I’m Nell Ward, a technical writer based in Sheffield. Before writing full-time, I worked in instrumentation, mostly with sensors and test equipment.
This notebook is where I work through questions that deserve more space than a passing mention in a mission announcement. How much battery does a lunar night need? Where does a spacecraft lose heat? What does an extra watt buy you?
What I cover
Most entries concern power systems, thermal control and the practical business of keeping instruments running. The archive also has a few shorter notes from the workbench.
I try to show the calculation, state the assumptions and link to the original documentation. A planned launch, a laboratory test and a result from a working spacecraft are different things; the writing should make that clear.
Away from the desk
I walk in the Peak District when I can, collect old repair manuals, and have a paper model of Juno taking up rather more shelf space than expected.
Correspondence
For corrections, please include the article title, the passage in question and a reference I can check.
For new entries, subscribe to the feed. Everything published so far is in the archive.