Tag Archives: preparation

NASA Gears Up for ‘Wet Dress Rehearsal’ in Preparation for Artemis II Moon Launch

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As NASA gears up for the highly anticipated Artemis II mission, the space agency is preparing for a crucial test that will determine the readiness of its powerful Moon rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS).

This essential “wet dress rehearsal” simulates a full launch day, allowing engineers to fill the SLS rocket with fuel and perform all launch operations up to 30 seconds before liftoff, mimicking real mission conditions.

The results of this rehearsal will be instrumental for engineers and mission managers to evaluate the booster’s performance and overall readiness for the Artemis II mission.

Set to launch by Sunday, Artemis II will embark on a groundbreaking 10-day mission, taking four astronauts farther from Earth than any humans have ventured before.

However, the actual launch date will heavily rely on the outcomes from the wet dress rehearsal.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will hold a press conference with the Artemis II crew on January 17th at Kennedy Space Center.
Joe Radle/Getty Images

“We’ll take some time to review the data and prepare for launch,” stated Artemis launch director Charlie Blackwell Thompson during last month’s press conference.

If the rehearsal proceeds without issues, NASA could announce a targeted launch date in a matter of days. Conversely, any problems could lead to mission delays.

Engineers and mission managers will execute a countdown to the mock launch scheduled for 9 PM ET on Monday. Over 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellant will be loaded into the SLS in the hours leading up to the test, with NASA planning to livestream this crucial process. For more information, check out the Artemis Rocket 24/7 Live Stream at the launch pad.

As part of the rehearsal, mission managers will simulate the countdown several times during the final 10 minutes, which will provide essential data on the rocket’s systems, including an automated control that engages 30 seconds prior to launch.

Artemis II marks NASA’s second mission using the Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule, with this being the inaugural crewed flight—a pivotal step toward NASA’s goal of returning astronauts to the lunar surface.

The Artemis II crew consists of NASA astronauts Reed Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who have been in isolation at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to ensure they remain healthy prior to the mission.

On January 17, NASA successfully positioned the Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion capsule at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The agency initially planned a wet dress rehearsal for Saturday but rescheduled due to unexpected cold weather across the Southeast and mid-Atlantic.

NASA’s Artemis II at Kennedy Space Center on January 17th.
Joe Radle/Getty Images

Due to the scheduling changes, NASA has eliminated the first two launch windows (Friday and Saturday) for this month, which ends on February 11th. If additional launch opportunities arise, slots may also be opened in March and April.

Ensuring a successful wet dress rehearsal is crucial for a smooth launch this month.

Should issues arise during testing, NASA may need to return the rocket to the vehicle assembly building, reminiscent of the six-month delay faced by Artemis I’s unmanned lunar orbit flight after a hydrogen leak was detected during its initial wet dress rehearsal.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Barrister Discovers AI Assistance in Hearing Preparation After Referencing ‘Hypothetical’ Case

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A judge discovered that an immigration barrister had utilized AI for his court proceedings by referencing “completely fabricated” or “entirely irrelevant” cases.

Chaudhry Rahman was reported to have employed tools like ChatGPT in preparing for legal inquiries, as presented in court. It was revealed that Rahman not only relied on AI for his preparations but also “failed to perform necessary accuracy checks” on his work.

Superior Court Judge Mark Blundell stated that Rahman attempted to obscure his use of AI, effectively “wasting” the court’s time. Blundell indicated he might report Rahman to the Bar Standards Board. The Guardian has reached out to Rahman’s firm for a response.

This situation emerged during the case involving two Honduran sisters seeking asylum due to threats from criminal groups in their homeland. Rahman represented the sisters, aged 29 and 35, and the matter progressed to Superior Court.

Mr. Blundell dismissed Mr. Rahman’s claims, asserting: “Nothing articulated by Mr. Rahman, either verbally or in writing, indicates any legal error by the judge, and the appeal should be rejected.”

In an exceptional statement, Blundell later noted there were “significant issues” with the appeal’s grounds as presented to him.

He remarked that Rahman’s documentation referenced 12 authorities, but upon reviewing the evidence, he discovered that “some of these authorities did not exist, while others did not substantiate the legal claims made in the evidence.”

In his ruling, he enumerated 10 such instances and clarified “what Mr. Rahman claimed regarding those incidents, whether real or hypothetical.”

Mr. Blundell remarked: “Mr. Rahman appeared to lack any knowledge of the authorities cited in the appeal, which were purportedly resolved in July of this year. It was evident he did not intend to accept my views on any of the judgments submitted.”

“Certain decisions were nonexistent. Not a single decision supported the legal proposition presented in the basis.”

Mr. Blundell pointed out that Mr. Rahman’s assertion of using “various websites” for his research was thus deceptive.

Blundell asserted: “The most plausible explanation…is that the appeal grounds were drafted, wholly or partly, by generative artificial intelligence like ChatGPT.”

