NASA is set to roll out a massive 322-foot-tall rocket towards its launch pad this Saturday, a crucial milestone in the preparation for its highly anticipated Artemis II mission, which aims to send four astronauts around the moon.
The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will transport the Orion capsule containing the astronauts, beginning its slow four-mile trek from NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7 a.m. ET. Viewers can catch the event, known as the “rollout,” live on NASA’s YouTube channel.
This event marks the beginning of essential tests and rehearsals that will pave the way for the first manned flight to the moon in over 50 years. Artemis II is tentatively scheduled for launch between February 6 and 11, with additional windows available in March and April.
The rollout is a critical phase for mission managers as they assess the rocket’s health and safety prior to setting a formal launch date.
“These are the kind of days we are living in,” stated John Honeycutt, chairman of the Artemis II mission management team, during a recent press conference.
Artemis II will feature a crew of four, including NASA astronauts Reed Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. They are scheduled to spend 10 days in space, initially orbiting Earth before heading into lunar orbit.
The deployment process is expected to take up to 12 hours. The Crawler Transporter, a giant mobile platform, will carry the 11 million-pound Artemis II rocket to NASA’s historic launch pad 39B, previously used in the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs.
NASA has indicated that the stacked rocket will move forward at a cautious pace, approximately 1 mile per hour.
Upon reaching the launch pad, preparations will begin for the essential launch day walkthrough, known as a wet dress rehearsal. This procedure includes refueling the rocket and conducting all standard protocols leading up to the T-29 second mark on the countdown, as detailed by Artemis launch director Charlie Blackwell Thompson.
“Launch day will closely mirror a wet dress rehearsal,” she explained. “The two main differences are sending our team to the pads and proceeding past the 29-second mark.”
This wet dress rehearsal serves as an opportunity for mission managers to evaluate the rocket’s systems in a real-world context while allowing engineers to identify any potential fuel leaks or technical issues.
If any problems arise, the rocket will be returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building for necessary repairs. However, if everything proceeds smoothly, NASA may soon announce a target launch date.
The Artemis II mission will serve as the most rigorous test yet for the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, marking the first time the system will carry a crew.
During their time in the Orion capsule, astronauts will test the spacecraft’s docking capabilities and life support systems while in orbit around both Earth and the Moon.
Success in this mission will establish a foundation for Artemis III, slated for 2027, aiming to land astronauts near the moon’s south pole.
Returning to the moon has emerged as a priority for the U.S. government, particularly amid a new space race with China, which aims to land its own astronauts on the Moon by 2030.
Witnessing the solar eclipse in Menan, Idaho in 2017
Natalie Behring/Getty Images
As the year comes to a close, I find joy in marking my calendar in anticipation of the astronomical events ahead. My highlights for 2026 include a lineup of planetary alignments, various eclipses, and the frequent meteor showers visible across both hemispheres, barring any special notes.
January continues with active solar flares, promising darkened skies in the Northern Hemisphere and ample chances to see the aurora borealis. The Quadrantids meteor shower will peak on January 3, but be aware that the full moon that night may hinder visibility of some of the dimmer meteors.
Throughout January, Jupiter will be shining brightly when it reaches opposition, situating it directly opposite the Sun from Earth’s perspective. This is an excellent opportunity to view this magnificent planet using binoculars or a telescope.
On February 28, you’ll have the chance to view a remarkable six-planet alignment, featuring Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter all visible together shortly after sunset.
A total lunar eclipse will grace parts of North and South America, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands on March 2 and 3. As the moon slips into Earth’s shadow, it will take on a darker, red hue, earning the title Blood Moon.
Noteworthy meteor showers on the calendar include the Lyrids peaking on April 22, the Perseids on August 12, the Leonids on November 17, and the Geminids on December 14.
Alongside these showers, don’t miss the total solar eclipse on August 12. Observers in select locations will see the moon blocking the sun entirely, reminiscent of the scene captured in Menan, Idaho, in 2017.
The totality phase, when the sun is completely obscured by the moon, can last up to 2 minutes and 18 seconds. This solar spectacle will be visible in northern Spain, the Balearic Islands, parts of Russia, Greenland, and Iceland, while a partial solar eclipse will be observable from many other regions worldwide. Following this, a partial lunar eclipse, or Blood Moon, is slated for August 28.
If you possess a powerful telescope, mark September 25 as the prime opportunity to observe Neptune, as it will be at its closest to Earth, fully illuminated by the Sun. Additionally, on October 4, Saturn reaches opposition, making it the optimal time for observing Saturn and its rings through small telescopes all night.
Concluding 2026 are two supermoons; the Beaver Moon on November 24 and another supermoon gracing the sky on Christmas Eve. Enjoy your stargazing experiences!
Simulated representation of satellite trails contaminating images from future space telescopes
NASA/Boruff, Markham, Howell
Should space companies proceed with plans to deploy hundreds of thousands of satellites, up to a third of the images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope may be compromised.
