I've been a little busy working on my latest and greatest mission yet! I'll be taking some time from my usual work to focus on this awesome little guy 🚀

NASA’s FY2026 budget request cancels four Moon projects: Oxygen extractor, Decadal science efforts, a... https://moonmehta.jatan.space/posts/nasas-fy2026-budget-request-cancels-four-moon-projects-oxygen-extractor-decadal-science-efforts-an-advanced-instruments-program-and-themis-artemis-spacecraft

It's official, as of this week I am now a Senior Research Associate! It's not easy progressing up the academic ladder, especially when not lecturing, but I'm thankful for the support of those around me at SPL who have helped me secure this role and for the recognition 💪 👩‍🔬🚀

Another frantic day chasing inputs and finalising a project proposal, but it's submitted! Excuse me while I go lie down in a dark room for a few hours...

Missing another major conference (Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space) this week due to other commitments. However, with the rest of the team travelling, I have finally got my email inbox down to 0 unread emails for the first time in almost a year 🥳 #LittleWins #AcademiaSky

I think a lot about what Carl Sagan said in one of his final interviews.

Just a daily reminder, that just because "that's how we've always done it" doesn't mean it can't/shouldn't be improved 🙃

Some updates from our recent test campaign at NASA Glenn. We've been looking at combining our radioisotope heat sources with Stirling engines to produce reliable electricity for future spaceflight missions 🚀. www.space-park.co.uk/2025/04/radi...

I recently did an interview as part of Newsweek's Expanding Space series. We talked about the role of the Moon and commercial space industry in the sustained human exploration of the Solar System. Check it out here: youtu.be/xbqA6hvvguo?...

Doing the traditional academic thing of complaining about burnout, and then announcing a new voluntary role I'm taking on... 👀 I'm now the Lunar Science and Exploration representative for the UK Space Agency's Space Exploration Advisory Committee (SEAC)! www.gov.uk/government/p...

Today I closed out my first major project as PI worth ~£1M! Our team worked with civil and commercial partners around the 🌍 to develop radioisotope power system technologies and their applications💪. Very proud of the team, and feeling more confident in my PI/PM skills 😁. I am, however, exhausted!

Responded to a media request yesterday over video call and assumed it was an informal Q&A for a written piece. Me: logging in all casual with a hoodie and terrible internet connection. Them: *Recording* Welcome to the video series... Astronauts and NASA administrators are on this series 🤦‍♀️

Sad to be missing #LPSC again this year! Looking forward to following all the exciting updates through Bluesky. Please take pity on me as I sit through 3 days of training as I begin the slow inevitable progression from researcher to project manager

**This would end space science as we know it.** I’d probably be out of a job. Successful ongoing missions would be turned off. Future missions would be axed. Some research centers (NASA & non-NASA) would likely dissolve.

#Space #NASA It appears the #IM2 landed at the south pole of the moon but some commands are having to be sent manually. Intuitive Machines released a few photos on descent from an altitude of about 10 meters, but nothing yet from the surface. We should have a media event around 4 PM EST.

It appears @Int_Machines IM-2 landed on time and largely to the trajectory they planned. @eelkevisser.bsky.social @amsat-dl.org

If you're working on extraterrestrial resource exploration/prospecting, extraction, processing, and utilization, as well as economic, environmental, legal, and policy issues then publish in this new diamond open access journal! link.springer.com/journal/44461

I've been a little quiet on socials recently, HOWEVER, I could not let this momentous occasion pass by without commenting. I'm so excited to see another successful Moon landing, this means more opportunities for science and exploration with commercial industry support 🌙

Happy International Day of Women in Science. The National Science Foundation’s list of flagged words includes both “Women” and “Female.”

For the NASA folks that can't, we will.

500+ US and International scientists are signing an open letter to NASA leadership and US representatives, asking them to take action and preserve the integrity and public access of the country’s scientific activities and its output. To read and sign, see here: sites.google.com/view/space-s...

It's been a great day catching up with the UK lunar community for the UK SSERVI meeting. Even during tough funding times, everyone has been delivering on a wide range of science and exploration projects. It's also great to see the Royal Astronomical Society in its rightful home at Burlington House

FYI, if your speaker is a fool (me) and doesn't share their screen in a hybrid meeting, please let them know at the START of the presentation 😅

"It is impossible to be a top-line manager and administrator and mentor and researcher and writer and outreach officer and IT expert and online instructor and pedagogical innovator and recruiter and teacher and marker and external examiner and press pundit and grant bidder and editor."

