Connect with us

Tech News

Watch Rocket Lab launch its second orbital mission of 2019 late tonight – TechCrunch

Published

on

15 mins ago
Tech News

1 Views

Fast-growing launch provider Rocket Lab is launching its second orbital payload of the year late tonight by our reckoning, early in the evening at the launch site in New Zealand. It will carry three experimental satellites to low Earth orbit, and you can watch it live.

The launch is Rocket Lab’s fifth orbital mission, and while it aims to eventually provide launches at a cadence of weeks, it’ll be some time before that’s possible — for now every couple months is what they can manage. But with $140 million in new funding, that should change pretty quickly.

The payloads going up tonight/tomorrow are:

  • SPARC-1: The Space Plug and Play Architecture Research CubeSat is an Air Force Research Lab they’ve been working on with the Swedish for years now. It’s a new design for a 6U craft with a reconfigurable orbital radio transceiver, intended to “support live experimentation with different waveforms and protocols useful to communications missions.” Plus a camera for checking out the scene up there.
  • Falcon ODE: This Orbital Debris Experiment will release two stainless steel ball bearings on known trajectories in space that will help calibrate ground-based debris-detection systems.
  • Harbinger: A scary-sounding small satellite and the heaviest single micro-sat to be lofted by Rocket Lab’s electron launch vehicle so far. This one, also from the Air Force, uses a synthetic aperture radar to observe Earth regardless of illumination or cloud cover. It’s a demonstrator for rapid production techniques and standardized parts meant to accelerate deployment of new spacecraft.

Fairing of the Falcon-ODE payload.

All told, its contents comprise 180 kilograms, or nearly 400 pounds, the heaviest load Electron has yet taken off with.

Lift-off is set for 6 PM local time in New Zealand, which corresponds to 11 PM Pacific time here in the U.S. If weather impinges on the opportunity, no worries — this launch window stays open for two weeks. You can watch the whole thing starting a few minutes before 11 at Rocket Lab’s website.

Source link


Check Also



Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystem is set to get a massive injection of funds after Jungle …



Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Tech News

Major Espresso Machine Brands Ranked Worst To Best

Published

on

Made in Italy, Lelit holds a prominent position among top-tier espresso machine manufacturers. While it may be one of the smaller Italian brands, Lelit has made a name for itself by crafting high-caliber machines. The company takes pride in its Italian roots and every Lelit machine is designed and manufactured in Italy.

Given the quality Lelit upholds, their machines come with a premium price tag. They fit the needs of businesses and quaint cafes. However, their cost might place them beyond the reach of the average household unless they have considerable disposable income or have been saving up for one. The Victoria, Lelit’s entry-level model, costs about $1,000, while their flagship, the Bianca, can be priced upward of $3,000. For such an investment, owners receive a café-grade espresso machine laden with top-notch features. Lelit’s machines are known for their precision in temperature regulation via electronic sensors, strong stainless steel construction, and sleek design.

They’re not as large as industrial-designed espresso machines, but they produce the same quality in a compact and aesthetically pleasing design. The higher-end model comes with carved wooden handles and knobs while their entry-level products use plastic in their design.

Continue Reading

Tech News

It Sure Looks Like Microsoft Will Get To Buy Activision After All

Published

on

Although consultation on this new proposal doesn’t end until next month, the government body said this new plan overall “makes important changes that substantially address the concerns it set out” when the first proposal was submitted. It noted that it would quell the concerns that big franchises such as “Overwatch,” “World of Warcraft,” and “Call of Duty” would be under the sole control of Microsoft for cloud gaming.

However, the CMA still worries that certain aspects of the deal might not be fully upheld. It noted that Microsoft has assured that this would not be the case, as the terms will be enforceable by the CMA. Colin Raftery, senior director of mergers and Phase 1 decision maker, said, “With additional protections to make sure that the deal is properly implemented, this will maintain the structure of the market, enabling open competition to continue….”

If the CMA finds this proposal to be acceptable, Microsoft is still not in the clear. Another ongoing consultation about the acquisition determines if Microsoft can purchase any part of Activision, excluding the previously mentioned cloud services. Both consultations will be open until October 6. With the FTC’s go-ahead and the CMA’s acknowledgment that Microsoft is headed in the right direction, this deal could be getting off the ground sooner rather than later.

Continue Reading

Tech News

Why The iPhone 15 Pro Max Might Just Win You Over Even Before You Turn It On

Published

on

The recent downside to that, though, came with the switch in Apple’s design language to squared-off edges. That transition, on the iPhone 12, wasn’t exactly new — in fact, it was heralded as a welcome nod back to one of the most popular designs in the Cupertino firm’s back catalog, the iPhone 5 — but it was the first time we’d seen that crisp aesthetic with such big screens on the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

As anybody who has used any of the Max-scale models since then will probably have discovered, there can be a downside when it comes to your fingers.

To be blunt, the iPhone is sharp. Whether using the iPhone 14 Pro Max one- or two-handed, I’d typically support the bottom edge with the little finger on my right hand. 240 grams may not sound like a lot, but when it’s all pressing down on one narrow edge, on the sensitive skin of your weakest finger, after a while you notice it.

Continue Reading

Trending