Category Archives: Space Travel

Theres this great moment I often think of when I need a laugh.

Its Donald Trump standing in front of a podium, announcing a new branch of the military astutely called Space Force, which will operate, you guessed it, in space.

The president of the United States asks rhetorically where would we be without space?

Meanwhile, Buzz Aldrin, one of the first people to ever walk on the moon, standing beside POTUS grimaces and rolls his eyes.

It is perfect comedy. Its also entirely real.

Unfortunately, Netflixs new big-budget comedy starring Steve Carell and John Malkovich never reaches this level of hilarity, despite some solid effort.

Space Force, which satirizes the concept of the whole enterprise, never comes close to the absurdity of the real thing, which is its biggest failing.

From the outset, I thought Space Force was basically a sure thing, which is probably what makes the final product such a letdown.

With Steve Carell at the helm and an incredible ensemble cast around him, including: Lisa Kudrow, John Malkovich, Ben Schwartz, Jimmy O. Yang, Jane Lynch and more, it seemed like it had everything going for it.

But it mostly just falls flat.

General Mark Naird (Steve Carell), who is initially hoping to head up the Air Force is tasked with establishing Space Force, just announced by POTUS.

It represents a surprising new prong of a growing, bureaucratic U.S. military, with each of the joint chiefs acting essentially like high school bullies jockeying for position.

Now at the bottom of an elite pecking order, Naird is trying to prove this new branch is worthy of the billions of dollars being spent on it and also posturing to prove his worth as well.

Naird also has the unenviable mission of trying to satisfy POTUS (whos never really named as Trump, but its heavily implied) and his goals of domination in space.

Things go wrong often. Gotta test that new rocket. And if it blows up? well, whats a few hundred million? Government waste while millions go hungry is so funny.

On top of the sheer stress of his drop, Naird deals with a fidgety and sarcastic head scientist (Malkovich) constantly demanding Space Force changes its priorities to focus on science, a wife (Kudrow) in jail for decades for some unknown reasons and a daughter (Diana Silvers) who is frustrated she had to move away from Washington to the badlands of Colorado.

Carell is unfortunately employing a gruff, raspy tone to his voice as Naird, which is perhaps appropriate for the setting, but ultimately distracting. His character has occasional moments of hilarity, singing classic pop songs to calm down and other quirks, but hes mostly just a jerk cleaning up his own mess as he defends asinine decision making.

Naird is just not that likeable, which is kind of surprising because Carells most well-known comedy character, Michael Scott from The Office (still on Netflix in Canada for now), is one of the most beloved TV characters of all time.

There are a few tender moments between the cast, but theyre too few and far between. Everyone just feels like theyre bouncing around and occasionally interacting with each other. Theres chemistry, but its haphazard.

The show also leans on some problematic stand-in characters, such as representative Anabela Ysidro-Campos (Ginger Gonzaga), an obvious AOC doppelgnger who goes after Space Force funding.

Another episode features Edison Jaymes (Kaitlin Olson), a stand-in for Elon Musk, whos going to revolutionize space travel with a sexy new rocket fuel. Its a joke that may have sounded good on paper, but just comes off as contrived.

What hurts Space Force is its off-putting tone. Its played essentially like a scripted drama, with comedy bits thrown in for flavour.

The show really could have benefited a lot from the documentary style that allowed The Office, Parks And Recreation and other modern comedies to feel so tangible and relatable. Again, Space Force is based on a real thing thats actually sort of happening, but the plot seems so far impossible. A lot of wouldnt it be funny ifs - only the real thing remains even funnier.

The 10-episode run, which I had to push myself to finish, ends on a cliffhanger and based on Netflixs cryptic rating system it seems to be doing relatively well, so we can expect more to come out at some point. Hopefully the show finds its space legs by then.

RELATED:

See original here:

STREAMING WARS: Netflixs big-budget comedy Space Force has all the right ingredients, but fails to deliver the laughs - SaltWire Network

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus outbreak on Sunday. We'll have another update for you on Monday.

UK tourists can visit Spain without having to quarantine on arrival, Spanish officials have told the BBC, giving fresh hope to those wishing to have a summer holiday abroad this year. British citizens will be allowed to enter the country freely, without the need to self-isolate, said Spain's foreign affairs minister. Meanwhile, do you really know Britain's lockdown rules? Test your knowledge.

Countries around the world are easing their lockdown restrictions, but coronavirus is far from over and even those controlling the outbreak fear "the second wave". The second phase of Spanish flu a century ago was deadlier than the first. So, is a second wave inevitable, and just how bad could it be?

More staff at a chicken factory that produces a third of all poultry products consumed in the UK have tested positive for coronavirus. All staff at the 2 Sisters meat processing plant in Llangefni, Anglesey, northern Wales, are self-isolating after a number of workers were confirmed to have the virus on Thursday. Public Health Wales said that the number of staff affected had risen to 75, with cases expected to increase.

