Brett Tingley
Managing Editor, Space.com Brett is curious about emerging aerospace technologies, alternative launch concepts, military space developments and uncrewed aircraft systems. Brett's work has appeared on Scientific American, The War Zone, Popular Science, the History Channel, Science Discovery and more. Brett has English degrees from Clemson University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In his free time, Brett enjoys skywatching throughout the dark skies of the Appalachian mountains.
Biography:
https://www.space.com/author/brett-tingley
74%
The Daily's Verdict
This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.
Bias
95%
Examples:
- The author appears to have a strong focus on emerging aerospace technologies and alternative launch concepts. This is evident in the articles provided where they cover topics such as SpaceX's Starlink satellites, the Chang'e 6 lunar mission, and the Ingenuity Mars helicopter.
- There is also an emphasis on military space developments and uncrewed aircraft systems, as seen in the articles about NASA's PACE mission and Astrobotic's Peregrine moon lander.
Conflicts of Interest
50%
Examples:
- In the article about NASA's PACE mission, there is a mention of NASA's plans for another drone destined for another world, the nuclear-powered Dragonfly. This could be seen as a potential conflict of interest as it may imply that the author has knowledge or connections within NASA.
- There is a potential conflict of interest in the article about Astrobotic's Peregrine moon lander and its mention of Celestis and Elysium Space as companies that will place their own payloads on the moon with Peregrine. This suggests that the author may have a personal or financial interest in these companies.
Contradictions
87%
Examples:
- In the article about Astrobotic's Peregrine moon lander, there is a contradiction regarding the propulsion anomaly: 'Peregrine suffered a propulsion anomaly just hours into its mission that created a significant propellant leak and caused it to fall back to Earth.' vs. 'Astrobotic said the spacecraft experienced an issue with its navigation system but did not specify what kind of problem occurred.'
- In the article about GOES-U weather satellite, there is a contradiction regarding the launch date and time: 'The spacecraft will enter a highly elliptical lunar orbit inclined by 55 degrees once it reaches the moon.' vs. 'Once GOES-U reaches geostationary orbit, it will be renamed GOES-19 and work in tandem with GOES-18.'
- In the article about NASA's response to the Navajo Nation's objection to placing human remains on the moon, there is a contradiction regarding who is responsible for desecration of sacred space: 'NASA and ULA are responsible for desecration of sacred space by including human remains on a private mission to the moon.' vs. 'NASA has no control over what payloads are included in commercial missions launched through its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.'
- In the article about SpaceX's Starlink satellites, there is a contradiction regarding the number of satellites launched during the third launch in under 24 hours: 'The Space Coast set a new launch record in 2023 with 72 orbital missions from either Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station' vs. 'a total of 51 Starlink satellites were launched during that time period.'
Deceptions
75%
Examples:
- In the article about Astrobotic's Peregrine moon lander and its mention of payloads on board, there is a deceptive use of language to imply that Peregrine was doomed from the start and that time was running out for it after a fuel leak.
- In the article about SpaceX's Starlink satellites, there is a deceptive use of sensationalist language: 'Powerful twin solar flares erupted from the sun as cell phone outages spiked across US (video)', which can be seen as misleading.
- In the same article, there is also a deceptive claim regarding the connection between solar flares and cell phone outages: 'Nationwide throughout the United States, widespread cellular outages were reported on Thursday morning following the solar flares. According to The Associated Press, tens of thousands of outages were reported by major cellular carriers such as AT&T, Verzion and T-Mobile.'
- In the same article, there is also a misleading statement regarding the number of payloads on board: 'The article states that the Peregrine moon lander lifted off Monday during the flawless first launch of United Launch Alliance's brand-new Vulcan Centaur rocket as the booster's primary payload. However, this statement is misleading because it implies that there were no other payloads on board when in fact there were several scientific experiments and commercial payloads for customers including NASA under its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.'
Recent Articles
SpaceX's Reusable Falcon 9 Rocket Launches NROL-186 Mission for NRO: A Step Forward in Proliferated Architecture
Broke On: Friday, 28 June 2024SpaceX's Falcon 9 successfully launched the NROL-186 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base on June 28, marking the eighth flight for its reusable booster. The rocket carried a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, with a pinpoint landing back on 'Of Course I Still Love You' drone ship. This mission signifies an important step forward for SpaceX and NRO's new 'proliferated architecture', consisting of numerous smaller satellites. 
