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The flight of SpaceX's Starship SN11 has ended badly again

SpaceX has failed to land its Starship SN11 prototype correctly. This is the fourth unsuccessful attempt by the American company.

Initially scheduled for 26 March, then 29 March, SpaceX finally organised another test of a prototype Starship spacecraft on 30 March. But while the flight could have turned the page on the previous tests, which all ended in one way or another with an explosion, either directly on landing or a few minutes later, things did not go according to plan.

The circumstances surrounding the loss of the SN11 prototype are still not very clear. It has to be said that the weather conditions were frankly poor, preventing a clear view of the launcher - fog had set in at Boca Chica, Texas, on the very day of the test launch. To make matters worse, the live broadcast provided by SpaceX was just as poor, with jerks and interruptions.

A POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH ONE OF THE ENGINES

It was clearly during the second half of the flight that the SN11 prototype encountered an unforeseen event: the rocket was able to take off normally from its launch pad, reach the desired altitude, shut down each of the three Raptor engines one after the other, and flip onto its side to return to Earth. We were able to see this in the few moments when the video managed to display an image.

However, as Starship SN11 continued its descent, with the four ailerons on the sides adjusting the rocket's aerodynamics, it was clearly at the moment when the rocket was due to recover to the vertical position that there was a problem. The video doesn't show anything, but at an altitude of one kilometre, the engines started up again. It was then that an unusual noise could be heard.

Did the rocket disintegrate in flight or did it explode when it hit the ground? According to Elon Musk, it was the second scenario: " At least the crater's in the right place! "he wrote on Twitter. An initial lead shared by the entrepreneur suggests that it was the No. 2 engine that was experiencing problems, and that this happened as soon as the rocket ascended - something that was difficult to ascertain due to the lack of a suitable live feed.

" It seems that engine 2 had problems during ascent and did not reach the chamber operating pressure level during combustion on landing, but in theory this was not necessary. "continued the SpaceX founder. " Something important happened shortly after the start of the landing burn "he added, referring to the debris scattered around the site.

In the sequence below, a huge explosion can be heard more clearly at the test site, followed by a shower of debris falling from the sky. Given the direction of the objects, the hypothesis of a remote explosion, while the rocket was still in the air, has been put forward. In fact, the shrapnel does not appear to have come from the launch pad - i.e. from the opposite direction, in the video embedded in the tweet.

The good news, obviously, is that SpaceX seems to have mastered most of the manoeuvres expected of the Starship, at least those performed as part of its tests (jumps of no more than 10 or 20 kilometres in altitude, to test the final stages of the return to Earth, with a limited number of Raptor engines). This was even after engine 2 had encountered a glitch.

However, the company still has problems with the final phase of its round trips, when the rocket has to decelerate hard enough not to land heavily on the launch pad. This is the most perilous stage, as it requires the rocket to be quickly tilted back into the vertical position while aiming for the landing zone. But at least SpaceX has data from four identical tests.

text numerama.com by Julien Lausson

Is there an alternative to the Suez Canal via Siberia?

The Suez Canal has been out of service since 24 March 2021. This could last for several more days, the time it takes to get Ever Given back up and running. But ships could also pass through Siberia. This northern sea route represents a credible alternative for linking Asia to Europe.

Since Wednesday 24 March, the Suez Canal has been blocked by a container ship (theEver Given) 400 metres long that got in the way, blocking traffic in both directions. Egypt is doing its utmost to unblock this crucial trade route between Europe and Asia. But clearing such a behemoth could take several days, or even weeks...

6,500 km diversions

Several hundred ships are currently stranded. Some have turned back and are hoping to reach Europe by rounding Africa via the Cape of Good Hope. This diversions represents some 6,500 kilometres and takes between five and nine days at sea, depending on the speed of the ship.

This will lead to delays in the supply chain and prices could soar in certain areas.

One route could be exploited in the future. This is the Northern Sea Route (NSR), which links the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean along the northern coast of Russia. It is the shortest route from Europe to Asia, via the Bering Strait, without using the Suez Canal. Most of the journey takes place in the Arctic seas. The Cossack navigator Simon Dejnev crossed the Bering Strait for the first time in 1648. The only problem is that it is only navigable in summer.

