Derek Newsome
@derekdotspace.bsky.social
262 Launches and Counting! Freelance spaceflight photographer catching each and every ride to orbit he can.
Check out my work at derekspace.com
He/Him
Check out my work at derekspace.com
He/Him
Hmmm... Trailer tonight?
November 10, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Hmmm... Trailer tonight?
Some gnarly weather today but trending the right way for a liftoff earlier in the window.
Wind shear is hitting hard and pushing lower clouds inland and upper clouds out to sea.
Wind shear is hitting hard and pushing lower clouds inland and upper clouds out to sea.
November 9, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Some gnarly weather today but trending the right way for a liftoff earlier in the window.
Wind shear is hitting hard and pushing lower clouds inland and upper clouds out to sea.
Wind shear is hitting hard and pushing lower clouds inland and upper clouds out to sea.
I face PR day in and day out and have seen incredibly clearly how well a group can spin a negative message.
But damn.
There's no world where you can say this was someone else's fault to the masses. You maybe could have found a spin before the court orders, but now it is squarely on the GOP.
But damn.
There's no world where you can say this was someone else's fault to the masses. You maybe could have found a spin before the court orders, but now it is squarely on the GOP.
The Supreme Court has granted the Trump administration’s emergency appeal to temporarily block a court order to fully fund SNAP food aid payments during the government shutdown.
Trump administration seeks to halt SNAP food aid payments after a court order
The Trump administration has asked a federal appeals court to block a judge’s order to distribute November’s full SNAP benefits during a U.S. government shutdown. U.S.
bit.ly
November 8, 2025 at 2:48 AM
I face PR day in and day out and have seen incredibly clearly how well a group can spin a negative message.
But damn.
There's no world where you can say this was someone else's fault to the masses. You maybe could have found a spin before the court orders, but now it is squarely on the GOP.
But damn.
There's no world where you can say this was someone else's fault to the masses. You maybe could have found a spin before the court orders, but now it is squarely on the GOP.
Been feeling fantastic doing sim racing again lately, just came second in a Truck race by about 4 pixels and had a yellow not come out I would have driven away with it by a mile.
I forgot how much fun having a properly competitive hobby can be
I forgot how much fun having a properly competitive hobby can be
November 8, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Been feeling fantastic doing sim racing again lately, just came second in a Truck race by about 4 pixels and had a yellow not come out I would have driven away with it by a mile.
I forgot how much fun having a properly competitive hobby can be
I forgot how much fun having a properly competitive hobby can be
I have a very stupid gripe with modern launch broadcasting. For some reason there are never mics set up to capture all the sounds the rocket actually makes in the leadup to the launch.
Best example of one not shown on broadcast is Vega-C's insane startup sequence.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrup...
Best example of one not shown on broadcast is Vega-C's insane startup sequence.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrup...
Vega-C liftoff with Biomass | Up close and loud
YouTube video by ESA Extras
www.youtube.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:40 PM
I have a very stupid gripe with modern launch broadcasting. For some reason there are never mics set up to capture all the sounds the rocket actually makes in the leadup to the launch.
Best example of one not shown on broadcast is Vega-C's insane startup sequence.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrup...
Best example of one not shown on broadcast is Vega-C's insane startup sequence.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrup...
Ok see now it’s even less clear if ESCAPADE would be affected.
I’m not really sure anyone exactly knows at this point so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I’m not really sure anyone exactly knows at this point so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Deleted prior post regarding ESCAPADE. It would be affected if it delayed into the 10th or later.
Depending on how long the shutdown continues this would delay the ESCAPADE launch indefinitely or until the launch window has shifted enough to fall within the available time frame.
Depending on how long the shutdown continues this would delay the ESCAPADE launch indefinitely or until the launch window has shifted enough to fall within the available time frame.
November 7, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Ok see now it’s even less clear if ESCAPADE would be affected.
I’m not really sure anyone exactly knows at this point so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I’m not really sure anyone exactly knows at this point so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Deleted prior post regarding ESCAPADE. It would be affected if it delayed into the 10th or later.
Depending on how long the shutdown continues this would delay the ESCAPADE launch indefinitely or until the launch window has shifted enough to fall within the available time frame.
Depending on how long the shutdown continues this would delay the ESCAPADE launch indefinitely or until the launch window has shifted enough to fall within the available time frame.
November 7, 2025 at 4:01 AM
Deleted prior post regarding ESCAPADE. It would be affected if it delayed into the 10th or later.
Depending on how long the shutdown continues this would delay the ESCAPADE launch indefinitely or until the launch window has shifted enough to fall within the available time frame.
Depending on how long the shutdown continues this would delay the ESCAPADE launch indefinitely or until the launch window has shifted enough to fall within the available time frame.
Reposted by Derek Newsome
A recent interview asked me where I thought I'd be in 5 years, and I visibly went through the five stages of grief. Contemplating my future as a planetary scientist means, at best, confronting a field that will radically change. At worst, it means confronting a field without me in it.
November 6, 2025 at 9:18 PM
A recent interview asked me where I thought I'd be in 5 years, and I visibly went through the five stages of grief. Contemplating my future as a planetary scientist means, at best, confronting a field that will radically change. At worst, it means confronting a field without me in it.
Reposted by Derek Newsome
I'm not saying this to be a doomer! I'm saying that we could much more effectively support each other right now if we all quit the pretense that things are business as usual. I love doing science, but I love people more - and so should we all.
November 6, 2025 at 9:12 PM
I'm not saying this to be a doomer! I'm saying that we could much more effectively support each other right now if we all quit the pretense that things are business as usual. I love doing science, but I love people more - and so should we all.
