This week in space news featured significant developments, notably Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 1, which successfully landed on the moon on March 2nd, making Firefly the first commercial entity to achieve such a feat. The lunar lander, part of NASA’s Commercial Moon Payload Services program, successfully completed its mission, including tracking signals from Earth satellites with its scientific payloads.
In contrast, Intuitive Machines’ attempt to land their NOVA-C robotic lander the following day was less successful. Although it achieved a controlled landing, the lander ended up on its side, a common issue in recent lunar landings. Additionally, the article reported a setback with the world’s first private asteroid mining mission and an explosive failure of the SpaceX Starship Test Flight 8 shortly after its booster separation, attributed to a loss of thrust in multiple engines. However, a successful booster recovery by “catching” it with chopsticks was a positive highlight from the flight.
In the realm of consumer products, Brother printers face allegations of firmware updates that disable features when non-OEM cartridges are used, sparking disappointment among loyal users. While Brother denies these claims, users are advised to proceed cautiously with printer purchases.
Moreover, DVD enthusiasts are encountering “DVD rot” on discs produced by Warner Bros. Discovery between 2006 and 2008, leading to peeling issues. Warner Bros. is acknowledging the issue and offering replacements for affected titles.
Lastly, a look back at the Apollo program highlighted the unique shake tests for the Saturn V rocket, which involved engineers physically testing the structure’s resilience to ensure it could withstand both rocket power and Florida’s hurricane conditions. This historical anecdote raised questions about the contingency plans in case of failure during these tests.
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