Electric carmaker Nio of Shanghai, China showed improved third quarter performance, beating the consensus estimate.Deliveries were up 35%;sales rose 22.5 %;and total revenue gained 25%, rising to 257 million dollars, versus the estimate of 234 million.*
Nio designs,manufactures and sells smart,connected vehicles that integrate with next gen technologies and artificial intelligence.Its ES 8 SUV can accelerate to 100 km/hr in 4.4 seconds and has a range of up to 500 km on a single charge.Nio also offers vehicle charging systems such as Power Home and Power Swap.*
Nio's market cap is four billion.It doesn't pay a dividend.Year on year, its shares are down 39.41%.It has been called "the Tesla of China".
At close of NYSE trading today,Nio stock was up 1.38 to 3.80,or 57.02%.*
Nio,Inc (NIO)
Monday, December 30, 2019
Thursday, December 26, 2019
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Friday, December 20, 2019
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Monday, December 16, 2019
Friday, December 13, 2019
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Monday, December 9, 2019
Merck Expands Oncology Portfolio
On 9 December 2019,New Jersey-based pharma titan Merck announced it is acquiring biopharmaceutical prospect ArCule,Inc. for 20 dollars a share,or about 2.7 billion dollars.ArCule's lead investigational candidate,ARQ 531,is an oral medication in a phase 2 dose expansion study for the treatment of B-cell malignancies (leukemia).
ARQ 531 is a highly selective, reversible inhibitor that,in early clinical trials, demonstrated a manageable safety profile and early signs of anti-tumour activity for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refactory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and Richter's Transformation.*
ArQule CEO Paolo Pucci said:
With this agreement,ArQule's pipeline will benefit from Merck's vast capabilities and determined engagement to benefit the patients who we have always strived to serve.*
ArQule's discovery efforts are focused on the identification and development of novel kinase inhibitors, the company noted.iAll four of its drug candidates are in targeted, biomarker-defined patient populations.*
Merck&Co Inc (MRK), ArQule Inc (ARQC)
ARQ 531 is a highly selective, reversible inhibitor that,in early clinical trials, demonstrated a manageable safety profile and early signs of anti-tumour activity for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refactory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and Richter's Transformation.*
ArQule CEO Paolo Pucci said:
With this agreement,ArQule's pipeline will benefit from Merck's vast capabilities and determined engagement to benefit the patients who we have always strived to serve.*
ArQule's discovery efforts are focused on the identification and development of novel kinase inhibitors, the company noted.iAll four of its drug candidates are in targeted, biomarker-defined patient populations.*
Merck&Co Inc (MRK), ArQule Inc (ARQC)
Friday, December 6, 2019
Thursday, December 5, 2019
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Monday, December 2, 2019
Friday, November 29, 2019
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Monday, November 25, 2019
Mega-Deal:Two Brokerage Titans Merge
In a press-release,it was announced today that Charles Schwab Corporation is acquiring TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation.Through the definitive agreement, Schwab will acquire TD Ameritrade in a stock transaction worth about 26 billion dollars.*
According to Schwab CEO Walt Betting:
With this transaction, we will capitalize on the unique opportunity to build a firm with the soul of a challenger and the resources of a large financial institution that will be uniquely positioned to serve the investment, trading and wealth management needs of investors across every phase of their financial journeys.*
Charles Schwab Corp (SCHW)
According to Schwab CEO Walt Betting:
With this transaction, we will capitalize on the unique opportunity to build a firm with the soul of a challenger and the resources of a large financial institution that will be uniquely positioned to serve the investment, trading and wealth management needs of investors across every phase of their financial journeys.*
Charles Schwab Corp (SCHW)
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Monday, November 18, 2019
Friday, November 15, 2019
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Monday, November 11, 2019
Virgin Galactic Takes Flight on NYSE
On 27 October 2019, Virgin Galactic became the first publicly-listed human spaceflight company.This occurred once its merger with venture capital firm Social Capital Hedosophia was completed.Virgin Group CEO Sir Richard Branson did the honours, ringing the opening bell on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange on listing day.*
The company says it already has customer reservations from more than 600 people in 60 countries, yielding about 80 million dollars in total collected deposits.Mr.Branson believes that:
With our proprietary spacecraft system, special airspace access at Spaceport America (New Mexico), globally recognised brand and broad investor interest,we believe Virgin Galactic is positioned to capitalise on the fast-growing multibillion dollar commercial space market and ultimately open space to thousands of new astronauts.*
Indeed, the company's two successful spaceflights brought official astronaut status to the Virgin Galactic test flight crews.*
Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc (SPCE)
The company says it already has customer reservations from more than 600 people in 60 countries, yielding about 80 million dollars in total collected deposits.Mr.Branson believes that:
With our proprietary spacecraft system, special airspace access at Spaceport America (New Mexico), globally recognised brand and broad investor interest,we believe Virgin Galactic is positioned to capitalise on the fast-growing multibillion dollar commercial space market and ultimately open space to thousands of new astronauts.*
Indeed, the company's two successful spaceflights brought official astronaut status to the Virgin Galactic test flight crews.*
Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc (SPCE)
Friday, November 8, 2019
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Monday, November 4, 2019
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Friday, November 1, 2019
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Monday, October 28, 2019
Friday, October 25, 2019
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Monday, October 21, 2019
Boeing's Full Ahead in Commercial Space - joins Virgin Galactic and reveals launch date