A Scottish architect has filled six A4-size sketchbooks documenting his family's life under lockdown. Prof Alan Dunlop has drawn about 120 pictures - one or two for each day of the 10 weeks since restrictions came into place.

Lockdown has led many to explore new hobbies - and inspired a new generation of backyard vegetable growers. But what do you do if your only outside space is tiny? Here's how to grow lockdown veg in a tiny space, from window ledges to patio pots.

Get a longer coronavirus briefing from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning, by signing up here.

You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page and get all the latest via our live page.

What questions do you have about coronavirus?

In some cases, your question will be published, displaying your name, age and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy.

Use this form to ask your question:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or send them via email to YourQuestions@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any question you send in.

Read more:

Coronavirus: Travel to Spain, and the 'second wave' - BBC News

(CNN) A design that reconfigures airplane cabins with double-decker lie-flat seats in premium economy is being touted as a possible solution for fliers looking for more protection from the spread of Covid-19.

Zephyr Seat is the vision of designer Jeffrey O'Neill, who reckons the isolation from fellow passengers that his creation will offer could be a game changer in the wake of the pandemic.

With Zephyr Seat, airlines could provide double-decker seating in a 2-4-2 configuration which, O'Neill says, would allow the majority of global airlines to maintain the same seating density as offered by their existing premium economy cabins.

Seated in premium economy,O'Neill realized halfway through the super long-haul journey that he wasn't going to get any shut eye.

"I'm on probably the best rated airline in the world, and I'm getting wonderful service and the food is edible, but I can't sleep," he recalls. "This is really uncomfortable. Why is it so difficult to find an affordable way to lie flat on a flight that's 19 hours?"

Real estate on an airplane is expensive -- and airlines usually don't want to sacrifice space.

But O'Neill found himself remembering a long-distance bus journey he'd made on a trip through Argentina. The bus utilized bunk beds, and he'd slept far better than on his ostensibly more luxurious air journey to Singapore. It occurred to him that maybe that was the solution.

This was two years ago, and O'Neill says his idea's since graduated from a back of a napkin drawing he dreamed up with his design partner, to a life-size mockup, which he says proves its feasibility.

Double decker seating

The Zephyr Seat offers a double decker airplane interior concept.

Courtesy Zephyr Aerospace

Zephyr's double-decker concept utilizes the space that exists between a standard seat and an overhead bin.

"We basically retrofitted a whole other seat on top of another," explains O'Neill. "So it's essentially two levels, it's not as tall off the ground as people might imagine, it's only four and a half feet off the ground from the entry point to the lower seat to the upper seat."

The result, O'Neill says, is more passenger leg room without the airline being forced to sacrifice space or reduce passenger headcount.

The idea's still in its infancy, although O'Neill says he's identified an engineering partner -- and he's been in conversation with four major airlines, including US carrier Delta, although there are no firm commitments right now.

He presented the idea to airline executives at the 2019 Airline Interiors Expo at Hamburg, Germany -- and said got some valuable feedback on how to make the seat a feasible option for the mid-range aviation market.

The next stage would be passing the product through the required safety tests, which could be a three-year process.

New aviation opportunities

Of course, a question mark currently hangs over aviation's future, with no one quite knowing what air travel is going to look like over the next few months, let alone years.

O'Neill reckons that the new aviation landscape fits with his vision for Zephyr Seat.

Designer Jeff O'Neill thinks the seat will allow travelers in Premium Economy to sleep better.

Courtesy Zephyr Aerospace

The increased privacy the seat would offer, he says, could reassure travelers demanding on board social distancing. That said, the concept, like other ideas in the pipeline, doesn't totally solve the issue of being in close proximity on aircraft and the potential Covid risk.

O'Neill also points towards a future where there could likely be fewer scheduled flights and those that are operating could be busier and more expensive -- something we're already seeing happen.

"The price for a business class or first class seat is going to be out of range for probably about 85% of all travelers, which means a more affordable option might become a reality or a consideration for a lot of those people," he says.

Excerpt from:

Is this double-decker seat the future of airplane travel? - CNN

As summer revs up, many families who've planned vacations and long-anticipated reunions are left wondering whether it's safe to travel during the coronavirus outbreak. Most states have reopened, giving residents a semblance of normalcy, but COVID-19 cases are still rising in some areas.

The good news is you can travel this summer, especially if you stay within U.S. borders, as there are still many restrictions on international travel and if you follow basic precautions.

"Its OK to have fun, (but) do it safely," Saad Omer, director of Yale Institute for Global Health in New Haven, Connecticut, told TODAY. "You just need to strike a balance."

