Latest news with #ex-NASA
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
'Ken Griffin… DONATED $2,250,000 LOL': MrBeast Team Water receives $2.25m donation after his random ask
A casual challenge by MrBeast, where he called out Ken Griffin, during a live TV interview, resulted in an unexpected donation for Team Water. The global clean water initiative of MrBeast was able to secure a $2.5 million donation from the billionaire. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Such unexpected generosity didn't just boost the ambitious goal of the fundraiser but has sent shockwaves all throughout the philanthropic world and has left even the YouTube star in complete disbelief. How did MrBeast secure a $2.5 million donation from Ken Griffin? The entire incident dates back to Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast and his fellow creator Mark Rober, the ex-NASA engineer's appearance on the Today show. During the appearance, as the duo discussed the campaign, they were asked by the host, Dylan Dreyer, to challenge someone for donating to Team Water's $40 million fundraiser. While Rober suggested Mark Cuban, MrBeast turned to the camera with a grin and said, "Ken Griffin. You got a lot of money. Come on, help us out!" MrBeast declared the billionaire founder of the Citadel, who clearly heard his call. Days later, Griffin donated $2.25 million as part of the Team Water donation. It instantly topped the billionaire on the leaderboard of the campaign's donors. MrBeast later celebrated this win through X, posting "When I was on the news to raise money for TeamWater the host asked me to call someone out, I randomly said Ken Griffen AND HE JUST DONATED $2,250,000 LOL." "THANK YOU SO MUCH KEN ❤️❤️❤️," MrBeast's post read ahead. Griffin's donation has brought the Team Water campaign a lot closer to its goal of providing clean water to approximately 2 million people. Who is Ken Griffin, the billionaire who made a $2.5 million donation to Team Water? Ken Griffin is the 54-year-old founder and CEO of Citadel. Today, Citadel is one of the most profitable hedge funds, while Griffin ranks amidst world's wealthiest individuals. He holds a significant fortune estimated to be approx. $47.3 billion (as per Forbes). Griffin is popularly known for his philanthropy, particularly towards educational institutions. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Griffin's philanthropic history includes some major donations to Harvard University and the University of Chicago, where the billionaire made donations of $300 million and $125 million, respectively. The donations are often focused on research and access. Beyond it, the billionaire's giving also extends beyond academia. He supports many non-profit causes, and his latest donation has been to Team Water. It aligns perfectly with his pattern of high-value and impactful contributions. Ken Griffin donation gives a big boost to Team Water's mission Citadel founder's $2.25 million donation has instantly propelled him to the top of Team Water's donor leaderboard. This campaign, which was launched by Rober and MrBeast in early August, had a clear mission: to raise $40 million by the end of the month. Funds were meant to directly support WaterAid and provide sustainable clean water solutions around the world. As per this initiative, every dollar can offer a person clean water access for a year. The massive contribution of Griffin alone here can translate to clean water access for millions. The surprise windfall has significantly accelerated the campaign to $40 million target. It shows how a public and direct appeal made for an impactful initiative could result in global good.
