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Andrea Leinfelder

@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social

Space and science reporter @HoustonChronicle.com. Foodie, adventure seeker, mom of two kids and one dog. Send tips and favorite sci-fi references to Andrea.leinfelder@houstonchronicle.com.

237 Posts330 Follower262 Folgt
Andrea Leinfelder@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social · last wk.

NASA is accepting applications for its next yearlong "Mars" mission at the Johnson Space Center -- but this crew should expect tighter quarters. Most of the mission will be spent inside a pretend spacecraft that's just 650 square feet. Could you handle it? www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

NASA needs recruits for a 'Mars' mission in Houston. Could you handle it?

NASA is accepting applications for a yearlong simulated Mars mission at the Johnson Space Center to study how isolation and confinement will affect astronauts.

houstonchronicle.com

Andrea Leinfelder@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social · 4w ago

Wally Funk, who fulfilled a dream 60 years in the making when she became the oldest woman to fly to space in 2021, died Wednesday night in her Grapevine home. She was 87. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Wally Funk, pioneering aviator who finally reached space at 82, dies at 87

Wally Funk, 87, was an aviation pioneer and member of the Mercury 13 who underwent astronaut tests. She died Wednesday night in Grapevine.

houstonchronicle.com

Andrea Leinfelder@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social · 4w ago

The Exploration Co., a five-year-old European business developing the Nyx spacecraft, is tapping into Houston's human spaceflight expertise with a new Rapid Innovation Lab. The company could double or triple its U.S. workforce this year. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

European spacecraft company opens Houston lab, plans major US hiring

The Exploration Co. has officially opened its Rapid Innovation Lab. It will tap into Houston's human spaceflight expertise to develop a crewed spacecraft.

houstonchronicle.com

Andrea Leinfelder@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social · last mo.

Texas A&M University is using a centrifuge to better understand how the human body responds to low-gravity environments such as those on the moon and Mars. And unlike the centrifuges used by military pilots, this centrifuge has participants lie down. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Texas A&M revives NASA centrifuge to prepare humans for moon, Mars

Texas A&M is using a centrifuge to better understand how the human body responds to low-gravity environments such as those on the moon and Mars.

houstonchronicle.com

Andrea Leinfelder@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social · 2mo ago

NASA unveiled its Artemis III astronauts today and provided an update on the mission. “This mission will be one of the most complex that NASA has undertaken,” said Norm Knight, director of NASA’s Flight Operations Directorate. My story: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

NASA names Artemis III crew for critical Earth-orbit test of moon landers

NASA unveiled the four astronauts who will fly on Artemis III: Americans Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas and Italian Luca Parmitano with the European Space Agency.

houstonchronicle.com

Andrea Leinfelder@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Grimes County officials approved a tax break for a SpaceX chipmaking facility on Wednesday, providing their support for a $55 billion project that could create 1,800 jobs and transform this rural area outside of College Station. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Grimes County backs SpaceX project that could bring 1,800 jobs

Grimes County approved a property tax abatement for the Terafab semiconductor manufacturing facility that SpaceX wants to build near College Station.

houstonchronicle.com

Andrea Leinfelder@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social · 2mo ago

NASA unveiled new contracts on Tuesday as part of its push to build a moon base, awarding work to one Texas company while passing over another firm based in Houston. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Texas companies win, lose contracts as NASA pushes toward a moon base

Cedar Park-based Firefly Aerospace was chosen to deliver NASA's MoonFall drones. Houston's Intuitive Machines was not chosen to build a lunar vehicle.

houstonchronicle.com

Andrea Leinfelder@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social · 2mo ago

SpaceX is dual-listing on Nasdaq and Nasdaq Texas, giving a high-profile vote of confidence to the state’s growing financial services sector. Learn about "Y'all Street" in my story with Erica Grieder: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Why Elon Musk’s SpaceX is listing on Texas’ newest stock exchange

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is going for a dual-listed IPO on Nasdaq and Nasdaq Texas. Experts say that’s a win for Texas as 'Y'all Street' grows.

houstonchronicle.com

Andrea Leinfelder@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social · 3mo ago

IPOs have spillover effects that should benefit the Texas communities where SpaceX operates. But the relationship won’t be one-sided. Relatively new state laws will protect Musk, SpaceX and its board of directors from certain shareholder lawsuits. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

What SpaceX’s IPO means for jobs, housing and startups in Texas

A potential SpaceX IPO may reshape South Texas with economic growth and expanded AI ambitions.

houstonchronicle.com

Andrea Leinfelder@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social · 3mo ago

SpaceX is seeking to sell shares on Nasdaq and Nasdaq Texas in what could be the world’s largest IPO, unlocking cash that could generate more jobs, home sales, startup companies and tax revenues in Texas. Here's what the IPO means for Texas: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

What SpaceX’s IPO means for jobs, housing and startups in Texas

A potential SpaceX IPO may reshape South Texas with economic growth and expanded AI ambitions.

houstonchronicle.com

Andrea Leinfelder@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Fun tidbit on Artemis III: the astronauts will spend more time inside Orion. They will circle the Earth inside the tiny capsule for more than 10 days! The extra time is needed because both Blue Origin and SpaceX will launch landers and dock with Orion. www.nasa.gov/missions/art...

NASA Outlines Preliminary Artemis III Mission Plans - NASA

NASA is moving quickly to define next year’s Artemis III mission in Earth orbit, a crewed flight that will test rendezvous and docking capabilities between

nasa.gov

Andrea Leinfelder@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Elon Musk is considering a site outside College Station for the “Terafab” chip manufacturing plant he announced earlier this year. The initial phases would cost $55 billion, with the total project costing up to $119 billion, according to Grimes County. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Elon Musk’s $55B 'Terafab' chip plant could land near College Station

Elon Musk is considering a Grimes County site near College Station for a massive semiconductor manufacturing complex called Terafab.

houstonchronicle.com

Andrea Leinfelder@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Midland-based AST SpaceMobile is building satellites that can provide 4G and 5G service directly to smartphones. It lost a satellite this week when Blue Origin's rocket malfunctioned, but it still hopes to have 45 BlueBirds in orbit this year. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Rocket failure won’t stop AST SpaceMobile’s phone-from-space plan

AST SpaceMobile continues its satellite rollout despite losing BlueBird 7 in a Blue Origin rocket malfunction, aiming for global cell phone coverage.

houstonchronicle.com

Andrea Leinfelder@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social · 4mo ago

"I can't imagine a better crew than the Artemis II crew that just completed a perfect mission right now," NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said. "It's a huge moment for everybody. We are back in the business of sending astronauts to the moon."

Andrea Leinfelder@andrealeinfelder.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Welcome home Artemis II! Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Hammock Koch and Canadian Jeremy Hansen are back on Earth. They splashed down into the Pacific Ocean at 7:07 p.m. Central time. I can't wait to see them back in Houston tomorrow!