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An all-seeing eye: NASA launches the next satellite generation

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The younger sister of Landsat 8 has just arrived in space, with the new satellite working to help scientists curb climate change.

New satellite takes off from California

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

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OpenAI to launch TikTok-like AI video app Sora

OpenAI to launch Sora, an AI-driven social app with TikTok-like features amid TikTok’s regulatory uncertainties

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OpenAI to launch Sora, an AI-driven social app with TikTok-like features amid TikTok’s regulatory uncertainties

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In Short:
– OpenAI is launching Sora 2, a social media app with AI-generated videos, competing with TikTok.
– The app features a unique identity verification system and provides short video content without uploads.
OpenAI is set to unveil Sora 2, a new social media app that imitates TikTok by offering AI-generated video content. The strategy positions OpenAI to directly challenge established platforms in the AI video market.The platform has begun internal testing. Employees have reacted positively, raising productivity concerns among managers. Sora 2 features swipe-to-scroll navigation and offers personalized video recommendations.

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A unique identity verification system allows users to authenticate their likeness for use in AI-generated videos. Users will be notified when their likeness is used in videos, regardless of whether these are published. Video lengths are capped at 10 seconds, with no capability to upload personal content.

The app includes typical social media features like likes and comments, with a user interface that resembles TikTok’s “For You” page.

Strategic Launch

OpenAI’s timing for this launch is strategic, coinciding with uncertainties surrounding TikTok’s U.S. operations. Recent deals aim to transfer majority control of TikTok’s American business to U.S. investors while permitting ByteDance a minority stake.

OpenAI perceives the current turbulence as a unique opportunity to introduce a competitive platform for short-form videos, appealing to users seeking alternatives during this period of regulatory scrutiny.


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Optus CEO under pressure after second emergency outage

Optus under mounting pressure for CEO resignation after second emergency outage affects thousands and raises safety concerns

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Optus under mounting pressure for CEO resignation after second emergency outage affects thousands and raises safety concerns

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In Short:
– Optus faces pressure after a second emergency service outage, affecting 4,500 customers for nine hours.
– Calls for CEO Stephen Rue’s resignation intensify amid scrutiny over network investment and safety mechanisms.
Australian telecommunications company Optus is under increasing pressure to address leadership concerns following a second emergency service outage in ten days.
The incident occurred in Dapto, south of Sydney, where around 4,500 customers were unable to reach Triple Zero emergency services due to a faulty mobile tower for nine hours.Optus confirmed all affected individuals were safe, but the repeated outages have raised significant alarms. The first incident took place on September 18, when a firewall upgrade blocked approximately 600 emergency calls across multiple states for 13 hours, resulting in at least four fatalities.

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Calls for CEO Stephen Rue’s resignation have intensified, with opposition spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh stating that citizens need confidence in the emergency network.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the situation as “completely unacceptable.” The response from Optus has faced criticism, especially regarding the delay in notifying emergency services after the September 18 incident.

Efforts to address the failures are underway, with Singtel Group CEO Yuen Kuan Moon scheduled to meet with Australian Communications Minister Anika Wells. The Australian Communications and Media Authority has launched an investigation into the outages.

Governance experts caution that merely replacing leadership will not resolve underlying issues, suggesting that reduced spending on network infrastructure is a contributing factor.

Federal Investigation

New scrutiny has emerged regarding Optus’s network investment, with reports indicating a budget decrease from $850 million in 2024 to $613 million this year.

Concerns have been raised about the absence of critical safety mechanisms, including a reliable system to reroute emergency calls when failures occur.


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Meta intensifies robot development amidst competitive landscape

Meta enters robotics market with strategic partnerships and significant investments amid competition from Tesla, Apple and Google

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Meta enters robotics market with strategic partnerships and significant investments amid competition from Tesla, Apple and Google

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In Short:
– Meta is launching autonomous robots, beginning with a CA-1 AI robot in Germany for domestic tasks.
– The company plans to hire 100 engineers as part of a $60-65 billion AI investment for 2025.
Meta ventures into robotics, joining a market where Tesla’s Optimus robot showcases in controlled settings. Apple is also exploring robotic devices, with planned humanoid concepts by 2027.
Google is advancing robotics via DeepMind with AI models tailored for robotics applications.Banner

Meta recently launched its first autonomous robot in Germany through a partnership with Circus SE, deploying a CA-1 AI robot at its Munich office.

The initiative is part of Meta’s objective to gather data to support its robotics focus on domestic tasks such as cleaning and laundry folding.

Strategic Investment

Industry analysts point to Meta’s software-licensing strategy as crucial in the competitive landscape, where firms often encounter challenges with hardware costs.

By positioning itself to gain from various robotics manufacturers’ successes, Meta utilises lessons from its virtual reality investments, which have seen substantial spending with limited consumer uptake.

The company is set to hire around 100 engineers for its robotics programme within a broader $60-65 billion AI infrastructure investment plan for 2025.

The indicates a strong commitment to integrating AI into physical applications.


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