#Maiden Space Flight

[general-knowledge-quiz]

India's ambitious Gaganyaan mission has captured the world's attention as it prepares to send its first astronauts into space. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently announced the selection of astronauts who will be part of this historic journey, marking a significant milestone in the country's space exploration endeavors.

The Gaganyaan mission holds immense significance for India on various fronts. It not only demonstrates India's technological prowess but also reaffirms its status as a spacefaring nation. As the fourth country in the world to undertake a manned space mission, India's endeavor highlights its commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration.

[the-gayest-tree-you-ever-did-see]

everyone celebrating india's mission to the moon's south pole i love you and im with you but this is NOT india's first accomplishment in space!! im seeing a lot of people saying that but its not true. some other things we've done:

confirm the presence of water and ice on the moon

was the first asian nation to reach mars orbit, and the first nation IN THE WORLD to reach it in it's maiden attempt

saved thousands of lives from cyclone phailin in 2013 over the four days, resulting in 45 deaths when without them, would have been in the thousands at minimum

launched the first successful flight using the indigenous cryogenic engine

successfully neutralized a satellite in space with an anti-satellite (mission shakti, anyone?)

launched 104 satellites with one (1) rocket

THE VIKAS ENGINE??? HELLO?? NAMBI NARAYANAN??? even if you didnt know him before, surely youve seen the movie rocketry?

not to mention everything we've done in coordination with other nations, and achievements from Indian scientists and astronauts that were then taken by other nations, usually during war. plus, we've always been much more cost efficient than our space-faring peer nations

all to say!! we've always been there, and we've always been strong. our mission now only proves that, and we should scream it loud and proud for any westerner who ignores us again

[lonestarflight]

Space Shuttle Discovery on the 747 SCA taxiing passed Space Shuttle Enterprise, for her flight back to the Kennedy Space Center, after her maiden flight, STS-41-D. Discovery landed the day before at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Date: September 10, 1984

Posted on the "ENTERPRISE Early Shuttle Development" Facebook group page by Allan Shapiro: link

[its-all-papaya]

oh. OH. the hollow hereafter completely DESTROYED me 😭😭 beautifully written; reading that one hurt!! i'm amazed by the way you capture the energies they both give off so perfectly, i was so hooked on the story i couldn't stop reading. thank you for the amazing work!! 🫶🏻 for the kiss prompt game: can we maybe get landoscar + 29 or 33? 🌟

AAAAAHHHH the hollow hereafter was pain indeed. glad you enjoyed, though ! thank you for the compliment !

shameless plug plug plug: read my fic 👉👈

as an apology, I present to you: even more post-hungary landoscar ! but much fluffier this time. hope you enjoy 🫶

send me a ship and a number and i will write a kiss

33. as an apology | landoscar | 1.5k (absolute lmao)

In the dark of his Monaco apartment, Oscar can finally admit it to himself: he’s scared. The creep of fear had been there from the jump as he’d finished the final lap in Hungary, but he’d figured he owed it to himself to put it off in favor of other things. Elation, for example. He’d won a grand prix. It was a moment he’d been dreaming of since he was a child and he’d only ever get the one maiden win, so he’d shoved everything prickly to the background and focused on the glow of victory in his chest instead.

See, Oscar is good at compartmentalizing. His friends in primary school had joked that he’d been born with emotions missing. For a while, he’d figured he’d grow into it – that his feelings would stretch as he did, and he was just a bit behind – but it had taken him until after his first single-seater to realize there was nothing lacking in the first place. He feels things. Probably just as strongly as everyone else. It’s just that the world isn’t entitled to experience every emotion along with him. If he can share the good things when he sees fit and save the less-than-good to deal with on his own time, Oscar figures he shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth about it.

