iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 14h

"Self-fulfilling bank runs just aren’t really a thing" Interesting data base. Not convinced by the message of the title.

giftarticle.ft.com

Self-fulfilling bank runs just aren’t really a thing

Or, at least, that’s what the data seems to suggest

000

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

"SPACE will strengthen Europe’s space capabilities in several critical areas. These include early-warning satellites to detect missile launches, satcom, ISR, as well as precise PNT systems. The project will also enhance capabilities [...] the rapid launch of replacement satellites when needed."

consilium.europa.eu

European defence industry: Council identifies the first five projects of common interest

The Council today adopted an implementing decision setting out the list of the first five European defence projects of common interest under the European Defence Industry Programme.

010

Reposted by Rafael Mentges

Gene J. Mikulka @genejm1017.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The mission seems to be accomplished in that the main objective of achieving orbit. They still need to bring Starship back through the atmosphere from orbit. The Raptor engine failures, however, still indicate issues and that Raptor needs work.

88119

Reposted by Rafael Mentges

Gene J. Mikulka @genejm1017.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Should begin to see entry in about 30 minutes from now. Starship Mission 14 is headed for a splashdown in the North Pacific at T+3 hours 8 minutes and 30 seconds, estimated.

171

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Interesting OECD project on agentic AI in government: once AI systems can act on behalf of public authorities, not just advise them, questions of authority, accountability, auditability and human control become much more fundamental. A project launch blog is out now:

oecd.ai

Governing with agentic AI: when machines act on government’s behalf

Agentic AI raises new questions about how governments can maintain standards of safe, secure and trustworthy AI while machines act on their behalf.

000

Reposted by Rafael Mentges

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I still like my idea of giving Ukraine 10bn Euros for every Russian hybrid attack. Nobody can complain about an escalation from NATO. Yet, it will hurt Russia like nothing else.

031

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

"Countries are split over how to confront the Kremlin’s sustained acts of sabotage, arson and destabilisation, but a growing number are seeking collective processes for punishing Russia over attacks that do not meet Nato’s benchmark to trigger its Article 5 mutual defence clause."

giftarticle.ft.com

EU countries consider Nato-style joint responses to Russian hybrid attacks

Campaign this year has included drone attacks, bombs and arson, leading to calls for a stronger response

110

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Interesting but also a really weird take. O'Sullivan argues that SpaceX winding down Falcon 9 launches and Crew Dragon has to do with expectations for demand for launches have not materialized interprets it as SpaceX turning away from space.

giftarticle.ft.com

SpaceX pivots away from space

Starbase, we have a problem

141

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

"Airbus has proposed the sale of some of its assets, as the three European companies hold intensive talks with EU antitrust officials to negotiate potential remedies to secure approval for the merger, according to three people familiar with the talks."

giftarticle.ft.com

Airbus offers divestments to secure Brussels backing for space merger

European aerospace group is seeking to allay competition concerns over deal with Leonardo and Thales

010

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

EU turns to Norway UK, and Canada for space launch sites. It is interesting to see the EU considering non-EU launch sites. It's a sign they realize the urgency. "The EU will require 62 launches a year by 2034"

giftarticle.ft.com

EU turns to Norway and Canada for space launch sites

Space commissioner is touring potential locations for launchers as the bloc tries to boost its satellite capabilities

140

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

European space start-ups are taking off! I guess the German space defence budget plays a role here but also the possibility of a huge increase in the EU's space budget (maybe three times the current budget). The numbers are from dealroom: dealroom.co/resources/eu...

083

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

This is big news! Seems like the first European on the Moon will be an Italian. Remember, currently German and French astronauts are supposed to "go to the Moon" but not to land on the Moon.

011

Reposted by Rafael Mentges

European Space Agency @esa.int · 23/09/2026

We’re strengthening our cooperation with Mistral on artificial intelligence. Together, we’ll explore secure and trusted European AI solutions for Earth observation, engineering and the next generation of space activities.

917827

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

ZDF has seen the F-35 contracts and I am seriously shocked! In a Letter from the German Federal Ministry of Defence to the Bundestag’s Budget Committee it says “The contractual terms are dictated by the US side and are non-negotiable.”

zdfheute.de

US-Rüstungsdeals: Teure Knebelverträge für die Bundeswehr

Deutschland kauft Kampfjets in den USA. Die vertraulichen Kaufverträge zeigen: Deutschland liefert sich noch mehr der Trump-Administration aus.

