@AstroHawk@spacey.space
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AstroHawk

@AstroHawk@spacey.space

About me: Software Engineer network/cybersecurity, pilot/CFI, Libertarian, electronics, Ham, rocket/balloon tracker

Hi! I'm Ian Kluft. https://spacey.space/@AstroHawk is my #space account.
#NewSpace #aerospace #astronomy #rocketry #commsat #GPS #fedi22

AstroHawk originally stood for "Adventurous Space Tweep Reinforcing Operations Hatching Advancement Worth Kudos" at one time on other social media, promoting NewSpace.

Also me: https://avgeek.social/@ikluft (aviation/science) & https://pnw.zone/@KO6YQ (tech/local)

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

AstroHawk, to space
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20 years ago, May 17, 2004: Civilian Space eXploration Team (CSXT) Space Shot 2004 rocket launch to 116km/72mi altitude at Black Rock Desert, Nevada. 1st amateur rocket to . My photo of the launch available on Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilian_Space_eXploration_Team

AstroHawk,
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Eric Knight KB1EHE @i_eric wrote a book (no longer in print, but maybe we can encourage him to re-release it as an ebook) "The New Race to Space" about CSXT's Space Shots: failed 2000/2002 & success 2004. (Cover photo by me.) https://www.thenewracetospace.com/

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AstroHawk,
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I really respect Eric's approach to his book, how he meticulously made sure to credit every volunteer by name, unless they asked not to be. He led the avionics development. I led the range safety & search teams. We collaborated to get the lists right. #NewSpace #rocketry #history

AstroHawk, to Astronomy
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"Northern Lights" expected tonight across northern states. Space Weather Prediction Center @NWSSWPC forecasts G4-level geomagnetic storm. https://www.spaceweather.gov/products/aurora-viewline-tonight-and-tomorrow-night-experimental https://www.spaceweather.gov/news/severe-geomagnetic-storm-still-likely

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AstroHawk,
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"Best places near Portland to catch the Northern Lights" by @KOINNews CBS Portland Oregon - Get away from city lights, and not necessarily to the same places the crowds go when are in the news. https://www.koin.com/weather/best-places-near-portland-to-catch-the-northern-lights/

AstroHawk,
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"Severe solar storm expected to supercharge northern lights on Friday" by @NBCNews - Last time issued a severe geomagnetic storm watch was 2005. https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/northern-lights-visible-us-where-solar-storm-rcna151643

AstroHawk,
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I got a pic of Multnomah Falls (east of Portland OR) with red aurora behind it - this is looking south. You know it's big when polar lights are south from here!

AstroHawk,
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I got some more pics overlooking the Columbia River near Mosier, Oregon. Mountains across the river are in Washington state.

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AstroHawk, to Astronomy
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"Google Solar Cycle" by @XKCD comic - A trend spotted by the cartoonist: Google Trends has been around long enough to correlate 11-year solar activity cycles with similar cycles in people searching for info about it https://xkcd.com/2930/

AstroHawk, to SpaceX
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"SpaceX has now landed more boosters than most other rockets ever launch" by @arstechnica / @sciguyspace - successfully landed an orbital booster🚀, including from & launches, for the 300th time. 👀 https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/04/spacex-has-now-landed-more-boosters-than-most-other-rockets-ever-launch/

arstechnica, to random
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Russian space chief says new rocket will put Falcon 9 reuse to shame

There's just one catch...

https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/04/russian-space-chief-says-new-rocket-will-put-falcon-9-reuse-to-shame/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

AstroHawk,
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@arstechnica I remember 20-25 years ago when NewSpace advocates encouraged reusable rockets, it would make people look crosseyed at you. Even people at NASA.

Now that SpaceX demonstrated it on orbital class rockets, everyone sees the point. Before SpaceX jumped in with enough money, it was proven on smaller rockets by DC-X, Armadillo, Masten Space and Unreasonable Rocket.

AstroHawk,
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Yes, I know NASA's Space Shuttle had reusable orbiters. But even that was so expensive, it was really just "refurbishable". Space Shuttle technology got people thinking about reuse over the long term, but failed spectacularly in reducing cost per launch.

