Monthly Archives: February 2021

Overcoming the challenge to crop production in space – hortidaily.com

Posted: February 18, 2021 at 2:32 pm

While the vertical farming industry says that the sky is the limit, Space Lab Technologies LLC is pushing that notion even further.

Space Lab Technologies LLC is a Colorado-based company whose mission is to advance human space exploration through technology development. One of Space Labs focus areas is crop production in space, either onboard a spacecraft with the companys LilyPond or on Mars surface with the MarsOasis. According to Christine Escobar, Vice President and CBO of Space Lab, there are lots of benefits to producing food for a spacecraft, including psychological benefits. Its better to have fresh vegetables and plants onboard to deal with some of the psychological stresses that an astronaut would go through.

The MarsOasis

The companys MarsOasis is a greenhouse designed for use on Mars surface. As the cost of transporting materials is quite high, the greenhouse needed to be designed such that it was lightweight and could easily be stowed on a spacecraft. Space Lab designed MarsOasis to be inflated for ease of transportation, then rigidized on-site to withstands Mars environment. While Mars surface may not receive as much sunlight as Earth, there is still enough sunlight to grow plants. Building greenhouses on Mars surface is still in the undetermined future, but Space Labs LilyPond may certainly be used much sooner, as it is essentially an LED-equipped growth chamber for use onboard a spacecraft.

According to Christine, LilyPond is basically a vertical farm contained in a small box, which can work in microgravity; the microgravity is the hardest part. LilyPond is essentially a growth chamber, but the biggest difference between a growth chamber on Earth and one in space is the effect of microgravity.

Microgravity is the condition of weightlessness caused by the diminished gravitational pull in space as compared to the Earths surface. This weightlessness can be especially problematic for the delivery of water to crops, a process that is typically facilitated by gravity in terrestrial (Earth-based) agriculture. To circumvent challenges posed by microgravity, Space Lab has based its hydroponic systems on capillary action and the attraction of water to other surfaces.

You can take advantage of capillary action by providing surfaces that will attract the water, so it flows where you want it to. Were also using materials in a certain shape to direct the water flow, says Christine.

Adam & Christine with our payload testing g-LilyPond in microgravity on Blue Origins NS-13 mission in October 2020

While capillary action can effectively direct water in microgravity conditions, the waters attraction to surfaces means that it will attach to plant roots and can create an anaerobic environment. As such, LilyPond must provide water in moderation to meet the crops needs without suffocating the roots.

The overarching challenge to crop production in space is the highly limited resource availability, as any materials transported on the spacecraft and space used by equipment carry a heavy price tag. Any equipment must occupy a minimal footprint in the spacecraft, be as energy-efficient as possible, and require minimal maintenance. With respect to energy efficiency, Space Lab has developed close-canopy, low-power lighting which allows them to place lights within inches of the canopy to meet photosynthetic needs without damaging the crop. Such lighting allows the company to reduce the height between shelves, thereby increasing crop density. While the company has yet to tackle automation, Christine explains that automation is a necessity.

If youre talking about growing food onboard a spacecraft, youre feeding a crew that is really time-constrained. Their daily schedule is very scripted and most of what theyre there to do is to be conducting science, not taking care of plants. So one of the big concerns for space agriculture is making it as autonomous as possible.

A render of the g-LilyPond concept

Space Lab is currently at the prototyping phase with LilyPond and MarsOasis. LilyPond was originally developed for the production of duckweed, a highly nutritious and fast-growing aquatic plant. That said, the system can also be used to produce leafy greens, microgreens and, according to Christine, possibly root crops. Considerable research is also underway way to genetically engineer crops and create dwarf varieties of fruiting crops, which could allow for the production of tomatoes in microgravity, for example.

While Space Lab is focused on technology development for human space exploration, the company also hopes that its technologies can prove useful for increasing the agricultural efficiency on Earth. Space Lab is also keen to understand the vertical farming industry and recent innovations to avoid redundancies and meet the industrys key players.

We are interested in learning more about the controlled environment agriculture & vertical farming industries to explore whether our space agriculture solutions may have value for terrestrial indoor farming or vice versa," Giovanna Marcantonio, Executive Assistant adds.

For more information:Space Lab Technologies LLCGiovanna Marcantonio, Executive Assistantgigi@spacelabtech.comwww.spacelabtech.com

Go here to see the original:

Overcoming the challenge to crop production in space - hortidaily.com

Posted in Space Exploration | Comments Off on Overcoming the challenge to crop production in space – hortidaily.com

Sierra Nevada Corporation: Learn what is Sierra Nevada Corporation and what does it do – Republic TV

Posted: at 2:32 pm

Space exploration has become one of the top goals in todays day and age. Many scientists want to learn what lies outside of the Earth and how it can help human civilization. Due to this reason, many new Aerospace companies are immerging and trying to capitalise on the space exploration business. A new company called Sierra Nevada Corporation is making strides in this business and many people want to know what is Sierra Nevada Corporation.

Also read:Blue-green Algae Could Help Keep Humans Alive On Mars, Says Study

Also read:Why Is Mars Rover Named Perseverance? Where Did Perseverance Get Its Name From?

Sierra Nevada Corporation is an American, privately held aviation and public security worker for hire gaining practical experience in aircraft alteration and integration, space parts and frameworks, and related innovation items for cyber protection and Health. SNC delivers tailored solutions to government and commercial customers, with applications in space exploration and satellites, aircraft integrations, navigation and guidance systems, threat detection and security, scientific research, and infrastructure protection.

The Sierra Nevada Corporation has 5,000 employees, 40 plus locations around the globe, and also has 50 plus years of experience in this field. SNC brings all this together to help to solve the world's toughest and most complex technology challenges.