Here are some ways to take a safe vacation during the COVID-19 outbreak, from the best modes of transportation to tips to plan safe gatherings.

Naturally, how safe your vacation will be depends on where you're going. Omer and NBC investigative and consumer correspondent Vicky Nguyen offered these tips.

Although it may seem counterintuitive, flying can be safer than going to a restaurant or public pool, Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told TODAY. That's in part because airlines and airports have measures in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19. It's also now believed that high-touch surfaces aren't as common a method of transmission as previously thought.

Still, flying doesn't come without risk. Here are some ways to lower your risk and your family's if you travel by plane.

Trending stories,celebrity news and all the best of TODAY.

Dr. Allison Agwu, an infectious disease physician at Johns Hopkins Medicine, told TODAY that driving will be safer than flying because "you have more control in your own personal space." Here are some recommendations for staying safe on the road.

Experts believe hotels and vacation rental homes pose a similar risk of coronavirus transmission. But they're safer than staying with family or friends, Omer said. Some strategies to consider:

Staying with people without quarantining separately for two weeks after your travel period increases risk of coronavirus transmission, Omer said. But if you can't stay in a separate space, he recommended:

Because they're outdoors, beaches, Omer said, are a safe summer activity, provided they're not too crowded. Still, you should take these precautions:

Outdoor pools come with a similar risk level as beaches, but they have the added benefit of chlorine, which kills the coronavirus. Skip indoor pools. Outdoors, follow the same guidelines for beaches, and these:

Restaurants around the country have started reopening with new safety measures, like reduced capacity and disposable dinnerware. Call ahead to make sure the restaurant has space to seat you, and consider these tips:

Another beloved summer pastime is barbecuing in the great outdoors. Having people over can be a safe activity, with these precautions:

Read this article:

Safe vacations and traveling during coronavirus: Advice to follow - TODAY

This article is part of the On Tech newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it weekdays.

For the free-speech absolutists out there, let me point you to a corner of the digital world that embraces its utter lack of free expression: Apples app stores.

Apple alone decides what apps you can download on your iPhone, iPad and Mac. The company reviews every line of software code and is happy to block any app that it believes promotes harmful behavior, is in poor taste, enables surveillance, or is trying to steal money or your data.

There are dangers to apps being subject to Apples whims. But the success of the app storefronts and online hangouts like Snapchat that also dont pretend to be anything-goes havens of freedom show that the public sometimes embraces companies dictating what people can say and do inside their virtual walls. You yes, you! are probably not universally against digital censorship.

From the day the iPhone app store opened, employees reviewed and tested apps before making them available to the public. The vetting gave people confidence that apps were safe and worthy of their consideration. Googles Android storefront also screens apps, but is generally more permissive. Apple said last year that it reviewed 100,000 apps weekly and rejected about 40 percent.

There are downsides to Apples absolute app authority. In China, Apples control at times has enabled the government to block apps it believes break its laws. That has included some news apps, including The New York Times.

In addition, app makers gripe about the process, the reasons for rejections, as well as the fees Apple charges for apps on the store. They also question whether Apple shuts out their apps or makes them harder to find because the company wants to help its own apps or internet services. The makers of a new email service, which my colleague Brian X. Chen reviewed, are furious about what they say are Apples capricious reasons for blocking the app.

European regulators are investigating whether Apples terms go too far, my Times colleagues reported this week. Apple has said it worked to make people trust the app store and offer app makers a good business opportunity. The company said there was no basis to complaints that it was violating European competition laws.

But few credible people say that Apple should let anyone and anything into its app stores, at least in the way that some people argue for a Wild West on social media. The fight were having appropriately is over the terms of Apples censorship zones. (The freewheeling internet gives Apple some cover here.)

Its time to stop debating whether we want powerful gatekeepers vetting information. We do. We dont want people to be able to shout the proverbial fire in a crowded theater, and we dont want terrorists, stalkers, dangerous conspiracy theorists and authoritarians to have free rein on the internet.

Lets move past simplistic free-speech arguments. The real debate is how we make sure that powerful gatekeepers exercise their authority effectively, fairly and with accountability.

I promise you that I love to argue. But I confess that Im a little bored arguing about political advertising on Facebook. It feels as if were fighting too much about the wrong thing. (This, perhaps, is the theme of todays newsletter.)

If you have been alive and conscious for the last forever you might have noticed that politicians twist or ignore the truth when they pitch themselves to voters.

This has become a much bigger problem in the social media age. Lies can travel farther and faster than ever before.

This is a serious problem, and the big internet companies have tried different approaches to tackle it. Twitter has refused to accept political-related advertisements at all, and Facebook has staked out an opposite position that people should be able to evaluate the warts-and-all paid pitches from candidates.

Now, my colleague Mike Isaac reported, Facebook will start giving people the option to hide from their feeds political ads, commercials about social issues and similar paid messages. Its a mushy middle ground that, I assure you, will satisfy no one.