41711

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Gravity assists never cease to amaze me. You might expect a probe heading to Jupiter to take a fairly direct route. But thanks to orbital mechanics, saving fuel on the journey outward can mean first heading inward towards Venus. That’s exactly what ESA’s Juice has done. And now it's coming back!

1110

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Interesting: "Baltic politicians, who for many years criticised western Europe for being soft on Russia, now find themselves in the strange position of telling some western leaders to calm down in their public messaging."

030

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

"Three months ago I tried using OpenAI’s ChatGPT to assist me in my mathematical research to discover non-polynomial behaviour in the zeta functions of free nilpotent groups. It was useless. ... Two weeks ago I decided to try again. The result was phenomenal."

giftarticle.ft.com

AI is a powerful but problematic new collaborator in mathematics

We are already witnessing the unintended consequences of algorithms realising goals with badly defined parameters and restrictions

100

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Interesting piece about the D2D-market. It's about vertical integration, scale and competition. D2D is shifting from an MNO–satellite partnership market toward a struggle over who controls the spectrum, customer relationship and ultimately the mobile network.

richardhaas.substack.com

A split is forming in the satellite D2D market

Why are European operators considering teaming up to bid for satellite spectrum? And how should regulators respond?

021

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

ICYMI: An old American spy satellite broke into pieces nearly 500 miles above Earth "Investigators haven’t named an official cause, but space analysts point to internal failure as the primary suspect."

251

Reposted by Rafael Mentges

Alan Fresco @alanf.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Oh.

032

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

"Analysys Mason estimates that ODC-related data traffic will reach significant volumes over the next decade, scaling to 379PB by 2035."

101

Reposted by Rafael Mentges

value plus discounted @akhilrao.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

"can't be uploaded into an LLM" triggers both my pedantry and contrarianness

1131

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Interesting discussion about the risks from de-orbiting SpaceX's 4tn data center satellites. “I have substantial doubt that a 4 tonne satellite will demise entirely,” said Aaron Boley, an astronomy professor at the University of British Columbia.

pcmag.com

Will SpaceX's Orbiting Data Centers Rain Debris Over Earth?

In a new filing, SpaceX says each Starmind satellite will have a mass up to 4,000kg (4 metric tons), and that some bits of debris could fall to Earth when the orbiting data centers retire.

040

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

What is the X-37B actually doing and is it worth it? Is it really just testing ISR sensors and re-entry technologies? That sounds a bit boring and you could do it much cheaper using other means. What's the worth of bringing down sensors or other things more smoothly compared to a capsule?

000

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

For some reason, this Mitch McConnell return was extremely bizarre despite bizarre and weird being the new normal under this Trump administration. I don't know why exactly but something about his look in the car scared the shit out of me...

120

Reposted by Rafael Mentges

European Space Agency @esa.int · 17/09/2026

Nearly 80 companies are joining the next evolution of IRIS² through our Low-LEO activities, exploring future secure connectivity services and mission concepts for Europe. 🇪🇺🛰️ @esaconnectivity.esa.int

19210

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

"It also marks a reversal from the 2024 presidential race, when Kamala Harris raised and spent significantly more money than Trump but lost." So you are telling me some of them have seen all the bullshit going on and say they want more of it? The greed...

giftarticle.ft.com

US billionaires line up to bankroll Republicans’ election push

Ultra-wealthy overwhelmingly back Donald Trump’s party over Democrats as money floods into midterms race

110

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Since this is creating a bit buzz here on Bsky, what actually is a space weapon? - Every maneuverable satellite can be used as a weapon. - Servicing satellites are actually considered a space weapon. - you could even use laser communication terminals to dazzle with opitical sensors ...

020

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Sources say the project, led by the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS) headed by Timo Pesonen, envisages a European space command. ... The programme is to be developed in close collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and NATO to avoid duplication.

lalettre.fr

Commission plans European space command - LA LETTRE

The European executive will present its 'space shield' plan to member states next week. Faced with Russian and Chinese threats, Brussels is pushing for a unified command and is considering patrol

010

Reposted by Rafael Mentges

Andrew Parsonson @andrewparsonson.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Avio has completed its second successful Vega C flight of 2026, deploying the Sentinel-3C and FLEX missions. The third and final Vega C flight of the year is expected in early December. europeanspaceflight.com/avio-launche...

europeanspaceflight.com

Avio Launches Second Successful Vega C Flight of 2026 - European Spaceflight

Avio has completed its second successful Vega C flight of 2026, deploying the Sentinel-3C and FLEX missions.

