SpaceX is poised to launch an unmanned cargo ship toward the International Space Station Monday, including a super-computer that could direct astronauts on future deep-space missions.

The liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Dragon cargo ship, is planned for 12:31 pm (1631 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The weather forecast is 70 per cent favorable for launch.

The mission is the 12th official trip for SpaceX, which has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA to supply the astronauts living in orbit over 20 such back-and-forth journeys.

About 10 minutes after launch, the rocket will attempt to make a controlled landing back on solid ground at Cape Canaveral, as part of SpaceX&#39;s ongoing effort to reuse rocket components after each take-off.

If Monday&#39;s launch is delayed for any reason, the next attempt would have to wait until next week, due to a spacewalk planned for Thursday by Russian cosmonauts, who will deploy a series of satellites from the orbiting outpost.

The Dragon is packed with 2,900 kilograms of supplies, including a sophisticated super-computer made by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), called The Spaceborne Computer.

The goal is to test the computer for one year to see if it can operate in the harsh conditions of space, about the same amount of time as it would take for astronauts to arrive at Mars.

As astronauts travel millions of miles away, communications will become increasingly delayed. Messages from Mars to Earth would be delayed from between four minutes to 24 minutes one-way, depending on the distance between the planets, according to the European Space Agency.

&quot;Such a long communication lag would make any on-the-ground exploration challenging and potentially dangerous if astronauts are met with any mission critical scenarios that they&#39;re not able to solve themselves,&quot; said HPE senior vice president Alain Andreoli in a statement.

The new super-computer aims to provide &quot;sophisticated onboard computing resources that are capable of extended periods of uptime,&quot; he added, describing the year-long effort as &quot;the first step in that direction.&quot;

Another experiment on board is designed to help scientists study Parkinson&#39;s disease in greater detail in the hopes of finding better treatments for this degenerative disease.&nbsp;

Un-impeded by gravity, protein crystals can grow larger in space, and scientists hope to use this environment to help them understand an important protein in Parkinson&rsquo;s disease, known as Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2).

Until now, this protein has been difficult to study in Earth, according to researchers at the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which developed the research project.

Other experiments on board include a stem cell investigation for growing new lung tissue, and equipment for growing vegetables in space.

The liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Dragon cargo ship, is planned for 1631 GMT from Cape Canaveral, Florida

SpaceX is poised to launch an unmanned cargo ship toward the International Space Station Monday, including a super-computer that could direct astronauts on future deep-space missions. The liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Dragon cargo ship, is planned for 12:31 pm (1631 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The weather forecast is 70 per cent favorable for launch. The mission is the 12th official trip for SpaceX, which has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA to supply the astronauts living in orbit over 20 such back-and-forth journeys. About 10 minutes after launch, the rocket will attempt to make a controlled landing back on solid ground at Cape Canaveral, as part of SpaceX's ongoing effort to reuse rocket components after each take-off. If Monday's launch is delayed for any reason, the next attempt would have to wait until next week, due to a spacewalk planned for Thursday by Russian cosmonauts, who will deploy a series of satellites from the orbiting outpost. The Dragon is packed with 2,900 kilograms of supplies, including a sophisticated super-computer made by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), called The Spaceborne Computer. The goal is to test the computer for one year to see if it can operate in the harsh conditions of space, about the same amount of time as it would take for astronauts to arrive at Mars. As astronauts travel millions of miles away, communications will become increasingly delayed. Messages from Mars to Earth would be delayed from between four minutes to 24 minutes one-way, depending on the distance between the planets, according to the European Space Agency. "Such a long communication lag would make any on-the-ground exploration challenging and potentially dangerous if astronauts are met with any mission critical scenarios that they're not able to solve themselves," said HPE senior vice president Alain Andreoli in a statement. The new super-computer aims to provide "sophisticated onboard computing resources that are capable of extended periods of uptime," he added, describing the year-long effort as "the first step in that direction." Another experiment on board is designed to help scientists study Parkinson's disease in greater detail in the hopes of finding better treatments for this degenerative disease. Un-impeded by gravity, protein crystals can grow larger in space, and scientists hope to use this environment to help them understand an important protein in Parkinson’s disease, known as Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2). Until now, this protein has been difficult to study in Earth, according to researchers at the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which developed the research project. Other experiments on board include a stem cell investigation for growing new lung tissue, and equipment for growing vegetables in space.

SpaceX to launch super-computer to space

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is all set to make a new addition into the International Space station.&nbsp;

The rocket that took of at 12:31PM ET from Cape Canaveral, Florida,&nbsp;will launch a supercomputer called Spaceborne, from Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

The Computer system is a joint project between HPE and NASA which aims to check the vulnerability of commercial computer in harsh space environment.&nbsp;

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Weather remains 70% GO for tomorrow&#39;s 12:31pm ET launch of <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX">@SpaceX</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dragon?src=hash">#Dragon</a> carrying science/cargo to <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station">@Space_Station</a>: <a href="https://t.co/bIT8bGXhdB">https://t.co/bIT8bGXhdB</a> <a href="https://t.co/kR2itmA0rP">pic.twitter.com/kR2itmA0rP</a>
&mdash; NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/896875505474863105">August 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Mark Fernandez, the HPE engineer said that the space-bound computer is designed with an ability to make one trillion calculations in a single second.&nbsp;

The space station is placed in lower Earth orbit which makes it an unfavourable place for computers.The ISS is exposed to more radiation from solar flares and cosmic rays because of its presence outside the Earth&#39;s protective atmosphere.&nbsp;

In order to safeguard computers from this exposure they are shielded to make them physically &quot;hardened&quot; which can help in making them adaptable to higher radiation environment.

The project will be experimenting the regular &quot;off- the -shelf&quot; computers to examine their operation in space for longer time. These computers with upgraded software are designed to deal radiation exposure differently.&nbsp;

Running on open-source Linux operating system the computer is programmed to detect &nbsp;high-radiation event.

NASA said that the computer&nbsp;will respond by throttling its systems and lowering its operating speed to save power and avoid damage.

