Tech
An all-seeing eye: NASA launches the next satellite generation
The younger sister of Landsat 8 has just arrived in space, with the new satellite working to help scientists curb climate change.
Another set of eyes is dawning upon us from space, following the successful launch of NASA’s new satellite Landsat 9.
After successfully launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Monday at 2.12 pm local time, the satellite will orbit the earth at an altitude of 705 kilometres.
In conjunction with its sister Landsat 8, the satellite will capture images of earth every eight days.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson says the satellite, along with other NASA and global tools, will help the space agency in its efforts to study planet earth and its climate systems.
“With a 50-year data bank to build on, Landsat 9 will take this historic and invaluable global program to the next level,” Nelson says.
“We look forward to working with our partners at the U.S. Geological Survey and the Department of the Interior again on Landsat Next, because we never stop advancing our work to understand our planet.”
An attempt to curb climate change
Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for science at NASA, says the images captured by the satellite will help researchers in their efforts to curb climate change, as they work to gain advice on crop, irrigation water and forest management.
“Landsat 9 will be our new eyes in the sky when it comes to observing our changing planet,” Zurbuchen says.
“With these satellites working together in orbit, we’ll have observations of any given place on our planet every two days.”
Landsat 9 is just another addition to the ongoing project which was first launched in 1972.
Today, Landsat continues to circle the sky, collecting images of the physical material covering the planet and climate change.
NASA administrators say Landsat 9 is the best satellite they’ve launched in the entire project.
“The Landsat mission is like no other,” Karen St. Germain, director of the Earth Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington says.
“This data can help us understand, predict, and plan for the future in a changing climate.”
Written by Rebecca Borg
Tech
Airbus A320 fleet faces software upgrade due to risk
Airbus alerts A320 operators to urgent software fix after JetBlue incident raises safety concerns
Airbus alerts A320 operators to urgent software fix after JetBlue incident raises safety concerns
– Airbus warns over half of A320 fleet needs software fixes due to potential data corruption risks.
– Affected airlines must complete upgrades before next flights, with operational disruptions anticipated during a busy travel season.
Airbus has issued a warning regarding its A320 fleet, indicating that over half of the active jets will require a software fix.
It follows a recent incident involving a JetBlue Airways aircraft, where “intense solar radiation” was found to potentially corrupt data crucial for flight control system operation.
The European plane manufacturer stated that around 6,500 jets may be affected. A regulation mandates that the software upgrade must occur before the next scheduled flight.
Operational disruptions for both passengers and airlines are anticipated. The issue arose from an incident on October 30, where a JetBlue flight experienced a computer malfunction that resulted in an uncommanded descent. Fortunately, no injuries occurred, but the malfunction of an automated computer system was identified as a contributing factor.
Airlines, including American Airlines Group, have begun to implement the required upgrades.
The majority of affected jets can receive an uncomplicated software update, although around 1,000 older models will necessitate an actual hardware upgrade, requiring grounding during maintenance.
Hungarian airline Wizz Air has also initiated necessary maintenance for compliance, potentially affecting flights. This announcement has surfaced during a busy travel season in the US, with many facing delays due to other factors as well.
Regulatory Response
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has mandated that A320 operators replace or modify specific elevator-aileron computers. The directive follows the JetBlue incident, where a malfunction led to a temporary loss of altitude.
Airbus’s fix applies to both the A320 and A320neo models, representing a vital response in ensuring aircraft safety.
Tech
China blocks ByteDance from using Nvidia chips in new data centres
China blocks ByteDance from using Nvidia chips, tightening tech control and pushing for domestic AI innovation amid U.S. restrictions.
China blocks ByteDance from using Nvidia chips, tightening tech control and pushing for domestic AI innovation amid U.S. restrictions.
Chinese regulators have moved to block ByteDance from deploying Nvidia chips in newly built data centres, tightening control over foreign technology used by major Chinese tech giants. The decision comes after ByteDance made substantial purchases of Nvidia hardware amid fears of shrinking supply from the United States.
Washington has already restricted the sale of advanced chips to China, allowing only weakened versions into the market. Beijing’s latest move reflects its push to reduce dependence on U.S. technology and accelerate home-grown AI innovation.
The ban places operational and financial pressure on ByteDance, which must now work around a growing pile of Nvidia chips it is no longer allowed to use. Domestic suppliers like Huawei are expected to step in as China intensifies its pursuit of tech self-reliance.
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Tech
OpenAI launches shopping research tool for ChatGPT users
OpenAI launches shopping research tool to enhance e-commerce experience ahead of holiday season spending boost
OpenAI launches shopping research tool to enhance e-commerce experience ahead of holiday season spending boost
– OpenAI’s “shopping research” tool helps users find detailed shopping guides tailored to their preferences.
– Users can access Instant Checkout for purchases while ensuring user chats are not shared with retailers.
Users can customise their guides based on budget, features, and recipients. OpenAI notes that while the tool takes a few minutes to generate responses, users can still use ChatGPT for quicker queries like price checks.
When users ask specific prompts, such as finding a quiet cordless stick vacuum or a gift for a niece who loves art, the shopping research tool will appear automatically. It can also be accessed via the menu.
Shopping Research
OpenAI has been expanding its e-commerce capabilities, with the introduction of the Instant Checkout feature in September, enabling purchases directly through ChatGPT.
Soon, users of the shopping research tool will also be able to use Instant Checkout for making purchases.
OpenAI assures that shopping research results are derived from publicly available retail websites and will not disclose user chats to retailers, although it does warn that inaccuracies may occur in product availability and pricing.
Shopping research is now available to OpenAI’s Free, Go, Plus, and Pro users logged into ChatGPT.
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