Sierra Nevada Corporation has been in the industry for a very long time. Being such a huge company, it hasspread its wings into multiple businesses and created an empire. SNC works to innovate and create new things to help increase the progression of technology in the world. It also provides solutions for various issues faced by the Government and Private Organizations Check out what does Sierra Nevada Corporation do below:

SNC has also received awards from various institutions for its work. Check out all the Awards SNC has received below:

Also read:NASA Mars Rover To Dig For Signs Of Ancient Life

Also read:Russian Cargo Ship Docks At International Space Station

Continue reading here:

Sierra Nevada Corporation: Learn what is Sierra Nevada Corporation and what does it do - Republic TV

Posted in Space Exploration | Comments Off on Sierra Nevada Corporation: Learn what is Sierra Nevada Corporation and what does it do – Republic TV

European Space Agency to recruit female and disabled astronauts for Moon and Mars missions – Euro Weekly News

Posted: at 2:32 pm

European Space Agency to recruit female and disabled astronauts for Moon and Mars missions.

EUROPES equivalent of NASA has launched its first recruitment drive in 11 years, and is eager to achieve greater diversity.

For the first time in 11 years, ESA is looking for new astronauts. These recruits will work alongside ESAs existing astronauts as Europe enters a new era of space exploration, said the agency.

ESA Director General Jan Wrner says, Thanks to a strong mandate from ESA Member States at Space19+, our Ministerial Council in 2019, Europe is taking its place at the heart of space exploration.

To go farther than we ever have before, we need to look wider than we ever have before. This recruitment process is the first step and I look forward to watching the agency develop across all areas of space exploration and innovation, with our international partners, in the years to come.

Representing all parts of society is a concern that ESA takes very seriously, said David Parker, Director of Human and Robotic Exploration.

Diversity at ESA should not only address the origin, age, background or gender of our astronauts, but also perhaps physical disabilities.

To make this dream a reality, alongside the astronaut recruitment I am launching the Parastronaut Feasibility Project an innovation whose time has come.

The vacancy runs from 31 March to 28 May 2021 and ESA will only consider applications submitted to the ESA Career website within those eight weeks. After that, the six-stage selection process will start, which is expected to be completed in October 2022.

Thank you for taking the time to read this news article European Space Agency to recruit female and disabled astronauts for Moon and Mars missions. For more UK daily news, Spanish daily news and Global news stories, visit the Euro Weekly News home page.

See the original post here:

European Space Agency to recruit female and disabled astronauts for Moon and Mars missions - Euro Weekly News

Posted in Space Exploration | Comments Off on European Space Agency to recruit female and disabled astronauts for Moon and Mars missions – Euro Weekly News

Penn State research impacts the world – Penn State News

Posted: at 2:31 pm

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Providing multiple examples of what differentiates Penn State from peer institutions and how access to world-class researchers impacts the lives of Penn State students, Lora Weiss, senior vice president for Research, presented an overview of the Universitys research enterprise today (Feb. 18) during the Board of Trustees meeting of the Committee on Academic Affairs, Research, and Student Life.

Weiss also highlighted innovative Penn State research discoveries in the Commonwealth, the nation and the world.

The senior vice president began by reporting a significant milestone attained during fiscal year 2019-20, as Penn State research expenditures surpassed $1 billion. This achievement places Penn State among a select group of research universities and reflects the breadth and depth of its research expertise, she said. Expenditures increased by $40 million, with a record $633 million in federal funding and $375 million from a combination of private funders, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and University sources.

In addition, Weiss noted, in the most recent (FY2018) National Science Foundation Higher Education Research & Development rankings, Penn State is listed among the top 10 institutions in 18 different research fields, ranging from materials science to anthropology.

These measures are a testament to the incredible expertise, creativity, and dedication of our faculty, staff and students, she said. They reflect the extraordinary innovations within our research portfolio, the talent of our researchers, and the continued confidence of our sponsors.

Weiss stressed the many dimensions of research at Penn State, encompassing all of its colleges and campuses as well as its interdisciplinary research institutes and agricultural extension program, carried out by faculty, staff, and students both graduate and undergraduate. The work is funded via sponsored research and seed grants alike and is administered via expertly staffed offices for research support and operations.

Broad support

Penn State enjoys a broad range of research sponsorship, with major external funders including federal and state agencies, as well as corporations, industry and foundations, Weiss reported. More than 15 federal agencies actively support research at the University, she noted, and more than a dozen foundations have done so. Once again, this is statement about the breadth of our research and our ability to innovate. Having such a diversified research portfolio helps us to weather events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

The broad federal support also reflects Penn States alignment with national research priorities, including designated industries of the future artificial intelligence, quantum information science, advanced manufacturing, 5G and biotechnology, as well as national security, health and wellness, and space exploration.

Empowering students

Access to world-class researchers offers a wealth of benefits to Penn State students, Weiss told board members, from hands-on research experience to job opportunities to lasting industry connections. Undergraduates gain invaluable experience through internships, senior projects and as summer hires in critical areas of society and our nations economy. Between 2014 and 2019, nearly 8,000 students completed undergraduate research experiences. Several have benefited from National Institutes of Health training grants totaling $3.4M annually, she said, adding that the Graduate School is currently piloting Accelerate to Industry, a program focused on providing career readiness opportunities for students.

Penn State students also are benefitting from the recruiting advantages provided to employers through research partnerships. Corporate gifts support undergraduate projects and provide plentiful opportunities for making connections with potential employers. Industry partners including Merck, Lockheed Martin, PPG, Volvo, CSL Behring, and Wabtec all engage undergraduates in the research they sponsor, and companies that locate at Innovation Park count on proximity to students for recruiting, Weiss said.

