Adventures Ahead — But No Blogging…

Underway -- with a long day in the air, and ground transfers -- from JFK to Nice, France.

Falling silent, now:

. . .blog forecast -- outage through Sept. 25, 2026. . . .

Onward -- Keep it spinning in good karma!

नमस्ते

New Remote Access/Phone Hearing -- Against ICE -- In Class Action In Chicago: USDC Judge Sara Ellis' Case 26-cv-321 On September 11...

On that morning here, I'll be off grid in the South of France, but you may dial in (on mute), to listen if you choose.

But this case is drawing nearer a finding that would result in payouts to plaintiffs, and injunctive relief to the State of Illinois for the damage the ICE lawlessness engendered in our communities, last year and early in 2026. Here's the latest order:

. . .MINUTE entry before the Honorable Sara L. Ellis:

The court sets a Telephone conference for 9/11/2026 at 10:00 a.m.

Attorneys/Parties should appear for the hearing by calling the Toll-Free Number: (650) 479-3207, Access Code: 2314 361 1508.

Entering an attendee code is not required. Throughout the telephonic hearing, each speaker will be expected to identify themselves for the record before speaking.

Please note that the conference call-in will be used by all cases that are on the court's calendar for the said date, therefore counsel must be in a quiet area while on the line and must have the telephone muted until your case is called. Members of the public and media will be able to call in to listen to this hearing (use toll-free number). Please be sure to keep your phone on mute when you are not speaking. Persons granted remote access to proceedings are reminded of the general prohibition against photographing, recording, and rebroadcasting court proceedings.

Violation of these prohibitions may result in sanctions, including removal of court-issued media credentials, restricted entry to future hearings, denial of entry to future hearings, or any other sanctions deemed necessary by the Court. . . .

Now you know. Smiling -- she is one fine federal trial court judge indeed.

नमस्ते

The Trump Anti-Freedom FCC Proposed Rules Are At An End -- For Limiting Democratic Committees' Speech Rights. Solid Decision -- From The Supremes.

So, now the Trump FCC attempts -- to limit primarily Democratic Committee reach, on a "political ad spending" basis -- have failed. I don't love committee spending, as a rule -- but it is plainly consistent with the free expression/political speech precepts we've long held, in the US.

This one involves (in the succint prose of Amy Howe) Sen. Jon Ossoff (D) and three other Democrats who are/were candidates for the House or Senate went to the full FCC on April 29, 2026 -- asking it to review the public notice. Approximately six weeks later, before the agency had acted on their application for review, they went to federal court, where they argued that the public notice was inconsistent with federal election laws. That is correct.

But as it now stands, both Democratic and Republican Committees will be able to buy ads at preferential rates (should they wish to) -- going into the midterms.

This confirms my view of the First Amendment law. And whatever Trump's FCC does (or tries to do, more precisely -- beyond its charter), after the midterm cycle -- will be litigated anew. Here's the decision, of last evening, from the Supremes (and for the record, KBJ was the lone dissenter -- I get her point; but I think freer speech is. . . better):

. . .Because the candidates’ application for review was pending when they filed their petition for review, the Fourth Circuit likely lacked statutory jurisdiction to address their challenge. Its holding to the contrary splits with every other Circuit to have considered the issue. Council Tree Communications, Inc. v. FCC, 503 F. 3d 284, 287 (CA3 2007); Alabama Power Co. v. FCC, 311 F. 3d 1357, 1366 (CA11 2002); International Telecard Assn. v. FCC, 166 F. 3d 387, 388 (CADC 1999) (per curiam). Accordingly, the first and second stay factors weigh in favor of granting the application.

The party committees have also demonstrated that they will likely suffer irreparable harm absent a stay. They represent that, in light of the Fourth Circuit’s decision -- which the Fourth Circuit likely lacked jurisdiction to issue -- broadcasters are already rescinding favorable rates. Current and future recissions will require the party committees to pay more for advertising space, thereby hampering their efforts to reach the electorate in the critical weeks leading up to the midterms. That injury, which implicates their First Amendment rights to speak and coordinate their political activities freely. . . .

Now you know -- blog outage begins on early Monday morning, now. . . flight plans are changing slightly -- smile.

