Orbital Policy Group
@druidorbital.bsky.social
Viewpoints and opinions on policy issues relating to Low Earth Orbit, including policy, science, governance, and cybersecurity.
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We are exploring and educating on all things related to Low Earth Orbit, space policy, and cybersecurity in space. Links, likes, or reposts do not constitute endorsement. Oxford commas are mandatory.
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
Buckle up, folks. This is a constitutional crisis unfolding before our eyes.
Trump now saying — contrary to his previous statements and those of federal officials — that people removed from the U.S. to El Salvador are in the “sole custody” of El Salvador
April 12, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Buckle up, folks. This is a constitutional crisis unfolding before our eyes.
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
Big Backlash at Big Law Democrats: Major law firms have bent the knee to Trump—yet the influential Democratic attorneys who work at them keep collecting lucrative paychecks.
AND SOME PROMINENT DEMS ARE PISSED. Including my spirit animal @neeratanden.bsky.social
www.thebulwark.com/p/big-backla...
AND SOME PROMINENT DEMS ARE PISSED. Including my spirit animal @neeratanden.bsky.social
www.thebulwark.com/p/big-backla...
Big Backlash at Big Law Democrats
Major law firms have bent the knee to Trump—yet the influential Democratic attorneys who work at them keep collecting lucrative paychecks.
www.thebulwark.com
April 7, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Big Backlash at Big Law Democrats: Major law firms have bent the knee to Trump—yet the influential Democratic attorneys who work at them keep collecting lucrative paychecks.
AND SOME PROMINENT DEMS ARE PISSED. Including my spirit animal @neeratanden.bsky.social
www.thebulwark.com/p/big-backla...
AND SOME PROMINENT DEMS ARE PISSED. Including my spirit animal @neeratanden.bsky.social
www.thebulwark.com/p/big-backla...
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
BREAKING: 500 associates and staffers at a top global law firm have written leadership begging it not to settle with Donald Trump
www.thebulwark.com/p/uprising-a...
www.thebulwark.com/p/uprising-a...
An Uprising at a Big Law Firm Targeted by Trump
Hundreds of associates at A&O Shearman have openly put their names on a letter pleading with leadership not to settle.
www.thebulwark.com
April 11, 2025 at 4:12 PM
BREAKING: 500 associates and staffers at a top global law firm have written leadership begging it not to settle with Donald Trump
www.thebulwark.com/p/uprising-a...
www.thebulwark.com/p/uprising-a...
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
NASA has 20+ satellites in orbit sending PETABYTES of data. Without highly trained staff, that data falls on the floor and isn’t recoverable. And just in case — no, AI isn’t the answer.
First the rumour was a 20% budget cut. Then, 50%. Now the president's NASA budget is out and it's a 68% cut to astrophysics ($1.5B to $487M).
Even if this gets reversed in four years, we will *never* recover the missions, partners, people who will be gone.
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Even if this gets reversed in four years, we will *never* recover the missions, partners, people who will be gone.
www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...
Massive cuts to NASA science proposed in early White House budget plan
The preliminary version of President Donald Trump’s budget proposal to Congress, known as a “passback,” would cut the agency’s science budget funding nearly in half.
www.washingtonpost.com
April 11, 2025 at 7:12 PM
NASA has 20+ satellites in orbit sending PETABYTES of data. Without highly trained staff, that data falls on the floor and isn’t recoverable. And just in case — no, AI isn’t the answer.
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
And there are potential benefits for Elon Musk. Privatization of more satellite work. The Traffic Coordination System for Space (basically air traffic control for space) shifted over to private sector.
April 11, 2025 at 6:22 PM
And there are potential benefits for Elon Musk. Privatization of more satellite work. The Traffic Coordination System for Space (basically air traffic control for space) shifted over to private sector.
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
“The budget cuts also appear intended to force the closure of Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland where the agency has 10,000 civil servants and contractors.” Well, we had a good run folks!
arstechnica.com/space/2025/0...
arstechnica.com/space/2025/0...
Trump White House budget proposal eviscerates science funding at NASA
“This would decimate American leadership in space.”…
arstechnica.com
April 11, 2025 at 2:56 PM
“The budget cuts also appear intended to force the closure of Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland where the agency has 10,000 civil servants and contractors.” Well, we had a good run folks!
arstechnica.com/space/2025/0...
arstechnica.com/space/2025/0...
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
I'm really stressed about what this means for satellite missions ops. We are basically going to be stranding our assets in space. That's all taxpayer money.
April 11, 2025 at 6:17 PM
I'm really stressed about what this means for satellite missions ops. We are basically going to be stranding our assets in space. That's all taxpayer money.
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
Autism didn’t make them do it. Mental illness didn’t, either. This personal piece from The Big Picture cuts through the excuses and names the real issue: some people are just hateful, and we need to stop giving them cover.
Neither Neurodivergence Nor Mental Illness Made Them Bigots—They're Just Awful People
It's hard to admit your heroes are jerks, but the mentally ill and neurodivergent shouldn't be collateral damage.
thinkbigpicture.substack.com
April 10, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Autism didn’t make them do it. Mental illness didn’t, either. This personal piece from The Big Picture cuts through the excuses and names the real issue: some people are just hateful, and we need to stop giving them cover.
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
❗️🇯🇵Japan has expressed interest in participating in the NATO mission command for military support to 🇺🇦Ukraine.
April 10, 2025 at 12:41 PM
❗️🇯🇵Japan has expressed interest in participating in the NATO mission command for military support to 🇺🇦Ukraine.
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
Now, to be fair, the Pentagon threw a little Bozos' way, too. Blue Origin got $2.4B.
