Tag: Space
-
Stoke Space goes for broke to solve the only launch problem that “moves the needle”
LAUNCH COMPLEX 14, Cape Canaveral, Fla.—The platform atop the hulking steel tower offered a sweeping view of Florida’s rich, sandy coastline and brilliant blue waves beyond. Yet as captivating as the vista might be for an aspiring rocket magnate like Andy Lapsa, it also had to be a little intimidating. To his right, at Launch…
-
‘Project Kuiper’ no more: Amazon renames satellite internet venture ‘Leo’ on path to commercial debut
(Amazon Image) Amazon is rebranding its ambitious effort to expand global access to high-speed internet: Project Kuiper will now be known as Amazon Leo. The Seattle-based tech giant announced Thursday that it was renaming its satellite broadband project in the midst of deploying the equipment that will help power it all. Leo is a nod to…
-
NASA is kind of a mess: Here are the top priorities for a new administrator
After a long summer and fall of uncertainty, private astronaut Jared Isaacman has been renominated to lead NASA, and there appears to be momentum behind getting him confirmed quickly as the space agency’s 15th administrator. It is possible, although far from a lock, the Senate could finalize his nomination before the end of this year.…
-
After Russian spaceport firm fails to pay bills, electric company turns the lights off
One of Russia’s most important projects over the last 15 years has been the construction of the Vostochny spaceport as the country seeks to fly its rockets from native soil and modernize its launch operations. However, the initiative has been a fiasco from the start. After construction began in 2011, the project was beset by…
-
Elon Musk on data centers in orbit: “SpaceX will be doing this”
As artificial intelligence drives the need for vastly more computing storage and processing power, interest in space-based data centers has spiked. Although several startup companies, such as Starcloud, have begun to address this problem, the idea has also attracted the interest of tech barons. In May, it emerged that former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt…
-
An in-space construction firm says it can help build massive data centers in orbit
There has been much discussion in the space community recently about building large data centers in orbit to avoid the environmental consequences of sprawling computing facilities on Earth. These space-based data centers could take advantage of the always-on, free fusion reactor at the center of the Solar System. Proponents say this represents a natural step…
-
Meet the Arc spacecraft: It aims to deliver cargo anywhere in the world in an hour
A relatively new spacecraft company, Inversion, revealed its new “on demand” delivery vehicle Wednesday evening during a splashy ceremony at its factory in Los Angeles. The company said it is building the Arc spacecraft to provide a capability to the US military to deliver as much as 500 pounds (225 kg) of supplies almost anywhere…
-
How America fell behind China in the lunar space race—and how it can catch back up
For the last month, NASA’s interim administrator, Sean Duffy, has been giving interviews and speeches around the world, offering a singular message: “We are going to beat the Chinese to the Moon.” This is certainly what the president who appointed Duffy to the NASA post wants to hear. Unfortunately, there is a very good chance…
-
In their own words: The Artemis II crew on the frenetic first hours of their flight
How calm, cool, and utterly chill is the crew of NASA’s first Moon mission in more than half a century? Let’s start with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. “You know me, personally, I hope to take a very short nap on the pad,” he said. “There’s enough time built in there to have a nap. I’ve…
-
Sen. Maria Cantwell releases report citing NASA whistleblowers’ concerns about budget cuts
Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., speaks during a hearing on legislative priorities for NASA. (Senate Commerce Dems via YouTube) U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., today released a report that quotes NASA whistleblowers as saying they’ve “already seen safety impacts” affecting the space agency, due to budget cuts that are canceling out previously appropriated funding. One whistleblower…