The computer has passed 146 safety tests and certifications by NASA before the space travel, according to HPE. The system is expected to last for an year in the space station after which it will be compared to an identical computer that HPE will be monitoring on the ground.&nbsp;

Later, after the project works similar software hardened computers can be developed as critical tool for future deep space missions beyond Earth.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The rocket that took of at 12:31PM ET from Cape Canaveral, Florida,?will launch a supercomputer called Spaceborne

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is all set to make a new addition into the International Space station. The rocket that took of at 12:31PM ET from Cape Canaveral, Florida, will launch a supercomputer called Spaceborne, from Hewlett Packard Enterprise. The Computer system is a joint project between HPE and NASA which aims to check the vulnerability of commercial computer in harsh space environment. Weather remains 70% GO for tomorrow's 12:31pm ET launch of @SpaceX #Dragon carrying science/cargo to @Space_Station: https://t.co/bIT8bGXhdB pic.twitter.com/kR2itmA0rP — NASA (@NASA) August 13, 2017 × Mark Fernandez, the HPE engineer said that the space-bound computer is designed with an ability to make one trillion calculations in a single second. The space station is placed in lower Earth orbit which makes it an unfavourable place for computers.The ISS is exposed to more radiation from solar flares and cosmic rays because of its presence outside the Earth's protective atmosphere. In order to safeguard computers from this exposure they are shielded to make them physically "hardened" which can help in making them adaptable to higher radiation environment. The project will be experimenting the regular "off- the -shelf" computers to examine their operation in space for longer time. These computers with upgraded software are designed to deal radiation exposure differently. Running on open-source Linux operating system the computer is programmed to detect high-radiation event. NASA said that the computer will respond by throttling its systems and lowering its operating speed to save power and avoid damage. The computer has passed 146 safety tests and certifications by NASA before the space travel, according to HPE. The system is expected to last for an year in the space station after which it will be compared to an identical computer that HPE will be monitoring on the ground. Later, after the project works similar software hardened computers can be developed as critical tool for future deep space missions beyond Earth.

Spaceborne: SpaceX new launch into international space station

SpaceX wants to expand facilities in Florida to refurbish and store its reusable rocket boosters as it increases the pace of launches.

The privately owned rocket company, operated by entrepreneur Elon Musk, proposes building a 67,222-square-foot (6,245-square meter) hangar just south of its Cape Canaveral launch sites to prepare recovered Falcon boosters for reflight.

The Port Canaveral Board of Commissioners is scheduled to consider SpaceX&#39;s proposed lease.

Since successfully landing its first Falcon rocket in December 2015, SpaceX has successfully returned boosters 12 more times on drone barges floating in the ocean or on a landing pad on the ground. Two of those boosters were refurbished and relaunched on second satellite-delivery missions.

SpaceX in March took over a spacecraft processing facility at Port Canaveral that once was used to prepare Spacehab science and equipment modules for flight aboard NASA&#39;s now-retired space shuttles. The new lease is for 2.2 acres of vacant land adjacent to the Spacehab building.

The hangar that SpaceX wants to build there will be used for rocket refurbishment and storage, company spokesman John Taylor said. The old Spacehab building will be used for offices, rocket storage and to house equipment currently positioned at the dock where SpaceX&rsquo;s floating landing pad returns from sea, Taylor said.

&quot;Right now, we have that work dispersed at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. This will allow us to consolidate and work more efficiently,&quot; Taylor said.

SpaceX operates two launch sites in Florida, though one remains out of service following a September 2016 accident that destroyed a $62 million rocket, a $200 million communications satellite and heavily damaged the launch pad. Repairs are underway and SpaceX expects to resume flights from the pad, located at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, later this year.

The California-based firm uses the space shuttle&#39;s old launch pads at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, just north of the Air Force base. It also has a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and is building a launch site near Brownsville, Texas.

The company is preparing for its 10th flight of the year, and third launch in nine days, on Sunday. SpaceX has a backlog of more than 70 missions, worth more than $10 billion, spokesman Taylor said.

SpaceX wants to refurbish and store its reusable rocket boosters as it increases the pace of launches

SpaceX wants to expand facilities in Florida to refurbish and store its reusable rocket boosters as it increases the pace of launches. The privately owned rocket company, operated by entrepreneur Elon Musk, proposes building a 67,222-square-foot (6,245-square meter) hangar just south of its Cape Canaveral launch sites to prepare recovered Falcon boosters for reflight. The Port Canaveral Board of Commissioners is scheduled to consider SpaceX's proposed lease. Since successfully landing its first Falcon rocket in December 2015, SpaceX has successfully returned boosters 12 more times on drone barges floating in the ocean or on a landing pad on the ground. Two of those boosters were refurbished and relaunched on second satellite-delivery missions. SpaceX in March took over a spacecraft processing facility at Port Canaveral that once was used to prepare Spacehab science and equipment modules for flight aboard NASA's now-retired space shuttles. The new lease is for 2.2 acres of vacant land adjacent to the Spacehab building. The hangar that SpaceX wants to build there will be used for rocket refurbishment and storage, company spokesman John Taylor said. The old Spacehab building will be used for offices, rocket storage and to house equipment currently positioned at the dock where SpaceX’s floating landing pad returns from sea, Taylor said. "Right now, we have that work dispersed at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. This will allow us to consolidate and work more efficiently," Taylor said. SpaceX operates two launch sites in Florida, though one remains out of service following a September 2016 accident that destroyed a $62 million rocket, a $200 million communications satellite and heavily damaged the launch pad. Repairs are underway and SpaceX expects to resume flights from the pad, located at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, later this year. The California-based firm uses the space shuttle's old launch pads at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, just north of the Air Force base. It also has a launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and is building a launch site near Brownsville, Texas. The company is preparing for its 10th flight of the year, and third launch in nine days, on Sunday. SpaceX has a backlog of more than 70 missions, worth more than $10 billion, spokesman Taylor said.

SpaceX plans expansion of rocket refurbishing facilities in Florida

SpaceX blasted off a secretive US government payload, known only as NROL-76, marking the first military launch for the California-based aerospace company headed by billionaire tycoon Elon Musk.

The payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, which makes and operates spy satellites for the United States, soared into the sky atop a Falcon 9 rocket at 7:15 am (1115 GMT).

About 10 minutes after launch, the scorched first stage of the rocket came back to Earth and landed upright at Cape Canaveral, marking the fourth successful solid ground landing for SpaceX.

&quot;And we have touchdown,&quot; a SpaceX commentator said on the live webcast of the event as cheers broke out at mission control.

&quot;The first stage has landed back at Landing Zone 1. Another good day for us at SpaceX. A beautiful sight to see.&quot;

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Split screen shot of Falcon 9 first stage as it returns to Earth and lands at Landing Zone 1. <a href="https://t.co/5hlwTOTGKa">pic.twitter.com/5hlwTOTGKa</a>
&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/859014922801369089">May 1, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Live video of the launch showed the first and second stages of the rocket separating about two and a half minutes into the flight.

The larger, first stage, made a gentle arc and powered its nitrogen thrusters to guide it back to Earth.

The rocket then set itself down, gently and steadily, in the center of the 300-foot (91-meter) circular landing zone.

Musk is leading an effort in the rocket industry to re-use costly parts rather than jettison them into the ocean after each launch.

SpaceX has already made multiple successful landings, some on floating platforms - known as drone ships - in the ocean.

The launch was initially planned for Sunday, but was postponed in the last seconds before liftoff due to a sensor issue with the rocket, SpaceX said.

The sensor in question was replaced ahead of Monday&rsquo;s attempt. Little was known about the payload due to its classified nature.