“I am acutely aware that one of the cases mentioned in Mr. Rahman’s appeal was recently misapplied by ChatGPT to endorse a similar argument.”

Rahman explained to the judge that the discrepancies in his rationale were “a consequence of his drafting style” and admitted there might have been some “confusion and ambiguity” in his submission.

Mr. Blundell stated: “The issue I’ve outlined is not merely a matter of drafting style. The authorities referenced in the rationale either did not exist or failed to support that rationale.”

He added: “In my opinion, it is overwhelmingly probable that Mr. Rahman employed generative artificial intelligence to formulate his grounds of appeal in this case and endeavored to conceal that from me during the hearing.”

“Even if Mr. Rahman believed, for any reason, that these cases somehow bolstered the argument he intended to present, he cannot justify the entirely fictitious citations.”

“In my view, the only plausible scenario is that Mr. Rahman heavily relied on AI generation while preparing his evidence and sought to hide that fact during discussions with me at the hearing.”

The judge’s ruling was issued in September and made public on Tuesday.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Futurist Adam Dorobot on AI: ‘Preparation Won’t Take Long, But It Will Be Turbulent’

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IF Adam Dorr is right, robots and artificial intelligence may soon dominate the global economy, effectively displacing humanity from the workforce. Social scientists also foresee a drastic, rapid, and relentless tech transformation, likely rendering most human jobs obsolete within the next two decades.

Dorr leads a team of researchers studying technological change over millennia and predicts that by 2045 not only will the labor market be shaken, but even horses, in a metaphorical sense, will be affected. “In the realm of technology, we’ve become the next targets. That’s our labor we’re discussing.”

Whatever your profession, machines will soon be able to perform those tasks. “Costs have continually decreased, and capabilities have continually improved. I’ve observed this trend before. If you can achieve the same results for less, the switch becomes inevitable. We are akin to horses, and to traditional film cameras.”

Adam Dorr: “We’re horses, we’re movie cameras.” Photo: Andrew Watchhorn Photography

Dorr, 48, is a technology theorist with a PhD in Public Service from UCLA. He leads Rethinkx, a nonprofit focused on analyzing and forecasting technological disruptions, primarily established and funded by tech entrepreneurs James Albib and Tony Seba.

In a conversation with the Guardian, Dorr discussed his recent visit to Ireland for the Dargan Forum, a two-day event in Dún Laoghaire, South Dublin, that emphasized green and digital transitions.

Dorr combined his foreboding forecasts, asserting that humanoid robots equipped with advanced AI are poised to permeate nearly every industry, leaving humans unable to compete. This situation will lead to increased inequality and extreme societal divides.

The pace of this transition is faster than most anticipate, according to Dorr. “We’ve tracked over 1,500 instances of technological change throughout history. Our theoretical framework has revealed consistent patterns occurring repeatedly.”

When new technologies capture even a slight percentage of market share or public attention, they tend to quickly gain overwhelming dominance within 15 to 20 years. This indicates that both robots and AI could soon eradicate human labor, as Dorr claims.

“The machines we envision are expanding daily, and we have limited time to brace ourselves for this. Turbulence is unavoidable.”

Some sectors allow for fruitful human-robot collaboration, reminiscent of chess grandmasters working alongside chess programs, but Dorr believes such coexistence is becoming less viable.

While roles that depend on human judgment, like sports coaches, politicians, sex workers, and ethicists, may still exist, these too face fierce competition from machines. “There will always be some niche areas for human labor, but the reality is we aren’t close to enough job opportunities to employ 4 billion people.”

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As traditional institutions may no longer serve their intended purposes, Dorr emphasizes the urgent need for society to create new guidelines and reassess concepts like value, pricing, and distribution. “I don’t have the answers. I’m not even sure if I’m asking the right questions. What I do know is that we must experiment with new ownership models and stakeholder structures.”

Adam Dorr at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin; Photo: Andrew Watchhorn Photography

He is the author of the book *Bright: The Future of Optimism, Progress, and Environmentalism*, which envisions a future of sustainability and hope. He recognizes the risks of economic disruption, rising populist sentiments, and misinformation, yet he insists this evolution is inevitable. The potential for productivity gains and abundance is staggering, and by emulating models like open-source software, equitable distribution can be achievable. “This could be one of humanity’s most significant transformations to date.”

While past futurists anticipated an era of leisure but missed the mark, current insights suggest that such a transformation may actually be on the horizon, with a smaller segment of society, previously unengaged in work, offering guidance on how to fill their time.

“We can draw comparisons with affluent individuals who seem directionless and possibly unhappy, while others find ways to lead meaningful and purposeful lives. I believe our connections with friends, family, and community play a crucial role in this fulfillment.

Source: www.theguardian.com

NASCAR Reveals Electric Race Car Prototype in Preparation for Chicago Street Race

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NASCAR introduced a prototype electric race car over the weekend as part of their initiative to reduce emissions and electrify the sport.

