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01 / 05
How AI Is Shaking up the Study of Earthquakes

Understanding AI | Natural Disasters

How AI Is Shaking up the Study of Earthquakes

“Over the past seven years, AI tools based on computer imaging have almost completely automated one of the fundamental tasks of seismology: detecting earthquakes. What used to be the task of human analysts and later, simpler computer programs, can now be done automatically and quickly by machine learning tools.

These machine learning tools can detect smaller earthquakes than human analysts, especially in noisy environments like cities. Earthquakes give valuable information about the composition of the Earth and what hazards might occur in the future.”

From Understanding AI.

Bloomberg | Space

Space Startup Beams More Laser Energy to Panels than Ever Before

“Aerospace startup Star Catcher Industries Inc., which is developing technology to beam solar power to orbiting satellites, said it wirelessly transmitted more electricity in a ground test than ever before, marking another step toward creating the equivalent of a space grid.

Using a suite of lasers, the company successfully sent energy to off-the-shelf solar panels positioned more than 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) away. The tests took place at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida last month.

The 1.1 kilowatt of converted electricity delivered at once exceeded the previous record set by the US government’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or Darpa. During Star Catcher’s multiday campaign, it beamed more than 10 megajoules of energy, according to the company.”

From Bloomberg.

Reuters | Motor Vehicles

pony.ai Granted Citywide Driverless Robotaxi Permit in Shenzhen

“Chinese autonomous driving firm Pony.ai has been granted the first citywide permit for driverless commercial robotaxi operations in the city of Shenzhen in southern China, it said on Friday.

The permit was jointly granted to Pony.ai and the city’s largest taxi operator Xihu Group, the company said in a statement.”

From Reuters.

NASASpaceflight | Space

Vast Completes Haven-1 Structural Testing, Launches Mission

“Vast is a space station company founded in 2021 by Jed McCaleb. It launched its pathfinder, Haven Demo, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 Bandwagon-4 mission on Sunday, Nov. 02, at 01:09 AM EDT (05:09 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Vast’s first station, Haven-1, is due to launch NET May 2026, also aboard a Falcon 9.

Haven-1 isn’t just any payload; it aims to help Vast beat other contenders for NASA Commercial LEO Destinations Phase 2 (CLD) funding. These companies include Axiom Space (Axiom Station) and Voyager Space/Airbus (Starlab), among others…

Vast’s Haven Demo will test out key capabilities, such as Reaction Control Systems (RCS), power systems, and propulsion, in preparation for Haven-1.”

From NASASpaceflight.