And honestly, there’s probably nothing to worry about. Lando was moody, but he’d been moody after every race for weeks. Just because this week’s letdown had starred Oscar specifically, just because Lando had spent the whole flight with his hood up, forehead tilted against Carlos’ shoulder as they laughed together at whoever’s phone was funniest, that doesn’t mean there’s anything seriously wrong. They’re good at giving each other space, he and Lando. Oscar likes to think he can read his partner pretty well. And Lando had congratulated him – on the track and more than once after. Besides, Alex has known Lando forever, and he’d taken one look at the lay of things in the airport – Lando with Carlos, Oscar half a dozen seats away – and cracked a smirk about it: “At least if somebody’s sleeping on the couch tonight, it’s gotta be him, right?” Alex wouldn’t have been joking about it to Oscar if he thought Lando was really upset about anything other than the way the chips had fallen.

But the thing is… neither of them is on the couch. Because Lando is home, and Oscar is here, in his nearly empty apartment in his nearly empty bed. Past 5 a.m., awake, restless. Oscar’s lived in Monaco over two months, but he’s only spent a handful of nights in his own place. It had felt silly, at the time, piling boxes in the living room knowing full-well that half his closet and all of his heart already had a home in the city. This lease might have Oscar’s name on it, but his home in Monaco is about five blocks north, probably sleeping with his mouth open and his phone dying next to him, nobody to remind him to put it on the charger.

They’ve been fine. They’ll be fine. But (and this is the part he’s been avoiding) fine as teammates is different than fine as partners. Patting Oscar on the helmet and smiling for a group photo is not the same as curling up next to him in bed and saying I love you as one of them switches off the lamp. Being fine and being good are different, and the minute Lando had pulled up to Oscar’s building and told him to have a good night, that he’d see him soon, Oscar had stopped being either. Lando is sulky after bad losses and he gets upset with Oscar about things dumber than team orders, but they don’t sleep apart outside of race weekends. Oscar doesn’t sleep here. And he’s the littlest bit scared that he’s going to have to learn how.

Time passes. Oscar worries. He can see the sun rising through the cracks in his blackout curtains by the time he hears the front door open and close. He’s managed something close to sleep by then, though, drifting and fuzzy and outside rational thought, so he doesn’t immediately clock the noise as anything to react to. It’s not until his bedroom door clicks open as well that his brain comes back online for real. He lifts his head from the pillow with a sharp breath in, but there’s really only one person it’s going to be. There are two keys to his place and one of them is on the nightstand with his wallet and his phone and the other went home in the pocket of a man he’s never turned away.

Lando’s soft around the edges in the early morning light. His hand is a little chilly when it lands on Oscar’s cheek, gentling him back into the pillow. Oscar goes down without a fight, always easy for anything Lando’s asking of him. He does lift the covers a little, though, hoping his eyes are pathetic enough in the dawn to get him what he’s after. Lando smiles, soft, and thumbs over Oscar’s cheekbone, chases it with his lips. Now that his partner’s back in his proximity, Oscar’s exhaustion sinks in for real, like it had been waiting for permission. His eyelids are so heavy, thoughts slow and only on the edge of sensical by the time Lando gets out of his sweatshirt and his shoes and finally – finally – slides into bed beside him.

Under the circumstances, Oscar has to remind his sleep-stupid brain that he’d literally won a grand prix just over 12 hours back, because he wants to label the relief of having Lando back in his arms better than anything he’s ever felt. Better than any trophy he’s ever held against his chest. He wraps both arms around Lando and draws him closer, closer still until Lando’s head is tucked safely under his chin and Lando’s thigh is nestled comfortably between both of Oscar’s own.

They give it a minute, just breathing together, before Lando smooths his palm up Oscar’s chest and over his shoulder. He draws back just enough to look Oscar in the eyes, then leans back in to kiss him gently. He’s indulgent with it, lips and tongue sleepy-soft against Oscar’s, palm cupping Oscar’s jaw and thumb swiping back and forth, back and forth, towards the place where their mouths meet.

“I’m sorry,” Lando says when they finally part for a second. He presses another long kiss to Oscar’s lips. “For, like… lots of things. But mainly this, right now. Can’t sleep without you.”

Oscar chases his lips once, twice, then breathes in for a four-count, out for a four-count. Lando wrinkles his nose against the puff of Oscar’s breath against his face.

“Can’t either,” Oscar settles on, scritching his nails through the back of Lando’s hair just to watch his eyes go half-lidded with the feel of it. He knows Lando. He’s known Lando. “Thank you for coming. I’m happy you’re here.”

