It’s crazy - Jupiter continues to look beautiful and wondrous in new and different ways every Juno orbit! From Perijove 15, processing by Sean Doran.
Originally posted on Twitter.
Exploration Posters
From NASA: “Are you ready for your vacation on the Moon? Are you looking forward to setting up camp on Mars? Can you get excitement to use the Gateway to access #Moon2Mars? Show everyone your new favorite exploration destinations with these free downloadable posters: https://go.nasa.gov/2J5SRhx”
Le Sigh. I have no more wallspace, dammit! These are beautiful, though....
Splash Down
SpaceX Crew Dragon Splashes Down in Atlantic to Cap Historic Test Flight: https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-dragon-returns-to-earth.html
Originally posted on Twitter.
Long-Distance Selfie
You're in This Picture. It's a Selfie Taken by @TeamSpaceIL's Beresheet Lunar Lander on its Way to the Moon: https://buff.ly/2IZiGzT
Originally posted on Twitter.
Command Deck
For the last year, this image, titled "Command Deck" by artist Krystian Biskup (https://salierri.artstation.com/projects/a6ReX) has far and away been my most popular pin on Pinterest (the background of the Requiem cover being the second-most popular).
Given that, I thought you all should get the chance to enjoy it, too. I imagine this is how Valkyrie sees a planet on the Siyane's approach.
Originally posted on Facebook.
A New Dawn
Stunning photo taken by Astronaut Anne McLain from the International Space Station as Crew Dragon approached for docking. Her words: “The dawn of a new era in human spaceflight.” (https://twitter.com/AstroAnnimal/status/1102250251598135296)
Originally posted on Twitter.
The New Planet Hunters
Life probably exists beyond Earth. So how do we find it? With next-generation telescopes, tiny space probes, and more, scientists aim to search for life beyond our solar system—and make contact: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2019/03/extraterrestrial-life-probably-exists-how-do-we-search-for-aliens/
Excellent piece by National Geographic on the science and philosophy driving the next generation of planet-hunters. Courtesy of Carolyn McBride.
Originally posted on Twitter.
Snowfall & Steaks
Nothing will stand between #MrJennsen and his charbroiled steak...and it's worth every single snowflake! #yummy #steakdinner #inthesnow❄️ #cowx
Crew Dragon
LIFTOFF! The next big leap in a new chapter of U.S. human spaceflight systems has begun. @SpaceX’s #CrewDragon demo flight is the 1st commercially-built & operated American spacecraft designed for humans to dock at the @Space_Station. NASA: “Today’s successful launch marks a new chapter in American excellence, getting us closer to once again flying American astronauts on American rockets from American soil."
For this demo launch, Crew Dragon is staffed with a sensor-laden dummy named “Ripley.” The capsule will arrive at the ISS on Sunday, where it will attempt its first autonomous docking (previous non-crew Dragon capsules have been snagged and guided in by an arm on the ISS controlled by astronauts on board).
NASA Press Release: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-spacex-launch-first-flight-test-of-space-system-designed-for-crew
Fractals Release
Wow. You guys show up, big time. No BookBub, no promotions, just my readers. All the squishy feelings for you! 💖
P.S.: This is Fractals, of course.🤗
Originally posted on Facebook.
The Future of Humanity
Anthem Review
I did an extensive review for Mass Effect Andromeda after finishing it, so I figure I owe you one after finishing the critical path storyline for Anthem. Spoiler-free!
The very, very good: 💯
1) Flying is FUN.💫 Combat is FUN. Not having played Titanfall or its ilk, I'll refrain from saying it's unique, but there's no question that with the javelins Bioware has created something ⭐️very special⭐️. I can't overstate how smooth and exhilarating it feels to soar through Bastion's canyons and blow up enemies.
2) The world is drop-dead gorgeous. State-of-the-art graphics, incredible lighting and what feels like a lot of attention to detail combine to make Bastion's wilds the most beautiful environment I've ever seen in a video game. (One slight negative: it isn't, however, particularly varied, at least not yet. But you don't care, because what's there is simply stunning.)
