Saturday Space Reads
Because we all need a little space on Saturday.
What do phones and astronauts have in common? They both need to be plugged in. That’s right, astronauts’ space suits are designed to connect with launch and reentry vehicles, providing access to the electronics on board. You know, sort of like the Matrix pods – but less slimy. This article explores the parallels between compatibility control in the mobile phone charging industry (*cough* Apple *cough*) and commercial human space travel, and how the latter could be far more dangerous.
One hundred years ago, a radio receiver built for war was co-opted to listen for Martians. The resulting signal – the waves of which appear like a face – may have been the match that ignited the fire in our search for extraterrestrial life.
Late teacher Christa McAuliffe, who lost her life aboard the Challenger in 1986, would have turned 76 this week. In her honor, New Hampshire’s governor – joined by McAuliffe’s family and former students – unveiled a statue of the “Teacher in Space” outside the Concord statehouse on her birthday, September 2nd.
This edition of Saturday Space Reads is brought to you by the Space Resources program at the Colorado School of Mines.
For anyone who has ever said there’s nothing in South Dakota, hold up. South Dakota is now the home of DUNE – just, not the one starring Timothée Chalamet. Read about the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) and what tiny cave particles could teach us about the Big Bang.
A recent study took a closer look at a 900-mile crater on Ganymede – a Jovian moon that also happens to be the largest moon in our solar system – only to find that an asteroid 20 times larger than the dinosaur-annihilator was likely the culprit.
According to this piece by the Washington Post, only 80 asteroids are actually big enough to, well, unalive us all. And, an impact is “unlikely to happen anytime soon.” Cool-cool-cool. Would love it if that “80” could become “0” and that “unlikely” could be a “definitely not.”
Four years after the Space Force did a fit check, unveiling their dress uniforms for the Guardians to varying reviews, the department released an official rollout date of December 2025. It may seem like a long time to wait for “new pants,” but word is there’s also an “optional” pullover sweater.
A farmworker in his early life, Mexican-American José Hernández was rejected by NASA 11 times before getting his foot in the agency’s door. Eventually, he would become a renowned astronaut and the Ambassador of The Kennedy Space Center, his story inspiring the film A Million Miles Away. Take a listen to our interview with the film’s producer, Mark Ciardi.
Not a space read but a space watch: see this collection of social media videos capturing an asteroid burning up in the atmosphere over the Philippines this week.
Sticking with the video theme, this interview with Matthew Dominick – the International Space Station’s resident photographer – is the first to be conducted from the cupola, an observation module with stunning views of Earth.
Saturday Space Jam:
This edition of Saturday Space Reads is also supported by the Open Lunar Foundation. Open Lunar's work sets precedents, creates pathways, and builds projects that enable a peaceful, cooperative lunar presence. Learn more about Open Lunar's work by joining their upcoming events.