A new strategic partnership between Boeing and Virgin Galactic has been announced, as has the first launch date for Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft.Boeing is to invest 20 million dollars in Virgin Galactic and the two aerospace firms will collaborate on transformative global travel technologies, Virgin Group CEO Richard Branson said:
This is the beginning of an important collaboration for the future of air and space travel, which are the natural next steps for our human spaceflight programme.Virgin Group and Boeing share a vision of opening access to the world and space, to move people in safe and environmentally responsible ways.*
The Boeing investment involves acquiring shares in the soon to be merged Virgin Galactic and Social Capital Hedosophia, which is expected to close in Q4 2019.SCH is a Cayman islands shell company set up by venture capitalists in 2017 to take high value start-ups public.*
According to Brian Schettler, Senior Managing Director of Boeing HorizonX Ventures:
Our work with Virgin Galactic and others will help unlock the future of space travel and high-speed mobility.*
Adds Boeing Defense, Space and Security President and CEO Leanne Caret:
The unique expertise of our companies stretches from points all around the world to the deepest reaches of space.Together we will change how people travel on Earth, and among the stars, for generations to come.*
Among other projects, Virgin Galactic recently unveiled a contract with the Italian Air Force to carry a research payload into space on a VG SpaceShip Two spacecraft.*
For its part, Boeing has announced a launch date of 17 December 2019 for the uncrewed test flight of its CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, which will be launched on a ULA Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.The Starliner will dock with the ISS,stay about a week,then land by parachute on the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
On 4 November, the Starliner will execute an in-flight abort test of that critical safety system. Pending successful testing, Boeing plans to begin ferrying NASA astronauts to and from the ISS in the Starliner next year.*
Virgin Galactic has successfully launched two crewed spaceflights-one in 2018,and the other in February 2019.*
This is the beginning of an important collaboration for the future of air and space travel, which are the natural next steps for our human spaceflight programme.Virgin Group and Boeing share a vision of opening access to the world and space, to move people in safe and environmentally responsible ways.*
The Boeing investment involves acquiring shares in the soon to be merged Virgin Galactic and Social Capital Hedosophia, which is expected to close in Q4 2019.SCH is a Cayman islands shell company set up by venture capitalists in 2017 to take high value start-ups public.*
According to Brian Schettler, Senior Managing Director of Boeing HorizonX Ventures:
Our work with Virgin Galactic and others will help unlock the future of space travel and high-speed mobility.*
Adds Boeing Defense, Space and Security President and CEO Leanne Caret:
The unique expertise of our companies stretches from points all around the world to the deepest reaches of space.Together we will change how people travel on Earth, and among the stars, for generations to come.*
Among other projects, Virgin Galactic recently unveiled a contract with the Italian Air Force to carry a research payload into space on a VG SpaceShip Two spacecraft.*
For its part, Boeing has announced a launch date of 17 December 2019 for the uncrewed test flight of its CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, which will be launched on a ULA Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.The Starliner will dock with the ISS,stay about a week,then land by parachute on the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
On 4 November, the Starliner will execute an in-flight abort test of that critical safety system. Pending successful testing, Boeing plans to begin ferrying NASA astronauts to and from the ISS in the Starliner next year.*
Virgin Galactic has successfully launched two crewed spaceflights-one in 2018,and the other in February 2019.*
Boeing (BA), Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp (IPOA)
Friday, October 18, 2019
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Monday, October 14, 2019
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Friday, October 11, 2019
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Monday, October 7, 2019
Sunday, October 6, 2019
Friday, October 4, 2019
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Monday, September 30, 2019
NASA Awards Long-term Contract, Solidifies Artemis Missions
In a 23 September 2019 news release, NASA announced it has awarded a multi-billion dollar contract to Lockheed Martin of Littleton, Colorado for the production of several Orion spacecraft.By starting the production line, NASA is supporting up to 12 Artemis Missions.The Orion Production and Operations Contract (OPOC) commits to a minimum of six and a maximum of 12 missions.This will establish a core set of capabilities, stabilise the production process, and demonstrate reusability of spacecraft components.*
According to NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine:
This contract secures Orion production through the next decade, demonstrating NASA's commitment to bring back new knowledge and prepare for sending astronauts to Mars.
Orion is a highly capable,
state of the art spacecraft, designed specifically for deep space missions with astronauts, and an integral part of NASA's infrastructure for Artemis Missions and future exploration of the solar system.*
The contract provides three Orion spacecraft for Artemis Missions III-V for 2.7 billion dollars.The agency will then order three additional capsules for Missions VI-VIII for 1.9 billion.*
The long-term plan is to reuse the recovered crew modules at least once.Adds Orion Program manager Mark Kirasich:
No other spacecraft in the world can keep humans alive hundreds of thousands of miles from the Earth for weeks at a time with the safety features,crew accommodations, technical innovations and reliability that Orion provides.With the design and development phase of Orion largely behind us, this new contract will enable us to increase efficiencies,reuse the spacecraft, and bring down the cost of transporting people between Earth and the Gateway.*
Lockheed Martin (LMT)
According to NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine:
This contract secures Orion production through the next decade, demonstrating NASA's commitment to bring back new knowledge and prepare for sending astronauts to Mars.