No less important, she added, are the educational advantages afforded by a major research university. Our students learn from professors who are true experts in their fields and who bring a wealth of research knowledge and experience to the classroom, she said. Nor are these benefits limited to University Park, as research is conducted at Commonwealth Campuses as well. Research across Penn State means research across Pennsylvania.

In FY20, Commonwealth Campuses administered or participated in $41.6 million in sponsored awards, and in 2018-19, more than 1,800 undergraduate students at Commonwealth Campuses participated in supervised research, according to Weiss. As one example of world-class research undertaken at a Commonwealth Campus, she cited the Lake Plastic Recovery, Recycling and Polymer Research program at Penn State Behrend in Erie, and its launch of a new major in polymer engineering and science.

Culture of Interdisciplinarity

One of the factors that distinguishes Penn State from its peers, Weiss said, is a long-standing commitment to interdisciplinary research, demonstrated tangibly in its seven interdisciplinary research institutes. She took the opportunity to highlight the achievements of a few of those institutes.

TheMaterials Research Institute, created in 1992 with an initial strategic investment of $500,000, accounted for more than $150 million in research awards in 2020, Weiss reported. Its unrivaled core facilities make it a critical strategic partner for industry and are a tremendous asset to recruiting top-tier faculty. More than 100 Pennsylvania companies use the facilities, and partners include Morgan, Corning, PPG, Lockheed Martin, Volvo, Dow and Murata. The institutes leadership, resources and expertise are keys to Penn States No. 1 ranking in materials science and No. 2 ranking in materials engineering in the recent NSF Research & Development report, Weiss said.

TheSocial Sciences Research Institutesupports research aimed at both fundamental understanding and societal impacts in four key research areas: smart and connected health, the human system, social disparities, and transitioning data to knowledge and impact. This institutes agile response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Weiss noted, allowed studies of the psychological and social impacts of online technology during the pandemic, and well as the impacts of social distancing on family well-being and child safety.

Unique among the institutes is theApplied Research Laboratory, a Department of Defense University Affiliated Research Center which last year celebrated 75 years of research excellence. This lab is charged with developing innovative solutions to address challenging national security problems in sea, land, air, space and cyberspace by maintaining essential core capabilities in communications and information, materials and manufacturing, navigation, undersea systems, fluid dynamics and acoustics,and by transitioning advanced technology to operational programs in support of national security priorities, Weiss explained.

The culture of interdisciplinarity that has grown along with the institutes enables an approach to collaboration and cluster hiring that was held up as a national model in a recent study published in the Journal of Higher Education,Weiss told the committee. "Its a profoundly different approach to leveraging our expertise, she said.

Strategic seed investments are another important interdisciplinary tool, allowing bold forays into new research directions, rapid responses to emerging needs, exploration of high risk-high payoff ideas and collaborations, and support of ideas that are too early for sponsors to fund. As an example of the positive impact of such investment, Weiss cited the Universitys research response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in which $2.4 million was seeded to 48 research teams across the University that quickly pivoted to address the crisis with expertise in areas ranging from biology to social sciences. To date, she said, those early funds have yielded an additional $11 million in external awards.

Leading for the future

In summary, Weiss emphasized the value of research as a driver of progress in the commonwealth, the nation and the world.

Our universities have become the countrys innovation centers. A top research enterprise like Penn States attracts leading faculty the innovators, knowledge discoverers and creative drivers of tomorrow, she said. It attracts the best students and provides them with experiences that lead to successful careers. It attracts industrial partnerships, as we help companies anticipate and solve their challenges. Research is crucial to our standing among our peers as a world-class institution and research is what prepares us to address the challenges of tomorrow.

Read the original here:

Penn State research impacts the world - Penn State News

Posted in Space Exploration | Comments Off on Penn State research impacts the world – Penn State News

The sky is not the limit: could you be the UK’s next astronaut? – GOV.UK

Posted: at 2:31 pm

For the first time since 2008, The European Space Agency (ESA) is on the lookout for new astronauts, and UK citizens of any walk of life are invited to apply.

Following an intensive period of training, which will include a 3-week course in caving and a course in practical geology, the new astronauts will take their first flights into space when they are deployed to the International Space Station. They are likely to be part of the crew on the next missions to the Moon in the late 2020s and through the 2030s.

ESA is also issuing a special call for candidates with physical disabilities to apply to its astronaut reserve. The pilot project aims to open the astronaut career path to people who, until now, have been excluded from space flight. Those with a lower limb deficiency or who are considered to be of short stature and meet other recruitment criteria are invited to apply. ESA will invest in the necessary adaptations of space hardware to enable these otherwise excellently qualified professionals to serve as crew members on a safe space mission.

The UK Space Agency expects the next professional UK astronaut to be selected through this recruitment drive and encourages all eligible applicants to apply.

Experience of the space sector is not essential, but candidates will need a masters degree (or higher) in Natural Sciences, Medicine, Engineering, Mathematics or Computer Sciences or be qualified as an experimental test pilot. Fluency in English is essential along with other requirements. The right person for the job will also be calm under pressure and be willing to be the participate in life science experiments - past experiments have included studying the effects of microgravity on human bone and tissue.

Science Minister, Amanda Solloway, said:

Becoming an astronaut is a dream for many, and Tim Peakes historic mission to space in 2015 showed millions of Brits that it can become a reality, while putting the UK firmly on the map as a leading space-faring nation.

With the UK space sector receiving more government backing than ever before, its time for a new generation of British astronauts to answer this call as we continue working with our European partners to push the boundaries of science and exploration even further.

In 1989 Helen Sharman became the first British astronaut when she was selected for the joint UK/Soviet Union mission, Juno. In May 1991, Sharman spent eight days in space and became the first female astronaut to visit the Mir Space Station.

