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Gene J. Mikulka

@genejm1017.bsky.social

2.7K followers 1.3K following 8.9K posts

Founded the Talking Space Podcast in 2009. Immersed in spaceflight since the Apollo days, Space Advocate and lovebird Dad. All Opinions are mine alone and don't reflect the position of the podcast. https://www.talkingspaceonline.com

www.talkingspaceonline.com

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Gene J. Mikulka @genejm1017.bsky.social · Feb 17

For the final time with both of the girls, Maxine 🦅(who flew into eternity today 2/16/2025) and Emerald 🦜wish all peace. Fly high, my little bald eagle, fly high. #TheDailyLovebird (Video recorded 22 November, 2018)

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

NASAWATCH @nasawatch.bsky.social · 2h

So ... a judge has paused this. Paused - not halted. "Trump admin federal job cuts likely to be ‘north of 10,000,’ Vought says" www.cnbc.com/2025/10/15/t... #NASA #NASAStrong #DareMightyThings

Trump admin federal job cuts likely to be 'north of 10,000,' Vought says

President Donald Trump has vowed to target only “Democrat Agencies” for permanent staffing cuts amid the government shutdown.

www.cnbc.com

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

SpacePolicyOnline @spacepolicyonline.bsky.social · 4h

Isaacman Back in the Running for NASA Administrator spacepolicyonline.com/news/isaacma...

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

NASAWATCH @nasawatch.bsky.social · 7h

Keith's note: As I mentioned a few weeks ago - I am running out of ways to try and balance the depressing news with something hopeful. I'll try again: "NASA Will Survive" nasawatch.com/personnel-ne... #NASA #NASAStrong #DareMightyThings

NASA Will Survive

(Originally posted 30 Sep 2025) To The NASA Family: Selfish, shortsighted power brokers are toying with America’s technological leadership in a game of brinksmanship. People suffer as a result. It is ...

nasawatch.com

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

SpacePolicyOnline @spacepolicyonline.bsky.social · 5h

Today (Wed.), for the 9th time, the Senate did not pass the CR. Shutdown continues.

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Gene J. Mikulka @genejm1017.bsky.social · 10h

No don't think that. Those who know you would have been deprived of your insight and talent. You are making the most of the gifts you have...and there's more to come.

Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

ESO @eso.org · 12h

Come visit the 'Smiling cat' nebula!

Here, in vast clouds of gas & dust 15 000 light-years away from Earth, stars are being born. Meanwhile, giant pillars, light-years across, are formed as winds from the young stars batter the surrounding material.

www.eso.org/public/news/...

🔭

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

NASAWATCH @nasawatch.bsky.social · 1d

JPL Workforce Decimated
eos.org/research-and... #NASA #JPL #DareMightyThings

JPL Workforce Decimated - Eos

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., laid off 550 people, a roughly 11% reduction of its workforce.

eos.org

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

Morgan Denman | Space-Focused Designer & Illustrator @morgandenman.bsky.social · 1d

#SpacetoberChallenge Day 13: Deep Space Network

Posting this one a little late because I got carried away with the details and didn’t finish in time to post yesterday.

Illustration of a giant radio antenna, part of the Derp Space Network (DSN) in orange. Surrounded by a pattern of thick alternating green/black lines, and alternating thick blue/black lines.

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

Chop Shop Studio 🇺🇸+🇺🇦 @chopshopstore.bsky.social · 14h

#SpacetoberChallenge Day 14 - Spacecraft

Spill over into Day 15, eleventh one up #Juno and the swirling clouds of #Jupiter | #spaceArt #sciArt

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

Chop Shop Studio 🇺🇸+🇺🇦 @chopshopstore.bsky.social · 14h

#SpacetoberChallenge Day 14 - Spacecraft

Still into Day 15, Tenth one up #Pioneer | #spaceArt #sciArt

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

Chop Shop Studio 🇺🇸+🇺🇦 @chopshopstore.bsky.social · 22h

#SpacetoberChallenge Day 14 - Spacecraft

Shour out to @esa.int. Eighth one goes to #Rosetta #Philae. I think this is the best design of the series. | #spaceArt #sciArt

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

Chop Shop Studio 🇺🇸+🇺🇦 @chopshopstore.bsky.social · 22h

#SpacetoberChallenge Day 14 - Spacecraft

Yup. Seventh one is for #Galileo | #spaceArt #sciArt

poster illustrated with the Galileo spacecraft at Jupiter. the moon Europa can be seen just behind the spacecraft. The title reads Galileo but also titles the atmospheric probe which was never named.

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

SpaceWatch.Global @spacewatch.bsky.social · 11h

#PLDSpace completes MIURA 5 in record time — 2 years. The #reusable #launcher readies for 2026 demo flights, boosting Europe’s space access.

