Science

WASHINGTON — Impulse Space, a startup specializing in in-space transportation services, has secured a $34.5 million contract to support two U.S. military space missions set for 2026, the Defense Department announced Oct. 3.  The deal, awarded under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 3 agreement, is funded by the U.S. Space Force and the

Mathematician Tom Crawford explains what P versus NP means – and what makes the problem so fiendishly difficult to solve Read the original article here

Silk-on-graphene films line up for next-generation bioelectronics – Physics World Skip to main content Discover more from Physics World Copyright © 2024 by IOP Publishing Ltd and individual contributors Read the original article here

WASHINGTON — The space infrastructure company Sierra Space announced Oct. 3 it has secured backing from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to advance its “Ghost” spacecraft, a system designed to deliver cargo from space to any location on Earth in under 90 minutes. Known for developing space habitats and vehicles like the Dream

An artist’s impression of the Qianfan satellite mega constellation CCTV China has begun construction of a mega constellation that will eventually consist of nearly 14,000 satellites, but the launch of the first 18 is already sparking concerns from astronomers about their impact on the night sky. The Qianfan mega constellation is intended to beam internet

Nobel predictions and humorous encounters with physics laureates – Physics World Skip to main content Discover more from Physics World Copyright © 2024 by IOP Publishing Ltd and individual contributors Read the original article here

WASHINGTON — United Launch Alliance is ready for a second test flight of its Vulcan Centaur rocket as it gears up for a sharp increase in launch activity next year. ULA announced Oct. 2 that it was in final preparations for the Cert-2 launch of Vulcan Centaur, scheduled for a three-hour window that opens at

The skeleton of an infant uncovered at Grotta delle Mura in Apulia, Italy Mauro Calattin Ancient DNA analysis has revealed a detailed picture of the life of a toddler who died in southern Italy 17,000 years ago, possibly due to a congenital heart condition. In 1998, researchers discovered the skeletal remains of a child carefully

Steven Weinberg: the Nobel laureate who liked nuts – Physics World Skip to main content Discover more from Physics World Copyright © 2024 by IOP Publishing Ltd and individual contributors Read the original article here

TAMPA, Fla. — Emirati satellite operator Yahsat and geospatial artificial intelligence provider Bayanat completed their merger Oct. 1, forming a company called Space42 valued at about $3 billion on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. Shares in the space technology group ended their first trading session on the stock exchange flat at 2.38 dirhams after rising earlier

A Parkrun event in Newcastle, UK Alan Harbottle/Alamy Taking part in Parkrun events – a free weekly activity where people are encouraged to walk or run for 5 kilometres – appears to improve life satisfaction. Parkrun is a charity that hosts events in 22 countries, including the UK, US and Australia. Previous studies have shown

Fluctuations suppress condensation in 1D photon gas  – Physics World Skip to main content Discover more from Physics World Copyright © 2024 by IOP Publishing Ltd and individual contributors Read the original article here

TAMPA, Fla. — Gogo is acquiring inflight connectivity rival Satcom Direct to counter rising competition from SpaceX’s Starlink in the market for providing Wi-Fi to business jets. Satcom Direct would get $375 million in cash and five million shares from Gogo under a deal announced Sept. 30, subject to regulatory approvals, and up to $225 million

An exhibition model of IBM’s Q System One quantum computer Misha Friedman/Getty Images Despite all the hype around quantum computers, they are still far too error-prone to be of real use. But recent experiments show that this may not always be the case, boosting the credibility of claims from companies like Google and IBM that

Structural battery is world’s strongest, say researchers – Physics World Skip to main content Discover more from Physics World Copyright © 2024 by IOP Publishing Ltd and individual contributors Read the original article here

HELSINKI — China’s human spaceflight agency has revealed the exterior design of the spacesuit for the country’s future crewed lunar landing missions. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) unveiled the extravehicular lunar suit Sept. 28 in Chongqing, southwest China. CMSA is also soliciting suggestions for a name for the suit. The suit is being developed

Many people struggle to think of new passwords and remember them rawf8/Shutterstock Many organisations make staff regularly change their computer passwords for security reasons. Now the US government is saying those who make and run software and online tools should stop the practice. So, what should people really be doing? The latest advice from the

Ask me anything: Fatima Gunning – ‘Thinking outside the box is a winner when it comes to problem solving’ – Physics World Skip to main content Discover more from Physics World Copyright © 2024 by IOP Publishing Ltd and individual contributors Read the original article here