Tim Peake was the first British recruit though the ESA astronaut programme in 2009 where he and 5 other applicants from the United Kingdom made it to the final stage of the application process. In 2015 Tim spent 6 months living and working on the International Space Station and was the first British astronaut to take part in a spacewalk.

British ESA astronaut, Tim Peake, said:

Over the next few years and decades, space exploration will become even more exciting as we travel back to the Moon and even further to Mars. For space missions to succeed, they require highly motivated people from diverse backgrounds to combine their skills and work as a team. The next generation of UK citizens have so much to offer the world, and so I would encourage anyone who has dreamt of pushing the boundaries of what is possible to take this opportunity to be part of ESAs future cohort of space pioneers.

The position of astronaut is just one possible career path in the UK space industry, which employs close to 42,000 people in various roles from aerospace engineers, satellite technicians, research scientists to entrepreneurs and lawyers. Anyone who meets the criteria to be an astronaut is invited to submit a complete application online through the ESA careers website.

Applications will open on 31 March and stay open for two months until 28 May. There will then be a 17-month process of screening, psychological, practical, and psychometric testing, medical selections and two interview selections until the final applicants will be appointed and announced in October 2022.

The UK Space Agency has been a member of the ESA human exploration programme since 2012, and its participation is not affected by Brexit.

The UK Space Industry has a total income of 14.8 billion, and its contribution to GDP is expected to grow as the government boosts investment in space-related activity. The UK Space Agency is leading major programmes to support the first UK space launches, pioneer satellite innovation, and foster space hubs across the Union.

See original here:

The sky is not the limit: could you be the UK's next astronaut? - GOV.UK

Posted in Space Exploration | Comments Off on The sky is not the limit: could you be the UK’s next astronaut? – GOV.UK

Elon Musk wants top cryptocurrency Dogecoin holders to sell

Posted: at 2:30 pm

Elon Musk wants dogecoin moguls to share their wealth.

The billionaire Tesla CEO urged dogecoins largest owners to sell most of their holdings as he expressed concern about a small number of people hoarding too much of the cult cryptocurrency.

If major Dogecoin holders sell most of their coins, it will get my full support, Musk said on Twitter Sunday evening. Too much concentration is the only real issue [in my opinion].

I will literally pay actual $ if they just void their accounts, he added in an early Monday post.

Musks first tweet appeared to spark yet another wild movement in the price of dogecoin, a meme-inspired digital currency that was started as a joke.

The price initially jumped in the minutes after Musks tweet but went on to fall as low as about 4.8 cents late Sunday, marking a roughly 45 percent drop from the all-time high of 8.7 cents that it reached last week, according to CoinDesk data.

The coin pared the losses Monday morning to trade at roughly 5.8 cents apiece as of 7:18 a.m., down 6.5 percent from a day earlier, with a market value of about $7.5 billion.

Musks latest Twitter musings about dogecoin named for an internet meme that features a Shiba Inu dog suggested that hes sincerely invested in the coin despite his frequent jokes about it.

When another Twitter user posited that Musks effort to push big holders to sell was a sign that he legitimately sees Dogecoins potential as being the leading currency of the internet, Musk replied, Absolutely.

But the coin has nevertheless fallen from the all-time peak it hit on Feb. 7 as celebrities such as Snoop Dogg and Gene Simmons joined Musk in hyping it up.

Musk also claimed last week that he had bought some dogecoin for his infant son, X A-Xii, two days after Tesla revealed that it had invested $1.5 billion of its corporate cash in bitcoin.

Originally posted here:

Elon Musk wants top cryptocurrency Dogecoin holders to sell

Posted in Elon Musk | Comments Off on Elon Musk wants top cryptocurrency Dogecoin holders to sell

7 Stocks That Elon Musk Loves And That You Should Too – InvestorPlace

Posted: at 2:30 pm

Elon Musk, the CEO and co-founder of Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), has been hailed as a genius entrepreneur, earning the nicknamemodern-day Tony Stark, after the fictionalgenius inventor and billionaire industrialist. According to theBloomberg Billionaires Index, he has an estimated total net worth of $209 billion, surpassing Jeff Bezos of Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) as the worlds wealthiest person. Therefore, todays article introduces seven stocks to buy that Elon Musk would approve of.

Many InvestorPlace readers will remember that in 1999 Musk founded X.com, which later became PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL). He is also the founder of SpaceX, whose mission is to manufacture and launch rockets as well as spacecraft. In 2020, SpaceX had its first successful human space launch. Recent days have seen headlines on Starship, a fully reusable transport system capable of carrying up to 100 people to Mars.

There is no doubt Musk is a talented and successful entrepreneur. However, he can also be outspoken and at times controversial. For example, he has not been shy in using Twitters (NYSE:TWTR) platform to make public his positive views on Bitcoin (CCC:BTC-USD) and Dogecoin (CCC:DOGE-USD). Then, on Feb. 1, Tesla announced it was buying Bitcoin worth $1.5 billion. The company will also accept the cryptocurrency as payment.

Needless to say, Bitcoin has been reaching new highs since the announcement. The Musk Effect might be another example of the short-term nature of a hot stock market. But his followers are ready to take his lead and follow his words and moves.

For a large number of investors, Tesla represents the future of electric vehicles (EVs). But Wall Street also wonders if much of the future growth potential of the shares has already been accounted for in TSLA stocks current price. Whichever way the stock goes, there are several other companies and assets that are likely to benefit from the attention Tesla and Mr. Musk give them.

