Sorry for the light posting, I had to replace the graphics card in my computer, and it turned out to be a more onerous ordeal than I expected. Hopefully the desktop will be back on the air today. Carry on in comments.
Business As Usual
After overnight data showed an interruption in helium flow in the SLS interim cryogenic propulsion stage, teams are troubleshooting and preparing for a likely rollback of Artemis II to the VAB at @NASAKennedy. This will almost assuredly impact the March launch window. @NASA will…
— NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (@NASAAdmin) February 21, 2026
Looks like April now (at best). Also looks like Starship 3 before Artemis II.
[Update a few minutes later]
— Petr Kraus (@PetrKraus42) February 21, 2026
[Afternoon update]
Sorry, second X post fixed now.
[Sunday-morning update]
Mark Whittington (!) says commercial space to the rescue.
Brutal
The new NASA administrator’s assessment of both NASA and Boeing’s performance on Commercial Crew:
Below is the note that I sent to the NASA workforce today as we release the report on the Starliner Crew Flight Test Investigation.
— NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (@NASAAdmin) February 19, 2026
We will achieve success through extreme ownership, immense competence, and decisive action. pic.twitter.com/UoXI25PFOQ
[Late-afternoon update]
I don’t think that “Yikes!” really covers the waterfront here:
A sort of summary page I found in the Starliner PDF. Highlights are my own on things I find the most interesting. pic.twitter.com/rlzEn3J8tx
— Ken Kirtland IV (@KenKirtland17) February 19, 2026
Here‘s Eric Berger’s story.
[Evening update]
Thoughts from Bob Zimmerman.
Making Space Important
A thought experiment, to which I’ve gotten little response so far.
So, there's an argument going on in Space X (as opposed to SpaceX) about why we have to continue to waste money on SLS/Orion if we want to beat the Chinese back to the Moon. When I propose alternatives, I get objections like "Dragon can't come back from the Moon," "Nothing else…
— Not-So-OK Boomer (@Rand_Simberg) February 18, 2026
How Long Can This Go On?
Russian casualties soar as SpaceX cuts off their Starlink terminals.
The Manchurian Candidate
Why Xi wants Gavin.
About That Wet Dress Rehearsal
Jared responds to Eric Berger:
I will just say we are leaning forward with transparency, sharing the blemishes and the successes, because for a program as costly and important to national security as Artemis, the public is entitled to the facts.
— NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (@NASAAdmin) February 14, 2026
– The confidence test related to the seals we repaired and…
He remains hostage to the politics, until Starship has shown its mettle. Also…
Ice Dancing
This is an age-old controversy, but while it (and figure skating in general) is entertaining, it is not a sport. It’s ballet on ice, except that ballet has no judges, biased or otherwise. The American team was clearly robbed. I have no problem keeping it in the Olympics, and it’s athletics in the sense that it requires training and practice, but stop pretending that it’s a sport. Sports scores should be objective, not whimsical.
Elon’s Mars To Moon Pivot
Thoughts from Peter Hague.
As someone who has never cared much about Mars, I’m very happy to see this.
[Title fixed, sorry!]
Iran Thoughts
Sadly, this is my take, too. It was a mistake for Trump to tell the Iranians he had their back if he wasn’t going to follow through.