Bleddyn Bowen
@bleddb.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Astropolitics | Space warfare | Own views
Books: Original Sin http://bit.ly/3JYbcIe ; War in Space http://bit.ly/34Stplv 🏴🏳️🌈 🚀🛰
Web: https://tinyurl.com/p9pt8n9n
“He doesn’t see the stars - just the vast dark spaces in between.”
Books: Original Sin http://bit.ly/3JYbcIe ; War in Space http://bit.ly/34Stplv 🏴🏳️🌈 🚀🛰
Web: https://tinyurl.com/p9pt8n9n
“He doesn’t see the stars - just the vast dark spaces in between.”
Pinned
Bleddyn Bowen
@bleddb.bsky.social
· Oct 11
Coming in 2026 in paperback - Original Sin: Power, Technology and War in Outer Space! With @hurstpublishers.bsky.social
@sgiadurham.bsky.social
Get all your international political space history and strategy at even greater value!
www.hurstpublishers.com/catalogues/s...
@sgiadurham.bsky.social
Get all your international political space history and strategy at even greater value!
www.hurstpublishers.com/catalogues/s...
Reposted by Bleddyn Bowen
Helpful explainer from an ex-Bundeswehr officer
January 15, 2026 at 1:47 PM
Helpful explainer from an ex-Bundeswehr officer
British space sector take note...
"It's a morbid symptom, Anglo-futurism, and that's where British politics is, it is stuck with the fantasies of world leadership and renewal through deregulation. I mean, it's tragic. That's where we are."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSxc...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSxc...
January 15, 2026 at 12:50 PM
British space sector take note...
A couple hundred jobs go in a factory and there’s journalistic and parliamentary outcry. Thousands of staff cuts across UK HE every year for a few years - a ‘lucrative export services industry’ - barely gets a mention outside the sector.
Ninety UK universities to have posted accounts so far cut 13,300 jobs last year, spending £303 million on severance pay - sector-wide total clearly going to be well in excess of predicted 10,000. Great reporting by @patrickjack.bsky.social www.timeshighereducation.com/news/pay-spe...
Pay-off spend up by two-thirds as universities shed 13,000 jobs
Analysis of UK sector accounts shows number of job losses well above predictions, with experts warning cuts are not over yet
www.timeshighereducation.com
January 15, 2026 at 8:02 AM
A couple hundred jobs go in a factory and there’s journalistic and parliamentary outcry. Thousands of staff cuts across UK HE every year for a few years - a ‘lucrative export services industry’ - barely gets a mention outside the sector.
Reposted by Bleddyn Bowen
This is the crucial point: "The level of understanding in UK politics and media about Silicon Valley’s alliance with Trump and the geopolitical and security consequences of this appears to be non-existent." How does one inform UK politicians of the entirely foreseeable implications? 1/
If you want to understand why the Ministry of Defence’s ‘strategic partnership’ with Palantir is so profoundly dangerous, please read my latest piece open.substack.com/pub/broligar...
January 15, 2026 at 7:36 AM
This is the crucial point: "The level of understanding in UK politics and media about Silicon Valley’s alliance with Trump and the geopolitical and security consequences of this appears to be non-existent." How does one inform UK politicians of the entirely foreseeable implications? 1/
I have the perfect British Army officer in mind to see off the Americans.
January 14, 2026 at 10:36 PM
I have the perfect British Army officer in mind to see off the Americans.
Sounds like the final rounds of an @interpolaber.bsky.social crisis game
Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada and France will participate alongside Denmark to expanded military exercises in Greenland.
Scoop with @victorjack.bsky.social and Chris Lunday www.politico.eu/article/denm...
Scoop with @victorjack.bsky.social and Chris Lunday www.politico.eu/article/denm...
Denmark and allies boost Greenland military footprint as Trump ramps up pressure
The deployment comes as U.S. President Donald Trump intensifies talk of taking over the Arctic island.
www.politico.eu
January 14, 2026 at 8:02 PM
Sounds like the final rounds of an @interpolaber.bsky.social crisis game
There's just so much wrong or besides the point in this you just can't engage with it.
Trump is going for full confrontation, maybe he kills NATO in the process...
January 14, 2026 at 2:37 PM
There's just so much wrong or besides the point in this you just can't engage with it.
Reposted by Bleddyn Bowen
The opening party of the French consulate in Nuuk in 2 weeks time should be interesting
January 14, 2026 at 1:52 PM
The opening party of the French consulate in Nuuk in 2 weeks time should be interesting
Reposted by Bleddyn Bowen
Rarely have I been so in agreement with every word in a newspaper editorial as with Helsingin Sanomat's take on Trump and Greenland. I understand the need to thread somewhat carefully in international relations, but our national interests are found in supporting Denmark if Trump forces the issue.
Pääkirjoitus | Trumpin arvostelussa Suomi on Ruotsin selän takana
Suomen johdossa suomettuvat nyt suhteessa Yhdysvaltoihin juuri ne, jotka eivät takavuosina peitelleet piikkejään edeltäjiensä Venäjä-tasapainoilusta.
www.hs.fi
January 14, 2026 at 9:40 AM
Rarely have I been so in agreement with every word in a newspaper editorial as with Helsingin Sanomat's take on Trump and Greenland. I understand the need to thread somewhat carefully in international relations, but our national interests are found in supporting Denmark if Trump forces the issue.
I think it’s what Jim Hacker referred to as an ‘instant goodwill visit’ or a ‘routine surprise visit’.