With that in mind, here are seven stocks that are in the spotlight thanks to Elon Musk:

Source: franz12 / Shutterstock.com

52-week range: $4.13 $7.561-year price change: 9.38%Dividend yield: 3.28%

Tokyo, Japan-based AGC is a glass manufacturer. Its products are used in a wide range of industries, from construction to automotive and solar energy. The company manufactures windshields for Tesla, offering investors an alternative way to invest in electric vehicles.

The company reported 2020 fiscal year results on Feb. 5. Net sales decreased 7% from the previous year. Similarly, net income also showed a 26% decline from a year ago. Analysts noted glass and chemicals segments showed decline in net sales and profit due to the impact of the pandemic.In the Automotive Glass segment, management underscored the decline in group shipments, except for China, due to decrease in worldwide vehicle production affected by [the Covid-19] crisis.

Despite the setback in 2020, management believes the business is on a recovery track, expected to show [a year-over-year] YoY increase in net sales and [operating profit] OP. I believe this niche manufacturer and supplier to Tesla needs to be on your watchlist.

Source: Shutterstock

52-week range: $4,106.98 $50,335.721-year price change: 396%

The memorable Bitcoin rally in the past year was mainly driven by institutional demand as well as retail investors willing to bet against traditional paper currency. JP Morgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) suggested that Bitcoin can potentially take the place of gold to a large extent, ready for considerable upside, as it competes with gold as an alternative currency.

After Elon Musk changed his personal Twitter bio to #bitcoin, the BTC-USD price surged more than 15% to over $38,000 on Jan. 29, before falling back to $34,500. Meanwhile, his tweets have moved other cryptocurrencies as well.

However, there are rumors of declining institutional interest in the cryptocurrency. If this is true, a tweet from the richest person in the world cannot necessarily change this reality. Data from crypto news and analysis company The Blockshows that hedge funds are shorting Bitcoin by more than $1 billion.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin fans continue to buy into the cryptocurrency, as this short-interest news has failed to curb the retail investor euphoria in Bitcoin. Although I believe there will be further institutional interest in the cryptocurrency, retail investors should be cautious. There is a lot of noise and speculation in the crypto space at this point.

Like the recent GameStop (NYSE:GME) stock headlines, it would not be surprising to see a clash in the coming months between hedge-fund short-sellers and bullish retail traders determined to push the Bitcoin price higher. Given the ongoing rally in the cryptocurrency, investors will continue to see wild swings in its price tag.

Source: quietbits / Shutterstock.com

52-week range: $29.95 $239.471-year price change: 340%

Etsy shares surged nearly 10% in premarket trading in late January after Elon Musk touted the company on Twitter, saying I kinda love Etsy in atweet.

The New York-based company operates an online e-commerce site. It offers a range of seller services and tools that help entrepreneurs start, grow and manage their businesses. Etsy competes with brands like Amazon Handmade,Shopify (NYSE:SHOP) and Big Cartel.

Etsy reported Q3 results in late October. Total revenue was $451.5 million, up 128.1% YoY, driven by strong growth. Net income was $91.8 million, representing a 520% YoY increase from $14.8 million in the prior year quarter. Furthermore, diluted earnings per share came at 70 cents. Cash and equivalents were $1.6 billion. The company has around four million sellers on its platform, representing about a 50% YoY increase.

CEO Josh Silverman said, We delivered very strong results during the third quarter, with consolidated GMS and revenue growth up 119% and 128% respectively, evidence of our focused execution, engagement with our buyers and sellers, and our strong brand, underpinned by the unique inventory in our marketplace.

The online platform has a dynamic seller base. As a result, sellers were able to shift inventory to products that become relevant such as face masks during the current pandemic and vote necklaces during the U.S. presidential election. The company has been a winner in 2020, and the share price clearly reflects this momentum.

ETSY stocks forward price-to-earnings (P/E) and price-to-sales (P/S) ratios are 105.26 and 22.08, respectively. This is a frothy valuation. Interested investors might find better value around $200.

Source: lumen-digital / Shutterstock.com

52-week range:$2.84 $14.291-year price change: Up 66.3%

Racine, Wisconsin-based Modine Manufacturing provides engineered heat-transfer systems for use in vehicles, construction and refrigeration markets. Its products include radiators, condensers, charge air coolers, heat-transfer modules, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and coils.

Notably, the company manufactures battery chillers for Tesla, offering investors another way to invest in the EV space. It has a long history in the automotive business.

Modine Manufacturing reported third-quarter results on Feb. 5. Revenue was $484.3 million, relatively flat compared to the same quarter in the previous year. Net loss in the third quarter was $195.4 million, compared to net earnings of $1 million in the prior-year period. Moreover, adjusted earnings per share were 41 cents, compared to 37 cents in the prior year. Adjusted free cash flow was $141.5 million in the third quarter, compared to $25.9 million in the previous year.

In recent quarters, the firm has been expanding operations, specifically to commercial HVAC. This move has led to improving free cash flow since the management team announced its strategy transition several years ago.

CEO Neil D. Brinker cited, After my first several weeks with Modine, I see great potential for us to leverage our technical leadership and innovation in thermal management to drive long-term growth and earnings improvements.

Management is noting a slow and steady recovery from most of its end markets and regions. MOD stocks forward P/E and P/S ratios are 7.51 and 0.40, respectively. I believe the stock offers good value around the current levels.

Source: JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock.com

52-week range: $82.07 $309.141-year price change: 146.04%

As we have already noted, Elon Musk initially set up X.com, which he intended to become an online financial services firm. In 2000, it merged with Confinity, co-founded by Peter Thiel and Max Levchin, two other internet entrepreneurs. The merged company became PayPal and was later acquired by eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY). Elon Musk left PayPal in 2002.

