jxmie

I'm somewhere between pessimistic and hopeful weirdly. In 2020 when I saw some of the first Starlink launches, I certainly didn't imagine we'd have 11,000+ Starlinks on orbit already. Just like after seeing the first booster land in 2015, I certainly didn't imagine actually reusing them more than a couple times, and having it still be more of a lucky thing when they recovered and reused a booster, vs the absolute norm. So I don't know. I've seen both sides of this coin. Disappointment and changes drifting farther from the plan (Grey Dragon, dearMoon, any and all MARS timelines), but I've also been shocked by some accomplishments.

SpaceX has just released a massive new list of changes in Starship V3, which is now scheduled to launch on May 19th: Super Heavy V3 Changes Grid Fin Redesign: • Reduced from 4 fins to 3 • Each fin is now: 50% larger, stronger, repositioned for better catching/lifting • Lowered on booster to reduce heat exposure during hot staging • Fin hardware moved inside fuel tank for protection Integrated Hot Stage: • Removes the old disposable interstage shield • Booster dome now directly exposed to upper-stage engine ignition • Tank pressure + steel shielding protect structure • Interstage actuators retract after separation for protection New Fuel Transfer System: • Massive redesign of fuel transfer tube • Roughly the size of a Falcon 9 first stage • Allows: simultaneous startup of all 33 Raptors, faster and more reliable flip maneuvers Engine Bay / Thermal Protection Changes: • Engine shrouds removed entirely • New shielding added between engines • Propulsion + avionics more tightly integrated • CO₂ fire suppression system removed • Simpler and lighter aft section Propellant Loading Improvements: • Moved from 1 quick disconnect to 2 separate systems • Adds redundancy • Reduces complexity of pad interfaces Starship V3 Changes Completely Redesigned Propulsion System: • Clean-sheet redesign • Supports: new Raptor startup method, larger propellant volume and improved reaction control system • Reduces trapped/leaked propellant risk Aft Section Simplification: • Fluid + electrical systems rerouted • Engine shrouds deleted • Large aft cavity removed Flap Actuation Upgrade: • Changed from: 2 actuators per flap to 1 actuator with 3 motors • Improves:, redundancy, mass efficiency, cost Faster Starlink Deployment: • Upgraded PEZ dispenser • Faster satellite deployment speeds Long-Duration Spaceflight Capability: • New systems added for: long orbital coasts, orbital refueling, cryogenic fluid management, vacuum, insulated header systems and high-voltage cryogenic recirculation Ship-to-Ship Docking + Refueling: • Added 4 docking drogues • Added propellant transfer connections • Directly supports in-space refueling architecture Avionics Upgrades Massive Electrical System Upgrade: • ~60 custom avionics units • Batteries/inverters/high-voltage systems integrated together • ~9 MW peak power capability Better Navigation + Redundancy: • New multi-sensor navigation system • Designed for precision autonomous flight Propellant Monitoring in Space: • New RF sensors measure propellant levels in microgravity • Important for orbital refueling missions Camera + Connectivity Upgrades: • ~50 onboard camera views • 480 Mbps Starlink connectivity onboard • Low-latency redundant communications Raptor 3 Engine Changes Higher Thrust: • Sea-level Raptors: • Increased from: 230 tf → 250 tf 507k lbf → 551k lbf Vacuum Raptors: Increased from: 258 tf → 275 tf 568k lbf → 606k lbf Lower Mass: • Sea-level engine mass reduced: 1630 kg → 1525 kg Simpler Design: • Sensors/controllers integrated into engine body • Removes need for engine shrouds • New ignition system for all variants • Huge Vehicle-Level Weight Savings • ~1 ton saved per engine across vehicle systems Launch Pad 2 Upgrades (Starbase) Faster Propellant Loading: • Larger propellant farm • More pumps • Faster fueling operations Chopstick Improvements: • Shorter arms for faster movement • Switched from hydraulic → electromechanical actuators • Better reliability + redundancy Stronger Quick Disconnect Arm: • Reinforced and redesigned • Swings farther away during launch Launch Mount Redesign: • Better load handling • Improved launch protection • Improved throwback reliability New Flame Diverter System: • Bidirectional flame diverter • Designed to eliminate ablation/refurbishment after launch Hardened Propellant Systems: • Methane and oxygen systems separated • Valves/filters moved into protected bunker • Improves safety and reliability SpaceX: "Together, these new elements are designed to enable a step-change in Starship capabilities and aim to unlock the vehicle’s core functions, including full and rapid reuse, in-space propellant transfer, deployment of Starlink satellites and orbital data centers, and the ability to send people and cargo to the Moon and Mars." This is going to be an epic flight! 🚀