नमस्ते

Sunshine… Is A Very Potent Antiseptic: Blanche’s $1.8 Billion Slush Fund Edition.

Bit by bit, these crooks in designer suits and silk ties will be sorted out -- and many will be run from office.

Some of them may even see the inside of a jail cell by 2029 or so -- and it couldn't happen to a nicer group of thugs.

Here's the latest from The New York Times:

. . .A federal magistrate judge ordered the Trump administration on Friday to reveal the identities of the people who devised a contentious plan to create a $1.8 billion fund to compensate those who believed they were wronged by political prosecutions.

The order by the magistrate judge, Ivan D. Davis, could shed further light on how the fund was put together. The plan to create the fund, which could have funneled taxpayer money to the president’s allies, drew repeated scrutiny. It prompted a rare rebuke from Senate Republicans, and imperiled the confirmation of Todd Blanche as attorney general.

Mr. Blanche has repeatedly said the fund is dead, but President Trump has been more circumspect, indicating his support for compensating people like the rioters who [make the preposterous claim that they were done wrong, when they were] prosecuted for attacking the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. . . .

Now, onward -- with two days worth of international travel ahead -- over the long weekend. Smile. . . .

नमस्ते

Tangerine 2.0's Appeal (In Fourth Cir.) -- Of His Loss In Maryland -- Re Abrego Garcia, Has Been Dismissed: He Failed To Explain The Basis For Any Appeal Of A TEMPORARY Order

The lawyers for Tangerine well-knew this was a loser. USDC Judge Xinis' orders were clear, logical and well-grounded in settled black letter federal law.

So Team Tangerine didn't even bother to timely file papers to explain any putative reason(s) for originally appealing their complete loss.

. . .The court dismisses this proceeding for failure to prosecute pursuant to Local Rule 45. The court dismisses this proceeding for failure to prosecute pursuant to Local Rule 45.

For the Court--By Direction

/s/ Nwamaka Anowi, Clerk. . . .

Abrego is increasingly. . . a free man, here. Onward, grinning -- with youngest son (and bike!) flying in, overnight from Oregon. Then we are all on, to the South of France -- with bikes!

नमस्ते

A Very Improbable Comeback — But I Will Take It!

Strictly speaking, this is off-topic.

But many here will recall that I had closely followed the University of Colorado Buffaloes during the era of Travis Hunter.

It was only a season opener -- on the road in Atlanta -- but all the critics had predicted that they would lose by a full touchdown, and look ugly doing it. And, at points they did look ugly. But they ran the ball when they needed to and stopped the run -- also when they needed to.

They were losing almost the entire game until 30 seconds left -- when they took a one point lead with their highly touted but lightly experienced quarterback -- JuJu Lewis -- who has only made three D1 career starts. He threw several spot on dart passes and managed the field under pressure -- perfectly. But on the ensuing series, Georgia Tech gained an improbable amount of yardage via a pass over the middle. Still 23 seconds on the clock, and in field goal range with their big footed kicker.

And so GT was (with three seconds left) sitting 43 yards away from the winning field goal.

But the Buff defense, in the person of "Boo" Carter, swooped in and blocked Georgia Tech's ace field goal kicker! Game over -- CU wins down in Hotlanta -- on a steamy night.

नमस्ते

Do Go Read All Of This -- From “Peterr”, Over At EW. He's Got The 2009 Nostradamus Edition, Up!

Some things remain true for ages -- but become amplified over decades, as we fail to learn the lessons, of those decades.

Today is a time like that. In abundance. Do go read this -- all of it:

. . .Idiot America is not the place where people say silly things. It is not the place where people believe silly things. It is not the place where people go to profit from the fact that people believe in silly things. That America has been with us always -- the America of the medicine wagon and the tent revival, the America of the juke joint and the gambling den, the America of lunatic possibility that in its own mad way kept the original revolutionary spirit alive while an establishment began to calcify atop the place. Idiot America isn’t even those people who believe that Adam sat down one day and named all the dinosaurs. . . .

The rise of Idiot America, though, is essentially a war on expertise. . . The rise of Idiot America today reflects -- for profit, mainly, but also, and more cynically, for political advantage and in the pursuit of power -- the breakdown of the consensus that the pursuit of knowledge is a good. It also represents the ascendancy of the notion that the people we should trust the least are the people who know best what they’re talking about. . . .

