Matthias M. M. Meier

Why can't we have nice things...

List of artificial objects leaving the Solar System - Wikipedia

I think at least some (but perhaps not all) of the kick stages of the escaping spacecraft are on escape trajectories of their own. See here:

I think you are being needlessly negative when you added "ever"... 😉 Sure, among those already launched, but I certainly hope there will be more in the future. Also, what about the kick stages? Aren't they spacecraft as well?

People refuse to acknowledge how an LLM actually works, and insist on assigning meaning and understanding to its output. There is no meaning, and the system understands neither the user’s question nor its own “response.”

Why wait? We can do both, it's not mutually exclusive. But the thing is, there is no point argueing whether we should at all, it is happening already (China is going to build that Moon base). All we (Europe) get to decide is if we want to have a part in it or not.

Rovers, Robots, "AI", they are just tools. Tools are fine, tools make us human, but they don't replace the person who wields them. In the process of settling the other worlds of the solar system, tools help, but only people get you a seat at the table. Europe should send people on its own.

The Moon could be the next Antarctica, if we do it right...

The resources on the Moon are not important in the economic sense, and won't be for a very long time (don't get me started on "Helium-3"...). But they make geopolitical sense. There is no economic case to build aircraft carriers - but there is a geopolitical one.

Me neither! 🇺🇳

... we'd probably get "South China Sea 2.0": We are here, it's ours, deal with it.

...like the UN law of the seas with official procedures, regulations and licences to deal fairly with space resources in the future. With the US there first (ok, not under the current admin, but in better times), there is at least some hope for such an international approach. But with China, ...

Facts on the ground is all that counts. And yes, there aren't that many craters with abundant ice, and not many peaks of eternal light. Outer Space treaty says nothing about resources, you just can't claim land for a country (and not place any military installations and WMDs). We'd need something...

First to establish a base sets the rules. Who do you want to have control over the resources at the South Pole of the Moon (permanent sunlight, water ice)? I'd vote for the UN, but if it's either China or the US, i'd take the later.

One can do useful science on a Gateway-like station, sure. However, none of the early Moon base (or crewed Mars flight) plans included such a station, not one such expert suggested it was important. The only reason it was proposed was political.

Partnership works if you have a reliable partner...

Why would we need Gateway specifically to build a base (or go on to Mars)? Just land a habitat and a power source with a lander, there's your minimal base. If you want to go to Mars, build something like Gateway but with a drive unit (NTP/NEP), then send it out (un/crewed) on ever longer missions.

Europe has had a similar approach to crewed space flight as to defense: rely on the USA and help with some ancillary stuff. Perhaps it's time to wake up and start a really independent programme, like China has.

But slower than time itself! In other words, the gap has been narrowing. That's a good sign! (for China) 😉

Indeed, 2028 for the US is unrealistic. Neither lander (SpaceX/Blue Origin) will be ready by then. I think China had "around 2030" for a long time now as their first Moon landing date, no? Something like 2032 sounds about right.

I know what you mean and in a sane world, none of this would happen. But if the US want to have any chance of returning to the Moon before China, distractions like Gateway certainly won't help. Also, remember, Europe has its fair share of abandoned spaceflight projects (e.g. Hermes).

I guess... But if the Gateway is replaced by a Moon base, there's plenty of options for international contributuions there.

Finally some sense. Next, cancel Gateway.

It is time we stop this madness. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. We have to stop these billionaires ruining our planet.

Well sure, Iceland joining the EU will lead to a cooler EU, on average. 😉

Today it's been four years since Russia started a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine (of course, they claimed before they would never do that). I have decided to update my support to a monthly recurring donation of 50 USD. If you can, join me! Slava Ukraine! 🇺🇦 🇺🇦 🇺🇦 🕊️🌻

Seems like that hospital boat would be of better use at its home base... Or, you know, send it to Odesa 🇺🇦 or so...

Europe's RAMSES Mission to Asteroid Apophis Moves Ahead The RAMSES mission to the asteroid Apophis will launch in 2028 to meet the asteroid before its close encounter with Earth.

The RAMSES mission to the asteroid Apophis will launch in 2028 to meet the asteroid before its close encounter with Earth.
skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-ne...

An El Niño is brewing And with it the next, pivotal, chapter of the climate fight.

One thing that may dramatically shake up our political life on this planet is the advent of a strong new El Niño. (Also our, you know, life life)

billmckibben.substack.com/p/an-el-nino...

Maybe the real threat to democracy was the billionaires we made on the way.

Deepest ever photographed Geminid with small but not negligible terminal mass We report an instrumental observation of the very exceptional Geminid fireball which was observed in scope of the Czech part of the European Fireball Network (EN) on 13 December 2012 at 4h12m59.4s UT....

Interesting! Spurný & Borovička, arxiv - did a small piece from a Geminid meteor survive? Since the G. are fragments of asteroid 3200 Phaeton, finding a "G. meteorite" would be like a (biased, altered, still important!) cheap sample-return mission to that asteroid (see destiny.isas.jaxa.jp/!).