Richard Hofer

I'm a husband, a father (twice), a JPLer, and a Wolverine. I make rockets for a living.

[Royally Sage @sage1411]

My brother posts this every year in the family chat on the 4th. Still hilarious.

[Richard Hofer @rhofer]

Happy Birthday, America

[Firefly Aerospace @FireflySpace]

Oh wait, that’s literally a rocket! 🚀

Two years ago, as students sang the national anthem, our Alpha rocket lit up the sky in the distance, creating an unforgettable moment.

This weekend as we celebrate Independence Day, we’re reminded of 250 years of American innovation, ambition, and unity. Happy 4th of July from all of us at Firefly!

Original video created by Matt M on Youtube.

[Richard Hofer @rhofer]

@Jbooty88 What a performance by Cape Verde. Proof that you should never ever give up.

[Richard Hofer @rhofer]

@Tj_Ronin

[Richard Hofer @rhofer]

@rookisaacman @AJamesMcCarthy @SeanKD_Photos @NASAAdmin 100%

[NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman @NASAAdmin]

The entire event yesterday, launching missions, landers, rovers, tech demos building a Moon Base, and sci-fi capabilities like MoonFall, brought to you by those who Dare Mighty Things. Just the very beginning. What a time 🇺🇸

[Richard Hofer @rhofer]

Word

[Curiosity @CuriosityonX]

People don't realize how absurd this view actually is.

A camera. On a robot. On Mars.

Built by humans on a planet 140 million miles away, launched on a rocket, landed using a sky crane, and now driving across an alien desert taking pictures so detailed you can count the rocks.

100 years ago, your great-grandparents thought airplanes were a miracle.

You are scrolling past Mars on your phone.

[Richard Hofer @rhofer]

@Macrohard2026 @NASAJPL @rookisaacman One can dream.

[Richard Hofer @rhofer]

@PTrubey @FunkTion29 @NASAJPL Correct

[Richard Hofer @rhofer]

At JPL, we’re challenged to follow the path less traveled and to Dare Mighty Things. This first test at JPL of a lithium-fed MPD thruster was all of that and more. The next test is in a few weeks. @NASAAdmin you’ll have to come back to see it firing!

[NASA JPL @NASAJPL]

Powering the next giant leap.

A novel electromagnetic thruster that runs on lithium metal vapor was successfully fired up for the first time during initial tests at JPL.

Fully developed and paired with a nuclear power source, these thrusters could reduce launch mass and support payloads required for human Mars missions.

[Richard Hofer @rhofer]

Looooooooong overdue.

[NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman @NASAAdmin]

The time has come for America to get underway on nuclear power in space🇺🇸

[The Figen @TheFigen_]

This is the face of pure happiness from four humans who have just returned to Earth after nearly 10 days orbiting the Moon.
A truly historic moment.

[Richard Hofer @rhofer]

@coachajkings These ideas apply to almost any team.

[Richard Hofer @rhofer]

We sent (four) poets.

[Jeremy R. Hansen @Astro_Jeremy]

Every time I look up at the Moon now, even the one at Space Center Houston, it feels different.

It’s no longer just a distant light in the night sky — it’s a place I’ve studied up close with my own eyes. I find myself tracing its features, recognizing the shadows, the craters, the quiet stories written across its surface.

The Moon hasn’t changed, but now when I observe it, it comes back to life in my mind with a new and treasured perspective.

[Richard Hofer @rhofer]

Goodnight Earth

[Reid Wiseman @astro_reid]

Only one chance in this lifetime…

Like watching sunset at the beach from the most foreign seat in the cosmos, I couldn’t resist a cell phone video of Earthset. You can hear the shutter on the Nikon as @Astro_Christina is hammering away on 3-shot brackets and capturing those exceptional Earthset photos through the 400mm lens. @AstroVicGlover was in window 3 watching with @Astro_Jeremy next to him.

I could barely see the Moon through the docking hatch window but the iPhone was the perfect size to catch the view…this is uncropped, uncut with 8x zoom which is quite comparable to the view of the human eye. Enjoy.

[Richard Hofer @rhofer]

#NewProfilePic

[Richard Hofer @rhofer]

Never stop fighting till the fight is done.

[Dudes Posting Their W’s @DudespostingWs]

This might be the craziest way to win a state championship.

The kid struck out, but the pitch hit the dirt and nobody threw to first because the other team thought the game was over.

While they were celebrating, the runners kept going...

[Tony Garcia | Detroit Free Press @RealTonyGarcia]

Quite the stat here by BTN.

[Richard Hofer @rhofer]

@RealTonyGarcia They left out national championships.

[NASA @NASA]

One week has passed since Artemis II returned to Earth after a historic mission around the Moon. We laughed, we cried, and we pushed the boundaries of what’s possible, setting the stage for future innovation and exploration.

We’re just getting started.