3) The voice acting in the critical path questline is among the best I've ever heard in a game. Bioware has always excelled in this area, but they've somehow managed to up their game here. Faye, Haluk, Owen, Tassyn, Dax and the rest quickly become memorable, impactful characters thanks to their VAs. I can't speak about the male freelancer, but the female freelance voice is also excellent. I'm not sure how well the VA would do with a "heftier" role like Shepard, but here she's quite pleasant to listen to.
4) Bioware has FINALLY cracked the secret code on how to make characters look good using the much-maligned Frostbite engine. NPCs are varied and diverse in their appearances, but they all look great. So much less shininess and puffiness than in DAI and MEA! One of the major characters in the main quest, Tassyn, is frankly gorgeous (even if she is a bit of a bitch). Facial animations are also much improved from MEA, if not quite up to AC: Odyssey standards. I've read Bioware used a lot more motion capture for Anthem than they have previously, which likely explains this improvement.
The not so great: 😏
1) WHY OH WHY did Bioware choose a first-person perspective for Fort Tarsis (and a Javelin-only third-person perspective for outside) when they've FINALLY cracked the secret code on how to make characters look good??? In character creation, you choose male or female, then from one of a dozen or so fixed portraits. After that, you only see your character's face during a few *meaningful* mission cutscenes, when they flip their visor up. You never see their hair or see them out of a javelin. Such a waste!
2A) The critical path questline is far too short. Granted, this will almost certainly be expanded upon in the future (apparently for free, which will be nice). While a compelling story, it's not nearly long or fulsome enough to serve as the backbone of a game. Of course, Anthem is about much more than that questline, so arguably it doesn't need to be.
2B) And it's too shallow. If not for the stellar voice acting and the innate storytelling finesse Bioware has always displayed, it would have been very difficult to feel the slightest bit invested in your character's 'backstory' or the current plight they and the world find themselves facing.
The bad: 😖
1) The missions are worryingly repetitive in their technical design. There's only about 3 basic mechanics the missions rotate between, and I worry that the repetition will soon drown out the inherent fun in the gameplay.
2) The gear/weapons/skills system is simultaneously overly complicated and overly shallow. This is something else I'm sure will be dramatically expanded and refined with time, but at release, it leaves a lot to be desired.
3) Fort Tarsis is much smaller than I was expecting. I have to believe they cut large swaths of it to make an EA-mandated release date. What's there is charming and quirky, but there's not much there.
4) Way too many and too long loading screens. This is something Bioware has been frantically working on improving, and there was a BIG improvement from the demo to release. They're still too long and happen way too frequently.
5) Co-op needs text chat! (And possibly voice chat, but at least text chat.) Several missions include puzzles, and you can imagine how much fun it is to have 4 players who can't communicate with each other running around randomly spinning obelisks and lights and such all at the same time, frequently at cross-purposes.
So will I keep playing? Yes, but until there's a substantive (read: story-heavy) update, only casually. Like I said, it's FUN. But having completed the only significant questline, it's not necessarily meaningful.
Don't ask me for a score, guys. Come on....😔
Okay, fine! B...-
Have some raw, unenhanced screenshots!
Originally posted on Facebook.
Stunning Astrophotography Image of SpaceX Launch
By Mike Seeley: “40 mins of pre-launch star trails + 4 minutes of rocket streak + 55 seconds of the Moon rising with bonus: the boost-back landing burn, low on the horizon. Congratulations to all involved in the #SpaceX #NusantaraSatu #Falcon9 launch (&landing!) (Pis: me / @WeReportSpace)”
The mission sent an Israeli commercial lunar lander off on its two-month journey to the moon. You can learn more about the mission at http://www.spaceil.com.
Originally posted on Twitter.
On Good Days
Juno Perijove 18
Some gorgeous new images coming from the Juno probe with its latest Jupiter orbit.