Political ads are important because they represent what a candidate most wants voters to know. And its fair to say that internet companies shouldnt financially benefit from false advertisements.

But we also cant lose sight that most of the garbage-fire parts of Facebook are not paid political messages.

The Air Force sergeant who sought to organize violence against law enforcement officials on Facebook had nothing to do with paid political messages. Dangerous health conspiracies that spread on Facebook are not paid political messages. And even most of the horrible stuff that politicians say on Facebook are not paid political messages.

So, yes, we should be debating how Facebook and political candidates should best keep voters informed. But lets not forget about all the noxious online speech and lies that are free of charge.

Taking a company public is just strange now: My colleague Erin Griffith relays how the coronavirus is warping the usual public spectacle of initial public offerings. Instead of C.E.O.s traveling the world to pitch their companies, one crammed back-to-back virtual meetings from his home and made sure to dress up and wear shoes. Instead of the typical ceremonial bell ringing at a stock exchange, employees of one company uploaded photos of themselves for display at the Nasdaq video screen.

The existential question for internet marketplaces: Bookshop has been billed as the anti-Amazon a place for people to buy books online and still support the shop around the corner. But some bookstore owners fear that Bookshop is another way to lose revenue and reader loyalty to an internet middleman, my colleague Alexandra Alter writes.

A glimpse at the humiliation for black executives in technology: Bloomberg News writes about the challenges black people face when they start a tech company or run one. Some executives are advised to bring a white colleague with them to business meetings. One black chief executive told Bloomberg that he carried around a notebook with the logo of alma mater, Stanford University, to try to fit in.

I am a sucker for red pandas. Their adorableness is too much. (Stick around through the end of the video to watch Lin get a birthday cake of apples and bananas.)

We want to hear from you. Tell us what you think of this newsletter and what else youd like us to explore. You can reach us at ontech@nytimes.com.

Get this newsletter in your inbox every weekday; please sign up here.

Read the original post:

The Internets Most Censored Space - The New York Times

Virgin Galactic (NYSE:SPCE) is one of many companies in the market today where the numbers dont matter. SPCE stock is climbing despite the unknowns Virgin Galactic faces.

Source: Tun Pichitanon / Shutterstock.com

The company hopes to do intercontinental flights that briefly enter low Earth orbit. It hopes to do them cheaply by launching off larger planes before engaging on-board engines. It hopes to be offering commercial flights in a few years. Virgin Galactic even hopes to get you from the United States to Sydney in a few hours.

Meanwhile, the company struggles to perfect its system, prove its safety and keep generating the hype needed to stay in business.

Its a mark of just where the market is that, so far in 2020, that has gone quite well. The shares are up almost 30% year to date.

Until Elon Musks SpaceX or Jeff Bezos Blue Origin seek capital from the public markets, Virgin Galactic is the only crazy billionaire space stock.

The crazy billionaire in this case is Richard Branson. He has had to sell out what was a 46% holding in big tranches to support Virgin Atlantic, the airline he co-owns with Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL). Those sales went well. Since they also cleared out warrants Branson held, they were seen to be bullish.

Virgin Galactics efforts cost about $200 million per year. At the end of March, it still had $431 million of cash. The Federal Aviation Administration issued rules about private human space flight in March. But formal safety regulations wont arrive until 2023.

Until it can take passengers, Virgin Galactic stock is tied to the markets moods and the hype over commercial space travel.

When the market was in a good mood in February, before the novel coronavirus, SPCE stock traded as high as $40 per share. People went on TV to explain it, but there was nothing they could say. There was no news.

A second stage of speculation was a UBS report in March saying that using space as Virgin Galactic proposes could be a $20-billion business in 2030. The report said space tourism could be a $3-billion opportunity. If Virgin Galactic can get 100 passengers onto a flight, cutting travel times 80%, and charging $2,500 per ticket, the estimate could be conservative, UBS wrote.

The shares got a third boost in early June, after SpaceX sent two astronauts to the International Space Station. Shares rose 6% but, again, this was not news relevant to Virgin Galactic.

When forced to say yea or nay on SPCE stock, most analysts start dancing.

Making money with it isnt rocket science, InvestorPlaces David Moadel wrote recently. He recommended a low-key, patient approach. Ian Cooper looked at the same set of facts and suggested avoiding the stock. Virgin Galactic has been taking deposits on flights, worth $100 million in future revenue, but cant yet fulfill those contracts.

TV analyst Jim Cramer considers most of the action a game. There were spikes of short interest in February and in May. As much as 30% of the float is sometimes being borrowed on the hope of lower prices. Take away that pressure and the stock settles back to Earth.

There are stocks you invest in for income, stocks you invest in for capital appreciation and stocks you trade.