Idiot America is a collaborative effort, the result of millions of decisions made and not made. It’s the development of a collective Gut at the expense of a collective mind. It’s what results when politicians make ridiculous statements and not merely do we abandon the right to punish them for it at the polls, but we also become too timid to punish them with ridicule on a daily basis, because the polls say they’re popular anyway. It’s what results when leaders are not held to account for mistakes that end up killing people. . . .

[His] Three Great Premises:

1. Any theory is valid if it sells books, soaks up ratings, or otherwise moves units.
2. Anything can be true is someone says it loudly enough.
3. Fact is that which enough people believe. Truth is measured by how fervently they believe it. . . .

Yikes. That is the time of Trump, to a tee. As I say, do go read it all -- it is spot-on, from top to tail -- here over 16 years later. Onward.

नमस्ते

The Scourge Of Lassa Continues Apace, In Nigeria -- Exceeding The Rates Of Infection, And Deaths -- Seen Last Year...

This is. . . unfortunate. And largely avoidable.

But here we are -- with the outbreak still eclipsing last year's run rates -- on deaths and afflictions. So goes it, when the US's moral public health for the world torch is. . . snuffed. Here's the latest:

. . .Nigeria’s Lassa fever outbreak has claimed 252 lives so far this year, with confirmed cases reaching 1,035, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

The agency reported 14 new confirmed cases during epidemiological week 33, covering Aug. 10-16, bringing the cumulative number of confirmed infections in 2026 to 1,035, Anadolu agency reported. . . .

The 252 deaths represent a case-fatality rate of 24.4%, up from 18.6% during the same period last year, when 159 deaths were recorded from 854 confirmed cases.

The NCDC said Lassa fever has been confirmed in 23 states and 117 local government areas across the country this year.

Five states -- Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo and Benue -- account for 87% of all confirmed cases, while the remaining 13% were reported across 18 other states. . . .

Now you know. . . many a great moment coming with Fall, into Winter 2026, just the same. Smile. . . .

नमस्ते

The Long-Planned Separation Has Begun, At Mercury: ESA/JAXA BepiColombo Mission Entering Residential "Mercurial" Science Phase...

It has taken eight years of gravity assisted, but decreasingly-eliptical fly-bys. . . to trim the craft's speed and trajectory -- so that it might enter Mercury orbit with a minimum of extra / expended fuel burns.

But we are now at that moment -- and the stacked craft is about to separate -- to begin the transition into a multi-craft observatory -- preparing for "Mercurial" science in Spring 2027. Here's all that, from ESA:

. . .After eight years, the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission is about to enter its Mercury Arrival Phase. On 3 September 2026, ESA’s Mercury Transfer Module (MTM) will separate from BepiColombo’s two science orbiters – the first major step in one of the most operationally challenging planetary arrival sequences ever attempted by ESA.

The European Space Agency (ESA) will livestream the critical milestone from 13:45 CEST. Tune in and witness the first step of one of the most complex phases of the mission, live from ESA mission control. . . .

BepiColombo's arrival is one of the most demanding operational sequences ever carried out by ESA. MTM's separation on 3 September is just the first step. After MTM has separated, in November ESA's Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and JAXA's Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (Mio) will enter orbit around Mercury together, before separating from each other in December 2026. Science operations will begin in April 2027. . . .

Starting this weekend, blogging / updates will be scarce for a month. You will need to wear your bear ballet shoes. . . solo. Smile.

नमस्ते

A Global Initiative [To Replace US Government's Abandonment] -- To Improve Mpox Vaccine Access -- Now In High Gear: WHO.

As we have previously documented, right here (see that link), it seems that -- moreso than in some other recent viral outbreaks, inside Africa -- Mpox Clade 1b had exhibited a propensity to affect young adults via sexual contact early on in an outbreak, and then, over time (as the viral loads mature, evolve and spread out), they "migrate" to primarily affect younger children -- in simple household contact scenarios. This is why we should be especially concerned.

