Planetary geologist, not-yet astronaut, compulsive explorer | @westernuEarth
@westernuSpace | Let's talk about building opportunity in Canada's space industry!
In microgravity, crystals experience "hopper growth," where the outer edges and corners grow at faster rates than the flat faces, creating a step-like appearance. This timelapse records their growth inside a thin water film. Look closely, and you will see the patterns emerge!
Did you know that the Milky Way is even milkier when viewed from the Southern Hemisphere? This is because from the southern side of our planet, we get a clearer, more direct view of the dense galactic core.
Here’s a look at the Milky Way starting over the Southern Ocean (between Australia and Antarctica) from our @SpaceX Dragon window, complete with some aurora (Southern Lights) and fleeting Starlink satellites. Enjoy the view!
Despite fighting malfunctioning equipment, I captured one of my most surreal videos ever.
That’s the moon crossing in front of the sun. You can see mountains on the lunar limb as it transits the chromosphere.
Captured using a specially modified telescope from Utah in 2023.
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.
Artemis re-entry, seen from the International Space Station!
Very cool: the @sen camera mounted on ISS caught sunglint off the returning lunar Orion capsule "Integrity" just as it was entering Earth's atmosphere.
We live in an amazing world and time.
ISS streaming: https://t.co/RXcIhUQ0yC
Breaking Weather: The OTUS Project team first ever 360 drone video inside of the Wyoming IA tornado today! Contact me via DM to license the footage. #iawx#WyomingTornado
Here's 14 minutes of HD tornado footage condensed into a 30-second timelapse. Edited in DaVinci Resolve, honestly the best quality I’ve ever seen from my footage of this mesmerizing tornado.
Apollo 16 Lunar Rover Onboard Footage HD
Longer version in comments
This spectacular footage was filmed by Charlie Duke on board the Apollo 16 Lunar Rover using the 16mm DAC Film Camera. It shows the drive piloted by John Young from Station 11 to Station 13.
The footage has been upscaled, interpolated to 60FPS and synchronised to mission audio by Moonpans
Original footage source : Apollo Flight Journal
NASA teams have polled 'go' to proceed toward Artemis II's launch around the Moon.
We're targeting March 19 to roll the rocket out to the launchpad at @NASAKennedy in advance of a launch attempt on April 1, pending completion of work at the pad: https://t.co/B58YibEjYI
Our next #CountdowntoArtemisII expert: #WesternU planetary geo PhD. Candidate, Jack Hostrawser!
His research on impact cratering, remote field training, and his work with astronauts provides unique insight into what the #ArtemisII crew will see on their historic journey.
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One for the record books! 🏁
This is what the Perseverance rover saw through its navigation cameras as it was setting a record for the longest distance traveled during one Martian day, 1,350.7 feet (411.7 meters). There's more to come! https://t.co/D7mk1HiLpE
Here we observe the ground motion (red: up, blue: down) across North America from the strong magnitude 7.0 Hubbard Glacier Earthquake yesterday (12/06/25) as detected by seismographs. Strong seismic waves first propagated across Alaska & Canada, and then across the entire globe!
It's always sad to come back from the field, largely because we have to say goodbye to awesome people. I'm grateful to have been able to support the #Kamestastin2025#Artemis geology training. Now, time to let the blackfly bites heal...
It took a million years or so, but I have finally published my first science paper, on an underappreciated ancient impact basin near the Moon's south pole. Thanks to my friends, family, and supervisor @drcrater for support along the way!
https://t.co/Z2IosX4t4V
Impact craters aren’t just holes, they’re nature’s geology labs! When a meteorite strikes, it blasts open deep rock, revealing hidden minerals. Astronauts train in these craters for missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond! 🌑💥 @drcrater#InternationalAsteroidDay
We are in the home stretch of the Moon Mascot competition!
You have less than two weeks to submit your designs for the zero gravity indicator aboard the Artemis II mission. Your plush creation could be a part of history forever: https://t.co/YqEfUTTS66
"Let’s not shy away from every risk as we develop the policies and vision that will move our great country forward in this century. We can do some great things, if on occasion, we move out of our comfort zone." Watch the full speech : https://t.co/VA3qj1IBGi
Breaking! 🚀 🇨🇦 NordSpace successfully tested its fully integrated sub-orbital rocket, Taiga, powered by its proprietary and in-house 3D printed Hadfield engines and pressure vessels. This marks a significant step forward in preparation for Canada’s first commercial space launch. Taiga is the only commercial liquid rocket being developed in Canada, and is expected to launch later this year from our own spaceport, Spaceport Canada.
Canada finds itself at a critical juncture with its sovereignty in space at stake. Our successful integrated rocket test is a major leap forward, and we are already in the advanced phases of completing the flight-ready version of Taiga. NordSpace was founded in 2022, and in a short time period has rapidly developed significant rocket technologies, launch and test infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing capabilities.
NordSpace's CEO and founder, Rahul Goel, said “This successful test is not only a testament to our team and nation’s unmatched technical capabilities, but also our resilience and sheer determination. I witnessed our team for days and nights on end battling extreme winter conditions with undefeated resolve and grit. It confirmed that we do have the right stuff, and we will deliver this incredibly important sovereign capability for all Canadians. Like the land, air, and sea, space is no longer some final frontier for Canada. Space is an essential domain we must unlock, and launch a capability we must own. Without it, we are jeopardizing not only our sovereignty, environment, security and economy, but are also relegating Canada to a participatory instead of a leadership role in this domain. NordSpace will not let this happen.”
Recently, NordSpace announced the inaugural Canadian Space Launch Conference (CSLC), taking place in Ottawa on April 29th, 2025. The first event of its kind in Canada which will invite participants from industry, academia, and government to plan Canada’s future commercial launch efforts.
NordSpace is working closely with the Canadian Government and its many industrial partners to ensure a safe and historic launch from Canadian soil, and would like to thank @Transport_gc, 3 Canadian Space Division, @NationalDefence, @ISED_CA, @csa_asc, @navcanada, @spacecanada, @ONgov@ONeconomy, and @GovNL for their substantial efforts.
Read more about this accomplishment in our press release https://t.co/pWnPgpouDq
#LaunchTheNorth