Virgin Galactic is a stock you trade.

Its system works in theory. The company has done some test flights. But until there are real flights, with paying passengers, its all a guess.

The stock will rise or fall with news, with the markets temperature with its own short interest. But, as Gertrude Stein said of Oakland, theres no there there. Until there is, risk-averse investors should stay on the sidelines, and leave SPCE stock to the speculators.

Dana Blankenhorn has been a financial and technology journalist since 1978. He is the author of the environmental thriller Bridget OFlynn and the Bear, available at the Amazon Kindle store. Follow him on Twitter at @danablankenhorn. As of this writing he owned no shares in companies mentioned in this story.

Read more:

Virgin Galactic Stock Is Only for Astronauts and Speculators - InvestorPlace

A Chinese man wears a protective mask to prevent COVID-19 and protective glasses as he watches the ... [+] sun during the annular solar eclipse outside the Forbidden City on June 20, 2020 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Early on Sunday morning as much as 99.4% of the Sun was covered by the Moon for less than a minute as seen from parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Although few international eclipse-chasers could travel to witness the event, and many living near the 27 miles-wide path of the Moons shadow were also thwarted by COVID-19 travel restrictions, amateur astronomers were out in force for this rare annular solar eclipse.

The path of today's eclipse began in Africa and crossed into the Arabian Peninsula.

This special kind of partial solar eclipse was visible for just under six hours between 03:45 UTC and 09:34 UTC, from the Republic of Congo in Central Africa to Guam in the Pacific Ocean. From everywhere along the track solar eclipse glasses had to be worn.

Ethiopia was where some of the first images came from; heres an image from the iconicLalibelain Ethiopia, which is famous for its rock-hewn monolithicchurches:

Heres a great video from Ethiopia (scan to 23 minutes for the ring of fire):

Next was Yemen. Not much was seen online during the eclipse, but soon after this beautiful photo appeared on Twitter:

Next up was Oman. Heres a video (scan to 1 hour 43 minutes for the ring of fire):

While a massive swathe of the eastern hemisphere saw a partial solar eclipse, that delicate ring around the Moon was visible for between 38 and 82 seconds only from a narrow path through the Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Yemen, Oman, Pakistan, India, Tibet, China and Taiwan.

Heres that perfect circle moment from Quriyat, Oman:

Minutes later, it was Pakistans turn. In Sukkur, Pakistan, research astronomer Talha Moon Zia took this spectacular image (below) thatin my opinionis the definitive image of the entire eclipse; a ring of fire that shows the Suns pinkish chromosphere an even a few pink prominencesexplosions on the surface of the Sun (look on the lower-left where the ring is at its thinnest):

Heres what was going minutes later in Ahmedabad, India, which experienced a maximum 77% partial solar eclipse:

Meanwhile, a ring of fire was visible in northern Rajasthan, India, back along that narrow full eclipse path:

Can you see those broken rings on the images above? Those are Bailys beads. These beads of light are the Suns light coming through the mountains of the Moon. They were only visible for a few seconds before and after the ring of fire.

The path of today's annular solar eclipse.

From Dehradun, India the spectacle of Bailys beads was again briefly visible:

To the south, New Delhi, India saw a 93% partial solar eclipse:

The moon moves in front of the sun during an annular solar eclipse as seen from New Delhi on June ... [+] 21, 2020. (Photo by Jewel Samad / AFP) (Photo by JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images)

The word annular comes from annulus, a Latin word for little ring. An annular solar eclipse is caused when a New Moon is further away from Earth on its slightly elliptical orbit, so not big enough in our sky to cover the whole of the Sun.

After leaving India across the Himalayas, the ring of fire then crossed Tibet and China, with the last views of the ringfor about a minutein Xiamen, China and southern Taiwan.

Heres a photo from Tibet:

The annular solar eclipse is seen on June 21, 2020 in Ali Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region of ... [+] China. (Photo by Jia Jiqian/VCG via Getty Images)

Macau then saw an 84% partial solar eclipse. Heres a great amateur video of it, which demonstrates just how useful cloud can sometimes be for eclipse-viewing:

Dont confuse an annular solar eclipse with a total solar eclipse, which occurs when a New Moon covers 100% or more of the Sun.The next total solar eclipse will happen next on December 14, 2020 as seen from a narrow path of totality through Chile and Argentina.

People gather to watch the partial solar eclipse along a promenade on June 21, 2020 in Hong Kong, ... [+] China. (Photo by Billy H.C. Kwok/Getty Images)

The next annular solar eclipse will occur on June 10, 2021 and be visible from Canada, Greenland and Russia. It will be the first of three solar eclipses of some kind in North America inside just four years.

