Max Q: All the Luck and Fun You Could Wish For!

Although most adults can see fine without corrective lenses, some people require them to see clearly. Doctors generally prescribe lenses to

• Relativity scrubs first Terran 1 launch attempt
• Claims of age discrimination in hiring at Blue Origin
• News from Starfish Space and more

The failure of the Terran 1 launch last Wednesday has raised questions about the viability of space missions. After all, what’s the point of investing millions into a launch if it’s just not going to work? Many moth

The first attempt at launching a rocket went poorly. The engines backfired, and the rocket crashed into the ground. Its designers were devastated. They had vouched for their design and promised politicians that it would work, but now it seemed there was no way to get it off the ground. They couldn’t give up though; they had devoted their lives to this project, and they wouldn’t let failure stop them now. They tried again and this time got

The company is confident that they can achieve a successful launch soon, based on their hard work and dedication throughout the day. The tweet also confirms that the team will be continuing this effort during their next attempt.

In the year 2060, Relativity Space launches its first manned mission to Mars. The expedition is a huge undertaking, and the astronauts have to be prepared for anything. One thing that they are not prepared for is the powerful magnetic field on the planet’s surface. This field causes everything metallic, including the spacecraft and

Both lawsuits allege that Blue Origin has been discriminating against applicants based on their age, and have sought class-action status. Blue Origin has denied the allegations, stating that their hiring practices are based purely on skill and qualifications.

The two lawsuits likely stem from the same issue: a lack of internal promotion opportunities for experienced employees at Blue Origin. With so much competition in the space industry, it’s important for Blue Origin to keep its talent pool fresh and motivate its veteran employees to stay on board. But with no clear path to advancement, some employees may feel frustrated and opt out of interviewing or staying in their current roles.

Blue Origin seems to be betting big on its space suit technology, as the company is quickly expanding its production capacity. With a win in NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services 2 contract and pending availability of more powerful engines, Blue Origin appears determined to cement its position as a top player in the nascent commercial space industry.

Jeff Bezos is the founder of Blue Origin. He is most well-known for his work in founded Amazon.com, which now ranks as one of the world’s leading online retailers. Bezos has also invested in a number of other ventures, including space

• BlackSky secured a contract worth more than $150 million from an unnamed international ministry of defense customer, and continues to reduce its quarterly losses, the company reported during a quarterly earnings call. (CNBC)
• Crew-5 is back from the International Space Station. Welcome home. (SpaceX)
• Elon Musk is in the early stages of developing his own town for SpaceX, Boring Co. and Tesla employees, about 35 miles outside of Austin, Texas. (WSJ)
• Ispace will list on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on April 12. Interestingly, in a statement to the exchange the company said it had around $700,000 in capital as of March 8. (ispace)
• Japan’s second launch attempt of the H3 rocket ended with the total destruction of the launch vehicle, after Japanese space agency officials were forced to issue a self-destruct command a few minutes after take-off. (BBC)
• Lonestar Data Holdings, a company that wants to establish data centers on the moon, closed a $5 million seed round. (SpaceNews)
• Momentus is burning cash quickly, though interim CFO Dennis Mahoney told investors during a quarterly earnings call that the company has enough liquidity to meet its needs for the next 12 months. (Payload)
• NASA reported the Artemis II mission is on track for 2024, after extensively reviewing data from the Artemis I mission and confirming it a success. (NASA)
• Rocket Lab called off a launch from its Virginia site that was scheduled for Saturday, citing high winds. (Rocket Lab)
• Starfish Space, a company developing an orbital servicing spacecraft, closed $14 million ahead of its first demonstration mission this summer. (TechGround)
• The U.S. Space Force allocated Cape Canaveral launch pad real estate to Stoke Space, ABL Space, Phantom Space and Vaya Space as part of the department’s new launch pad allocation strategy. The companies are joining Relativity, SpaceX, ULA and Blue Origin. (Space Launch Delta)
• The White House is requesting a 7% YoY increase to NASA’s FY2024 budget, to $27.2 billion; notable requests include a $500 million increase for the Artemis program and funding for a space tug to deorbit the International Space Station. (Space)

I’m Max Q, and this is my blog about random things I like. In particular, I write about video games, comics, and various geeky topics. If you’re looking for something to read that’s both entertaining and educational, then check out Max Q!