Economic Times
7 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Trump orders NASA to kill 2 satellites that can function for many more years - the reason will shock all
Trump NASA satellite shutdown: The White House has directed NASA to shut down two carbon-tracking satellites. These satellites monitor carbon dioxide levels. The satellites provide crucial data for understanding climate change. Scientists, farmers, and energy companies use this data. One satellite is on the International Space Station. The other will burn up in the atmosphere if shut down. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Satellites Tracking Carbon Emissions To Face Early Shutdown What Are the Orbiting Carbon Observatories? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Former NASA Scientist Raises Concerns What Are the Orbiting Carbon Observatories? Lawmakers Push Back, Call Cuts 'Catastrophic' Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs A decision that has left many scientists and space lovers scratching their heads is that the White House has ordered NASA to shut down two important satellites that are still working perfectly and could keep doing so for years, as per a report. These satellites track carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere, which helps to understand climate change and how it affects everything from farming to energy industries, as per a Futurism Trump administration's officials have reached out to NASA to draw up plans for terminating the two missions, called the Orbiting Carbon Observatories , as reported by Futurism. Both of them have been used to collect widely used data, which provide information to oil and gas companies and farmers about the distribution of carbon dioxide and how it can affect crop health, according to the READ: When is Labor Day 2025 in US and what should you know before celebrating? One of the satellites is attached to the International Space Station, and the other is collecting data as a stand-alone satellite, as reported by Futurism. The latter would see its permanent demise after burning up in the atmosphere if the mission gets terminated, according to the Trump administration's move to end the missions comes at a time when the two observatories had been expected to function for many more years, and a 2023 review by NASA found that the data they'd been providing had been "of exceptionally high quality," as reported by review also found that the observatories give detailed carbon dioxide measurements across various locations, which let scientists get a detailed glimpse of how human activity is affecting greenhouse gas emissions, according to the READ: Another Indian-American shakes up Silicon Valley - Meet Shyam Sankar, Palantir's CTO powering company's meteoric rise An ex-NASA employee, David Crisp, who worked on the Orbiting Carbon Observatories' instruments, revealed that current staffers reached out to him, saying, "They were asking me very sharp questions," adding, "The only thing that would have motivated those questions was [that] somebody told them to come up with a termination plan," as quoted by explained that it "makes no economic sense to terminate NASA missions that are returning incredibly valuable data," pointing out that it costs just $15 million per year to maintain both observatories, which is a small fraction of the agency's $25.4 billion budget, as reported by other scientists who have used data from the missions have also been asked questions about terminating the missions, as per the the two observatories are just two of dozens of space missions that are currently facing existential threats due to the Trump administration's proposed 2026 fiscal year budget, according to the reasons for terminating these missions are not known yet, but there is only speculation given US president Donald Trump's staunch climate change denial and his administration's efforts to deal the agency's science directorate a potentially existential blow, as per the has led many scientists to argue that the move could precipitate an end to the United States' leadership in space, according to the Futurism report. Many lawmakers have also drawn up a counteroffer that would keep NASA's budget almost in line with this year's budget, as per the and top appropriator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) had siad in a July, "We rejected cuts that would have devastated NASA science by 47 percent and would have terminated 55 operating and planned missions," as quoted in the representative and Committee on Science, Space and Technology ranking member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) said thar, "Eliminating funds or scaling down the operations of Earth-observing satellites would be catastrophic and would severely impair our ability to forecast, manage, and respond to severe weather and climate disasters," adding, "The Trump administration is forcing the proposed cuts in its FY26 budget request on already appropriated FY25 funds. This is illegal," as quoted in the Futurism farmers, environmentalists, energy companies, anyone needing detailed carbon emission will burn up in the atmosphere, and the other will stop collecting data, ending their missions prematurely.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Trump orders NASA to kill 2 satellites that can function for many more years - the reason will shock all
