iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ben Hord @benhord.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

Nature wrote an article about my role on NASA’s Pandora mission! Aside from being a cutting-edge exoplanet explorer, Pandora serves as a way for early career folks to gain hands-on experience serving in mission leadership roles. Read about it here:🧪🔭 www.nature.com/articles/d41...

nature.com

NASA’s latest telescope is a feat of early-career leadership

The Pandora satellite provides career training grounds while observing exoplanets.

0276

Ben Hord @benhord.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

I was interviewed about NASA’s Pandora mission on “Are We There Yet?” NPR’s space exploration podcast! Listen to me talk about exoplanets, searching for chemicals on other worlds, and how Pandora helps JWST do its job better:🔭 www.cfpublic.org/podcast/are-...

cfpublic.org

Artemis II on the cover of TIME and Pandora on the hunt for other worlds

The crew of Artemis II is on the latest cover of TIME Magazine. In the issue, editor at large Jeffrey Kluger chronicles the mission. Plus, a new spacecraft is taking a closer look at exoplanets and th...

0103

Ben Hord @benhord.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

With a little over a month until launch, TIME wrote a piece on NASA’s Pandora SmallSat mission! Pandora will observe 20 exoplanets in search of water, clouds, and hazes - all important in the search for potential life.🧪🔭 Check out the article its cool video too: time.com/7335787/pand...

time.com

This Space Telescope Will Search For Life On Distant Planets

The Pandora Space Telescope will study 20 promising worlds that could host life

1185

Ben Hord @benhord.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

NASA’s Pandora SmallSat officially has a launch vehicle! It’ll be hitching a ride on a SpaceX rocket later this Fall. Now the work of scheduling observations of exoplanets and their host stars can begin in earnest! 🪐🔭🧪 www.nasa.gov/news-release...

nasa.gov

NASA Awards Launch Service Task Order for Pandora Mission - NASA

NASA has selected SpaceX of Starbase, Texas, to provide the launch service for the agency’s Pandora mission, which will study at least 20 known exoplanets and

4182

Ben Hord @benhord.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

Since Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, does that mean we get six more weeks of federal funding?

010

Ben Hord @benhord.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

Want to learn more about exoplanets, their atmospheres, and NASA’s Pandora mission to investigate them? Check out this interview I did with @fcain.universetoday.com of Universe Today discussing just that! I promise it’s out of this world🔭🪐🧪: youtu.be/96Ee8Z-sbSU?...

youtu.be

Pandora The Alien Atmosphere Inspector

YouTube video by Fraser Cain

0101

Ben Hord @benhord.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

Highkey insane time to be working in the federal government rn. Do I have to show up in person? Will I still get paid? Do I still have to show up in person if I’m not paid? Unspeakable questions with unknowable answers

020

Reposted by Ben Hord

Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · 28/01/2025

I think some people hear “grants” and think that without them, scientists and government workers just have less stuff to play with at work. But grants fund salaries for students, academics, researchers, and people who work in all areas of public service. “Pausing” grants means people don’t eat.

washingtonpost.com

White House pauses all federal grants, sparking confusion

The Trump administration has put a hold on all federal financial grants and loans, affecting tens of billions of dollars in payments.

15754323014327

Ben Hord @benhord.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

NASA’s Pandora SmallSat Mission is on track for its launch readiness this fall! Pandora will observe 20+ exoplanets🪐 and their host stars🌟 to precisely measure water and clouds/hazes in the planets’ atmospheres. 🔭 Check out the press release (and video!) here: science.nasa.gov/directorates...

science.nasa.gov

NASA’s Pandora Mission One Step Closer To Probing Alien Atmospheres - NASA Science

Pandora, NASA’s newest exoplanet mission, is one step closer to launch with the completion of the spacecraft bus, which provides the structure, power, and

071

Ben Hord @benhord.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

Idk but encouraging all NASA employees to rat on their colleagues engaging in secret DEIA activities through a dedicated enforcement resource seems like a big goose step in the wrong direction 🤔

040

Ben Hord @benhord.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

Tune in live at 10:15am ET today as I give a press briefing about NASA’s upcoming Pandora SmallSat mission which will observe exoplanet atmospheres and their host stars. I promise that it’ll be out of this world! 🔭 youtube.com/@aaspressoff...

youtube.com

AAS Press Office

The YouTube channel of the American Astronomical Society's Press Office, managed by AAS Press Officer Dr. Susanna Kohler.

010