Barry Jenakuns

2. To design a spacecraft right takes an infinite amount of effort.

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

Also funnily enough, Schmidt is funding the Rocket Lab Venus mission science, which... wait when is that launching?
It's switched to Neutron, which pushed it out from this year; which means ~Feb 2028?

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

Relativity Space is starting their own planetary science program (whole bunch of job postings), which I guess makes sense given Schmidt's inclinations.
First mission aims to be a Mars orbiter focusing on enhancing Mars atmospheric modeling and weather forecasting.

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

Bit of emphasis on on-board compute, I can see the argument that downlink is hard from Mars and so autonomous tasking/processing could be nice to reduce strain on DSN. They are still developing optical comms though and the SC will be large enough to support Radar.

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

https://t.co/RohWXFZhVu

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

First insulation application didn't go well; Cryomode (Washington firm) updated their website on April 14th describing how they helped Stoke strip the insulation from the second stage with their dry ice blasting.

[Stoke Space @stoke_space]

Rolling into the new year like... 🛢️

Video shows stage 2 preparing for insulation application.

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

😭😭😭

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

GOD DAMN IT I thought we done with the incredibly dumb Falcon Heavy $1,400/kg number.

no you cannot divide the fully reusable cost by fully expendable payload ($90M/63.8mT).

But what do you know, SpaceX put it in their own S-1 citing that NASA paper, which is outstandingly BS.

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

For context, it comes from the linked NASA paper, which has more flaws than Starship has engines, but what annoys me more is IT JUST KEEPS ON REAPPEARING. The linked article made the graph pretty and it got posted everywhere.

https://t.co/18vomuLDu3
https://t.co/PJsoVZFQ9F

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

@Cosmic_Penguin @VardaSpace

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

Closest thing to a NASA Project Hail Mary. If it succeeds I will cheer very loudly.

Also OSAM will have to eat its heart out.

[NASA Science @NASAScience_]

Testing is officially underway for the @KatalystSpace mission to boost @NASA’s Swift.

Katalyst’s LINK spacecraft has arrived at @NASAGoddard to begin environmental testing ahead of efforts to raise the Swift Observatory back to its original orbit this summer. Extending Swift’s lifetime will allow it to continue exploring our dynamic universe and drive new capabilities for space exploration.

🔗 https://t.co/IpFNWEU875

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

Rocket Lab have now tweeted a strong 14 times about their Mars Telecommunication Orbiter as opposed to Blue Origin's measly 10 times. This gap will surely be the reason Rocket Lab wins the contract; keep at it PR teams!
(I will cry laugh if Marslink wins)

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

Some strong complements for Nancy Grace, which you know, happy for them. Valves also featured, some stuff about MMOD management, lunar power contracts, some hypersonics work for DOD (also did you know that NASA is now helping Anduril develop missiles) https://t.co/9MONsY2akY

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

So yes, the amendment does cancel EUS. But it also does some things. xEMUs is back on the menu. MSR is back with a $8B cost cap. Mars commercial missions that only Starship can fulfill "Mars-focused missions using commercially developed fully reusable heavy-lift launch systems"

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

Which is supposed to launch the human tissue experiment.
https://t.co/S1BuC8HEOR

Also guaranteeing that the Mars comm orbiter gravy train will not be affected by any MSR shenanigans. The protesting by either RL or Blue (or both) will be worse than HLS option A mark my words.

[Jeff Foust @jeff_foust]

The NASA authorization act approved by the Senate Commerce Committee today includes a study of a human Mars mission—sort of.

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

For context
https://t.co/QvsJuHf29R

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

Who launches crew to the ISS first?

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

Test link at high volumes

https://t.co/valJm6sPs8

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

@stoke_space first stage thrust structure appears to have exploded during pressurized proof testing.

@AndyLapsa was this an intentional test to destruction or was this below intended margins?

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

Seen previously here.

h/t https://t.co/ViXzVZNWOu

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

Links:
https://t.co/Q3WkJjErU6
https://t.co/svrDfQQsTd
https://t.co/wGBuiaIx0A
https://t.co/jeXBFqpeMk
https://t.co/W1i2V1BEhn

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

Was anyone else tracking that Lockheeds Cryogenic Demonstration Mission was cancelled? The last time the contract value increased was Feb 2024 and the only 2025 transactions were just cancelling subcontracts.I guess after losing HLS, LM didn't see the reason to continue?

[Barry Jenakuns @Jenakuns]

The spacecraft went through an interesting sub-contractor history, where it started off with Momentus building the bus and Relativity launching the spacecraft. LM kicked Momentus off the contract, then switched to ABL. Then ABL gave up on launch and the mission died with it?