Curtis Szajkovics
@curtis.bsky.social
Space Systems Engineer. Landing on the Moon in 2025, 2026 and 2028. Building the future of humanity in Space.
Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Pinned
Curtis Szajkovics
@curtis.bsky.social
· Jan 15
Meet the Systems Engineer Commanding our Lunar Lander
YouTube video by Firefly Aerospace
youtu.be
Hi Bluesky! I’m Curtis Szajkovics a Lunar Lander Systems Engineer and Flight Controller for Blue Ghost Mission 1!🌖
I post updates about space exploration and our missions to the Moon!🧪🦋
youtu.be/tVa-oF0kzCQ?...
I post updates about space exploration and our missions to the Moon!🧪🦋
youtu.be/tVa-oF0kzCQ?...
I’m seeing people saying “This isn’t how America is supposed to work” and YOU’RE RIGHT.
Now, the great thing about America is we can change that…YOU can change that.
Take notes. Develop policy. Rise up candidates to make the reforms to #America so this can never happen again. The work begins now
Now, the great thing about America is we can change that…YOU can change that.
Take notes. Develop policy. Rise up candidates to make the reforms to #America so this can never happen again. The work begins now
June 27, 2025 at 7:18 PM
I’m seeing people saying “This isn’t how America is supposed to work” and YOU’RE RIGHT.
Now, the great thing about America is we can change that…YOU can change that.
Take notes. Develop policy. Rise up candidates to make the reforms to #America so this can never happen again. The work begins now
Now, the great thing about America is we can change that…YOU can change that.
Take notes. Develop policy. Rise up candidates to make the reforms to #America so this can never happen again. The work begins now
Sad to see iSpace make a hard landing during the attempt to land on the Moon. It looks like Intuitive Machines and iSpace both had laser rangefinder anomalies which impacted their missions, seconds from touching down.
spacenews.com/laser-rangef...
spacenews.com/laser-rangef...
Laser rangefinder problems blamed for second ispace lunar lander crash
Japanese company ispace says it believes its second lunar lander mission crashed because of problems with a laser rangefinder used to determine altitude.
spacenews.com
June 25, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Sad to see iSpace make a hard landing during the attempt to land on the Moon. It looks like Intuitive Machines and iSpace both had laser rangefinder anomalies which impacted their missions, seconds from touching down.
spacenews.com/laser-rangef...
spacenews.com/laser-rangef...
Reposted by Curtis Szajkovics
The 2025 call for NASA grant proposals is now two months late.
This administration is killing science quickly and slowly
This administration is killing science quickly and slowly
April 15, 2025 at 11:57 AM
The 2025 call for NASA grant proposals is now two months late.
This administration is killing science quickly and slowly
This administration is killing science quickly and slowly
Tonight we watched as #BlueGhost was captured by the lunar night.
We don't expect her to wake up, but at the same time, Blue has surprised at every turn.
We have captured sights never before seen by mankind and opened the lunar surface to commercial activities.
I can't wait to return.
We don't expect her to wake up, but at the same time, Blue has surprised at every turn.
We have captured sights never before seen by mankind and opened the lunar surface to commercial activities.
I can't wait to return.
March 17, 2025 at 4:22 AM
Tonight we watched as #BlueGhost was captured by the lunar night.
We don't expect her to wake up, but at the same time, Blue has surprised at every turn.
We have captured sights never before seen by mankind and opened the lunar surface to commercial activities.
I can't wait to return.
We don't expect her to wake up, but at the same time, Blue has surprised at every turn.
We have captured sights never before seen by mankind and opened the lunar surface to commercial activities.
I can't wait to return.
What does it take to vacuum up lunar regolith while already in a vacuum? The Lunar PlanetVac team knows.
We received video of our LPV operations and invited the payload team into the MOC to watch the video on our video wall.
Seeing their excitement was so rewarding after years of hard work!🧪🌖
We received video of our LPV operations and invited the payload team into the MOC to watch the video on our video wall.