&quot;As a matter of policy and because of classification, NRO does not provide information about our contracts,&quot; a spokeswoman told AFP. Until now, the US military has spent billions per year exclusively with United Launch Alliance, a joint operation of aerospace giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin, to launch government satellites.

SpaceX in 2014 protested the US Air Force&rsquo;s practice of using only ULA, saying it unfairly awarded billions of dollars to a single company for national security launches.

SpaceX to was selected to launch NROL-76 &quot;after a competition,&quot; said the NRO spokeswoman. She said she did not know when the contract was awarded. The contract was first announced last year.

SpaceX regularly launches unmanned cargo ships to the International Space Station, and is working on a crew capsule that could carry humans into orbit as early as next year.

(AFP)

&nbsp;

SpaceX marks the first military launch for the California-based aerospace company headed by billionaire tycoon Elon Musk

SpaceX blasted off a secretive US government payload, known only as NROL-76, marking the first military launch for the California-based aerospace company headed by billionaire tycoon Elon Musk. The payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, which makes and operates spy satellites for the United States, soared into the sky atop a Falcon 9 rocket at 7:15 am (1115 GMT). About 10 minutes after launch, the scorched first stage of the rocket came back to Earth and landed upright at Cape Canaveral, marking the fourth successful solid ground landing for SpaceX. "And we have touchdown," a SpaceX commentator said on the live webcast of the event as cheers broke out at mission control. "The first stage has landed back at Landing Zone 1. Another good day for us at SpaceX. A beautiful sight to see." Split screen shot of Falcon 9 first stage as it returns to Earth and lands at Landing Zone 1. pic.twitter.com/5hlwTOTGKa — SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 1, 2017 × Live video of the launch showed the first and second stages of the rocket separating about two and a half minutes into the flight. The larger, first stage, made a gentle arc and powered its nitrogen thrusters to guide it back to Earth. The rocket then set itself down, gently and steadily, in the center of the 300-foot (91-meter) circular landing zone. Musk is leading an effort in the rocket industry to re-use costly parts rather than jettison them into the ocean after each launch. SpaceX has already made multiple successful landings, some on floating platforms - known as drone ships - in the ocean. The launch was initially planned for Sunday, but was postponed in the last seconds before liftoff due to a sensor issue with the rocket, SpaceX said. The sensor in question was replaced ahead of Monday’s attempt. Little was known about the payload due to its classified nature. "As a matter of policy and because of classification, NRO does not provide information about our contracts," a spokeswoman told AFP. Until now, the US military has spent billions per year exclusively with United Launch Alliance, a joint operation of aerospace giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin, to launch government satellites. SpaceX in 2014 protested the US Air Force’s practice of using only ULA, saying it unfairly awarded billions of dollars to a single company for national security launches. SpaceX to was selected to launch NROL-76 "after a competition," said the NRO spokeswoman. She said she did not know when the contract was awarded. The contract was first announced last year. SpaceX regularly launches unmanned cargo ships to the International Space Station, and is working on a crew capsule that could carry humans into orbit as early as next year. (AFP)

SpaceX makes first US military launch; lands Falcon 9 rocket

Tesla on Monday became the second-largest US car maker in terms of market capitalisation, displacing Ford, whose sales lagged amid concerns about the ability of the US market to keep growing.

Many major auto makers reported US sales declines in March compared to a year ago, but Tesla over the weekend said it saw a huge jump in vehicles delivered to consumers in the first three months of the year.&nbsp;

That was enough to send the electric car maker&#39;s stock soaring Monday, even as investors punished major car brands for reporting lower-than-expected March sales.&nbsp;

Tesla said it delivered 25,000 of its high-tech vehicles in the January-March period -- a 69 per cent surge compared to the first three months of 2016 -- indicating it was on its way to meeting its goal of 50,000 vehicle deliveries by mid-2017.&nbsp;

Late last year, the company reported its first quarterly profit in more than three years, but then slipped back into unprofitability in the following quarter.&nbsp;

Investors still rewarded the company on Monday, with stock movements reshuffling the hierarchy among US carmakers. Tesla Motors overtook Ford for the number two spot and closed the gap with GM, the biggest US automaker by market capitalisation.&nbsp;

At market close, Tesla was up 7.3 per cent to $298.52 for a market capitalisation of $48.63 billion.

Ford, which at one point was down as much as three per cent, had a market capitalisation of $45.47 billion. At its low, GM fell 4.4 per cent, but maintained a market capitalization above $50.9 billion.

Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk marked the occasion on Twitter with a dig at short sellers, investors who bet that a company&#39;s stock will decline.&nbsp;

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Stormy weather in Shortville ...
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/848935705057280001">April 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Stormy weather in Shortville,&quot; Musk wrote.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Major brands struggle

For the industry as a whole, it may indeed be stormy weather. &nbsp;Car companies failed to meet forecasts of an overall March sales increase, which fell instead industry-wide by 1.6 per cent, according to an estimate by the tracking firm Autodata.&nbsp;The seasonally-adjusted annual rate for US vehicle sales fell to 16.62 million units, versus 16.67 million units a year ago, Autodata reported.&nbsp;

Despite the bad news, there were bright spots among established auto makers.&nbsp;GM saw sales gain 1.6 per cent, helped by Americans&#39; strong demand for light trucks and sport utility vehicles, as well as bigger discounts. Nissan sales also rose, up 3.2 per cent compared to March 2016, helped by its popular Rogue compact SUV.&nbsp;

But the news was not good for many other big players.&nbsp;Ford reported that sales fell a worse-than-expected 7.2 per cent, while Toyota sales dropped 2.1 per cent, compared to the same period last year.&nbsp;

FCA US, the American arm of Fiat Chrysler, continued to struggle, reporting a five per cent decline last month, while in the first three months of the year, sales were down eight per cent.&nbsp;Record Honda truck and SUV sales could not help the Japanese car maker notch an overall increase last month, as sales slipped 0.7 per cent, when accounting for declines at its Acura luxury brand.&nbsp;

In an earlier forecast note, Edmunds analyst Jessica Caldwell struck a cautionary tone for the industry, saying there were several areas of concern.&nbsp;

&quot;Inventories have reached levels not seen in more than a decade, and incentives are rising,&quot; Caldwell said, referring to discounts and other enticements offered to consumers.

