Archive for the ‘Wait a Minute!’ Category
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May 7th, 2026
Wait a Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
If the winds and whims of politics play out, U.S. President Donald Trump is to trek to Beijing for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 14 and 15.
No telling the outcome(s) from such a two-nation mind meld given the entourage that will accompany Trump, folks that typically engage in off-stage banter to propose, detail, iron-out, trash, and agree on new ideas.
It might be a wait-a-minute moment for space collaboration.
Could one of those pitches retro-fire back to a U.S. John Kennedy and then Soviet Union Premier’s Nikita Khrushchev discussion of a joint Moon mission?
Space race rivals: Soviet Union’s Premier
Nikita Khrushchev with U.S. President, John F. Kennedy.
Image credit: Kennedy Library
Yes, a blunt, but bold initiative – and at a time when rocket rhetoric has it that both the U.S. and China are in a heated “Space Race.”
Joint-mission messages
Let’s revisit a page in space history.
When U.S. President Kennedy and former Soviet Union leader Nikita Khrushchev met in June 1961, the Soviet leader said “nyet” to the idea of a joint Moon adventure. Kennedy further pushed for a bi-national lunar landing idea during a United Nations address on September 20, 1963.
After JFK met his doom in Dallas, the joint-mission idea fell to the wayside…and the rest was history as Apollo 11’s Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin came to full-stop on the barren Moon’s surface in July 1969.
Image credit: NASA
Measured in months, not years
Fast forward to today, China has road mapped a plan to plant the country’s own boots on the dusty, cratered Moon by 2030, maybe even earlier.
It also seems clear that, if they are successful, Chinese moonwalkers may likely strut their right stuff across lunar real estate ahead of NASA’s current Artemis lunar landing plans.
That possibility is much to the consternation of NASA and the U.S. Congress.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has repeatedly stated that America finds itself with a real geopolitical rival, one that is challenging American leadership in the high ground of space. Success or failure in countering that confrontation will be measured in months, not years, he has explained.
“This time, the goal is not flags and footprints. This time, the goal is to stay. America will never again give up the Moon,” Isaacman has said.
Image credit: White House
Artemis program agenda
Rhetoric aside, there isn’t as yet a “Department of Wiggle Room” that can stave off the uncertainty of NASA funding, government shutdown ramifications, space agency layoffs, restructuring of space agency field centers – as well as hiccups in pushing forward on the Artemis program agenda.
In the meantime, China’s intention to place their astronauts on the Moon is progressing smoothly and appears on track. They have enough financial resources. They have already demonstrated a technical ability that equals or exceeds America in some instances. But they too could encounter setbacks.
China’s robotic sample return of lunar collectibles from the Moon’s near side and far side have been done, with more missions plotted out. They are building international partnerships that include sharing precious lunar material with other nations.
The long haul
Like the United States, China is detailing their own Moon-situated research base, in partnership with Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
China’s encampment will benefit by a sequence of two upcoming robotic lunar landers. The Chang’e-7 mission later this year is tasked to accomplish environment and resource surveys in the lunar south pole region. Chang’e-8 in 2028 is to tackle on-the-spot utilization of lunar resources.
All this suggests that — like the U.S. — China is into Moon exploration and utilization – and for the long haul.
Both nations are putting in place an aggressive agenda of technological development for “rebooting” the Moon, this time in the 21st century.
Is the window of opportunity open once again regarding the idea of superpower space cooperation in space?
Bring your own Windex!
What are your views?
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
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Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
As the four-person Artemis II crew heads back to Earth, there’s a heavy breathing, nail-bitter ahead.
It is a wait-a-minute moment regarding the Orion spacecraft heat shield.
The high-speed, safe return to Earth from lunar distance of the Artemis II crew depends on the thermal protection system of Orion’s crew module. It must endure blistering temperatures to keep crew members safe.
Artwork depicts Orion spacecraft plowing through Earth’s atmosphere at high speed.
Image credit: NASA
However, following the flight of the uncrewed Artemis I lunar flight test in late 2022, it was found that ablative thermal protective material had unexpectedly chipped away from the Orion heat shield during its plunge through Earth’s atmosphere.