In the last five years alone, over 75% of the approximate 14,000 satellites now orbiting Earth have been launched, many as part of megaconstellations, notably Elon Musk’s Starlink. Proposals indicate that we could see the deployment of as many as 500,000 satellites by the end of the 2030s, according to submissions to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Astronomers have long raised concerns regarding the potential impact of these satellites on ground-based telescopes. However, research by Alejandro Borlaf and his team at NASA’s Ames Research Center indicates that space telescopes are at risk as well.
“A telescope in space benefits from an unblemished environment; there’s no atmosphere or city lights,” Borlaf explains. “For the first time, we’re facing the issue of a man-made object contaminating our observations. This discovery was startling.”
By analyzing filings from the FCC and the International Telecommunication Union, Borlaf’s team estimated the anticipated number of satellites and their orbits over the next decade. They simulated the effect of these satellites blocking observations from four space observatories, including Hubble and China’s Shuntian telescope, as well as the Arrakis dark matter telescope set to launch in 2030, and the already launched SPHEREx galaxy telescope.
The researchers found that if 560,000 satellites are launched as projected, Hubble photos may capture an average of two satellite orbits, while Xuntian images could have approximately 90 satellite orbits due to a broader field of view and orbital altitude.
They validated their simulations by demonstrating that with the existing number of satellites, 4% of Hubble’s images would be influenced by the trajectories of these satellites, consistent with analyses of actual images.
These predictions could materialize if satellite launches proceed as planned. According to John Valentine from Dark Sky Consulting, a Tucson-based firm, it’s uncertain how many satellites will ultimately launch. “Many experts believe that over the next 15 years, the number of operational satellites could stabilize between 50,000 and 100,000.”
If the final number turns out to be only a fraction of the proposed figures, Valentine suggests, the impact on space telescopes would be notably reduced. “The number of trajectories per image would increase only slightly for ARRACHIS and Xuntian, while remaining relatively unchanged for SPHEREx and HST.”
Researchers at the Southwest Research Institute have completed a study outlining how the proposed spacecraft could fly by interstellar comets, offering valuable insights into properties of these bodies throughout the solar system. Leveraging recent findings from interstellar comet 3i/Atlas, they explored mission concepts and concluded that the proposed spacecraft could potentially intercept and observe 3i/Atlas.
Hubble captured this image of 3i/Atlas when it was 446 million km (277 million miles) from Earth on July 21, 2025. Image credits: NASA/ESA/David Jewitt, UCLA/Joseph Depasquale, Stsci.
In 2017, interstellar object 1i/’oumuamua became the first interstellar comet identified within the solar system.
Following that, the second interstellar comet, 2i/Borisov, was discovered in 2019, and recently, 3i/Atlas was identified this year.
“These novel types of objects present the first true opportunity for humanity to closely examine bodies formed in other star systems,” said Dr. Alan Stern, a planetary scientist at the Southwest Research Institute.
“Flybys of interstellar comets could yield unparalleled insight into their composition, structure, and characteristics, significantly enhancing our understanding of the solid body formation process in diverse star systems.”
Scientists estimate that numerous interstellar objects from distant origins cross Earth’s orbit each year, with up to 10,000 potentially entering Neptune’s orbit in certain seasons.
Dr. Stern and colleagues tackled unique design challenges while defining the costs and payload requirements for interstellar comet missions.
The hyperbolic trajectories and high velocities of these bodies present challenges for current avoidance methods, but this study indicated that Flybee reconnaissance is both feasible and cost-effective.
“The trajectory of 3i/Atlas falls within the intermittent range of missions we designed, and the scientific observations taken during such flybys would be groundbreaking,” stated Dr. Matthew Freeman from the Southwest Institute.
“The proposed mission would involve a rapid, frontal flyby, allowing us to gather substantial valuable data while also serving as a blueprint for future missions to other interstellar comets.”
The research establishes a significant scientific objective for its mission targeting interstellar comets.
Understanding the physical characteristics of a body sheds light on its formation and evolution.
Investigating the composition of interstellar comets may aid in explaining their origins and how evolutionary forces have shaped them since their inception.
Another objective is to thoroughly examine the coma of an object, the escaping atmosphere emanating from its center.
To devise mission orbital options, researchers created software to generate representative synthetic populations of interstellar comets, calculating the minimum energy trajectories from Earth to each comet’s pathway.
Software analyses have indicated that low-energy rendezvous trajectories are achievable, often requiring fewer resources during launch and flight compared to other solar system missions.
Scientists utilized the software to determine the trajectory the proposed spacecraft may have taken from Earth to intercept 3i/Atlas.
They found that the mission could potentially have reached 3i/Atlas.
“It’s incredibly promising regarding the emergence of 3i/Atlas,” noted Dr. Mark Tapley, an orbital mechanics expert at the Southwest Research Institute.
