Tech Updates and News

2021-02-13 18:00:04 ​​Zoox, the autonomous vehicle company that was acquired this year by Amazon showcased an autonomous robotaxi. Zoox’s ties with Amazon mean it will likely be called into action to help optimize that last mile of delivery someday for packages in dense urban environments Open / Comment

2021-02-13 08:00:11 ​​SpaceX is set to ramp up its Starship development program next year, in more ways than one. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk noted that the company will seek to make use of both of its two launch pads at its development facility in Boca Chica, Texas with prototype rockets set up on each. Open / Comment

2021-02-11 18:00:04 ​​Japanese startup Astroscale has shipped its ELSA-d spacecraft to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazahkstan, where it will be integrated with a Soyuz rocket for a launch scheduled for next year. This is a crucial mission for Astroscale, since it’ll be the first in-space demonstration of the company’s technology for de-orbiting space debris Open / Comment

2021-02-11 08:00:10 ​​Autonomous delivery startup Nuro is allowed to launch commercial driverless services on public roads in California. After receiving a permit from the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. Nuro, which was founded in June 2016 by Google alums, plans to start commercial delivery operations early next year in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties Open / Comment

2021-02-10 18:00:19 ​​Lockheed Martin, the US’s largest defense contractor will acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne, a rocket engine and missile manufacturer, for $4.4 billion including debt and net cash, giving the company a larger stake in space and hypersonic technology. The move comes amid the context of increasing competition in the Space and Defense industries. Open / Comment

2021-02-10 08:00:35 ​​Sony has pulled “Cyberpunk 2077” from its PlayStation Store after a flood of complaints and ridicule over compatibility issues and bugs from customers. The gaming giant said it is offering full refunds to any customer who purchased CD Projekt Red’s title from the PlayStation Store. Open / Comment

2021-01-31 18:00:03 ​​The AirPods Max are joining the AirPods and AirPods Pro in Apple’s audio accessory lineup. Apple is releasing its first over-ear headphones under the AirPods brand. The wireless headphones feature active noise cancellation and cost $549. With this product, Apple competes directly with Sony’s and Bose’s wireless headphones Open / Comment

2021-01-31 08:00:10 ​​Amazon’s Project Kuiper is building a globe-spanning broadband wireless network to deliver affordable connectivity to underserved communities. They made progress this year with a key FCC approval, and now it’s also created a prototype of a key piece of hardware that will help its future customers take advantage of the satellite network on the ground. Open / Comment

2021-01-30 18:00:25 ​​UK-based Orbex has raised a new $24 million funding round. This new investment help “secure the roadmap” that Orbex was already working towards regarding its launch for its reusable rocket development and deployment, which is currently targeting 2022 for its first commercial launches. Open / Comment

2021-01-30 08:00:40 ​​NASA and Boeing are looking to March 2021 as the earliest possible date for their Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT-2), a key qualifying demonstration mission in their ongoing Commercial Crew spaceflight program. Boeing is the second company selected by NASA to build and qualify a human space launch system for transporting astronauts to and from the International Space Station Open / Comment