Skip to main content

SpaceX launches Korean satellite, sticks rocket landing

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in September 2017 © Provided by AFP A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in September 2017 SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket Monday carrying a South Korean communications satellite to boost broadband coverage for southeast Asia and the Middle East, and stuck its 19th rocket landing in two years.The tall, white rocket roared into the blue sky over Cape Canaveral, Florida at 3:34 pm (1934 GMT), propelling Koreasat-5A toward a geostationary orbit some 22,000 miles (36,000 kilometers) from Earth.The satellite is designed to replace an earlier version, called Koreasat 5, which launched in 2006. The satellite was successfully deployed, SpaceX confirmed about 45 minutes after lauch.Minutes after launch, the rocket separated and the tall portion, called the first stage, fired its engines and maneuvered its grid fins to guide itself back to an upright landing on an ocean platform.Less than nine minutes after takeoff, the scorched rocket touched down on a droneship marked with an X and labeled "Of Course I Still Love You.""A little toasty but the Stage 1 is certainly still intact on the droneship," said a SpaceX commentator, as video images showed the rocket standing upright on the platform.Monday's launch marked the 16th for SpaceX so far this year.Headed by space enthusiast and solar energy entrepreneur Elon Musk, SpaceX is working on re-using rocket parts after launch -- rather than jettisoning them into the ocean as is the typical practice.So far, the company has managed to land 12 rockets on ocean platforms and seven on solid ground.The goal is to save money and eventually bring down the cost of space travel.

Popular posts from this blog

Cimatu warns miners: Don’t befoul watersheds, forests, aquatic resources

© Provided by Mediamerge Corporation Newly-appointed Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu poses for a photo before being sworn into office by President Rodrigo Duterte ahead of the 15th Cabinet meeting in Malacañang on Monday, May 7, 2017. Robinson Niñal/PPD Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu on Tuesday warned mining firms to observe responsible mining and avoid destructive practices or face sanctions His pronouncement came in response to President Rodrigo Duterte's second State of the Nation Address, in which the chief executive emphasized mining's impact on the environment. "I know for a fact that in a number of cases, weak and irresponsible mining practices result [in] environmental destruction—contaminating farmlands and poisoning our rivers and seas," Cimatu said in a statement. "Miners better refrain from despoiling our watersheds, forests and aquatic resources," he added. Cimatu said the Department of Environment and Natural Res...

DOF opposes tiered approach to tax on sugary drinks

© Provided by Mediamerge Corporation MONEY- Tax thumbnail The Department of Finance (DOF) is not amenable to Senator Juan Edgardo Angara's suggestion to implement the proposed levy on sugar sweetened beverages via a three-tier system. "We oppose the tiered approach. Meaning 'yung first seven grams will be tax free and then after that would be taxable," Finance Undersecretary Karl Chua said during the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP) Economic Forum in Manila on Friday. Chua note the tiered approach may compel manufacturers to come up with smaller packaging. "So you can drink three of them with no taxes," the Finance official said. It will defeat the purpose of imposing excise tax on sugary drinks as a health measure, he added. During deliberations on the comprehensive tax reform bill, Angara floated the idea of implementing the excise tax on sugar sweetened beverages under a three-tier system to incentivize those who manufactu...

You can pay at a restaurant by smiling at a camera

© Provided by Engadget As easy as it is to make purchases in the era of tap-to-pay services , it's about to get easier still. Alipay (which handles purchases for Chinese shopping giant Alibaba) has launched what it says is the first payment system that uses facial recognition to complete the sale. If you visit one of KFC's KPRO restaurants in Hangzhou, China, you can pay for your panini or salad by smiling at a camera-equipped kiosk -- you need to verify the purchase on your phone, but you don't have to punch in digits or bring your phone up to an NFC reader. The system (Smile to Pay) is purportedly resistant to spoofing with photos and other tricks. It relies on both depth-sensing cameras and a "likeness detection algorithm" to make sure it's really you. Reportedly, the technology is good enough that it can accurately identify people even when they're disguising themselves through makeup or wigs. You shouldn't have to worry about someone buying ...