Orion is a highly capable,
state of the art spacecraft, designed specifically for deep space missions with astronauts, and an integral part of NASA's infrastructure for Artemis Missions and future exploration of the solar system.*
The contract provides three Orion spacecraft for Artemis Missions III-V for 2.7 billion dollars.The agency will then order three additional capsules for Missions VI-VIII for 1.9 billion.*
The long-term plan is to reuse the recovered crew modules at least once.Adds Orion Program manager Mark Kirasich:
No other spacecraft in the world can keep humans alive hundreds of thousands of miles from the Earth for weeks at a time with the safety features,crew accommodations, technical innovations and reliability that Orion provides.With the design and development phase of Orion largely behind us, this new contract will enable us to increase efficiencies,reuse the spacecraft, and bring down the cost of transporting people between Earth and the Gateway.*
Lockheed Martin (LMT)
Friday, September 27, 2019
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Monday, September 23, 2019
Friday, September 20, 2019
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Monday, September 16, 2019
Astrophysics:ICON Mission Rescheduled
NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) mission has been rescheduled for launch on 9 October 2019.It will be air-launched on a Northrop-Grumman Pegasus XL rocket from the L-1011 Stargazer aircraft taking off at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.*
The launch will have a 90-minute window beginning at 9:25 pm Eastern.It will occur off the coast of Daytona at altitude 39,000 feet, heading 105 degrees, NASA said.*
The ionosphere is the layer of the atmosphere where Earth and space weather meet.ICON will help determine the physical processes at play in this frontier of space and help find ways to mitigate the negative effects, such as disruption of radio communications and satellites and threats to astronaut health, the agency explained.*
Northrop-Grumman (NOC)
The launch will have a 90-minute window beginning at 9:25 pm Eastern.It will occur off the coast of Daytona at altitude 39,000 feet, heading 105 degrees, NASA said.*
The ionosphere is the layer of the atmosphere where Earth and space weather meet.ICON will help determine the physical processes at play in this frontier of space and help find ways to mitigate the negative effects, such as disruption of radio communications and satellites and threats to astronaut health, the agency explained.*
Northrop-Grumman (NOC)
Friday, September 13, 2019
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Monday, September 9, 2019
Friday, September 6, 2019
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Astrobiology in the Field, Episode 1: Iceland - analogue for Mars
Astrobiology in the Field, Episode 1: Iceland
Monday, September 2, 2019
Saturday, August 31, 2019
Friday, August 30, 2019
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Monday, August 26, 2019
Pfizer Expands its Oncology Team by Acquiring Array BioPharma
Already a leader in the treatment of prostate and breast cancer,Pfizer,the world's largest pharmaceutical company,has further enlarged its oncology portfolio by completing its acquisition of Array BioPharma,Inc.,the company announced on 30 July 2019.This will advance breakthrough science for the discovery,development and commercialisation of targeted small molecule medicines to treat cancer and other diseases of high unmet need,Pfizer said.*
Array's portfolio included the approved combined use of BRAFTOVI (R) and MEKTOVI (R) for the treatment of two forms of unresectable or metastatic melanoma skin cancer,with significant potential for long-term growth with expansion into additional areas of unmet need.The combination is also being investigated as a potential first-in-class combination for the treatment of BRAF-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC),based on interim results the company feels are compelling from the pivotal Phase 3 BEACON trial,according to Pfizer.They believe this application has industry-leading potential.*
Pfizer says it will maintain Array's operations in Cambridge,Massachusetts;Morrisville,North Carolina;and Boulder,Colorado.Array is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the New York-based pharma titan.The all-cash deal had a value of around 11.4 billion dollars.*
Pfizer Inc (PFE)
Array's portfolio included the approved combined use of BRAFTOVI (R) and MEKTOVI (R) for the treatment of two forms of unresectable or metastatic melanoma skin cancer,with significant potential for long-term growth with expansion into additional areas of unmet need.The combination is also being investigated as a potential first-in-class combination for the treatment of BRAF-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC),based on interim results the company feels are compelling from the pivotal Phase 3 BEACON trial,according to Pfizer.They believe this application has industry-leading potential.*
Pfizer says it will maintain Array's operations in Cambridge,Massachusetts;Morrisville,North Carolina;and Boulder,Colorado.Array is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the New York-based pharma titan.The all-cash deal had a value of around 11.4 billion dollars.*
Pfizer Inc (PFE)
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Friday, August 23, 2019
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Monday, August 19, 2019
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Friday, August 16, 2019
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Monday, August 12, 2019
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Saturday, August 10, 2019
Friday, August 9, 2019
Thursday, August 8, 2019
Monday, August 5, 2019
NASA Volunteer Marks Apollo 11 Anniversary
On 3 August 2019,Erin Gambrill,an official volunteer with NASA,gave a powerpoint presentation on the Apollo program at C.Burr Artz Library in Frederick,Maryland.Ms.Gambrill said she had to pass a background check to become a volunteer for the space agency.She covered the Apollo history from its predecessor Mercury and Gemini programs,through the disaster of the fatal Apollo 1 fire to the first lunar landing,and the near-catastrophe of Apollo 13.So it wasn't just a rah-rah session,but an honest look at NASA's boldest missions to date.*
