SpaceX, and therefore Elon Musk, are key to U.S. space success

SpaceX, and therefore Elon Musk, are key to U.S. space success

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 11, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher As the colorful political alliance of President Donald Trump and the world’s wealthiest man Elon Musk was historic in its scope and had a clear impact on the early space policy of Trump’s second term, their first week of June 2025 titanic political bust-up must […]

The sky, June 8-15: Full ‘honey moon’ low in the sky

The sky, June 8-15: Full ‘honey moon’ low in the sky

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 9, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, JUNE 8 ■ The nearly full Moon (it’ll be full on Tuesday night the 10th) shines well to the upper right of Antares this evening, as shown below. MONDAY, JUNE 9 ■ Bright Arcturus, magnitude 0, shines pale yellow-orange very high overhead toward the south […]

China claims extensive ‘private’ sector response to SpaceX

China claims extensive ‘private’ sector response to SpaceX

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 4, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher While advanced Americans space companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin may now be leading the world in the development of advanced reusable heavy-lift space launch vehicles (SLVs), China is investing heavily in the development of similar reusable heavy lift SLVs, meaning […]

The sky, June 1-8: Epsilon, the double double star near Vega

The sky, June 1-8: Epsilon, the double double star near Vega

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 2, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. The waxing Moon passes Mars and Regulus, which are equal in brightness this week but, as ever, different in color. SUNDAY, JUNE 1 ■ Now the Moon leaves Mars behind to get chummy with Regulus, shining only about 1° from it this evening (depending on your […]

China launches asteroid exploration-exploitation program with Tianwen-2 mission

China launches asteroid exploration-exploitation program with Tianwen-2 mission

Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 28, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher China’s first asteroid sample return mission on May 29, 2024, is set to begin a much larger program of asteroid exploration-exploitation to assist military-space ambitions. The program would also assist longer range Chinese ambitions to create outposts into the Solar System. On May 29, from […]

The sky, May 26-June 1; Jupiter sets for the season

The sky, May 26-June 1; Jupiter sets for the season

Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 26, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, MAY 26 ■ Catch the brightest asteroid, 4 Vesta, before it fades further. It’s nicely placed high in the south-southeast after the sky is fully dark (at least two hours after sunset now) in a moonless dark sky. It’s almost a month past opposition but still about […]

PLA’s combat-focused space program charges U.S. threatening ‘space security’

PLA’s combat-focused space program charges U.S. threatening ‘space security’

Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 21, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher Chinese Propaganda Axiom: Always accuse your enemy of the offensive behavior or even crimes that you are committing while refusing to talk/negotiate with your enemy. In 2006 the United States accused China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of testing ground-based laser weapons against U.S. satellites, for […]

The sky, May 19-25: Saturn, Venus rising at dawn’s light

The sky, May 19-25: Saturn, Venus rising at dawn’s light

Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 19, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, MAY 19 ■ The brightest asteroid, 4 Vesta, is nicely placed in a moonless dark sky in late evening. It’s about two weeks past opposition and still about magnitude 6.0. It’s located 24° below Arcturus, near the Virgo-Libra border, and about 9° and 10° above Beta and […]

Seattle firm has long-term business plan for Lunar profits

Seattle firm has long-term business plan for Lunar profits

Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 14, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher The United States faces major technical and political challenges in its race with China and Russia to create sustainable manned bases on the Moon. However, it is also assuring that this is not just a geostrategic competition — as important as it is that the […]

The sky, May 11-18: The rise of Vega

The sky, May 11-18: The rise of Vega

Special to CosmicTribune.com, May 11, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, MAY 11 ■ What is the oldest thing you have ever seen? For everyone in the world it’s at least the Sun and other objects of the solar system, age 4.6 billion years. (Virtually everything on or a little way under Earth’s surface is much younger.) Next […]

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