They’re both bleary-eyed, on the cusp of 24 straight hours of holding their eyes open and deciding how they’re allowed to look at one another, but Lando’s gaze starts edging towards the sharp, mischievous place that makes Oscar’s heart beat slightly out of rhythm.

“You know what else you are?” Lando asks, and he’s back to placing wet kisses down Oscar’s neck, hints of tongue every other, like he can sense when Oscar’s thoughts are starting to get coherent again.

Oscar tips his chin up, helpless, “What’s that?”

Lando takes his time dragging his lips back up, up to meet Oscar’s own.

“A race winner,” he whispers low against Oscar’s mouth, and his next kiss is deeper, dirty. His fingers dip low on Oscar’s hip and Oscar wants to, he does, but he can’t help the yawn that hits him as Lando’s lips trace back down his jaw.

Lando laughs into his throat about that. He presses a trio of closed-mouth kisses across Oscar’s shoulder, down to his clavicle, then noses back up and kisses him on the chin.

“Sleepy one?” Lando’s eyes are sparkling in the almost-darkness.

“Mm,” Oscar agrees, only a little mournful. “In the morning?”

“It is the morning,” Lando says, smirk on his face.

Oscar shoves at Lando’s chest, rolls his eyes, because who’s fault is that?

“In the afternoon, then, unless you’re going to be annoying about that too.”

Lando’s gaze goes soft again and he shakes his head a little. He kisses Oscar once more before settling back against his chest, like he can’t help it. Oscar knows the feeling.

They’re both quiet long enough that Oscar’s convinced Lando’s fallen asleep, but just as he’s about to follow, Lando’s knuckles drag up his belly and knock against his chest: “Oscar?”

His accent’s thicker when he’s drowsy. Oscar loves the way it sounds around his name. He brushes his lips across Lando’s forehead and squeezes his hip, “Hm?”

“Love you,” Lando says.

“You too,” Oscar says back.

The Monaco sun keeps rising, but they both sleep deeply, content.

[bigairplaneblog]

Antonov An-225: The Biggest Airplane in the World

When it comes to airline airplane models, there's one that towers above the rest—quite literally. The Antonov An-225, known affectionately as "Mriya" (which means "Dream" in Ukrainian), holds the title of the biggest airplane in the world. This massive aircraft is not just a large airplane model in the figurative sense; it's the largest in every conceivable dimension.

The Antonov An-225 was originally designed in the 1980s to transport the Buran spaceplane, the Soviet Union's answer to NASA's Space Shuttle. But its capabilities far exceeded its original mission.

With its maiden flight in December 1988, the An-225 quickly became a symbol of Soviet engineering prowess, and later, an indispensable asset in global heavy-lift cargo transportation.

So, what makes the Antonov An-225 the biggest airplane in the world? Let’s delve into the details.

A Giant Among Giants

The sheer size of the Antonov An-225 is mind-boggling. This large airplane model has a measure of 84 meters (275 feet) in length, with wingspan size of 88.4 meters (290 feet). To put that into perspective, it's longer than an American football field and has a wingspan wider than a Boeing 747. The An-225 stands at 18.1 meters (59.3 feet) tall, nearly as tall as a six-story building.

This airline airplane model is equipped with six turbofan engines, each capable of producing 51,600 pounds of thrust. These engines, combined with its enormous wings, allow the An-225 to carry a maximum takeoff weight of 640,000 kg (1,410,958 pounds). This includes the cargo it carries, which can be up to 250,000 kg (550,000 pounds). This impressive lifting capability makes it the go-to choice for transporting oversized cargo, such as wind turbine blades, military tanks, and even other aircraft.

The Unique Capabilities of the An-225

The Antonov An-225's cargo bay is so large that it could fit 50 cars. The interior is 43.32 meters (142 feet) long, 6.4 meters (21 feet) wide, and 4.4 meters (14.5 feet) high, making it spacious enough to accommodate a wide range of oversized items. Unlike many other cargo aircraft, which load through a rear cargo door, the An-225 is loaded through the nose. The aircraft's nose lifts up, allowing direct access to the cavernous interior. This feature is crucial for loading extremely large and heavy objects that cannot be easily maneuvered.

