Snow Tonic
@snow-tonic.bsky.social
Looking for interesting news, insights, and objective conversation on science and technology topics. I prefer to stay anonymous on social media.
I know. His presence on BlueSky long predates that being the case.
January 6, 2026 at 8:24 PM
I know. His presence on BlueSky long predates that being the case.
I think anyone with even a remote interest in SpaceX has tended to keep their X account given the concentration of SpaceX-related news on that platform.
I wish Blue Origin / Dave Limp at least would get on Bluesky. Even Tory is here...
I wish Blue Origin / Dave Limp at least would get on Bluesky. Even Tory is here...
January 6, 2026 at 2:29 PM
I think anyone with even a remote interest in SpaceX has tended to keep their X account given the concentration of SpaceX-related news on that platform.
I wish Blue Origin / Dave Limp at least would get on Bluesky. Even Tory is here...
I wish Blue Origin / Dave Limp at least would get on Bluesky. Even Tory is here...
The program cost, inclusive of fixed costs like labor and infrastructure, is almost certainly north of $10B.
January 4, 2026 at 1:54 AM
The program cost, inclusive of fixed costs like labor and infrastructure, is almost certainly north of $10B.
It definitely seems strange that there was very little forward indication of the plan / timeline. The CDDT was the only thing we heard about in months. I wish they were more transparent. Almost no one in the general public is really aware of this, which is crazy for such a high-stakes mission.
January 3, 2026 at 2:50 AM
It definitely seems strange that there was very little forward indication of the plan / timeline. The CDDT was the only thing we heard about in months. I wish they were more transparent. Almost no one in the general public is really aware of this, which is crazy for such a high-stakes mission.
I don't think there was a test article for the hippo fairing, they tested the flight article and are now shipping it to Wallops.
Given their schedule pressure, we may see the same thing here. They'll run structural and proof tests on the flight article.
Given their schedule pressure, we may see the same thing here. They'll run structural and proof tests on the flight article.
January 2, 2026 at 6:55 PM
I don't think there was a test article for the hippo fairing, they tested the flight article and are now shipping it to Wallops.
Given their schedule pressure, we may see the same thing here. They'll run structural and proof tests on the flight article.
Given their schedule pressure, we may see the same thing here. They'll run structural and proof tests on the flight article.
If Starship becomes operational next year, won't that mean Falcon 9 flights will have peaked this year?
December 31, 2025 at 10:36 PM
If Starship becomes operational next year, won't that mean Falcon 9 flights will have peaked this year?
How are you certain of that?
To me, it makes more sense to fly 3 of them on F9 than to waste a F9 flight on a single BB. And Blue Origin might be willing to discount what would be an early flight of New Glenn to fly the single BB.
To me, it makes more sense to fly 3 of them on F9 than to waste a F9 flight on a single BB. And Blue Origin might be willing to discount what would be an early flight of New Glenn to fly the single BB.
December 29, 2025 at 6:34 PM
How are you certain of that?
To me, it makes more sense to fly 3 of them on F9 than to waste a F9 flight on a single BB. And Blue Origin might be willing to discount what would be an early flight of New Glenn to fly the single BB.
To me, it makes more sense to fly 3 of them on F9 than to waste a F9 flight on a single BB. And Blue Origin might be willing to discount what would be an early flight of New Glenn to fly the single BB.
It's intriguing that they are continuing to not name the actual launch vehicle in these releases.
December 29, 2025 at 6:26 PM
It's intriguing that they are continuing to not name the actual launch vehicle in these releases.
A successful first launch was the base case and should be priced in. Not sure why it's down, but I would note the biggest risk factor is yet to cleared - the unfurling and commissioning of the block 2 satellites. Launch was never the real concern.
December 24, 2025 at 3:47 PM
A successful first launch was the base case and should be priced in. Not sure why it's down, but I would note the biggest risk factor is yet to cleared - the unfurling and commissioning of the block 2 satellites. Launch was never the real concern.
Already deleted, and now I'm hearing we have to go to Limewire 🤦♂️
December 23, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Already deleted, and now I'm hearing we have to go to Limewire 🤦♂️
Does Bari Weiss own The Atlantic? I knew Thomas Chatterton Williams was there, how is it that they now have two of them?
December 23, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Does Bari Weiss own The Atlantic? I knew Thomas Chatterton Williams was there, how is it that they now have two of them?
Was there any clarity on what the issue was?
December 23, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Was there any clarity on what the issue was?
Someone needs to mirror this ASAP...
December 22, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Someone needs to mirror this ASAP...
Are you suggesting 700k is a lot for a CEO? Putting aside whether or not you think he deserves it, it doesn't strike me as a lot at all.
December 22, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Are you suggesting 700k is a lot for a CEO? Putting aside whether or not you think he deserves it, it doesn't strike me as a lot at all.
Besides, most of the work with ULA is done. Vulcan is NSSL-certified. They are opening up a new VIF on the Cape and a new launch pad at Vandenberg. All there is left is to scale up and launch. Bruno is the guy you bring in to overhaul the company - for your R&D, not for your operations. 2/2
December 22, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Besides, most of the work with ULA is done. Vulcan is NSSL-certified. They are opening up a new VIF on the Cape and a new launch pad at Vandenberg. All there is left is to scale up and launch. Bruno is the guy you bring in to overhaul the company - for your R&D, not for your operations. 2/2
It's sort of telling. ULA has been stumbling along these past few years, unable to quite get to the launch cadence they really wanted to. Meanwhile, other companies (Blue Origin, RocketLab) are on an upward path, with more to come.