This move represents a major step towards sustainability, which may seem contradictory to the traditional roots of stock car racing, but it is in line with NASCAR’s long-term goal of achieving net-zero operational emissions by 2035.

The debut of the vehicle is a result of a partnership with electrification and automation company ABB. NASCAR Chicago Street Race.

The ABB NASCAR EV Prototype, developed in collaboration with Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota, is an electric stock car capable of generating a peak output of 1,000 kW (1,341 horsepower). Equipped with a regenerative braking system, the race car converts kinetic energy from braking into electricity, similar to many existing hybrid and fully electric vehicles.

Officials at ABB highlighted that NASCAR’s efforts to decarbonize and reduce carbon emissions align with the broader energy transition happening in the United States.

Chris Sigas, U.S. public affairs director for ABB, expressed, “This partnership provides us with a platform to address issues impacting our nation and the direction we are collectively moving towards.”

While there are no immediate plans to phase out internal combustion engines from stock car racing, there is potential to explore high-performance electric cars for racing, as per sources.

Both organizations will collaborate to identify areas within NASCAR racing, specific race tracks, office operations, and long-haul transportation that can transition to electrification.

Sigas added, “We will evaluate all aspects of their operations – from long-haul trucking to golf carts on the track to EV charging stations. This multi-year partnership serves as an opportunity to showcase not just NASCAR but companies nationwide on how they can enhance their sustainability efforts.”

In the previous year, NASCAR committed to achieving net-zero emissions from operations by 2035 This commitment includes prioritizing 100% renewable electricity at owned race tracks and NASCAR facilities, expanding on-site EV charging stations, and developing sustainable race fuels.

Eric Nyquist, NASCAR senior vice president, stated in a release that the collaboration with ABB will support their endeavors to decarbonize operations and work towards achieving net-zero emissions in the next decade.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Preparation in the United States for a possible avian influenza outbreak

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Dairy cows on a farm in the US

Shutterstock / Roman Melnyk

The avian influenza virus continues to spread among dairy cows in the United States, and the country’s health authorities are actively preparing for possible spread to humans.

“risk [of bird flu] “While the current rate remains low, we continue to be strongly prepared as new data becomes available,” Vivian Dugan of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said at a meeting of health officials on April 25. Stated.

The first priority is tracking the spread of the virus. So far, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed the H5N1 avian influenza virus subtype in dairy cows. 33 farms across 8 statessix cats on farms in three of those states.

Genetic sequencing has shown that out of 260 samples taken from sick dairy cows, only one has a mutation that suggests H5N1 is adapted to infect mammals, he said. Rosemary Chiffod At the Department of Agriculture during a meeting. However, this marker has been previously observed in other diseased mammals and did not affect the ability of the virus to transmit between mammals. Furthermore, her other 10 samples from the same herd from which this sample was collected did not have the same mutation.

“It hasn’t changed much and remains an avian virus…in other words, it hasn’t become an avian virus. [cow] It’s a virus,” Sifford said.

According to data presented at the meeting, the CDC tested 23 people who had close contact with the animals for the virus. Only one person tested positive, a dairy worker in Texas whose only symptom was bloodshot eyes. To increase testing capacity, the CDC recently increased funding to genetic sequencing centers in six states, Dugan said.

Another important measure being taken is to ensure the security of the milk supply in the United States. Milk from infected cows contains large amounts of the virus. Although milk from sick animals should not enter the milk supply, initial testing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that: 1 in 5 milk samples Contains genetic signatures of avian influenza.

“Importantly, this does not mean the sample contains intact infectious virus.” donald prater At the FDA. The test method used detects any genetic material, including dead virus.

Most milk sold in the United States is pasteurized, a process that uses high heat to kill pathogens. Although no studies have evaluated the effectiveness of pasteurization against H5N1, research on similar influenza viruses suggests it may be effective, Prater said. This is why people should avoid consuming or touching raw dairy products.

Two vaccine candidates against H5N1 are also under development. Initial testing by the CDC showed both to be effective in laboratory tests on current strains of cattle, Dugan said.

As part of pre-established procedures, the US Office of Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) said it is stockpiling supplies for the avian influenza vaccine. david boucher At the ASPR conference. This involves producing a part of the vaccine called an antigen that triggers an immune response to the virus. He said ASPR and its commercial partners have already filled hundreds of thousands of bottles of H5N1 vaccine and can quickly supply it for clinical trials or emergency use if needed.

“Based on the CDC’s current situational risks, vaccination is not a necessary tool at this time. But we want to be prepared in case the situation changes,” Boucher said. Enough material is also stockpiled to produce 10 million more doses. And ASPR has contracts with vaccine manufacturers to further increase production as needed.

“If we need to pull any of these levers, we are ready to do so,” Boucher said.

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Source: www.newscientist.com