&quot;We&#39;re also seeing an increase in loan terms and indications of a rise in subprime lending, which demonstrate sales aren&#39;t coming as easily as they used to,&quot; she said.&nbsp;

But while Toyota echoed that cautionary tone, pointing to a declining selling rate, GM remained optimistic. &nbsp;&quot;More people are working, consumer confidence is at a 16-year high, fuel prices are low,&quot; Kurt McNeil, head of GM&#39;s US sales, said in a statement. &quot;We see more growth ahead for our brands,&quot; McNeil said.&nbsp;

(AFP)

Elon Musk's company has now overtaken Ford, and it's narrowing in on General Motors

Tesla on Monday became the second-largest US car maker in terms of market capitalisation, displacing Ford, whose sales lagged amid concerns about the ability of the US market to keep growing. Many major auto makers reported US sales declines in March compared to a year ago, but Tesla over the weekend said it saw a huge jump in vehicles delivered to consumers in the first three months of the year. That was enough to send the electric car maker's stock soaring Monday, even as investors punished major car brands for reporting lower-than-expected March sales. Tesla said it delivered 25,000 of its high-tech vehicles in the January-March period -- a 69 per cent surge compared to the first three months of 2016 -- indicating it was on its way to meeting its goal of 50,000 vehicle deliveries by mid-2017. Late last year, the company reported its first quarterly profit in more than three years, but then slipped back into unprofitability in the following quarter. Investors still rewarded the company on Monday, with stock movements reshuffling the hierarchy among US carmakers. Tesla Motors overtook Ford for the number two spot and closed the gap with GM, the biggest US automaker by market capitalisation. At market close, Tesla was up 7.3 per cent to $298.52 for a market capitalisation of $48.63 billion. Ford, which at one point was down as much as three per cent, had a market capitalisation of $45.47 billion. At its low, GM fell 4.4 per cent, but maintained a market capitalization above $50.9 billion. Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk marked the occasion on Twitter with a dig at short sellers, investors who bet that a company's stock will decline. Stormy weather in Shortville ... — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 3, 2017 × "Stormy weather in Shortville," Musk wrote. Major brands struggle For the industry as a whole, it may indeed be stormy weather. Car companies failed to meet forecasts of an overall March sales increase, which fell instead industry-wide by 1.6 per cent, according to an estimate by the tracking firm Autodata. The seasonally-adjusted annual rate for US vehicle sales fell to 16.62 million units, versus 16.67 million units a year ago, Autodata reported. Despite the bad news, there were bright spots among established auto makers. GM saw sales gain 1.6 per cent, helped by Americans' strong demand for light trucks and sport utility vehicles, as well as bigger discounts. Nissan sales also rose, up 3.2 per cent compared to March 2016, helped by its popular Rogue compact SUV. But the news was not good for many other big players. Ford reported that sales fell a worse-than-expected 7.2 per cent, while Toyota sales dropped 2.1 per cent, compared to the same period last year. FCA US, the American arm of Fiat Chrysler, continued to struggle, reporting a five per cent decline last month, while in the first three months of the year, sales were down eight per cent. Record Honda truck and SUV sales could not help the Japanese car maker notch an overall increase last month, as sales slipped 0.7 per cent, when accounting for declines at its Acura luxury brand. In an earlier forecast note, Edmunds analyst Jessica Caldwell struck a cautionary tone for the industry, saying there were several areas of concern. "Inventories have reached levels not seen in more than a decade, and incentives are rising," Caldwell said, referring to discounts and other enticements offered to consumers. "We're also seeing an increase in loan terms and indications of a rise in subprime lending, which demonstrate sales aren't coming as easily as they used to," she said. But while Toyota echoed that cautionary tone, pointing to a declining selling rate, GM remained optimistic. "More people are working, consumer confidence is at a 16-year high, fuel prices are low," Kurt McNeil, head of GM's US sales, said in a statement. "We see more growth ahead for our brands," McNeil said. (AFP)

Tesla now second largest US automaker

Supreme Court today dismissed the plea of auto manufacturers and&nbsp;banned&nbsp;the sale and registration of vehicles with BS-III emission norms. The apex court&#39;s move means only cars with BS-IV emission norms can be sold in the country.

The Supreme Court said the health of the people is more important than the&nbsp;commercial interest of automobile companies.

The move is likely to affect the&nbsp;sale of&nbsp;upto&nbsp;8.5 lakh vehicles in India. Supreme Court&#39;s directive comes into effect from April 1.&nbsp;

A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta prohibited registration of any vehicles which do not meet the Bharat Stage-IV emission norm standards from April 1.

Difference&nbsp;between BS-III and BS-IV, VI 
BS-III 
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Introduced in 13 Indian cities in April 2005 for all vehicles (except two-wheelers)<a href="http://pib.nic.in/newsite/backgrounders.aspx?relid=65197"> link</a> 
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Entire country covered by April 2010. 
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Cars using petrol could give out regulated pollutants at rate of 2.65 g/km driven according to BS-III norms.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.siamindia.com/technical-regulation.aspx?mpgid=31&amp;pgidtrail=33">(link)</a> 
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; BS-III petrol is allowed to have up to 150 parts per million (ppm) sulphur and BS-III diesel is allowed to have 350 ppm sulphur.&nbsp;

BS-IV and VI 
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; BS-IV norms introduced in 13 cities in April 2010, BS-V standards skipped, straight to BS VI. 
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; In BS-IV, Cars using petrol will give out regulated pollutants at rate of 1.18 g/km and in BS VI cars will give them out at rate of 1.16 g/km driven.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.siamindia.com/technical-regulation.aspx?mpgid=31&amp;pgidtrail=33">(link)</a> 
&middot; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; BS-IV petrol and diesel both have 50 parts per million sulphur, BS-VI has 10 ppm sulphur.&nbsp;

(WION)

Elon Musk says this feat could dramatically lower the cost of space travel

Supreme Court today dismissed the plea of auto manufacturers and banned the sale and registration of vehicles with BS-III emission norms. The apex court's move means only cars with BS-IV emission norms can be sold in the country. The Supreme Court said the health of the people is more important than the commercial interest of automobile companies. The move is likely to affect the sale of upto 8.5 lakh vehicles in India. Supreme Court's directive comes into effect from April 1. A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta prohibited registration of any vehicles which do not meet the Bharat Stage-IV emission norm standards from April 1. Difference between BS-III and BS-IV, VI BS-III · Introduced in 13 Indian cities in April 2005 for all vehicles (except two-wheelers) link · Entire country covered by April 2010. · Cars using petrol could give out regulated pollutants at rate of 2.65 g/km driven according to BS-III norms. (link) · BS-III petrol is allowed to have up to 150 parts per million (ppm) sulphur and BS-III diesel is allowed to have 350 ppm sulphur. BS-IV and VI · BS-IV norms introduced in 13 cities in April 2010, BS-V standards skipped, straight to BS VI. · In BS-IV, Cars using petrol will give out regulated pollutants at rate of 1.18 g/km and in BS VI cars will give them out at rate of 1.16 g/km driven. (link) · BS-IV petrol and diesel both have 50 parts per million sulphur, BS-VI has 10 ppm sulphur. (WION)

SpaceX hails 'revolution' after recycled rocket launch, landing

Sending tourists for a trip around the moon is the latest big idea launched by Elon Musk, a Silicon Valley star known for turning his passions into visionary enterprises.

Musk has become one of the United States&#39; best-known innovators. He was a founder of payments company PayPal, electric carmaker Tesla Motors and SpaceX, maker and launcher of rockets and spacecraft.