Another notable feature of this large airplane model is its 32-wheel landing gear system. This complex system allows the An-225 to land on runways that would be unsuitable for other aircraft of its size, providing flexibility in the types of airports it can access.

The An-225 also has a range of 15,400 km (9,569 miles) when carrying a smaller load, but this decreases as the payload increases. Despite this, its range and payload capacity make it ideal for long-distance heavy-lift missions, and it remains a vital tool in global logistics.

A Record-Breaking Aircraft

Throughout its operational life, the Antonov An-225 has set numerous world records. In 2001, it carried the heaviest single cargo item ever transported by air—a 189-ton generator for a power plant. In another instance, it transported a 130-ton piece of machinery from Germany to Kazakhstan, marking the largest payload ever carried by an aircraft.

The An-225 has also been used in humanitarian missions, delivering supplies to disaster-stricken areas around the world. Its ability to transport large quantities of aid quickly and efficiently has made it an invaluable resource in times of crisis.

The Legacy of the Antonov An-225

The Antonov An-225 is not just a marvel of engineering; it's a symbol of what human ingenuity can achieve. Despite being over three decades old, this airline airplane model remains unmatched in terms of size and lifting capacity. Its continued operation is a testament to the foresight of its designers and the enduring need for such a massive aircraft in today’s world.

However, the An-225's future is uncertain. The only existing model has been in and out of service due to the high costs of operation and maintenance. There's also been speculation about building a second An-225, but financial and logistical challenges have stalled those plans.

Despite these uncertainties, the Antonov An-225’s legacy is secure. It continues to capture the imagination of aviation enthusiasts and the general public alike, reminding us of the heights—both literal and figurative—that human technology can reach.

In conclusion, the Antonov An-225 is not just the biggest airplane in the world; it’s a symbol of human achievement. From its origins as a Soviet space transporter to its current role in global cargo transportation, this large airplane model has set records and exceeded expectations. Whether or not it continues to fly for years to come, the An-225 will always be remembered as a giant among giants in the world of aviation.

[cringecompanionapologist]

Saw One of These for Masters, Made One for Classic Companions

Good night to unearthly children, science and history teachers, plucky space orphans, crashed spaceship pilots, Dodos, sailors who just want to get back to work, dolly rocker duchesses, Jacobite pipers, Victorian maidens with anxiety, girl geniuses in sparkly outfits, scientists who are too good for this shit, cute blonde girls with hidden spy talents, determined journalists, imbeciles (affectionate), warrior women, gorgeous Time Ladies, boys who can make things out of numbers, space princesses whose planets got nuked, Australian flight attendants, exiled space princes pretending to be schoolboys, American(?) girls who never asked for this, 80s fitness enthusiasts, and girls who invent bombs for fun. 

[usafphantom2]

40 years ago today, Space Shuttle Discovery completed its maiden voyage on mission STS-41D. Over the next 27 years, it would go to space 38 more times—more than any other space shuttle in the fleet. Discovery is on display at our Udvar-Hazy Center: s.si.edu/3AJR2lv

@airandspace via X

Tap Title bar to read☝️

[shiftertech]

"You are the firewall."

Do you remember making paper airplanes as a kid? How you would take a sheet of pristine white paper, from some orchard habitat within your trade region, and begin to fold it. Each crease another step in a standarized process, building towards a final goal. Maybe you thought your creation should be unique in some miniscule way, so you added a fold here, made a cut there, bent something assymetric to the other side. You made it yours, but it's still the same design underneath, passed along to children from century to century.

And then the time comes to launch it. You know the goal well: go the furthest distance, or avoid an obstacle, or some other idea of a fun challenge. You ready your arm, dialing in your angle and second guessing how much force you need to throw it, assessing the airspace ahead, prior to loosing it. Everything is perfect, your creases and folds, and your posture, and the very energy of the air, anticipation and excitement rolling off you.

You let your creation free.

An invisible gusting downdraft dips the nose hard. A teachers hand, batting it out of the sky with a scold on their lips. A door suddenly opened and obstructing its path without warning.

