Ken Carpenter

Warp speed ahead, my friend!

Thanks!

Selfies with some warm and friendly stars, at @shoreleavecon 2025. With Melissa Navia , Adrianne Palicki, J Lee, James Frain, and Dina Meyer!

Right back at ya, with another!

Opinion | In the Quest to Shrink NASA, Trump Forgets National Security

"Far from a bold vision for American leadership, the administration has presented Congress with a blueprint for falling catastrophically behind on space exploration just as China and other nations are surging ahead." - Bill Nelson
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/28/o... (gifted article, no paywall).

If you burn down a forest, you don't miss out on lumber for just that season. You have to replant all the trees, nurture them, and wait for them to grow.

The science and research budget cuts happening now are wanton, senseless arson. Recovery, if it ever happens, will take generations.

Here’s what will happen to our National Parks if Trump’s budget passes. Did you know America’s national parks actually generate more income than they cost to operate? Yet under Trump’s proposed 2026 budget, the National Park Service (NPS) would face devastating cuts:

All 4 #NASA #science divisions are decimated in the President's Proposed #FY26 Budget, with #Astrophysics, for example, down an astounding ~67%. This would destroy our scientific capabilities in these arenas for years to come. We are facing a new Dark Age if this war on science is not stopped.

Luminous: The Symphony of Us - Epcot, 13 May 2025. In Luminous, we finally have a worthy successor to Iluminations - Reflections of Earth - beautifully done, with a story as inspiring as that of its predecessor.

#Luminous: The Symphony of Us - #Epcot, 13 May 2025. In Luminous, we finally have a worthy successor to #Iluminations - Reflections of Earth - beautifully done, with a story as inspiring as that of its predecessor.

"Walt the Dreamer" - statue at Epcot, WDW - 13 May 2025.

"...always be in a state of becoming."

"Dedicated to all who dream of a better tomorrow."

#wdw #epcot #waltthedreamer #waltdisney

#epcot #wdw #space220 #spaceelevator

Never have I been able to get actual reservations for either the lounge or the main "Space 220" restaurant at Epcot - but on a lark, I tried for walk-in seating at the bar - and after a bit of a wait, bingo, finally got in! The food was superb, though expensive as promised. :)

Never have I been able to get actual reservations for either the lounge or the main "Space 220" restaurant at Epcot - but on a lark, I tried for walk-in seating at the bar - and after a bit of a wait, bingo, finally got in! The food was superb, though expensive as promised. :)

#epcot #waltdisneyworld #wdw #Moana #wayofwater

"The Way of Water" - Epcot, World of Nature. 13 May 2025.

"The Way of Water" - Epcot, World of Nature. 13 May 2025.

La'an Noonien-Singh and Captain Kirk are standing on a street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. La'an says "you know, maple leaves, politeness, poutine." Star Trek Strange New Worlds.

Happy Trek Tuesday! Especially to our wise friends in Canada!🖖🏿🇨🇦
#StarTrek #TrekTuesday

The American Astronomical Society is gravely concerned by the deep cuts to NASA science funding reported to be in the draft President’s Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2026. Read more here: aas.org/press/aas-st... and take action now: aas.org/urge-nasa-su...

The two major pieces of the Roman Space Telescope in the NASA GSFC Clean Room, as the telescope comes together before our eyes.

The NASA GSFC SSDIF clean room in which the Roman Space Telescope (RST) is being put together. This is one of the few times you can see all of the different parts of the telescope together in the same room prior to full assembly. The Spacecraft, Telescope, & Instruments are all in the rear stack.

This observatory is designed so that it could be built, operated, and maintained in collaboration with the human Artemis Program and is aptly named the "Artemis-enabled Stellar Imager (AeSI)".

On behalf of the AeSI Team (second photo), I just submitted the Final Report of our year-long NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase I Study. In this study, we explored the feasibility and high-level design of a lunar surface-based, sparse aperture telescope (a.k.a., an Interferometer).

But here are two reasons it is hard to remain optimistic.

Hard to stay optimistic nowadays, but here are some wise words from LOTR about the value of not giving up.

Hard to stay optimistic nowadays, but here are some wise words from LOTR.

Yes - I have a colleague who has in recent years poured her life into efforts to broaden inclusion and last year was put in charge of an office dedicated to this at NASA HQ full time. Now it looks like she may not just have that office dissolved from under her, but perhaps her job as well.

Not exactly a space movie. But by all means "Tomorrowland"!

@ericamelisandre.bsky.social welcome to the Blue Skies!!

Donate to Support NASA JPL HabWorlds teammates in the Pasadena fires, organized by Jason Tumlinson We are raising money to assist friends of ours who are displa… Jason Tumlinson needs your support for Support NASA JPL HabWorlds teammates in the Pasadena fires

Here is one way to begin helping our friends and colleagues at NASA/JPL who have been impacted severely by the ongoing wildfires in LA. gofund.me/1dede3e8

Yes!

I'd second that one!!!!

Photo of nameplate on my visitor's office at NOIRLab. I got a chance to return to some old stomping grounds in Tucson last week to talk about my "Artemis-enabled Stellar Imager (AeSI)" NIAC Study to a Steward Observatory and NOIRLab Joint Colloquium. Lots of good side conversations on space interferometry and astrophysics from the Moon as well.

I got a chance to return to some old stomping grounds in Tucson last week to talk about my "Artemis-enabled Stellar Imager (AeSI)" NIAC Study to a Steward Observatory and NOIRLab Joint Colloquium. Lots of good side conversations on space interferometry and astrophysics from the Moon as well.

Hearty congratulations, @thespacegal.bsky.social - warp speed ahead!!!!

Interesting morning clouds over Carolina Beach, NC, Nov. 28, 2024.

Interesting morning clouds over Carolina Beach, NC, Nov. 28, 2024.