Watched the new SpaceX critical path video, the Starship dinghy cam and COPV torpedo sure makes for interesting viewing... Although what they are doing is impressive, working as advertised it does not, at least not so far... Apparently lucky number IFT-13 is tomorrow, so lets see what happens...

Good old SPOT-1 on-orbit Source: HEO space on the other site.

Apparently they do still make good movies... Tuner (2025)

Around the Moon and back, we had some visitors at work today, ESTEC was however a lot closer ! and they even brought the little guy along 😊

A bit of background, as I was not aware 2 SLS was involved with X-37B ops, it seems they received the "General Atomics USSF Unit of the Year Award" for their work on X-37B landing operations at Vandenberg (OTV-7 landed there after not having landed there for over 10 years)

So, it's been a week and NASA posted an update on LINK, seemingly the on-orbit checkout going well. Although this might have been a bit stressful for the LEOP team: "They stabilized the spacecraft after an initial period of excess momentum" science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/...

Well well well, look what we have here, its X-37 ALTV, still alive and kicking in 2026 :) Seen here at Vandenberg on June 25th during the 2nd Space Launch Squadron Change of Command ceremony Source: US Space Force. #X37

Het is Komkommertijd in Formule 1, en the "art" of political signaling is well understood by certain people... I bet even including the alpha tauri box... Source: Telegraaf reporter Erik van Haren. #F1

Rare SkyNet 4B images (note a certain antenna in the retracted state...) #V27

Old Ariane 4 pad shots in hi-res are still rarer than hens teeth... #V52

As others have suggested, including @planet4589.bsky.social this could be from CZ-3B-Y113 (67247) Indeed the Long March 3B upper-stage seems to have spherical tanks, although I haven't found an image showing said tanks in-situ yet.. Source: @planet4589.bsky.social and the LM-3B User's Manual

Meanwhile, in Skippy land, 6 interesting objects found on the Forrest Beach in North Queensland.... Possible propellant tanks ? Source: Queensland's fire department

Well done Charles and that's going to be interesting discussions by the pundits... and can we just not put MBS in view please ? #F1 #BritishGP

Meanwhile X-37B OTV-8 is still going... 316 days and counting...

To my American friends, happy 4th ! Do let us know when the adults are back in the room, we'll be here...

I know its a matter of taste, and nothing wrong celebrating your independence, but this to me is just hideous, sorry.

And contact confirmed science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/...

At least we have a take-off picture :) Source: news.northropgrumman.com/spacecraft/n...

successful launch, now we wait for satellite signal science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/...

Aircraft is RTB, now we all F5 the only NASA blog post page to see if there are updates....

So they are flying the last Pegasus XL rocket, on one of the last flying Lockheed L-1011 TriStar aircraft, air launching this rocket, with a satellite on top of the rocket, that is planned to grab another satellite that is about to re-enter and try to boost it up higher, so where is the coverage...?

Stargazer is up, possible new launch attempt for Pegasus XL for the Swift boost mission...

Pad refurb in full swing at Blue Origin's LC-36... Source: NSF on the other site.

It didnt happen "launch vehicle issue temporarily prevented teams from deploying the rocket." science.nasa.gov/blogs/swift/...

There are indications that the Pegaus XL launch for the Swift Boost mission happened today, however no official status updates so far... youtu.be/LZu3ZUD3YlI?...

Good old DC-X... (not another "UAP" release 😇)

Not much news coming out of Sierra Space about Dream Chaser, however this post on the 16th is rather interesting "is in Colorado for final modifications and mission-specific upgrades"

Swift boost mission next week... I like this mission, fingers crossed it all works out !

Nice RFA One image at Saxavord (seeming only posted to crappy linkedin in...)

So this StarFall mission, I find it rather curious that the amount of information coming out of SpaceX is VERY limited, for a supposed "commercial" mission.... Other then, it launched, and was deployed, no statements, no images, no splash-down confirmation, no nothing...

South of France, for work, yes it was a tad warm…

Looks like the little Chinese X-37B copy might have released something... "At 02:30 UTC on 22 June 2026, LeoLabs detected an unknown object in the vicinity of the Chinese Shenlong reusable spaceplane." Source: LeoLabs on the other site.

"I could have sworn I left my torque wrench in here...."

"Fitment" (for the uninitiated, that's a space shuttle wing panel being gently "shoved" into place ☺️)

20 years ago today, last P-3C Orion leaving EHVB... 🥹

Early pad 39 shots Seemingly shot from inside Enterprise cc @doralives.bsky.social

Oh... Hi there !

Sunday Space Image: S81-28189 Aft view of a manned maneuvering unit (MMU) during qualification test in vacuum chamber at JSC

Another banger of a shot of Ariane 64 with P160C #VA269 #CSG #Ariane6 #P160C

Also a nice shot of the Ariane 64 with P160C #VA269 #CSG #Ariane6 #P160C

Also interesting, I never knew Rutger Hauer raced a VW Golf GTI at Zandvoort, apparently "just for fun"

Dutch GP, 1978, Free practice What a difference with today, back then you apparently could just casually film the Lotus 78 of Mario Andretti being worked on, while having a chat with Colin Chapman talking about the new 2 pedal transmission he wants to have for 1979 cc @scarbstech.bsky.social #F1

The old SLC-6 at Vandy is no more... source: U.S. Space Force #SLC6 #Vandenberg #Shuttle

Well, seems like i'll be back in the jungle at some point... I wonder how my little friends are doing :)

The tale of the two tables... #Ariane5 #CSG #VA269

Nice shot Source: ESA - S. Corvaja #VA269 #Ariane6 #CSG #P160C

Said pitch-over... #VA269 #Ariane6 #CSG #P160C

That pitch-over was.....rather sporty ! Source: ESA - S. Corvaja #VA269 #Ariane6 #CSG #P160C

Some nice close-ups of yesterday's Ariane 6 launch Source: ESA - S. Corvaja #VA269 #Ariane6 #P160C #CSG

Nice launch and booster sep. #VA269