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US brings back free at-home COVID-19 tests as cases continue to spike
Each household can request four tests starting September 25.
NASA's SLS rocket is $6 billion over budget and six years behind schedule
NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket designed to take astronauts to the moon is $6 billion over budget and six years behind schedule.
Watch Rocket Lab try to capture a booster in mid-air with a helicopter
Catch a falling rocket and put it in your pocket.
NASA approves Blue Origin's New Glenn for future uncrewed missions
NASA has approved Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy lift rocket for future unmanned scientific and exploration missions, even though the 310 foot reusable booster has yet to fly.
SpaceX lost another Falcon booster to the sea
This morning, at 10:05AM ET, SpaceX successfully launched its fifth batch of Starlink internet satellites via a Falcon 9 rocket. Unfortunately, it did not manage to land the rocket's booster as planned.
Major broadcasters sue nonprofit TV service over copyright infringement
CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox have joined forces in a fight against Locast, a nonprofit streaming service funded in part by AT&T Inc and Dish Network Corp. The service is marketed as a distribution alternative for people who can't get local TV signals through their antenna, but it's also earned a reputation as a free alternative for consumers who are tired of their cable bills. According to The Wall Street Journal, the four networks claim Locast is retransmitting their local TV signals without permission, therefore violating copyright law.
SpaceX loses Falcon Heavy's center booster to the sea
SpaceX successfully landed all three of Falcon Heavy's boosters after its most recent launch, but it won't be able to reuse one of them. The company lost the core booster that landed on its drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" to rough seas as it was making its way back to Port Canaveral. It was the heavy-lift rocket's second launch and the first time SpaceX was able to stick all three boosters' landing -- the one that was supposed to land on the barge after the first flight dropped straight into the ocean.
The Air Force's long-awaited GPS upgrade begins tomorrow (update)
It's been in the works for over a decade, but now the current Global Positioning System (GPS) is about to start getting its multibillion-dollar upgrade thanks to SpaceX's first-ever GPS satellite launch. After delays across the last four years, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was scheduled to launch the United States Air Force's first Global Positioning System III space vehicle from from Cape Canaveral between 9:11AM ET and 9:37AM ET this morning (December 18th, 2018). However, the launch has been pushed to tomorrow morning at 9:07AM ET "due to an out of family reading on first stage sensors."
SpaceX test fires the first Falcon 9 it landed on a barge
SpaceX failed to launch a used Falcon 9 rocket back in May or June last year like it originally planned, but it's getting closer to its goal. The private space corporation had its historic Falcon 9 booster -- the very first one it successfully landed on a barge in April 2016 -- complete a static fire test at its Texas facility recently. It has revealed the development on Twitter and Instagram, where the company announced that it's "prepping [the booster] to fly again."
Jeff Bezos' next rocket is a massive, reusable booster
Jeff Bezos isn't about to let SpaceX have the private heavy-duty rocket field to itself. Blue Origin has introduced New Glenn (named after astronaut John Glenn), a massive reusable booster rocket that makes SpaceX's Falcon Heavy look modest. The two-stage model already dwarfs the Falcon at 270 feet tall, while the three-stage version is nearly as tall as the legendary Saturn V at 313 feet. Yes, it's more than a little Freudian, but it'll be helpful getting both satellites and people into space.
Watch NASA test its most powerful booster rocket ever
We know: The progress toward NASA using the SLS (or Space Launch System if you aren't into the whole brevity thing) has been painfully slow, starting way back in 2011. Today marks a significant step toward it shooting astronauts into the furthest reaches of space, however -- testing its booster system. The trial run was two minutes long (the same length as it would be during an actual launch) and in those 120 seconds, the Utah-based booster produced 3.6 million pounds of thrust. NASA says this is one of two tests necessary before the system gets cleared for a trip to Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and the next one takes place in early 2016.
Wakfu details boost benefits for free-to-play model [Updated]
Wakfu has always had a free option for players, but the game is saying goodbye to subscriptions altogether with its relaunch, giving all players access to every part of the game from start to finish. Of course, there has to be some way to balance that, since the company running the game will still need to make money. That incentive will take the form of boosts, allowing players to gain bonus experience on their first and subsequent characters. Boosts will be available in several different durations, with the longest duration corresponding to the greatest overall bonus. Players will have improved drop rates, health regeneration, and battle rewards as well. Prices have not yet been announced, but the goal is for the boost days to be affordable. Players with subscriptions will also see their remaining subscription days converted into boost days, allowing everyone currently playing to reap the benefits early. [Update: The team has just posted another chart with all of the veteran rewards that will be distributed to current subbers on July 9th.] [Thanks to Avaera for the tip!]
Wilson Electronics' new 4G signal booster doesn't care about carriers
Wilson Electronics is only interested in one thing: boosting cellular signals for those starved of bars. The company's also quite fond of Vegas, and for the third year running, it has made the trip to CES with fresh hardware in tow. Previously, Wilson's boosters have been able to enhance the signal from a couple of carriers at the most, but the new DT4G doesn't care what device you're using, nor which network bills you at the end of the month -- all it cares about is making sure you've got all the 4G, 3G or 2G airwaves you need. It's touted as the very first carrier-agnostic booster, and will be ready to cling to walls "soon" for around $400.