Seeing their excitement was so rewarding after years of hard work!🧪🌖
March 10, 2025 at 2:30 PM
What does it take to vacuum up lunar regolith while already in a vacuum? The Lunar PlanetVac team knows.
We received video of our LPV operations and invited the payload team into the MOC to watch the video on our video wall.
Seeing their excitement was so rewarding after years of hard work!🧪🌖
We received video of our LPV operations and invited the payload team into the MOC to watch the video on our video wall.
Seeing their excitement was so rewarding after years of hard work!🧪🌖
Reposted by Curtis Szajkovics
My favorite part about the moon is that practically any human being in history has looked at it in their life no matter when or where they lived and so looking at it myself feels like a connection point with all of humanity.
March 8, 2025 at 10:41 AM
My favorite part about the moon is that practically any human being in history has looked at it in their life no matter when or where they lived and so looking at it myself feels like a connection point with all of humanity.
This has been a mix of emotions. @firefly-aerospace.bsky.social stuck the landing on the Moon, but we also saw the loss of Intuitive Machine’s Athena, Astrofoge’s Odin and NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer.
That is a lot of science 🧪 that can no longer be completed.
That is a lot of science 🧪 that can no longer be completed.
March 8, 2025 at 5:45 PM
This has been a mix of emotions. @firefly-aerospace.bsky.social stuck the landing on the Moon, but we also saw the loss of Intuitive Machine’s Athena, Astrofoge’s Odin and NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer.
That is a lot of science 🧪 that can no longer be completed.
That is a lot of science 🧪 that can no longer be completed.
Blue Ghost is rocking on with our Lunar Magnetotelluric Sounder (LMS) deployment!🌑🔍🧪
This involved deploying probes, which look very much like cannonballs flying over the Moon, and then deploying the antenna mast straight up. So as far as I’m concerned, we are basically #Moon pirates. 🏴☠️🦜
This involved deploying probes, which look very much like cannonballs flying over the Moon, and then deploying the antenna mast straight up. So as far as I’m concerned, we are basically #Moon pirates. 🏴☠️🦜
March 8, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Blue Ghost is rocking on with our Lunar Magnetotelluric Sounder (LMS) deployment!🌑🔍🧪
This involved deploying probes, which look very much like cannonballs flying over the Moon, and then deploying the antenna mast straight up. So as far as I’m concerned, we are basically #Moon pirates. 🏴☠️🦜
This involved deploying probes, which look very much like cannonballs flying over the Moon, and then deploying the antenna mast straight up. So as far as I’m concerned, we are basically #Moon pirates. 🏴☠️🦜
Intuitive Machine’s Athena is suspected to be on its side after a landing attempt near the lunar South Pole.
I feel for the IM team. They have put in years of work on their lander and supporting systems.
We want all missions to the Moon to be successful as we build a new economy in lunar space
I feel for the IM team. They have put in years of work on their lander and supporting systems.
We want all missions to the Moon to be successful as we build a new economy in lunar space
Intuitive Machines-2 Lunar Landing News Conference
YouTube video by NASA Video
www.youtube.com
March 6, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Intuitive Machine’s Athena is suspected to be on its side after a landing attempt near the lunar South Pole.
I feel for the IM team. They have put in years of work on their lander and supporting systems.
We want all missions to the Moon to be successful as we build a new economy in lunar space
I feel for the IM team. They have put in years of work on their lander and supporting systems.
We want all missions to the Moon to be successful as we build a new economy in lunar space
Sad to see Lunar Trailblazer having issues. It takes a lot of hard work to get a satellite into orbit and those first moments are tense.
Wishing them the best of luck on troubleshooting and getting it back in service.
Wishing them the best of luck on troubleshooting and getting it back in service.
NASA update on Lunar Trailblazer. Doesn't sound good. They think it's in a slow spin in a low power state. Hoping solar panels get more sunlight so can support higher-power ops and comm. They haven't given up!
blogs.nasa.gov/trailblazer/...
blogs.nasa.gov/trailblazer/...
