Get ready, Gigabrains.
To honor the contributors who have helped build, test, and support Space and Time on our journey to mainnet, we're proud to announce Gigaclaims, a Space and Time Foundation initiative that puts SXT into the hands of those who have been instrumental in building and shaping the network.
Gigaclaim 0 will make up to 375,000,000 SXT available to claim for eligible community members beginning on May 8.
Space fact:
Wind speeds on Venus are just 7 km/h (4 mph) but the atmosphere is so dense that those winds would *feel* to us like a 48 km/h (30 mph) Earth wind But it's 465°C (870°F) and the atmospheric pressure is 50x higher than a pressure cooker 😵💫
📷Venus surface image by Venera 13.
SpaceX's Starship has the potential to accelerate astrophysics research by decades.
In this week's paper, the authors highlight Starship's substantial payload capacity (+100t) and cost-effective launch model, could allow NASA to deploy next-generation space telescopes much sooner than the 2040s-2050s timelines currently envisioned.
The 2020 decadal survey (Astro2020) lays out ambitious plans for new "Great Observatories" like LUVOIR, the Origins Space Telescope, and the Lynx X-Ray Observatory-missions designed to surpass the capabilities of Hubble and Chandra. However, constrained budgets mean these missions risk launching decades from now, creating a serious gap in our observatory capacity during the 2030s.
Here’s where Starship could be a game-changer:
1) Its massive payload bay could fit larger, heavier telescopes without the need for intricate (and risky) folding designs - converting risk to mass
2) Simplifying deployment could dramatically cut engineering cycles and costs
3) More affordable, scalable materials (like glass mirrors instead of beryllium) could become viable for next-gen space observatories.
The authors call on NASA and the astrophysics community to actively plan around Starship’s capabilities. Doing so could fast-track the next wave of discoveries, ensuring that the 2030s don't become a lost decade for space science.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned the nation will face a “long night ahead,” as the worst blackout to hit Europe in over a decade headed for the 12-hour mark with no indication of when power would be fully restored or what caused the blackout. https://t.co/KliuELlklR
Space travel demands strict dietary rules for astronaut safety. #NASA# bans certain foods on the #ISS# due to microgravity challenges.
Full list here 🔗 https://t.co/DZOrPjwTzp https://t.co/k4w6CT7zvp
News: SpaceX is no longer targeting the 3rd week of May for Starship Flight 9.
The launch has been indefinitely delayed following an explosion during the ship’s static fire test at Starbase.
@elonmusk https://t.co/4ao4MZ8icL