Russian interest

But global warming is changing all that. The melting of the pack ice is opening up new prospects for the Russians. Until now, pack ice has always been the main obstacle to development in the region.

Around twenty ships use this passage every year between July and December. The Russians would like to open this route to trade all year round by 2035.

In four years' time, the Russian Ministry of Transport hopes to increase the number of tonnes carried on the RMN to 80 million, compared with 10.05 million today. The Northern Route (Sevmorput in Russian) cuts the journey to Asia by a fortnight. It is also strategically important for avoiding the Strait of Gibraltar in the south and reaching the Pacific in less than three weeks.

Today, only the Russian icebreakers pass through in winter. "Russia currently has twice as many icebreakers as all the other countries in the world combined.As researcher Mikaa Mered pointed out in an article published on Slate.fr. The warmer these waters get, the more other countries will be able to interfere in the region.

Russia is believed to have around forty of these ships, ten of which are nuclear-powered. These metal monsters are capable of ripping open the pack ice over 30 metres in length and creating a passage for other ships, such as tankers or LNG carriers. Maritime routes to Rotterdam would then be considerably reduced.

There are constraints

However, this northern sea route does have a few drawbacks. The first is that the Russian authorities require all ships to declare their passage forty-five days in advance. Russia considers the Northern Sea Route to be part of its territorial waters, as it is less than 200 miles (370 kilometres) from its coastline.

The second is the ecological cost of opening up traffic in this region. Arctic shipping could accelerate the warming of Siberia. With unexpected consequences, such as the melting of permafrost, the frozen ground on which many cities were built during the Soviet era.

"Around 20 % of infrastructure and 50 % of homes in these areas will be at risk by 2050.warns geographer Dmitriy Streleskiy in an American publication.

Russia will have to choose between trade and environmental protection.

ouest-france.fr/Par Olivier DUPLESSIX

Against all the odds, "Zack Snyder's Justice League" is a success.

Released in 2017, the version of "Justice League" envisaged by Zack Snyder, director of "Man of Steel" and "Batman vs Superman", was a mere shadow of a film. The reunion of Batman, Aquaman, Flash, Cyborg, Wonder Woman and Superman to fight against an interplanetary threat had become an execrable mush at the end of a chaotic production.

Everything that was supposed to go wrong did. Even before his departure from the set following a family tragedy, Zack Snyder had had his wings clipped by a studio, Warner Bros., obsessed with the success of Disney/Marvel films and disorientated by the relative failure of its rival productions. The arrival of Josh Whedon, as script doctor before Snyder's departure and then charged with picking up the pieces afterwards, only made matters worse. In the end, "Justice League" was nothing more than a succession of soporific action scenes linked by long tunnels of insipid dialogue culminating in a grotesque finale.

The weight of fans

The industrial disaster was such that we would never have believed that Snyder, supported by his fans and the majority of the cast, could have fixed anything. But that's exactly what happened. Launched last Thursday on HBO Max, Warner Studios' Netflix, 'Zack Snyder's Justice League', despite being made up of existing scenes and new ones shot after the fact, punches Whedon's replastering in every department. The magic of the editing, the rediscovered rhythm and numerous reintroduced elements... whereas the two-hour version knocked us out, the four-hour version managed to keep us riveted without fail. That's the extent of the miracle.

So as not to reveal anything that might detract from your enjoyment (provided you don't develop an allergy to this type of digital blockbuster), let's just mention the introduction of a number of purely visual sequences, with no dialogue whatsoever, which enhance a narrative that badly needed it. There were also a number of elements missing to give the newcomers, Cyborg and Flash in particular, something to hold on to, and this has now been done. There are also significant changes to the nature of the main antagonists and Superman. As for Batman's 'premonitory' dreams, glimpsed in 'Batman vs Superman', here they are reinstated in the most beautiful of ways.