Here's all the latest from the WHO public health offices, on the ground, and in country -- but many of these partners ahve been kicking in since 2017, or earlier -- as my legacy graphic depicts:

. . .A global initiative to establish a stockpile of mpox vaccines was launched on 27 August, creating a long-term mechanism to ensure countries have access to vaccines when responding to mpox outbreaks.

Set to begin operations later this month, this new global mpox vaccine stockpile that all countries can access is a resource that was approved by the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) in 2025, and is funded by Gavi and coordinated by the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision. The ICG partners are the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The initiative builds on the Access and Allocation Mechanism established in 2024 during the last mpox Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), and will ensure that countries have timely and equitable access to vaccines for outbreak response.

Mpox continues to cause outbreaks globally, with two-thirds of reported cases occurring in the African Region. From 1 January 2022 to 31 July 2026, 145 countries and territories reported 190 683 confirmed cases and 529 deaths. Mpox is a viral disease that spreads primarily through close physical contact between people, while animal-to-human transmission continues to occur in parts of Africa, contributing to the ongoing risk of new outbreaks. . . .

Now you know. Last cold water / open water swim now logged. Smile -- onward; across the pond -- in mere hours.

नमस्ते

Nancy Grace Roman Continues To Hit All Her Benchmarks, As She Sails Off, Into The Inky Black Of Deeper Space...

The main course correcting / fine-tuning burns are complete. Roman is on her way to L2 -- just over a million miles out, into the blackness.

Yesterday, the team was able to switch on the very high tech, next-gen coronagraph -- a software and deformable mirror system far more advanced than a simple hood over the scope (though it features one of those as well). This is a high tech starlight shield of sorts -- to block out excess stray starlight, when gazing at a particlar exo-planetary (or even dark energy) target.

Do watch the NASA explainer video at bottom. And, it is a near certainty now that Roman will achieve most of her interstellar space / science missions. Here's the latest -- with one more optional (if needed) very short course correcting burn next week:

. . .NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team has successfully activated the mission’s Coronagraph Instrument, which will block starlight to view planets and dusty disks around nearby stars. Now the instrument will undergo a monthslong series of calibrations and tests prior to beginning full science operations.

The coronagraph power-on began at 7:27 a.m. EDT and completed at 8:22 a.m. on Sept. 1.

The Roman Coronagraph is a system of optics, masks, self-flexing mirrors, and sensors designed to demonstrate the most advanced technologies ever flown in space for directly imaging planets around other stars. It will block the glare from stars and make it possible for scientists to see the faint reflected light from planets in orbit around them. . . .

Getting very excited now -- to see all my kiddos -- and extended family, gathered on the Côte-d'Or in a few days. . . for a month -- then on, to Florence, Italy. . . smile.



नमस्ते

Two More Spacecraft Burn Up Before Reaching The Ocean: ESA Edition, Overnight.

The scientists at ESA flew "chase aircraft" over the South Pacific, overnight, to watch these two smallish disk orbiters burn up -- nothing was expected to reach the ocean -- just entirely vaporize. . . on the way down.

And that is precisely what happened. Well done! Here's all that:

. . .The final two of ESA's pioneering Cluster spacecraft, Samba and Tango, will end their journeys as they burn up in our atmosphere on 31 August and 1 September respectively. Their targeted reentries mark the end of a mission that has transformed our understanding of Earth's magnetic environment. The final moments also offer a rare scientific opportunity for reentry observations from a plane. . . .

“When a spacecraft reenters the atmosphere, it experiences extreme forces. Temperatures soar, materials melt and vaporise, and the spacecraft gradually breaks apart. But how exactly?” says Stijn Lemmens, senior space debris mitigation analyst at ESA.

“We need to understand better how they disintegrate to inform the design of spacecraft that can burn up completely, reducing the risk on the ground, while we also aim to prevent pollution of the atmosphere. . . .”

As we wait until we can share the first image from Samba’s demise today, the final reentry time prediction was confirmed for Tango.

Later today, Tango will reenter the atmosphere at 21:30:31 UTC / 23:30:31 CEST, with an uncertainty remaining of +/- 10 seconds either way. . . .

That is obviously an artist's impression, above. Onward -- just the same. . . and, just for grins, I may drop in on the tourism-friendly ESA facility in Paris, on my last day in September (09.30.2026). Smile. . . we shall see.

