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Spacefaring Digest 2022.01

Monica Hernandez

Jan 21, 2022 • 4 min read

Happy New Year! 💫💫 May this find you healthy and happy. I’m excited to have you as a supporter in this blogging, content creation, and production journey. Your financial support enables and inspires what I do.

Early this January, I’ve moved to Florida’s Space Coast (Titusville) near Cape Canaveral. Titusville is a laid-back, low-key historic city where many former astronauts, engineers, and space professionals live. I’m still trying to figure many things out (for instance, where I can find suitable and affordable furniture!😂). Still, I can watch the rocket launches across the Indian River Lagoon, which the indigenous peoples used for transportation and nourishment a long time ago.

Indian River Lagoon at sunset. Full Moon on the left and Cape Canaveral launchpad on the right. — “At Titusville” by Moni. 2022.

I hope to connect over time with a growing local space ecosystem and use this opportunity to continue bringing you in-depth research and commentary that doesn’t make it to the mainstream.

In the meantime, my excellent editor (Thank you, Tiffany 🙏) suggested I explain the guiding principles and ethics that make MONI-07B different. So, I’ve created an Ethos page and emphasized some of this messaging in About.

As some of you know, it genuinely concerns me that surveillance, tracking, targeted advertising, and data mining occur while “free/paid content” is accessed on numerous popular websites. The current ad-tech web model, which has sold us freemium content, has transformed itself into something bizarre and creepy. Why are cookies tracking me long after I leave a website? Why are there tracking pixels in newsletters and promotional emails that spy on my mail? Why is my information shared or sold to third parties and affiliates? 🤔

I’ve also noticed many so-called “independent” news hubs about space essentially re-publish the same information, leaving many exciting advancements out of focus. Furthermore, if these platforms also publish “sponsored” content and allow company advertising, how is the content genuinely independent?

What this means is that MONI-07B seeks to go against the herd, which is why I like to use the descriptors “niche” and “divergent,” but more importantly, it is a reflection of what I think is wrong with the current ad-tech web model and what also inspired me to go indie in the first place. Many might not care about these issues as long as they can access something quickly. Others might not be as informed. Still, privacy, independence, and transparency are core values that I want to protect.

As I’m thinking about new topics that advance the industry, research new angles, capture intriguing photographs, and reach out to indie artists to continue building MONI-07B, I wanted to mention that word-of-mouth is the most potent source of referral. Thanks to direct referrals, I’m proud to say that supporters have subscribed to MONI-07B. This dynamic is important because it proves a different way to do business and publish indie content. I’ve already started connecting with indie game designers, musicians, and filmmakers worldwide to explore novel possibilities, so an increased subscription base will allow me to push more boundaries.

Please share your testimonial with others. Invite your friends. Encourage your colleagues to choose what’s niche and different. Let’s show that community-driven transparency and protection of independent thinking online matter for the space industry.

Privacy, independence, thanks to you

I’m sharing January 2022’s new blog post. It’s thoughtful, deep, and juicy.

Also, a supporter and prolific artist and musician, Alexandre Perotto (Brazil), created and curated a Spotify playlist 🎧🎧 titled: “MONI-07B SOUNDSCAPES” to accompany your reading. 🤩

Friendly reminder 💭: The Spacefaring Digest arrives in your Inbox every third Friday of the month with new content.