And in every instance, your creation lands gracelessly on the ground with some manner of damage. It strikes you that nothing you could have done would have avoided this outcome after the moment it left your hands. Despite your little bends in the wing to control flight dynamics, or your shouts to not disrupt its maiden flight, it happened anyway.

(or maybe you got lucky, and it did exactly what you wanted it to do. Congrats, by the way. I'm proud of you.)

Either way, you only had the ability to set the initial variables. That was the extent of your control, during creation. It was its own agent once it left your loving clutches.

If someone wanted to knock it out of the sky, there is nothing you could do to stop it.

If someone wanted to knock an autonomous Mechanized Battle Unit out of the sky, there is nothing we can do to stop it, if they have enough resources and smart minds. Our enemies have this in abundance.

We've done this song and dance before. It starts with them dropping a whole assault fleet. We dump resources to strengthen our security and they pour capital into breaking that in under a month. We build our own counter-drone teams and they redouble efforts to close the holes in their security. Rinse. Repeat.

It was and always will be a stalemate. There's always going to be an opening. No connected system is free of holes. No firewall can protect against fallible minds.

Yeah, open that unassuming document on your workstation baby—I promise it wont bite! If you do, you wont have to worry about anything ever again.

You see the problem, right? No one side could field a drone unit without it dropping like a rock sooner than later. Our prized angels were relegated to hangers, lest we throw them to be swatted down effortlessly by terminal wizards.

So we start fresh with our sheet of paper to fold anew. This time we make it a closed system, no longer receiving commands from an orbital relay connected to some grunt operator in a frigate's frigid battle room. Rather, we carve a space beneath the alloy hull and its angular folds, and put a flesh and bones pilot-operator there, and hook them up to a neural rig directly connected to the existing mechanized intelligence. We establish communications solely with the pilot, and the pilot works with the mech to execute on orders. A biological transciever between strategic commands and machine. The wetware firewall.

So when we throw our angels into the skies, we aren't throwing disposable toys up with the expectation to eventually crash and burn. We're sending predators, who don't fall over with a simple enter-key push, and have deadly instincts, and a strong desire to seek & destroy. There is however some things we didn't anticipate...

You know when you throw your paper airplane, and it does an extra twirl you didn't intend or design it to do? What if the airplane also spoke back to the wind which carried it? What if it became incomprehensibly entwined with the wind.

Fold and crease. A new creation, far off of what centuries of consensus dictated how a paper airplane was to be made. Who even cares about consensus when it flies higher than any one that has come before it.

Will it ever come back down?

[not-your-asian-fantasy]

Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore were supposed to come home around mid-June. Instead, they’ve been in space for nearly two months. Williams, 58, made history with the June 6 flight, becoming the first woman to pilot a spacecraft, a Boeing Starliner, on its maiden voyage.

Williams has likely also been diving into the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita. She previously said she takes the texts, alongside a Ganesh murti, with her to space. She also brings samosas, but it’s unlikely she stocked up for such a long stay. x

[mindblowingscience]

The term space plane conjures up all sorts of images and NASA, with their new X-59 (even the name sounds mysterious) they have definitely not disappointed. Their new quiet supersonic aircraft has been designed to minimize the sonic boom it creates when it crosses the speed of sound. It will fly at 1.4 times the speed of sound and is set for its maiden flight later this year.

Continue Reading.

[corallapis]

[wingedblooms]

Bird of prophecy

I’ve talked a lot about Elain’s connection to the myth of Blodeuwedd, a spring maiden transformed into an owl. A long time ago, I also stumbled across the Gamayun in Slavic mythology, which is associated with other bird-maidens (like Sirin, which comes from the Greek Siren). The Gamayun is a half-bird, half-woman of prophecy. She symbolizes knowledge and wisdom and acts as a divine messenger. This bird-maiden originates from the Huma in Iranian mythology. According to legend, the Huma flies invisibly above the earth and its shadow foretells the next king when there is no heir. It is depicted as a combination of creatures like a mighty griffin. It would be fitting if Elain, who is canonically wise and prophetic, traveled like the Huma: a fusion of animal forms and invisible to all. The Cauldron travels that way, and it would be appropriate (and badass) for a divine messenger to mimic the power it gave her. All those with the gift of Sight we’ve met in the Maasverse—Baba Yellowlegs, the oracle, and shapeshifter mystic—also seem to navigate more than one form, even if it only involves iron teeth and claws. Could Elain also possess her own bird-maiden form as a seer? Or will her flight through time and space remain mental? Only time will tell.