नमस्ते

Thanks To Anon., We Have Learned That A Large Part Of Legacy S-P Kenilworth Is Becoming An Ai Data / Compute Center Owned By CoreWeave...

I do think getting a local taxes-paying, at least marginally-job-creating tenant/owner into the behemoth space is a good thing.

But it is clear that there may be vast environmental and social/life costs associated with mega-compute centers. These are not "clean pharma" jobs. And the locals are right to be concerned.

We have long covered Fred Hassan's legacy white elephant called Kenilworth (and the Merck Whitehouse Station version, too). It was opulent and wildly over-built, from the go. Just like Fast Fred. It sat nearly idle for a decade after the S/P to Merck yard sale, and Google looked at it, but ultimately passed on it.

Now it has new life, with a crypto-cum-AI compute company. . . struggling itself to retool into a consistently profitable model. Here's the latest -- again thanks to our eagle-eyed commenters:

. . .A $1.8 billion artificial intelligence data center under construction in Kenilworth is facing pushback from residents.

The project is located at the Northeast Science and Technology Center (NEST) campus. The old Merck & Co. building will house the data center.

CoreWeave, a company that specializes in AI infrastructure, purchased a large portion of property on the campus in 2025 to build the center.

Despite the Kenilworth Borough Council's approval of the project, it has largely flown under the radar until recently.

"Social media, that's the only way you'll hear about it here even though we're only 200 yards from the location," said Union County resident Brent Krueger. . . .

That hapless forever money losing company, Riot Platforms (in West Texas) is attempting much the same, as we mentioned yesterday. Wild. Onward, smiling.

नमस्ते

"Dumb -- Dumber -- Dumber-er". And Chief Justice Roberts Dissents: Trump Lacks Power To Tear Down And Rebuild Ballroom (Without Congressional Say-So).

Truly this is trivial -- compared to all his other criminality. And, in any event, perhaps it is good (relatively speaking) to let this reprobate waste his days obsessing over gold leaf in a new ballroom, rather than waging wars of choice and vastly destructive (to ordinary Americans) trade wars with Canada.

Perhaps that is what the Chief now thinks. But it is clear that the other five are wrong: only Congress has this power.

As soon as a plaintiff appears with standing (like a taxpayer, in a new suit) this will all end.

But do read this: Amy Howe -- over at ScotusBlog has it exactly right:

. . .In his six-page dissent, which Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson joined, Roberts countered that “[a] historic preservationist such as Hoagland can be aesthetically injured in a concrete, particularized way by the transformation of a historic building that she frequently enjoys, just as,” based on prior court precedent, “an environmentalist can sustain a concrete, particularized aesthetic injury from the extinction of a particular animal or the transformation of a particular forest or river that he regularly enjoys.” Roberts ended the opinion by quoting Winston Churchill, who said that “[w]e shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us.” “All the more reason,” according to Roberts, “to ensure that those responsible follow the rules in deciding what to tear down and what to build up at the People’s House. . . .”

Now you know. . . with an exciting week ahead. Smile.

नमस्ते

The Actual Total Is Likely Under-Reported By A 2X Factor, But Officially There Are Now Over 6,000 Ebola/Bundibugyo Sufferers In DRC -- Over 3,000 Are Already Dead.

As I've written what seems like a million times, already here -- this is directly the fault of Donald Trump and Elon Musk. They essentially ended preventative public health aid outside the US -- by gutting USAID. Now the world rides the lightning on it all.

Still out of control -- and spreading, in the mountainous rural mining camps in Ituri and several other provinces. Here's the latest, from AP news reporters this morning:

. . .Congo’s authorities said Monday that the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history has topped 6,000 cases. . . [and likely well-over 3,000 deaths].

More than 1,360 people have recovered from the virus, in what authorities said was an “encouraging” development.

The outbreak in eastern Congo is spreading under extremely difficult conditions, fueled by insecurity, displacement, a health workers’ strike and intense population movements. The situation is particularly concerning at displacement sites, where residents already live in extremely precarious conditions. . . .

The World Health Organization has said that it remains out of control and is on track to surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak, the deadliest on record, which killed more than 11,000 people, primarily in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. . . .

