Sofia
@sofiafsantos.bsky.social
Space Systems Engineering Training Coordinator 🚀
Writing here:
https://substack.com/@sofiafigueiredodossantos
Writing here:
https://substack.com/@sofiafigueiredodossantos
July 14, 2026 at 1:03 PM
You are trying to solve a problem. How do you decide what data to neglect? When to neglect?
This one is on #scoping. And #modelling. Mostly.
This one is on #scoping. And #modelling. Mostly.
The Rabbit in the Hat
On the Art of Deliberate Wrongness
open.substack.com
July 7, 2026 at 10:50 AM
You are trying to solve a problem. How do you decide what data to neglect? When to neglect?
This one is on #scoping. And #modelling. Mostly.
This one is on #scoping. And #modelling. Mostly.
Reposted by Sofia
This is a set of frames of the surface of Comet 67P taken by the Rosetta mission on 1 June 2016.
The particles in the foreground are bits of dust and ice or cosmic rays effects.
The "waterfall" of points moving in the background are stars.
The particles in the foreground are bits of dust and ice or cosmic rays effects.
The "waterfall" of points moving in the background are stars.
April 27, 2026 at 7:35 PM
This is a set of frames of the surface of Comet 67P taken by the Rosetta mission on 1 June 2016.
The particles in the foreground are bits of dust and ice or cosmic rays effects.
The "waterfall" of points moving in the background are stars.
The particles in the foreground are bits of dust and ice or cosmic rays effects.
The "waterfall" of points moving in the background are stars.
April 27, 2026 at 9:42 AM
Common illusions about #teaching:
Anyone can teach
Teaching is a job, not a profession
Teaching is a calling, not work
Teachers work short days and have summers off
Teaching is easy
Good teaching is all about fun
Teachers just need to know their subject 🧵
Anyone can teach
Teaching is a job, not a profession
Teaching is a calling, not work
Teachers work short days and have summers off
Teaching is easy
Good teaching is all about fun
Teachers just need to know their subject 🧵
April 25, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Common illusions about #teaching:
Anyone can teach
Teaching is a job, not a profession
Teaching is a calling, not work
Teachers work short days and have summers off
Teaching is easy
Good teaching is all about fun
Teachers just need to know their subject 🧵
Anyone can teach
Teaching is a job, not a profession
Teaching is a calling, not work
Teachers work short days and have summers off
Teaching is easy
Good teaching is all about fun
Teachers just need to know their subject 🧵
Reposted by Sofia
NASA releases insane new image of the mighty hexagonal storm on Saturn's North Pole.
April 23, 2026 at 12:30 PM
NASA releases insane new image of the mighty hexagonal storm on Saturn's North Pole.
Reposted by Sofia
This rather creepy photo is Artemis II’s heat shield underwater, as taken by the U.S. Navy. This is the first photo we have of the heat shield, and upon initial examination it doesn’t seem to have the char loss that Artemis I’s had.
April 21, 2026 at 12:51 AM
This rather creepy photo is Artemis II’s heat shield underwater, as taken by the U.S. Navy. This is the first photo we have of the heat shield, and upon initial examination it doesn’t seem to have the char loss that Artemis I’s had.
Reposted by Sofia
NASA Begins Implementation for ESA’s Rosalind Franklin Mission to Mars
Scheduled to launch in 2028, Rosalind Franklin will be the first Mars rover to search for signs of past or present life under the Red Planet’s surface. #Mars #ExoMars 🧪🔭
science.nasa.gov/blogs/mars-r...
Scheduled to launch in 2028, Rosalind Franklin will be the first Mars rover to search for signs of past or present life under the Red Planet’s surface. #Mars #ExoMars 🧪🔭
science.nasa.gov/blogs/mars-r...
NASA Begins Implementation for ESA’s Rosalind Franklin Mission to Mars - NASA Science
NASA has given approval for the agency’s Rosalind Franklin Support and Augmentation (ROSA) project to begin implementation, underscoring the agency’s
science.nasa.gov
April 16, 2026 at 6:46 PM
NASA Begins Implementation for ESA’s Rosalind Franklin Mission to Mars
Scheduled to launch in 2028, Rosalind Franklin will be the first Mars rover to search for signs of past or present life under the Red Planet’s surface. #Mars #ExoMars 🧪🔭
science.nasa.gov/blogs/mars-r...
Scheduled to launch in 2028, Rosalind Franklin will be the first Mars rover to search for signs of past or present life under the Red Planet’s surface. #Mars #ExoMars 🧪🔭
science.nasa.gov/blogs/mars-r...
#NASA is racing to put a nuclear reactor on the Moon. It's "safe" and "reliable".
Well... in 1964 the US satellite SNAP‑9A failed, its plutonium power source burned up on re‑entry, spreading Pu‑238 worldwide which was, in later risk models, tied to thousands of extra cancers. 🧵
Well... in 1964 the US satellite SNAP‑9A failed, its plutonium power source burned up on re‑entry, spreading Pu‑238 worldwide which was, in later risk models, tied to thousands of extra cancers. 🧵
NASA Wants to Put Nuclear Reactors on the Moon
The White House has announced that NASA will work with the Departments of Defense and Energy to put nuclear reactors in orbit and on the surface of the moon.
www.wired.com
April 17, 2026 at 1:23 PM
#NASA is racing to put a nuclear reactor on the Moon. It's "safe" and "reliable".
