Let’s talk about space; not the prudent distancing of COVID-19 flattening the curve, but that other space, beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
A couple of news stories caught our attention on Houston’s Morning News; the Thursday launch by NASA of an Atlas V rocket. The sight of massive lift off appeals to those having to lock themselves down in their homes. And in these unsettling times, does it bring comfort to know the launch is the first security mission for the United States Space Force. It’s carrying AEHF-6; that’s Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite, a military communications satellite that is, they say, “unjammable”. And just who is trying to jam our military communications? Oh, I can hear the Presidential loop on the internet of “China, China, China.” Maybe Russia, Russia, Russia," too.
But for those of us who are simply sky watchers, get ready for a Comet Atlas, now crossing the orbit of Mars. It’s getting brighter by the day, shaping up to be a “Great Comet” in this space and time.