After a (very) long day, the last I saw of one of our visiting media teams was them rolling up their trousers and heading into the ocean. THAT is how mind blowing the Martian Moons eXploration flight model is!
Elizabeth Tasker
@elizabethtasker.bsky.social
UK astrophysicist and science communicator working at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Author of 'The Planet Factory' and editor of ‘Planetary Diversity’. Very into space, virtual reality, computer graphics and rescue cats.
Tomorrow, we unveil the ACTUAL FLIGHT MODEL of the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft (that is, the one that will go TO SPACE and LAND ON PHOBOS) to the media visiting us at Tanegashima. Until then, goodnight from a small island with the gateway to infinity (and beyond) 🚀
I am READY for (an immensely small subset) of your rocket needs! 💪🏻🚀 Because Tanegashima is a working launch site where very large spacecraft get bashed with hammers, JAXA put us in work clothes with steel-capped shoes 👞
After the successful launch of the H3, the banners hung all around Tanegashima island changed from “good luck” (blue) to “congratulations” (yellow and the white sign)!
We’re going up, up, up, it’s our moment! 🚀Night launch of the JAXA H3 rocket, in movie form 🎬 snapped from the hilltop (宇宙が丘公園 Uchuugaoka Park) on Tanegashima island. (And yes, KPOP Demon Hunters is always appropriate. Shut up.)
Night launch of the JAXA H3 rocket from the Tanegashima launch site! The payload is Michibiki No. 7, part of Japan’s new navigation satellite system.
I swear there’s a rocket out there 🚀. Tanegashima must be the most beautiful launch site in the world, but right now I cannot prove it 🌌
Where am I headed? The boat is offering a clue!
“I’d like to try an ultrasound.” The vet pauses. Looks at #CasperCat. “Will you come with me?” Not sure I can prevent what you fear, but I can cover his eyes with this well positioned towel so he can’t see the delightful oppertunities you are about to present to run amok.
Yoda: I sense much fear in you
Alt: Yoda: I sense much fear in you
static.klipy.com
A summer pastime for kiddies in Japan is to collect bugs. The shop near me sells Pokéballs for you to put them in! Gotta catch them all!
As I watched #CasperCat launch himself off the top of the cat tree and into thin air, my first thought was [long and redacted] My second was, At least I can tell the vet he is genki (energetic).
New glasses! With progressive (varifocal) lenses because HELLO MID-FORTIES. (If you don’t know what those are, you will one day my sweet summer child.) Also, who knew this is what Tokyo looks like?! Wild. The world tilts if I turn my head sharply. I hear this takes practice.
So. This is… not… the Friday I was planning 🤔 On the plus side, I was home and know which cat. On the negative side, it’s the one I’ve never tried to stuff in a carrier in this apartment. Nobody (including the vet) is going to enjoy this 😐 #CasperCat
I went to lunch with a visitor yesterday, to a spot no more than 10 minutes walk. I wore hat, sunglasses, drank plenty and still ended with a headache and unable to cool back down 🤦🏼♀️This morning, I feel like a puddle and I have to be bushy tailed in front of a poster. Do not underestimate this crap.
The mural at my tennis club reflects the rainy season ☔️. We’re now at the tail-end of the rainy season, where the water pours from us rather than the sky 😅
A man steps outside his house, carrying his toddler child. Child bursts into tears. And that is today’s weather report.
I have been gifted a flask that truly reflects my view of the world.
From communicating with policymakers, combating misinformation, understanding the ethics and best practices for AI, and leveraging technology in your research, join us in Japan or online this November 1 ~ 6 🧪. Early-bird registration until July 24 🐦. Website 🔭: iau-oao.nao.ac.jp/iaus409/
After tennis—which I’ll admit was a bit like playing in a swamp due to the humidity!—a rice bowl packed with sashimi for a treat 🍚
Japan friends, it disappoints me that 私自身 is not read しじしん. It’s logical and much more entertaining to say 😐 (For the curious, it’s read わたしじしん [watashi-ji-shin] and means “personally”, but 私 is often read as “し” in compound kanji and… personally… I think that would be more pleasing 😂)
Visited Jonan Pet Cemetery to renew the memorial plate for #CassieCat. I say this every time, but the pet shrine is wonderful. There’s always offerings from visitors and a gentleman with a bunch of flowers came in as I left, having respectfully given me space. Every time I go, I think good choice!
You know that thing MS Teams sometimes does, when you click the “translate” button and it just removes the entire message and pretends the person said nothing and its job is done? Not a fan.
OK, so Hayabusa2 powers between asteroids using ion engines (a JAXA speciality) 🔭, but MMX is going to be using more traditional chemical propulsion 🛰️. In our #MMXTeamQQ, Imade Takane highlights why we made that choice 🧪.
The English press release with the first images of asteroid Torifune captured by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft is now live! (I translated, the ISAS PR lead checked it while practically running from the press conference, and someone at JAXA HQ stayed late enough to upload 😆 HIGH-FIVES ALL AROUND!)
JAXA | Hayabusa2 captures images of asteroid Torifune
Get information on the Hayabusa2 captures images of asteroid Torifune. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) performs various activities related to aerospace as an organization, from basic res...
global.jaxa.jp
The presentation will be in Japanese, but there's a JAXA press conference at 16:00 JST (~30 minutes) on the flyby of Torifune by Hayabusa2. SHOW US A SPACE ROCK! And let's hug a 12 year old spacecraft that just pulled off a tight flyby it was never designed to do. Maybe we can save the world 🛰️👀🪨.
小惑星探査機「はやぶさ２」による小惑星「トリフネ」フライバイ後記者説明会
YouTube video by JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構
youtube.com
