Blue Origin's first crewed space tourism mission of 2022 is go for launch today with a crew of six, the company has announced. The NS-20 mission is set to take place at the company's launch facility in Van Horn, Texas at 9:30 AM ET after a two-day delay due to high winds.
Passengers will ride aboard the New Shepard reusable launch system which marks its 20th flight to date (hence the NS-20 mission designation). The crew includes angel investor Marty Allen, nonprofit founder Sharon Hagle, Hagle's husband and Tricor CEO Marc Hagle, entrepreneur Jim Kitchen and Commercial Space Technologies founder Dr. George Nield.
SNL's Pete Davidson was supposed to be aboard but had to drop due to a scheduling conflict, so he'll be replaced by New Shepard's chief architect, Gary Lai. In previous flights, Blue Shepard has carried Laura Shepard, the daughter of pioneering astronaut (and New Shepard's namesake) Alan Shepard, Michael Strahan, William Shatner and of course Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos.
The company is competing in the space tourist arena with Virgin Galactic, which recently completed its first fully crewed spaceflight with four onboard including owner Richard Branson. Another rival is SpaceX, which did its first tourist spaceflight (Inspiration 4) last year with four civilian passengers.
The livestream for the launch is set to start at 8:20 AM ET, with the launch scheduled for 9:30 AM ET.
If you're looking for a new Windows laptop, you may find what you need in Amazon's one-day ASUS sale. Today, the online retailer has a number of ASUS laptops on sale, with some up to $250 off. Likely best for most people are the ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED and the ZenBook 13 Flip OLED, which are down to $650 and $745, respectively. You can also grab the ZenBook Duo 14, a dual-screen laptop that earned a score of 84 from us, for $906, which is $194 less than usual.
If you go for the standard ASUS ZenBook 13, you're getting an AMD Ryzen 7 5700U processor, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, along with a 13.3-inch 1080p OLED display. The Flip version shares the same display, RAM and storage, but runs on an 11th-gen Core i5 processor. While we didn't review these exact models, we did put the ZenBook Flip S through its paces and gave it a score of 84 for its sleek design, powerful performance and lovely OLED display.
The main difference between the Flip S and the Flip on sale today is that the former runs on a Core i7 processor and has a 4K OLED panel. Otherwise, you'll get a similarly premium Windows experience from both machines. Also, both the standard ZenBook and the Flip have ASUS' unique and convenient NumberPad 2.0, which is combined with the trackpad and illuminates only when you need it.
As for the ZenBook Duo, it's best for those who want something a bit different in their next laptop. Its main screen is a 14-inch 1080p touch panel and it also includes a 12.6-inch matte touchscreen that sits above the keyboard and lifts up slightly when you open the laptop. That's one of the new features ASUS built in to this second-gen laptop that makes it easier to use and more viable as your daily driver. The latest ZenBook Duo also has better dual-screen software and much improved build quality than the previous version. The keyboard and trackpad area are still a bit cramped for our liking, but if you're going to invest in a dual-screen notebook, this is one of the few solid options available right now.
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The idea is to help people assess whether the information they see about a rapidly evolving topic is legitimate. It will suggest actions such as checking the publication date and searching the author's name to find out if they're credible. Taking information at face value is rarely the wisest approach, so it's good to see Google encouraging users to dig a little deeper.
In Google News, there will be a new label in Top Stories to indicate sources that have been widely cited by other news organizations. It may be applied to things like a news story from local newspapers, an interview, an investigative feature, an announcement or even a press release that other publishers have linked to. Google says it's interested in using the label to highlight original reporting as well.
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In this day and age, impossibilities are defied in ways we never imagined before. With the advent of 3D printing technology, almost anything can be done even in architecture.
The idea of 3D-printed homes isn’t absurd as such is already happening. If you can 3D-print sneakers, indeed, you can print anything. We told you how 3D printing is becoming more popular and gaining momentum. Many designers have adopted the technology, and now, we’re hearing more architects are doing the same.
The House Zero is another proof that innovation in architecture is necessary. It is a result of advancements in technology because architecture needs to adapt like many things in this world. This project by ICON and Lake|Flato Architects showcases the former’s proprietary concrete wall printing system.
Built in a neighborhood in Austin, Texas, House Zero is a climate-responsive house that offers flexibility to the homeowner. Change is constant in this world, and that’s what this house system can allow throughout the years. Both Lake|Flato and ICON have worked hard on this collaboration to create a new system from printed concrete construction. In addition, new strategies have been set to ensure the 3D-printed home is made to detail.
The mission was to design a house that is livable and desirable. Another goal was to take advantage of net-zero energy. 3D printing, specifically, additive manufacturing at a large scale, seemed challenging but the designers and architects were able to finish House Zero with a thermally broken and insulated envelope with the aid of a software-controlled construction process.
Like any simple designed and constructed house, the House Zero only uses natural wood and basic elements. The concrete walls are framed and protected the standard way. As a result, the house offers plenty of views of nature and daylight. The house is made using biophilic design principles, which means natural materials and elements are used. Even with the use of robotic printing processes, the house still has those raw elements that make it sustainable while remaining cozy and homey.
The House Zero by Lake|Flato uses new technology without forgetting about the natural things. The result is still a shelter that endures and lasts—enough to call it a real home. This house can grow as your family grows through the decades. It doesn’t exactly mean it will expand, but you can adjust according to your needs or style.
Here’s what ICON, Co-Founder and CEO Jason Ballard has to say about the house: “House Zero is ground zero for the emergence of entirely new design languages and architectural vernaculars that will use robotic construction to deliver the things we need most from our housing: comfort, beauty, dignity, sustainability, attainability, and hope. Houses like this are only possible with 3D printing, and this is the new standard of what 3D printing can mean for the world. My hope is that this home will provoke architects, developers, builders, and homeowners to dream alongside ICON about the exciting and hopeful future that robotic construction, and specifically 3D printing, makes possible. The housing of our future must be different from the housing we have known.”
As described, the House Zero is a 2,000+ sqft home. It comes with three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms plus a 350 sqft accessory unit with one bedroom and one bath. It uses the 3D-printed wall system with Lavacrete by ICON– saving money, time, and even waste. Lavacrete allows better insulation as made possible by thermal mass and slow heat transfer. The process has resulted in an airtight wall that allows reduced lifecycle costs and better energy efficiency.
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