Lifeboat Foundation

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted OneWeb ‘s market access to expand its Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) satellite constellation to 2,000 satellites with a V-band payload in addition to its Ku- and Ka-band constellation. OneWeb petitioned to add a V-band payload to the 720 satellite Ku- and Ka-band constellation approved by the FCC in 2017, proposing 1,280 additional V-band satellites operating at a nominal altitude of 8,500 km.

According to the FCC order, OneWeb must launch and operate 50% of the maximum number of proposed space stations, or 1,000 satellites, by Aug. 26, 2026. The remaining satellites must be launched and operated by Aug. 26, 2029. OneWeb currently has 74 satellites in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO).

“We are pleased to hear the FCC granted our V-Band application. The V-band is critical for next generation satellite broadband services. OneWeb looks forward to the future growth opportunities this approval will enable as we commercialize our spectrum and execute on our mission to bring low latency connectivity to communities, governments, businesses, and people in the U.S. and around the world,” a OneWeb spokesperson said Wednesday.

Reliable Robotics, created by two Space X veterans, plans unmanned air cargo deliveries within two years.

Elon Musk’s Neuralink will likely show off its design for a brain-computer interface Friday evening. The concept it unveiled last summer involves surgically implanting it into the brain to detect the activity of neurons. The US military also wants to develop a brain-computer interface, as we explain in this story from October. But here’s the kicker: no surgery required—and the device could be put on and taken off like a helmet or headband.

In August, three graduate students at Carnegie Mellon University were crammed together in a small, windowless basement lab, using a jury-rigged 3D printer frame to zap a slice of mouse brain with electricity.

The brain fragment, cut from the hippocampus, looked like a piece of thinly sliced garlic. It rested on a platform near the center of the contraption. A narrow tube bathed the slice in a solution of salt, glucose, and amino acids. This kept it alive, after a fashion: neurons in the slice continued to fire, allowing the experimenters to gather data. An array of electrodes beneath the slice delivered the electric zaps, while a syringe-like metal probe measured how the neurons reacted. Bright LED lamps illuminated the dish. The setup, to use the lab members’ lingo, was kind of hacky.

Continue reading “The US military is trying to read minds” »

The Freedom of Information Act process is filled with lots of bureaucratic red tape, however, I feel confident that the #FOIA will be fruitful for declassified information properly vetted for the public first by Uncle Sam. Thanks to the fine folks at NASA — National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Our kidneys are crucial for keeping us alive and healthy. A sort of chemical computer that keeps our blood chemistry stable—whether we’re eating a sugary birthday cake or a vitamin-filled salad—they prevent waste buildup, stabilize our electrolyte levels, and produce hormones to regulate our blood pressure and make red blood cells.

Kidneys clean our blood using nephrons, which are essentially filters that let fluid and waste products through while blocking blood cells, proteins, and minerals. The latter get reintegrated into the blood, and the former leave the body in urine.

Scientists have struggled to come up with viable treatments for kidney disease and renal failure, and their complexity means kidneys are incredibly hard to synthetically recreate; each kidney contains around one million intricately-structured nephrons.

The business part of the expo is interesting as well. Army-2020 includes a record number of participating defense companies, which are showcasing over 28,000 products. The Russian Defense Ministry announced it has 39 contracts worth $15.6 billion ready to be signed during the forum. Participants are hunting for other potential buyers.

Army-2020, the annual defense expo where Russian arms producers show their gear to foreign clients and visitors, has started. Contracts worth billions are expected to be inked between tank races and other entertainment.

Continue reading “Roaring tanks, fast-sailing cars, big bucks: Visitors flow to annual military expo near Moscow for brand new equipment & gear show” »

Masten Space Systems announced today that it has selected to launch Masten Mission One (MM1). As part of MM1, Masten’s lunar lander will deliver nine NASA-sponsored science and technology demonstration experiments and several commercial payloads to the lunar south pole.

MOJAVE, Calif. – August 26, 2020 – Masten Space Systems announced today that it has selected to launch Masten Mission One (MM1). As part of MM1, Masten’s lunar lander will deliver nine NASA-sponsored science and technology demonstration experiments and several commercial payloads to the lunar south pole.

“Having’s proven launch success behind us is not only great for us, but it’s great for our customers,” said Masten chief executive officer, Sean Mahoney. “We share a common vision with and that makes this more than a partnership. It’s more like a dream team.”

An Artificial Intelligence (AI) produced DeepFake video could show Donald Trump saying or doing something extremely outrageous and inflammatory – just imagine that! Crazy I know, and some people might find it believable and in a worst case scenario it might sway an election, trigger violence in the streets, or spark an international armed conflict.

WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF We are now locked in a war as nefarious actors find new ways to weaponsise deepfakes and fake news, and defenders try to figure out how to discover and flag it. Interested in the Exponential Future? Connect, download a free E-Book, watch a keynote, or browse my.

Continue reading “World leaders can rest easy for now after researchers find new ways to reveal DeepFakes” »

British scientists have discovered that an active ingredient found in insect repellent can kill COVID-19, according to a report.

Researchers at the UK’s Defense Science and Technology Laboratory determined that Citriodiol can help fight coronavirus in a preliminary study, Sky News reported.

Insect repellents containing Citriodiol are not believed to be enough alone to protect people from the virus but can be used as an additional layer of defense along with face masks, hand washing and other health recommendations, according to the report.