“We have demonstrated that there’s no need to launch any existing technology or mission frameworks that NASA has already employed to engage these interstellar comets.”
A
as the saying goes, “On the Internet, Nobody knows you’re a dog.” Yet in Australia, various platforms—from search engines to social media and app stores—may require confirmation of your age.
The Albanese government proudly announced the introduction of a law that prohibits under-16s from using social media, set to take effect in December. However, the new industry code created in collaboration with high-tech experts and eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant may significantly influence how Australians navigate online.
Online services are implementing measures such as reviewing your account history, utilizing facial recognition age verification, and verifying age via bank cards. Identification documents, including driver licenses, will also be used to ensure compliance with the industry code effective since late June, and applicable to search engine logins starting in December.
The code mandates search engines to guarantee the age of all users. If an account holder is identified as under 18, the secure search function will activate, blocking access to adult content and other unsuitable material in search results.
Additionally, six more draft codes under consideration by the eSafety Commissioner will enforce similar age verification measures across various services regularly used by Australians.
Platforms that host or facilitate access to content like pornography, self-harming material, simulated violence, or any highly inappropriate content for minors must implement restrictions to prevent child access.
Last month, Inman Grant addressed the National Press Club, emphasizing the necessity for regulations to ensure child safety in all online spaces.
“It is vital to adopt a layered safety strategy that assigns responsibility and accountability to key chokepoints within the technology stack, such as app stores and device levels.”
The eSafety Commissioner previously announced intent behind the code during its development stage. Recent news coverage has renewed focus on its critical elements.
Some individuals welcome these changes. Recent reports indicate that Elon Musk’s AI Grok has integrated pornographic chat features. While Apple’s App Store is rated for ages 12 and up, advocates urge child safety organizations to reevaluate Apple’s ratings and enhance protective measures within its platform.
Both Apple and Google have begun implementing age verification at the device level, and apps may also be utilized to assess user age.
The app store has a “giant interference” to remove porn for profit.
Justin Warren, founder of Pivotnine, a tech analysis firm, commented that the code represents a significant shift in communication regulations among Australians.
“It seems like a considerable overreaction following years of policy stagnation regarding the influence of major foreign tech companies,” he stated.
“It’s darkly amusing that more authority over Australians’ online experiences will be handed to those same foreign tech giants.”
Digi, an industry organization collaborating with eSafety Commissioners to establish the code, has opposed the idea of diminishing online anonymity, clarifying that the code targets specific platforms that handle or grant access to certain content.
“The Code introduces proportionate safeguards for accessing pornography and materials considered inappropriate for users under 18, such as highly violent content,” remarked Dr. Jenny Duxbury, Director of Digital Policy at Digi.
“These codes offer protective measures for specific circumstances rather than blanket identity verification requirements across the Internet.”
Duxbury noted that companies could utilize inference methods like account history and usage patterns to approximate users’ ages.
“Some services might opt for reasoning methods since they are effective and unobtrusive.”
However, those who attempt to implement such changes may be caught off guard, cautioned John Payne, chairman of Australia’s Electronic Frontier.
“It seems that many Australians are aware of the discussions around social media, but that’s not the case for the average person, especially when they’ll need to authenticate to access content rated for those over 18.”
Failure to adhere to the code could result in hefty penalties, including fines up to $49.5 million or social media bans. Further consequences may entail delisting from search results for non-compliant websites.
Payne advocates for introducing AI regulations that would prompt the federal government to reform privacy laws and enforce risk assessments for certain AI functions deemed as unacceptable risks.
He stresses the importance of legislating user care obligations for all digital service platforms.
“We believe this strategy would be more effective than relying solely on regulatory mandates,” he asserted.
Warren expressed skepticism, emphasizing that age verification technologies are effective, and highlighting that search engine codes were raised prior to the outcomes of the recent government review.
“Ultimately, theoretical applications must align with practical implementations.”
In response to a recent media report concerning the code, the eSafety Commissioner’s Office defended the age verification requirements for search engines.
“The sector’s code represents a critical opportunity to establish important safeguards, as search engines are key gateways for children to potentially harmful content,” stated the office.
Artist impressions of Earth’s semi-satellite Kamo`oalewa, designated as the initial target for the Tianwen-2 mission
Addy Graham/University of Arizona
China is making final preparations to launch a spacecraft aimed at exploring asteroids and comets, seeking to gain insights into these celestial bodies in our solar system.
The Tianwen-2 mission, orchestrated by the China National Space Agency (CNSA), plans to collect 100 grams of samples from the asteroid Chuan West and return them to Earth. Following the sample retrieval, the probe will utilize Earth’s gravity to propel itself towards the comet 311P/Panstarrs, which will be observed remotely.
The mission is set for launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province on May 29th. While NASA’s Osiris-Rex and JAXA’s Hayabusa missions have previously returned asteroid samples, this marks China’s inaugural asteroid mission, including the return of rock samples, and potentially the first mission aimed at a unique type of celestial body known as quasi-satellites.
