Hacker News with Generative AI: Space Exploration

Why Houston Did Not Get a Shuttle (2011) (wordpress.com)
Immediate reaction from many people in the Houston area was that the Orbiter disposition decision was politically tainted.  For example, this was the explanation of my old Rice classmate Annise Parker, her honor the Mayor of Houston.
Space Exploration, Politics, Houston
4 points by LorenDB 17 hours ago | 0 comments
Using NASA’s SMAP satellite to detect L-band interference (radioandnukes.substack.com)
So here’s the deal: I didn’t expect NASA’s SMAP satellite — built to measure soil moisture — to end up doing open-source ELINT. But it is. And it’s wild.
Space Exploration, Remote Sensing, Satellite Technology, Open Source, Radio Interference
302 points by c16 23 hours ago | 67 comments
Radiation-tolerant ML framework for space (github.com/r0nlt)
A C++ framework for implementing machine learning models that can operate reliably in radiation environments, such as space. This framework implements industry-standard radiation tolerance techniques validated against NASA and ESA reference models.
Machine Learning, Space Exploration, C++, Radiation Tolerance, Software
7 points by r0nlt 1 day ago | 6 comments
NASA scrambles to cut ISS activity after Trump budget–its options are not great (arstechnica.com)
One major surprise in the Trump administration's "skinny budget" proposal for NASA, released last Friday, was a demand that the US space agency reduce its activities on the International Space Station.
Space Exploration, Government Funding, NASA
9 points by tomrod 2 days ago | 0 comments
Failed Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482 could crash to Earth this week (livescience.com)
Space Exploration, Satellites, Space Debris, History
4 points by Brajeshwar 2 days ago | 0 comments
FAA green-lights Starship launches every other week from Starbase (arstechnica.com)
Although we are still waiting for SpaceX to signal when it will fly the Starship rocket again, the company got some good news from the Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday.
Space Exploration, SpaceX, Regulation, Starship
11 points by tomrod 2 days ago | 0 comments
NASA budget proposal draws strong criticism – SpaceNews (spacenews.com)
WASHINGTON — The White House’s proposal to cut NASA’s budget by nearly 25% and cancel several major programs has drawn criticism from industry and members of Congress, while raising concerns among international partners.
Space Exploration, Government Funding, Politics, Science
12 points by rbanffy 3 days ago | 5 comments
NASA's SPHEREx Space Telescope Begins Capturing Entire Sky (nasa.gov)
After weeks of preparation, the space observatory has begun its science mission, taking about 3,600 unique images per day to create a map of the cosmos like no other.
Space Exploration, Astronomy, NASA, Telescopes, Science
9 points by rbanffy 3 days ago | 0 comments
SpaceX pushed "sniper" theory with the feds (arstechnica.com)
Space Exploration, Government, Conspiracy Theories
99 points by jnord 4 days ago | 51 comments
White House budget seeks to end SLS, Orion, and Lunar Gateway programs (arstechnica.com)
The White House released a "skinny" version of its budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 on Friday, including financial information for all federal agencies.
Space Exploration, Government Funding, NASA, Budget, Politics
33 points by decimalenough 4 days ago | 32 comments
New fusion rocket design could cut Mars trip to under 4 months (newatlas.com)
It seems too good to be true, but UK-based Pulsar Fusion has revealed its new Sunbird self-contained nuclear rocket tug that uses a fusion propulsion engine that could reduce a trip to Mars to under four months and Pluto to under four years.
Space Exploration, Nuclear Fusion, Technology, Mars
7 points by bglusman 4 days ago | 0 comments
NASA Proposal Would Shift Agency's Focus Away from Space Science (nytimes.com)
Under President Trump’s proposed budget, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration would largely become the National Moon and Mars Administration, with an almost singular focus on getting astronauts to those two destinations.
Space Exploration, NASA, Politics, Budget
25 points by rntn 5 days ago | 5 comments
Cosmic Propaganda: The Soviet Space program in stamps (worldhistory.substack.com)
On July 21, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin prepared to lift off from Tranquility Base on the surface of the Moon. Their journey was the culmination of years of work and billions of dollars in spending. The astronauts’ journey had captivated the world and would be trumpeted as a triumph of American ingenuity, capitalism, and democracy.
Space Exploration, History, Cold War, Soviet Union, Propaganda
6 points by crescit_eundo 5 days ago | 0 comments
Trump administration proposes slashing NASA budget by 24% (space.com)
Space Exploration, Government, Politics, Budget Cuts
19 points by insane_dreamer 5 days ago | 2 comments
Trump wants to cut quarter of NASA budget: No Lunar Gateway, Artemis, ISS retire (theregister.com)
The White House has proposed slashing NASA's budget by 24 percent, dropping it from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion. If approved, it would mark one of the agency's deepest single-year cuts in federal support, and crash its inflation-adjusted funding to levels not seen in decades.
