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01 / 05
Odysseus, a Private Lunar Lander, Launches Toward the Moon

New York Times | Space

Odysseus, a Private Lunar Lander, Launches Toward the Moon

“Another month, another try at the moon.

A robotic lunar lander launched into space early Thursday morning. If all goes well, on Feb. 22 it will become the first American spacecraft to gently set down on the moon’s surface since the Apollo 17 moon landing in 1972.

It would also become the first private effort to reach the surface of the moon in one piece. Three earlier attempts, by an American company, a Japanese company and an Israeli nonprofit, failed.”

From New York Times.

Axios | Air Transport

Passenger Jet Prototype Breaks Speed of Sound

“A prototype of a passenger jet designed to succeed the supersonic Concorde broke the sound barrier for the first time on Tuesday above the Mojave Desert in California.

Why it matters: Exceeding Mach 1 speed — 770 miles per hour — is an important milestone in the quest by Boom Supersonic, a Denver-based startup, to resurrect high-speed air travel 22 years after the Concorde retired.”

From Axios.

Live Science | Air Transport

XB-1 Passenger Plane 1 Step Away from Breaking the Sound Barrier

“The unofficial successor to Concorde is one step closer to reality after Boom Supersonic marked the 11th successful test flight of its XB-1 supersonic demonstrator aircraft.

On Jan. 10, the XB-1 completed a sustained flight at 728 mph (1,172 km/h) — equivalent to Mach 0.95, which is just shy of the speed of sound.

The test was conducted at a height of 29,481 feet (8,986 meters); while the aircraft flew at this speed in its 10th test, that test was at a much higher altitude and therefore a lower air pressure.

By flying so fast, so low in the latest test, the XB-1 achieved a record 383 knots equivalent airspeed — indicative of incredibly high dynamic air pressure. The aircraft will never experience such intense conditions again even when it finally breaks the sound barrier, as its in-service flights will take place at much higher altitudes where the air is thinner, company representatives said in a statement.

Putting the aircraft under this strain at transonic speed, just below the speed of sound, demonstrates the robust quality of its airframe and proves it will remain controllable at higher speeds.”

From Live Science.

Wall Street Journal | Motor Vehicles

How Uber and Lyft Are Gearing Up for the Robotaxi Revolution

“Uber Technologies and Lyft gave up on big plans to develop their own driverless taxis years ago. Now, they are revamping their businesses to accommodate competitors who may have figured it out. 

The ride-hailing leaders are preparing to bring driverless taxis to your door with new app features that allow customers to use their phones to open trunks and honk horns. They are building infrastructure to maintain the high-tech taxis and training human support staff to handle riders without drivers. 

Both companies will have driverless cars—from Alphabet’s Waymo and others—on their apps this year. In the coming months, riders in Austin, Texas, and Atlanta will be able to hail a Waymo through the Uber app. Lyft plans to offer May Mobility’s driverless taxis in Atlanta.”

From Wall Street Journal.