DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ SpaceX President Says Satellite-Internet Business Expected to Make Money This Year
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Micah Maidenberg | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A top executive at SpaceX said key business lines are making money, discussing how parts of the privately held company are performing. Gwynne Shotwell , who for years has led SpaceX as president alongside Elon Musk, said this week that one of its main rocket-launch offerings that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration relies on had become a moneymaker for the company.

That number includes both rocket launches and capsule reentries, and has been steadily climbing. A Falcon Heavy rocket launches the USSF-67 mission on January 15, 2023 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "Air space is going to be a critical, critical issue," Isom said, calling on new industries to contribute to the cost of air traffic control. A graph of FAA-licensed or permitted commercial space launches (excludes launches licensed by other U.S. government agencies, such as NASA or the Department of Defense). Together they create a moving target for space launches and the commercial airlines eyeing the same air space.

☆ Explainer: What we know and don't know about the Chinese balloon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Here's what we know, and don't know, about the balloon that has triggered a dramatic diplomatic dispute between the two powers:HOW BIG IS IT? WAS IT A WEATHER BALLOON? Other companies that develop stratospheric balloon systems include U.S. space tourism firm World View and French firm CNIM Air Space. AIR is particularly keen on stratospheric balloon technology and has posted several articles on its WeChat account about Aerostar. read moreWhile analysts did not yet know the size of the Chinese balloon fleet, U.S. officials have spoken of dozens of missions since 2018 across five continents, with some targeting Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines.

☆ How to See the Rare Green Comet That Is Passing By Earth
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Aylin Woodward | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A rare green comet that last passed through our solar system 50,000 years ago will fly within about 26 million miles of Earth on Wednesday, harmlessly zipping by at a blistering speed. The sun-orbiting cosmic snowball, made of frozen rock and dust, first enthralled amateur and professional astronomers and photographers alike during its recent journey through the inner solar system. The comet has become increasingly more visible in the nighttime sky with binoculars and telescopes in the Northern Hemisphere over the past month or so, according to National Aeronautics and Space Administration astronomers.

☆ The Man Who Tried to Stop the Space Shuttle Challenger’s Launch
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Rachel M. Mccleary | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration was preparing the space shuttle Challenger for launch on the morning of Jan. 28, 1986. It was an unusually cold morning for Cape Canaveral, Fla.—too cold, warned the engineers of NASA contractor Morton Thiokol, builder of the shuttle’s solid rocket motors. The day before the launch, Thiokol engineers and executives met with NASA officials on a teleconference. A Thiokol engineer reported the anticipated temperature during the following day’s launch time would be around 26 degrees. Erring on the side of caution, Boisjoly, Thompson and other engineers recommended delaying the launch.

☆ An Asteroid Whizzed Past Earth Thursday
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Suryatapa Bhattacharya | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An asteroid the size of a big truck raced over Earth Thursday, just 2,200 miles above the planet’s surface, according to a NASA tracker, in what scientists had said would be one of the closest approaches ever recorded. Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, had predicted the asteroid, named 2023 BU, would travel over the Pacific Ocean west of southern Chile, Thursday afternoon Pacific time.

☆ Alibaba, Tencent 'golden shares': China is pulling different strings to control Big Tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

According to a person familiar with the matter, the Chinese government is also discussing taking a similar stake in a mainland Chinese subsidiary of Tencent (TCEHY), the group that includes WeChat and a vast gaming business. The headquarters of the Cyberspace Administration of China in Beijing, China on July 16, 2021. “Golden shares” give their owners, usually governments, some level of control over companies, often those that were previously state-owned. In April 2021, a government entity acquired a 1% stake in a Beijing subsidiary of TikTok’s parent company Bytedance, according to Qichacha. The Communist Party may be easing off on fines and penalties, but the “golden shares” approach seeks the same end, which is “control and tight oversight,” said Capri.