Her favourite mission was Apollo 8,which achieved the first glimpse humans had ever had of the far side of the Moon and the iconic "earthrise" photo showing the Earth rising over the bleak lunar surface.On that so-called "dark" side of the Moon,there is a communications blackout,so it was pretty tense until the astronauts emerged on the earthward side.Actually,the far side of the Moon gets sunshine just as the earthward side does.*
The talk was aimed at children,but adults found it plenty educational as well.Few realise,for instance,that most of the Apollo 11 photos of astronauts on the Moon were of Buzz Aldrin,since Neil Armstrong had the photographer role.The lunar samples they collected are sealed in nitrogen for their preservation,and you can only touch them using thick gloves in a bio-containment unit.*
If you answered Ms.Gambrill's questions correctly,you got a little NASA prize,such as a small Apollo capsule model or a lapel pin.At one point,Ms.Gambrill helped us make paper models of the solar system by folding a long strip of paper and labeling the creases to mark the position of various celestial objects such as the planets,asteroid belt and the Kuiper Belt.*
It was definitely worthwhile to recall those intriguing days of lunar exploration that captivated the nation and indeed the entire world.
Her favourite mission was Apollo 8,which achieved the first glimpse humans had ever had of the far side of the Moon and the iconic "earthrise" photo showing the Earth rising over the bleak lunar surface.On that so-called "dark" side of the Moon,there is a communications blackout,so it was pretty tense until the astronauts emerged on the earthward side.Actually,the far side of the Moon gets sunshine just as the earthward side does.*
The talk was aimed at children,but adults found it plenty educational as well.Few realise,for instance,that most of the Apollo 11 photos of astronauts on the Moon were of Buzz Aldrin,since Neil Armstrong had the photographer role.The lunar samples they collected are sealed in nitrogen for their preservation,and you can only touch them using thick gloves in a bio-containment unit.*
If you answered Ms.Gambrill's questions correctly,you got a little NASA prize,such as a small Apollo capsule model or a lapel pin.At one point,Ms.Gambrill helped us make paper models of the solar system by folding a long strip of paper and labeling the creases to mark the position of various celestial objects such as the planets,asteroid belt and the Kuiper Belt.*
It was definitely worthwhile to recall those intriguing days of lunar exploration that captivated the nation and indeed the entire world.
Friday, August 2, 2019
Thursday, August 1, 2019
Monday, July 29, 2019
Microsoft Pledges 1 Billion to OpenAI
On 22 July 2019,Microsoft said it has agreed to contribute one billion dollars to the non-profit company OpenAI.The advanced technology project was initially funded with a billion dollars from investors Sam Altman,LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Peter Thiel.OpenAI was co-founded by billionaire Elon Musk and has a goal of achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI),which is a computer system that can learn at the human level and beyond.OpenAI intends to build a hardware and software platform of unprecedented scale.This powerful platform will train and run AI models that are progressively more advanced on the Microsoft Azure cloud computing service. *
Many of OpenAI's services will be transferred to Microsoft's Azure as well;what is more, Microsoft is the preferred partner to commercialise new services jointly pioneered by Microsoft and OpenAI.*
Mr.Musk left the project on good terms in February 2019,citing his current workload with Tesla and SpaceX,as well as disagreements about the new company's plans.
Microsoft (MSFT),LinkedIn (LNKD)
Many of OpenAI's services will be transferred to Microsoft's Azure as well;what is more, Microsoft is the preferred partner to commercialise new services jointly pioneered by Microsoft and OpenAI.*
Mr.Musk left the project on good terms in February 2019,citing his current workload with Tesla and SpaceX,as well as disagreements about the new company's plans.
Microsoft (MSFT),LinkedIn (LNKD)
Friday, July 26, 2019
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Monday, July 22, 2019
Thursday, July 18, 2019
Monday, July 15, 2019
Friday, July 12, 2019
Thursday, July 11, 2019
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Monday, July 8, 2019
Friday, July 5, 2019
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Monday, July 1, 2019
Friday, June 28, 2019
Thursday, June 27, 2019
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Monday, June 24, 2019
Flight Surgeons:Aerospace Medicine Beckons to Many
Aerospace Medicine is a specialty that has an appeal to many medical students,offering the chance to work closely with the topline explorers of today's world,the astronauts and cosmonauts;and,indeed,the chance to fly in space themselves.There are five aerospace residency programmes in the United States.The most popular is perhaps that at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston,Texas near the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston..*
Two of the residencies are military:at Wright-Paterson Air Force Base,Ohio and the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute in Pensacola,Florida.The other civilian residencies are at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester,Minnesota and Wright State University in Dayton,Ohio.*
Flight surgeons support the health,safety and well-being of pilots,aircrews and astronauts.It is preventative and occupational medicine with an expeditionary twist.The field is competitive,but the future looks promising with the proliferation of commercial spaceflight firms and the ongoing government exploration programmes looking to scientifically colonise the Moon and beyond.
