Author: Steve Hurley

Hi I am Steve Hurley. Although I work in the IT industry. I studied for a PhD in astronomy in the 1980s. My real passion is explaining scientific concepts to a non-scientific audience. My blog (explainingscience.org) covers various scientific topics, but primarily astronomy. It is written in a style that it is easily understandable to the non scientist. Publications and videos For links to my books and videos please visit www.explainingscience.org

Soyuz MS-11

Steve Hurley7 Comments

On 3 December 2018 a Soyuz spacecraft will take off on a mission to transport three astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The new crew will be ISS Expedition 58 and will stay at the station for six months and their arrival will allow the current ISS crew to return to Earth. Mission patch… Continue reading Soyuz MS-11

Future of the International Space Station: Funding & Challenges

Steve Hurley17 Comments
The ISS as a space hotel

From 2011 to 2020, astronauts relied solely on Russian Soyuz spacecraft for ISS access. Following a Soyuz failure in 2018, concerns arose about ISS crew rotation. NASA's funding for the ISS was threatened in 2018, leading to discussions on privatization. The ISS's future options include continued government funding or controlled deorbiting.

Soyuz – What next?

Steve Hurley11 Comments

Many of my readers will be aware the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft failed to get into orbit on Thursday 11 October. It was on a mission to take fresh crew to the International Space Station (ISS). Mission patch for Soyuz MS-10 A major fault occurred at an altitude of about 50 km when the booster rocket… Continue reading Soyuz – What next?

Salyut to the ISS: A Journey Through Space Stations

Steve Hurley15 Comments
The International Space Station orbiting high above Earth, with solar arrays extended against the blackness of space

Updated June 2026 In this post I’ll talk about the history of the International Space Station (ISS) and some of the other space stations which have been constucted over the years. I’ll also touch on some of the politics involved. The International Space Station Image from NASA The First Space Stations Although America was the… Continue reading Salyut to the ISS: A Journey Through Space Stations

Jocelyn Bell and the Breakthrough prize 2018

Steve Hurley13 Comments

Pulsars were first detected in 1967 by a research student called Jocelyn Bell when she was taking observations for her PhD thesis. Her supervisor, Anthony Hewish, went on to win the Nobel prize in 1974 for the discovery, and her contribution was overlooked. Many at the time felt that Jocelyn Bell should have been given… Continue reading Jocelyn Bell and the Breakthrough prize 2018