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Category: space travel – Page 58

The launch was delayed twice this month due to weather and technical issues.

SpaceX did not show any footage of the X-37B separating from the rocket’s second stage, as the mission was shrouded in secrecy. The X-37B, which looks like a miniature version of the space shuttle, is an autonomous reusable vehicle that can stay in orbit for years, performing various experiments and maneuvers. It is operated by the Air Force in partnership with the Space Force and built by Boeing. There are two X-37B spacecraft in the fleet, and they have flown six missions since 2010.

Standing by for launch of USSF-52 and the X-37B mission this evening using a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket at Kennedy Space Center! #SpaceSystemsCommand #USSF #PartnersInSpace pic.twitter.com/eraa6dwqix — Space Systems Command (@USSF_SSC) December 28, 2023

The X-37B had previously been launched on United Launch Alliance’s Atlas 5 rocket five times and on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket once. SpaceX won a $130 million contract in June 2018 to launch the OTV-7 mission on the Falcon Heavy, which can deliver heavier and larger payloads to higher orbits than the other rockets.

Continue reading “SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy sends the secret X-37B to orbit for seventh flight” | >

The robot is being developed to offer an helping hand to astronauts, designed to operate in hostile and hazardous conditions in space.

NASA’s first bipedal humanoid robot, Valkyrie, is undergoing a few of its final testing phases at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

A humanoid, much like Iron Man but constructed from metal and electronics, mimics human walking and appearance. Designed for a diverse array of functions, NASA is exploring if such machines can further space exploration, starting with the Artemis mission, according to Reuters.

Valkyrie, named after a prominent female figure in Norse mythology, commands attention with her formidable presence. Standing at 6 feet 2 inches (188 centimeters) and weighing 300 pounds (136 kilograms), NASA is an electric humanoid robot capable of operating in degraded or damaged human-engineered environments.

Continue reading “Meet Valkyrie, NASA’s humanoid robot enters advanced stages of testing” | >

Did you know that Einstein’s most important equation isn’t E=mc^2? Find out all about his equation that expresses how spacetime curves, with Sean Carroll.

Buy Sean’s book here: https://geni.us/AIAOUHn.
YouTube channel members can watch the Q&A for this lecture here: • Q&A: The secrets of Einstein’s unknow…

Become one of our YouTube members for early, ad-free access to our videos, and other perks: / @theroyalinstitution.

This lecture was recorded at the Ri on Monday 14 August 2023.

Continue reading “The secrets of Einstein’s unknown equation — with Sean Carroll” | >

Japan’s space agency announced Thursday it will launch its next-generation H3 rocket in February after two failed attempts early this year.

The rocket, billed as a flexible and cost-effective new flagship, is scheduled to lift off between 9:22 am and 1:06 pm (0022 and 406 GMT) on February 15 from the southern island of Tanegashima, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said in a press release.

The third launch attempt comes after the spacecraft was forced to self-destruct in March when the command center concluded its mission could not succeed.

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One of the hardest things for many people to conceptualize when talking about how fast something is going is that they must ask, “Compared to what?” All motion only makes sense from a frame of reference, and many spacecraft traveling in the depths of the void lack any regular reference from which to understand how fast they’re going.

There have been several different techniques to try to solve this problem, but one of the ones that have been in development the longest is StarNAV—a way to navigate in space using only the stars.

Several projects named “StarNAV” seem to be ongoing at various stages of development, including a NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts grant for some researchers on the East Coast of the US and a small start-up company based on technology out of UC Irvine. In this case, we’ll look at the work done by the researchers, particularly a paper they released last year detailing some progress toward a prototype.

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The specifics of the funding round are yet to be finalized.

In the early stages of this process, discussions have taken place with potential investors, as per a report by Bloomberg. However, specific details such as the terms, valuation, and timing of the funding round are still being worked out and may undergo changes.

OpenAI in talks to raise fresh funding

The hottest startup in Silicon Valley has already raised about $13 billion from Microsoft. OpenAI’s upward growth trajectory is in tandem with the artificial intelligence boom brought on by ChatGPT last year.

Continue reading “OpenAI eyes to be 0 billion firm, tailing Elon Musk’s SpaceX closely” | >