Well... in 1964 the US satellite SNAP‑9A failed, its plutonium power source burned up on re‑entry, spreading Pu‑238 worldwide which was, in later risk models, tied to thousands of extra cancers. 🧵
Well... in 1964 the US satellite SNAP‑9A failed, its plutonium power source burned up on re‑entry, spreading Pu‑238 worldwide which was, in later risk models, tied to thousands of extra cancers. 🧵
Reposted by Sofia
The workspace in front of the Mars Curiosity Rover following its Sol 4865 drive this weekend.
flic.kr/p/2s7yKGe
flic.kr/p/2s7yKGe
April 15, 2026 at 2:32 PM
The workspace in front of the Mars Curiosity Rover following its Sol 4865 drive this weekend.
flic.kr/p/2s7yKGe
flic.kr/p/2s7yKGe
Reposted by Sofia
Joining the chorus of commentaries about Artemis II as countdown continues. I'm actually only mildly excited. I'm more concerned about what comes next in this geopolitical competition. And to be clear: my bet is on China having the lead, and that not being all bad
open.substack.com/pub/spacecit...
open.substack.com/pub/spacecit...
Artemis II - are we excited?
Artemis and the Moon: Part 5. Or: "Why are we going back to the moon anyway?"
open.substack.com
April 1, 2026 at 2:43 PM
Joining the chorus of commentaries about Artemis II as countdown continues. I'm actually only mildly excited. I'm more concerned about what comes next in this geopolitical competition. And to be clear: my bet is on China having the lead, and that not being all bad
open.substack.com/pub/spacecit...
open.substack.com/pub/spacecit...
Reposted by Sofia
The pictures from the Artemis II mission are spectacular. They will define a generation the was the Apollo program did over half a century ago.
It wasn't by accident that the astronauts became top-grade shooters.
It wasn't by accident that the astronauts became top-grade shooters.
The two professional photography instructors who trained Artemis II astronauts to take pictures of the moon and Earth during their historic lunar flyby said they were as impressed as the public by the stunning celestial imagery caught on camera. reut.rs/4csHPNC
April 15, 2026 at 9:02 AM
The pictures from the Artemis II mission are spectacular. They will define a generation the was the Apollo program did over half a century ago.
It wasn't by accident that the astronauts became top-grade shooters.
It wasn't by accident that the astronauts became top-grade shooters.
"Just because someone on Reddit reads a sentence that feels generic, or a metaphor that lands a little flat, they (increasingly) conclude with absolute certainty that a machine wrote it, as if mediocre prose is a new invention."
The AI writing witchhunt is idiotic
(Not to mention, pointless)
open.substack.com
April 15, 2026 at 9:00 AM
"Just because someone on Reddit reads a sentence that feels generic, or a metaphor that lands a little flat, they (increasingly) conclude with absolute certainty that a machine wrote it, as if mediocre prose is a new invention."
Reposted by Sofia
📢 Call for Abstracts for #ESWW2026 is OPEN!
🗓️ Nov 2–6, 2026
📍 Florence, Italy (hybrid)
We invite the global Space Weather & Space Climate community to contribute!
👉 Submit your abstract: esww2026.eswan.eu/conference/a...
#ESWW #SpaceWeather #SpaceClimate #Firenze #Italy
🗓️ Nov 2–6, 2026
📍 Florence, Italy (hybrid)
We invite the global Space Weather & Space Climate community to contribute!
👉 Submit your abstract: esww2026.eswan.eu/conference/a...
#ESWW #SpaceWeather #SpaceClimate #Firenze #Italy
April 13, 2026 at 3:30 PM
📢 Call for Abstracts for #ESWW2026 is OPEN!
🗓️ Nov 2–6, 2026
📍 Florence, Italy (hybrid)
We invite the global Space Weather & Space Climate community to contribute!
👉 Submit your abstract: esww2026.eswan.eu/conference/a...
#ESWW #SpaceWeather #SpaceClimate #Firenze #Italy
🗓️ Nov 2–6, 2026
📍 Florence, Italy (hybrid)
We invite the global Space Weather & Space Climate community to contribute!
👉 Submit your abstract: esww2026.eswan.eu/conference/a...
#ESWW #SpaceWeather #SpaceClimate #Firenze #Italy
Reposted by Sofia
NASA astronaut Christina Koch hugs the Orion spacecraft in the well deck of USS John P. Murtha.
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
flic.kr/p/2s7aCi3 #Artemis 🧪🔭
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
flic.kr/p/2s7aCi3 #Artemis 🧪🔭
April 13, 2026 at 2:35 AM
NASA astronaut Christina Koch hugs the Orion spacecraft in the well deck of USS John P. Murtha.
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
flic.kr/p/2s7aCi3 #Artemis 🧪🔭
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
flic.kr/p/2s7aCi3 #Artemis 🧪🔭
“Surely there’s a smarter way to do this” is easily in my top three daily thoughts.
