Dad, spaceship and submarine builder, balloon flyer, violist and lover of old black and white scifi.https://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mlkdak76722jNew Video! https://youtube.com/shorts/SJ7oG0v9HZ0?si=MxH-pz30yrVFrT4J A short of Artemis II core stage separation sped up 5X.11 May 2026 03:25 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlkdak76722jhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3ml5hmle63k2ghttps://www.facebook.com/ToyNebulaTales/ Hi Everybody, JP here. I just create a new page for another passion of mine, Space Toys! More than just toys, also the tales that they inspire. Check it out!06 May 2026 00:39 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml5hmle63k2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3ml2es5xxwc25My father's Lightsaber. 1950 aircraft torque wrench. He wielded it to keep C-119 flying box cars and C-124 Globemasters flying. May the Forth Be with you.04 May 2026 19:10 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml2es5xxwc25https://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mkxrbx4skc2oWe're making big mods to our sub, Bellavia. We've modified our CO2 scrubbers. We want the air inside to be better than outside, below 420 ppm, (outside air). It was a goal for later but we're bumping it up. Bella will be back in the water this summer after the Away 136 balloon mission.03 May 2026 18:16 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkxrbx4skc2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mko3775oyk22High Altitude Balloon Vent Short: https://youtube.com/shorts/WZ2M-IWdJhs?si=UIAiO57zgwIcuQdB29 Apr 2026 21:47 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mko3775oyk22https://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mknyorhwqs2nNew Video! https://youtu.be/yzS1Q2SIXVg?si=h0gJXig78mr1YzDn Just for fun. A quick peek at wheeled spacecraft in SciFi and SciFact.29 Apr 2026 21:02 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mknyorhwqs2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mklz3dsxhs2zNew video! https://youtu.be/3Vq8vL_CEeM?si=vCKnNpxMjSbW2vUH The Flight of Away 120, Prep - High Wind Launch - Near Space - Landing29 Apr 2026 02:03 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mklz3dsxhs2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mkg4pfednc2dNew Video: https://youtu.be/viNJUQnQ9A8?si=IzGJHDAukRKs2br- The Moon! I completely missed that we caught the moon in the mission video I posted yesterday. It was there just bobbing along in the distance. You never know what you'll find looking at old footage. I zoomed in a bit and slowed it down.26 Apr 2026 17:52 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkg4pfednc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mkcd45qcxk2sNew Video! https://youtu.be/g4gELa5aE9c?si=VkIZ7U2u760-SUta25 Apr 2026 05:36 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkcd45qcxk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mjxsxnylgc2sNew Video: https://youtube.com/shorts/dKyX4yaBK48?si=kvU6TYL9VetpchKp Spaceship don't get any cooler than the X-24B. The hot rod of spaceplanes.21 Apr 2026 01:21 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjxsxnylgc2shttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mjwvev4mfk2fDoes anybody remember this 1996 space classic? I watched it again recently. Still an amazing vision of hope and possibility.20 Apr 2026 16:31 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjwvev4mfk2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mjwveb4e4k2fHypersonic glider 202620 Apr 2026 16:31 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjwveb4e4k2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mjwvch2c4c2fFun report from 1958. The things they knew back then...20 Apr 2026 16:30 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjwvch2c4c2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mjwvbk4wrs2f1/200 of a second after 60 foot diameter balloon burst at 100,000 feet.20 Apr 2026 16:29 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjwvbk4wrs2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mjmvhrzso22rAt 100,000 feet aboard Away 121. Camera 1.16 Apr 2026 17:06 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjmvhrzso22rhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mjmuztceks2rAway 121 balloon platform up top. Those little boxes are MiniCube payload containers. They are just like standardized containers on ships, just a lot small and at the edge of space.16 Apr 2026 16:58 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjmuztceks2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mjkuqzjuxk22Fun Fact: If the Stanford Linear Accelerator was a rocket engine it would have a specific impulse (ISP, a measure of performance) of 30 million. To compare: Chemical engines, ISP 350 to 400, Nuclear thermal rockets (theoretical) ISP 900, Ion Engine ISP 3,000 to 30,000.15 Apr 2026 21:48 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjkuqzjuxk22https://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mjkqeydxks24New Video! https://youtube.com/shorts/F_G3VrO-8f4?si=p-ddWLEklW5CO36y The F-86 Saber, the plane that fought Godzilla. If you want to see great F-86 B-roll scenes, old Godzilla movies is where to find it. It's hard to believe this advanced aircraft was designed in 1945.15 Apr 2026 20:30 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjkqeydxks24https://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mjfw7aso5k25New Video! https://youtube.com/shorts/aOOGFNCB8eY?si=N5iNQxuhyAtRuk_e The C-119 Flying box car on the inside. A YouTube short.13 Apr 2026 22:31 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjfw7aso5k25https://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mjdlwu5hrk2yNew Video! https://youtu.be/PueIpRivhQE?si=O08YJl8XBKFZSqq6 Unexpected discoveries. What can happen when you build an old model.13 Apr 2026 00:22 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjdlwu5hrk2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mjcuth3mwc2xForgotten Space History. Before there was Project Mercury there was Project Adam.12 Apr 2026 17:28 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjcuth3mwc2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mjcusfectk2xPlaying in the sky. A moment after balloon burst aboard the Away 135 mission. That's the Humbolt river and the Rye Patch reservoir below.12 Apr 2026 17:28 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjcusfectk2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mjcrc2hlzs2eVideo: https://youtube.com/shorts/4ZbjKkatMv4?si=GsG77RIE7LmL54sk A tale from dark (chocolate) side of space.12 Apr 2026 16:25 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjcrc2hlzs2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3miwrjmkpo22uNew Video! https://youtu.be/iwTjW8_oKcM?si=GlWO6iQa9X3Ty0la This is an expanded version of the video I posted earlier, but with more details and an explanation of how it works.07 Apr 2026 21:57 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3miwrjmkpo22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3miwrg3plys2uBreathtaking. Go Artemis Go!07 Apr 2026 21:55 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3miwrg3plys2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mitttnd5zk2aThe more helium you put in your balloon, the faster you climb shorting your landing distance, but the balloon pops sooner. Solution? Vent the extra helium up top with a valve. This video shows the valve still attached coming back down.06 Apr 2026 18:01 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mitttnd5zk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mimciq3of22lWorking the program. A moment after balloon burst on one of our high-altitude platforms. We have found that if you want to develop upper atmospheric systems, nothing beats being there.03 Apr 2026 18:02 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mimciq3of22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mimbt54cvs27We had a leak in the submarine support boat we just could not find. Gallons of soapy water, no luck. So we turned the boat into a bathtub. Success. Now on to patching.03 Apr 2026 17:50 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mimbt54cvs27https://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mimbmbjjic27Totally made my morning. The world out the window, taken today from Artemis 2.03 Apr 2026 17:46 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mimbmbjjic27https://bsky.app/profile/johnmpowell.bsky.social/post/3mikaodrfxs2tNew Video: https://youtube.com/shorts/AClH5dcnRLU?si=q5tTJHssoTmmgfKZ It's your time. Get out there. (sound up)02 Apr 2026 22:24 +0000at://did:plc:byl4uzch6u2p2i4mane3ftln/app.bsky.feed.post/3mikaodrfxs2t