Broadcast television audio mixer and video engineer // Rocket launch livestream producer @erdayastronaut
North Carolina, USA
Joined February 2014
- Tweets1.4K
- Following183
- Followers1.4K
- Likes10.6K
Andrew Taylor retweeted
Super fun seeing myself in "To The Black", a full documentary about @FireflySpace's first launch! It's an amazing behind the scenes look that's well worth the watch!! amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B…
Andrew Taylor retweeted
Aalo means “the light.”
I grew up studying by candlelight. On July 4th we brought a new reactor to life in the Idaho desert.
Our mission is nuclear electricity at three cents a kilowatt-hour. It might take 30 years. Nothing in physics says it’s impossible.
We won’t stop until nuclear is cheap and everywhere, until no child anywhere has to study by candlelight the way I did.
The Second Atomic Age has begun. Let’s make sure this one is here to stay.
Andrew Taylor retweeted
Aalo Atomics brought a commercial-scale advanced reactor to initial criticality on July 4, 2026 at 12:20 AM (MT).
This means the President’s goal of at least three criticalities by July 4 has been surpassed, making "4 by the 4th" a reality.
Read more ⬇️
Andrew Taylor retweeted
Salute to DOE-Idaho Operations Office, the unsung heroes of the Reactor Pilot Program.
Behind every reactor that reached criticality in this program is a small team at the DOE Idaho Operations Office that quietly cleared the path- not just for us, but for everyone. They rewrote orders and standards to demonstrate how nuclear regulations, that had slowed nuclear down for decades, can be made efficient. They proved something the industry needed to see: the federal government can be an accelerant for new nuclear, not a brake.
That team is led by Bob Boston - the man, the myth, the legend, and a true American hero.
I also want to express immense gratitude to Idaho National Laboratory for the leadership and unconditional support that carried us across the finish line. It's why INL has earned its name as the Silicon Valley of nuclear.
To @GovNuclear and @INL together: you proved you can move fast and be safe at the same time. This milestone is as much yours as it is ours, and we share it with you proudly
Andrew Taylor retweeted
Today at the Aalo-X campus, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright signed the approval to turn on the Aalo-X Critical Test Reactor (CTR).
This authorizes Aalo to handle and use nuclear material having assured adequate protection of workers, the public, and the environment.
This is the final regulatory step to enable reactor start-up. We thank DOE-ID and INL for their instrumental support. ⚡
Andrew Taylor retweeted
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has just signed the approval to turn on our first nuclear reactor at the Aalo-X site.
And he did the signing live in person!
We can now begin to load fuel. It will take a few days—this is a big reactor— but we are on pace to achieve criticality before July 4th.
Thanks again to DOE and INL for their incredible support over the past few months.
More announcements soon!
Andrew Taylor retweeted
I recognize some of these people! Jealous I couldn’t be there! It was a great stream!
Andrew Taylor retweeted
It was an absolute pleasure getting to be in this room for such a historic moment. Even video this great still doesn’t fully tell the amazing story of everyone in that room that built the greatest company in the world. Grateful to play a small part.
-Ad Astra #SpaceX
Andrew Taylor retweeted
Yeah Wemby is good and everything, but he’s not the only ridiculously skilled person in this arena 🤯
Andrew Taylor retweeted
Starship flight 12 is NET 5/19.
You know what that means @Erdayastronaut
Andrew Taylor retweeted
We’re halfway there.
At the time of posting this, the Artemis II mission is about halfway to the Moon. When the astronauts arrive, they will conduct a lunar flyby and collect scientific observations of the Moon’s surface.
ALT The gray Moon can be seen in the vast distance against the blackness of space. A partial view of the white Orion spacecraft can be glimpsed on the left side of the image. One of its paneled solar array extends into the center bottom of the image. Credit: NASA
Andrew Taylor retweeted
I don't think there is anyone on the planet who has done more live rocket broadcasts than me. I literally have done *hundreds* of them over the last 18 years. And some of the largest launch broadcasts on the planet too! I say this not to brag, but to convey a level of expertise in launch broadcasts that I think few, if any, can beat. Ok, maybe brag a little 👸
I know a lot of people were not super happy with NASA's coverage, specifically at liftoff. But man, let me tell you... As someone who has done hundreds of these... IT IS FREAKING HARD! I have personally had bad liftoff sequences too. It happens. And it sucks. And I hated it when I did that. To me. And to you.
It is hard to convey just how complex liftoff is during a broadcast. It is a moment in time where nearly every view is available, but very few are viable. You never truly know which ones will be viable either, so it's a guessing game and a bit of luck. You have to scan through to find the shots that work, but you only have *seconds* to do this. Seconds.
I have learned over the years that a technical director (vision mixer) needs an A and B plan for liftoff. Generally engines -> pass through -> medium -> wide -> super wide -> track scope -> track spot for the A plan. The B plan is usually far easier with engines -> wide -> super wide -> track scope. The switcher control surface needs to be set up to execute these plans extremely quickly. And even if you do all of this, a gust of wind blowing smoke the wrong way can foil the best of plans. It. Is. Hard.
I hear ya all, but let's cut NASA some slack here. They have amazing people working the launch. They have many people they need to support in their broadcast including the media, schools, NASA employees, government officials, and the public. It is like getting pulled in a billion different ways all at once.
Was liftoff coverage epic? No. I mean, it just wasn't. Will they learn from this and make Artemis III better? I believe they will. I know the people working these things, and they are great. Don't let one launch paint a bad picture here.
There is enough space for everyone. If you didn't like NASA's coverage, then @NASASpaceflight, @TLPN_Official, @Erdayastronaut, @SpaceflightNow and more had other, amazing options that may suit your tastes better. We live in a time where you have incredible options. It's awesome and exciting.
Oh, and WE HAVE FOUR HUMANS GOING TO THE MOON RIGHT NOW! Lets be excited about that instead!
Huge thank you to @PhotonEmpress for taking the helm of our @Erdayastronaut Artemis II stream. I was able to step out of the production trailer at liftoff and watch with my own eyes! Excuse the questionable camera work… @considercosmos had that on lock anyways.