Hardman’s latest piece treats the course as a historical convenience rather than the pinnacle of #learning design, and shows how #AI quietly removes many of the old reasons we leaned on it so heavily
Worth a read.
Hardman’s latest piece treats the course as a historical convenience rather than the pinnacle of #learning design, and shows how #AI quietly removes many of the old reasons we leaned on it so heavily
Worth a read.
The Course Is Dying as the Unit of Learning
Here’s why, and what’s replacing It
open.substack.com
April 12, 2026 at 7:20 AM
Reposted by Sofia
“Before you launch, it feels like it's the greatest dream on Earth. And when you're out there, you just want to get back to your families and your friends. It's a special thing to be a human, and it's a special thing to be on planet Earth.” — Reid Wiseman, Artemis II Mission Commander
April 11, 2026 at 9:18 PM
“Before you launch, it feels like it's the greatest dream on Earth. And when you're out there, you just want to get back to your families and your friends. It's a special thing to be a human, and it's a special thing to be on planet Earth.” — Reid Wiseman, Artemis II Mission Commander
Reposted by Sofia
🎉#Artemis II update: Integrity is back on Earth! At 01:07 BST/02:07 CEST, Orion and its crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.
🚀Our European Service Module propelled Orion over 1 million km through deep space, before burning up in Earth's atmosphere, its job complete 🔥
www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
🚀Our European Service Module propelled Orion over 1 million km through deep space, before burning up in Earth's atmosphere, its job complete 🔥
www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
April 11, 2026 at 2:56 AM
🎉#Artemis II update: Integrity is back on Earth! At 01:07 BST/02:07 CEST, Orion and its crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.
🚀Our European Service Module propelled Orion over 1 million km through deep space, before burning up in Earth's atmosphere, its job complete 🔥
www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
🚀Our European Service Module propelled Orion over 1 million km through deep space, before burning up in Earth's atmosphere, its job complete 🔥
www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
One odd side effect of working in space is realising how much of your job runs on law and politics you only half remember from a slide deck.
This offcut is about the map Artemis II is sailing through, and who gets to draw it (or not).
#Space #SpacePolicy #Artemis #SciCom
This offcut is about the map Artemis II is sailing through, and who gets to draw it (or not).
#Space #SpacePolicy #Artemis #SciCom
Sailing by an Unseen Chart
How old sea treaties, lunar loopholes, domestic laws, and media narratives quietly reshape who the Moon is really for
open.substack.com
April 11, 2026 at 5:14 PM
One odd side effect of working in space is realising how much of your job runs on law and politics you only half remember from a slide deck.
This offcut is about the map Artemis II is sailing through, and who gets to draw it (or not).
#Space #SpacePolicy #Artemis #SciCom
This offcut is about the map Artemis II is sailing through, and who gets to draw it (or not).
#Space #SpacePolicy #Artemis #SciCom
Reposted by Sofia
"Four crew members. One spacecraft. One global team." 🌍
From Mission Control’s Mission Evaluation Room, international experts such as @esa.int's Luca Fossati support the European Service Module - supplying Orion with propulsion, power, air and water for Artemis II
(📽️NASA) @exploration.esa.int
From Mission Control’s Mission Evaluation Room, international experts such as @esa.int's Luca Fossati support the European Service Module - supplying Orion with propulsion, power, air and water for Artemis II
(📽️NASA) @exploration.esa.int
April 9, 2026 at 4:49 PM
"Four crew members. One spacecraft. One global team." 🌍
From Mission Control’s Mission Evaluation Room, international experts such as @esa.int's Luca Fossati support the European Service Module - supplying Orion with propulsion, power, air and water for Artemis II
(📽️NASA) @exploration.esa.int
From Mission Control’s Mission Evaluation Room, international experts such as @esa.int's Luca Fossati support the European Service Module - supplying Orion with propulsion, power, air and water for Artemis II
(📽️NASA) @exploration.esa.int
Reposted by Sofia
The #Artemis II Orion spacecraft is equipped with four solar arrays, built by engineers from Airbus Space in the Netherlands. Installed on the European Service Module, these arrays are essential for providing power for Orion and its crew as they travel around the Moon on this historic mission.
April 8, 2026 at 3:10 PM
The #Artemis II Orion spacecraft is equipped with four solar arrays, built by engineers from Airbus Space in the Netherlands. Installed on the European Service Module, these arrays are essential for providing power for Orion and its crew as they travel around the Moon on this historic mission.
Reposted by Sofia
New favorite shot, European Service Module with ESA logo, Dutch Solar Array Wings, the Moon and Earth :)
Hi-res here: images.nasa.gov/details/art0...
#ArtemisII
Hi-res here: images.nasa.gov/details/art0...
#ArtemisII
April 7, 2026 at 6:39 PM
New favorite shot, European Service Module with ESA logo, Dutch Solar Array Wings, the Moon and Earth :)
Hi-res here: images.nasa.gov/details/art0...
#ArtemisII
Hi-res here: images.nasa.gov/details/art0...
#ArtemisII