Full stack engineering

🚨 Joby Aviation just completed New York City’s first-ever point-to-point electric air taxi flight • Kicks off a week-long public campaign across the city's heliport network • Goal is to connect Manhattan to JFK in under 10 minutes • Aircraft produces zero operating emissions • Designed to blend into the ambient noise of everyday city life, much quieter than conventional helicopters • Job is in the final stages of FAA certification — which will allow FAA pilots to begin for-credit testing • Will be partnered with Delta Air Lines and Uber • Flights were made possible through the FAA's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey serving as the lead partner • Showcase is part of Joby's 2026 Electric Skies Tour — timed to the country's 250th anniversary that launched with a flight over the Golden Gate Bridge earlier this year

An absolute must watch! Pure rocket cinema! So thankful @spacex produced a video with this much behind the scenes and story telling!!! Loved seeing McGregor get some much needed love too!

GIVE ME ALL THE ARTEMIS IPHONE VIDEOS WOWWWW

Only one chance in this lifetime… Like watching sunset at the beach from the most foreign seat in the cosmos, I couldn’t resist a cell phone video of Earthset. You can hear the shutter on the Nikon as @Astro_Christina is hammering away on 3-shot brackets and capturing those exceptional Earthset photos through the 400mm lens. @AstroVicGlover was in window 3 watching with @Astro_Jeremy next to him. I could barely see the Moon through the docking hatch window but the iPhone was the perfect size to catch the view…this is uncropped, uncut with 8x zoom which is quite comparable to the view of the human eye. Enjoy.

Look at this insane view from inside a Port Isabel home during SpaceX's static fire today. Yes, she's a POWERFUL booster! @jwolfgram

Recovery footage of the Artemis II crew 🚀

Taking one more small step for man (and woman), and the next giant leap for mankind, launching a new era of celestial exploration, Artemis II & its crew flew around the moon aboard Orion Integrity going further than anyone before them. @NASASpaceflight youtube.com/watch?v=Fbpd2Y…

Artemis II has reached its maximum distance from Earth. On the far side of the Moon, 252,756 miles away, Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy have now traveled farther from Earth than any humans in history and now begin their journey home. Before they left, they said they hoped this mission would be forgotten, but it will be remembered as the moment people started to believe that America can once again do the near-impossible and change the world. Congratulations to this incredible crew and the entire NASA team, our international and commercial partners, but this mission isn’t over until they’re under safe parachutes, splashing down into the Pacific.

🚀 LIVE FROM SPACE: President Donald J. Trump Calls Artemis II Astronauts After Breaking the Farthest Distance Record in Human Spaceflight 🇺🇸 HISTORIC! "Your mission paves the way for America's return to the lunar surface very soon."

NASA says some of the Apollo landing sites will be visible at the very beginning of the Artemis II lunar flyby on Monday. They’ll say exactly what ones in the daily briefing tomorrow. That means moon landing deniers are going to have real bad day on Monday.

POPULATION SLOWDOWN MEANS LABOR MARKET CAN NO LONGER DRIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH, FED WARNS US labor force growth could fall to near zero as population growth weakens and participation declines, an unprecedented shift. Key implications: • Job losses could happen just as often as job gains • Future GDP growth must come almost entirely from productivity The Fed is signaling a structural change that the workforce is no longer growing enough to power the economy.

@pmarca Oh this kid is definitely getting a bag of NASA gear.

Humans just launched into space, on their way to the moon (flyby around it). It'll be farthest humans have ever traveled into deep space 🤯 Congrats to all the incredible engineers & teams involved! LFG!!!!!!!

Liftoff. The Artemis II mission launched from @NASAKennedy at 6:35pm ET (2235 UTC), propelling four astronauts on a journey around the Moon. Artemis II will pave the way for future Moon landings, as well as the next giant leap — astronauts on Mars.

Artemis II: 30 minutes to launch! Feeling rather real now! youtube.com/watch?v=8c-GAk…

Tweet of the night so far …

We are back on the pad at @AndoyaSpace with our launch vehicle ‘Spectrum’ getting ready for Mission ‘Onward and Upward’. The launch window opens not earlier than 25 March, 9pm CET, subject to weather, safety and range infrastructure. Follow along for updates and watch the livestream starting at T-1h (8:00pm CET, 7:00pm UTC, 2:00pm ET): youtube.com/live/MsbZj8Pxm…