🔗 https://spacewatch.global/2025/10/pld-space-develops-miura-5-in-record-time-as-it-consolidates-europes-leadership-in-space-access/

#SpaceWatchNews

Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

Lora Kolodny @lorak.bsky.social · 11h

Demand for rare earths and critical minerals is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years as the clean energy transition picks up pace… (File under: China winning. USA losing.) www.cnbc.com/2025/10/15/a...

Auto industry raises the alarm as China tightens export rules for rare earths

Automotive industry groups have sounded the alarm over China’s latest move to impose restrictions on the export of rare earths.

www.cnbc.com

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

SpaceNews @spacenewsinc.bsky.social · 11h

Beyond the downlink: Why Earth-independent AI is the next moat in space operations

Every new space mission runs into the same wall: physics and fragility. Physics, because the speed of light and contested spectrum make real-time decision-making from the ground impossible when you need it most.…

Beyond the downlink: Why Earth-independent AI is the next moat in space operations

Every new space mission runs into the same wall: physics and fragility. Physics, because the speed of light and contested spectrum make real-time decision-making from the ground impossible when you need it most. Fragility, because modern space systems are software-defined, interconnected, and therefore exposed to radiation-induced faults, cascading anomalies and increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. The consequence is simple: if your spacecraft or orbital data center must “ask Earth” before it acts, you’re already late.

spacenews.com

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

Hubble 🔴 Gallery @hubble-telescope.bsky.social · 22h

ESA/Hubble (@esa.int) images (Sep 17, 2002)

M15, located 32,000 light-years away in Pegasus, contains a black hole 4,000 times the mass of the Sun. G1 in the Andromeda galaxy has a 20,000-solar-mass black hole.

esahubble.org/images/opo0218i/

M15 and G1 in the northern autumn sky, highlighting their respective black holes. Credit: NASA/ESA and Z. Levay (STScI)

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Gene J. Mikulka @genejm1017.bsky.social · 22h

Emerald Lucille Lovebird 🦜 wishes all, peace 🕊️ #TheDailyLovebird

A peach-faced pied lovebird sits on her food bowl.

Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

David S. F. Portree @dsfpspacefl1ght.bsky.social · 2d

"In theory" is doing an awful lot of work here.

Jon Kelvey @jonkelvey.bsky.social · 2d

I'm in the fall issue of Aerospace America with a closer look at the SpaceX/Musk Mars plan, such as it's been made public.

Is it doable? Sure, in theory!
Are there major unanswered questions that could kill the whole thing? Oh, absolutely!
aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org/features/a-c...

A closer look at SpaceX’s Mars plan

aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

David Dickinson @astrodave.bsky.social · 1d

Skies are clear... here's tonight's image of Comet R2 SWAN taken with a Dwarf3 smartscope. The coma looks a little 'smushed' to my eye.

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Gene J. Mikulka @genejm1017.bsky.social · 23h

Thank you, you gave me a ton of laughter and smiles.

The A.V. Club @avclub.com · 3d

The influential, top hat-wearing DJ, Dr. Demento, wrapped his long-running radio show yesterday with a countdown of his top 40 most requested songs.

www.avclub.com/dr-demento-f...

Dr. Demento ends 55-year run as radio's weirdest DJ

www.avclub.com

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

Museum of Science @museumofscience.bsky.social · 1d

Debris from Halley’s Comet lights up the sky with the Orionid meteor shower! 🌌🧪

This meteor shower will be active from Sept. 26 to Nov. 22, and will peak on October 21. These are actually fragments from Halley’s Comet, which orbits the Sun every 76 years.

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Gene J. Mikulka @genejm1017.bsky.social · 1d

Quite welcome!

a man in a military uniform adjusts his hat while another man looks on

ALT: a man in a military uniform adjusts his hat while another man looks on

media.tenor.com

Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

National Radio Astronomy Observatory - NSF NRAO @thenrao.bsky.social · 1d

#astronomy #radioastronomy #alma #interferometry

National Radio Astronomy Observatory - NSF NRAO @thenrao.bsky.social · 1d

🚨 ALMA Ambassadors Program Cycle 13 - Application Deadline October 31, 2025! 🚨

Provides training and up to $5,000 research grant to students / researchers interested in expanding their ALMA / interferometry expertise.

Details and apply: https://science.nrao.edu/facilities/alma/ambassadors-program/

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Reposted by Gene J. Mikulka

NASAWATCH @nasawatch.bsky.social · 1d

JPL Hit With Another 550 Layoffs as NASA’s Budget Crisis Deepens
gizmodo.com/jpl-hit-with... #NASA #Shutdown #NASASTRONG @nasajpl.bsky.social

JPL Hit With Another 550 Layoffs as NASA’s Budget Crisis Deepens

The 11% staffing cut is the fourth round of layoffs at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory since January 2024. And we’re supposed to beat China back to the Moon?

gizmodo.com

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Gene J. Mikulka @genejm1017.bsky.social · 1d

There's a LOT that still needs to be accomplished. I was pointing out just one of them.