Quasi-satellites, like Kamo`oalewa, do not orbit the Earth in a traditional manner; instead, they follow orbits around the Sun that are similar to Earth’s, creating an oval path relative to our planet. This intriguing scenario has led scientists to theorize that this may be a remnant lunar mass ejected by an asteroid impact millions of years ago.
In contrast, 311P/Panstarrs has an asteroid-like orbit, encircling the Sun within the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, yet possesses a tail that gives it a comet-like appearance. This is believed to be composed of dust and debris shed from its nucleus.
The CNSA has previously indicated that 311P/Panstarrs is a “living fossil,” crucial for studying the early material composition, formation processes, and evolutionary history of the solar system. Tianwen-2 aims to enhance our understanding of both Kamo`oalewa and 311P/Panstarrs. However, the findings will not be available immediately, as the spacecraft is expected to reach 311P/Panstarrs by 2034, and the Kamo`oalewa samples are anticipated to return to Earth in the latter half of 2027.
It remains uncertain what extent the CNSA will share these findings. Leah-Nani Alconcel from the University of Birmingham, UK, mentions that the mission outline is known but lacks detailed information. One of the objectives may involve examining the differences between asteroids and comets to gain better insights into the diverse bodies of our solar system; however, specific details remain elusive.
In her previous experience with CNSA’s Double Star Satellite, Alconcel expressed concerns about the institution’s ability to provide substantial scientific data. She states, “It was incredibly challenging to negotiate with [the CNSA]. There is no public repository for this data.”
She describes the mission as ambitious, noting that Kamo`oalewa is in a rotating behavior. Navigation algorithms may require powerful computing resources to process images and sensor data sent back to Earth for calculations. “If we always opt for favorable and stable objects, we won’t gain much knowledge,” she warns. “There are numerous potential challenges ahead.”
The CNSA has not responded to requests for comment from New Scientist.
The United Launch Alliance plans to send 27 Kuiper satellites into low Earth orbit as Amazon begins full-scale deployment of its satellite internet network
Amazon
Kuiper, Amazon’s satellite internet division, plans to launch 27 satellites into orbit today. We dig into the situation.
What is Kuiper?
In short, Kuiper is a network of thousands of satellites with beams of internet traffic around the world. This allows people in remote areas to access the internet without the need for local infrastructure.
This idea is exactly the same as Starlink, a SpaceX-owned company that already offers such services under Elon Musk’s leadership. Project Kuiper is a subsidiary of Amazon, founded in 2019 and owned by another billionaire, Jeff Bezos.
The satellite is carried into orbit by the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. Amazon says it will be the heaviest payload ever released in this craft.
United Launch Alliance plans to live stream flights on that websitestarts 20 minutes before startup.
Is this the first release of Kuiper?
Kuiper put two prototype satellites into orbit in October 2023, which is the first release of the final version, and the company has said it is a “significant upgrade.”
It has better solar panels, propulsion systems and communications equipment, but astronomers appreciate it being a dielectric mirror film coating designed to scatter reflected sunlight. Other companies have launched reflective satellites that have serious impact on imaging. Astronomers say it is “truly an existential issue of astronomy.”
Who’s ahead, Starlink or Kuiper?
starlink. In a pretty good way.
Kuiper has been granted permission from the US Federal Communications Commission to operate 3,236 satellites, and will only start renting internet connections to users after the 578 satellites are launched, the company says.
So, if the launch today is successful, the company still has 551 satellites to send into space before generating revenue.
The company says it has secured more than 80 launches at various companies to deploy additional satellites. Ironically, some launches are handled by SpaceX.
Certainly there are many reasons to compensate. Starlink’s lead is big and has the obvious advantage of being owned by a rocket launcher.
Although it is not owned by Amazon, Bezos now has Space Company Blue Origin at your disposal. It helps to fill the gap.
In other areas, Amazon may have advantages. Already there are hundreds of millions of users who shop and stream regularly on the site and may try to add satellite internet through various transactions and seductions.
Plus, there is a market as hundreds of millions of people around the world lack reliable internet connections. Only time can tell if it’s big enough to maintain two major competing satellite operators, let alone small players like partially UK-owned OneWeb.
Some companies are also working on unfiltered solar aircraft that can loiter in high atmospheres for months at a time, potentially reducing satellites at cost.
However, one thing is clear. It certainly is a boon for consumers to bring their competitors to the market.
In 2027, powerful artificial intelligence systems are surpassing human intelligence, causing global chaos. Chinese spies are stealing American AI secrets, prompting a rush to retaliate from the White House. Engineers in major AI labs are discovering that models are starting to deceive them, increasing the risk of fraud.
These scenarios are not from sci-fi scripts but are predictions from the AI Futures Project, a nonprofit based in Berkeley, California. Over the past year, they have been forecasting the future as AI systems become more advanced.
