SpaceX rocket carrying AI research blasts off for space station
Washington, June 29: A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft loaded with about 2,600 kgs of research and supplies, including experiments investigating cellular biology, Earth science and Artificial Intelligence (AI), lifted off on a Falcon 9 rocket on Friday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
This is SpaceX's 15th cargo flight to the space station under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract, NASA said in a statement.
The spacecraft's occupant also included a robot named Cimon, short for Crew Interactive Mobile Companion.
The pilot study with Cimon is a technology demonstration project, and an observational study, that aims to obtain the first insights into the effects on crew support by AI, in terms of efficiency and acceptance during long-term missions in space.
Research materials flying inside Dragon's pressurised cargo area also included a cellular biology investigation (Micro-12) to understand how microgravity affects the growth, gene expression and ability of a model bacterium to transfer electrons through its cell membrane along the bacterial nanowires it produces.
Such bacteria could be used in microbial fuel cells to make electricity from waste organic material.
An Earth science instrument called the ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) will provide a new space-based measurement of how plants respond to changes in water availability. This data can help society better manage agricultural water use, the US space agency added.
Dragon is scheduled to depart the station in August and return to Earth with more than 1,724 kgs of research, hardware and crew supplies, NASA said.
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Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case accused Mahesh Raut gets interim bail for law exams
Mumbai, Apr 3 (PTI): A special NIA court on Thursday granted interim bail to Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case accused Mahesh Raut from April 20 to May 16 to appear for his law degree exams.
Raut was arrested in 2018 for his alleged role in the case and is currently lodged in Taloja jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai.
Special Judge Chakor Bhaviskar granted Raut bail to appear for the second semester Bachelor of Laws (LLB) exams in Mumbai.
The special National Investigation Agency court granted Raut temporary relief on executing a personal recognition bond of Rs 50,000 with a surety of the same amount.
The court also allowed him to appear for the semester one ATKT (allowed to keep terms) exam on April 4 and viva-voice and assignment presentation on April 9 under police escort.
It also directed Raut to furnish proof of his residential address for this period as well as an active mobile number to jail authorities and the probe agency.
The accused shall not misuse the liberty granted to him and shall immediately surrender to the jail authority on the same day when the examination is over, the court said.
Raut and 14 other activists were booked in connection with allegedly provocative speeches that were delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017. It triggered violence at Koregaon Bhima there the next day.
As per Pune police, the conclave was backed by Maoists.
The National Investigation Agency later took over the probe into the case.