Snyder's touch rediscovered

All this means that Zack Snyder's highly recognisable style can flourish once his coherence has been restored. He certainly has his fans and detractors, but we're grateful to him for having been able to integrate the slow-motion sequences that are his trademark with greater relevance. We can also easily forgive him for the coquettishness of presenting his montage in a radical Imax format, close to the 4:3 of yesteryear, which leaves black bars appearing to the left and right of our 16:9 screens. Surprised at first, but without noticing any imbalance in the composition, we quickly conceded that this choice in no way detracted from the show.

It remains to be seen whether this reset of the clock, initially viewed with reluctance by Warner, will put the DC Extended Universe back on the right track. Zack Snyder's cut certainly introduces some intriguing new hooks for future trains, but there's no telling whether the convoy will reform or remain scattered around a battered marshalling yard.

Announced for release on 20 May on Hollystar.ch - which does not rule out other platforms active in Switzerland announcing themselves - the film is not being shown in cinemas. There is also the prospect of a physical release (Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray) on 31 December, and for those in a hurry, the temptation of downloading or using 'grey' streaming platforms.

Le Matin.ch by Jean-Charles Canet

Japan: tsunami-proof walls have become taller and longer since 2011

Since the terrible tsunami in 2011 that led to the Fukushima disaster, Japan has stepped up the construction and reconstruction of protective structures on the worst-affected parts of its coastline. With the help of a huge budget, the country wants to protect itself more effectively against future devastating tsunamis.

The inhabitants thought they were safe

On 11 March 2011, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean around 300 km north-east of Tokyo. Less than an hour later, a tsunami hit the coastline with a wave estimated to be thirty metres high in places. The water also penetrated up to ten kilometres inland, causing the death of several people. the disappearance of at least 18,500 people. This terrible tsunami caused the second biggest nuclear accident in history, after Chernobyl in 1986.

While the main concern at the moment seems to be the future of the contaminated water from Fukushima, another is just as important: protecting against future tsunamis devastating. On 5 March 2021, AFP reported on the situation ten years after the disaster. The publication cites the example of the small town of Taro in the prefecture of Iwate (north-east of the country). Before the terrible tsunami, the inhabitants thought they were safe. For local tourist guide Kumido Motoda, it was even the safest place in the world. the perfect city for disaster protection natural.

It has to be said that since the end of the 19th century, this locality has been hit several times by major tsunamis. So, as early as 1934, the local authority built 10 m high concrete ramparts over a distance of 2.4 km along the coast. The authorities have also installed 44 evacuation routes with solar-powered lighting. The aim? To enable residents to get to safety. in just ten minutes. Unfortunately, the 2011 tsunami generated waves 16 m high. As a result, the waters destroyed the ramparts and swept away houses and vehicles. The human toll from the disaster in Taro is 140 dead and 41 missing.

Better protection for the future

Since then, the Japanese government has invested the equivalent of ten billion euros in building (and rebuilding) ramparts in coastal regions. Coming soon, 430 km of continuous dykes should be completed in the three departments most affected in 2011, namely Fukushima, Iwate and Miyagi. At Taro, the walls are now around 15 m high and once again cover more than 2 km of coastline.

Although the view of the sea is less obvious today, the experts justified the construction of the dykes. They cited dual protection The aim is to repel the force of the waves, while reducing damage and giving residents more time to take shelter. In addition, the new dykes have wider bases and their interiors have been reinforced. In addition, warning systems have been improved and evacuation routes optimised.

Text by by sciencepost.fr Yohan Demeure

SpaceX: the prototype rocket explodes on the ground a few minutes after landing.

The SN10 prototype's "magnificent soft landing" finally came to nothing a few minutes later.

SPACEX - A prototype of SpaceX's future giant Starship rocket, two previous examples of which crashed in huge fireballs at the end of their test flight, landed successfully in Texas on Wednesday 3 March, but exploded on the ground a few minutes later, as you can see in the video at the top of this article.

"A magnificent soft landing", SpaceX commented in the video broadcasting the test flight live. However, flames were visible at the foot of the rocket, which were being extinguished by the teams on site. A few minutes later, a huge explosion threw the rocket into the air, and it crashed to the ground.