☆ Asteroid 2023 BU to Whiz Past Earth in One of the Closest Ever Approaches
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Suryatapa Bhattacharya | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An orbital diagram from the Center for Near Earth Object Studies’ close-approach viewer showing the asteroid 2023 BU’s trajectory in red. The orbit of geosynchronous satellites is shown in green. An asteroid the size of a big truck will fly by Earth on Thursday just 2,200 miles above the planet’s surface in one of the closest approaches ever recorded, scientists said. The asteroid, named 2023 BU, will travel over the Pacific Ocean west of southern Chile, Thursday afternoon Pacific time, according to Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

☆ Hundreds more Canada-made armoured vehicles to arrive in Ukraine by summer
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Kyaw Soe Oo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Jan 19 (Reuters) - A Canadian company supplying battle-ready armoured vehicles to Ukraine plans to deliver the 200 vehicles Ottawa promised to Kyiv before summer, the firm's Chief Executive Officer Roman Shimonov said on Thursday. Ontario-based Roshel Inc builds armoured vehicles for government and commercial organizations, including the U.S State Department and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The Senators can be used be used as a medical evacuation vehicle or as a tactical combat vehicle, he said. The company has established a "sophisticated" secure supply chain and has been shipping a few armoured vehicles every day, Shimonov said in an interview at Roshel's assembly plant in Mississauga. Shimonov declined to share details, but said Ottawa's order of 200 armoured vehicles for Ukraine is expected to be delivered by summer.

☆ China tightens media control with tiny stakes in two Alibaba units
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesBEIJING — State-backed entities have taken tiny stakes in parts of two Alibaba subsidiaries that oversee a video platform and web browser. The state-backed stakes reflect a progression of government directives over the last decade to increase control of media in China. "So far most of the stakes announced (including in other Chinese companies) seem to be highly concentrated on media companies and media subsidiaries." watch nowSince 2020, business records show state-backed entities have taken 1% stakes in popular social media or short-video apps Weibo , ByteDance's Douyin and Kuaishou . A provincial state media group completed a 1% investment in September, leaving Alibaba's media arm with 99% ownership.

☆ Boeing Bets on Experimental Jetliner Flight in 2028
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Doug Cameron | Micah Maidenberg | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Boeing Co. won a NASA-backed contest to build a prototype of a new, fuel-efficient jetliner that officials said the company aims to fly for the first time in 2028. The plane the aerospace giant plans to develop would install longer, thinner wings supported from below on a single-aisle fuselage, a design that officials said would cut down on fuel needs. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration didn’t disclose the names of rivals who participated in its competition, which was aimed at kick-starting the development of more environmentally friendly aircraft.

☆ China to launch state-backed transport platform for ride-hailing, trucking
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG, Jan 18 (Reuters) - China will soon launch a state-backed platform for transport which includes services of ride-hailing, cargo trucking, road transport, railway, ferry and flight services, Chinese state media Beijing Daily reported on Wednesday. China's ride-hailing market was dominated by Didi Global which ran afoul of powerful regulator the Cyberspace Administration of China in 2021. The 18-month ban on the ride-hailer was lifted on Monday after the company took effective measures to ensure platform safety and data security. The state-backed platform, called "Qiang Guo Jiao Tong" - or "Powerful Nation's Transportation" - will offer people convenient services while maintaining data security and protecting personal privacy, Beijing Daily reported. Other social media apps such as Wechat, Alipay and Douyin will be integrated into the platform, the report added.

☆ Many Companies Are Shying Away From Carbon Credits
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Dieter Holger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

Many companies are hesitant to buy carbon credits as the market faces criticism and coming standards remain unclear. Carbon credits are also expected to be discussed at this week’s World Economic Forum annual summit in Davos, Switzerland. As officials work to develop the market, sustainability chiefs must weigh the pros and cons of carbon credits in their climate plans. Carbon solutionsTo address concerns in the carbon market and scale up climate action, there is a movement toward better, widely accepted standards. The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market ended its public comment period in September on the 10 so-called Core Carbon Principles it proposed in July.