Processing credit: [ Eichstädt / Doran ]
Dragon Aurora
Dragon Aurora over Iceland https://buff.ly/2X9cbxh via @apod Image credit: Jingyi Zhang & Wang Zheng
Originally posted on Twitter.
Anthem Early Access
Well, that took about 10 seconds! Now to go construct an elaborate self-canon that explains Alex Solovy being on Bastion wearing N7 armor.... #1stWorldWriterProblems
Originally posted on Twitter.
70K for The Stars Like Gods
Did you know The Stars Like Gods already has 70,000 words? Messy words, but words nonetheless.
Yesterday I reached the point where I needed to map out what I had, so I could identify holes still needing to be filled. Plot holes, but mostly character holes. So I grabbed some paper and a bunch pens and created a gorgeous flow chart in my infamous scrawl. (I swear, I couldn't draw a straight line if I had a gun pointed at my head.) 🤣 The holes I found are in red. 💢
Yes, it's a tiny picture, for good reason. 😋
Originally posted on Facebook.
A Celebration of Opportunity
The NASA press conference was a beautiful, heartfelt celebration of the 15 years of Opportunity's mission and a look to the future of Mars exploration.
Over the last 9 months, the team sent over 1,000 recovery commands to try and wake Opportunity up, ultimately to no avail. The last message Opportunity sent translated as “My battery is low and it is getting dark.” 🥺 Amidst a month-long, record-setting dust storm, it was simply too cold and too dark for too long.
Now the internet is overflowing with personal tributes, and more than a few tears. Here are a few, as well as some images and infographics:
Official statement and mission recap from JPL: https://mars.nasa.gov/…/nasas-opportunity-rover-mission-on…/
XKCD Comic "Opportunity": https://xkcd.com/2111/
A comic with a happy ending, one day: https://twitter.com/GlenMaffews/status/1095514961940488192
More hope for a reunion in the future: “And in 200 years time the little rover will awaken to someone cleaning and repairing it and fitting new batteries, and it'll roll outside and look out over the city of the same name, its home.”: https://twitter.com/od_stuff/status/1096069782724591616
A thread on what went wrong for Opportunity: https://twitter.com/JacobMargolis/status/1095436908899913729
A thread on what Opportunity has meant for humanity, and why we cry at its loss: https://twitter.com/shannonmstir…/status/1095730251873714176
A live blog thread on the NASA press conference: https://twitter.com/tanyaofmars/status/1095759187227770880
Another beautiful goodbye: https://twitter.com/MarsRovers/status/1095760214169546752
A eulogy by Rachel Feltman: https://www.popsci.com/mars-opportunity-eulogy
A whole Flikr gallery of images from Opportunity over the years by Jason Major: https://www.flickr.com/…/lightsinth…/sets/72157669559511817/
Curiosity’s tribute to Opportunity: https://twitter.com/MarsCuriosity/status/1095788439155306496
Even The Onion got sentimental: https://www.theonion.com/spacecraft-travel-from-all-over-galaxy-to-honor-end-of-1832602862
Beautiful thoughts from Scott Maxwell, who relayed commands to Opportunity for years: https://twitter.com/marsroverdriver/status/1095786993957535744
Ad astra to Opportunity, the finest planetary rover we’ve ever known: https://twitter.com/DeanBobbyBraun/status/1095778180269522944
I'm not crying, you're crying. Okay, fine, we're all crying. 😭
Originally posted on Facebook (with updates).
Opportunity Update
NASA will hold a press conference Wednesday at 2PM EST to share the results of its efforts to reestablish contact with Opportunity. All indications are that it won't be good news, and may very well mark the end of the mission.
It's been 9 months since communication with the rover was lost during a massive Mars dust storm.
Whatever happens, here's a beautiful piece about Opportunity and some of the lives it's touched by Shannon Stirone: https://medium.com/…/its-time-to-say-goodbye-to-our-beloved…. Expect a lot more pieces like this to be posted in coming days.