Solar eclipses are predicted using an ephemeris that accurately plots where the Sun and Moon are, with respect to Earth, where the Moons shadow is in space, and when its going to strike Earths surface. Spherical trigonometry has been used to plot how the Moon-shadow moves across the surface in 3D.

Science aside, you owe yourself a trip to see a solar eclipsebut make sure its a total solar eclipse you travel to. Annular solar eclipses make great photosas demonstrated herebut theyre not a patch on the experience of totality.

Disclaimer: I am editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.

More:

Best Solar Eclipse Photos And YouTube Videos Of The Solstice Ring Of Fire From Around The World - Forbes

Elon Musk is one of the many individuals that has played a crucial role in tech innovation. Musk is known all over the world for a number of companies and a variety of products.

Specifically, he is known as an engineer, industrial designer, technology entrepreneur and philanthropist. Tesla as his brain child has led the revolution of electric cars which have the potential to replace the polluting combustion engine-driven vehicles.

Tesla vehicles represent mans drive towards clean transportation; being able to move around without contaminating the air he breathes. In 2019, the company manufactured over 300,000 vehicles and generated about US$24.578 dollars. Thats a lot of money.

READ ALSO: Elon Musk fires back at SEC on twitter

Musk is also the progenitor of The Boring Company, an American Infrastructural and tunnel construction company founded in 2016. We cant also forget Open AI, an Artificial Intelligence company dedicated to ensuring AI does not lead to human extinction. Elon with regards to Open AI, shares the idea that AI, if not controlled can broaden its ability to re-design and improve itself which can be inimical for man. Because of this, the company partners with other organisations and researchers in the field to ensure AI remains an extension of human intelligence and not necessarily a competitor.

A company that will be of interest to any is SpaceX officially known as the Space Explosion Technologies Corp., an American aerospace manufacturing and space transportation company. SpaceX is not just a representation of Elons desire for space travel, but the deeper vision of colonizing Mars.

In 2017, SpaceX unveiled the Interplanetary Transport System, a privately funded system.

In 2020, SpaceX in collaboration with NASA launched two astronauts into space, the first launch since the U.S. government retired its space program after a national tragedy. It was also the first collaboration between NASA and a private organisation. This, however, does not seem to be the last launch for Elons company as the next launch is scheduled for June 12.

READ ALSO: Disruptive Opportunities: Can developing AI and robotics stabilise the Naira?

SpaceX will among other things, be sending another 60 of its starling satellites into orbit. Elon Musks works do not in any way undermine the products, innovations, researches and actions of others in the tech field. But they unsurprisingly put him at the forefront of it all.

How this affects the tech space and the rest of the world?Elons companies and their products are causing ripple effects in their respective industries. They are giving the old way of doing things a run for its money. His inventions and innovations ordinarily represent the tools of the new era of tech.

At the same time, he is becoming a threat to competitors in the tech industry. Kanyes West words, how can one man have all that power?! resonates in the minds of competitors and businessmen who want a slice of Elons cake.

Be this as it may, without worthy competitors, Elon will be left to dominate and control the trends in Artificial Intelligence, Space travel among others. This is not strange in any way. Once upon a time, we had Steve Jobs at the forefront of innovation in tech.

For consumers, Elons dominance in the tech field might be a little troublesome. Having innovative tech is good for us, but having them from the same person does not cut it. If that is to happen, the tech market will be dominated by Elon Musk and his many tech companies which could in more ways than one, limit the variety of products in our lives.

READ ALSO: Tech group suspends Crowdfunded relief to Nigerians

Moreover, tech could become monotonous being that the concepts emanated from the same mind. Governmental policies could also be affected by Elons dominance of the tech industry.

SpaceX launches, as much as they have a record of firsts, it wont be wrong to say that either subtly or not, the company and Elon has impacted governments policies; specifically, as regards space travel.

On the whole, these dont mean Elon Musk is an overbearing capitalist, but we need the tech industry to step up to match his innovations specifically in these fields: artificial intelligence, space travel, automobile and car manufacturing.

See the rest here:

The amazon bond offering - Nairametrics

NEW DELHI :Following finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman's announcement last month that the space sector will be thrown open to the private sector, the government has said private companies will be allowed to launch satellites, start space-based services and even explore other planets and outer space.

"Private companies to be provided level playing field in satellites, launches and Space based services. Future projects for planetary exploration, outer space travel will be open for private sector," a government statement said.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh said private sector will be allowed to use Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capacities. Singh is the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office which takes care of the Department of Space and Department of Atomic Energy.

The private sector plays a critical role in ISRO's operations, but now more avenues have been opened for the non-government players in this strategic sector. By boosting private participation in space activities, the minister said Indian private sector will be a co-traveller in India's space sector journey.

Updating about India's first-ever Human Space Mission Gaganyaan to be undertaken by ISRO, Singh said the selection of the astronauts was accomplished and their training in Russia had also started but got interrupted because of the coronavirus pandemic. He said the project would be followed up soon.

