SpaceX wins $733M Space Force launch contract

The U.S. Space Force has awarded SpaceX a contract worth $733 million for eight launches, reinforcing the organization’s efforts to increase competition among space launch providers. This deal is part of the ongoing “National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1” program, overseen by Space Systems Command (SSC), which focuses on less complex missions involving near-Earth orbits.

Under the contract, SpaceX will handle seven launches for the Space Development Agency and one for the National Reconnaissance Office, all using Falcon 9 rockets. These missions are expected to take place no earlier than 2026.

Space Force launch contract

In 2023, the Space Force divided Phase 3 contracts into two categories: Lane 1 for less risky missions and Lane 2 for heavier payloads and more challenging orbits. Although SpaceX was chosen for Lane 1 launches, competitors like United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin were also in the running. The Space Force aims to foster more competition by allowing new companies to bid for future Lane 1 opportunities, with the next bidding round set for 2024. The overall Lane 1 contract is estimated to be worth $5.6 billion over five years.

Lt. Col. Douglas Downs, SSC’s leader for space launch procurement, emphasized the Space Force’s expectation of more competitors and greater variety in launch providers moving forward. The Phase 3 Lane 1 contracts cover fiscal years 2025 to 2029, with the option to extend for five more years, and the Space Force plans to award at least 30 missions over this period.

While SpaceX has a strong position now, emerging launch providers and new technologies could intensify the competition in the near future.

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Technology

Mark Zuckerberg’s Persistent Commitment to the Metaverse

by George Mensah 2023-09-30

About two years ago, Mark Zuckerberg rebranded his company from Facebook to Meta with a focus on building the “metaverse,” a virtual reality realm. However, since 2021, the metaverse’s popularity has waned, with companies like Disney shutting down metaverse divisions, and crypto-based startup metaverses facing challenges. In 2022, Meta’s Reality Labs division reported a significant operational loss of $13.7 billion.

Despite these setbacks, at Meta Connect 2023, Zuckerberg remains committed to the metaverse, albeit with a shift in emphasis. Previously, he envisioned the metaverse as a fully digital world, but now he emphasizes a blend of the physical and digital realms. Zuckerberg envisions a future where people can be physically present with friends while others join digitally as avatars or holograms, creating a seamless experience. He also sees scenarios where AI entities, embodied as holograms, assist in various tasks during meetings or gatherings.

While these ideas aren’t entirely new for Meta, the presentation marks a departure from Zuckerberg’s 2021 vision. Back then, he promised a decade where most people would immerse themselves in a 3D version of the internet using Meta’s Horizon Worlds platform. The latest keynote, however, shifts the focus to incorporating the virtual into everyday living spaces, such as solving puzzles or playing games in one’s living room.

The Horizon Worlds platform did make an appearance, but attention was also directed towards AI advancements. Zuckerberg highlighted new features powered by Meta’s AI technology, including AI chatbots for brainstorming and AI assistants integrated into Instagram, Messenger, or WhatsApp. These AI innovations are intended to propel the metaverse forward, although their immediate association with the term is not entirely clear.

While Meta faces challenges in redefining the metaverse and introducing AI features, the company cannot afford to abandon the concept. The term “metaverse” is intrinsic to its identity. However, the ambiguity surrounding the definition of the metaverse may work to Meta’s advantage, allowing them to encompass various technologies, from VR to AI, under the metaverse umbrella. Ultimately, whatever Meta pursues may be considered the metaverse, particularly from Mark Zuckerberg’s perspective.

Technology

Google to Discontinue Basic HTML View in Gmail, Raising Accessibility Concerns

by George Mensah 2023-09-28

Google has announced that it will be discontinuing the Basic HTML view in Gmail starting in January 2024. This is a significant change, as the Basic HTML view is a simplified version of Gmail that is often used by people with slow internet connections, older browsers, or visual impairments.

The Google representative who acknowledged the change said that Basic HTML views “were replaced by their modern successors 10+ years ago and do not include full Gmail feature functionality.” However, many blind and visually impaired users have raised concerns about the accessibility of Gmail’s Standard view.

Pratik Patel, an executive leadership coach who is blind, said in an email that many blind and partially sighted people find Gmail’s Standard view difficult to use “due to complex usage patterns, inaccessible design elements, and inefficient navigation.” He added that “people often find it quicker to accomplish tasks via the HTML interface as opposed to the standard one.”

Google has said that it is committed to giving users leading accessibility options, and that the Standard Gmail view is screen-reader compatible in all languages supported by Gmail. However, Patel argues that the Standard view is less usable due to inconsistencies and design decisions that go against established user interaction patterns.

What can be done?

Google has said that it will be notifying users about the change and how to switch to the Standard view before the Basic view is disabled. However, it is important to note that the Standard view is not fully accessible to all users.

If you are a blind or visually impaired user who relies on the Basic HTML view in Gmail, there are a few things you can do:

Contact Google and express your concerns. The more feedback Google receives about this issue, the more likely they are to take action.
Use a third-party email client. There are a number of third-party email clients that are more accessible than Gmail’s Standard view. Some popular options include Thunderbird, Outlook, and Mailspring.
Consider switching to a different email provider. There are a few email providers that offer a more accessible experience than Gmail. One popular option is ProtonMail, which is known for its strong focus on privacy and security.

It is important to note that there is no perfect solution for blind and visually impaired users. However, by taking the steps above, you can help to ensure that you have access to the email services you need.

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