NASA Continuing Efforts to Contact, Command Lunar Trailblazer – Lunar Trailblazer
blogs.nasa.gov
March 5, 2025 at 3:16 AM
Sad to see Lunar Trailblazer having issues. It takes a lot of hard work to get a satellite into orbit and those first moments are tense.
Wishing them the best of luck on troubleshooting and getting it back in service.
Wishing them the best of luck on troubleshooting and getting it back in service.
Reposted by Curtis Szajkovics
This past weekend, our Trace Gas Orbiter and #MarsExpress waved hello to NASA's Europa Clipper as it passed by the Red Planet 👋 1/3
🧪🔭 #planetsci
🧪🔭 #planetsci
March 3, 2025 at 12:29 PM
This past weekend, our Trace Gas Orbiter and #MarsExpress waved hello to NASA's Europa Clipper as it passed by the Red Planet 👋 1/3
🧪🔭 #planetsci
🧪🔭 #planetsci
Oh, what a beautiful morning 🎶
Oh, what a beautiful dayyyy🎶
Good Morning on the Mare Crisium!
#Moon #BlueGhost 🧪🚀
Oh, what a beautiful dayyyy🎶
Good Morning on the Mare Crisium!
#Moon #BlueGhost 🧪🚀
March 3, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Oh, what a beautiful morning 🎶
Oh, what a beautiful dayyyy🎶
Good Morning on the Mare Crisium!
#Moon #BlueGhost 🧪🚀
Oh, what a beautiful dayyyy🎶
Good Morning on the Mare Crisium!
#Moon #BlueGhost 🧪🚀
Blue Ghost has landed, intact, upright, in 1 piece and is sending back beautiful photos of the lunar landscape!
Now the real work begins.
We have 2 weeks (1 lunar day) to collect #scientific data for our payloads! 🧪
Now the real work begins.
We have 2 weeks (1 lunar day) to collect #scientific data for our payloads! 🧪
March 2, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Blue Ghost has landed, intact, upright, in 1 piece and is sending back beautiful photos of the lunar landscape!
Now the real work begins.
We have 2 weeks (1 lunar day) to collect #scientific data for our payloads! 🧪
Now the real work begins.
We have 2 weeks (1 lunar day) to collect #scientific data for our payloads! 🧪
We made it!!
Blue Ghost is ON THE MOON!🧪🌒🚀
Blue Ghost is ON THE MOON!🧪🌒🚀
March 2, 2025 at 10:48 AM
We made it!!
Blue Ghost is ON THE MOON!🧪🌒🚀
Blue Ghost is ON THE MOON!🧪🌒🚀
I had to dedicate Blue Ghost to my parents.
I am the first in my family to graduate college.
I spent 6 years building our family business, failing to break into space.
They were supportive while I was rejected from about every major #aerospace company.
Tonight I’m landing on the Moon.
🧪🚀🌒
I am the first in my family to graduate college.
I spent 6 years building our family business, failing to break into space.
They were supportive while I was rejected from about every major #aerospace company.
Tonight I’m landing on the Moon.
🧪🚀🌒
Blue Ghost Mission 1 Dedication
YouTube video by Firefly Aerospace
youtu.be
March 1, 2025 at 10:33 PM
I had to dedicate Blue Ghost to my parents.
I am the first in my family to graduate college.
I spent 6 years building our family business, failing to break into space.
They were supportive while I was rejected from about every major #aerospace company.
Tonight I’m landing on the Moon.
🧪🚀🌒
I am the first in my family to graduate college.
I spent 6 years building our family business, failing to break into space.
They were supportive while I was rejected from about every major #aerospace company.
Tonight I’m landing on the Moon.
🧪🚀🌒
Tonight's the big night!
Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander is going to be landing on the #Moon! Livestream is linked below! Should go live around 1:30 AM CST Mar 2.