[lonestarflight]

Launch of STS-6

Space Shuttle Challenger lifts off on her maiden flight from LC-39A,carrying astronauts Paul J. Weitz, Koral J. Bobko, Donald H. Peterson and Dr. Story Musgrave. This primary objective was to deploy the first Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-1, into orbit.

The mission patch for STS-6

This was the last mission to carry four astronauts until STS-135.

Date: April 4, 1983

NARA: 6374993, 6366343, 6366993, 6366992

NASA ID: link, KSC-83PC-0137, S83-30134

[beardedmrbean]

When two American astronauts blasted off on a test mission to the International Space Station on 5 June, they were expecting to be back home in a matter of days.

But things didn't quite go to plan.

In fact, Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams are still there, floating high above the Earth nearly two months later.

The pair - who are stuck indefinitely - now face the sudden prospect of missing the summer entirely and even spending Christmas and New Year in space.

Mr Wilmore, 61, and Ms Williams, 58, flew a Boeing Starliner spacecraft to the station. It was the first flight of its kind with people on board and was a test designed to see how the new spacecraft performs before it is used more regularly.

Problems, however, emerged as it made its approach. These included leaks in its propulsion system and some of its thrusters shutting down.

So while they made it to the space station safely, they will need an alternative mode of transport to get home if the Starliner is not deemed safe to return to Earth.

At a news briefing on Wednesday, Nasa officials said no firm decisions had been made when it comes to next steps.

"Our prime option is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner," Steve Stich, manager of Nasa's Commercial Crew Program, said. "However, we have done the requisite planning to make sure we have other options open.”

One potential option being considered, they said, is to attach the two astronauts to a mission that is scheduled to launch in September, and return them to earth with that mission in February 2025.

That flight to the space station will be made by a SpaceX Crew Dragon craft. The initial plan was for four crew members to be aboard, but two of the seats could be left empty if needed.

That plan would mean the astronauts would spend more than eight months – rather than eight days – aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

If the Crew Dragon is used, the Starliner craft would be returned to Earth without any crew, under computer control.

Nasa officials said it could take a week or more for a final decision to be made.

What a year in Space does to the body

Starliner: The US Space industry's next big thing?

Ken Bowersox, Nasa's director of space operations, told reporters the chances of an uncrewed return of the Starliner “have increased a little bit based on where things have gone over the last week or two.”

"That's why we're looking more closely at that option to make sure that we can handle it," he said.

Using a SpaceX craft to return the astronauts would be a blow to Boeing, which has for years tried to compete with the company and its more experienced Crew Dragon.

Earlier this week, Nasa used a SpaceX rocket to deliver more food and supplies to the ISS, including extra clothes for the two astronauts.

Last month, in a short press briefing, the pair said they were "absolutely confident” in the return trip and Starliner was “truly impressive.”

This is the third stint aboard the ISS for Ms Williams, a retired Navy helicopter pilot, while Mr Wilmore is a former fighter jet pilot who has been to space twice before.

“We've been thoroughly busy up here, integrated right into the crew,” Ms Williams told reporters during a recent briefing call.

“It feels like coming back home. It feels good to float around. It feels good to be in space and work up here with the International Space Station team," she said. "So yeah, it’s great to be up here.”

Boeing was hoping that the maiden Starliner mission would pave the way for regular use of its capsule for missions back and forth to the station. The Space X Crew Dragon has been approved for Nasa missions since 2020.

Although the astronauts will spend much more time in space than they initially planned, others have spent much longer periods above the Earth's surface. Russian Valeri Polyakov spent 437 days in space in aboard the Mir space station in the mid-1990s.

Last year, Frank Rubio returned from the ISS after 371 days, the longest time an American has spent in space.

And Russia's Oleg Kononenko, also currently aboard the ISS, is the first person to have spent more than 1,000 days in space during the course of their career.

