- Reuters
Startup Ursa Major advances US hypersonic capabilities with new engine
Ursa Major, a startup rocket motor maker, has successfully test-fired its new Draper engine more than 50 times on the ground, the company said on Thursday, marking a significant advance in U.S. hypersonic and in-space propulsion technologies. Berthoud, Colorado-based Ursa Major's testing is the latest achievement by U.S. companies scrambling to build more advanced engines for missiles and spacecraft that American officials see as crucial deterrents to threats from adversaries such as hypersonic weapons - those that move more than five times the speed of sound - in and beyond Earth's atmosphere. The Draper engine is also designed for maneuverable spacecraft in Earth's orbit, as geopolitical tensions rise with nations including Russia and China that are enhancing their anti-satellite systems and testing satellites capable of zipping across multiple orbits.
- Associated Press
As Maduro shifts from migration denier to defender, Venezuelans consider leaving if he is reelected
One of the most influential politicians in Venezuela once deemed images of his fellow citizens abandoning their home country the result of a professionally scripted, “Hollywood-type blockbuster.” Migration, Diosdado Cabello said, was an issue conjured by a “media apparatus.” Similarly, his boss, President Nicolás Maduro, denied for years, at least publicly, that millions of people were literally walking away from Venezuela.
- Associated Press
From electric vehicles to deciding what to cook for dinner, John Podesta faces climate challenges
John Podesta was two months into his new role as President Joe Biden’s global climate envoy when he faced his first international crisis — what to serve for dinner. Although Podesta is well known for his culinary skills, he usually sticks to cooking Italian. “I thought, OK, well, this is a diplomatic challenge,” Podesta told The Associated Press in an interview.