So excited to see Blue touchdown and for the lunar surface science mission to begin! 🧪 🌒
Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander is going to be landing on the #Moon! Livestream is linked below! Should go live around 1:30 AM CST Mar 2.
So excited to see Blue touchdown and for the lunar surface science mission to begin! 🧪 🌒
Firefly's Blue Ghost Mission 1 Lunar Landing
YouTube video by Firefly Aerospace
www.youtube.com
March 1, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Tonight's the big night!
Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander is going to be landing on the #Moon! Livestream is linked below! Should go live around 1:30 AM CST Mar 2.
So excited to see Blue touchdown and for the lunar surface science mission to begin! 🧪 🌒
Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander is going to be landing on the #Moon! Livestream is linked below! Should go live around 1:30 AM CST Mar 2.
So excited to see Blue touchdown and for the lunar surface science mission to begin! 🧪 🌒
Reposted by Curtis Szajkovics
🔊It's gravity assist day! Today Mars will bend the #EuropaClipper trajectory towards Jupiter. At 17:57(UK)/12:57(EST) 🛰️Clipper will be just 550 miles above Mars’ surface, testing its thermal imager & radar. So #DoLookUp to Mars and give Clipper a little wave 👋🥳
ℹ️ www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-e... 🔭🧪
ℹ️ www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-e... 🔭🧪
March 1, 2025 at 8:12 AM
🔊It's gravity assist day! Today Mars will bend the #EuropaClipper trajectory towards Jupiter. At 17:57(UK)/12:57(EST) 🛰️Clipper will be just 550 miles above Mars’ surface, testing its thermal imager & radar. So #DoLookUp to Mars and give Clipper a little wave 👋🥳
ℹ️ www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-e... 🔭🧪
ℹ️ www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-e... 🔭🧪
Calling all #planetary #scientists! If you could conduct research anywhere in the solar system, where would you go and what would you study?
Let’s talk #exploration! 🧪🌌🚀
#astronomy #planetaryscience
Let’s talk #exploration! 🧪🌌🚀
#astronomy #planetaryscience
February 27, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Calling all #planetary #scientists! If you could conduct research anywhere in the solar system, where would you go and what would you study?
Let’s talk #exploration! 🧪🌌🚀
#astronomy #planetaryscience
Let’s talk #exploration! 🧪🌌🚀
#astronomy #planetaryscience
The #Moon is so beautiful. Yes it appears monochrome, but the bright white ejecta and the pitch black of shadowed regions create a diverse landscape.
I love how we are finally able to make out smaller craters that were not visible and higher altitudes. 🧪 Only a few days until Blue Ghost lands!
I love how we are finally able to make out smaller craters that were not visible and higher altitudes. 🧪 Only a few days until Blue Ghost lands!
February 27, 2025 at 11:43 AM
The #Moon is so beautiful. Yes it appears monochrome, but the bright white ejecta and the pitch black of shadowed regions create a diverse landscape.
I love how we are finally able to make out smaller craters that were not visible and higher altitudes. 🧪 Only a few days until Blue Ghost lands!
I love how we are finally able to make out smaller craters that were not visible and higher altitudes. 🧪 Only a few days until Blue Ghost lands!
🌟 Honored to be featured in Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost update! 🌟
This update covers where we are in the mission and what’s coming up in the next few weeks. I also had the chance to share a piece of advice I wish I had heard earlier in my career.🧪
#FireflyAerospace
This update covers where we are in the mission and what’s coming up in the next few weeks. I also had the chance to share a piece of advice I wish I had heard earlier in my career.🧪
#FireflyAerospace
In Lunar Orbit! Blue Ghost Week 5 Update
YouTube video by Firefly Aerospace
youtu.be
February 20, 2025 at 6:56 PM
🌟 Honored to be featured in Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost update! 🌟
This update covers where we are in the mission and what’s coming up in the next few weeks. I also had the chance to share a piece of advice I wish I had heard earlier in my career.🧪
#FireflyAerospace
This update covers where we are in the mission and what’s coming up in the next few weeks. I also had the chance to share a piece of advice I wish I had heard earlier in my career.🧪
#FireflyAerospace
I'm happy to see our friends at NASA have been given a temporary reprieve. We will need to wait and see if cuts are still made, and if they will be more targeted at specific programs.