SpaceX recently announced that two private citizens have paid money to be sent around the Moon in what would mark the farthest humans have ever travelled to deep space since the 1970s.

In a sector where entrepreneurs often speak of &quot;moonshots,&quot; Musk is one of the biggest dreamers. The 45-year-old South Africa-born entrepreneur has channelled a dot-com fortune into a series of ambitious ventures.

Besides being the head of SpaceX and Tesla, Musk is the chairman of SolarCity, a solar panel installer recently bought by Tesla. He also operates his own foundation focusing on education, clean energy and child health.

And he drafted a paper detailing the feasibility of an ultra-fast &quot;Hyperloop&quot; rail transport system that would transport people at near supersonic speeds, then made it freely available to enterprises willing to pursue the project.

&#39;Doesn&#39;t sit around&#39;

&quot;He is a visionary who has some key passions which he pursues with vigour,&quot; Jackdaw Research chief analyst Jan Dawson said of Musk. &quot;He doesn&#39;t sit around and wait for people to do something about them; he goes out and does it himself.&quot;

Musk&#39;s penchant for rocketing after his passions may appear to spread him thin, but he has built a record of success. 
Musk appears strong on painting big ideas in broad strokes and then enlisting people skilled at tending to the nuts-and-bolts work needed to follow through, say observers.

&quot;He doesn&#39;t seem to be able to focus,&quot; analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group said. &quot;He just likes coming up with the ideas and is good at picking other people who can deal with the plumbing - that is why he is able to do a lot of stuff.&quot;

And while some may wonder whether hubris or realism reigns in Musk&#39;s moves, his businesses have gained value, with the jury still out on the wisdom of the Tesla acquisition of SolarCity.

&quot;He can certainly sell his ideas,&quot; Enderle said. &quot;The fact his businesses have held together so long indicates he is not a con man.&quot;

Fighting against evil

Musk more than a year ago took part in creating a nonprofit research company devoted to developing artificial intelligence that will help people and not hurt them. Musk found himself in the middle of a technology world controversy by holding firm that AI could turn on humanity and be its ruin instead of a salvation.

Technology giants including Google, Apple and Microsoft have been investing in making machines smarter, contending the goal is to improve lives. &quot;If we create some digital super-intelligence that exceeds us in every way by a lot, it is very important that it be benign,&quot; Musk said at a conference in California.

He reasoned that even a benign situation with ultra-intelligent AI would put people so far beneath the machine they would be &quot;like a house cat.&quot; &quot;I don&#39;t love the idea of being a house cat,&quot; Musk said, envisioning the creation of neural lacing that magnifies people&#39;s brain power by linking them directly to computing capabilities.

Living in a game

Some of his ideas have prompted questions about whether Musk is a visionary or mad scientist. He has raised eyebrows with a theory that the world as it is known may be a computer simulation.

&quot;I&#39;ve had so many simulation discussions it&#39;s crazy,&quot; Musk said while fielding a question on the topic at the conference. 
He maintained that &quot;the odds that we are in base reality is one in billions.&quot;

Musk lives in Los Angeles and holds US, Canadian and South African citizenship. He moved to Canada in his late teens and then to the United States, earning bachelor&#39;s degrees in physics and business from the University of Pennsylvania.

After graduating, Musk abandoned plans to pursue further studies at Stanford University and started Zip2, a company that made online publishing software for the media industry. He banked his first millions before the age of 30 when he sold Zip2 to US computer maker Compaq for more than $300 million in 1999.

Musk&#39;s next company, X.com, eventually merged with PayPal, the online payments firm bought by Internet auction giant eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002. Forbes estimates Musk&#39;s current net worth at $13.4 billion.

(AFP)

Sending tourists for a trip around the moon is the latest big idea launched by Elon Musk

Sending tourists for a trip around the moon is the latest big idea launched by Elon Musk, a Silicon Valley star known for turning his passions into visionary enterprises. Musk has become one of the United States' best-known innovators. He was a founder of payments company PayPal, electric carmaker Tesla Motors and SpaceX, maker and launcher of rockets and spacecraft. SpaceX recently announced that two private citizens have paid money to be sent around the Moon in what would mark the farthest humans have ever travelled to deep space since the 1970s. In a sector where entrepreneurs often speak of "moonshots," Musk is one of the biggest dreamers. The 45-year-old South Africa-born entrepreneur has channelled a dot-com fortune into a series of ambitious ventures. Besides being the head of SpaceX and Tesla, Musk is the chairman of SolarCity, a solar panel installer recently bought by Tesla. He also operates his own foundation focusing on education, clean energy and child health. And he drafted a paper detailing the feasibility of an ultra-fast "Hyperloop" rail transport system that would transport people at near supersonic speeds, then made it freely available to enterprises willing to pursue the project. 'Doesn't sit around' "He is a visionary who has some key passions which he pursues with vigour," Jackdaw Research chief analyst Jan Dawson said of Musk. "He doesn't sit around and wait for people to do something about them; he goes out and does it himself." Musk's penchant for rocketing after his passions may appear to spread him thin, but he has built a record of success. Musk appears strong on painting big ideas in broad strokes and then enlisting people skilled at tending to the nuts-and-bolts work needed to follow through, say observers. "He doesn't seem to be able to focus," analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group said. "He just likes coming up with the ideas and is good at picking other people who can deal with the plumbing - that is why he is able to do a lot of stuff." And while some may wonder whether hubris or realism reigns in Musk's moves, his businesses have gained value, with the jury still out on the wisdom of the Tesla acquisition of SolarCity. "He can certainly sell his ideas," Enderle said. "The fact his businesses have held together so long indicates he is not a con man." Fighting against evil Musk more than a year ago took part in creating a nonprofit research company devoted to developing artificial intelligence that will help people and not hurt them. Musk found himself in the middle of a technology world controversy by holding firm that AI could turn on humanity and be its ruin instead of a salvation. Technology giants including Google, Apple and Microsoft have been investing in making machines smarter, contending the goal is to improve lives. "If we create some digital super-intelligence that exceeds us in every way by a lot, it is very important that it be benign," Musk said at a conference in California. He reasoned that even a benign situation with ultra-intelligent AI would put people so far beneath the machine they would be "like a house cat." "I don't love the idea of being a house cat," Musk said, envisioning the creation of neural lacing that magnifies people's brain power by linking them directly to computing capabilities. Living in a game Some of his ideas have prompted questions about whether Musk is a visionary or mad scientist. He has raised eyebrows with a theory that the world as it is known may be a computer simulation. "I've had so many simulation discussions it's crazy," Musk said while fielding a question on the topic at the conference. He maintained that "the odds that we are in base reality is one in billions." Musk lives in Los Angeles and holds US, Canadian and South African citizenship. He moved to Canada in his late teens and then to the United States, earning bachelor's degrees in physics and business from the University of Pennsylvania. After graduating, Musk abandoned plans to pursue further studies at Stanford University and started Zip2, a company that made online publishing software for the media industry. He banked his first millions before the age of 30 when he sold Zip2 to US computer maker Compaq for more than $300 million in 1999. Musk's next company, X.com, eventually merged with PayPal, the online payments firm bought by Internet auction giant eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002. Forbes estimates Musk's current net worth at $13.4 billion. (AFP)

Is Tesla chief Elon Musk a visionary or mad scientist?