January 14, 2026 at 11:10 AM
I think it’s what Jim Hacker referred to as an ‘instant goodwill visit’ or a ‘routine surprise visit’.
Reposted by Bleddyn Bowen
The FT got is architecture critic Edwin Heathcote to write about data centres and it's wonderful. www.ft.com/content/7692...
January 14, 2026 at 7:09 AM
The FT got is architecture critic Edwin Heathcote to write about data centres and it's wonderful. www.ft.com/content/7692...
Iesu mowredd. Greens edging out Labour into third place in a Senedd poll, and Plaid not far off a majority in a PR system. Incredible polling.
www.itv.com/news/wales/2...
www.itv.com/news/wales/2...
January 13, 2026 at 11:32 PM
Iesu mowredd. Greens edging out Labour into third place in a Senedd poll, and Plaid not far off a majority in a PR system. Incredible polling.
www.itv.com/news/wales/2...
www.itv.com/news/wales/2...
Same applies to those working in the space sector. Concept art from companies, startups, and governments on space tech were already often unmoored from reality. I have seen such bad AI slop images accompanying space/tech news stories and social media posts.
Why AI generated images are going to damage quality defence reporting
AI slop is being used by ‘quality’ and ‘fanboy’ defence blogs and news websites as well as mainstream media. It’s terrible news!
A rant 🧵
AI slop is being used by ‘quality’ and ‘fanboy’ defence blogs and news websites as well as mainstream media. It’s terrible news!
A rant 🧵
January 13, 2026 at 1:21 PM
Same applies to those working in the space sector. Concept art from companies, startups, and governments on space tech were already often unmoored from reality. I have seen such bad AI slop images accompanying space/tech news stories and social media posts.
Reposted by Bleddyn Bowen
Every EU Member State except Hungary agrees to trigger enhanced cooperation (ie some Member States using EU law without the others) re loan for Ukraine - proposal goes to European Parliament for consent
January 12, 2026 at 4:03 PM
Every EU Member State except Hungary agrees to trigger enhanced cooperation (ie some Member States using EU law without the others) re loan for Ukraine - proposal goes to European Parliament for consent
A rare miss for the PSLV.
I estimate that PSLV-C62 reached a suborbital trajectory of around -3800 x 390 km x 98 deg and fell in the Indian Ocean very roughly near 75E 18S.
January 12, 2026 at 1:10 PM
A rare miss for the PSLV.
I hope that the these new SRBMs are being designed from the ground up to be usable without any US C4ISR support. Tall order but now's the time to make sure such systems can run without US support if needs be.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
www.gov.uk/government/n...
UK to develop new deep strike ballistic missile for Ukraine
The UK will develop new tactical ballistic missiles that boost Ukraine’s firepower to defend itself from Putin’s war machine.
www.gov.uk
January 12, 2026 at 11:34 AM
I hope that the these new SRBMs are being designed from the ground up to be usable without any US C4ISR support. Tall order but now's the time to make sure such systems can run without US support if needs be.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Reposted by Bleddyn Bowen
The DAX did fine until Stalingrad.
January 12, 2026 at 8:52 AM
The DAX did fine until Stalingrad.
Reposted by Bleddyn Bowen
Reposted by Bleddyn Bowen
What can history teach us about what happens when a populist strongman with an idiosyncratic taste for low interest rates undermines central bank independence?
January 12, 2026 at 1:44 AM
What can history teach us about what happens when a populist strongman with an idiosyncratic taste for low interest rates undermines central bank independence?
That transition is already underway. Europe is often quite slow to get going and for such things to become obvious, as you have two dozen plus states and the EU all playing the usual games. But once the bloc agrees and funds something it’s hard to stop. This will outlast Trump and won’t be undone.
The thing I think folks struggle to appreciate with this stuff tho is however hard it is to wean Europe off US tech is *at least as hard* as it will be for US tech to get back into Europe after that type of transition kicks into high gear
January 11, 2026 at 2:45 PM
That transition is already underway. Europe is often quite slow to get going and for such things to become obvious, as you have two dozen plus states and the EU all playing the usual games. But once the bloc agrees and funds something it’s hard to stop. This will outlast Trump and won’t be undone.
Reposted by Bleddyn Bowen
Finally some good news.
Ken Burns Announces New 10-Part ‘Mr. Biscuits’ Documentary After Adopting Cat
WALPOLE, NH—Revealing that the series would force Americans to rethink everything they thought they knew about the “cute little fuzzball,” filmmaker Ken Burns announced Friday the release of Mr. Biscu...
theonion.com
January 9, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Finally some good news.
Polyphonic ringtones
Without revealing your actual age,what's something you remember that if you told a younger person they wouldn't understand?
January 9, 2026 at 6:05 PM
Polyphonic ringtones
'Even if the Trump class eventually performs as advertised, the opportunity cost is enormous. Every dollar spent on a battleship is a dollar not spent on missiles, submarines, destroyers, or autonomous systems.' @salisbot.bsky.social
behindthefront.substack.com/p/the-trump-...
behindthefront.substack.com/p/the-trump-...
The Trump-Class Battleship
Spectacle wins out over combat power
behindthefront.substack.com
January 9, 2026 at 1:59 PM
'Even if the Trump class eventually performs as advertised, the opportunity cost is enormous. Every dollar spent on a battleship is a dollar not spent on missiles, submarines, destroyers, or autonomous systems.' @salisbot.bsky.social
behindthefront.substack.com/p/the-trump-...
behindthefront.substack.com/p/the-trump-...