0235

Reposted by Rafael Mentges

Jonathan McDowell @planet4589.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

The three O3b satellites launched yesterday have been cataloged in a 300 x 6660 km x 16.9 deg transfer orbit. Final target orbit is 8055 x 8075 km x 0.0 deg.

0292

Reposted by Rafael Mentges

Thomas @thomasthefrench.eurosky.social · 15/09/2026

In the news, you will be happy to learn that the Kessler syndrome has started. It is not something rapidly growing like the gravity movie may suggest but a long trend but without active acting, the number of debris production is higher than the natural removal rate. www.esa.int/Space_Safety...

esa.int

ESA Space Environment Report 2026

12611

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Interesting piece: The author argues that Europe should build on its existing strengths to become a trusted partner across key areas of space, bundling fragmented capabilities into a coherent European offer that strengthens its strategic position.

linkedin.com

The Day after the Paris Space Summit

What Europe Should Do Now in Space A contribution to the debate, written for the International Space Summit, Paris, 9–10 September 2026 As the world's spacefaring nations gather in Paris the recent da...

030

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Isar Aerospace is targeting its next launch as early as later this year. "In parallel with the development of the Spectrum rocket, the start-up built a factory geared towards serial production. The next five rockets are already at various stages of completion."

handelsblatt.com

Raumfahrt: Isar Aerospace strebt nächsten Start noch in diesem Jahr an

Erst vor wenigen Tagen schaffte es die Rakete des Münchener Start-ups in den Orbit. Jetzt könnte der nächste Start schon bald bevorstehen.

120

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

I just found a 53-page CV. For example, it also listed every master thesis that was co-supervised by the person. Is that necessary in some fields? I think it is kind of good to keep track of what you have done but keep that for yourself, I would say.

000

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

A group of economists, policy makers and AI experts suggests a “Transformative AI” strategy for Europe. It sets out five goals of the highest urgency:

transformative-ai.eu

A Transformative AI Strategy for Europe

100

Reposted by Rafael Mentges

KosmicKris @kosmickris.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

This is actually not a bad strategy. As always, it's not really about the strategy anyway, it's about the money. But good to see SSA/SDA as a core element.

031

Reposted by Rafael Mentges

Teresa Ribera @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu · 13/09/2026

Joseph Stiglitz’s pillars for a progressive AI agenda for the economy: First one is competition policy. Second one is regulation & accountability. The most important (third) one: using the increased productivity to create a better society — to get what we value. 💪 www.ft.com/content/49c0...

ft.com

Joseph Stiglitz’s ‘progressive AI agenda’ for the economy

A slow rollout will disappoint investors. A fast one risks undermining the industry’s own foundations. But managed carefully, this technology could benefit us all

02612

Reposted by Rafael Mentges

Andrew Parsonson @andrewparsonson.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Avio has completed integration of its FD1 rocket demonstrator ahead of ground testing and a planned suborbital flight from Sardinia. europeanspaceflight.com/avio-complet...

europeanspaceflight.com

Avio Completes Integration of FD1 Rocket Demonstrator - European Spaceflight

Avio has completed integration of its FD1 rocket demonstrator ahead of ground testing and a planned suborbital flight from Sardinia.

1256

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

"On the sidelines of the summit, space companies from around the world announced billions in new partnerships and investments, but the big get-together fell short of the public funding announcements needed to access space without U.S. help."

politico.eu

Macron’s space summit showed Europe isn’t ready for takeoff without the US

The two-day gathering in Paris left some participants disappointed.

000

Rafael Mentges @mentges.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Interesting piece on high risk investments including in space companies. "Excluding the giant sums ploughed into AI start-ups, global investment in “deep tech" has exceeded $150bn since the start of 2024, more than the $133bn in the entire decade to the end of 2019, according to Dealroom."

giftarticle.ft.com

Moonshot capitalism: AI rewrites the venture capital playbook

Tech investors are rediscovering the kind of long-shot sci-fi bets that helped build Silicon Valley

130