Dinner reservations done right 🤘

#OTD 27 January 1967, the first international treaty on outer space exploration and use opened for signature by US, UK and USSR. It entered into force in October 1967 and provides the basic framework on international space law. www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourw... @un.org

Research should be free, but at what cost and for who’s profit… yikes. Publishers need reigning in.

Always on the lookout for Moon rocks when on work travel. This time at the NASA GRC Visitor Center 🌙.

If you're ever at Cocoa Beach and want to get your nerd on, head to the Moon Hut for a hearty dose of space memorabilia! They even have a great skill of turning all menu items into a space themed pun 🚀👩‍🚀

Here we go again, off on another work adventure! First stop, Florida for some meetings, and then Ohio for some lab work! I'm excited to catch up with old friends at UCF this weekend before the madness begins 🛫🌴❄️👩‍🔬

Liftoff for Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, for the first time:

I gave a guest seminar today and it was the most positive response I've ever had. One of those days where you go 'academia can be great'. I haven't had enough of those days recently so it was definitely appreciated ❤️👩‍🎓

Getting sick of being told something is 'too ambitious' at my career stage when I have peers who are senior lecturers and I can't break out from post-doc life 🤦‍♀️ #AcademiaSky

Should be sleeping now but can’t miss the New Glenn launch. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C8fevCrKYw

Check out these new images from the European/Japanese #BepiColombo mission on its final Mercury flyby. 👇 The spacecraft, with UK-built instruments, will increase our understanding of Mercury's composition, structure, and atmosphere. 🌕 Learn more 👉 gov.uk/government/c... 📷 ESA/BepiColombo/MTM

Hello @bsky.app, here's to looking into more #bluesky and beyond... 😉

To all my friends and colleagues out there, please take care. I can't imagine how scary a time this must be. Your space community around the world will be thinking of you all x

📢 Paper Alert 📢 We've been collaborating with NASA-GRC on radioisotope power systems (RPS) using Americium fuel that we have access to in the UK. Here we show how our heat source could be used with Stirling convertor to generate power for Moon rovers www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

As a millennial, I innately hate phone calls, especially when I want something confirmed in writing. It's frustrating that the only alternative way to get through to some customer services is via a particular social media app that we're all trying to escape here...

The new diamond 💎 open access #PlanetaryScience community journal has a name! Planetary Research And a website! Find out all about the project here planetary-research-journal.online/about.html

First day of the new year back in the office. Managed to triage about 20% of the emails and outstanding tasks. Could be a long week 😴

Another Christmas gone, and another space lego set to build. This time, an orrery! ☀️🌍🌔

Happy 2025, beautiful people. As a philosopher once said, there’s some good in this world, Mr Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for. X

Happy new year! 🥳🎉🎆 2025 is set to be jam packed with lots of exciting things... but first, a few more days of leave to gather my energy before the madness begins!

Been on annual leave since the 11th of December, I'm only finally starting to relax. #AcademicBurnout is real! Hope my friends and colleagues are getting some well-needed R&R this holiday season! 🎄

The NASA Lucy mission passing by Earth last night captured with a unistellar telescope by citizen astronomer Elius Bonilla. “Lucy was screaming” he wrote.

I'm so excited to see what Lucy finds during its mission, sudying some of the most primitive asteroids of the Solar System! Here's a throwback photo of the rocket trails following the launch when I was based in FL in 2021. Onwards to asteroid Donaldjohanson in 2025!

Had a great start to the day at the 5th Polish-British Science Forum, held at Space Park Leicester. We talked about the importance of international collaboration in making space exploration truly sustainable 🚀 www.linkedin.com/posts/spacep...

We've been receiving cards in the post, and we tend get addressed in a few different ways. It seems some people refuse to accept that you can get married AND keep your last name as woman. Others however, are fully embracing our official titles and names 😁

As we watch the developments in Syria, I just want to remind folks to be careful what they share on social media. This guide from @onthemedia.bsky.social is good.