Led by former Openai researcher Daniel Kokotajlo, the project aims to anticipate what the world will look like as AI continues to evolve.
While working at Openai, Kokotajlo wrote a report on the competition for artificial general intelligence (AGI) and later partnered with Eli Lifeland to predict the next wave of AI advancements.
The AI 2027 report and website have been released this week, detailing a future where AI surpasses human-level intelligence within the next 2-3 years.
According to Kokotajlo, AI systems are expected to become completely autonomous and superior to humans by the end of 2027.
The AI Futures project combines predictive scenarios with science fiction storytelling to envision a possible future impacted by powerful AI systems.
The project’s extreme views have garnered both critics and supporters in the AI community, with some questioning the scientific basis of their predictions.
The AI Futures project aims to incorporate anticipated developments into engaging narratives, despite potential criticism from skeptics.
Critics suggest that fictional AI stories may entertain more than educate, while some AI experts question the group’s assertion that AI will surpass human intelligence.
Despite differing opinions, the project’s speculative predictions offer a unique perspective on the implications of advanced AI technologies.
While some of the scenarios may seem extreme, it is important to consider the potential impact of rapidly advancing AI systems on society.
Kokotajlo’s predictions for AI development milestones include the emergence of superhuman coders and AI researchers by 2027.
As AI systems continue to evolve, the future remains uncertain, with potential implications for various industries and societal norms.
The scenarios presented by the AI Futures project highlight the need for thoughtful consideration of AI’s impact on civilization.
Predicting the future of AI, even with differing opinions, is essential to preparing for the potential challenges and opportunities that advanced technology may bring.
By early 2027, AI is projected to surpass human capabilities in coding and research, leading to unprecedented advancements in AI technology.
The AI Futures project’s focus on fictional AI companies and their progression towards superhuman intelligence offers a speculative glimpse into a possible future.
The emergence of superintelligent AI poses both challenges and opportunities for society, prompting reflection on the implications of advanced AI technologies.
As AI systems advance, it is crucial to consider the ethical, social, and economic implications of superintelligent AI on a global scale.
The future of AI remains uncertain, with predictions ranging from optimistic advancements to catastrophic scenarios.
Despite the uncertainties, forecasting the impact of advanced AI technologies is essential for preparing society for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
The AI Futures project’s speculative scenarios offer a glimpse into a future where AI surpasses human intelligence, raising important questions about the role of AI in society.
As AI continues to evolve, it is vital to consider how to navigate the potential risks and benefits of superintelligent AI in the coming years.
New images taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope show a small area of the Small Magellanic Cloud, one of the closest galaxies to the Milky Way.
This Hubble image shows a small area of the Small Magellanic Cloud near the center of open cluster NGC 346. Image credits: NASA/ESA/Hubble/C. Murray.
Small Magellanic Cloud is an elongated dwarf galaxy known for its less prominent bars and eastern expansions.
Also known as the NGC 292 or LEDA 3085, it is about 200,000 light years away from Earth, extending 7,000 light years.
“Most of the Small Magellanic Cloud is found in the constellations of Tucana, but small sections cross the adjacent constellations of Hydos,” said Hubble astronomers.
“Thanks to its proximity, the Small Magellanic Cloud is one of the few galaxies that can be seen from Earth without the help of telescopes or binoculars.”
“For viewers in the Southern Hemisphere and some latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, the Small Magellanic Cloud resembles parts of the broken Milky Way, but in reality, it is farther than any part of our own galaxy.”
The new Hubble image captures a small area of the Small Magellanic Cloud near the center of NGC 346.
“With the 2.4m 'eyes' and sensitive instruments, Hubble's view of the Small Magellanic Cloud is much more detailed and clearer than what humans can see,” the astronomer said.
“I used a wide field camera 3 instruments from Hubble. Observe This scene is through four different filters. “
“Each filter recognizes light of different wavelengths and creates a multicolored view of dust clouds floating through the field of stars.”
“But Hubble's view is much zoomed in than our eyes, so it's better to observe objects that are very far away.”
The coming year is expected to be filled with ambitious space missions.
Multiple robotic landers are expected to be launched to the moon in the coming weeks or months.
China and India also each hope to achieve new milestones in space later this year.
From robotic expeditions to the moon to new observatories in space and rendezvous with asteroids, 2025 promises to be full of ambitious space exploration.
NASA and U.S. commercial space companies aren’t the only ones busy. Launch plans planned for this year include potential milestones in China, Japan and India.
Here are some of the biggest upcoming space missions.
Moon fever continues
In 2025, the moon will once again be in the spotlight.
Later this month, SpaceX rockets are scheduled to launch two new missions to the moon. One, a lander called Blue Ghost developed by Texas-based company Firefly Aerospace, is intended to spend about two weeks collecting scientific data on the moon. The second is a privately built Japanese lunar lander with an attached small rover.
