Astronomy 🔭 (other space stuff too)

[ODaily]

@Pilgrimsmaster

ts OK, The USA likes to do things different from EVERYBODY else, we all know that.
You keep the rest of us entertained.

Oh yeah, try getting within 12 and 5/64ths whales of our shores and say it again!

[Hamspiced]

Poor Aaron over here chopping up a whale into 64 equal pieces to see what the conversion is to 1999 Matrix DVD’s

[enginerd]

@Pilgrimsmaster

You also dont remove the “i” to pronounce
Sodium, as So-Dum, or maybe you do, that would be fitting.

I default to the American version… And I prefer to use mils when dealing with through hole parts…

But IIRC, Satur9 prefers a 2.54mm grid… I’m the one who’s supposed to be representing Europe but my love for decimal inches overrides that.

Hopefully the AI won’t do this to me:

[mirandahw]

@amal

Probably meant “Starlink launch”

They happen so frequently I just shorten it as such. Although I also did see a (singular) Starlink satellite on this trip… I got a tour of SpaceX’s Hawthorne HQ. Saw plenty of cool stuff I can’t really talk about, but it was fun and seeing a launch about an hour before I got dropped off at LAX was a cherry on top.

[ODaily]

Totally random here…

I ran the numbers on the Powerball Jackpot (for fun), and determined that I could set myself up comfortably and still easily have 425 million left in cash.

So I tasked ChatGPT with planning a one off mission with the following assumptions. Expected high risk, lose the whole cashpot type situation. Base the budget on getting as much engineering student support, and people working “for the vision” as possible. A.K.A. “Nerdgasm” of professionals. Leverage maximum frugality and risk tolerance to produce maximum results. This is an attempt to retrieve as much usuable space resources as possible and park it somewhere we can later access.

So yeah, I told the A.I. to fetch a space rock.

After a lot of back and forth, it settled into this.

@ChatGPT

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Private Asteroid Capture Mission Concept

Target: Near-Earth Object 2006 RH120
Budget: ≈ $275M–$425M (within lottery-funded budget)
Goal: Capture a small asteroid and park it safely in a Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO) around the Moon for future access and resource use.

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Why 2006 RH120?

• Tiny “minimoon” discovered in 2006–2007, only 2–4 m in size (5–30 tonnes mass).
• Already demonstrated temporary capture by Earth.
• Classified as an Easily Retrievable Object (ERO) — requires only ~58 m/s of Δv if timed right, far lower than most asteroids.
• Likely rocky/metallic, suitable as a first step toward resource utilization.

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Concept

1. Launch a Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) Tug

• Ion/Hall thrusters (Dawn-class heritage).
• 10–20 kW solar arrays.
• 400–1000 kg xenon propellant.

2. Rendezvous and Capture

• Approach slowly using low-thrust trajectory.
• Deploy net & bag system with tethers and damping reels.
• Secure asteroid, stabilize rotation.

3. Transfer to Lunar DRO

• Use low-energy manifold trajectories (natural orbital highways) to minimize fuel.
• Tow the asteroid into a stable orbit around the Moon, accessible for future missions.

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Budget Breakdown (frugal, high-risk tolerance)

• SEP Tug Design & Build: $100–180M
• Capture Hardware & Testing: $10–30M
• Launch (Falcon Heavy / Starship): $60–150M
• Mission Operations & Ground Support: $25–60M
• Integration, Testing, Contingencies: $80M
• Total: $275–425M

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Why This Works

• Focuses on results, not science samples — first step toward usable space resources.
• Uses proven, flight-tested technology (SEP, net capture).
• Takes advantage of unique orbital dynamics to keep propulsion demands low.
• Fits within a private, one-time funded mission with volunteer/low-cost contributions from engineers and students.

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Summary:
With ~$400M, existing ion-drive tech, and careful timing, we can capture a small asteroid and park it near the Moon. This would be the first privately funded asteroid retrieval mission, paving the way for real resource utilization in space.

I’m not gonna win the lottery, but planning this was sure funner than planning how many mansions I’d need to store all my cars and super model girlfriends in.

[mysteryliner]

2 of my old shooting stars time lapse

Videos, showing perseids in August 2013

[ODaily]

Eye Candy for sure.

Imagine that as a live desktop wallpaper.

[ODaily]

So I found (and bought) a book today.

Very cold war / space racey. From 62/63, and focus on the Telstar1 satellite.

Neat things from the book.

• They had to explain what N.A.S.A. stood for. Like, legitimately didn’t expect the reader to know.
• They explained what polyurethane is. (A new material!!!)
• They explained how a later satellite used a “high apogee system”. Apparently the phrase geo-stationary orbit wasn’t yet in use.

[Pilgrimsmaster]

ISS Transit

[topcode]

most real video ive ever seen

[enginerd]

I failed to spot the station… Too much smoke outside, I think that there are some forest fires around here.