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This New Space Armor Could Save Astronauts From Deadly Space Debris
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Well over a million pieces of debris are hurtling through Earth's orbit right now, creating what amounts to a cosmic gravel pit where even tiny shards can spell disaster for spacecraft and astronauts.
That's why composite materials manufacturer Atomic-6 has developed "Space Armor," a lightweight protective plating that could revolutionize how we shield satellites and space vehicles from these high-speed projectiles.
Unlike traditional aluminum or Whipple Shielding used on the International Space Station, Space Armor doesn't splinter when hit, avoiding the creation of even more dangerous debris. A square meter of the material weighs about 30 pounds but can stop projectiles up to 3 millimeters traveling at 7.2 kilometers per second. Comparable aluminum protection would weigh twice as much.
"We took the shot at making a tile, and were blown away by the test results," said Atomic-6 CEO Trevor Smith.
Backed by $5 million in U.S. Air Force and Space Force funding, the company plans orbital testing next year. The customizable hex tiles come in radio-permitting and radio-blocking versions, making them particularly valuable for protecting communication satellites without interfering with their signals.
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AI Tools
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NotebookLM can now test your knowledge with flashcards and quizzes
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Google has rolled out major updates to NotebookLM, adding interactive study features that let users create personalized flashcards and quizzes with adjustable difficulty levels and question counts. The AI tool can now pull from specific sources users select, making studying more targeted and efficient. Additionally, mobile chat functionality has improved dramatically with four times larger context windows, six times longer conversation memory, and 50 percent better overall chat quality.
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Amazon launches an AI-powered Kindle Translate service for ebook authors
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Featured
Amazon launched Kindle Translate, an AI-powered service that helps authors translate their ebooks to reach broader audiences through Kindle Direct Publishing. The free beta service currently supports English-Spanish translation and German-to-English, with more languages planned as Amazon noted less than 5% of titles exist in multiple languages. Authors can preview translations before publishing and manage them through the publishing portal, while readers will see clear "Kindle Translate" labels on AI-translated works.
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Space News
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Blue Origin's second New Glenn launch will carry real NASA satellites
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Blue Origin plans to launch its New Glenn rocket for the second time on November 9, carrying NASA's twin Escapade satellites bound for Mars. Unlike typical Mars missions that require precise planetary alignment every two years, these satellites will wait at a gravitational balance point for a year before using Earth's gravity to reach Mars in 2027. This innovative approach could enable more flexible Mars mission timing regardless of planetary positions.
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SpaceX’s Starlink secures more spectrum and airlines as it passes 8 million customers
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SpaceX purchased an additional $2.6 billion in wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar, expanding a September deal, as Starlink surpassed 8 million global customers. International Airlines Group will install Starlink on over 500 aircraft starting 2026, adding to growing aviation partnerships that help fuel the satellite internet service's rapid expansion.
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SpaceX's Raptor Engine Vs. Blue Origin's BE-4 - What's The Difference In These Rocket Engines
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SpaceX's Raptor engine outperforms Blue Origin's BE-4 in most technical specifications, featuring higher chamber pressure (350 bar versus 134 bar), better fuel efficiency with 350-380 seconds specific impulse compared to BE-4's 340 seconds, and longer burn times during testing. However, BE-4 engines have successfully powered real orbital missions while Raptor engines remain largely theoretical despite their superior on-paper performance.
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Tech Updates
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Microsoft is finally adding a real em-dash shortcut to Windows 11 – just as AI made you want to stop using it
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Microsoft finally introduced a Windows 11 keyboard shortcut (Windows + Shift + minus) for typing em dashes — the long punctuation marks that previously required memorizing obscure Alt key combinations or using the emoji panel. The new three-key shortcut makes accessing em dashes much simpler, matching functionality Mac users have enjoyed for years. However, the timing is ironic since AI writing tools frequently use em dashes, potentially making human writing appear AI-generated when using this punctuation.
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Lego boldly goes into the Star Trek universe with $400, 3,600-piece Enterprise-D
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Featured
Lego is finally entering the Star Trek universe with a massive 3,600-piece USS Enterprise-D set from The Next Generation, priced at $400 and launching November 28. The detailed kit includes nine minifigures of iconic characters like Picard, Data, and Worf, each with themed accessories, plus features like a separating saucer section. This marks Lego's first Star Trek collaboration, giving fans an alternative to the franchise's long-standing Star Wars partnership.
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Miscellaneous
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Mysterious Interstellar Object Showing Signs of “Non-Gravitational Acceleration”
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Astronomers discovered 3I/ATLAS, the third known interstellar object passing through our solar system, experiencing unexplained acceleration beyond the Sun's gravitational influence. The comet-like object is likely losing massive amounts of mass—potentially one-sixth of its total—creating a gas and dust plume that propels it forward. While this mass loss explains the acceleration and unusual brightening, some scientists speculate it could indicate alien technology, though natural explanations remain most probable.
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Bite-Size Stories
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