This week, off world: Two experimental mega rockets launch in one week, India achieves docking in space and loads more...

  Decades of conflict have devastated the Central African Republic, with especially harsh effects on children. To help alleviate the suffering if this mostly forgotten conflict, you can donate here...

...and here is (one) place you can donate to help children in Afghanistan, caught under the Taliban.

Thank you!

  Pick o' the podcasts:

This Week In Space podcast: Episode 143 — King Starship | Space

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From the video store:

India's SpaDex mission achieves docking in space

SpaceX's Starship mega-rocket launches - booster makes safe & accurate landing, but Starship itself is lost in flight:

By contrast: New Glenn's maiden launch - makes it to orbit, but booster misses landing (just) & is lost

ESA's new spaceplane design:

SpaceX Transporter-12 launches more than 100 satellites - NASASpaceFlight.com

SpaceX launches NROL-153, expanding U.S. spy satellite constellation   - SpaceNews

Smart robot helps out astronauts on China's Tiangong space station (video) | Space

Chinese sea launch sends 10 navigation enhancement satellites into orbit - SpaceNews

Sound of a meteorite hitting Earth captured for the first time – on a doorbell camera

Reading material:

A mysterious US spaceplane just achieved a new milestone

Rosotics pivots to focus on orbital transport vehicles - SpaceNews

Yutu-2 rover likely immobile on the moon after historic lunar far side mission - SpaceNews

Four Astranis GEO satellites pass initial commissioning milestone  - SpaceNews

Defense Department's new tool to investigate on-orbit anomalies - SpaceNews

China test-fires 5 new rocket engines in a single day. But what are they for? (video) | Space

This week, off world: SpaceX opens 2025 with flight 7 of its mega-rocket, China plans a gigantic solar power satellite and loads more...

 Decades of conflict have devastated the Central African Republic, with especially harsh effects on children. To help alleviate the suffering if this mostly forgotten conflict, you can donate here...

...and here is (one) place you can donate to help children in Afghanistan, caught under the Taliban.

Thank you!

  Pick o' the podcasts:

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From the video store:

SpaceX launches 1st Starlink satellites of 2025 (photos) | Space

Hottest material ever?

 

New European rockets: 

 

Miranda: The weirdest moon?

Reading material:

China plans half-mile-long solar power station for unlimited power

Dutch military signs satellite intelligence deal with Maxar  - SpaceNews

Pictures from space show scale of devastating California wildfires

Pictures capture icy craters and sunlit plains of solar system's smallest planet

Venus is Important. We Should Take its Exploration Seriously. - Universe Today

China-makes-first-industrial-grade-niobium-alloy-hypersonic-flight

Springtime on Mars brings frost avalanches, gas geysers and explosions (photos) | Space

Pale Blue to flight test water thruster with D-Orbit - SpaceNews

Rocket Lab asks NASA to open up MSR to commercial competition - SpaceNews

NASA Lays Out Two New Options for Mars Sample Return - Universe Today

U.S. military satellites achieve first cross-vendor laser communications link - SpaceNews

NASA emphasizes role of the moon as testbed for future human Mars missions - SpaceNews

Off world, over Christmas & New Year: Record breaking spacewalk, a newly discovered Martian volcano and loads more....

 Decades of conflict have devastated the Central African Republic, with especially harsh effects on children. To help alleviate the suffering if this mostly forgotten conflict, you can donate here...

...and here is (one) place you can donate to help children in Afghanistan, caught under the Taliban.

Thank you!

  Pick o' the podcasts:

225: A newly discovered Martian volcano with Dr. Lee — Spacepod

2025 AI, space industry outlooks: Market Domination Overtime

 

From the video store:

SpaDex (that's not a typo) launch: 

SpaceX's last Starlink launch of 2024: 

Animals Reacting to Zero Gravity - YouTube

 

Shenzhou-19 astronauts complete first spacewalk

From GOES to GeoXO: Past Highlights to Future Horizons

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Reading material:

2025 will be a year of slow but steady progress for climate monitoring satellites - SpaceNews

EU launches €10bn space programme to rival Musk’s Starlink | Aerospace industry | The Guardian

Will 2025 be the year of Starship? SpaceX's megarocket is growing up. | Space

A New Mission Watches Meteoroids Hit the Far Side of the Moon - Universe Today

This week, off world: The Sun may superflare every 100 years, China launches its 'laser diamond' test satellites, and loads more...