Image credit: NASA OIG
In 2024, NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a report – “NASA’s Readiness for the Artemis II Crewed Mission to Lunar Orbit” – calling attention to the heat shield issue.
To read the full report, go to:
https://oig.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ig-24-011.pdf
Post-flight analysis
In a post-flight analysis of the Artemis 1 heat shield, NASA identified more than 100 locations where ablative thermal protective material was liberated during its speedy reentry.
NASA, along with contractors and an independent review team, an investigation was launched to establish the technical cause of the issue. An analysis was done, including over a 100 tests at unique facilities across the country.
Arc Jet Complex at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley has been used to study unexpected heat shield issues found after Orion capsule’s Artemis I flight in 2022.
Image credit: NASA Ames Research Center
Image credit: NASA OIG
That extensive analysis, determined the heat shield on Artemis I did not allow for enough of the gases generated inside a material called Avcoat to escape, which caused some of the material to crack and break off.
For more details how the situation was resolved, go to my past Space.com story — “The Artemis 1 moon mission had a heat shield issue. Here’s why NASA doesn’t think it will happen again on Artemis 2” – at:
Also, go to — “NASA Shares Orion Heat Shield Findings, Slips of Artemis Moon Missions” — at
https://www.leonarddavid.com/nasa-shares-orion-heat-shield-findings-slips-of-artemis-moon-missions/
Fingers crossed!
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
Yet another wait-a-minute moment.
While it remains unclear whether or not new NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman favors putting in place a lunar Gateway, the European Space Agency has just released a schematic overview of the multi-component station.
The lunar Gateway is envisioned by advocates as the first international space station around the Moon, dedicated to supporting the most distant human space missions ever attempted.
Image credit: ESA
This outpost is to be assembled for operation around the Moon, providing a place for crew members to live and work in lunar orbit.
Gateway is to serve as a base for scientific research of the deep space environment, a host for technology development and demonstration experiments, as well as a staging post supporting exploration missions to the lunar surface and beyond.
The Gateway space station will operate in a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit supporting crewed Artemis missions to the moon.
Image credit: NASA/Alberto Bertolin, Bradley Reynolds
Key elements
In addition to payloads that will fly to this new space station, the European Space Agency (ESA) is contributing three key elements to the Gateway: Lunar I-Hab, Lunar View and Lunar Link. Together, these provide a habitable space for astronauts, refueling, storage and telecommunication capabilities, and windows to view space and the Moon.
The Gateway is to be assembled this decade, built as part of the Artemis program in an international collaboration between ESA, NASA and the space agencies of Canada (CSA), Japan (JAXA) and the United Arab Emirates (MBRSC).
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
It is a wait-a-minute, hard-hitting NASA report issued on the crewed Boeing Starliner mission to the International Space Station in 2024, in redacted form.
NASA defines the incident in the same category as the Space Shuttle Columbia and Challenger disasters.
An Anomalies Review Investigation Team identifies lessons learned in the flawed Starliner mission, focused on propulsion system anomalies experienced during the Crew Flight Test.
Troubled flight
New NASA chief, Jared Isaacman, underscored the seriousness of Starliner’s troubled crewed flight, labeling it as a “Type A mishap,” a mission that could put astronauts in danger.
NASA astronauts Suni Williams (left) and Butch Wilmore during pre-launch Boeing Starliner spacecraft simulator workout at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
Image credit: NASA/Robert Markowitz
Starliner was not designated a serious mishap right from the start, Isaacman said, citing internal pressure to keep Boeing on board and flights on track.
Go to the full (redacted) report — Commercial Crew Program Starliner Tests & Anomalies Review (STAR) Investigation Team and Starliner Data Review Team (SDRT) Report – at:
https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/nasa-report-with-redactions-021926.pdf?emrc=76e561
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
It is not an inside secret that the private space company, Axiom Space, has been troubled by its development of a new spacesuit for Artemis moonwalkers.
As the new spacesuit is needed for any Artemis III astronauts working on the Moon, the sluggish development of appropriate apparel is a wait-a-minute moment in space expooration.