Two of the residencies are military:at Wright-Paterson Air Force Base,Ohio and the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute in Pensacola,Florida.The other civilian residencies are at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester,Minnesota and Wright State University in Dayton,Ohio.*
Flight surgeons support the health,safety and well-being of pilots,aircrews and astronauts.It is preventative and occupational medicine with an expeditionary twist.The field is competitive,but the future looks promising with the proliferation of commercial spaceflight firms and the ongoing government exploration programmes looking to scientifically colonise the Moon and beyond.
Friday, June 21, 2019
Thursday, June 20, 2019
Monday, June 17, 2019
Upcoming:The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch the US Department of Defense Space Test Program-2 Mission,an extremely complex mission with DOD,NASA and university research projects.The mission,scheduled for a 24 June 2019 launch,is managed by the US Air Force and will be launched from Kennedy Space Center.
Friday, June 14, 2019
Thursday, June 13, 2019
Monday, June 10, 2019
Friday, June 7, 2019
Thursday, June 6, 2019
Tuesday, June 4, 2019
Monday, June 3, 2019
Facebook Ramps Up Its Cryptocurrency Plan - in talks with government officials
An informed source says Facebook is having talks with a US financial regulator,the Commodity Futures Trading Commission,about whether the company's prospective digital currency would fall under the CFTC's supervision.What is more,Facebook has reportedly been floating its idea before the the US Department of the Treasury,several ecommerce firms and the Bank of England.Indeed,last month Facebook is believed to have started a subsidiary in Switzerland that deals with blockchain technology,global payments,investing and data analytics.*
The Wall Street Journal believes that Facebook's digital currency project may entail operating a global payments network.The currency,thought to be called GlobalCoin,could be activated in 2020 in up to 12 countries.More details are expected over the summer months.*
The code name for Facebook's plan is rumoured to be "Project Libra."You may be able in future to pay with GlobalCoin on leading ecommerce sites.GlobalCoin could be used as a reward for people who view Facebook ads or otherwise interact with Facebook content,such as by shopping on Facebook advertisers' websites.It may also be possible to transfer money with GlobalCoin on Facebook's WhatsApp platform.
The big plus for using GlobalCoin would be the absence of fees for doing so.Very significant is the fact that GlobalCoin would be tied to a leading currency for stability.*
The CFTC is at this point in an early stage of talks with Facebook,but is keenly interested in hearing what the giant firm has to say.*
Facebook Inc (FB)
The Wall Street Journal believes that Facebook's digital currency project may entail operating a global payments network.The currency,thought to be called GlobalCoin,could be activated in 2020 in up to 12 countries.More details are expected over the summer months.*
The code name for Facebook's plan is rumoured to be "Project Libra."You may be able in future to pay with GlobalCoin on leading ecommerce sites.GlobalCoin could be used as a reward for people who view Facebook ads or otherwise interact with Facebook content,such as by shopping on Facebook advertisers' websites.It may also be possible to transfer money with GlobalCoin on Facebook's WhatsApp platform.
The big plus for using GlobalCoin would be the absence of fees for doing so.Very significant is the fact that GlobalCoin would be tied to a leading currency for stability.*
The CFTC is at this point in an early stage of talks with Facebook,but is keenly interested in hearing what the giant firm has to say.*
Facebook Inc (FB)
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Monday, May 20, 2019
Friday, May 17, 2019
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Air Wargames:Arctic Challenge Exercise 2019
The biennial air warfare exercise between the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) and NATO Allies will soon begin in Scandinavia.More than 100 aircraft and 1,000 personnel from nine countries will stage one of the biggest air exercises in Europe from 22 May-4 June 2019.Participating will be:
Denmark,Finland,France,Germany,the Netherlands,Norway,Sweden,the UK and the US.
The drills will be staged over the northernmost reaches of NORDEFCO.This iteration of ACE is being led by the Swedish Air Force,which will plan and direct the exercise.Bases involved include Bodo and Orland,Norway;Lulea,Sweden;and Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle,Finland.ACE 19 enables the large-scale planning and conducting of air operations in a realistic operating environment,involving a wide range of aircraft and forces of modern air warfare,the Finnish Air Force said.Types of aircraft to be used are:multi-role fighters,including the large exercise debut of Norway's Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters;transport and liaison;aerial refueling tankers;NATO AWACS;transport and Search and Rescue helicopters.There will be two-three daily waves from Monday to Friday 8-5 Sweden and Norway time;9-6 Finland time.*
The drills will improve interoperability by adopting NATO procedures and providing host nation support,using the Cross Border Training concept which NORDEFCO uses on a regular basis.The exercise will develop fighter tactics and participant competencies in various duties of air operations by dissimilar aircraft under challenging conditions,while practising host nation support at Rovaniemi Air Base,Finland.COL Claes Isoz,F21 commander of the Swedish Air Force,is the Exercise Director.*
NORDEFCO consists of Finland,Norway and Sweden.*
Lockheed Martin (LMT)
Denmark,Finland,France,Germany,the Netherlands,Norway,Sweden,the UK and the US.