The 10,000 crore mission is to be launched by 2022.

Subscribe to newsletters

* Enter a valid email

* Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

Go here to read the rest:

Satellites, outer space travel to be open for private companies in India: Govt - Livemint

(CNN) Just eight people have reached Challenger Deep, the deepest point of the ocean. More than 550 people have visited space.

But only one person has done both: Kathy Sullivan.

On Sunday, the NASA astronaut and oceanographer visited Challenger Deep, which sits at a depth of 10,928 meters (35,853 feet) in the western Pacific Ocean, as part of the Ring of Fire Expedition organized by bespoke adventure company EYOS Expeditions and undersea technology specialist Caladan Oceanic.

Ahead of the expedition, EYOS invited three intrepid explorers, which they call "Mission Specialists," to venture to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, where Challenger Deep is located.

About 200 miles from the trench, Guam is the nearest land mass.

Sullivan is the first of the three explorers to finish the roughly 10-hour mission, with two more to follow this week.

"I know (Challenger Deep) as a bathymetric feature on a chart, a tectonic feature, and a seismic feature ... but that's all data-based understanding. To see it in person -- it makes all the difference in the world," Sullivan tells CNN Travel.

"No self-respecting marine biologist would be able to pass up an invitation!"

Leading up to the dives, the three explorers underwent full briefs on the mission, schedule and research initiatives.

But in terms of physical training, Rob McCallum, the co-founder of EYOS Expeditions and the Ring of Fire expedition leader, says it's not quite like climbing Mount Everest or training for a space voyage.

"These people are all adventurous, but you don't have to be an athlete to participate," McCallum tells CNN Travel. "This is something new, but not something to be feared."

A life of exploration

Ever since she was a young girl, Sullivan has been inspired by explorers.

"I was always following the early astronauts, Jacques Cousteau and the early aquanauts. They were inquisitive people. They were clever people that could figure out how to go make things happen," she recalls.

"That inquisitiveness, that sense of adventure, of curiosity that drives explorers. I could feel that resonating in me as I watched them."

A US Navy captain, Sullivan first learned about Challenger Deep and the Mariana Trench during college at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Though she originally intended to study Russian, she took a few science classes "quite against her will" that forever changed her perception of the ocean.

"Suddenly, there was so much history, so many stories of exploration, and then all the knowledge of how the ocean works geologically, the currents and the creatures. It all fascinated me."

Sullivan rode inside the 11.5 tonne DSV "Limiting Factor," the only certified vehicle in the world that can repeatedly dive to any depth in the world's oceans.

Reeve Jolliffe/EYOS Expeditions

Mesmerized by the ocean, Sullivan continued her studies at Dalhousie University, where she earned a PhD in geology, focusing her research on the North Atlantic.

"As I went through my studies, I found that I really liked the planning, design and execution of expeditions," she says.

So when she heard NASA was hiring, she jumped at the opportunity to become an expedition operator.

After graduating in 1978, she joined NASA, eventually becoming the first American woman to walk in space during a Space Shuttle Challenger mission in 1984.

Sullivan also partook in two other missions -- Space Shuttle Discovery in 1990 and Space Shuttle Atlantis in 1992 -- during her NASA career.

She later served as the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and wrote a book, "Handprints on Hubble: An Astronaut's Story of Invention," amongst other contributions to the science community.

"We wanted the first woman to dive the Challenger Deep to be someone who would really use the opportunity for the benefit of the ocean," says McCallum.

"Kathy has an impeccable track record. She is only the eighth human being to do this -- it is genuine exploration."

Into the deep

Amongst his many accomplishments, Vescovo is the first person to have visited the top of every continent, both poles, and the deepest point of the ocean.

Before their departure, the EYOS team dispatched several scientific "landers" to the bottom of the ocean to understand the conditions -- like water temperature and salinity -- and establish references to aid navigation since the vehicle must travel in the dark.

Once the landers are in place, the crew adjusts the trim and ballast of the submersible to control the buoyancy, then prepares for the "drop" when the submersible begins its descent.

Prior to descent, the EYOS team dispatches scientific "landers" to the bottom of the ocean.

Enrique Alvarez/EYOS Expeditions

It's not the first time the Limiting Factor, as the square-shaped vehicle is known, has visited Challenger Deep.

Engineered by civil submarine producer Triton Submarines, the submersible vehicle carries its own life support and features a 90-millimeter-thick titanium sphere, which protects the explorers from the 2,200 metric tons of pressure amassed at the bottom of the ocean.

During each dive, the explorers also collect samples from the seafloor and aid in geographical research, as very little is known about the ocean at this depth.

"Terrestrial exploration is very advanced, but I think the ocean offers the opportunity to explore the last frontier. The ocean is untapped," says McCallum.

