Elon Musk offers for SpaceX to make NASA’s next-gen spacesuits

Published

1 year ago

August 12, 2021

Elon Musk has offered for SpaceX to help NASA create its next-generation spacesuits after a watchdog said the program will cost over $1 billion

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk offered for his company to help NASA create its new high-tech spacesuits, or ‘Extravehicular Mobility Units‘.

NASA’s current goal is to produce two flight-ready spacesuits by November 2024. However, the company’s Inspector General found that “the Agency faces significant challenges in meeting this goal”.

SpaceX could do it if need be
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 10, 2021

“The delays in spacesuit development will prelude a 2024 moon landing”.

This comes after a string of events which which had already forced NASA to delay its upcoming Artemis III lunar landing for 20 months, to November 2024.

The Inspector General says reasons for delay includes “reduced funding for spacesuit development in FY 2021, COVID-19 impacts, and ongoing technical issues.”

“Given the integration requirements, the suits would not be ready for flight until
April 2025 at the earliest.”

NASA’s spacesuit development from 2008 through 2021

“NASA will spend over $1 billion before the first two next-generation spacesuits are ready for flight”

By the time two flight-ready spacesuits are available, NASA will have spent over a
billion dollars on their development and assembly.

Since 2007, NASA has spent over $420 million on spacesuit development. It plans to spend an additional $625 million.

Even despite the extra cash, NASA’s inspector general found that the spacesuits will “not be ready for flight until April 2025 at the earliest.”

Currently, NASA astronauts use spacesuits which were designed 45 years ago for the Space Shuttle Program.

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Natasha Schapova

Natasha is an Associate Producer at ticker NEWS with a Bachelor of arts from Monash University. She has previously worked at Sky News Australia and Monash University as an Online Content Producer.

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Food delivery drone crashes into powerlines

Published

15 hours ago

September 30, 2022

Costa Haritos

Thousands of people have been left without power after a food delivery drone crashed into powerlines

Power was restored after 45 minutes after the drone made a pre-cautionary landing.

‘Wing’ is the company behind the incident who use drones for their food delivery services.

A spokesperson for Energex, the company who supplies power to the 300-affected homes says drones can be dangerous.

It’s believed these instances are very rare and the meal was still hot when emergency crews arrived at the scene.

Meta’s hiring freeze a result of economic slowdown

Published

20 hours ago

September 30, 2022

Holly Stearnes

Meta’s hiring freeze is the latest indication that even tech giants are feeling the pinch of the struggling economy

META’S HIRING FREEZE | Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg has told employees the company is going on a “hiring freeze.”

He says there might also be more layoffs in the future and pointed the blame at the global economy and Apple.

Meta’s revenue has been taking a hit because of the global economic slowdown, and Apple’s recent change to its ad tracking policies hasn’t helped matters either.

As a result, Meta’s stock price has plunged more than 50% this year.

In May, Zuckerberg warned that Meta might have to make some “tough choices” in the form of layoffs.

But by June, he sounded more optimistic, saying that Meta was “well-positioned” to weather the economic storm.

Now it looks like those tough choices are finally being made.

Apple exec fired over crude TikTok video

Published

1 day ago

September 30, 2022

Holly Stearnes

Apple’s vice president of procurement, Tony Blevins, has been fired from the company after his crude remarks in a TikTok interview went viral

Apple has fired its vice president of procurement, Tony Blevins for making crude comments in a viral TikTok video.

It all started with an interview that went horribly wrong. Creator Daniel Mac posted a video where he asked Blevins what he does for a living, and Blevins response didn’t reference anything respectable.

“I race cars and play golf and fondle big-breasted women. But I take weekends But I take weekends and major holidays off,” Blevins replied.

The video has been viewed over 1.3 million times.

The video didn’t identify Blevins by name and didn’t reference his position at Apple, though Blevins does note that his job offers “a hell of a dental plan.”

But Apple moved quickly to fire Blevins, saying the comments don’t align with their values and respect of women.

Apple is known for being a family-friendly company, so it’s no surprise that they wouldn’t want an employee making crude jokes on TikTok.

This just goes to show that you should be careful what you say on social media.