Still, this gives people time to adjust and consider their options compared to being forced to look for new work.
Still, this gives people time to adjust and consider their options compared to being forced to look for new work.
February 19, 2025 at 2:33 AM
I'm happy to see our friends at NASA have been given a temporary reprieve. We will need to wait and see if cuts are still made, and if they will be more targeted at specific programs.
Still, this gives people time to adjust and consider their options compared to being forced to look for new work.
Still, this gives people time to adjust and consider their options compared to being forced to look for new work.
Reposted by Curtis Szajkovics
The Planetary Society strongly opposes the sudden, indiscriminate dismissal of more than 1,000 scientists, engineers, and explorers at NASA — the largest involuntary workforce reduction since the end of the Apollo program.
Read more on our stance. ⬇️
Read more on our stance. ⬇️
The Planetary Society Strongly Opposes Mass Layoffs of Probationary…
Sudden, indiscriminate layoffs at NASA do not serve the national interests in space leadership.
www.planetary.org
February 18, 2025 at 4:47 PM
The Planetary Society strongly opposes the sudden, indiscriminate dismissal of more than 1,000 scientists, engineers, and explorers at NASA — the largest involuntary workforce reduction since the end of the Apollo program.
Read more on our stance. ⬇️
Read more on our stance. ⬇️
Blue Ghost completed LOI2 which brought us into lower elliptical orbit around the #Moon. We were able to capture the footage seen here at approx 120km off the surface of the Moon.
For reference, the ISS orbits the Earth at around 400km.
We are getting close to descent, only a few weeks to go!🧪
For reference, the ISS orbits the Earth at around 400km.
We are getting close to descent, only a few weeks to go!🧪
February 18, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Blue Ghost completed LOI2 which brought us into lower elliptical orbit around the #Moon. We were able to capture the footage seen here at approx 120km off the surface of the Moon.
For reference, the ISS orbits the Earth at around 400km.
We are getting close to descent, only a few weeks to go!🧪
For reference, the ISS orbits the Earth at around 400km.
We are getting close to descent, only a few weeks to go!🧪
Reposted by Curtis Szajkovics
To everyone in and around NASA. Hang in there everyone. The NASA civil service, contractor, and science family has the smartest, most gifted and inspired people on Earth. You have touched the sun, visited every planet, and now sail between the stars. Ad Astra - one way or another.
February 18, 2025 at 4:08 PM
To everyone in and around NASA. Hang in there everyone. The NASA civil service, contractor, and science family has the smartest, most gifted and inspired people on Earth. You have touched the sun, visited every planet, and now sail between the stars. Ad Astra - one way or another.
🌎How it started be How it’s going🌖
It blows my mind. This makes me want to explore so much deeper into the solar system. I hope we will get that chance.
I'm amazed at how alien the #Moon looks in these photos. For something we see almost everyday, this looks so foreign. 🧪
It blows my mind. This makes me want to explore so much deeper into the solar system. I hope we will get that chance.
I'm amazed at how alien the #Moon looks in these photos. For something we see almost everyday, this looks so foreign. 🧪
February 14, 2025 at 9:32 PM
🌎How it started be How it’s going🌖
It blows my mind. This makes me want to explore so much deeper into the solar system. I hope we will get that chance.
I'm amazed at how alien the #Moon looks in these photos. For something we see almost everyday, this looks so foreign. 🧪
It blows my mind. This makes me want to explore so much deeper into the solar system. I hope we will get that chance.
I'm amazed at how alien the #Moon looks in these photos. For something we see almost everyday, this looks so foreign. 🧪