SpaceX’s next Starship megarocket now has a license to fly.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday (Dec. 17) issued a launch license for SpaceX’s upcoming Starship Flight 7 test flight, clearing the way for the company’s next launch of the world’s largest rocket from South Texas. The launch license comes on the heels of several Starship engine tests by SpaceX to check the flight readiness of its seventh Ship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket booster.

The o1 model in Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, a multimodal model, enhances your AI applications and supports both text and vision inputs. Learn more.

Conquering space is among the main challenges humanity now has — and the huge number of discoveries made in recent decades suggests that nothing is impossible. Tourism beyond Earth is already gaining popularity, and this sector will evolve soon. However, simply enjoying the space views may become boring shortly, and travellers will search for alternative entertainment options. It’s now pretty early to ask whether people will be able to build a land-based casino on the Moon, but some experiences may become available in the near future. The iGaming sector is rapidly evolving, leaving offline settings behind. We can predict that space gambling will begin from top-rated slot games not on GamStop, which are widely accessible globally. Casino platforms have a vast growth potential nowadays, so what would prevent people from using them when enjoying space tourism?

The first bet beyond the Earth has already been placed — this significant event happened in 2021 when Jared Isaacman, the Inspiration 4x commander, wagered on the NFL. Although it may take a while for such betting experiences to become more widespread, the beginning has already been made.

Southeast Asia’s emerging economies are vying to become a top AI hub — a race that has them both coming together and, quietly, battling among themselves.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), made up of 10 countries with a combined population of 672 million people, already has some advantages when compared to Europe or the U.S.

With over 200 million people aged 15 to 34, the region’s youthful and largely tech savvy populations make the region adaptable to future technological advances. That, combined with government support for accelerating AI in the region, could deliver substantial rewards for local workers.

Google has unveiled a new chip which it claims takes five minutes to solve a problem that would currently take the world’s fastest super computers ten septillion – or-1 years – to complete.

The chip is the latest development in a field known as quantum computing — which is attempting to use the principles of particle physics to create a new type of mind-bogglingly powerful computer.

Google says its new quantum chip, dubbed \.

US space company Virgin Galactic announced Thursday it is exploring the possibility of opening a new base in Italy, potentially bringing suborbital flights to tourists in Europe for the first time.

Founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, the company is currently in a two-year hiatus to upgrade its fleet, following seven commercial flights to the edge of space from its US base at Spaceport America in New Mexico.

Virgin Galactic said it had signed an agreement with Italy’s ENAC civil aviation authority to study the feasibility of operating missions from Grottaglie Spaceport, located in the Puglia region of southern Italy.

NASA’s Synthetic Biology Project is collaborating with the GrabCAD community to create innovative 3D-printable bioreactor designs. These bioreactors aim to reduce the mass and volume of supplies needed for extended space missions by enabling in-situ production of essential nutrients through reusable or recyclable solutions.

The project focuses on enhancing BioNutrient Production Packs, which use bio-engineered microorganisms to generate critical nutrients like beta carotene. Crews activate these microorganisms by adding water and growth media to dormant cultures. The existing bioreactors include early polycarbonate Gen-0 models and lightweight Gen-1 soft packs. Both designs allow gas exchange to prevent over-pressurization while ensuring safe nutrient production.

NASA seeks to address key challenges for long-duration missions, including designing bioreactors that are either reusable or recyclable and can be manufactured aboard spacecraft. The bioreactor must safely handle liquid cultures, support gas exchange, and be compatible with additive manufacturing technologies. Reusability designs must consider sterilization challenges, while recyclable designs should use materials that can be reprocessed into new bioreactors.

Apple wants you to care about F1 TV and the NYTGames apps, but you shouldn’t miss out on Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Intel could develop more money on proper AI chips than on foundry services.

Even a personal appeal by MicroStrategy Inc.’s Michael Saylor failed to persuade software giant Microsoft Corp. to follow in his footsteps by investing in Bitcoin.