"We know so very little about life below 6,000 meters that we barely understand what questions to ask, let alone understand the answers. Almost every dive we do is yielding something new to science, be it biological or geographical or geological. We're essentially a pathfinder into the last frontier of exploration on Earth."

'A magic elevator ride'

As the submersible glided deeper and deeper, Sullivan and Vescovo sat side-by-side in a compact but comfortable cabin, with enough space to stretch their legs, pull on a sweater or do some seated yoga moves.

"It's kind of like a long-haul flight in Economy or Premium Economy," says Sullivan.

A few hours into the four-hour descent, Sullivan says it became much colder in the cabin but, otherwise, there were no notable physical changes.

"Two things are really distinctly different in the experience of going out into space or going down into the ocean. One is energy intensity. I mean, you're basically riding a bomb when you strap onto a rocket and launch off the planet. It's hugely energetic, loud, noisy, lots of acceleration."

But heading into the deep sea, she says, is like "a magic elevator ride."

"It's very, very serene, she says. "You're not in some clumsy spacesuit; you can basically be in street clothes if you wanted to. And it's this slow, smooth, steady descent."

On their way down, the pair watched the light dissipate while they dined on tuna salad sandwiches, a bag of chips and the ship chef's signature Apple strudel.

"Lunch at 31,000 feet below sea level. Doesn't everybody do that?" she quips.

An aerial view of the DSSV Pressure Drop, which serves as the expedition's purpose-built 'mother ship' and primary operations platform.

Courtesy EYOS Expeditions & Caladan Oceanic

Like her inflight meal, the view from the cabin was also memorable.

"The ocean is endlessly alive. Even as you're descending through the water columns, life forms scoot by. The immense array and variety of life in the ocean really entrances and fascinates me. And then, of course, at the seafloor, there really are fascinating geological features."

After about four hours, they finally reached the bottom of the trench and had about 15 minutes to check in with the surface ship, orient themselves, check their support systems... and then enjoy the moment.

"We then did a little giggle, a smile, a handshake and a moment of hooray," she recalls.

"I felt like I was flying over a moonscape as we went along the bottom. I think I was probably seeing in my mind's eye or remembering some of the Apollo images from those missions, flying over this austere landscape. But this amazing moonscape is at the very bottom of our ocean on my home planet."

Another space image flew into her mind, as the vehicle started exploring the trench.

"When we finally saw the first of our scientific landers, it was as if I was an astronaut on Mars and I discovered some deep space probe that had gotten there before me. It just sort of came up out of the darkness. It's was very otherworldly," she says.

The new age of exploration

After about 1.5 hours on the seafloor, Sullivan and Vescovo started their ascent.

Like any experienced long-haul traveler, Vescovo had a movie prepped on his phone and the pair watched a fitting adventure film, 1957's "The Man Who Would Be King," on their way back up to the surface.

"It's a slow rise, very peaceful. And it's not until the last hundred meters or so that you start to see the dark black that's been outside your viewpoint for hours turn to a deep rich blue, then a lighter shade," she says.

"In the last 30 feet or so, it's that beautiful tropical Pacific blue and then you're rocking around at the surface with your viewpoint still mainly underwater, which makes you feel like you're half in, half out."

Back onboard the mother ship, the DSSV Pressure Drop, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Sullivan made a surprising call.

Coordinated with help from a fellow astronaut, she arranged to speak with astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley who blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center on May 30 aboard the the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.

Sullivan visited Challenger Deep with Victor Vescovo, founder of Caladan Oceanic and a decorated explorer himself.

Enrique Alvarez/EYOS Expeditions

While the astronauts orbited the earth at the International Space Station, about 254 miles above Earth, the explorers swapped notes about their missions.

Both funded by private companies, the two expeditions have contributed to scientific and engineering advancements.

"We had a number of points in common. I mean, Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley flew up to the space station in a new reusable space capsule," explains Sullivan.

"That took a whole lot of new innovations, ingenuity and private sector talents to make that happen. And we had just returned from the deepest point in the world's ocean in the world's only reusable submersible [the Limiting Factor].

"Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard first explored Challenger Deep in 1960. It took us 52 years before anybody got back there. And here we are. Now we are going three times in 10 days. That's a radical change."

Much like outer space and distant galaxies, the ocean is still relatively unknown to humans -- like the last frontier.

"It's important to believe in and celebrate the exploratory instinct in human beings. Exploring is not just about gadfly adventurers who want to go climb mountains or do exotic things," says Sullivan.

"Exploring is probing things we don't yet know or understand, and arriving at a deeper, better, wiser, more valuable insight about who we are, where we are, and how to live and thrive and survive."

Link:

Former astronaut becomes first person to visit both space and the deepest place in the ocean - CNN