It's so rare that it has been seen to happen twice in ten days??

How rare is it for black holes and neutron stars to collide?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-57639520.amp

I cancelled my Netflix subscription but then I bumped into this documentary, I watched it yesterday and I can quite recommend it.

There are two stories: one is about how they managed to produce the first image of a black hole. The other is about a team of 3 theoretical scientists trying to solve the information paradox along with late Stephen Hawking.

They should have said more about details of both issues, i.e. how they designed the plan to solve both problems - that would have been super captivating. They focused more on people (as per usual Netflix approach) and their feelings.. anyway, still very good to watch on Sunday afternoon.

It's the best I could do . Unfortunately we had cloud right the way through until well after the optimal time, then there were a few breaks for short spurts.
I wanted to get my kit out but was of the opinion, from my phone forecast, that there were not going to be long enough gaps to be able to find and track the sun and get the best focus etc.
As luck would have it, I chose to try, and although it wasn't straightforward, I took a few shots.
So there we have it, they are not in any way perfect, they are not maximum eclipse, but they are my shots.

Aliens most probably exist, but something doesn't quite add up there. Trump knew and didn't say a word ;)

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weird-news/former-israeli-space-security-chief-says-extraterrestrials-exist-trump-knows-n1250333

Starship SN15 Flight Recap, Source: SpaceX

Worth keeping in mind this rocket is 50 metres tall and 9 metres in diameter, the size of a 15 storey building. (Video by twitter User considercosmos)

A comparison of the Mercury Spacecraft (1961) and Crew Dragon (2021).

Starship SN15 lands afte a 10km test flight, for the first time without any post-landing explosion.

On May 5, 1961, Alan B. Shepard became the first American in space during a suborbital flight aboard his Mercury capsule named Freedom 7.
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/60-years-ago-alan-shepard-becomes-the-first-american-in-space

Parker Solar Probe, launched in 2018, has now become the fastest artificial object ever launched.

https://www.cnet.com/news/nasa-solar-probe-becomes-fastest-object-ever-built-as-it-touches-the-sun/

Timelapse of NASA's Space Launch System core stage arriving at the Vertical Integration Building in Florida.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94D4R568DQk&t=58s

After its journey from NASA’s Stennis Space Center aboard the Pegasus barge, the core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket arrived at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center on April 27, 2021.
https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/space-launch-system-core-stage-arrives-at-the-kennedy-space-center

Michael Collins, the astronaut who flew the Apollo 11 command module Columbia around the Moon in 1969, died yesterday at the age of 90.
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/statements-on-passing-of-michael-collins

Some Pics from the NASA stream a couple of hours ago. Spacecraft with four astronauts is now in orbit on it's way to the ISS>

This is about two years old and this version of the Dragon Spacecraft is now retired, but still amazing to watch: Time lapse of Dragon being caught by the ISS robotic arm.

There is just so much happening all over the solar system right now:
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasa-s-ingenuity-mars-helicopter-logs-second-successful-flight

I always loved this clip. Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt on the moon in 1972 during the Apollo-17 mission.

NASA ist preparing to transport the core stage of Artemis I, the first launch of their new Space launch System, for shipment from Stennis Test Center to Florida. Artemis I will be an un-crewed test flight and is expected at the end of 2021 or early 2022. (Foto: Boeing Space on twitter)

Crew-2 launch has been moved to Friday 23rd due to predicted bad weather in the rocket landing zone. (Image: NASA)

Radio 4's Life Scientific today is about how Martin Sweeting made a satellite on his kitchen table and persuaded Nasa to launch it into space. Martin tells about about his life and work.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000v7pb

Take-off is currently scheduled for April 22 10:11 UTC (11:11 BST) with four Astronauts from three different countries.
Shane Kimbrough, NASA, K. Megan McArthur, NASA, Akihiko Hoshide, JAXA, Thomas Pesquet, ESA

NASA has published a first video of the helicopter flight from the perspective of the Mars Rover. It's a bit grainy and jumps a bit, but nevertheless!

#MarsHelicopter first flight on #mars appears to have been successful according to the first data.

Close-up of SpaceX raptor rocket engines prior to install on Starship SN-15.
Image Credit: https://twitter.com/considercosmos

Busy week ahead. Starship SN-15 (serial number 15) might attempt a test flight and landing as early as tomorrow according to flight restrictions in the area. At minimum it will feature another spectacular explosion, at best a spectacular landing.