NASA Selects SpaceX to Develop and Deliver US Deorbit Vehicle for International Space Station
Broke On: Wednesday, 26 June 2024NASA has chosen SpaceX to develop and deliver the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle for the International Space Station, worth up to $843 million. This spacecraft will ensure safe deorbiting of the station after its operational life in 2030, preventing risks to populated areas. The decision follows NASA's evaluation of various options for preserving or reusing the ISS, ultimately finding disassembly or raising its orbit with a large spacecraft infeasible. 
NASA and NOAA's New GOES-U Satellite: Monitoring Weather on Earth and Space
Broke On: Tuesday, 25 June 2024NASA and NOAA successfully launched the advanced GOES-U weather satellite on June 25, 2024, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The new satellite, featuring a sun-monitoring sensor and improved imaging capabilities, completes NOAA's GOES-R series and will provide crucial data for forecasting severe weather events and monitoring solar activity. 
China's Historic Lunar Mission: Retrieving Samples from the Far Side of the Moon
Broke On: Thursday, 02 May 2024On May 2, 2024, China made history by launching the Chang'e-6 mission to retrieve samples from the far side of the moon. Using a Long March-5 Y8 carrier rocket from Hainan Province, this mission marks a significant achievement for China's space program and scientific community. Expected to collect up to 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) of lunar material, the far side of the moon offers unique insights into lunar geology and potential resources due to its lack of Earth influence. 
China's Queqiao-2 Satellite to Support Lunar Ambitions with Highly Elliptical Orbit around the Moon
Broke On: Tuesday, 19 March 2024China launched a satellite called Queqiao-2 to support its lunar ambitions. The spacecraft is intended for a highly elliptical orbit around the moon that will enable it to support missions both at the lunar south pole and on the moon's far side. 
SpaceX Launches Third Starlink Satellite Batch in Under 24 Hours, Marking Beginning of New Era for Space Exploration
Broke On: Tuesday, 05 March 2024SpaceX launched its third batch of Starlink satellites in under 24 hours from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on March 4th, marking the beginning of a new era for space exploration. With over 500 working satellites already orbiting Earth, SpaceX is building a massive megaconstellation that will provide wireless high-speed internet access to people all around the world. The company has approval to launch up to 12,000 more satellites in the coming years and plans on continuing its rapid pace of launches. 
Powerful Solar Flare Erupts from Sun, Increasing Geomagnetic Disturbances Probability
Broke On: Friday, 23 February 2024A powerful solar flare erupted from the sun on February 23, with an X6.3 burst of radiation more potent than any other observed during this current solar cycle and the largest since 2017. The active region responsible for these flares is now pointing towards Earth, increasing the likelihood of geomagnetic disturbances. There's a 15% chance of another strong X-class flare occurring, while more moderate C- and M-class flares are expected with probabilities of 99% and 60%, respectively. 
NASA's PACE Mission Launches into Orbit to Study Phytoplankton and Aerosols in Earth's Oceans and Atmosphere
Broke On: Saturday, 10 February 2024NASA's PACE mission successfully launched into orbit to study phytoplankton and aerosols in Earth's oceans and atmosphere. Phytoplankton absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, while each type processes it differently. The satellite will help us understand how particles can impact global warming. 
NASA's Mars Ingenuity Helicopter Completes Historic Flight Before Landing for the Last Time
Broke On: Tuesday, 06 February 2024NASA's Mars Ingenuity helicopter, which made history as the first powered flight on another world, has landed for the last time and will not fly again after suffering damage to its rotors during a flight on Jan. 18th. 
SpaceX Prepares to Launch Northrop Grumman Cygnus Spacecraft on Falcon 9 for First Time with Modified Payload Fairing and Extra Cargo Including Ice Cream for Astronauts
Broke On: Tuesday, 30 January 2024SpaceX is set to launch a Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft on its Falcon 9 rocket for the first time next week. The payload fairing of the Falcon 9 had to be modified with an extra cargo hatch measuring 5 feet by 4 feet (1.5m by 1.2m) to accommodate additional supplies, including ice cream for astronauts on board.