☆ Didi's China ride-hailing app back on some app stores
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Didi Global's Chinese ride-hailing app returned to some Android app stores on Tuesday, according to Reuters checks and a source with direct knowledge of the matter, signalling its emergence from around 1-1/2 years of regulatory troubles. Didi has been awaiting approval to resume new user registrations and downloads of its 25 banned apps in China as a key step to return to normal business since its regulatory problems started in mid-2021. Its 25 mobile apps were then ordered to be taken down from app stores, the registration of new users was suspended, and it was fined $1.2 billion over data-security breaches. Didi said in a statement on Monday it had been given the green light from domestic regulators to resume new user registrations for its core ride-hailing app from Monday. Reporting by Yingzhi Yang and Julie Zhu Editing by David Goodman and Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China Buys Stake in Alibaba Unit, Signaling New Normal of State Oversight
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Raffaele Huang | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

China’s cyberspace regulator also appointed an official to the board of an Alibaba subsidiary, say people familiar with the matter say. SINGAPORE—Chinese authorities recently acquired a stake in a subsidiary of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., indicating regulators intend to keep the sector on a tight leash even as they move past an extended crackdown on the country’s internet-technology giants. A Beijing-based entity controlled by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s internet watchdog, took a 1% stake in a Guangzhou, south China-based Alibaba business on Jan. 4, according to China’s corporate registry. The cyberspace regulator also appointed an official to the board of the Alibaba entity, whose media portfolio includes mobile browser UC Web, people familiar with the matter say.

☆ China to allow Didi apps back online, in latest sign of regulatory thaw, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A logo for Chinese ride-hailing platform Didi is illuminated outside company headquarters on Jan. 21, 2022 in Hangzhou, China. Shen Longquan | Visual China Group | Getty ImagesChinese authorities are set to allow Didi Global's ride-hailing and other apps back on domestic app stores as soon as next week, five sources told Reuters, in yet another signal that their two-year regulatory crackdown on the technology sector is ending. Didi has been awaiting authorities' approval to resume new user registrations and downloads of its 25 banned apps in China as a key step to resume normal business since its regulatory troubles started in mid-2021. The one-week-long holiday period in China would help Didi start to attract new clients for the business and work towards bringing it back to normal, added two of the sources. China's central bank will step up support for private firms as part of steps to shore up the economy, while easing a crackdown on tech companies, Guo Shuqing, Communist party chief of the People's Bank of China, told state-owned CCTV on Sunday.

[1/2] The app logo of Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi is seen reflected on its navigation map displayed on a mobile phone in this illustration picture taken July 1, 2021. Didi has been awaiting authorities' approval to resume new user registrations and downloads of its 25 banned apps in China as a key step to resume normal business since its regulatory troubles started in mid-2021. A lifting of the ban on Didi apps would come as Chinese policymakers seek to restore private sector confidence and count on the technology industry to help spur economic activity that has been ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. The delay in the return of the apps had cast a shadow over Didi's business plans. That deal is primarily subject to the apps' resumption for official announcement, said the two sources.

☆ China acquires 'golden shares' in two Alibaba units
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] The logo of Alibaba Group is seen at its office in Beijing, China Jan. 5, 2021. REUTERS/Thomas PeterBEIJING, China, Jan 13 (Reuters) - China has acquired minority stakes with special rights in two domestic units of tech giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (9988.HK), business registration records showed, as Beijing extends a campaign to strengthen control over online content. Beijing has been taking 'golden shares' in private online media and content companies for more than five years, and in recent years expanding such arrangements to companies with vast troves of data. These golden shares, typically equal to about 1% of a firm, are bought by government-backed funds or companies which gain board representation and/or veto rights for key business decisions. Having such golden shares can be helpful to firms when they try to secure licences to disseminate online news and to show online visual and audio programmes, sources have told Reuters.

☆ China's government is buying Alibaba and Tencent shares that give the Communist Party special rights over certain business decisions, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Chinese government is buying shares in Alibaba, Tencent and other tech companies, according to the Financial Times. The stakes usually involve a 1% holding and are known as "special management shares." This gives China's Communist Party special rights over certain business decisions, the report said. The stakes usually involve a 1% holding in a key segment and are known as "special management shares," which give Beijing rights over certain decisions at the companies. Meanwhile, details of the Chinese government's plan to buy shares in internet giant Tencent are still under discussion, the report said.