The Daily Grind: Do you hang on to boosters?
The other day I had a terrible realization: I'm a complete and utter packrat in MMOs. Easily half of my bag space in Lord of the Rings Online is constantly filled with stuff that I deem absolutely essential. But that's not really true. I have an unhealthy supply of boosters, buffs, pills, and sports energy drinks in there for when I really, really need them. I never know when I might need their artificial aid in overcoming a tough moment, after all. Unfortunately, even when I do face tough situations, I keep thinking that there will probably be tougher in the future and that I still should not use my boosters. So they continue to accumulate and my bags pay the price for my folly. Are you the same? Do you hang on to boosters too long instead of just, y'know, using them? Do they make you feel more secure, just knowing that they are there? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Wilson Electronics releases three 4G multi-band signal boosters, no soup for Sprint
Even if you live in an area with 4G coverage, you might not get the best service inside certain buildings, and that's where companies like Wilson Electronics come in -- just take a peek at its Sleek 4G-V, for example. At MobileCon 2012, the antenna maker added three more to its lineup. They are the Tri-band 4G-V, the Tri-band 4G-A, and the Tri-band 4G-C, and are meant for Verizon's 4G LTE, AT&T's 4G LTE, and T-Mobile's "faux-G" network -- the latter of which is also recommended for use throughout Canada. The antennas are designed to boost the signal of older legacy networks too, so no worries if you don't live in an area blessed with 4G. No pricing and availability just yet, and we don't see any sign of a Sprint antenna either. To get more details, catch the full PR after the break.
Wilson Electronics' Sleek 4G-V Verizon flavored signal booster reports for service
If you're often finding that your super-duper 4G service is more LT-Eh?, than LTE, then you might have been curious about Wilson Electronics' Sleek 4G-V cellphone signal booster. If you were, it's time to stop waving your hand in the air looking for bars, and stick it in your pocket in search of some sheets, as it's now available in stores. Of course, it's Verizon customers who'll benefit the most, with the Sleek 4G-V being designed with the big red's 700MHz service in mind. That said good old 2- and 3G services are still given a leg up. The MSRP remains $129 for the standard "in-vehicle" model, with an optional accessory kit for indoor use (no price at this time). If this message kept dropping out, head over to the window past the break for the PR.
SpaceX test-fires its 'super' rocket engines (video)
Spaceflight start-up, SpaceX, has been demonstrating the potency of its SuperDraco rockets, testing at its own facility over in Texas. The rockets will help land its Dragon spacecraft -- as demonstrated in a swish animation last year. They will also power emergency escape functions, something that will, according to founder Elon Musk, make the Dragon "the safest spacecraft in history." It has already made a successful orbital flight and will tote eight engines apparently offering up to 120,000 pounds of thrust to the spaceship. Unfortunately, SpaceX's plan for a February launch was postponed in favor of continued development time, but we're not going complain if the company still fulfills its promise of ferrying people to the ISS. Countdown from ten for ignition right after the break.
Wilson Electronics introduces the world's first LTE signal booster ahead of CES
Love Verizon's LTE but just can't seem to get bars of service in your office or home? Wilson Electronics has announced the Sleek4G-V, which the company claims is the world's first 4G mobile signal booster. We haven't found any contenders to the claim, but either way the signal enhancer is bound and determined to beef up your high-speed data. In addition to providing Verizon-specific LTE, Wilson promises 2G / 3G connectivity for all major US carriers (iDEN capabilities excluded) just in case you need to actually, y'know, make calls on your phone. While it's designed primarily for outdoor use, an optional accessory kit can be purchased to make it work indoors quite soundly. Listed for $150, the Sleek4G-V should make its way to retailers by the second quarter of this year. Check out the press release for all the details.
Future SpaceX rockets will set you down gently after your long commute (video)
Elon Musk's space ferries will one day require nothing so prosaic as parachutes to soften their landings. Instead, SpaceX's latest 'Dragon' design will rely totally on rocket boosters for the final leg of its descent. In fact, take that notion and triple it: it's intended that each of the Dragon's three sub-sections will be able to return to earth separately under boost power, making the system 100 percent reusable. Check out the slick animation after the break and then see this for a dose of reality.
Updated: Win a City of Heroes Origins Booster Pack!
A few weeks ago, the City of Heroes team announced the upcoming Origins Booster Packs. The new capes and origins were "tentatively" set to arrive in the NCsoft store by November 3rd. It looks like that date was accurate, because the Origins Booster Packs are available as of today for $9.99 each. Nature, science, technology, magic, and mutant packs are for sale, but if your gaming fund is a little nonexistent at the moment, Massively's got you covered! We have Origins Booster Packs for 10 lucky Massively readers. It couldn't be easier to win; simply take a peek at our contest rules, then leave a comment here telling us which part of the pack is your favorite. We'll choose 10 winners at random from those who comment before 11:59 p.m. EDT on Friday, November 5th. But wait, there's more! Those of you who simply cannot wait until the drawing can pass the time by watching our Twitter page this afternoon and evening. Yes, that is a hint. Good luck! [UPDATED: All 10 winners have been chosen and emailed. Check those inboxes, and congratulations to the winners!]
