Author: Resham Bhambani

Aerospace Leaders Convene at Farnborough Airshow Amid Geopolitical and Supply Chain Issues This week, the Farnborough Airshow in southern England hosts aerospace leaders who are grappling with rising geopolitical tensions and persistent supply chain challenges. Latest Developments Ryanair Profits Drop: Ryanair’s quarterly profits have dropped, casting a shadow over the event. Concerns among aviation leaders are mounting due to ongoing supply chain issues, aircraft delays, and plans for emission reduction. Air Travel Demand Normalises: Major airline executives noted that air travel demand has stabilized. The post-pandemic travel boom has ended as holidaymakers and travelers avoid higher fares. Korean Air’s Boeing…

NASA Ends VIPER Lunar Rover Project Due to Costs and Delays Following a comprehensive internal review, NASA ends Viper mission, it announced on Wednesday its decision to discontinue the development of the VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) project. Reasons for Cancellation NASA cited several reasons for the cancellation, including cost increases, delays to the launch date, and the risks of further cost growth. Originally, the VIPER rover was set to launch in late 2023. However, in 2022, NASA requested a delay to late 2024 to allow more time for preflight testing of the Astrobotic lander. Subsequent schedule and supply…

Cosmic Jewel: James Webb Space Telescope Captures Quasar in Stunning Detail A mesmerizing image of a sparkling jeweled ring, created by a cosmic phenomenon known as gravitational lensing, has been captured by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This new image showcases a distant quasar, RX J1131-1231, situated about 6 billion light-years from Earth. Unveiling the Cosmic Ring The powerful gravitational field of a nearby elliptical galaxy warps the light from the quasar, an extremely luminous active galactic nucleus (AGN), resulting in a bright arc and duplicate views of the quasar. This warping effect creates a visual resembling gemstones on…

Pfizer to Begin Clinical Trials for New Once-Daily Weight-Loss Pill Pfizer plans to start clinical trials for a reworked, once-a-day version of its weight-loss pill, danuglipron, later this year. This follows the company’s decision to discontinue the twice-daily version of the drug last year. Second-Generation Weight-Loss Pills The new version of danuglipron is part of the second generation of weight-loss pills. These are being developed by companies including Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. The aim is to provide a more convenient alternative to current weight-loss injections. Analysts predict that the weight-loss drug market, led by Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli…

Chinese Rocket Tianlong-3 Crashes After Accidental Launch During Ground Test A Chinese rocket, Tianlong-3, crashed on Sunday after an accidental launch during a ground test, according to Space Pioneer. This incident highlights challenges faced by the commercial rocket industry. Details of the Incident Space Pioneer, a prominent player in the commercial rocket sector, focuses on liquid-propellant rockets. The Tianlong-3 accident occurred when the first stage of the rocket detached from its launch pad due to a structural failure. The rocket landed in a hilly area of Gongyi city in central China. The company clarified that the connection between the rocket…

US, Japan, and South Korea Pledge Cooperation on AI, Clean Energy, and Supply Chains Commerce and trade ministers from the United States, Japan, and South Korea have pledged to collaborate on key strategic issues, including artificial intelligence (AI) safety, export controls, clean energy, and semiconductor supply chains. Trilateral Meeting in Washington The inaugural trilateral meeting, held in Washington, saw U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Ken Saito, and South Korean Trade, Industry, and Energy Minister Ahn Duk-geun commit to enhancing cooperation. Raimondo emphasized the need for collaboration among the three leading economies to ensure…

China’s Chang’e 6 Lunar Probe Successfully Returns with Samples China’s Chang’e-6 lunar probe made history by landing on Tuesday in Inner Mongolia, bringing back samples from the moon’s far side. This marks the first time any country has achieved such a feat. Successful Landing and Sample Collection The reentry capsule touched down at 2:07 p.m. Beijing time (0607 GMT), as reported by state broadcaster CCTV. The capsule carried lunar soil collected from the moon’s South Pole-Aitken Basin, a significant impact crater on the moon’s far side. Following the successful landing, Zhang Kejian, head of the China National Space Administration, declared…

Successful Launch of ASTRA 1P Satellite by SES and SpaceX Cape Canaveral, 20 June 2024 – SES announced today that the ASTRA 1P satellite was successfully launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States, at 5:35 pm local time. Enhancing European TV Markets The Ku-band satellite will augment and strengthen SES’s prime TV neighbourhood at 19.2 degrees East. It will deliver content for public and private broadcasters, sports organisations, and content owners to audiences across the largest European TV markets. ASTRA 1P will also ensure the delivery of premium HD content…

Shenzhou-18 Crew Completes Extensive In-Orbit Tasks The Shenzhou-18 crew has been active in conducting a range of in-orbit experiments, physical exercises, and their first extravehicular activities since entering China’s space station on April 26. Astronauts’ Six-Month Mission On April 25, three Chinese astronauts, Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu, launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Their mission, lasting six months, involves numerous scientific tasks and experiments. Life Science and Ecological Experiments Four zebrafish and hornwort were brought into orbit for a life science and ecological experiment. The crew has successfully performed two water samplings and one fish food…

Background and Recent Developments On Wednesday, the Southern Baptist Convention voted to condemn the use of in vitro fertilization (IVF) involving frozen embryos and commended congregants who opt for alternative fertility therapies or adopt frozen embryos. This decision follows a tumultuous period in Alabama, where a state supreme court ruling in February classified embryos as children, leading to legal uncertainties for clinics. Although Alabama later passed a law to protect IVF procedures and allow clinics to resume operations, the debate over embryo freezing continues to stir ethical and legal concerns. Importance and Process of Embryo Freezing in IVF In 2021,…