Virgin Orbit formally enters bankruptcy, seeking a buyer
Branson further cements his position as a "senior" creditor. Enlarge / LauncherOne arrives on the runway at Long Beach Airport for a fit check with Cosmic Girl in October 2018. (credit: Virgin Orbit/Greg Robinson) Virgin.....»»
SpaceX got the fanfare, but Boeing’s first crew flight is still historic
Ars spoke with the three Americans alive who have test-flown a new spacecraft in orbit. Enlarge / Astronauts Suni Williams (left) and Butch Wilmore (right) inside a Starliner simulator at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. (.....»»
Two small NASA satellites will measure soil moisture, volcanic gases
Two NASA pathfinding missions were recently deployed into low-Earth orbit, where they are demonstrating novel technologies for observing atmospheric gases, measuring freshwater, and even detecting signs of potential volcanic eruptions......»»
Apple will protect indie developers in Europe from the bankruptcy risk of DMA changes
While Europe’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) antitrust law forced Apple to allow developers to sell apps outside the company’s own App Store, there were a number of potential problems with the company’s terms and conditions – not least of which i.....»»
AI hardware is like trying to invent the iPod after the iPhone
For some reason which utterly eludes me, 2024 seems to be the year of AI hardware. We’ve had the Humane AI Pin, the Rabbit R1, and even former Apple design chief Jony Ive reportedly seeking a billion-dollar bet for his own attempt. Reviews of Hu.....»»
New space company seeks to solve orbital mobility with high delta-v spacecraft
"If we’re going to have a true space economy, that means logistics and supply services." Enlarge / What a Supernova spacecraft might look like in orbit. (credit: Portal Space Systems) Over the course of the last seven.....»»
Researchers suggest that mechanical pressure triggers a key event in HIV infection
It has been more than 40 years since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and scientists still don't fully understand how HIV enters and replicates in human cells, which has hindered the development of treatments......»»
NASA lays out how SpaceX will refuel Starships in low-Earth orbit
"The fundamental flow mechanism is the pressure delta across the umbilical." Enlarge / Artist's illustration of two Starships docked belly-to-belly in orbit. (credit: SpaceX) Some time next year, NASA believes SpaceX wi.....»»
The planetary orbit in Netflix"s "3 Body Problem" is random and chaotic, but could it exist?
I first encountered the three-body problem 60 years ago, in a short story called "Placet is a Crazy Place" by American science fiction writer Frederic Brown......»»
5 great Bill Skarsgård movies you should check out
Bill Skarsgård will dominate this year with three high-profile releases, but if you're seeking other films that he stars in, look no further than these gems......»»
Biden signs TikTok bill into law as Chinese firm threatens legal action
President Biden has now formally signed the bill that means TikTok owner ByteDance must sell the platform, or face being banned in the US from 2025.TikTok could be banned in the US from 2025As expected following the Senate's passing of the combinatio.....»»
China to send three astronauts to Tiangong space station, part of its ambitious program
China's space agency is making final preparations to send the Shenzhou-18 crew into low-Earth orbit on Thursday as part of its ambitious space program that aims to put people on the moon by 2030......»»
Fisker appoints chief restructuring officer after missing payment to noteholder
Fisker said in its 2023 annual report that it may have to file for bankruptcy protection within 30 days if it does not get relief from its creditors. A forbearance agreement with one noteholder expires May 1......»»
NASA to overhaul mission returning samples from Mars—here"s why it must and will go ahead
NASA recently announced that it is seeking new ways to complete the return to Earth of rock cores drilled by the Perseverance Rover in the Jezero Crater on Mars. This has led to some anxiety among space scientists, who view the Mars Sample Return (MS.....»»
Consumer Reports: 4 of 5 least expensive car brands to maintain are American
Car ownership costs can go far beyond what consumers pay for a vehicle. A key question is whether customers can afford the drip, drip, drip of maintenance and repairs as their vehicle gets older. Consumer Reports, seeking to understand how costs i.....»»
Mojave desert tortoise officially joins California"s endangered list
The California Fish and Game Commission has formally recognized the Mojave desert tortoise as endangered......»»
It Looks like Apple’s Given up on its Fabric Cases
Well, that was quick. The post It Looks like Apple’s Given up on its Fabric Cases appeared first on Phandroid. Following countless buyer complaints that its new “eco-friendly” iPhone cases weren’t the best in terms.....»»
NASA may alter Artemis III to have Starship and Orion dock in low-Earth orbit
If it were to happen, a revised Artemis III mission could echo Apollo 9. Enlarge / This image taken by NASA's Orion spacecraft shows its view just before the vehicle flew behind the Moon in 2022. (credit: NASA) Although.....»»
Astronauts to patch up NASA"s NICER telescope
NASA is planning to repair NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer), an X-ray telescope on the International Space Station, during a spacewalk later this year. It will be the fourth science observatory in orbit serviced by astronauts......»»
NASA needs a new approach for its challenging Mars Sample Return mission
NASA is seeking new ideas for its Mars Sample Return mission after admitting that its previous plan to bring samples from Mars back to Earth was too ambitious......»»
Starliner spacecraft just took a major step toward first crewed flight
Boeing has stacked the Starliner spacecraft atop an Atlas V rocket ahead of the capsule's first crewed flight to orbit next month......»»