🛰️ World’s first ‘self-driving’ satellites, oldest US firearm, world’s largest electric plane

China has launched the world’s first satellites equipped with autonomous navigation capabilities. These satellites, developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST), aim to transform Earth observation.

The two “self-driving” satellites, Siwei Gaojing-2 03 and Gaojing-2 04, were launched on November 25th from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre atop a Long March-2C rocket.

Unlike conventional satellites that rely on constant ground control for maneuvering, these new satellites can independently maintain and adjust their orbits without human intervention. For this, the satellite developers have used advanced onboard systems, including synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology and high-precision radar payloads. Dive deeper into this Must-Read.

🔥Today’s job of the day as featured on jobs.interestingengineering.com:

> Integration Lead Engineer
> Software Engineer - AI Trainer

Reading Time: 4 mins

Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? Subscribe here.

MUST-READ

🛰️ China launches world’s first ‘self-driving’ satellites for military surveillance

“The Siwei satellites are equipped with high-precision radar payloads, providing the world with advanced all-day, all-weather and high-resolution radar images,” said a state-backed news release.

The ability to operate autonomously offers several advantages. It reduces the need for continuous ground control, freeing up valuable resources and personnel. It also increases the satellites’ responsiveness, allowing them to quickly adapt to changing mission requirements or unexpected events.

The satellites are designed to provide a continuous stream of high-resolution radar images of the Earth’s surface.

🔫 ‘Priceless’ 480-year-old gun discovered in Arizona is ‘oldest US firearm’

Researchers have uncovered what they believe to be the “oldest firearm” ever found in the continental United States.

This valuable artifact, a bronze cannon or “wall gun,” was recovered from a site tied to a famous colonial expedition led by Spanish conquistador Francisco Vázquez de Coronado.

Between 1540 and 1542, Coronado led one of the earliest European expeditions into the American Southwest. The mission, aimed at finding the mythical Seven Cities of Cíbola (Seven Cities of Gold), covered vast regions of present-day Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

✈️ World’s largest electric plane that promises 497-mile range to fly in 2025

A Swedish aviation company is to test the world’s largest all-electric aircraft in 2025, giving a boost to sustainable air travel. Heart Aerospace is gearing up to test its prototype in upstate New York’s Plattsburgh International Airport.

The Heart Experimental 1’s (Heart X1) maiden flight marks a key step in the firm’s development of the ES-30, a 30-seat hybrid-electric regional passenger aircraft.

The firm is developing the ES-30 aircraft with a focus on reducing carbon emissions and operational costs while providing quieter and more sustainable flights.

Love what you're reading, but too many emails? Sign up to IE+ to get Blueprint Weekly, our exclusive weekly premium newsletter that gives all the insights you love in a more digestible weekly format– plus, enjoy an Ad-Free experience on our website. Try IE+ today for just $1 in the first month. Subscribe here

HOT TOPICS OF THE DAY

SCIENCE

> NASA Viking lander may have killed alien life on Mars by mistake, claims scientist (More)

> In a new discovery near Kenya’s Lake Turkana, scientists have uncovered fossilized footprints from two distinct hominin species dating back 1.5 million years. (More)

> The Dead Sea, already known for its unique geographical and chemical properties, is now home to a remarkable discovery: towering chimney-like structures, dubbed “white smokers,” that could serve as early warning signals for sinkhole formation. (More)

ENERGY

> A novel hydrovoltaic cell developed by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) can continuously generate electricity using little water and no sunlight. (More)

> Aikido Technologies, an offshore floating wind technology startup based in San Francisco, California, has successfully demonstrated the assembly of its unique folding platform in under 40 hours. (More)

> CATL, a leading Chinese power battery manufacturer, has introduced a new range of batteries under its commercial vehicle brand Tectrans. (More)

INNOVATION

> A fleet of balloon robots has been launched to capture high-resolution aerial images of the US. (More)

> Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China have set a new record for diamond storage density, achieving 1.85 terabytes per cubic centimeter. (More)

> Using traditional flat-knitting techniques, researchers have created a first-of-its-kind “blanket” embedded with metasurfaces. (More)

VIDEO

> ABB has developed the Dynafin™. Inspired by whales, this design has revolutionized marine propulsion, providing more efficiency and precise maneuverability. (More)

> After the reveal of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Elon Musk declared crewed jets obsolete in the face of drone warfare. How much of that statement is true? (More)

FROM THE WEB

> Nearly 100 per cent pure graphite gives China an edge in hi-tech race

> Belgian start-up launches "world's first circular microcomputer"

> 2,000-year-old fig unearthed in Ireland marks ‘oldest example of an exotic fruit’ discovered in the area

> First new treatment for asthma attacks in 50 years

> Gold beats platinum for chemo drugs in new lab study

> Robot cat that sticks landing may revolutionise asteroid mining, scientists say