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Zac Hall

apollozac

Zac covers Apple news for 9to5Mac and hosts the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast.

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nasa ipad near the moon

NASA is sending an iPad around the moon to help test Alexa in space

NASA is about to launch its new mega moon rocket called Space Launch System. As it turns out, important cargo from Apple will be involved. SLS is sending an uncrewed spacecraft called Orion to the moon on a lengthy mission called Artemis 1.

The mission’s primary goal is to demonstrate that the new rocket and spacecraft are capable of sending astronauts to the moon on future missions. However, a lesser known NASA objective includes using an iPad to assist in testing Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant on Orion.

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NASA on track for SLS launch between August 23 and September 6 for Artemis I lunar mission [U]

Update: As of July 20, NASA says it is holding three placeholder dates for possible launch targets: August 29 between 8:33 a.m. and 10:33 a.m. ET, September 2 between 12:48 p.m. and 2:48 p.m. ET, and September 5 between 5:12 p.m. and 6:42 p.m. ET. Mission duration would be 42 days, 39 days, and 42 days, respectively.


NASA conducted its fourth wet dress rehearsal attempt for its Space Launch System rocket this week, completing a critical trial run at fueling the rocket mostly without issue. Officials were uncertain one day after the test if the Moon rocket would require another round of fueling. The agency has since communicated that it intends to launch SLS as early as last August without a fifth go at working out the kinks during fueling.

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Blue Origin shows off BE-4 engine progress from NASA’s historic MSFC Test Stand 4670 in Huntsville

Everyone loves a good engine shot, and Bezos and Bruno are probably especially enjoying this one. Blue Origin shared shots of its BE-4 rocket engine in an important test phase today. Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos is awaiting engine readiness before his company’s New Glenn rocket can take flight, and United Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno needs BE-4 engines for its Vulcan Centaur system.

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Leaked NASA schedule anticipates Moon base delays, agency considering Artemis III.5 mission to limit gap between SLS launches

SLS rollout sunset

NASA’s ‘Moon to Mars’ Artemis program is proceeding as planned on a micro level. Engineers are completing a fueling trial run of the Space Launch System rocket ahead of its trip around the Moon later this fall. On a macro level, however, a new report details how bigger picture plans for Artemis may not be progressing as planned…

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Boeing Starliner successfully completes insertion burn; here are the next event times to know

Boeing Starliner launching atop a ULA Atlas rocket for OFT-2 mission

Boeing and its launch partner ULA successfully sent the uncrewed Starliner space to Earth orbit today. The mission, called OFT-2 (orbital flight test two), has already surpassed the status of Starliner during OFT-1 in 2019. Next up are several key events, including docking to the International Space Station and the return flight back to Earth. Here’s what you need to know:

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Astronomers capture first image of the black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy

Three years after the release of the first image of a black hole captured in another galaxy, astronomers are revealing the first image of what is believed to be the black hole at the center of our own galaxy.

Sagittarius A* (or Sgr A*, pronounced A-star) is an object 27,000 light-years from Earth that is four million times more massive than the Sun. The image of the object was created by the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration based on eight radio telescopes around Earth.

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NASA buys more time before first SLS flight for upcoming Artemis I lunar flyby mission

SLS Rocket in the VAB ahead of Artemis I

NASA is on track to conduct its first mission of the new Artemis lunar exploration program sometime in spring 2022. It’s been a long time coming for the space agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft. It appears the historic first flight of SLS will have to wait a little longer, however, as NASA buys more time to complete prep work before liftoff.

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SpaceX serving only family living full time on island in Canada with Starlink internet

We regularly witness and document Starlink launches from Florida and California at Space Explored, so it’s nice to see the real-world impact SpaceX’s internet satellite service is having for customers. SaltWire.com shares the story of Mike and Georgina Parsons, who are the only full-time residents of Little Bay Islands in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

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Debris risk to astronauts pushes back planned spacewalk and ISS antenna repair to Thursday

A pair of astronauts planned to conduct a spacewalk outside of the International Space Station on Tuesday, but NASA delayed the plan to repair a faulty antenna system. The scheduled spacewalk was pushed back due to the risk of debris endangering astronauts Thomas Marshburn and Kayla Barron.

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