA administrator, and with his backing, Isaacman was able to skip some of the party purity tests that have been applied to other Trump administration nominees. One mark against Isaacman is that he had recently donated money to Democrats. He also indicated opposition to some of the White House's proposed cuts to NASA's science budget.

"Musk's role in the government was highly controversial, winning him enemies both among opponents of Trump's "Make America Great Again" agenda as well as inside the administration. One source told Ars that, with Musk's exit, his opponents within the administration sought to punish him by killing Isaacman's nomination."

Much more about this anon.
Children of Apollo (3 book series) #CommissionEarned
A Brother on the Moon (Stories of Alternate History by Mark R. Whittington Book 1)
Patton in Palestine (Stories of Alternate History by Mark R. Whittington Book 2)

Thursday, May 29, 2025

Hostage Freed From Hamas Reveals Who His Captors Wanted To Win US Election

I'm surprised there wasn't one of those cringy online chats called "Terrorists for Kamala"

Reconciling Republicans Trump’s tax bill hits the Senate—and there’s more agreement than not.
Why is America Going Back to the Moon (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarned
The Moon, Mars, and Beyond: Two Tales from the Coming Space Age #CommissionEarned

Sunday, May 25, 2025

What a commercial crewed moon mission could look like

Sometime in the near future, if all goes well, a billion or more video screens will show the image of a stainless-steel tower on the lunar surface, the Starship Human Landing System. Then, a close-up of the elevator will follow, bearing two space-suited astronauts from the crew compartment to the base of the lander.

Children of Apollo (3 book series) #CommissionEarned
A Brother on the Moon (Stories of Alternate History by Mark R. Whittington Book 1) #CommissionEarned
Patton in Palestine (Stories of Alternate History by Mark R. Whittington Book 2) #CommissionEarned
Why is America Going Back to the Moon (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarned
If Israel Lost the War asks a haunting question

But what if things had gone differently? If Israel Lost the War by Richard Chesnoff, Edward Klein, and Robert Littel seeks to answer that question.

The alternate history novel depicts a Six Day War in reverse. The Arab air forces strike first, destroying the Israeli Air Force on the ground, The armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon roll in and conquer Israel within days. The life of the Jewish state, then just 19 years old, is snuffed out.

The Moon, Mars, and Beyond: Two Tales from the Coming Space Age #CommissionEarneed
A Baby Operation Warp Speed: A gene therapy shows the promise of new biotech breakthroughs.
Dilbert creator Scott Adams reveals he has same type of cancer as Biden and shares heartbreakingly short prognosis

All prayers for @ScottAdamsSays. I pray that the doctors are mistaken. But if they are not, I hope God is a Dilbert fan.

Why is it So Hard to Go Back to the Moon? (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again)

Sunday, May 18, 2025

Trump’s NASA budget cuts: The good, the bad, and the ugly

The so-called “skinny” version of the federal budget proposal was released recently. The NASA portion is causing angst and consternation.