Meet the timelines
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman recently met with leadership at Axiom Space to discuss the development of their spacesuit.
Image credit: Via Jared Isaacman
“It was great to see their facilities and all the progress,” Isaacman posted January 24 on X (formerly Twitter).
“I shared with them exactly what I told our HLS [Human Landing System] providers: NASA will do all we can to help them accelerate and meet the timelines, with plenty of schedule margin to spare,” the NASA leader explained.
“As an agency, we must be willing to challenge the requirements and not let an hour go by on a problem we can solve today. This is imperative to achieving the President’s national space policy,” said Isaacman.
Image credit: Axiom Space
Hale-ing frequency
A day later, Wayne Hale, a former Space Shuttle Program Manager & Flight Director for 40 missions, now retired from NASA after 32 years, responded:
“Exactly the same message from NASA leadership that was made right before Challenger was lost.”
Hale’s posting stirred up this counter-response from Isaacman:
Image credit: Via Jared Isaacman
“It is disappointing and disrespectful that you would so casually invoke the loss of Challenger on a topic related to EVA suit development. Let me rework my above post to be the opposite of what I wrote, and please tell me if it sounds safer:
“I shared with them exactly what I told our HLS providers: NASA should do absolutely nothing to help them accelerate and meet their timelines so there is no schedule margin to spare. As an agency, we must never be willing to challenge the requirements and let as much time go by as possible on problems.”
“Is this better? Respectfully, do better Sir,” Isaacman posted.
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
The value of two-way communication input and output between NASA and the planetary science community via specialized advisory groups (AGs) has been devalued.
That assessment comes from the space agency’s Science Mission Directorate, providing yet another wait-a-minute moment.
“Unfortunately, despite the recognized value of the AGs,” [NASA’s Planetary Science Division] “PSD can no longer formally support the AGs,” reports Louise M. Prockter, NASA Planetary Science Division Director.
Credit: Space HD Wallpapers
Groups impacted
NASA will be ending support for the AGs at the end of April of these years, impacting these groups:
Extraterrestrial Materials Analysis Group (ExMAG)
Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG)
Mapping and Planetary Spatial Infrastructure Team (MAPSIT)
Mars Exploration Analysis Group (MEPAG)
Mercury Exploration Assessment Group (MExAG)
Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG)
Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG)
Venus Exploration Analysis Group (VEXAG)
Recent changes
pointed out in a January 16 communiqué: “For many years, the eight PSD AGs have served as community-based, interdisciplinary bodies responsible for providing science input and analysis needed to plan and prioritize NASA planetary science research and exploration activities.”
“Several recent changes in the NASA landscape, however,” Prockter said, “make continuing the current support and operations model infeasible.”
“This decision does not automatically force the AGs to be dissolved—they have the opportunity to evolve and innovate as self-organized entities that continue to help advance planetary exploration,” Prockter added.
The full communiqué can be read at:
https://science.nasa.gov/planetary-science/resources/psd-director-letter-to-the-community/
Surprising decision
“This was a surprising decision. It seemed likely that support for the AGs would be reduced in some manner; however, I did not think support would be eliminated,” responded Benjamin Greenhagen, Chair of the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG). “With all due respect for PSD, I don’t think this was the correct decision. And I don’t believe that this was the only possible decision.”
NASA’s Artemis Program, enabling Moon to Mars human exploration.
Image credit: NASA
Greenhagen said “it will be harder for us to provide agile analysis to NASA on critical topics but we will.”
Artemis de-generation?
“I think that community engagement, analysis, and consensus building is essential to NASA executing of our nation’s priorities of advancing lunar science, exploration, and critical technologies,” said Greenhagen in an open posting on the Lunar-L site.
“I take it to heart when NASA says we are all the Artemis Generation and we are going,” Greenhagen said. “When something is this important, you focus on what you will do to support and foster it rather than what you can’t do.”
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
The profound prospect of finding out that “we’re not alone” may also have weighty wait-a-minute consequences.
A recent poll indicates that half of Americans believe aliens have visited Earth.