AstroHawk, to space
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"Trash from the International Space Station may have hit a house in Florida" by @arstechnica / @StephenClark1 - Very rare circumstance. Timing agrees a battery from ISS was what smashed into a house in Naples FL. Lab tests in progress. https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/04/trash-from-the-international-space-station-may-have-hit-a-house-in-florida/

AstroHawk,
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"Object that slammed into Florida home was indeed space junk from ISS, NASA confirms" by @SpaceDotCom / @michaeldwall - Lab test confirms debris which smashed into a Florida home was from a battery pallet released from ISS in 2021. https://www.space.com/object-crash-florida-home-iss-space-junk-nasa-confirms

AstroHawk, to Weather
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Long-range outlook by @theeyewallwx / @mattlanza for April 8 : early Spring has high probability of clouds across much of the path of totality in central Mexico, eastern USA (Texas to Maine) & eastern Canada https://theeyewall.com/digging-into-the-model-data-to-tell-you-what-we-know-about-the-weather-for-april-8ths-solar-eclipse/

AstroHawk,
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One more #space related landmark as last stop before leaving Texas on my #SolarEclipse2024 trip... I made my second visit to the Sierra Madera impact crater. It's 8mi/13km across. If you look up the Wikipedia page, it has a picture from my first time there. #astronomy #geology

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AstroHawk,
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Continuing to visit #space related landmarks on the way home from #SolarEclipse2024, I saw the US🇺🇸 National Science Foundation's Very Large Array (VLA)🔭 in Socorro County, New Mexico. 27 radio antennas use interferometry to act like a big dish the width of the array. #astronomy

AstroHawk,
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Arizona's Meteor Crater, also known as Barringer Crater, was the final planned #space related landmark on my #SolarEclipse2024 trip. It was the world's first scientifically confirmed impact site, instrumental in developing the science for later ones. #astronomy #geology

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AstroHawk,
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Safe at home in Portland. So the #SolarEclipse2024 trip is now a complete success. #astronomy #space #travel

AstroHawk,
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Looking forward to (Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, Atlantic & Spain), it will coincide with the annual meteor shower peak. Some lucky observers may see up to a few meteors during 2 minutes of totality. Map by EclipseWise/Fred Espenak.

AstroHawk,
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"Looking Up and Down During the Eclipse" by @NASAEarth Observatory - #NASA imagery of #SolarEclipse2024 looking up from the ground and down at the Moon's shadow from orbit https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/152683/looking-up-and-down-during-the-eclipse #SolarEclipse #astronomy #space

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AstroHawk, to space
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"#NASA & #Boeing Prepare for #Starliner Flight This Summer" by @NASA @Commercial_Crew - Crew flight test #StarlinerCFT schedule updated no earlier than (NET) Fri July 21. This considers launch readiness and available docking ports at #ISS. https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2023/03/29/nasa-boeing-prepare-for-starliner-flight-this-summer/ #NewSpace

AstroHawk,
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"NASA gives Starliner ‘go to proceed’" by @Boeing / @BoeingSpace - readiness review "go" for 🚀 Crew Flight Test launch, planned no earlier than 22:34ET May 6. 1st crewed launch at ULA's SLC-41. https://starlinerupdates.com/nasa-gives-starliner-go-to-proceed/

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AstroHawk,
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"Boeing's Starliner spacecraft will not fly private missions yet, officials say" by @SPACEdotcom / @howellspace - is focusing on astronaut flight contracts for now, with flights to being 4 years late. Nothing else can move forward until they get that right. https://www.space.com/boeing-starliner-spacecraft-private-astronaut-nasa-focus

AstroHawk,
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"CFT: A preview of launch day activities" by @ULAlaunch - ULA describes different procedure for crewed launch of Atlas V. Atlas rocket family evolved from ICBMs, last carried crew for Mercury in 1962-63. https://blog.ulalaunch.com/blog/cft-a-preview-of-launch-day-activities

AstroHawk,
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"NASA and Boeing ‘Go’ for Crew Flight Test Mission" by @NASA / @Commercial_Crew - First crewed space flight scheduled Monday, May 6 at 10:34pm US/Eastern. 2 test pilot astronauts for 6+ days at . https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2024/05/03/nasa-and-boeing-go-for-crew-flight-test-mission/

AstroHawk,
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"The surprise is not that lost commercial crew but that it finished at all" by @arstechnica / @sciguyspace - Presumed leader in program after Space Shuttle retirement failed to adjust to fixed-cost contracts. https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/05/the-surprise-is-not-that-boeing-lost-commercial-crew-but-that-it-finished-at-all/

AstroHawk,
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Comparing the performance of and in program, I've been saying for years the lesson for is to require future crew launch vendors to get incremental experience with cargo launches first, as progression of qualification.

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