AkaSci 🛰️Apr 15, 2025

I am disappointed at the visceral negative reaction at the all-female crew of the Blue Origin NS-31 flight.

Granted not all of them are scientists or astronauts, but should we not admire or encourage female non-scientists? Granted some of them are rich good-looking celebrities, but they have a large young following. What's the harm if they spread some joy and science among the youth?

Have we become too cynical? Do we instinctively look for faults, esp. among women?

https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-shepard-ns-31-mission
1/n

Blue Origin’s New Shepard Rocket Completes 31st Mission To Space | Blue Origin

Blue Origin successfully completed its 11th human spaceflight for the New Shepard program. The crew included Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyễn, Gayle King, Katy Perry, Kerianne Flynn, and Lauren Sánchez.

Blue Origin
Show threadAkaSci 🛰️Apr 15, 2025

Did we react in the same negative way to members of the previous 10 crew flights by Blue Origin? Many of them were men and/or wealthy and/or celebrities.

I am no fan of Bezos, but a competitive alternative to SpaceX is a good thing.

Let's aim our ire at the hundreds of SpaceX flights that litter our skies with satellites and that pollute our environment, both during launch and during reentry into the atmosphere.

And at the destruction of NASA, NOAA and HHS.

Let's sweat the big stuff.

2/n

Show threadDan GillmorApr 15, 2025
@AkaSci Of all the things to get angry about, this is pretty close to the bottom of my list, too.
Show threadMastodon Migration

@dangillmor @AkaSci

Agreed. Saving space outrage for the cancellation of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-admin-to-slice-nasa-in-half/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Grace_Roman_Space_Telescope

Trump Admin to Slice NASA in Half and Cancel New Telescopes

The White House further plans to cancel upcoming plans for new telescopes to study the cosmos.

The Daily Beast
Apr 15, 2025 at 11:47pmWeb