About Us
We are a future non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of human spaceflight, deep space exploration, and interplanetary colonization through online advocacy and education.
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Cool or Clunky? The Aesthetics of Spaceflight
As SpaceX continues to dominate the spaceflight industry, one of the knock-on effects is an expectation that spacecraft should not only be functional but also aesthetically pleasing. From Falcon 9 to Dragon to Starship to Super Heavy, SpaceX is producing vehicles that perform well while looking amazing in the process. And these aspirational vehicles are…
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Should STARLINER Be Saved?
A broken Starliner capsule famously stranded Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on the ISS. Now, as NASA struggles to fit the problem-ridden spacecraft into its LEO plans, the question becomes: SHOULD Starliner be saved? Or should NASA cut its losses and hand the reins to the Commercial Crew Program over to SpaceX as its sole…
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SpaceX: Did Someone Request An Orbital Uber?
SpaceX got an important win last Friday when it successfully launched the Crew 10 mission to the ISS, providing a long overdue “Orbital Uber” ride for the stranded Boeing Starliner astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. However, numerous recent setbacks threaten to overshadow this achievement, including failures in the Starship program and some uncharacteristic hiccups…
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Elon Musk’s Wild Ride!
Is SpaceX in trouble? Multiple, high-profile failures of both established and prototype launch systems have called into question the state of the engineering culture at Elon Musk’s space technology company. We look into the ramifications of failures in the Falcon 9 and Starship launch systems, as well as delays by SpaceX in servicing its Commercial…
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From STARship to WARship? SpaceX and the Vanguard Program.
The potential military applications of SpaceX’s Starship have always been on the table. However, new developments in the far reaches of the Pacific show how far along the planning for the Pentagon’s “Vanguard” program really is. Expect to see some interesting developments, including a possible third Mechazilla site, in the near future.
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How to Save SpaceX…From Itself!
After numerous embarrassing setbacks, both with Starship and its legacy Falcon 9 system, it’s clear that something is amiss at SpaceX. Like many large, complex organizations, Elon Musk’s pioneering space technology firm is succumbing to a kind of engineering culture decay that risks undermining its ability to complete important projects. It’s time for an intervention…
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SpaceX: Time to Hit Reset?
As we sift through the pieces of yet another failed Starship launch, it’s time for the spaceflight community to take a step back and cast a critical eye on the very serious challenges still facing the program.
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SpaceX: Running Out of Gas?
As the Starship program continues to fall behind schedule, some are voicing skepticism about SpaceX’s ability to deliver on its promise of rapid reusability. It’s time to hold the company’s feet to the fire and demand proof that their system is truly capable of achieving its stated goals.
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SLS: From Space Launch to Scrapyard?
Summary: NASA’s Space Launch System has become a boondoggle, a $30B hole in their budget that is inferior to SpaceX’s Super Heavy booster in nearly every way. We dive into why we believe it’s time to pull the plug on this 1960’s throwback and embrace the future of rapidly reusable rockets and spacecraft.
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SpaceX: There’s Trouble In The Attic!
Summary: Starship Test Flight 7 was mired by the loss of the vehicle shortly after hot staging. We take a critical look at the official narrative regarding the mishap and call out SpaceX for failing to fully identify the root cause.
The Exoplanetary Society 