Trump NASA satellite shutdown: The White House has directed NASA to shut down two carbon-tracking satellites. These satellites monitor carbon dioxide levels. The satellites provide crucial data for understanding climate change. Scientists, farmers, and energy companies use this data. One satellite is on the International Space Station. The other will burn up in the atmosphere if shut down. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Satellites Tracking Carbon Emissions To Face Early Shutdown What Are the Orbiting Carbon Observatories? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Former NASA Scientist Raises Concerns What Are the Orbiting Carbon Observatories? Lawmakers Push Back, Call Cuts 'Catastrophic' Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs A decision that has left many scientists and space lovers scratching their heads is that the White House has ordered NASA to shut down two important satellites that are still working perfectly and could keep doing so for years, as per a report. These satellites track carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere, which helps to understand climate change and how it affects everything from farming to energy industries, as per a Futurism Trump administration's officials have reached out to NASA to draw up plans for terminating the two missions, called the Orbiting Carbon Observatories , as reported by Futurism. Both of them have been used to collect widely used data, which provide information to oil and gas companies and farmers about the distribution of carbon dioxide and how it can affect crop health, according to the READ: When is Labor Day 2025 in US and what should you know before celebrating? One of the satellites is attached to the International Space Station, and the other is collecting data as a stand-alone satellite, as reported by Futurism. The latter would see its permanent demise after burning up in the atmosphere if the mission gets terminated, according to the Trump administration's move to end the missions comes at a time when the two observatories had been expected to function for many more years, and a 2023 review by NASA found that the data they'd been providing had been "of exceptionally high quality," as reported by review also found that the observatories give detailed carbon dioxide measurements across various locations, which let scientists get a detailed glimpse of how human activity is affecting greenhouse gas emissions, according to the READ: Another Indian-American shakes up Silicon Valley - Meet Shyam Sankar, Palantir's CTO powering company's meteoric rise An ex-NASA employee, David Crisp, who worked on the Orbiting Carbon Observatories' instruments, revealed that current staffers reached out to him, saying, "They were asking me very sharp questions," adding, "The only thing that would have motivated those questions was [that] somebody told them to come up with a termination plan," as quoted by explained that it "makes no economic sense to terminate NASA missions that are returning incredibly valuable data," pointing out that it costs just $15 million per year to maintain both observatories, which is a small fraction of the agency's $25.4 billion budget, as reported by other scientists who have used data from the missions have also been asked questions about terminating the missions, as per the the two observatories are just two of dozens of space missions that are currently facing existential threats due to the Trump administration's proposed 2026 fiscal year budget, according to the reasons for terminating these missions are not known yet, but there is only speculation given US president Donald Trump's staunch climate change denial and his administration's efforts to deal the agency's science directorate a potentially existential blow, as per the has led many scientists to argue that the move could precipitate an end to the United States' leadership in space, according to the Futurism report. Many lawmakers have also drawn up a counteroffer that would keep NASA's budget almost in line with this year's budget, as per the and top appropriator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) had siad in a July, "We rejected cuts that would have devastated NASA science by 47 percent and would have terminated 55 operating and planned missions," as quoted in the representative and Committee on Science, Space and Technology ranking member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) said thar, "Eliminating funds or scaling down the operations of Earth-observing satellites would be catastrophic and would severely impair our ability to forecast, manage, and respond to severe weather and climate disasters," adding, "The Trump administration is forcing the proposed cuts in its FY26 budget request on already appropriated FY25 funds. This is illegal," as quoted in the Futurism farmers, environmentalists, energy companies, anyone needing detailed carbon emission will burn up in the atmosphere, and the other will stop collecting data, ending their missions prematurely.
Otago Daily Times
27-06-2025
- Science
- Otago Daily Times
Aim to make science ‘accessible'
Dr Michelle Thaller, ex-NASA scientist. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON An American astronomer is hoping to break perceived barriers for understanding science at the science festival in Dunedin after working at Nasa for nearly 30 years. New Zealand International Science Festival guest Dr Michelle Thaller recently retired as the assistant director of science at Nasa's largest base at Goddard Space Flight Centre in Washington, DC. She will be giving the keynote address at the New Discoveries, New Connections science festival today at 6pm. She was hopeful the festival would help break down the barriers for regular people to understand science. "These things are accessible to us and everybody needs to take part in them. "I mean, science will stop being relevant in our culture if it's done by just a few people kind of hidden away in a lab." She had a terrible time learning science in school, but she loved it. She found the way science was formally taught was very intimidating but enjoyed learning about it when she was able to attach a narrative to the concepts. Yesterday evening she told a story about how people are made out of stars in an effort to help people understand they were not a distant thing that were difficult to connect with. "That's my favourite story ever. "It's really an honour for me to tell it." The story considered the meaning far away objects in astronomy had on the daily lives of human beings. "We are made up of stars, that's not a metaphor." Dr Thaller said the building blocks of human DNA and RNA fell out of space because people consumed different elements through their diet. Science festival director Jerome Cousins said there was plenty on offer for all demographics at the festival. The festival begins today and will end on July 6.
India.com
24-06-2025
- Science
- India.com
Clock Ticking: Will Shubhanshu Shuklas Rs 550 Crore Indian Space Experiments Survive Repeated Delays?