On a brighter note, my daughter has already decamped to Côte d'Or / Cannes (as her 90 days' work visa was up, in the UK) -- awaiting the rest of us this weekend, down in Nice. Racing -- then on, to Florence, Italy for about ten days. Woot! Flying back home, out of Rome -- at Sept. month's end.

नमस्ते

TANGENT: TIKR Analysis Seems A Lil' Too Optimistic, But Correct As To Where The Pivot Point Sits.

This -- at least in its concluding paragraph -- gets it mostly right. Riot faces a near term existential crisis: vast cap ex needed -- very lil' revenue, before late 2028. Watch Q3 for the proverbial "canary in the coal mine", says TIKR. I agree.

The TIKR analyst thinks Riot might be able to use a strategy its CFO calls "recycling financing". I highly doubt that (not to its intended effect, in any event). Moreover, and of equal importance, the management of Riot was an abject failure, the last time it tried to be a customer service / contractor (for third party computes, then running Bitcoin miners -- all under these same West Texas roofs).

My strong suspicion is that Riot hasn't transformed its culture from "pirate rules" -- to a true "customer service mentality". . . at the rank and file / operating levels.

And that will all be deeply damaging to Riot -- with demanding clients like AMD and Anthropic pushing the limit of what is humanly possible, 24x7.

Note that Riot is still embroiled in a $546 million suit with a Japanese mega tech co., over what is claimed to have been "deceptive accounting", for electric power credit sharing, when the company was hosting others' Bitcoin mining racks.

That is a strong tell. And those sorts of shenanigans will cause Anthropic and AMD to take the side exit, very early -- if that is what the CFO means by "recycling financing".

Here's TIKR -- and it it correct, speaking in directionality -- if a lil' too rosy:

. . .The cleanest test comes in late October or early November, when Riot reports its third quarter. Two things decide whether the cheap price is opportunity or trap. First, does the Corsicana LOI convert into a signed lease, turning a two-tenant company into a three-tenant platform with more than $1 billion of additional annual rent behind it?

Second, does the AMD project financing close at nearly double the initial equity, as management guided, proving the capital-recycling engine works outside a slide deck? Both would validate the thesis that the stock refuses to pay for. Another quarter of “advanced discussions” with nothing executed, against a widening cash burn, tells that the market’s caution was correct. Riot’s backlog says one thing, and its share price says another, and only delivery breaks the tie. . . .

Now you know -- onward (the second, legacy-2021 era graphic tells the tale -- from last time around, with GMO Internet).

नमस्ते

Exhibit A, For How Inept Tangerine 2.0's Lawyers Are -- In The Post Office Rules Cases -- On Appeal.

Just as we saw with the DeJoy version, in Tangerine 1.0, these silly jamokes will lose. And lose decisively.

The scatter-shot appeals filings indicate they likely already know this. It is all. . . inevitable. Do read here, out of Boston, over the weekend:

. . .At 8:29 PM yesterday, Defendants filed a “Motion to Stay Pending Appeal,” Dkt. No. 228, concerning the Court’s grant in part of a temporary restraining order, see Dkt. No. 218. DefendantIntervenors followed with their own stay motion at 10:34 PM last night.

Neither motion asks for a decision by a particular date or requests expedition of the typical 14-day briefing schedule under Local Rule 7.1(b)(2), nor have Defendants or Defendant-Intervenors conferred with Plaintiffs as to timing for an alternative briefing schedule. For the purposes of clarity, Plaintiffs intend to file their opposition to these stay motions by 11:00 PM on Monday, August 31, unless the Court requests a response on a different timeline. . . .

Now you know. . . onward, into the warm Sunday night air -- getting a rather large hard case black plastic bike transport contraption together, for the South of France, and such. . . smile.

नमस्ते

The Roman Space Telescope Is On Its Way To L2 -- A Million Miles Off... Flawless Execution!

This, folks, is how it is done. The best and brightest certainly showed their stuff -- early this Sunday morning, down at the Cape.

