Tech
Japan’s Yusaku Maezawa seeks artists for voyage around the Moon – Al Jazeera English
It is the sort of chance that comes along just once in a blue Moon: A Japanese billionaire is throwing open a private lunar expedition to eight people from around the world.
Yusaku Maezawa, an online fashion tycoon, was announced in 2018 as the first man to book a spot on board the lunar spaceship being developed by SpaceX.
Maezawa, who paid an undisclosed sum for the trip expected to launch in 2023 at the earliest, originally said he planned to invite six to eight artists to join him on the voyage around the Moon.
But on Wednesday, in a video posted on his Twitter account, he revealed a broader application process.
“I’m inviting you to join me on this mission. Eight of you from all around the world,” he said.
“I have bought all the seats, so it will be a private ride,” he added.
Maezawa, 45, said his initial plan of inviting artists had “evolved” because he came to believe that “every single person who is doing something creative could be called an artist.”
The Japanese entrepreneur said applicants would need to fulfil just two criteria: being ready to “push the envelope” creatively, and being willing to help other crew members do the same.
In all, he said approximately 10 to 12 people will be on board the spaceship, which is expected to loop around the Moon before returning to Earth.
The application timeline for spots on the trip calls for would-be space travellers to pre-register by March 14, with initial screening carried out by March 21.
No deadlines are given for the next stages – an “assignment” and an online interview – but final interviews and medical checkups are currently scheduled for late May 2021, according to Maezawa’s website.
‘Highly confident’
Maezawa and his band of astronauts will become the first lunar voyagers since the last US Apollo mission in 1972 – if SpaceX can pull the trip off.
Last month, a prototype of its Starship crashed in a fireball as it tried to land upright after a test flight, the second such accident, after the last prototype of the Starship met a similar fate in December.
But the company hopes the reusable, 394-foot (120-metre) rocket system will one day carry crew and cargo to the Moon, Mars and beyond.
“I’m highly confident that we will have reached orbit many times with Starship before 2023 and that it will be safe enough for human transport by 2023. It’s looking very promising,” SpaceX founder Elon Musk said in Maezawa’s video posted on Wednesday.
The mission will be the first private space flight beyond Earth’s orbit, Musk said.
Because it will not land on the Moon, but loop behind it, “we expect people will go further than any human has ever gone from planet Earth,” he added.
Maezawa, known for his eccentric comments and extravagant lifestyle, including a penchant for pricey art, was last year valued at about $1.9bn, making him one of Japan’s richest people.
He made his fortune as founder of the online fashion store Zozo, which he sold to Yahoo! Japan in 2019.
Maezawa has previously made headlines with an online advertisement for a girlfriend to join him on his SpaceX flight – only to abruptly cancel the hunt, despite attracting nearly 30,000 applicants.
US space agency NASA is intending to land astronauts on the Moon, including the first woman, in 2024.
One of the goals of its Artemis III voyage is to bring back a total of 85 kilograms (187 pounds) of lunar samples – more than the average 64 kilograms brought back by Apollo missions between 1969 and 1972.
Tech
Nothing customer data leaked after apparent breach – MobileSyrup
The personal information of some Nothing customers has hit the web.
As discovered by Android Authority, a file on a text file-sharing website contains a bunch of Nothing Community profiles. While some of the data is here public information, like usernames, comments and join dates, private information, namely emails, are also visible.
Digging into it further, Android Authority says it couldn’t find any evidence of passwords being leaked. It also notes that the data appears to be from 2022 and affects roughly 2,250 Nothing Community profiles, including some for community managers.
Of course, despite Android Authority‘s investigation, there’s always the chance that other info could have been leaked. Therefore, you might want to keep an eye on your info for any strange activity on top of changing your password.
Android Authority says it’s still awaiting comment from Nothing.
Source: Android Authority
Tech
BikeRadar Podcast | Sea Otter 2024 mountain bike round-up | BikeRadar – BikeRadar
In this episode of the BikeRadar Podcast, George Scott and Jack Luke look back over the best MTB tech they sniffed out at Sea Otter 2024.
Neko Mulally’s bonded DH frame is discussed, alongside the much anticipated Maxxis Aspen ST tyres, which have been teased by professional riders over the past couple of years.
George and Jack also share their thoughts on Atherton’s new S-Range alloy bikes, with the S.170 making its trade show debut after being released in February.
We’ve also put together an article on all the new and oh-so-shiny MTB tech from the show, so be sure to check that out.
How to subscribe to the BikeRadar Podcast
The BikeRadar Podcast takes you to the heart of the issues that matter for bike riders, whether you’re a roadie, mountain biker, gravel rider or commuter.
From the latest tech news, reviews and debates, to interviews with the biggest and most interesting personalities in cycling, the podcast is your direct line into the BikeRadar team.
To make sure you don’t miss a future episode, you can subscribe via Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Tech
Apple's FineWoven cases rumored to get one final release – AppleInsider
Apple has probably stopped production of its poorly-received FineWoven cases for the iPhone, but a new report from the same herald of its death says there is one last set of seasonal colorways coming.
Now according to leaker Kosutami, who first reported the cancellation, there could still be one more push for the FineWoven cases.
Pressed on the rumor, Kosutami emphasizes later in the same thread that if this is correct, it will be for only one more season. It’s now almost eight months since the launch of the iPhone 15 range, so it’s unlikely that there is to be a new mid-cycle color of the iPhone, but perhaps there can yet be new colors for the FineWoven cases.
Consequently, this rumor can at best be said to be possible, especially if Apple had already committed resources to the new colors. However, since FineWoven has proven to be startlingly poor at stain resistance or even just durability, it’s more believable that it is gone for good than it is that FineWoven will get a last hoorah.
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