Over the past two decades, PayPal has grown to become one of the most important names in financial technology (fintech). Its combined payment solutions include PayPal, PayPal Credit, Braintree, Venmo, Xoom and Paydiant products. It also enables U.S.-based users to buy and sell Bitcoin on its PayPal platform.

Paypal reportedfourth-quarter and full year 2020 results on Feb. 3. Q4 revenue totaled $6.12 billion, an increase of 23% YoY. Q4 non-GAAP net income was $1.3 billion, a 30% YoY growth. Non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) was $1.08, up 29% from the prior year period. The group generated $1.35 billion in cash flow, a 46% YoY increase. Free cash flow was $1.12 billion, representing a 50% YoY increase.

CEO Dan Schulman said, PayPal delivered record performance in 2020 as businesses of all sizes have digitized in the wake of the pandemic. In this historic year, we released more products than ever before and have dramatically scaled our acceptance worldwide, giving our 377 million consumer and merchant accounts even more reasons to use our platform.

PYPL stocks forward P/E and P/S ratios are 65.79 and 16.51, respectively. Given the impressive run-up in price over the past year, the valuation is on the frothy side. Yet, PayPals digital payment products are likely to stay in high demand.

The companys market capitalization is over $354 billion. Although there is likely to be occasional pullbacks in the share price, I expect PYPL stock to create shareholder value for many quarters to come.

Source: Shutterstock

52-week range: $26.76 $29.151-year price change: 50.1%Dividend yield: 0.83%

Switzerland-based Sika manufactures specialty chemical-based products, primarily for the automotive, renewable energy and industrial markets. It produces additives for concrete, sealants for roofing and flooring, waterproofing systems and light-weight components for the automotive and wind-generation industries.

SIKA reportedfourth-quarter results on Jan. 12. Sales stood at 7.88 billion CHF, while the company reported strong growth of 5.5% in the fourth quarter. Its products for environmentally compliant green buildings are becoming important.

CEO Paul Schuler said, The 2020 fiscal year was overshadowed by the global coronavirus pandemic, which had a number of serious repercussions for the construction and automotive sectors Sika managed to perform successfully in this highly challenging market environment and achieve above-average results.

Management expects a strong 2021, mainly due to government stimulus packages for new-build and refurbishment projects. Sika is also forecasting higher vehicle-production volumes this year. Its products are used to soundproof and reduce the weight of cars. Tesla, Daimler (OTCMKTS:DMLRY) and Ford Motor (NYSE:F) are among Sikas customers in the automotive industry.

SIKA stocks forward P/E and P/S ratios are 36.9 and 4.96, respectively. Potential investors should eye declines in the share price for a better entry opportunity.

Source: Sheila Fitzgerald / Shutterstock.com

52-week range: $70.10 $900.401-year price change: 401.7%

We cant have a list of Elon Musk stocks without mentioning TSLA. Tesla has become the undisputed EV leader on Wall Street. The Palo Alto, California-based company is also involved in clean energy generation and storage products. Tesla currently has two vehicle production factories, located in Fremont, California and Shanghai, China. Additionally, construction of Berlin and Texas factories continue, and they are expected to start production in the coming quarters.

The automaker announced Q4 metrics on Jan. 27. Total revenue was $10.75 billion, up by 46% YoY. Net earnings were $903 million, showing 134% YoY growth. Furthermore, diluted EPS was 80 cents, a 95% YoY increase. Cash and equivalents, with the help of recent capital, were registered as $19.4 million, implying a 209% YoY increase. Free cash flow on the other hand, grew by 158% YoY and reached to $2,786 million.

Over a multi-year horizon, we expect to achieve 50% average annual growth in vehicle deliveries. In some years we may grow faster, which we expect to be the case in 2021, said Tesla management in a statement following its 2020 Q4 financials.

TSLAs price performance was remarkable in the past 12 months as it has returned over 400%. As a result, the stocks forward P/E and P/S ratios are 200 and 28.03, showing a rich valuation. Tesla is an extremely volatile stock. Short-term traders should be ready for price swings and exercise caution. However, long-term traders could regard dips in price as opportunities to buy.

On the date of publication, Tezcan Gecgil did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.

TezcanGecgilhas worked in investment management for over two decades in the U.S. and U.K. In addition to formal higher education in the field, she has also completed all 3 levels of the Chartered Market Technician (CMT) examination. Her passion is for options trading based on technical analysis of fundamentally strong companies. She especially enjoys setting up weekly covered calls for income generation.

Read more:

7 Stocks That Elon Musk Loves And That You Should Too - InvestorPlace

Posted in Elon Musk | Comments Off on 7 Stocks That Elon Musk Loves And That You Should Too – InvestorPlace

Surpassing Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos Is Again The World’s Richest Person – Benzinga

Posted: at 2:30 pm

Jeff Bezos is once again the richest man in the world.

Thanks to the drop inTesla Inc's (NASDAQ: TSLA), whose stock fell 2.4% on Wednesday, the founder of Amazon Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) regained his place at the top of the worlds richest people chart, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

With a personal fortune of $191 billion, Bezos stands up to Elon Musk ($190 billion), who ranked number one for six weeks. Musk's rise to number one took place in early January 2020, when Tesla's shares rose 743% over the year, with a $106 billion increase.

The Other Fat Cats:Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates has a net worth of $137 billion, thanks to which he took the third place in the ranking, followed byLVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA (OTC: LVMUY) CEO Bernard Arnault with $116 billion, andFacebook Inc.(NASDAQ: FB) CEOMark Zuckerberg, ranking fifth thanks to his $104 billion.

Space Challenge:This is a challenge by means of equity destined to move into orbit. In fact, the two richest people also own two aerospace research companies: Blue Originand SpaceX.On February 2nd, Bezos stepped down from his role as CEO of Amazon to pursue his other activities, and referring to Blue Origin he said: This is the most important job I am doing.