I don't blame Bruno for leaving right now. 1/2
I don't blame Bruno for leaving right now. 1/2
December 22, 2025 at 5:35 PM
It's sort of telling. ULA has been stumbling along these past few years, unable to quite get to the launch cadence they really wanted to. Meanwhile, other companies (Blue Origin, RocketLab) are on an upward path, with more to come.
I don't blame Bruno for leaving right now. 1/2
I don't blame Bruno for leaving right now. 1/2
Wow, I did not expect this. I wonder what he's doing next.
December 22, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Wow, I did not expect this. I wonder what he's doing next.
What makes him an "actual astronaut"? Paying ~$300M for the privilege?
An astronaut is a job and a career. It is something you compete and are vetted for, typically against thousands of other highly-qualified applicants.
It is not something you buy as if it were a yacht.
An astronaut is a job and a career. It is something you compete and are vetted for, typically against thousands of other highly-qualified applicants.
It is not something you buy as if it were a yacht.
December 21, 2025 at 10:26 PM
What makes him an "actual astronaut"? Paying ~$300M for the privilege?
An astronaut is a job and a career. It is something you compete and are vetted for, typically against thousands of other highly-qualified applicants.
It is not something you buy as if it were a yacht.
An astronaut is a job and a career. It is something you compete and are vetted for, typically against thousands of other highly-qualified applicants.
It is not something you buy as if it were a yacht.
The worst case is that he simply doesn't learn this and imposes his agenda anyway. That would leave NASA a shell of its former self, with a continued exodus of talent and money to the private sector.
Who wins? Jared will tell you industry in general or taxpayers, but the reality is SpaceX.
3/3
Who wins? Jared will tell you industry in general or taxpayers, but the reality is SpaceX.
3/3
December 21, 2025 at 10:21 PM
The worst case is that he simply doesn't learn this and imposes his agenda anyway. That would leave NASA a shell of its former self, with a continued exodus of talent and money to the private sector.
Who wins? Jared will tell you industry in general or taxpayers, but the reality is SpaceX.
3/3
Who wins? Jared will tell you industry in general or taxpayers, but the reality is SpaceX.
3/3
And in that respect, Issacman is more dangerous to NASA. I don't know how long it will take for him to learn this lesson, but NASA employees are public servants. The culture is by design not the tech culture that he reveres so much.
2/3
2/3
December 21, 2025 at 10:21 PM
And in that respect, Issacman is more dangerous to NASA. I don't know how long it will take for him to learn this lesson, but NASA employees are public servants. The culture is by design not the tech culture that he reveres so much.
2/3
2/3
Duffy's redeeming quality is that he's going to do the cuts he's required to and stop there. He's not looking to reinvent NASA in the image of commercial space.
1/3
1/3
December 21, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Duffy's redeeming quality is that he's going to do the cuts he's required to and stop there. He's not looking to reinvent NASA in the image of commercial space.
1/3
1/3
Not a shred of critical analysis by Berger. How conveniently he chooses when to opine. Of course, Jared and Elon wouldn't be pleased if their mouthpiece actually did so.
December 19, 2025 at 5:16 AM
Not a shred of critical analysis by Berger. How conveniently he chooses when to opine. Of course, Jared and Elon wouldn't be pleased if their mouthpiece actually did so.
What NASA needs first and foremost is workforce retention and a fully-funded budget. We've already lost both, and the new administrator is a wholly inadequate replacement for them. 3/3
December 18, 2025 at 1:24 AM
What NASA needs first and foremost is workforce retention and a fully-funded budget. We've already lost both, and the new administrator is a wholly inadequate replacement for them. 3/3
It's not unusual to see leaders out of tech circles think they can take their success in one area and apply it anywhere. They share many of the same positive traits - driven, ambitious, analytical, eloquent. But they also share the same weakness - hubris. 2/3
December 18, 2025 at 1:24 AM
It's not unusual to see leaders out of tech circles think they can take their success in one area and apply it anywhere. They share many of the same positive traits - driven, ambitious, analytical, eloquent. But they also share the same weakness - hubris. 2/3
He wants to:
- Lean on science-as-a-service out of the private sector.
- Move exploration resources to Mars - that one contractor in particular is positioned for - when Artemis has barely taken off.
- Remake NASA into a tech culture with stack ranking.
I'm not a fan. 1/3
- Lean on science-as-a-service out of the private sector.
- Move exploration resources to Mars - that one contractor in particular is positioned for - when Artemis has barely taken off.
- Remake NASA into a tech culture with stack ranking.
I'm not a fan. 1/3
December 18, 2025 at 1:24 AM
He wants to:
- Lean on science-as-a-service out of the private sector.
- Move exploration resources to Mars - that one contractor in particular is positioned for - when Artemis has barely taken off.
- Remake NASA into a tech culture with stack ranking.
I'm not a fan. 1/3
- Lean on science-as-a-service out of the private sector.
- Move exploration resources to Mars - that one contractor in particular is positioned for - when Artemis has barely taken off.
- Remake NASA into a tech culture with stack ranking.
I'm not a fan. 1/3