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SpaceKate

SpaceKate

@spacekate.bsky.social

3.7K followers 850 following 410 posts

Space journalist, rocket chaser, storyteller. Advocate for diversity and women in STEM. ISU SSP12. Alter-ego of @radiokate.com www.youtube.com/@NTKSpace

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SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Nov 17

I promise I’ll get posting more space-y stuff soon. I’ve been recovering from surgery this week, but hoping normal service will resume shortly. In the meantime, take a look at www.youtube.com/@ntkspace which I’m trying to build up. Ta!

Need To Know Space

"Space is hard". At least that's what they say in the business. Space journalist Kate Arkless Gray (@SpaceKate) is here to help you get your head around rocket science, answer some of the questions yo...

www.youtube.com

Reposted by SpaceKate

Anatoly Zak @anatolyzak.bsky.social · 15d

Two cosmonauts from the Soyuz MS-27 crew are preparing for a 5.5-hour spacewalk today. Hatch opening is set for 16:50 UTC (12:50 p.m. EDT).
DETAILS, UPDATES: russianspaceweb.com/iss-vkd64.html

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 26

Next time try Cite de l’espace in Toulouse - part museum, part experience, super engaging.

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 26

Ooh! Not sure! The other large pieces look a bit like a fairground ride?

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 26

Ooh thank you so much! Let me check that out.

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 21

Such a missed opportunity. I really can’t get my head around it.

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 20

On a brighter note, the Soyuz lighting and display allowed me to spot something I’d not seen before. The rather wonderful - simple - instructions in Russian and English explaining how to open the capsule in case it landed in the wrong place. ☺️

Soyuz opening instructions: “Man inside. Help! 1. Take the key! 2. Put into hole! 3. Open the hatch!”

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 20

What they have is beautifully displayed. If you treat it as a sculpture gallery where you don’t need to fully understand the sculptures, rather just admire them, then it’s a joy. But there’s no strong takeaway, no story or context, it feels like such a huge missed opportunity, and that makes me sad.

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 20

For a nation that is apparently recognising the importance of space as critical infrastructure, it’s confusing. We’ve folded UKSA back into DSIT, TRUTHS mission funding axed, and the national science museum doesn’t even mention the UK has a space agency.

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 20

There’s nothing to show the full range of careers to aspire to, nothing showing how it went from major space powers to commercial companies able to do things like send people to space. There’s no mention of Space X.

The British space story is not properly told, nor the importance of collaboration.

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 20

There’s nothing about the space shuttle, nothing about Mars rovers (which have UK instruments), unbelievably nothing about the ISS. Nothing to say how many people are in space right now, how climate change is monitored from space, how tech we hold in our hands was developed for space.

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 20

The thing that upsets/confuses me though, is the lack of narrative. There’s no timeline, there’s no context, there’s no strong link to current and future missions - say to the Moon or Mars.

There’s nothing to explain why you should care, how space impacts you, how old tech has evolved to current..

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 20

It’s tucked away to the side, next to a cafe, not like the old gallery that everyone walked through. This feels a shame. But people who love space will still find it.

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 20

There are some cool objects, nicely displayed, it looks good.

But… (and I wish I didn’t have a ‘but’ - I wanted to love this so so much)

It’s small. Disappointingly so, considering how much of a draw space must be for the Science Museum. (Space certainly ‘sells’ as the museum shop proves.)

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 20

I’ve been waiting for an updated space gallery for ages - the last major update was 39 years ago! The old gallery was looking a bit dated. I was so so excited to get an early glimpse of the new gallery ahead of its opening today.

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 20

It is displayed so much more nicely than it used to be, and it’s cool to see it beside Tim Peake’s Soyuz capsule.

Soyuz capsule, lit inside, next to Apollo 10 capsule.

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 20

Woohoo! *Finally* the Apollo 10 capsule - the only Apollo capsule not in the US - is in the (new, free) *space* gallery at the Science Museum. I’ve waited a long time for this.

Apollo 10 capsule looking fab in the museum

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 17

Sad that former astronaut Garrett Reisman needed to write this, but very very glad he did, and I hope people take note. www.thespacereview.com/article/5060/1

The Space Review: I’m a former astronaut: NASA workers are afraid, and safety is at risk

www.thespacereview.com

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 15

The Sunday Times reported on the cancellation of the £200 million funding for the TRUTHS project this weekend. Today UKSA is saying “look over here! Innovative climate stuff” - but the £1.5m funding pales in comparison to what’s been cut…

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 15

All the usual stuff about “technological leadership” etc. So why then has the UK pulled out of TRUTHS? A *UK-led* ESA mission that was to set the gold standard reference for climate measurements? How does that help with technological leadership? Just makes us an unreliable partner. archive.ph/RXPxR

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Sep 15

Got a UKSA notification today about “Six innovative new projects that will use satellite tech and AI to transform how Britain tackles climate change” (no, it doesn’t mention how). Total funding £1.5million - “supporting Government’s Industrial Strategy” “driving innovation, accelerating growth” etc

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Aug 26

Starship scrub. :/ No go on weather. #Starship

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Aug 25

Indeed.

Loren Grush @lorengrush.bsky.social · Aug 25

"Now let's talk about Mars" the hosts say on the SpaceX livestream, but let's not say a word about the $4 billion contracts we hold with NASA to send astronauts to the Moon

Reposted by SpaceKate

Jonathan Serrie @jonathanserrie.bsky.social · Aug 25

SpaceX is now targeting Monday, August 25 for Starship’s 10th flight test. The 60-minute launch window from the company’s Starbase in Texas opens at 6:30 p.m. CT. Elon Musk says Sunday’s launch attempt was scrubbed to fix a “ground side liquid oxygen leak.”

Reposted by SpaceKate

William Harwood @rocketksc.bsky.social · Aug 24

IFT-10: SCRUB! SpaceX post on X: "Standing down from today's tenth flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems"; we'll stand by for an update on when the company might make another launch attempt

SpaceKate @spacekate.bsky.social · Aug 24

But not today it seems, standing down from the launch attempt. #Starship10