See Also: Elon Musk's SpaceX Gets 60% Higher Valuation In Latest Funding Round At $74B: Report

Blue Origin will be wrestling with Musk's Space X, which has managed to establish itself in recent years. Both are now competing on several strategic contracts within the US space missions.

ThisarticleoriginallyappearedonFinancialounge.comand was translated from Italian to English.It does not represent the opinion of Benzinga and has not been edited.

For news coverage in Italian or Spanish, check outBenzinga ItaliaandBenzinga Espaa.

2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Excerpt from:

Surpassing Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos Is Again The World's Richest Person - Benzinga

Posted in Elon Musk | Comments Off on Surpassing Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos Is Again The World’s Richest Person – Benzinga

Starlink explained: What to know about Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture – CNET

Posted: at 2:30 pm

The SpaceX Falcon 9 lifting off from Kennedy Space Center in May last year.

When you think of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, chances are good that you also think of his electric car company Tesla or his space-exploration venture SpaceX (to say nothing of his history of stirring up controversy on social media, or smoking weed with Joe Rogan). Maybe you just know him as the richest person on Earth, having passed Jeff Bezos to take the top spot a month ago.

Before long, something else might come to mind when you think of Musk: a venture called Starlink that seeks to sell internet connections to almost anyone on the planet by way of a growing network of private satellites orbiting overhead.

Learn smart gadget and internet tips and tricks with CNET's How To newsletter.

After years of development within SpaceX -- and after securing nearly $885.5 million in grant funds from the Federal Communications Commissionat the end of 2020 -- Starlink's progress seems to be accelerating in 2021. In January, after about three years' worth of successful launches, the project surpassed 1,000 satellites delivered into orbit. Earlier in February, Musk's company disclosed that Starlink now serves more than 10,000 customers. Now, the service is in the process of expanding preorders to even more potential customers, with people currently living without access to high-speed internet as one of the top priorities.

All of that makes Starlink well worth keeping an eye on in 2021. For now, here's everything you should know about it.

Now playing: Watch this: Starlink space-based internet, explained

4:43

Technically a division within SpaceX, Starlink is also the name of the spaceflight company's growing network -- or "constellation" -- of orbital satellites. The development of that network began in 2015, with the first prototype satellites launched into orbit in 2018.

In the years since, SpaceX has deployed over 1,000 Starlink satellites into orbit across more than 20 successful launches. In January, for its first Starlink mission of 2021,SpaceX launched 60 satellites into orbit from Kennedy Space Center using the landable, relaunchableFalcon 9 orbital rocket. Subsequent launches, includingfour more in February -- two of which have already been completed successfully -- will bring the total number of satellites launched to 1,265.

That's the idea, yes.

Just like existing providers of satellite internet like HughesNet or ViaSat, Starlink wants to sell internet access -- particularly to people in rural areas and other parts of the world who don't already have access to high-speed broadband.

SpaceX's Starlink hardware includes a satellite dish and router, which you'll set up at home to receive the signal from space.

"Starlink is ideally suited for areas of the globe where connectivity has typically been a challenge," the Starlink website reads. "Unbounded by traditional ground infrastructure, Starlink can deliver high-speed broadband internet to locations where access has been unreliable or completely unavailable."

All you need to do to make the connection is set up a small satellite dish at your home to receive the signal and pass the bandwidth on to your router. Starlink offers an app forAndroid andiOS that uses augmented reality to help customers pick the best location and position for their receivers.

Starlink's service is only available in select regions at this point, but the service now boasts more than 10,000 customers, and the coverage map will continue to grow as more satellites make their way into the constellation. Eventually, Starlink hopes to blanket the entire planet in a usable high-speed Wi-Fi signal.

"Users can expect to see data speeds vary from 50 to 150 megabits per second and latency from 20 to 40 milliseconds in most locations over the next several months," Starlink's website says, while also warning of brief periods of no connectivity at all. "As we launch more satellites, install more ground stations and improve our networking software, data speed, latency and uptime will improve dramatically."

Starlink has begun accepting preorders from customers interested in joining the company's "Better Than Nothing" beta program. The cost of the service is billed at $99 per month, plus taxes and fees, plus an initial payment of $499 for the mountable satellite dish and router that you'll need to install at home.

Starlink says that it's taking orders from customers on a first-come, first-served basis and that some preorders could take as long as six months to fulfill.

Fiber, or internet delivered via ground-laid fiber-optic cable, offers upload and download speeds that are indeed much faster than satellite internet -- but, as companies like Google will tell you, there's nothing fast about deploying the infrastructure necessary to get fiber to people's homes. That's not to say that there's anything simple about shooting satellites into space, but with fewer sharp-elbowed competitors -- and with a lot less red tape to cut through -- there's every reason to believe that services like Starlink will reach the bulk of underserved communities long before fiber ever will. Recent FCC filings also suggest that Starlink could ultimately double as a dedicated phone service, too.

And don't forget that this is Elon Musk we're talking about. SpaceX is the only company on the planet with a landable, reusable rocket capable of delivering payload after payload into orbit. That's a mighty advantage in the commercial space race. On top of that,Musk said in 2018 that Starlink will help provide SpaceX with revenue needed to fund the company's long-held ambition to establish a base on Mars.

If that day arrives, it's also likely that SpaceX will try to establish a satellite constellation on the red planet, too. That means that Starlink customers are potentially doubling as guinea pigs for the Martian wireless networks of the future.

"If you send a million people to Mars, you better provide some way for them to communicate," said SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell in 2016, speaking about the company's long-term vision for Starlink. "I don't think the people who go to Mars are going to be satisfied with some terrible, old-fashioned radios. They'll want their iPhones or Androids on Mars."