Space Exploration, Government Funding, NASA, Politics, Budget Cuts
10 points by rntn 6 days ago | 2 comments
We know a little more about Amazon's satellites (arstechnica.com)
The first production satellites for Amazon's Kuiper broadband network launched earlier this week, but if you tuned in to the mission's official livestream, the truncated coverage had the feel of a spy satellite launch.
Space Exploration, Satellites, Amazon, Broadband
112 points by pseudolus 6 days ago | 113 comments
Fuzzy images are our first look at Amazon's super-secret satellites (arstechnica.com)
The first production satellites for Amazon's Kuiper broadband network launched earlier this week, but if you tuned in to the mission's official livestream, the truncated coverage had the feel of a spy satellite launch.
Space Exploration, Amazon, Satellites, Broadband
36 points by NN88 6 days ago | 6 comments
The Planetary Society condemns deep, damaging 24% cut to NASA's budget (planetary.org)
The Planetary Society strongly opposes the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget blueprint, which proposes a 24% reduction to NASA’s top-line funding.
Space Exploration, Politics, NASA, Funding, Budget Cuts
14 points by xqcgrek2 6 days ago | 0 comments
Soviet spacecraft will fall to Earth a half-century after failing to reach Venus (apnews.com)
Drones strike ship carrying aid to Gaza, organizers say
Space Exploration, History, International Relations
6 points by Stratoscope 6 days ago | 0 comments
Old Soviet Venus descent craft nearing Earth reentry (leonarddavid.com)
That soon-to-reenter Cosmos 482 is getting increased attention by satellite trackers – and new imagery provides some interesting details.
Space Exploration, Soviet Union, Space Debris
405 points by Wingman4l7 7 days ago | 279 comments
A visual feast of galaxies, from infrared to X-ray (esa.int)
On the left, the new Picture of the Month from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope features an astounding number of galaxies. On the right, as a blue glow, we see also the X-ray light coming from the blazing hot gas that fills the space between the galaxies.
Astronomy, Space Telescopes, Space Exploration, Infrared Astronomy, X-ray Astronomy
78 points by giuliomagnifico 7 days ago | 3 comments
NASA snaps detailed photos of 'strikingly complicated' asteroid (popsci.com)
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft had its second rendezvous with an asteroid over the weekend, this time with the uniquely named Donaldjohanson space rock.
Space Exploration, Asteroids, NASA, Science
9 points by gmays 7 days ago | 0 comments
White House budget ends SLS and Orion after Artemis 3, scales back ISS (bsky.app)
Space Exploration, Government Funding, NASA, Artemis Program
12 points by ceejayoz 7 days ago | 5 comments
White House budget seeks to end SLS, Orion, and Lunar Gateway programs (arstechnica.com)
The White House released a "skinny" version of its budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 on Friday, including financial information for all federal agencies.
Space Exploration, Government Funding, Budget, NASA
10 points by evgenyp 7 days ago | 3 comments
NASA's SPHEREx Space Telescope Begins Capturing Entire Sky (nasa.gov)
After weeks of preparation, the space observatory has begun its science mission, taking about 3,600 unique images per day to create a map of the cosmos like no other.
Space Exploration, Astronomy, Telescopes, NASA
16 points by isaacfrond 7 days ago | 1 comments
'I guess NASA doesn't need or care about my work anymore' (theregister.com)
NASA has excised former Space Shuttle manager Wayne Hale's blog from its website in a reminder that nothing is forever.
NASA, Space Exploration, Blog Posts
18 points by sipofwater 7 days ago | 5 comments
Eco-voxels: reconfigurable building blocks for Earth and space construction (techxplore.com)
For centuries, innovations in structural materials have prioritized strength and durability—often at a steep environmental price.
Construction, Sustainability, Materials Science, Space Exploration
4 points by PaulHoule 7 days ago | 0 comments
NASA's Psyche spacecraft hits a speed bump on the way to a metal asteroid (arstechnica.com)
NASA's Psyche spacecraft, located nearly 150 million miles from Earth on the way to an unexplored metal asteroid, has stopped firing its engines after detecting a problem in its propulsion system.
Space Exploration, NASA, Asteroids, Spacecraft
32 points by lisa_k 8 days ago | 2 comments
Juno reveals Io's inner structure and volcanic activity; investigates cyclones (nasaspaceflight.com)
New data from NASA’s Juno mission, which has been orbiting Jupiter since 2016, has provided scientists with insight into the extreme winds and cyclones present within the gas giant’s atmosphere.
Space Exploration, Jupiter, Astronomy, Planetary Science, Volcanoes
7 points by LorenDB 8 days ago | 0 comments
China is making stainless steel tanks for its future super heavy-lift rockets (spacenews.com)
HELSINKI — A Chinese state-owned rocket maker is making progress in producing large diameter stainless steel tanks for its next-generation launch vehicles.
Space Exploration, China, Rocketry, Manufacturing
4 points by rbanffy 8 days ago | 0 comments