☆ China, a Pioneer in Regulating Algorithms, Turns Its Focus to Deepfakes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Karen Hao | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Cyberspace Administration of China will begin enforcing new regulations on deepfakes starting this week. HONG KONG—China is implementing new rules to restrict the production of ‘deepfakes,’ media generated or edited by artificial-intelligence software that can make people appear to say and do things they never did. Beijing’s internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China, will begin enforcing the regulation—on what it calls “deep synthesis” technology, including AI-powered image, audio and text-generation software—starting Tuesday, marking the world’s first comprehensive attempt by a major regulatory agency to curb one of the most explosive and controversial areas of AI advancement.

☆ Will Climate Change Really Put New York Underwater?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Steven E. Koonin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A recent National Aeronautics and Space Administration report yet again raises alarm that New Yorkers are about to be inundated by rapidly rising seas. But a review of the data suggests that such warnings need to be taken with more than a few grains of sea salt. The record of sea level measured at the southern tip of Manhattan, known as the Battery, begins in 1856. It shows that today’s waters are 19 inches higher than they were 166 years ago, rising an average of 3.5 inches every 30 years. The geologic record shows that this rise began some 20,000 years ago as the last great glaciers melted, causing the New York coastline to move inland more than 50 miles.

☆ SpaceX to raise $750 million at $137 billion valuation - CNBC
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 2 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's SpaceX is raising $750 million in a new round of funding that values the rocket and satellite company at $137 billion from investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, CNBC reported late Monday. SpaceX, which counts Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) and Fidelity Investments among its investors, had raised about $1.68 billion through equity financing in June. Spokespersons for SpaceX and Horowitz did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. Horowitz was also a co-investor in Musk's Twitter buyout deal worth $44 billion. SpaceX has launched numerous cargo payloads and astronauts to the International Space Station for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

☆ China is about to get tougher on deepfakes in an unprecedented way. Here's what the rules mean
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

China will introduce rules governing the use of deep synthesis technology in January 2023. The tech can be used to alter an existing video, for example by putting the face of a politician over an existing video or even creating fake speech. Beijing announced its rules governing "deep synthesis technologies" earlier this year, and finalized them in December. Here are some of the key provisions:Users must give consent if their image is to be used in any deep synthesis technology. Earlier this year, China introduced a rule governing how technology firms can use recommendation algorithms, in another first-of-its-kind law.

☆ Defense Contractor L3Harris Plans to Buy Aerojet Rocketdyne for $4.7 Billion
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Doug Cameron | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A deal is expected to face intense regulatory scrutiny at a time when Aerojet has also wrestled with production problems. Defense firm L3Harris Technologies Inc. on Sunday said it agreed to buy Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc. in a $4.7 billion deal that would cement L3Harris’s role as one of six prime defense contractors for the Pentagon. Aerojet is a major maker of engines used in missiles, such as the Javelin deployed in Ukraine. Its products also help power National Aeronautics and Space Administration rockets and U.S. military hypersonic systems designed to deter China’s military expansion.

☆ Defense firm L3Harris to buy Aerojet for $4.7 bln with eye on missile demand
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 18 (Reuters) - U.S. defense contractor L3Harris Technologies Inc (LHX.N) said on Sunday it would buy Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc (AJRD.N) in a $4.7 billion all-cash transaction, as it looks to tap into rising demand for missiles amid the Ukraine conflict. Reuetrs had first reported on Saturday that L3Harris was nearing the deal to acquire U.S. rocket maker Aerojet. The deal, which is expected to be completed in 2023, would add on to L3Harris' Space & Airborne Systems unit, which makes electronic warfare equipment and avionics sensors. Aerojet develops and manufactures liquid and solid rocket propulsion and hypersonic engines for space, defense, civil and commercial applications. Aerojet makes the RS-25 engines for NASA's launch vehicle, as well as the RL10 engines that power launch vehicles made by United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing Co (BA.N) and Lockheed Martin.

Search resuls for: "Space Administration"

25 mentions found