Reposted by Derek Newsome
I think we as a field would actually be happier if we all collectively admitted that things are very bad right now, instead of pretending that everything is fine, and that all of us will somehow be the lucky ones.
November 6, 2025 at 9:10 PM
I think we as a field would actually be happier if we all collectively admitted that things are very bad right now, instead of pretending that everything is fine, and that all of us will somehow be the lucky ones.
Reposted by Derek Newsome
They're tearing Goddard apart for scraps and I'm supposed to write as many proposals as I can to scramble for a fraction of the money NASA has left? Depressing, degrading, and dehumanizing in a time when the future of planetary science can be measured in the number of people it leaves behind.
November 6, 2025 at 9:08 PM
They're tearing Goddard apart for scraps and I'm supposed to write as many proposals as I can to scramble for a fraction of the money NASA has left? Depressing, degrading, and dehumanizing in a time when the future of planetary science can be measured in the number of people it leaves behind.
I feel like I should note I keep doing this to get like 5 seconds of footage out of a 20 minute 4k video
Ever download a file and oops thats a 5 gigabyte video of SLS booster processing
November 6, 2025 at 4:19 AM
I feel like I should note I keep doing this to get like 5 seconds of footage out of a 20 minute 4k video
Ever download a file and oops thats a 5 gigabyte video of SLS booster processing
November 5, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Ever download a file and oops thats a 5 gigabyte video of SLS booster processing
Blue Origin has announced that ESCAPADE will launch NET November 9th!
They have also dropped one of the absolutely coolest mission patches I have EVER seen
They have also dropped one of the absolutely coolest mission patches I have EVER seen
November 5, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Blue Origin has announced that ESCAPADE will launch NET November 9th!
They have also dropped one of the absolutely coolest mission patches I have EVER seen
They have also dropped one of the absolutely coolest mission patches I have EVER seen
Added most of the scenes to the timeline today and there's something pretty wild about seeing a project that has until now been in so many pieces come together.
Still a little left to do so no backing off for me, but we're rounding the last corners!
Still a little left to do so no backing off for me, but we're rounding the last corners!
November 5, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Added most of the scenes to the timeline today and there's something pretty wild about seeing a project that has until now been in so many pieces come together.
Still a little left to do so no backing off for me, but we're rounding the last corners!
Still a little left to do so no backing off for me, but we're rounding the last corners!
Hey I just realized I saw The Struts perform here like 3 months ago!
Trump: "Hear me, President Trump, when I say this: to get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us."
November 5, 2025 at 5:08 AM
Hey I just realized I saw The Struts perform here like 3 months ago!
I try not to curse as much as I used to, but every now and then there is a time and a place.
Get fucked fascists
Get fucked fascists
November 5, 2025 at 2:36 AM
I try not to curse as much as I used to, but every now and then there is a time and a place.
Get fucked fascists
Get fucked fascists
Pretty unbelievable that after directly outlining a plan that in no uncertain terms wants to destroy NASA science that Isaacman got renominated today.
Actually knowing how the Trump administration has treated science elsewhere its fully believable.
Actually knowing how the Trump administration has treated science elsewhere its fully believable.
November 4, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Pretty unbelievable that after directly outlining a plan that in no uncertain terms wants to destroy NASA science that Isaacman got renominated today.
Actually knowing how the Trump administration has treated science elsewhere its fully believable.
Actually knowing how the Trump administration has treated science elsewhere its fully believable.
Absolutely gorgeous launch today for Sentinel-1D. Just a few minutes left in today's flight before deployment.
Core stage separation: thank you Vulcain 2.1, the Ariane 6 upper stage with its Vinci motor will take it from here. Vinci will now fire for almost 12 minutes to continue Sentinel-1D's ascent.
Everything going as planned. #VA265
Everything going as planned. #VA265
November 4, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Absolutely gorgeous launch today for Sentinel-1D. Just a few minutes left in today's flight before deployment.
Reposted by Derek Newsome
Core stage separation: thank you Vulcain 2.1, the Ariane 6 upper stage with its Vinci motor will take it from here. Vinci will now fire for almost 12 minutes to continue Sentinel-1D's ascent.
Everything going as planned. #VA265
Everything going as planned. #VA265
November 4, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Core stage separation: thank you Vulcain 2.1, the Ariane 6 upper stage with its Vinci motor will take it from here. Vinci will now fire for almost 12 minutes to continue Sentinel-1D's ascent.
Everything going as planned. #VA265
Everything going as planned. #VA265
Absolutely gorgeous afternoon for an Ariane 6 launch! All is go ahead of liftoff in just over 7 minutes!
www.youtube.com/live/6daC_wT...
www.youtube.com/live/6daC_wT...
November 4, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Absolutely gorgeous afternoon for an Ariane 6 launch! All is go ahead of liftoff in just over 7 minutes!
www.youtube.com/live/6daC_wT...
www.youtube.com/live/6daC_wT...
Reposted by Derek Newsome
hey there, Martian spacecraft! i didn't expect to see the payloads I'm helping launch soon on my way home from work.
fun new glenn fact: it has the largest usable payload volume of any rocket with a 7m diameter, 72ft tall fairing (yes, i'm as upset about the units as you are)
fun new glenn fact: it has the largest usable payload volume of any rocket with a 7m diameter, 72ft tall fairing (yes, i'm as upset about the units as you are)
November 4, 2025 at 7:45 AM
hey there, Martian spacecraft! i didn't expect to see the payloads I'm helping launch soon on my way home from work.
fun new glenn fact: it has the largest usable payload volume of any rocket with a 7m diameter, 72ft tall fairing (yes, i'm as upset about the units as you are)
fun new glenn fact: it has the largest usable payload volume of any rocket with a 7m diameter, 72ft tall fairing (yes, i'm as upset about the units as you are)