Tag: ESA
Could satellite smartphones end UK phone ‘not spots’? More affordable Tesla models by summer
Vodafone has carried out what it says is the UK's first satellite-enabled smartphone video call. The company says the call - made from a mountain in Ceredigion, west Wales - is part of the process of adding satellite connectivity to its UK phone network by the end of the year, and across Europe in 2026.…
UK Space Agency promises £6.7 million funding into Scottish space companies
Two companies have secured over £6.7 million in funding to develop rocket launch technologies sustainably and help establish the UK’s position as Europe’s leading destination for commercial spaceflight activities. The funding was awarded using UK Space Agency contributions to the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Boost! Programme which aims to help companies develop world-leading space…
Tech Digest daily roundup: Mazda hints at electric MX-5
Mazda has previewed a sleek two-seat coupé – which could hint at the next-generation MX-5 – alongside the announcement of an £8.9 billion investment into future electric vehicles. Although the firm did not detail the model...it was shown alongside a series of Mazda MX-5 convertibles. This suggests it could be an early look at the next-generation sports…
Tech Digest daily roundup: Could electricity be beamed wirelessly from space?
Image: European Space Agency Space chiefs are to investigate whether electricity could be beamed wirelessly from orbit into millions of homes. The European Space Agency will this week likely approve a three-year study to see if having huge solar farms in space could work and be cost effective. The eventual aim…
Tech Digest daily roundup: Streaming services to face tighter regulation
Services like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ could face tighter regulation in the UK under government proposals. Traditional broadcasters like the BBC and ITV have to comply with regulator Ofcom's code covering issues like harm, offence, accuracy and impartiality. But most streaming platforms do not. The government has announced a review into whether to strengthen…
Tech Digest daily round up: Healthcare apps not fit for NHS
A firm which reviews healthcare apps for several NHS trusts says 80% of them do not meet its standards. Failings include poor information, lack of security updates and insufficient awareness of regulatory requirements, according to Orcha chief executive Liz Ashall-Payne. Orcha's reviews help determine whether an app should be recommended to patients by NHS staff.…
UK Space Agency commits £347m a year to European Space Agency
The UK Space Agency has committed £374 million a year to the European space programme. The funding will contribute towards international space initiatives to address climate change, deliver high-speed mobile technology and return the first samples from Mars. The £347 million per year for five years will deliver international space programmes, with the UK Space…
Sleeping on the job might help astronauts reach Mars, says ESA
Mars (Nasa/Esa/PA) Putting astronauts into a state of suspended animation could make it easier to reach other planets, the European Space Agency (ESA) said. The agency said its researchers examined how hibernation would affect the design of a crewed mission to Mars and concluded that it could help to significantly shrink…
Hopping space robot SpaceBok plays live-action ping pong!
A dog-like robot which is being developed to hop across complex terrain on other planets has been used to play a live-action game of ping pong in its latest phase of testing. Scientists mounted the SpaceBok sideways onto a free-floating platform to mimic a zero gravity environment in two dimensions, while moving themselves side to…
Winter Wonderland! Giant ice-filled crater on Mars photographed by ESA
An 82 kilometre-wide crater on Mars that is topped with snow has been photographed by the ESA’s (European Space Agency) Mars Express. The stunning untrodden snow scene comes as the mission prepares to celebrate 15-years since it entered the Red Planet’s orbit on Christmas Day. Korolev, as the crater is known, is thought to be…