Decades of conflict have devastated the Central African Republic, with especially harsh effects on children. To help alleviate the suffering if this mostly forgotten conflict, you can donate here...

...and here is (one) place you can donate to help children in Afghanistan, caught under the Taliban.

Thank you!

  Pick o' the podcasts:

223: Preparing for something we haven't seen yet with Dr. Holt — Spacepod

 

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From the video store:

China launches “laser diamond constellation test” satellites - SpaceNews

ESA’s Proba 3 mission to form artificial solar eclipses in space 

Nothing from SpaceX this week... I'm kidding:  Blastoff! SpaceX launches 22 Starlink satellites from California, nails landing 

Reading material:

Virgin Galactic signs agreement to study suborbital spaceflights from Italian spaceport - SpaceNews

Trump’s second term can achieve the bipartisan goal of resilient satellites  - SpaceNews

Firefly Sparkle: 'Christmas' galaxy reveals how Universe formed - BBC News

Flare from supermassive black hole M87 astounds in images | UCLA

Superflares once per Century

This week, off world: Making space a shared frontier, Vega C returns to flight and loads more...

 Here’s where you can donate to help Ukrainian refugees and war victims... 

...and here is (one) place you can donate to help children in Afghanistan, caught under the Taliban.

Thank you!

  Pick o' the podcasts:

224: Aurora borealis with Tina Ibsen — Spacepod

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From the video store:

Vega C successfully returns to flight - SpaceNews

China launches first Long March 12 from new commercial spaceport in boost for country's lunar plans - SpaceNews

SpaceX launches fifth mission for NRO’s proliferated architecture  - SpaceNews

Reading material:

The urgent need for a national GPS jamming detection system - SpaceNews

'Cataclysmic' solar storm hit Earth around 2,687 years ago, ancient tree rings reveal | Space

Globalstar and Parsons unveil satellite service for defense market - SpaceNews

Neuraspace installs second telescope to enhance space traffic monitoring - SpaceNews

It’s time to make space exploration a shared frontier for all - SpaceNews

This week (well the last few weeks, I've been ill), off world: SpaceX SpaceX SpaceX, an interview with Rocket Lab's CEO Peter Beck and loads more...

Here’s where you can donate to help Ukrainian refugees and war victims... 

...and here is (one) place you can donate to help children in Afghanistan, caught under the Taliban.

Thank you!

  Pick o' the podcasts:

The Inquiry - What will happen after the International Space Station? - BBC Sounds 

 

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From the video store:

6th test flight of SpaceX's Starship rocket, as President Elect Trump watches: 

 

   

 

SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites from Florida, lands rocket at sea, after weather delay (video) | Space

Rocket Lab launches two Electrons within 24 hours - SpaceNews

 

...their CEO becomes the newest 'Space Billionaire'...

...and is interviewed by CNBC:

Tianzhou-7 undocks from Chinese space station:

Tianzhou 8 launches...

...and docks:

Blue Origin launches ninth crewed New Shepard suborbital mission - SpaceNews 

 

Reading material:

Secret China project revealed by satellite images to be nuclear propulsion system

What a 2nd Trump administration could mean for NASA and space exploration | Space

Pakistan’s toxic smog cover is now visible from space

Space station developers weigh in on NASA’s continuous presence rethink - SpaceNews

ESA and JAXA sign statement on expanding deep space cooperation - SpaceNews

There was Hot Water on Mars 4.45 Billion Years Ago - Universe Today

Earth's Old Trees Keep A Record of Powerful Solar Storms - Universe Today

The First Close-Up Picture of Star Outside the Milky Way - Universe Today

Scotland Cannot Afford To Miss Out On The New Race For Space