3 minute read - What's in a name? More than you might think. KMI's first spacecraft needed a title that not only symbolized its mission but also paid homage to the myths of old. After much debate, we landed on "Laelaps"—a name rooted in Greek legend. But what does a mythic hound, destined to catch everything it chases, have to do with space?
3 minute read - Especially for Halloween, Corinne Moore presents a special feature on costumes, candy, and more aboard the ISS. Put on your brave faces, grab your favorite holiday treat, and enjoy a lighthearted romp into Halloween’s past. Maybe you’ll find some last minute inspiration for your costume this year!
6 minute read - In honor of April Fools, dive into the debate with Gabby Muehlenbeck: was it easier to land on the moon or to fool the world? On July 20th, 1969, history was made - or was it staged? From flags waving in the vacuum of space to mysterious 'C' rocks, skeptics have long questioned the Apollo 11 mission's authenticity. Discover the logistics behind faking such a cosmic feat and why, perhaps, truth is stranger (and simpler) than fiction.
9 minute read - There are some messy beginnings for our calendar, and it’s time to address them: Who is Gregory and why did everyone love his calendar? Why isn’t OCTober the 8th month? What does the moon have to do with months? When should we celebrate the New Year anyway? Dive in with Adam Kall as we discover some better ways to track time!
3 minute read - For a special Halloween KMI Column, Corinne Moore presents a special feature on costumes, candy, and more aboard the ISS. Put on your brave faces, grab your favorite holiday treat, and enjoy a lighthearted romp into Halloween’s past. Maybe you’ll find some last minute inspiration for your costume this year!
6 minute read - In light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, many countries and companies have reevaluated their relationship with Russia and their rockets. While international sanctions and armed conflicts are ongoing, the history of human spaceflight continues, at times in awkward proximity to world political events. As Troy Morris discusses in this column, humanity has best succeeded with the shared goal of, “WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND.”
4 minute read - As the calendar gets short, the nights get long, temperatures get low, and decorative lights get placed high, it becomes the holiday season! Already families and friends have many choices to make, with parties for hosting, caroling and going out in the snow; there’ll be scary ghost stories, and tales of the glories… you know, “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” With more humans entering and now remaining in orbit than ever before, those classic celebrations are sought in the spacecraft, shuttles, and stations overhead. But space is hard.
5 minute read - “Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us.” - Carl Sagan
This image, known as Pale Blue Dot, was taken by the Voyager 1 spacecraft on February 14th, 1990, at Carl Sagan’s suggestion. On the right side of the image suspended in a beam of sunlight is a single white pixel that is the Earth, seen from a distance farther than the orbit of Pluto at 4 billion miles. I always have strong emotions when I look at this image, read Carl Sagan’s accompanying statement, and take a moment to appreciate just what it represents. These emotions could be fear and anxiety, which would be perfectly understandable considering how fragile our home looks from such a distance, but for me they have become feelings of purpose and direction. This image does not make me think “Look how small and vulnerable we all seem,” but instead “Look how close we are to the start of our journey, and how much more there is to achieve.”
4 minute read - Just as the success over frozen frontiers, unexplored jungles, endless seas, and even the famous imagery of the American West relied on hard people doing hard work, many forget the steps and support that made those areas of old exploration into the tourist destinations of today. From outposts and supply lines to small-town squares and starting-out shops, the areas under human expansion have been forged and founded in deliberate acts and minor decisions echoing over eons. Each piece of the puzzle is seemingly insignificant and the tasks to finalization insurmountable, yet through a shared societal dream, or singular ideals, humankind pushed forth into all areas listed at the beginning of this paragraph.