SpaceX said Monday two private citizens have paid money to be sent around the Moon late next year, in what would mark the furthest humans have ever traveled to deep space.

The United States has not sent astronauts to the Moon since NASA&#39;s Apollo missions of the 1960s and &#39;70s.

&quot;We are excited to announce that SpaceX has been approached to fly two private citizens on a trip around the moon late next year,&quot; said a statement by CEO Elon Musk.

&quot;This presents an opportunity for humans to return to deep space for the first time in 45 years and they will travel faster and further into the solar system than any before them.&quot;

The tourists, who were not named, &quot;have already paid a significant deposit,&quot; Musk&#39;s statement added.

They will ride aboard the California-based company&#39;s Crew Dragon capsule, which is scheduled for its first unmanned test flight later this year.

It is based on the design currently used to send cargo to the International Space Station, with upgrades to allow for human transport.

(AFP)

<div style="position:relative;height:0;padding-bottom:35.52%"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WBqgeoqQmwU?ecver=2" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;left:0" width="1014"></iframe></div>

CEO Elon Musk said the two private citizens 'have already paid a significant deposit' to be sent around the Moon next year

SpaceX said Monday two private citizens have paid money to be sent around the Moon late next year, in what would mark the furthest humans have ever traveled to deep space. The United States has not sent astronauts to the Moon since NASA's Apollo missions of the 1960s and '70s. "We are excited to announce that SpaceX has been approached to fly two private citizens on a trip around the moon late next year," said a statement by CEO Elon Musk. "This presents an opportunity for humans to return to deep space for the first time in 45 years and they will travel faster and further into the solar system than any before them." The tourists, who were not named, "have already paid a significant deposit," Musk's statement added. They will ride aboard the California-based company's Crew Dragon capsule, which is scheduled for its first unmanned test flight later this year. It is based on the design currently used to send cargo to the International Space Station, with upgrades to allow for human transport. (AFP)

SpaceX to fly two tourists around moon in 2018

A SpaceX Falcon rocket blasted off on Sunday from a Florida launch pad once used to send NASA astronauts to the moon, a step forward for billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and his company&#39;s goal of ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station.

The 229-foot tall (70-meter) Falcon 9 soared off a seaside launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center at 9.39 am&nbsp;ET (1439 GMT) carrying a Dragon cargo ship bound for the station.

Nine minutes after blastoff, the main section of the rocket flew back to a landing pad at nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the eighth successful touchdown for Space Exploration Technologies Corp.

&quot;Baby came back,&quot; Musk wrote on Twitter, celebrating the re-landing, which came a day after SpaceX decided to delay the mission 13 seconds before launch due to concerns about the steering system in the rocket`s upper stage, the company said.

Sunday&#39;s launch was the first for SpaceX from Launch Complex 39A, originally built for the 1960s-era Apollo moon program and later repurposed for the space shuttles.

The pad was last used for the final space shuttle launch in 2011. In 2014, SpaceX signed a 20-year lease to use pad and has spent millions remodeling it.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The launch was also SpaceX&#39;s first from Florida since an accident in September heavily damaged what had been the company&#39;s prime site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, located just south of the NASA spaceport.&nbsp;

Last month, SpaceX resumed flying its Falcon 9 rockets using a second launch pad in California, where the first stage of the rocket also nailed its re-landing.&nbsp;

The company plans to reuse the rockets, slashing costs and allowing it to offer reduced pricing.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which hired SpaceX to fly cargo to the station after the shuttle program ended, closely monitored the launch to learn more about the company`s operations before it clears the company to fly NASA astronauts on SpaceX rockets.

SpaceX and Boeing Co are scheduled to begin flying crew to the station by the end of 2018. A Government Accountability Office report last week said both companies face technical hurdles that likely will delay their programs.&nbsp;

SpaceX aims to have the Florida launchpad,&nbsp;damaged in last year&#39;s explosion, up and running by this summer.

(Reuters)

The 229-foot tall (70-meter) Falcon 9 soared off a seaside launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center at 9.39 am?ET

A SpaceX Falcon rocket blasted off on Sunday from a Florida launch pad once used to send NASA astronauts to the moon, a step forward for billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and his company's goal of ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station. The 229-foot tall (70-meter) Falcon 9 soared off a seaside launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center at 9.39 am ET (1439 GMT) carrying a Dragon cargo ship bound for the station. Nine minutes after blastoff, the main section of the rocket flew back to a landing pad at nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the eighth successful touchdown for Space Exploration Technologies Corp. "Baby came back," Musk wrote on Twitter, celebrating the re-landing, which came a day after SpaceX decided to delay the mission 13 seconds before launch due to concerns about the steering system in the rocket`s upper stage, the company said. Sunday's launch was the first for SpaceX from Launch Complex 39A, originally built for the 1960s-era Apollo moon program and later repurposed for the space shuttles. The pad was last used for the final space shuttle launch in 2011. In 2014, SpaceX signed a 20-year lease to use pad and has spent millions remodeling it. The launch was also SpaceX's first from Florida since an accident in September heavily damaged what had been the company's prime site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, located just south of the NASA spaceport. Last month, SpaceX resumed flying its Falcon 9 rockets using a second launch pad in California, where the first stage of the rocket also nailed its re-landing. The company plans to reuse the rockets, slashing costs and allowing it to offer reduced pricing. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which hired SpaceX to fly cargo to the station after the shuttle program ended, closely monitored the launch to learn more about the company`s operations before it clears the company to fly NASA astronauts on SpaceX rockets. SpaceX and Boeing Co are scheduled to begin flying crew to the station by the end of 2018. A Government Accountability Office report last week said both companies face technical hurdles that likely will delay their programs. SpaceX aims to have the Florida launchpad, damaged in last year's explosion, up and running by this summer. (Reuters)

SpaceX launches rocket from historic NASA pad in Florida

SpaceX blasted off its Falcon 9 rocket on Saturday, marking its first return to flight since a costly and complicated launchpad explosion in September.

&quot;Liftoff of the Falcon 9,&quot; a SpaceX commentator said as the tall white rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 9:54 am (1754 GMT), carrying a payload of 10 satellites for Iridium, a mobile and data communications company.

The satellites are the first in a series of launches planned to upgrade Iridium&#39;s global communications network.

The $3 billion project aims to send 81 satellites to low-Earth orbit in coming months.

