European Regulators Intensify Scrutiny of Big Tech European regulators have significantly increased their scrutiny of major technology companies in recent years, launching numerous probes and imposing fines for various alleged antitrust violations and non-compliance with new regulations. Here’s a summary of some key actions taken by European watchdogs against big technology firms: European Union (EU) Apple July 11: Apple agreed to open its tap-and-go mobile payments system to competitors, settling an EU antitrust probe. Ongoing: Faces three investigations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) for its business practices. March: Fined 1.84 billion euros ($1.97 billion) for antitrust violations following a…
Author: Arushi Pandey
NASA Selects SpaceX for NOAA’s JPSS-4 Mission Launch On behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA selects SpaceX to provide launch services for the JPSS-4 mission. This mission is part of the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) program, a collaborative effort between NASA and NOAA. The program started with the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership and continues to expand with the JPSS-4 satellite. Contract Details The contract awarded to SpaceX is a firm fixed price agreement valued at approximately $112.7 million. This cost covers launch services and other mission-related expenses. The JPSS-4 mission is scheduled to launch in…
AI and Space Exploration: Advancements with NASA’s Perseverance Rover Some scientists dream of exploring planets with “smart” spacecraft that know exactly what data to look for, where to find it, and how to analyse it. Although making that dream a reality will take time, advances made with NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover offer promising steps in that direction. For almost three years, the rover mission has been testing a form of artificial intelligence (AI) that seeks out minerals in the Red Planet’s rocks. This marks the first time AI has been used on Mars to make autonomous decisions based on real-time…
Extreme Weather Found on Nearest Brown Dwarfs Researchers have discovered extreme weather on the two closest brown dwarfs using the James Webb Space Telescope. These celestial bodies, larger than planets but smaller than stars, exhibit incredibly harsh conditions. Detailed Examination with James Webb Space Telescope The James Webb Space Telescope provided an in-depth examination of the atmospheric conditions on a pair of brown dwarfs. Located six light-years from Earth, these brown dwarfs orbit each other closely. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, equivalent to 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion kilometres). The telescope’s data offered a three-dimensional…
Bats Exhibit Complex Social Memory, New Research Reveals Researchers in Israel have discovered that bats can remember intricate social structures. They can identify friends and foes and recall their exact locations. This groundbreaking study, led by Professor Nachum Ulanovsky at the Weizmann Institute of Science, explores how bats encode social information in their brains. The Study’s Methodology Professor Ulanovsky and his team created a bat colony in the lab to mimic a natural cave environment. They used Egyptian fruit bats fitted with miniature wireless-electrophysiology backpacks to record brain activity during flight. Each bat was tagged and barcoded, allowing the researchers…
Astronauts Confident in Boeing’s Starliner Despite Thruster Issues Extended Stay on the ISS NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, the first crew to fly Boeing’s Starliner capsule, expressed confidence in the spacecraft’s ability to return them safely to Earth. Their mission, which began on June 5, has been extended indefinitely due to issues with the capsule’s propulsion system. Thruster Problems and Confidence in Return During a news conference from the International Space Station (ISS), Williams stated, “I have a real good feeling in my heart that this spacecraft will bring us home, no problem.” Wilmore echoed this…
HD 189733b: A Deeper Look at an Extreme Exoplanet Discovery and Initial Observations Discovered in 2005, HD 189733b has been known for its extreme conditions. This gas giant, slightly larger than Jupiter, boasts a striking cobalt blue colour. Its atmosphere is notorious for fierce winds and sideways rain made of molten glass. However, recent findings have added another layer to its extremity. New Findings from James Webb Space Telescope Researchers have discovered trace amounts of hydrogen sulfide in HD 189733b’s atmosphere. This compound, known for its rotten egg smell, marks a significant discovery, being the first detection of hydrogen sulfide…
NASA Crew Completes Year-Long Simulated Mars Mission On July 6, a four-person crew emerged to applause at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston after spending nearly a year in a simulated Mars habitat. This mission, part of NASA’s Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA), aims to study and experiment with living conditions on Mars. NASA Crew and Their Mission The team, comprising Kelly Haston, Anca Selariu, Ross Brockwell, and Nathan Jones, began their mission on June 25, 2023. They lived in a 3D-printed habitat designed to replicate Martian conditions. During their stay, the crew faced challenges such as resource…
Rising Costs of US Air Force Nuclear Missile Replacement Program The cost of the Air Force’s program to replace aging nuclear missiles has surged to about $160 billion from $95.8 billion. This sharp increase threatens to reduce funding for other essential modernisation plans. Sentinel ICBM Program by Northrop Grumman The program, now called the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program, is managed by Northrop Grumman Corp. It aims to replace the outdated Minuteman III missiles. The latest price tag shows an increase of around $65 billion since the 2020 estimate. This may force the Pentagon to adjust the project’s scope…
NASA Chooses SpaceX to Deorbit ISS by 2030 in $843 Million Deal NASA has awarded SpaceX $843 million to develop a vehicle capable of deorbiting the International Space Station (ISS) for its planned destruction around 2030. This task was originally intended for Russia’s thrusters. New Deorbit Vehicle Under this new contract, SpaceX will build the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, designed to safely guide the ISS into Earth’s atmosphere. NASA will own the craft and manage the deorbiting process to mitigate risks to populated areas. The ISS, primarily managed by the United States and Russia, has been continuously staffed by government astronauts…