Still, with top speeds currently pegged at 150Mbps, Starlink's satellite internet won't be anywhere near the gigabit speeds fiber is capable of anytime soon -- and that's due to the sheer distance each transmission needs to travel on its round trip from your home to the stratosphere. It's a factor that also jacks up latency, which is why you'll often notice awkward lulls in the conversation if you're talking to someone over a satellite connection.

That said, Starlink promises to improve upon existing expectations for satellite connections by placing satellites into orbit at lower altitudes than before -- 60 times closer to the Earth's surface than traditional satellites, per the company's claims. This low-earth orbit approach means that there's less distance for those Starlink signals to travel -- and thus, less latency. We'll let you know how those claims hold up once we're able to test the Starlink network out for ourselves.

That's definitely one of the downsides to satellite internet. Per Starlink's FAQ, the receiver is capable of melting snow that lands on it, but it can't do anything about surrounding snow build-up and other obstructions that might block its line of sight to the satellite.

"We recommend installing Starlink in a location that avoids snow build-up and other obstructions from blocking the field of view," the FAQ reads. "Heavy rain or wind can also affect your satellite internet connection, potentially leading to slower speeds or a rare outage."

There's plenty of concern about the proliferation of privately owned satellites in space, and controversy in astronomical circles about the impact low-orbiting satellites have on the night sky itself.

This long-exposure image of a distant galaxy group from Arizona's Lowell Observatory is marred by diagonal lines from light reflecting off Starlink satellites, shortly after their launch in 2019.

In 2019, shortly after the deployment of Starlink's first broadband satellites, the International Astronomical Union released an alarm-sounding statement warning of unforeseen consequences for stargazing and for the protection of nocturnal wildlife.

"We do not yet understand the impact of thousands of these visible satellites scattered across the night sky and despite their good intentions, these satellite constellations may threaten both," the statement reads.

Since then, Starlink has begun testing a variety of new designs intended to reduce the brightness and visibility of its satellites. At the start of 2020, the company tested a "DarkSat" satellite that included a special, nonreflective coating. Later, in June of 2020, the company launched a "VisorSat" satellite that features a special sunshade visor. In August, Starlink launched another batch of satellites -- this time, all of them were equipped with visors.

"We want to make sure we do the right thing to make sure little kids can look through their telescope," Shotwell said. "It's cool for them to see a Starlink. But they should be looking at Saturn, at the moon ... and not want to be interrupted."

"The Starlink teams have worked closely with leading astronomers around the world to better understand the specifics of their observations and engineering changes we can make to reduce satellite brightness," the company website reads.

We'll continue to cover Starlink's progress from a variety of angles here on CNET, so stay tuned. You should also be sure to read Eric Mack's excellent profile of Starlink -- among other issues, it takes a close look at the project's goals and challenges, as well as the implications for underserved internet consumers, and for astronomers concerned with light pollution obstructing views in the night sky.

Beyond that, we expect to begin testing Starlink's network for ourselves at some point later this year. When we know more about how the satellite service stacks up as an internet provider, we'll tell you all about it.

Excerpt from:

Starlink explained: What to know about Elon Musk's satellite internet venture - CNET

Posted in Elon Musk | Comments Off on Starlink explained: What to know about Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture – CNET

Elon Musk Wants to Make the Tesla Roadster Hover – Entrepreneur

Posted: at 2:30 pm

Elon Musk wants the Tesla Roadster to hover with rocket technology.

This book gives you the essential guide for easy-to-follow tips and strategies to create more financial success.

February16, 20213 min read

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says he wants the companys Roadster to hover. According to theNew York Post, he made the remark on anepisodeof Joe Rogans podcast, which was released on Thursday.

Musk said hes working on adding rocket technology to the Tesla Roadster so that it can hover over the ground without, you know, killing people. He also said he thought they could make the sports cover hover but not too high. He suggested a height of about 1 meter above the ground.

If you plummet, you blow out the suspension, but youre not gonna die, he said.

Tesla has been working on updating the Roadster for several years. The car was the automakers first mass-market electric car. According to Musk, theautomakerexpects to finish engineering for the updated Roadster this year and start shipping it next year.

Musk said if Tesla is successful at making the Roadster hover, the car would be able to move through the air while floating over the ground. They are currently experimenting with the technology. He suggested that the automaker would offer a SpaceX option package, a reference to Musks space travel company. The package will fit the Roadster with a pressurized fuel vessel and a bunch of thrusters.

If Tesla is not successful at making the Roadster hover, Musk said the car could still feature rear thrusters that would make it ultra-fast. He told Rogan the thrusters would make the Roadster move like a bat out of hell even if it doesnt get hovering capabilities.

The Tesla CEO explained that at a minimum, he believes they should be able to include a thruster that appears when the license plate flips down, similar to how thrusters were equipped on James Bonds vehicles. The rocket thruster would apply three tons of thrust, according to Musk.

The Roadster has been in the works since before 2017 when Tesla initially revealed it. As a publicity stunt the next year, SpaceX launched a rocket carrying Musks own Roadster into space. The sports car floated past Mars for the first time in the fall.

Tesla is part of theEntrepreneur Indexbecause Musk is one of the companys co-founders, and other co-founders are also involved in leading the company. According to a study, one of the characteristics offounder-led companiesis that they are more innovative, and that certainly holds true of Musk and Tesla. Getting the Tesla Roadster to hover would be quite an innovation as technology currently stands.

Read more:

Elon Musk Wants to Make the Tesla Roadster Hover - Entrepreneur

Posted in Elon Musk | Comments Off on Elon Musk Wants to Make the Tesla Roadster Hover – Entrepreneur