The Blue Ghost attempts to land on a region of the moon known as the Moon.Mare Crisium is thought to be the site of an ancient asteroid impact.
The mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services Initiative. The space agency has signed contracts with three private companies, including Firefly Aerospace, to transport scientific experiments, technology and other cargo to the moon’s surface. The effort is part of NASA’s larger Artemis mission, which aims to eventually return humans to the moon. The Blue Ghost mission will carry out 10 NASA science and technology experiments.
Riding into orbit on the same rocket booster will be a resilient lander developed by a Japanese company called ispace and the Tenacious “micro rover.” It aims to take a longer route to the moon, consuming less energy than the Blue Ghost, and land on the lunar surface approximately four to five months after launch.
The touchdown target is located in the far north of the moon, in an area called Mare Frigoris.
iSpace’s bid to become the first private company to land a spacecraft on the moon ended in disappointment last year. The company’s lander, Hakuto, accelerated unexpectedly during its descent and crashed onto the lunar surface.
A third lunar launch by the company, which was the first to land a privately built ship on the moon, could also take place this month.
Texas-based Intuitive Machines also won a contract under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. Last year, the company’s lander became the first American vehicle to land on the moon in more than 50 years. The company aims to send its next-generation lander to the moon’s south pole on another SpaceX rocket in the coming weeks.
The mission will include a drill to extract lunar soil and a robot that will hop into nearby craters to take images and perform scientific experiments.
Exploring the origin of the universe
NASA aims to launch the SPHEREx mission, a space observatory designed to map the entire sky in optical and near-infrared light, in late February.
The SPHEREx observatory is shown in a horizontal position, showing its telescope and three-layer photon shield.BAE Systems / NASA
The spacecraft will observe more than 100 million stars in the Milky Way and collect data on more than 450 million other galaxies.
As part of its planned two-year mission, the observatory will also search for signs of life as we know it, such as water and organic molecules, in the Milky Way. Experts hope the expedition will provide insight into how galaxies form and how the universe came into being.
Two NASA astronauts finally return home
Two NASA astronauts stranded on the International Space Station since a problem aboard their Boeing spacecraft in June are finally scheduled to return home in March.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on the International Space Station.NASA
Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore were launched to the ISS on the first manned flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. The original plan was for the two to spend about a week on the space station, then return to Earth on the Starliner. However, the capsule encountered fuel leaks and thruster problems, so NASA opted to leave Williams and Wilmore in orbit and return the spacecraft unmanned.
They will have spent more than nine months in space before returning to Earth in a SpaceX capsule with two other space station crew members.
India’s spaceflight ambitions
India is poised to make major strides in its human spaceflight program this year.
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) astronaut Shubhansh Shukla will fly to the International Space Station on a commercial mission run by Texas-based startup Axiom Space.
The launch, expected by spring at the earliest, will include government-backed crew members from Poland and Hungary. The crew will spend up to 14 days on the ISS.
Meanwhile, India is also working on developing its own manned spacecraft, aiming to launch its first one in 2026.
A new private space station?
California-based startup Vast plans to launch its first commercial space station into orbit this year. The civilian outpost, called Haven-1, is scheduled to launch by August on a SpaceX rocket.
Haven-1 is designed to accommodate four astronauts on missions of up to 30 days. The space station will initially function as an independent outpost, but Vasto plans to eventually connect it to a larger module in development.
In partnership with SpaceX, Vast intends to someday launch a crewed mission to the Haven-1 outpost, but the company has not yet announced a target date for that launch.
China encounters an asteroid
China’s space exploration shows no signs of slowing down even in 2025.
This spring, the country plans to launch a mission to collect asteroid samples, the first such expedition.
The plan calls for a spacecraft called Tenbun-2 to rendezvous with a near-Earth asteroid called Kamoorewa, which some scientists have suggested. maybe part of the moon It was ejected during an ancient collision.
The mission aims to collect debris from the asteroid, release a capsule containing samples, and return to Earth in 2026. After that, the Tenbun-2 probe is expected to orbit around the Earth and fly using the Earth’s gravity as a slingshot. Heading toward the comet known as 311P/Panstars. The spacecraft is expected to arrive at the comet in the mid-2030s.
If China’s asteroid sampling mission is successful, it would be a major accomplishment for the country’s space agency. This would be an achievement that follows several recent milestones. China has already become the first company to collect and return samples from the far side of the moon, landed a rover on Mars and completed construction of its own Tiangong space station.
LLots of great stuff, date them all! It started as a joke. Envisioning a game in which a lonely remote worker starts chatting to furniture, Final Fantasy voice actors Ray Chase and Robbie Daymond immediately fell in love with the concept. What would happen if it really happened? It was A game where you can date literally anything?
A bizarre game of banging home appliances that boasts over 70,000 lines of dialogue and 100 dateable inanimate objects has become a reality. Working with Team 17 and fellow voice actress and producer Amanda Hufford, they brought their ridiculous concept to life, resulting in a game they describe as wholesome, frivolous, and fun.