But the big question is _Whose_ satellites are they being paid to launch? 🤔
But the big question is _Whose_ satellites are they being paid to launch? 🤔
April 10, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Now, to be fair, the Pentagon threw a little Bozos' way, too. Blue Origin got $2.4B.
But the big question is _Whose_ satellites are they being paid to launch? 🤔
But the big question is _Whose_ satellites are they being paid to launch? 🤔
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
The Japan Coast Guard has equipped 12 of its large patrol vessels with Starlink, a high-speed satellite internet service, as of March in a bid to appeal to attract new recruits among younger generations.
Starlink brings internet to Japan Coast Guard ships in bid for new blood
The JCG hopes the upgrade will help appeal to younger generations amid growing concerns over rising retirement numbers and declining recruitment.
www.japantimes.co.jp
April 9, 2025 at 7:33 AM
The Japan Coast Guard has equipped 12 of its large patrol vessels with Starlink, a high-speed satellite internet service, as of March in a bid to appeal to attract new recruits among younger generations.
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
What a duo of tweets.
April 9, 2025 at 3:30 AM
What a duo of tweets.
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites to orbit on 1st half of spaceflight doubleheader (video, photos)
SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida's Space Coast on Monday (March 31). A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 28 Starlink spacecraft lifted off from Cape…
SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida's Space Coast on Monday (March 31). A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 28 Starlink spacecraft lifted off from Cape…
SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites to orbit on 1st half of spaceflight doubleheader (video, photos)
SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida's Space Coast on Monday (March 31). A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 28 Starlink spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 3:52 p.m. EST (1952 GMT) on Monday. To plan, the Falcon 9's first stage came back to Earth about eight minutes after liftoff. It touched down on the drone ship "Just Read the Instructions," which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
cavenewstimes.com
April 9, 2025 at 8:48 AM
SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites to orbit on 1st half of spaceflight doubleheader (video, photos)
SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida's Space Coast on Monday (March 31). A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 28 Starlink spacecraft lifted off from Cape…
SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida's Space Coast on Monday (March 31). A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 28 Starlink spacecraft lifted off from Cape…
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
Nice article from the Xerces Society: Want to Save the Bees? Focus on Habitat, Not Honey Bees 🌿🐝https://xerces.org/blog/want-to-save-bees-focus-on-habitat-not-honey-bees
Want to Save the Bees? Focus on Habitat, Not Honey Bees
Keeping honey bee hives will not help the 3,600 bee species native to North America. In fact, it might do the opposite. The best solution to bee declines is to address underlying causes like habitat l...
xerces.org
April 8, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Nice article from the Xerces Society: Want to Save the Bees? Focus on Habitat, Not Honey Bees 🌿🐝https://xerces.org/blog/want-to-save-bees-focus-on-habitat-not-honey-bees
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
China’s ‘Kill Mesh’ Threatens Us Satellites, Space Force Warns
China's advancements in space warfare have reportedly Led to the development of a new kill mesh system, raising some concerns. During the 16th annual mcaleese defense programs conference in Virginia, General Michael Guetlein, Vice…
China's advancements in space warfare have reportedly Led to the development of a new kill mesh system, raising some concerns. During the 16th annual mcaleese defense programs conference in Virginia, General Michael Guetlein, Vice…
China’s ‘Kill Mesh’ Threatens Us Satellites, Space Force Warns
China's advancements in space warfare have reportedly Led to the development of a new kill mesh system, raising some concerns. During the 16th annual mcaleese defense programs conference in Virginia, General Michael Guetlein, Vice Chief of Space Operations for the Us Space Force, HIGHLIGHTED This DURING The Event. He reportedly revised that the gap in space capability This has made it health to make Necessary Action Towards Space Defense Strategies.
jiolivenews.com
April 8, 2025 at 9:36 PM
China’s ‘Kill Mesh’ Threatens Us Satellites, Space Force Warns
China's advancements in space warfare have reportedly Led to the development of a new kill mesh system, raising some concerns. During the 16th annual mcaleese defense programs conference in Virginia, General Michael Guetlein, Vice…
China's advancements in space warfare have reportedly Led to the development of a new kill mesh system, raising some concerns. During the 16th annual mcaleese defense programs conference in Virginia, General Michael Guetlein, Vice…
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
Bad day to have China as your largest business partner.
April 8, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Bad day to have China as your largest business partner.
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
NOAA’s GOES-19 satellite officially began operations as GOES East
2/2
Learn More:
www.noaa.gov/news-release...
2/2
Learn More:
www.noaa.gov/news-release...
NOAA’s GOES-19 satellite now operational, providing critical new data to forecasters
Satellite covering GOES-East orbit
www.noaa.gov
April 8, 2025 at 11:02 PM
NOAA’s GOES-19 satellite officially began operations as GOES East
2/2
Learn More:
www.noaa.gov/news-release...
2/2
Learn More:
www.noaa.gov/news-release...
Reposted by Orbital Policy Group
Boeing’s Millennium Space expands production to meet defense demand
The company is expanding its small-satellite production space from 22,000 square feet to nearly 42,000 square feet.
The company is expanding its small-satellite production space from 22,000 square feet to nearly 42,000 square feet.
Boeing’s Millennium Space expands production to meet defense demand
The company is expanding its small-satellite production space from 22,000 square feet to nearly 42,000 square feet.
spacenews.com
April 8, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Boeing’s Millennium Space expands production to meet defense demand
The company is expanding its small-satellite production space from 22,000 square feet to nearly 42,000 square feet.
The company is expanding its small-satellite production space from 22,000 square feet to nearly 42,000 square feet.