The drills will be staged over the northernmost reaches of NORDEFCO.This iteration of ACE is being led by the Swedish Air Force,which will plan and direct the exercise.Bases involved include Bodo and Orland,Norway;Lulea,Sweden;and Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle,Finland.ACE 19 enables the large-scale planning and conducting of air operations in a realistic operating environment,involving a wide range of aircraft and forces of modern air warfare,the Finnish Air Force said.Types of aircraft to be used are:multi-role fighters,including the large exercise debut of Norway's Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters;transport and liaison;aerial refueling tankers;NATO AWACS;transport and Search and Rescue helicopters.There will be two-three daily waves from Monday to Friday 8-5 Sweden and Norway time;9-6 Finland time.*
The drills will improve interoperability by adopting NATO procedures and providing host nation support,using the Cross Border Training concept which NORDEFCO uses on a regular basis.The exercise will develop fighter tactics and participant competencies in various duties of air operations by dissimilar aircraft under challenging conditions,while practising host nation support at Rovaniemi Air Base,Finland.COL Claes Isoz,F21 commander of the Swedish Air Force,is the Exercise Director.*
NORDEFCO consists of Finland,Norway and Sweden.*
Lockheed Martin (LMT)
Monday, May 13, 2019
Saturday, May 11, 2019
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Monday, May 6, 2019
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Friday, May 3, 2019
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Monday, April 29, 2019
Friday, April 26, 2019
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Monday, April 22, 2019
Investing in Space:New ETF
A new exchange-traded fund gives investors broad exposure to the space industry.It is the Procure Space ETF.About 80 percent of the holdings get most of their revenue from space goods and services.*
The fund is based on the equity index "S-Network Space Index" by S-Network Global Indexes.Some of the index's contents are Honeywell;Intelsat; Iridium Communications;Leonardo S.P.A.;Northrup Grumman; and Thales.The ETF is issued by ProcureAM.*
As of close of trading on 22 April 2019, the ETF was at 25.75,up 0.05 (0.19 percent).*
Procure Space ETF (UFO)
The fund is based on the equity index "S-Network Space Index" by S-Network Global Indexes.Some of the index's contents are Honeywell;Intelsat; Iridium Communications;Leonardo S.P.A.;Northrup Grumman; and Thales.The ETF is issued by ProcureAM.*
As of close of trading on 22 April 2019, the ETF was at 25.75,up 0.05 (0.19 percent).*
Procure Space ETF (UFO)
Friday, April 19, 2019
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Monday, April 15, 2019
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Monday, April 8, 2019
Testing Completed for Moon Rocket Main Engines
On 4 April 2019, NASA completed hot-fire testing of the Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25 main engines for the new Space Launch System rocket.The dozens of tests have certified that the engines are capable of lifting the large loads required for deep space exploration in the first four Orion Program missions, beginning with Exploration Mission-1,an uncrewed test flight slated for 2020.*
The 51-month series of tests of the upgraded Space Shuttle engines have brought NASA a step closer to returning humans to the Moon within five years, the agency said.The final test was carried out on the A-1 Test Stand at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi.*
Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc (AJRD)
The 51-month series of tests of the upgraded Space Shuttle engines have brought NASA a step closer to returning humans to the Moon within five years, the agency said.The final test was carried out on the A-1 Test Stand at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi.*
Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc (AJRD)
Saturday, April 6, 2019
Thursday, April 4, 2019
Monday, April 1, 2019
Friday, March 29, 2019
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Monday, March 25, 2019
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Engage Thrusters
Engage Thrusters: Steve Barsi, European Service Module Propulsion Subsystem Manager, discusses the Orion spacecraft’s propulsion system, how it works and why it's suited for deep space travel. HWHAP Episode 84.
Friday, March 22, 2019
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Monday, March 18, 2019
Saturday, March 16, 2019
Friday, March 15, 2019
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Afghan War:US Forces Help Repulse Attack on Base
On 6 March 2019,a US Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter transported troops across Afghanistan against a backdrop of the very snowy Hindu Kush Mountains.It has been a harsh winter there, which has slowed the war down, but not stopped it entirely.For example,on 1 March, the Taliban militants mounted a major assault on Camp Shorab in Helmand Province, home to both the Afghan National Army's 215th Corps,as well as small compounds of US Marines and Special Operations Forces serving in train, advise and assist.*
Between 20-30 of the Islamist extremists stormed the base, several of them detonating suicide vests to breach the perimeter, while others dashed in behind them.Bad weather limited the US air response.
Once inside the camp, they split into two units to make themselves harder to locate.Marine guards returned fire from watchtowers, while the SOFs helped their Afghan allies reclaim some of the camp.