No immediate explanation was given.

This vehicle is destined to become the rocket of choice for SpaceX, founded by billionaire Elon Musk, to one day travel to Mars.

Ten kilometres above sea level

The prototype, named SN10 for "Serial Number 10", took off just before 11.20pm from Boca Chica, Texas, for a third suborbital test.

The craft climbed into the sky, powered by three engines that shut down one after the other, and the vehicle rolled over into a horizontal position.

It reached an altitude of 10 kilometres before beginning its descent, and the rocket then returned to a vertical position, managing to land in the desired location without any apparent problem.

Two other prototypes (SN8 and SN9) crashed on landing in December and again in early February.

These tests are taking place in a virtually deserted area rented by SpaceX, in the far south of Texas, close to the border with Mexico and on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico - an area empty enough for an accident or explosion not to cause any damage or casualties.

Elon Musk imagines one day launching several of these spaceships to conquer Mars. But initially, the rocket, if it becomes operational, could prove useful for closer trips, notably to the Moon.

By huffingtonpost.fr

Daft Punk break up but fans find it hard to believe

DAFT PUNK - More than 160,000 tweets an hour after the "Epilogue" video went online, and an average of 27 tweets per second: the announcement of Daft Punk's split went viral on the social networks. It has to be said that since the start of their career, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo have been accustoming their fans to announcements that are as mysterious as they are surprising.

Monday 22 February 2021, around 3.30pm. After five years of total 'silence', Daft Punk's YouTube channel, which has some 4 million subscribers, shows signs of life. A nearly 8-minute long video entitled "Epilogue" is posted online without any further information.

Some Internet users were quick to rejoice at the idea that this was (finally) the announcement of a new album, eight years after the runaway success of 'Random Access Memories'. All the more so since, in recent months, several rumours and (false) official documents suggested that the band's return was imminent. It was even thought for a while that they would be appearing on The Weekend show at the last Super Bowl.

But amidst the images of the helmeted duo from 'Epilogue', one stands out more than the others: an epitaph reading '1993-2021'. In the end, we had to wait for Kathryn Frazier, the band's long-standing press officer, to speak out in the columns of several leading media (Pitchfork, Variety and AFP in particular) to confirm that this video was indeed the sign of the band's separation after 28 years together.

A new clip? Not at all. The images in this video are just bits and pieces from Daft Punk's 2006 sci-fi feature 'Electroma', which depicts the journey of robots who want to become humans. An unreleased closing track? Not at all. The electro notes that resonate at the end of the video are taken from "Touch", a track on the band's latest album, "Random Access Memories".

And if some people still find it hard to believe that the Daft Punk story has come to an end like this, it's partly because of the marketing strategy skilfully orchestrated by the group over three decades. "Right from the start, the two Frenchmen made marketing an integral part of their creative process, with a simple idea: to cultivate rarity and mystery", sums up AFP. "Daft Punk never show their faces, rarely appear on television and release few records. As a result, every one of their appearances is an event and their robot helmets have become an instantly recognisable brand."

Since 1997, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo have appeared in masks and helmets for rare concerts and interviews. In 2013, they made the release of their album Random Access Memories official with a simple 15-second loop broadcast in an SNL advert. In 2014 they scooped five historic awards on the Grammy Awards stage while remaining completely silent.

"They've managed to create a mystery, they're playing on fantasy. Everyone is
ask what they're like, what it's really like. This is the key to
their success", explained producer Pedro Winter, the duo's former manager, on France Info at the time of the release of their latest album.

In short, in a career spanning almost thirty years, the number of albums released by the group and the number of photos featuring their faces can be counted on the fingers of one hand. And inevitably, so much mystery has always titillated the interest of the greatest number of people, creating a veritable "Daftmania" and theories by the hundreds at the slightest whisper. Daft Punk have brilliantly orchestrated every important moment in their career.

So much so that we still have our doubts: could this unexpected announcement of their separation be hiding another surprise?

Huffpost.fr by Louise Wessbecher