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India's future astronaut, will embark on a pioneering mission to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Axiom-4 (Ax-4). This is only the second time that an Indian will be flying into space, after Rakesh Sharma went on a flight in 1984. The mission has been plagued by record seven delays, however, taking its most recent launch date to June 25. Such repeated delays have raised serious questions on the safety and feasibility of the seven important Indian scientific experiments, most notably the delicate biological samples. Ax-4 mission is a commercial spaceflight mission, a joint collaboration of NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX. The four-person crew of this 14-day mission, which will perform more than 60 scientific experiments, is: Commander: Peggy Whitson (ex-NASA astronaut, USA) Pilot: Shubhanshu Shukla (Indian Air Force Pilot, ISRO) Mission Specialist: Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) Mission Specialist: Tibor Kapu (Hungary) Shukla will become the first Indian to travel to the ISS, a milestone in India's ambitious space program, which has spent Rs 550 crore on the mission. The Seven Indian Experiments: In Depth The seven experiments developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and other Indian institutions will investigate biological, agronomic, and human adaptation themes in microgravity, which will be crucial for future space missions as well as earth-bound research. Muscle Atrophy Study: This study will analyse the reason and possible treatment of muscle wasting experienced by space travelers in space. Its results can be useful in Mars missions and in treating muscle disorders on the planet. Crop Seed Growth (University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad & IIT Dharwad): Six crop seed varieties will be analysed for their growth pattern and genetic transformation in space. This study is important for future space agriculture activities. Seed Germination (University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad & IIT Dharwad): The experiment will examine seed germination and nutritional changes. After return, the seeds will be cultivated over several generations to examine genetic and nutritional changes. Micro-organism Endurance (Indian Institute of Science): In tardigrades (water bears), small animals with remarkable survival abilities in extreme temperature, radiation, and vacuum conditions, the study will better understand organism survival during space travel. Cognitive Effects of Screens (ISRO): This test will monitor the impact of computer screen usage on eye movement, concentration, and mental stress in space, with the goal of enhancing astronaut mental well-being and performance on deep-space missions. Development of Microalgae (ISRO): Three varieties of microalgae will be researched for food, fuel, and life support system applications, and contribute to in-orbit self-sustainability. Cyanobacteria Research (ISRO): This test will examine the cellular and biochemical trends of two varieties of cyanobacteria in microgravity, which may prove critical for oxygen and food production during future missions to space. Reasons Behind The Serial Delays The Ax-4 mission, originally planned for May 29, 2025, was delayed seven times due to several technical and safety issues: May 29 - June 8: First delay because of a malfunction in the electrical harness of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. June 8 - June 10: Put off due to a Liquid Oxygen (LOX) leak in the SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket. June 10 - June 11: Deferred because of poor weather conditions. ISRO had announced a June 11, 5:30 PM IST launch. June 11 - Indefinite: Yet another LOX leak found in the Falcon-9 rocket booster, and ISRO suggested additional repairs and tests. June 19 - June 22: NASA needed additional time for safety checks after the recent repairs to the ISS's Zvezda Service Module (Russian segment). June 22 - Indefinite: NASA postponed the launch again to analyse repair data. June 25 (Tentative): The launch date has now been tentatively scheduled for June 25, although NASA has yet to make it official, citing that since the ISS has complicated and interdependent systems, they need to ensure the station is well-ready for new crew members. Risks To Experiments And Safety Measures The successive delays endanger seriously the integrity of the biological samples (microalgae, tardigrades, seeds) especially treated for microgravity experiments. Long-term exposition to Earth conditions can compromise their quality and experimental data accuracy. Degradation of Biological Samples: Samples such as Kerala Agricultural University seeds and microalgae may lose their viability with time. ISRO is making efforts to update these samples. Although tardigrades are hardy, prolonged exposure to Earth might affect their experimental results. Compromised Accuracy: Delays may change the biological condition of samples, which can lower the accuracy of microgravity results. Logistical Challenges: Repeating and re-preparing samples require time and effort, which might raise mission expenses. Safety Measures ISRO's Readiness: ISRO is seriously undertaking the task of refreshing biological samples and has adopted special preservation methods in order to preserve their integrity. NASA & SpaceX Carefulness: NASA and SpaceX are meticulously examining the ISS and Falcon-9 rocket. Further tests are being conducted to fix LOX leaks and repair the Zvezda module. Crew Safety: The four astronauts are still in quarantine in Florida, where their health and safety are closely monitored at all times. Axiom Space verified that the crew is in good health and eager. Launch Window: There is a launch window until the end of June 2025. In case this window opportunity is lost, the next chance would be in mid-July.