During the 36-hour battle, about 40 Afghan Soldiers were killed, along with all the militants.There were no US casualties.*
Peace talks between US diplomats and Taliban representatives in Doha, Qatar are deadlocked over the Taliban refusal to negotiate with the Afghan government.
Between 20-30 of the Islamist extremists stormed the base, several of them detonating suicide vests to breach the perimeter, while others dashed in behind them.Bad weather limited the US air response.
Once inside the camp, they split into two units to make themselves harder to locate.Marine guards returned fire from watchtowers, while the SOFs helped their Afghan allies reclaim some of the camp.
During the 36-hour battle, about 40 Afghan Soldiers were killed, along with all the militants.There were no US casualties.*
Peace talks between US diplomats and Taliban representatives in Doha, Qatar are deadlocked over the Taliban refusal to negotiate with the Afghan government.
Monday, March 11, 2019
Facebook Secretly Explores Cryptocurrency Business
Until now, Facebook's Cryptocurrency venture was a closely held matter,yet news about the project has been leaking out for a few weeks.Leading the drive is the former president of PayPal, David Marcus.Facebook has also been hiring a number of staffers from the Chainspace start-up.There are more than fifty engineers engaged in the effort.*
The significance of the project,known as "Facebook Coin",is that Facebook could develop a potentially lucrative new revenue stream outside its beleaguered advertising mainstay.Facebook Coin would be tied to the company's WhatsApp messenger service.The Cryptocurrency would also be pegged to standard currencies for stability.Facebook Coin would be a global payments channel used through WhatsApp.*
At least initially,FB Coin would be a single purpose currency for micropayments and person-to-person money transfers.Later,it could evolve to such services as consumer lending.
FB Coin would allow users to send money to contacts on messenger systems across international borders.The FB Coin could be sent to friends and family instantly.
Facebook has had talks with Cryptocurrency exchanges who might sell the FB Coin to consumers.That means hundreds of millions of users could have immediate access to the Facebook digital wallet.
Unlike Bitcoin, there would be no mining process involved in FB Coin.You would not have to worry about the value of a FB Coin, since it is backed by Facebook bank accounts holding a basket of international currencies.*
Facebook is in the midst of interconnecting its apps Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram.This would enable Facebook to provide Facebook Coin to its 2.7 billion regular users.*
Facebook stock has risen 2 percent today on an upgrade to Buy from Neutral by Instinet.So far this year, Facebook shares have gained 32 percent; while the S&P 500 has gained 10 percent
*
Facebook,Inc (FB)
The significance of the project,known as "Facebook Coin",is that Facebook could develop a potentially lucrative new revenue stream outside its beleaguered advertising mainstay.Facebook Coin would be tied to the company's WhatsApp messenger service.The Cryptocurrency would also be pegged to standard currencies for stability.Facebook Coin would be a global payments channel used through WhatsApp.*
At least initially,FB Coin would be a single purpose currency for micropayments and person-to-person money transfers.Later,it could evolve to such services as consumer lending.
FB Coin would allow users to send money to contacts on messenger systems across international borders.The FB Coin could be sent to friends and family instantly.
Facebook has had talks with Cryptocurrency exchanges who might sell the FB Coin to consumers.That means hundreds of millions of users could have immediate access to the Facebook digital wallet.
Unlike Bitcoin, there would be no mining process involved in FB Coin.You would not have to worry about the value of a FB Coin, since it is backed by Facebook bank accounts holding a basket of international currencies.*
Facebook is in the midst of interconnecting its apps Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram.This would enable Facebook to provide Facebook Coin to its 2.7 billion regular users.*
Facebook stock has risen 2 percent today on an upgrade to Buy from Neutral by Instinet.So far this year, Facebook shares have gained 32 percent; while the S&P 500 has gained 10 percent
*
Facebook,Inc (FB)
Friday, March 8, 2019
Thursday, March 7, 2019
Monday, March 4, 2019
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Friday, March 1, 2019
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Monday, February 25, 2019
Friday, February 22, 2019
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Astrophysics:New Explorer Mission Selected
NASA has selected as its next Explorer mission the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe,Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx).The longest-running series of NASA missions,the Astrophysics Explorer Program began with Explorer I in 1958 and ran through the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) in 1989,until now it has totaled more than 90 missions to its credit.Explorer provides frequent,low-cost access to space in support of the Astrophysics and Heliophysics programs in NASA's Science Mission Directorate.*
According to NASA,SPHEREx addresses two basic questions:
1.how the universe evolved;and
2.how common the ingredients for life are in the Milky Way.It will probe the nature of physics that drove cosmic inflation in the early universe;determine the properties of interstellar ices,a key reservoir for water and biogenic material in the early phases of star and planet formation;and the cosmic history of galaxy formation.