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/04/starship-sn15-flight-major-nasa-vindication/

NASA and SpaceX are currently targeting launch of the Crew-2 mission on Thursday, April 22 at 06:11 EDT / 10:11 UTC from LC-39A ahead of docking 23 hours later on Friday, April 23rd.
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/04/crew-2-final-launch-preps/

NASA is targeting no earlier than Monday, April 19, for the first flight of its Ingenuity Mars Helicopter at approximately 3:30 a.m. EDT

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-to-attempt-first-controlled-flight-on-mars-as-soon-as-monday

For scale, SpaceX proposed lunar Starship (selected by NASA for the next moon landing) compared to the Apollo Lunar Module from 1969.

NASA has selected SpaceX to continue development of the first commercial human lander that will safely carry the next two American astronauts to the lunar surface.
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/as-artemis-moves-forward-nasa-picks-spacex-to-land-next-americans-on-moon

NASA is targeting no earlier than Sunday, April 11, for Ingenuity Mars Helicopter’s first attempt at powered, controlled flight on another planet. To mark a month of Ingenuity flights, the agency will host several events to bring people along for the ride.
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-invites-public-to-take-flight-with-ingenuity-mars-helicopter/

There might be another (the 4th) test flight of SpaceX Starship today. For a live stream look for "Nasaspaceflight" on youtube (it's a news channel, nothing to do with NASA)
https://twitter.com/nextspaceflight/status/1375204254818787328

"Teams from NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) Program conducted a successful full-duration 8 minute (499.6 seconds) hot fire of the Artemis I core stage on Thursday, Mar. 18" - Short Version

On the third attempt, SpaceX tonight suceeded in landing the first Starship prototype in Boca Chica, Texas.

NASA has released the first audio recording ever done on Mars, capturing wind noises.

Mars Rover Landing Video from the perspective of the perseverance lander. Short version.

This morning, the Cygnus (NASA mission/Northrup Grumman spacecraft) arrived at the International Space Station with supplies (food, technical equipment).

The lens cap is off, and the first images are in:

NASA has published an image of the Mars Rover hanging at the skycrane, seconds before touchdown. After touchdown the skyscrane detaches and lands(well, crashes) about a kilometer away.

First image arrived five minutes later.

NASA's special website for the landing tomorrow, lots of information and most importantly, a countdown clock.

https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/

After nearly 300 million miles (470 million km), NASA’s Perseverance rover completes its journey to Mars on Feb. 18, 2021. But, to reach the surface of the Red Planet, it has to survive the harrowing final phase known as Entry, Descent, and Landing.

A reminder that the second Mars Rover will attempt landing on Mars next Thursday, 18th February 20:55 GMT. Best place too watch will be NASA TV (Youtube or the NASA app on mobile devices), the live stream will start a few hours earlier.

https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/timeline/landing/

There are now more than 4,300 exoplanets confirmed so far in our galaxy. Our galaxy alone likely holds trillions.

https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/news/1673/whats-out-there-the-exoplanet-sky-so-far/

Finally, NASA has awarded (and set a preliminary date of May 2024) the launch contract for the Lunar gateway, the crewed moon orbiting space station. It will be launched by SpaceX's (who else?) Falcon heavy rocket.

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-awards-contract-to-launch-initial-elements-for-lunar-outpost

Some historic footage from Space Shuttle launch STS-70 (1995). Several woodpeckers sat down on the Space Shuttle external tank starting to pick on the insulation. The repairs delayed the launch by almost a month.

From wikipedia: "The damage consisted of about 71 holes (ranging in size from 4 inches in diameter to 1/2 inch in diameter) in the ETs thermal protection foam insulation. "

When NASA’s Perseverance rover lands on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021, it will be carrying a small but mighty passenger: Ingenuity, the Mars Helicopter.
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/6-things-to-know-about-nasa-s-mars-helicopter-on-its-way-to-mars

SpaceX Starship SN9 test flight only launch, gliding and "landing". The landing obviously needs some work :) but it flies beautifully.
Flight: 2 Feb 2021, Boca Chica, Texas
Source: SpaceX

SpaceX Starship test flight expected today (Tuesday 2nd Feb) probably in the afternoon UK time. Those launches are a bit unpredictable (both in time and if they get cancelled or not), but search youtube for "starship live stream" (there will be several).
This test flight will go to appr. 12km altitude, then attempt a landing.

Meanwhile an impression from the launch site.

SpaceX now has two Starship prototypes on their Texas launch pad waiting for launch. First of two test launches is expected early next week (from Feb 1st).
Source: https://twitter.com/BocaChicaGal