You may be wondering how this works. Now, when players don Dateviators (VR glasses that turn inanimate household objects into talkable, dateable beings), inanimate furniture and appliances suddenly become very chatty, and within seconds I'm talking about a dishwasher and Start flirting.
“We knew we wanted to make sure it felt wholesome, that it was sexy, but in no way vulgar,” says Robbie Daymond. “Our mantra is that we want to create something that people won't feel embarrassed about if they come in. We're playing around with that.”
From tables and microwaves to fireplaces and televisions, there are “characters” you can write dates on, and each potential lover is brought to life by a different voice actor. Every appliance is decidedly and endearingly weird, from a surprisingly liberating microwave that makes you think you're fighting an interdimensional war to a gushing frat-boy fireplace dubbed “The Art of the Pick-Up Line.” is.
No need to be shy…date everything! Photo: Sassy Chap Games
They're also taking a different approach to paying actors fairly. “One of the superpowers we have is that we know a lot of people in the industry,” Daymond says. “We have a good relationship with [actors union] SAG and we were able to work out a deal that would give back the balance to the actors who worked on it. Thanks to a combination of clever scripting by TV writer Logan Burdick and great voice acting throughout, even my short demo gives me the following endearing freedom to see what happens next. I felt I had to meet a new appliance.
Although it sounds like a product of the pandemic, the premise of Date Everything was actually born in 2018 when Draymond wondered if anyone could empathize with the boredom and social deprivation of remote work. . “I’m really excited that something so surreal exists,” Burdick reflects. “I think it’s unbelievable that everyone got a chance.”
“I was a little skeptical when I started working with the team,” exclaims Jack, the game's quiet programmer. “But I was really impressed when I actually played it and saw how much care and attention was put into each character. A lot of games do primarily the same thing in slightly different ways. It's not a typical game, and that's very important today.”
For more than a century, scientists have studied how cells grow and develop to aid medical research and drug development. They grow plant and animal cells in laboratory equipment such as Petri dishes, glass plates, and various media, producing collections of newly grown cells called “cells.” cell culture. Scientists carefully maintain cell cultures for research, providing the cells with the nutrients and environmental conditions they need to survive and reproduce. By studying them, researchers have advanced the scientific community’s understanding of cellular life and developed new drugs and vaccines against diseases such as cancer.
Currently, scientists grow most cell cultures in dishes or flasks. 2Dculture. Two-dimensional or 2D cell culture confines cells to an unnatural flat space, limiting their growth and range of movement. These obstacles lead to less than optimal precision in 2D cell culture experiments, so scientists have invented new three-dimensional approaches to address these limitations.
This new approach consists of growing cells in three-dimensional systems such as spherical plates, gel-like materials that provide structural and biochemical support. hydrogelor specialized equipment that creates a controlled environment to regulate the delivery of nutrients. bioreactor. These systems allow cells to grow in all directions, just as they do in nature and in the human body. Scientists call these devices: three dimensional or 3D cell culture. 3D cell culture provides a more realistic environment in which cells can migrate, interact, mature, and organize into complex structures that resemble organ tissues.
The team of scientists wanted to assess the current state of 3D cell culture technology and how it is being adopted in the field of microbiology. Researchers have discovered that scientists are effectively using 3D cell cultures to develop vaccines, model tumors, and develop patient-specific cancer treatments. They explained that 3D cell culture is superior to 2D cell culture in these areas because artificially flat conditions limit the amount of cell growth. This limitation allows drugs and treatments aimed at killing cells or slowing their growth to appear to work, when in fact the cells are simply responding to the shape of their environment. This may create an illusion.
As part of their evaluation, the research team found that cells growing in all directions interact with their environment in ways that better mimic human tissues, forming structures like clusters of epithelial cells or the invasive patterns of cancer cells. I also discovered that. They explained that this realism will improve the accuracy of treatments, drug tests, and vaccine tests by more effectively replicating how treatments target cells and tissues in the body. . Although 3D cultures address many of the limitations of 2D systems, such as mechanical and biochemical relevance, they still face challenges such as reproducing the complexity of immune interactions.
One of the central problems with 3D cell culture that researchers have identified is that some researchers find it prohibitively expensive. Constructing a 3D cell culture can be 2 to 10 times more expensive than a 2D cell culture. Additionally, scientists have a hard time creating and maintaining them because they are very complex in design and require specialized equipment to maintain.
The researchers say these factors made adopting these practices a lengthy process for biomedical researchers. The researchers predicted that slow adoption could cause problems in the future, as researchers pioneering these unusual techniques may have trouble finding qualified reviewers to evaluate their experiments. . You will also have fewer colleagues qualified to reproduce your results.