Following launch, SpaceX landed the tall portion of the rocket, known as the first stage, on a platform in the Pacific Ocean.

The platform, or droneship, was labeled &quot;Just Read the Instructions.&quot;

Cheers erupted at SpaceX mission control in Hawthorne, California, as a live video showed the rocket touch down successfully, and remain upright.

&quot;This is fantastic,&quot; a SpaceX spokeswoman said.

(AFP)

The satellites are the first in a series of launches planned to upgrade Iridium's global communications network

SpaceX blasted off its Falcon 9 rocket on Saturday, marking its first return to flight since a costly and complicated launchpad explosion in September. "Liftoff of the Falcon 9," a SpaceX commentator said as the tall white rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 9:54 am (1754 GMT), carrying a payload of 10 satellites for Iridium, a mobile and data communications company. The satellites are the first in a series of launches planned to upgrade Iridium's global communications network. The $3 billion project aims to send 81 satellites to low-Earth orbit in coming months. Following launch, SpaceX landed the tall portion of the rocket, known as the first stage, on a platform in the Pacific Ocean. The platform, or droneship, was labeled "Just Read the Instructions." Cheers erupted at SpaceX mission control in Hawthorne, California, as a live video showed the rocket touch down successfully, and remain upright. "This is fantastic," a SpaceX spokeswoman said. (AFP)

SpaceX launches, lands first Falcon 9 rocket since Sept blast

Musk has become one of the United States&#39; best-known innovators. He was a founder of payments company PayPal, electric carmaker Tesla Motors and SpaceX, maker and launcher of rockets and spacecraft.

The 45-year-old South Africa-born entrepreneur has channeled a dot-com fortune into a series of ambitious ventures.&nbsp;Besides being the head of SpaceX and Tesla, Musk is the chairman of SolarCity, a solar panel installer that has agreed recently to be bought by Tesla.&nbsp;He also operates his own foundation focusing on education, clean energy and child health.

This week Musk, as SpaceX chief, unveiled maybe the most ambitious plan anywhere on the planet:&nbsp;to establish a Mars colony by sending 100 humans at a time on massive spacecraft, possibly costing as low as $100,000 per person.

&nbsp;Evil AI&nbsp;

Late last year Musk took part in creating a nonprofit research company devoted to developing artificial intelligence, that will help people and not hurt them.

Musk found himself in the middle of a technology world controversy by holding firm that AI could turn on humanity and be its ruin instead of a salvation.&nbsp;Technology giants including Google, Apple and Microsoft have been investing in making machines smarter, contending the goal is to improve lives.

&quot;If we create some digital super-intelligence that exceeds us in every way by a lot, it is very important that it be benign,&quot; Musk said at a Code Conference in California in June.

A danger, he contended, was that highly advanced artificial intelligence would be left to its own devices, or in the hands of a few people, to the detriment of civilisation as a whole.&nbsp;&quot;I am concerned about certain directions that AI could take,&quot; Musk said.

He reasoned that even a benign situation with ultra-intelligent AI would put people so far beneath the machine they would be &quot;like a house cat.&quot;

&quot;I don&#39;t love the idea of being a house cat,&quot; Musk said, envisioning the creation of neural lacing that magnifies people&#39;s brain power by linking them directly to computing capabilities.

&nbsp;

Living in a game&nbsp;

 
Musk has also raised eyebrows with a theory that the world as it is known may be a computer simulation so real that people take it for life.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;ve had so many simulation discussions it&#39;s crazy,&quot; Musk said, while fielding a question on the topic at the Code Conference.

The argument for life as we know it being a simulation is strong, according to Musk.&nbsp;He maintained that &quot;the odds that we are in base reality is one in billions&quot;.

Musk lives in Los Angeles and holds US, Canadian and South African citizenship.

He moved to Canada in his late teens and then to the United States, earning bachelor&#39;s degrees in physics and business from the University of Pennsylvania.

After graduating, Musk abandoned plans to pursue further studies at Stanford University and started Zip2, a company that made online publishing software for the media industry.

He banked his first millions before the age of 30 when he sold Zip2 to US computer maker Compaq for more than $300 million in 1999.&nbsp;Musk&#39;s next company, X.com, eventually merged with PayPal, the online payments firm bought by Internet auction giant eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002.&nbsp;Forbes estimated Musk&#39;s current net worth at $11.7 billion

&nbsp;

Space, earth visions&nbsp;

 
In 2002, Musk launched SpaceX, or Space Exploration Technologies Corp, where he serves as chief executive and chief technology officer, with plans to develop low-cost rockets.

Musk invested $100 million of his personal fortune in SpaceX.&nbsp;Closer to earth, Musk in 2004 launched Tesla Motors, with the aim of popularising electric vehicles. Tesla is also building a massive &quot;Gigafactory&quot; to crank out lithium-ion batteries in Nevada as part of a plan to produce more electric cars at lower price points.

&nbsp;

&#39;Hyperloop&#39; dreams&nbsp;

Musk openly released a design for a super-fast transport system dubbed &quot;Hyperloop&quot; which could carry passengers in low-pressure tubes at near-supersonic speeds.&nbsp;The project could connect Los Angeles and San Francisco in 35 minutes and could be a low-cost alternative to a high-speed rail network planned for the western US state.

Musk has said he has no plans to build the system but offered the &quot;open source design&quot; for others to pursue a venture. A couple of startups have taken up the challenge.&nbsp;Musk&#39;s called the system a cross between a &quot;Concorde, a rail gun, and an air hockey table&quot;.

Jon Favreau, director of &quot;Iron Man,&quot; calls Musk a modern-day &quot;Renaissance man&quot;.&nbsp;In an article for Time, Favreau said he and actor Robert Downey Jr modeled the main character in their movie,&nbsp;&quot;genius billionaire Tony Stark&quot;,&nbsp;after the Silicon Valley star.

Musk told Time that his goal was to be &quot;involved in things that are going to make a significant difference to the future of humanity&quot;.