The poll was produced by YouGov US, an international online research data and analytics technology group.
This polling finds that most Americans believe aliens exist, and many think that aliens have paid a visit to Earth in recent years.
Full and deliberate disclosure?
Arguably, one poll result rubs up against “full disclosure” advocates, those seeking an immediate revelation about alien visitation in the past, up to today.
“Americans are more likely to believe alien encounters would have a negative effect on human civilization than to think it would have a positive effect,” YouGov explains.
Also, many believe that aliens would bring “new diseases and unintentional harm or outright hostility to people if we were to encounter them.”
Credit: Orbitz
Indeed, the poll explains that twice as many Americans say an alien visit would have a negative effect on human civilization than a positive one.
Other takeaway messages
According to YouGov data journalist, Jamie Ballard, other takeaway messages from the polling are:
- Americans are split on whether aliens have visited Earth in recent years.
- 16% of Americans believe we will make contact with alien life by 2035.
- Majorities of Americans think if we encountered aliens, it’s likely they would be more technologically advanced than humans and want to stay hidden.
The poll results stem from an online survey conducted on November 4 – 9, 2025 among 1,114 U.S. adult citizens.
To dive into the array of poll findings, go to:
https://today.yougov.com/health/articles/53486-half-of-americans-believe-aliens-have-visited-earth
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
Image credit: UN
In a “breakthrough” (my term) document, the United Nations environment program has grown some space legs.
A new report from them is titled “Safeguarding Space Environmental issues, risks and responsibilities.”
That group took the high road and dubbed them “Emerging Issues.”
World embrace
The report explains that the space sector is growing exponentially, with over 12,000 spacecraft deployed in the past decade and many more planned as the world embraces the benefits provided by satellite services.
“This growth presents significant environmental challenges at all layers of the atmosphere,” the report notes.
Image credit: Chelsea Thompson/NOAA
Challenges
Those ticked-off challenges include
- air pollution from launch emissions
- spacecraft emissions in the stratosphere
- spacecraft demise
- orbital debris (legacy and new)
- increased risk of collision creating more debris
- the potential to alter atmospheric chemistry and dynamics, climate change and deplete stratospheric ozone
Marine ecosystems
Moreover, they add that “objects that do not disintegrate on re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere pose threats to ground safety and marine ecosystems.”
A forthcoming intrusion into the marine ecosystem is the dumping of the International Space Station, just a few years away says NASA.
SpaceX-provided deorbiting of the International Space Station under NASA contract.
Image credit: SpaceX
Lastly, the document notes that the increase in space objects in orbit is also affecting the darkness and quietness of the sky and Earth-based astronomical observations.
“Emerging” – but years-in-the-making?
What took me back a bit is the “emerging issues” subtheme by the United Nations report.
It is a “wait a minute” moment as the UN realizes that these problems are emerging – more in the global community’s face and for many years in the making.
Captured by astronaut Don Pettit aboard the International Space Station (ISS), this long-exposure photograph showcases Earth’s city lights, the upper atmosphere’s airglow, and streaked stars. The bright flashes at the center are reflections of sunlight from SpaceX’s Starlink satellites in low-Earth orbit.
Image credit: NASA
To their credit, they conclude that a multilateral, interdisciplinary approach is needed “to better understand the risks and impacts and how to balance them with the essential daily services and benefits that space activity brings to humanity.”
That said, too little attention…too late?
For the full report – “Safeguarding Space Environmental issues, risks and responsibilities” — go to:
https://wedocs.unep.org/rest/api/core/bitstreams/c45c0309-971e-4ea8-aad3-cd2b053d394e/content
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
Shenzhou-20 crew is seen in this pre-launch image.
(Image credit: China Manned Space Agency)
Due to a suspected impact from space debris, China’s Shenzhou-20 three-person crew are delayed in their return to Earth.
It has been a week since the re-entry wave-off on November 5th was called.
