Month: May 2021

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  A rendering of the Nova-C lander on the Moon. [credit: Intuitive Machines ]

Standing on a runway in southeast Houston, Tim Crain had to raise his voice to be heard over the roar of a supersonic jet taking off in the distance.

The present and future have come together at the Houston Spaceport. On an almost daily basis, current NASA astronauts take T-38s out for flights to hone their flying skills,or to jet across the country for mission training. A few hundred meters away from the main runway, Intuitive Machines is testing rocket engines to support lunar landings.

Crain is the chief technology officer for Houston-based Intuitive Machines, which is building landers to take cargo to the lunar surface. Intuitive Machines has a mixture of NASA and commercial contracts and has emerged as one of a new generation of mostly small companies seeking to extend the sphere of economic activity to the lunar surface.

• 

  A rendering of the Nova-C lander on the Moon. [credit: Intuitive Machines ]

Standing on a runway in southeast Houston, Tim Crain had to raise his voice to be heard over the roar of a supersonic jet taking off in the distance.

The present and future have come together at the Houston Spaceport. On an almost daily basis, current NASA astronauts take T-38s out for flights to hone their flying skills,or to jet across the country for mission training. A few hundred meters away from the main runway, Intuitive Machines is testing rocket engines to support lunar landings.

Crain is the chief technology officer for Houston-based Intuitive Machines, which is building landers to take cargo to the lunar surface. Intuitive Machines has a mixture of NASA and commercial contracts and has emerged as one of a new generation of mostly small companies seeking to extend the sphere of economic activity to the lunar surface.

Enlarge (credit: Kroger)

Kroger, one of America's biggest grocery chains, is beginning to test a drone-delivery service in the Cincinnati area. Starting this week, Kroger will begin testing deliveries near the company's store in Centerville, Ohio.

"Customer deliveries are scheduled to begin later this spring, and a second pilot is scheduled to launch this summer at a Ralphs store in California," according to Kroger's announcement.

The Federal Aviation Administration has permitted commercial use of drones for several years. But until recently, regulations required the drones to be within the line of sight of the operator. That wasn't a big deal for aerial photography, but it made drones useless for a retail delivery service.

Enlarge (credit: Kroger)

Kroger, one of America's biggest grocery chains, is beginning to test a drone-delivery service in the Cincinnati area. Starting this week, Kroger will begin testing deliveries near the company's store in Centerville, Ohio.

"Customer deliveries are scheduled to begin later this spring, and a second pilot is scheduled to launch this summer at a Ralphs store in California," according to Kroger's announcement.

The Federal Aviation Administration has permitted commercial use of drones for several years. But until recently, regulations required the drones to be within the line of sight of the operator. That wasn't a big deal for aerial photography, but it made drones useless for a retail delivery service.