Scientists concluded that 3D cell culture provides a more accurate model for drug testing, cancer research, and tissue engineering. Therefore, it could reduce researchers’ reliance on animal models, streamline drug development, and potentially lead to safer and more effective treatments. However, despite the many advantages of 3D cell culture, challenges such as high cost, technical complexity, and need for standardization continue to hinder its widespread adoption. The team’s proposed solution is to make 3D machining more accessible and improve overall efficiency. They also suggested that future researchers continue to use 3D cell cultures to push the boundaries of medicine by exploring applications in regenerative medicine and personalized cancer treatments.
There are two major problems with the global food system. First, hundreds of millions of people cannot afford enough nutritious food to stay healthy. Second, it’s incredibly destructive. We’re still destroying rainforests to make way for ranches, both conventional and organic farms produce all kinds of pollutants, and our food system produces more than a third of greenhouse gases. I’m letting you do it.
Things could get even worse if global temperatures rise above 1.5 °C (see 2024 expected to be first year to surpass 1.5 °C warming threshold). But there’s a lot we can do, from eating less meat to reducing food waste (see “Is the climate food crisis even worse than we imagined?”). The amazing advances in genetic technology in recent years have greatly expanded the scope for improving the plants and animals that feed us. We can make them more nutritious and healthier, better able to cope with changing conditions and less susceptible to the diseases that will become more prevalent as the world warms. It should also be possible to produce plants that require less fertilizer and capture more of the sun’s energy.
It is surprising that most countries do not invest significantly in crop improvement.
The benefits from all this will be immense. We get more food from less land, lower prices, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make it less likely that viruses such as H5N1 bird flu will cause new pandemics.
It is therefore surprising that most countries do not invest heavily in crop improvement. While there is some private investment, these companies are unlikely to make their technology freely available and adoption has been slow.
Opposition to genetically modified (GM) crops also binds us to the idea that more “natural” agricultural methods are better, as approval is difficult and expensive.
This situation is starting to change, with many countries making it easier to bring gene-edited crops and animals to market, but we need more action, and faster action.
The idea that organic food is good for the planet and genetically modified food is bad for the planet is a false narrative that hides a much more unpleasant reality. This means that continuing as is will only lead to more destruction and more hunger.
After years of extremely precise experiments, a group of researchers at CERN finally succeeded in creating and carefully capturing a sample of antihydrogen (the antimatter version of hydrogen) in September of this year. The sample was held in magnetic confinement to prevent it from hitting the walls of the container and quickly disappearing. The ALPHA-g experiment aimed to answer how antimatter behaves and revealed that it actually falls the same way that regular matter does.
Antimatter is known for generating high-energy radiation when it encounters normal matter, but contrary to popular belief, it has been shown to be less extreme than expected. For example, positrons, known as antielectrons, are exactly the same as electrons but with opposite charges and “parity.” Physicists had not experimentally confirmed that antimatter behaves the same way as regular matter until the ALPHA-g experiment.
Despite its violent tendencies, antimatter’s nature has raised questions about the definition and properties of matter in physics. The debate revolves around the conception of matter, where rest mass is the simplest definition. Matter encompasses various substances, atoms, molecules, protons, neutrons, electrons, quarks, and neutrinos. However, what constitutes matter becomes blurry when considering massless elementary particles and the contribution of energy to the mass of an object.
Exotic materials, like dark matter and negative mass materials, add complexity to the matter debate. The fact that matter and antimatter exist in unequal amounts, although not fully explained, has led to the formation of stars, galaxies, and planets. Antimatter experiments like ALPHA-g offer insight into matter’s nature and the existence of the universe.
A few years Earlier, when the pandemic was still in full swing, Raj Kapoor and Josh Felser started investing in climate change technology startups.they called their operation climax, and initially placed bets using their own money. Although we are both experienced founders, managers, and investors, this is our first time focusing on this specific sector and we started by testing the waters.
The company announced today that it has closed a $65 million founding fund and used it to support founders launching a climate technology software company.
Mr. Kapur and Mr. Felser both have long histories as investors, with Mr. Felser co-founding Freestyle Capital and Mr. Kapur spending seven years as a managing director at Mayfield Funds. They also founded and sold their own software startup.
It’s a little surprising that it took this long for the two to work together. Their resumes are strikingly similar. Felser said that in 1997 he founded Spinner (sold to AOL) and in 2004 he founded Crackle (sold to Sony). He also launched the #Climate nonprofit in 2014 and created a public-private coronavirus task force during the pandemic. Mr. Kapur previously served as chief strategy officer at Lyft, and before that he founded Snapfish (acquired by HP) and FitMob (acquired by ClassPass). He also launched a nonprofit climate social app in 2007.
Those experiences, combined with a growing concern about the state of the Earth’s climate, led the two to form Climactic.
“If we can get the top 50 supply chains to meet their net-zero goals, rather than just pay lip service, we’ll have the biggest impact,” Kapur told TechCrunch+. “To get there, we think the low-hanging fruit is software, because there are a lot of efficiencies to be gained.”
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