Meanwhile, the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) stated on Tuesday that all preparatory work for ensuring the safe return of the Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship has been progressing orderly.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Implementing the plan
Related contingency plans and measures have since been put in place to comprehensively conduct simulation analysis, tests and safety analysis for the Shenzhou-20 spaceship and study the plan for implementing the crew’s return to Earth, said the CMSEO.
All systems are conducting various tests and coordinated adjustments and tests in strict accordance with the procedures as well as assessing the status of key products and checking their quality, while the landing site is organizing comprehensive rehearsals for the return mission, CMSEO added.
The Shenzhou-20 crew has been conducting scientific experiments and tests together with the newly-arrived Shenzhou-21 crew.
Astronauts on the Shenzhou-21 manned spaceship were greeted by the Shenzhou-20 crew, who they will be replacing, after successfully docking with China’s Tiangong space station in orbit on November 1 to begin the handover of duties.
Image credit: CMSA/CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Safety first
Following the decision to rearrange the crew’s return, mission planners and engineers promptly started following emergency response measures based on the principle of “putting the safety of astronauts first”, the China Manned Space Agency said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
What is not known is where the space debris struck the Shenzhou-20 return craft.
There is the possibility that an uncrewed Shenzhou-22 may be flown to China’s space station.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
A just-issued China Central Television (CCTV) video seemingly shows ground crews working at the launch site under nighttime conditions, perhaps indicating the booster and spacecraft are being readied – although this is speculation.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Go to video at: https://www.facebook.com/reel/674928955688540
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
Yet another wait-a-minute moment for NASA’s return to the Moon with humans program.
As it has repeatedly warned, panel members of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) – a group that reports to NASA and the U.S. Congress – have once again red-flagged the SpaceX Starship’s development tied to the space agency’s needs to return human boots to the Moon
A September 19th ASAP gathering underscored Starship’s longer than planned evolution to support the Artemis 3 mission to land a crew at the lunar south pole.
Image credit: ASAP
NASA officials are reportedly considering pushing off Artemis 3 to 2028 while other appraisals don’t see a Starship-aided Moon landing before 2032.
If so, the window of opportunity for China’s human exploration of the Moon by 2030 looms large.
Technical readiness level
The ASAP annual report for 2024 provides the backdrop of concern.
“Artemis III is planned as a crewed surface landing and exploration of the lunar south pole region. The Panel remains very concerned that, on the current schedule and with the current technical readiness level of some segments of the architecture, the Artemis III mission is oversubscribed.”
Image credit: ASAP
As the ASAP previously detailed in its 2023 Annual Report, “the aggregated risk associated with accomplishing so many ‘first-time’ milestones, including several critical prerequisite demonstrations, may be too high.”
Bottom line: Starship HLS remains a critical path item for the successful execution of Artemis III.
For details on the recent ASAP meeting, go to Marcia Smith’s detailed reporting on her Spacepolicyonline.com website at:
https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/nasa-safety-panel-estimates-significant-delays-for-starship-hls/
Hearing – anybody listening?
Angst regarding the status of Artemis 3 also penetrated U.S. Senator Ted Cruz’s Senate hearing back on September 3.
Image credit: Inside Outer Space screengrab
That hearing was titled: “There’s a Bad Moon on the Rise: Why Congress and NASA Must Thwart China in the Space Race.”
Among the witnesses testifying, former NASA chief, James Bridenstine stated in written testimony that the United States does not have a lunar lander.
“Unless something changes, it is highly unlikely the United States will beat China’s projected timeline to the Moon’s surface. Our complicated architecture requires a dozen or more launches in a short time frame, relies on very challenging technologies that have yet to be developed like cryogenic in-space refueling, and still needs to be human rated,” Bridenstine said.
Starship 10 departure.
Image credit: SpaceX/Inside Outer Space screengrab
“While the capability could be transformational over time if payload capacity increases (so far it has decreased), the complexity of the architecture precludes alacrity,” the former NASA chief added.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship team is making progress on the next flight test of the Super Heavy/Starship at the firm’s Starbase facility in Texas.
No target launch date has been announced as yet for Starship Flight 11.
Fly…learn…repeat…fingers-crossed…fly…learn…repeat…
Wait-a-Minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