(AFP)

Musk has said, 'If we create some digital super-intelligence that exceeds us in every way by a lot, it is very important that it be benign'

Musk has become one of the United States' best-known innovators. He was a founder of payments company PayPal, electric carmaker Tesla Motors and SpaceX, maker and launcher of rockets and spacecraft. The 45-year-old South Africa-born entrepreneur has channeled a dot-com fortune into a series of ambitious ventures. Besides being the head of SpaceX and Tesla, Musk is the chairman of SolarCity, a solar panel installer that has agreed recently to be bought by Tesla. He also operates his own foundation focusing on education, clean energy and child health. This week Musk, as SpaceX chief, unveiled maybe the most ambitious plan anywhere on the planet: to establish a Mars colony by sending 100 humans at a time on massive spacecraft, possibly costing as low as $100,000 per person. Evil AI Late last year Musk took part in creating a nonprofit research company devoted to developing artificial intelligence, that will help people and not hurt them. Musk found himself in the middle of a technology world controversy by holding firm that AI could turn on humanity and be its ruin instead of a salvation. Technology giants including Google, Apple and Microsoft have been investing in making machines smarter, contending the goal is to improve lives. "If we create some digital super-intelligence that exceeds us in every way by a lot, it is very important that it be benign," Musk said at a Code Conference in California in June. A danger, he contended, was that highly advanced artificial intelligence would be left to its own devices, or in the hands of a few people, to the detriment of civilisation as a whole. "I am concerned about certain directions that AI could take," Musk said. He reasoned that even a benign situation with ultra-intelligent AI would put people so far beneath the machine they would be "like a house cat." "I don't love the idea of being a house cat," Musk said, envisioning the creation of neural lacing that magnifies people's brain power by linking them directly to computing capabilities. Living in a game Musk has also raised eyebrows with a theory that the world as it is known may be a computer simulation so real that people take it for life. "I've had so many simulation discussions it's crazy," Musk said, while fielding a question on the topic at the Code Conference. The argument for life as we know it being a simulation is strong, according to Musk. He maintained that "the odds that we are in base reality is one in billions". Musk lives in Los Angeles and holds US, Canadian and South African citizenship. He moved to Canada in his late teens and then to the United States, earning bachelor's degrees in physics and business from the University of Pennsylvania. After graduating, Musk abandoned plans to pursue further studies at Stanford University and started Zip2, a company that made online publishing software for the media industry. He banked his first millions before the age of 30 when he sold Zip2 to US computer maker Compaq for more than $300 million in 1999. Musk's next company, X.com, eventually merged with PayPal, the online payments firm bought by Internet auction giant eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002. Forbes estimated Musk's current net worth at $11.7 billion Space, earth visions In 2002, Musk launched SpaceX, or Space Exploration Technologies Corp, where he serves as chief executive and chief technology officer, with plans to develop low-cost rockets. Musk invested $100 million of his personal fortune in SpaceX. Closer to earth, Musk in 2004 launched Tesla Motors, with the aim of popularising electric vehicles. Tesla is also building a massive "Gigafactory" to crank out lithium-ion batteries in Nevada as part of a plan to produce more electric cars at lower price points. 'Hyperloop' dreams Musk openly released a design for a super-fast transport system dubbed "Hyperloop" which could carry passengers in low-pressure tubes at near-supersonic speeds. The project could connect Los Angeles and San Francisco in 35 minutes and could be a low-cost alternative to a high-speed rail network planned for the western US state. Musk has said he has no plans to build the system but offered the "open source design" for others to pursue a venture. A couple of startups have taken up the challenge. Musk's called the system a cross between a "Concorde, a rail gun, and an air hockey table". Jon Favreau, director of "Iron Man," calls Musk a modern-day "Renaissance man". In an article for Time, Favreau said he and actor Robert Downey Jr modeled the main character in their movie, "genius billionaire Tony Stark", after the Silicon Valley star. Musk told Time that his goal was to be "involved in things that are going to make a significant difference to the future of humanity". (AFP)

Elon Musk is wary of humanity's future, AI

SpaceX&#39;s Falcon 9 rocket&nbsp;exploded at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, multiple media reports said. 
 
It remains unclear at the moment whether there have been casualties. But the intensity of the explosion rocked buildings &quot;several miles away&quot;, according to The Verge. 
 
Emergency services&nbsp;have however said there is no threat to the public. 
 
Although the cause of the blast remains unknown, NASA officials said it occurred during a static fire test of the rocket&#39;s engines. 
 
SpaceX, a company owned by Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, intends to send people to Mars within the next two decades.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

The intensity of the blast shook buildings "several miles away"

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket exploded at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, multiple media reports said. It remains unclear at the moment whether there have been casualties. But the intensity of the explosion rocked buildings "several miles away", according to The Verge. Emergency services have however said there is no threat to the public. Although the cause of the blast remains unknown, NASA officials said it occurred during a static fire test of the rocket's engines. SpaceX, a company owned by Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, intends to send people to Mars within the next two decades. (WION with inputs from agencies)

SpaceX rocket explosion rocks Kennedy Space Centre

Elon Musk&#39;s SpaceX spacecraft was successfully installed to the International Space Station today, a crucial step in enabling US commercial space taxis to ferry astronauts to the orbiting lab, NASA said. 
 
The SpaceX Dragon capsule was filled with nearly 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms) of pressurised cargo such as food and crew supplies, including one of two metal docking rings with a diameter of 7.8 feet (2.4 metres). 
 
The ring will be attached to the station, letting commercial spaceships under development by SpaceX and Boeing Co ferry astronauts to the station.&nbsp;The metal docking ring will serve as a parking space for commercial spaceships under development by SpaceX and Boeing. The manned craft are scheduled to begin test flights next year. 
 
Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, tried last year to deliver a ring for the first time, but the equipment was destroyed during a launch accident.&nbsp;SpaceX&#39;s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo ship launched at 12:45 am EDT (0445 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on July 18. 
 
The final stage of today&#39;s installation occurred at 10:03 am EDT (1403 GMT).&nbsp;A second docking ring is due to be delivered in 2017, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA, said. 
 
Owned and operated by Musk, the technology entrepreneur who founded Tesla Motors Inc, SpaceX is developing rockets that can be refurbished and re-used, potentially slashing launch costs. So far, it has successfully landed a Falcon on the ground once and on an ocean platform in three out of its last four attempts. 
 
(Reuters)

The ring will be attached to the station, letting commercial spaceships under development by SpaceX and Boeing Co ferry astronauts

Elon Musk's SpaceX spacecraft was successfully installed to the International Space Station today, a crucial step in enabling US commercial space taxis to ferry astronauts to the orbiting lab, NASA said. The SpaceX Dragon capsule was filled with nearly 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms) of pressurised cargo such as food and crew supplies, including one of two metal docking rings with a diameter of 7.8 feet (2.4 metres). The ring will be attached to the station, letting commercial spaceships under development by SpaceX and Boeing Co ferry astronauts to the station. The metal docking ring will serve as a parking space for commercial spaceships under development by SpaceX and Boeing. The manned craft are scheduled to begin test flights next year. Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, tried last year to deliver a ring for the first time, but the equipment was destroyed during a launch accident. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo ship launched at 12:45 am EDT (0445 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on July 18. The final stage of today's installation occurred at 10:03 am EDT (1403 GMT). A second docking ring is due to be delivered in 2017, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA, said. Owned and operated by Musk, the technology entrepreneur who founded Tesla Motors Inc, SpaceX is developing rockets that can be refurbished and re-used, potentially slashing launch costs. So far, it has successfully landed a Falcon on the ground once and on an ocean platform in three out of its last four attempts. (Reuters)

SpaceX successfully delivers docking ring to International Space Station

spacex

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