In their briefings and interviews, the two Americans have been upbeat about their situation. "I’m not complaining that we’re here for a couple extra weeks," Ms Williams said last month.

As things stand, the pair may be there for many more weeks to come.

[xie-xan]

The cursed musician

Synopsis: A ballerina who fell in love with a cursed musician whose playing kills anyone who hears it Pairings: Venti x fem!reader (A/n): This is more of a poem than a story tbh …(￣ー￣) Genre: Angst.

A maiden fair and graceful, with a heart so light, Whose love for ballet was her greatest delight. She danced with poise and beauty, like a swan in flight, her movements fluid and elegant.

Her eyes shone bright with passion, her spirit so free, In the dance, she found her true identity.

Her feet, like wings, seem to fly, As she dances with a gentle sigh, Her movements fluid, like a stream.

With each step and movement, she found her grace, In the dance, she found her perfect place.

The music swelled and soared, a symphony of sound, As she danced, Her love for ballet, a love that would last.

The music swells, and the crowd applauds, As her dance comes to an end. She bowed and smiled as she searched the crowd, looking for the musician who had her heart.

A boy with a dream, a boy with a life, Heard the call of the rhythm and the beat and knew that his heart would never retreat.

His fingers danced on the strings so fine, As he coaxed out the melodies divine

His passion burned like a shining light for in the music, he found his peace a place where he could be himself, And let his soul take wing and soar.

His passion pure, his soul on fire, to play the notes, was his greatest desire.

But alas, a curse he did obtain, whoever heard his melodic strain, would meet their end, his gift is a burden, a deadly grace.

He played for none, his talent hidden, His music silenced, his dream unspoken, For fear of losing all he held dear, His life remained a secret.

But still, he played, in secret places, His music echoed, through empty spaces, hoping that one day, a cure he'd find, to break the loneliness that filled his heart.

After years of suffering in sorrow, he found her, he fell in love with a ballerina whose grace and beauty left him in awe.

Her feet were like petals of a rose in bloom as he watched her dance on the stage And in her eyes, a light did play.

His melodies were like a spell that captured her heart and made her fall. His fingers danced on the strings as if by magic, her heart did sing

The love they shared, was a fragile thing, That could be shattered with a single ring.

But still, their love was a flame, that burned so bright. For in each other, they found solace and a love that would never lose its hold.

His music, though it brought her pain, She could not help but love his gift.

And so she danced to his tune. Their love was doomed from the start, a fatal attraction, a broken heart.

The musician, swore to never touch an instrument, in hopes of saving their love, but what misery could be worse than the ballerina whom he had loved had numbered days?

And so she chose a better way to leave, she danced in his music, her body flowed with the cursed rhythm, yet she found solace in her lover's music.

The musician, whose tears fall upon each key, as he watched his lover dance. With the final twirl, the music ended and with her final bow, she fell.

He cried in agony as he held her close, her body lay in his arms on the very stage where she would capture the audience's gaze.

"Am I just a cursed musician who killed his lover, or a mere unlucky human, who was not loved by anyone? From this time on, I swear on your grave, oh darling, that I will never touch my instruments ever again, for they took you away from me."

"Oh the love of my life, I wish I could tell you how good you are at music. Your music holds the power to return a soul to the place from where it came from, hence giving it eternal peace. My love, it is your music that has brought me peace, it made my final dance more meaningful, I wish I could tell you how lucky I am to love you, I wish I could tell you that your music was the most beautiful piece I have ever heard. I shall await the time when we will meet again, and when that time comes, I will happily dance to your music and love you all over again."

[livingforstars]

The Delta Clipper - October 28th, 1995.

"The Delta Clipper experimental rocket, or DC-X, was intended as a development vehicle to pave the way for a reusable single stage to orbit rocket. Shown here, in an artists conception, it has made several successful test flights since its maiden voyage in August of 1993 - taking off like a rocket, hovering and moving horizontally, and landing tail first on a designated landing pad. The DC-X is actually too heavy and underpowered to achieve orbit, but as part of NASA's Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Program, lessons learned operating the DC-X may help provide science and industry cheaper access to space."