Maybe because HN is usually geared towards "programmers" rather than "artists", but asking for a (free?) download of full-res versions of a photographers photos is a bit like asking a developer who is publishing commercial desktop software for the source code of the program :)
Maybe at least ask to be able to pay for a high resolution version (not just printed), I know I'd be interested in that too!
Maybe the only way is to screenshot the Project Hail Mary credits when it comes to streaming.
It sure sounds like you value his work at less than a dollar per image. The desktop-background market may not be something he's interested in.
> Maybe the only way is to screenshot the Project Hail Mary credits when it comes to streaming.
...and this may be the reason he's not interested in the desktop background market. You make a single sale, and the image is trivially reproduced. Doing it for pennies is not a winning proposition; prints have better margins.
If you want pretty and free nebula pictures, you can have Generative AI make as many as you like - if you want his work: you'll have to abide by his terms.