Roman is powered up, in perfect radio communication with the Deep Space Network dishes, and headed out to the assigned LaGrange Point. Here's NASA's blog team on it all (but I've edited out the gratuitous commercials, for Musk's Falcon Heavy lauch vehicle):

. . .Now on a three-month, million-mile journey to its final orbit, NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will soon reveal the universe’s darkest secrets. The mission launched at 7:26 a.m. EDT Sunday aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Roman pairs a large field of view with crisp infrared vision to explore vast swaths of the sky and probe deeply into cosmic history. This flagship mission will help astronomers explore dark matter, dark energy, and worlds outside of our solar system, known as exoplanets. Its surveys will support a broad range of research extending far beyond the mission’s main science goals.

“Roman is exactly the kind of success story we want to see across NASA. . . delivered ahead of schedule and on budget, this mission reflects more than a decade of dedication from the NASA workforce and our industry partners. Now, Roman will give us a new atlas of the universe, push the boundaries of discovery, and demonstrate what is possible when America’s space program pairs bold ambition with disciplined execution. . . .”

The ground control team at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, began receiving telemetry data from Roman seven minutes after launch. . . .

Throughout the rest of Roman’s three-month commissioning period, scientists will run the instruments through a series of calibrations and tests. NASA anticipates releasing Roman’s first images by early 2027.

Roman will send back 1.4 terabytes of data every day, the highest data rate of any NASA astrophysics mission, so far. Machine learning, artificial intelligence, and citizen scientists will help sift through it and flag significant findings, which astronomers can then study.

“We’ve never been able to view the universe with eyes like Roman’s before,” said Julie McEnery, Roman’s senior project scientist at NASA Goddard. “There’s no telling what more we’ll know and have seen by this time next year. . . .”

Onward -- grinning widely. A "paler hidden figure" no more -- thank you for your decades of tireless service Nancy Grace Roman -- this is a very fitting legacy to remember your name by.

नमस्ते

As Trump Loses, Essentially Endlessly, On His Overreaches In The Trial Courts, We Chuckle.

Tangerine 2.0 has, in the past week -- filed immediate appeals in four federal trial level cases he has already lost.

I won't link the appeals (they are uniformly idiotic) -- but the cases he's appealed, after lossses, are about:

➢ The US Post Office's newly unconstitutional mail-in balloting rule (actually mostly a redux of a case he lost in Trump 1.0, through DeJoy).

➢ The remedies recently ordered, in Flores (an open class action immigrants' rights case, since 1985!) to protect children [many separated from their parents, with some under age 10] in Camp Dilley, an ICE/DHS prison complex (also a case he previously lost, in Trump 1.0).

➢ Orders to keep paying construction workers (from Congressionally-ordered funds) in the Hudson Tunnel project in NY -- and not try to rename the project as the Trump Tunnel.

➢ Orders requring the immediate release of detainees about whom ICE lied -- and said there were judicial warrants issued, in Chicago and Minneapolis and LA.

Note: Not a single appeal, in over a year -- on any of his losses, as to his commercial grafts/bribe-seeking. Fascinating.

He will ultimately lose, on all the four above -- and many more. He professes zero understanding of our system of ordered liberty.

Out.

नमस्ते

Swift Space 'Scope Now Predicted To Burn Up -- In Earth's Atmosphere -- In One To Two Months' Time...

NASA tonight provided a new estimate, for the remaining time that Swift might be operable.

That comes in at one to two months more, at the outside. It was a very game effort, on a very tight time-frame, to try to lift the aging Swift space 'scope -- to a higher orbit, but in the end this mostly proves that. . . space is hard -- and unforgiving. Guidance systems were not 4x4 on the Link craft, so it repeatedly displayed a tumbling motion. That won't do, at all -- for grappling operations in zero-G. Here is likely the last update -- on the Katalyst Link craft itself, from NASA, then:

. . .NASA predictions had shown the shift to low-drag operations had extended Swift’s time above 185 miles (300 kilometers) until October. Below this point, operating the telescope becomes difficult, and the spacecraft’s rate of descent quickly increases.

With the resumption of science observations, the team anticipates Swift will reach that milestone sometime in the next one to two months. . . .

Now you know -- with only about eight days left, until Nice, France (and Florence and Rome -- and maybe Paris, on the tail-end) for a month. Smile.

नमस्ते