In a major development, Nasa has found evidence of the hard landing of the Japanese lunar lander HAKUTO-R Mission 1, which crashed on the moon’s surface a month earlier, reported CBS News Wednesday.
The Japanese moon lander, designed by the company ispace, was launched on December 11, 2022, and was to land in the moon’s Atlas crater on April 25.
The ispace team said in a news release that the “lander’s descent speed rapidly increased as it approached the moon. It then lost contact with Mission Control.”
“Based on this, it has been determined that there is a high probability that the lander eventually made a hard landing on the Moon’s surface,” the company said.
On April 26, Nasa’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a robotic spacecraft orbiting around the moon with cameras provided topographic maps of the lunar surface, and captured 10 images around the landing site.
The 10 captured images and the one clicked before the landing helped scientists, operating the spacecraft, begin to look for the Japanese lander in a 28-by-25-mile region.
The team identified what NASA called “an unusual surface change” near where the lander was supposed to end up.
The photo by Nasa’s orbiter shows “four prominent pieces of debris” and several changes in the lunar surface, including some changes that could indicate a small crater or pieces of the lander.
In a statement, Nasa said, “the photos are just the first step in the process. The site will be further analysed over the coming months.”
According to the US space agency, the orbiter will make further observations of the site in different lighting conditions and from other angles.
Despite the crash, the company ispace is eyeing to launch further moon probes.
Takeshi Hakamada, founder and CEO of ispace, told CBS News before the failed launch that the company’s goal is to help develop a lunar economy and create an infrastructure that will augment Nasa’s Artemis programme and make it easier to access the surface of the moon.
Under the company’s lunar mission, another lander is set to take another rover to the moon in 2024. The third mission is currently under preparation.
Hakamada said that if possible, the goal is to set “high-frequency transportation to the lunar surface to support scientific, exploration, and technology demonstration missions.”
“We are planning to offer frequent missions to the surface. After 2025, we plan to offer two to three missions per year,” said the CEO.
For 18 graduates of the Reko Diq Mining Project, the National University of Technology, Islamabad, has started a training program. These graduates will complete an 18-month on-the-job training program at Barrick’s International Mining Sites after completing a two-month course at NUTECH.
The graduates will acquire proficiency in mining and associated technical domains during the training program. The chosen graduates will also get specific instruction on environmental protection, safety, exploration, and geology.
Along with the development of communication skills, the curriculum will also emphasise the most recent advancements in the mining industry. Barrick’s International Graduate Development Program for 2024 includes the Balochistani graduates.
Additionally, nine Baloch graduates were selected in 2023 and transported to Barrick’s facility in Argentina for on-the-job training.
WhatsApp is implementing a new upgrade to refine the Updates tab interface, hence boosting accessibility for status and channel updates.
WABetaInfo reports that the upgrade introduces expedited shortcuts that streamline the updating of statuses and channels. Users can now select and upload photos and videos directly from the interface, reducing the steps involved in choosing media from the gallery.
The Meta-owned messaging application has also revamped the button for generating text-based status updates and introduced a feature for recording and sharing voice status updates. This offers customers a more expedient method to disseminate text and speech updates without depending on the floating action button.
The revisions correspond with recent modifications to other tabs, ensuring a modernised interface that improves navigation and update creation. WhatsApp is modifying the floating action button to facilitate content sharing within channels.
When selecting the floating action button, users will see several options, including creating status updates, starting new channels, or sharing photos, videos, voice, and text in existing channels. This revamp integrates all content-generating options into a singular section.
The new shortcuts are anticipated to be accessible to a broader user base in the forthcoming weeks. Beta testers can currently access them in the latest WhatsApp beta for Android, version 2.24.26.13, available on the Google Play Store.
Through Chinese expertise, the arrangement, which was made possible by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), intends to increase Pakistan’s agricultural output.
The Punjab government and China’s “AI Force Tech” company have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to introduce advanced agricultural machinery during Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s visit to China.
Through the use of advanced robotic technology, the MoU seeks to transform Pakistan’s agricultural industry, guarantee economic growth, and boost farmers’ wealth with China’s assistance.
Through the partnership, Pakistan would also have the chance to absorb knowledge about China’s sophisticated farming methods.
In the meantime, plans have been revealed by the Federal Minister of Planning to send 1,000 agricultural experts to China to study contemporary farming methods.
A Chinese business and the Punjab government previously inked an agreement to introduce cutting-edge cancer treatment technologies to Punjab.
Maryam Nawaz signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hygea Medical Technologies while she was in China in order to introduce cutting-edge cancer treatment equipment and techniques to Punjab.
This equipment will make it feasible to treat cancer without the need for chemotherapy or surgery.
Following a meeting with Hygea Medical Technologies President Dr. Luo Fuliang, Maryam Nawaz said the organization has promised expert assistance for the establishment of the Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital.
She went on to say that the hospital will work with China to treat cancer patients utilizing the newest equipment and techniques following the agreement.
Maryam Nawaz and a high-level delegation are present. From December 8 to December 15, the chief minister will go to Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou.
CM Maryam Nawaz is expected to attend a number of conferences, events, and meetings with the goal of enhancing bilateral relations and looking into potential joint ventures in the areas of infrastructure development, technology, agriculture, and governance.