SPHEREx will study the sky in both optical and near-infrared wavelengths,gathering data on over 300 million galaxies and more than 100 million stars,as well as our own Milky Way.Surveying the entire sky every six months,it will create the highest resolution colour all-sky map to date,in 96 colour bands.In the process of its work,the satellite will identify targets for further study by such missions as the James Webb Space Telescope and Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope.In the Milky Way,it will seek out water and organic molecules in stellar nurseries,where stars are born of gas and dust,as well as in planetary disks around stars,where new planets may form.*
Ball Aerospace,a subsidiary of Ball Corporation,is building the spacecraft and integrating the mission.James Bock of Caltech is principal investigator and the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory is mission manager.The spacecraft is slated for a 2023 launch.*
Ball Corporation,perhaps best known for its former line of canning jars,provides innovative,sustainable packaging solutions for beverage,personal care and household products customers;as well as aerospace and other technology and services primarily for the U.S. Government,the company says.*
Ball Corporation (BLL)
According to NASA,SPHEREx addresses two basic questions:
1.how the universe evolved;and
2.how common the ingredients for life are in the Milky Way.It will probe the nature of physics that drove cosmic inflation in the early universe;determine the properties of interstellar ices,a key reservoir for water and biogenic material in the early phases of star and planet formation;and the cosmic history of galaxy formation.
SPHEREx will study the sky in both optical and near-infrared wavelengths,gathering data on over 300 million galaxies and more than 100 million stars,as well as our own Milky Way.Surveying the entire sky every six months,it will create the highest resolution colour all-sky map to date,in 96 colour bands.In the process of its work,the satellite will identify targets for further study by such missions as the James Webb Space Telescope and Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope.In the Milky Way,it will seek out water and organic molecules in stellar nurseries,where stars are born of gas and dust,as well as in planetary disks around stars,where new planets may form.*
Ball Aerospace,a subsidiary of Ball Corporation,is building the spacecraft and integrating the mission.James Bock of Caltech is principal investigator and the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory is mission manager.The spacecraft is slated for a 2023 launch.*
Ball Corporation,perhaps best known for its former line of canning jars,provides innovative,sustainable packaging solutions for beverage,personal care and household products customers;as well as aerospace and other technology and services primarily for the U.S. Government,the company says.*
Ball Corporation (BLL)
Monday, February 18, 2019
Friday, February 15, 2019
Thursday, February 14, 2019
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Monday, February 11, 2019
Saturday, February 9, 2019
Hubble Reveals Dynamic Atmospheres of Uranus, Neptune
Hubble Reveals Dynamic Atmospheres of Uranus, Neptune: NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered another mysterious dark storm on Neptune and provided a fresh look at a long-lived storm circling around the north polar region on Uranus.
Friday, February 8, 2019
Thursday, February 7, 2019
Twitter Anniversary
It is my 10th anniversary on Twitter.In case you are interested, my address is @Businessblogger.There you can find a number of stories and photos,both my own and those of others, dealing with a broad range of topics such as business, Byzantine art, foreign policy and so on.
At this time, would you also please click an ad,if you have not already done so, to show your support.
Thank you for your interest.
At this time, would you also please click an ad,if you have not already done so, to show your support.
Thank you for your interest.
Monday, February 4, 2019
Friday, February 1, 2019
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Monday, January 28, 2019
NASA's Exploration Initiative on the Verge
Looking at the sky this morning,one could not help but notice the Moon in daylight hours.We cannot see the Sun at night; but the Moon is often visibly with us in the daytime. So it is natural the Moon is integral to NASA's Exploration Campaign.According to the agency:
The Exploration Campaign builds on a steady cadence of development, starting now, to enable easy access to the surface of the Moon and begin assembling the Gateway in lunar orbit.*
NASA aims its return to Moon to commence in 2020,in league with international and commercial partners.It is well on the way by enlisting commercial partner candidates with the acumen vital to support deep space activity, from new orbiters to large human-rated landers and rovers,as well as the Gateway lunar orbital platform itself.*
The Orion spacecraft is slated for launch on it's first integrated mission with the new Space Launch System rocket by 2020; the first crewed mission is planned for a 2023 launch.*
By using the Moon and lunar orbit as a testing ground for future missions to Mars and beyond, NASA and its partners can continue to advance technogical, philosophical and economic prospects for life on Earth.
The Exploration Campaign builds on a steady cadence of development, starting now, to enable easy access to the surface of the Moon and begin assembling the Gateway in lunar orbit.*
NASA aims its return to Moon to commence in 2020,in league with international and commercial partners.It is well on the way by enlisting commercial partner candidates with the acumen vital to support deep space activity, from new orbiters to large human-rated landers and rovers,as well as the Gateway lunar orbital platform itself.*
The Orion spacecraft is slated for launch on it's first integrated mission with the new Space Launch System rocket by 2020; the first crewed mission is planned for a 2023 launch.*
By using the Moon and lunar orbit as a testing ground for future missions to Mars and beyond, NASA and its partners can continue to advance technogical, philosophical and economic prospects for life on Earth.
Friday, January 25, 2019
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Monday, January 21, 2019
Friday, January 18, 2019
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Monday, January 14, 2019
Friday, January 11, 2019
Thursday, January 10, 2019
Monday, January 7, 2019
Friday, January 4, 2019
Thursday, January 3, 2019
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