AI News

Universe Today

Caltech’s ASTRA robot autonomously assembles an orbital truss, while vibration-and-AI research aims to help robots clear buried

Caltech’s ASTRA robot has assembled a truss section in orbit without human assistance, advancing work on building large space structures robotically. Separately, mechanical engineering assistant professor Erik Komendera developed a vibration- and AI-based method for estimating how deeply rocks are buried, potentially helping future robotic missions clear terrain autonomously.

Bloomberg

High activity

SpaceX proposes $24B gas-fired power plant and supercomputing facility at Starbase, while Stifel sees scope to buy stalled data

A public hearing notice says SpaceX plans to build, own and operate a gas-fired power plant and super-compute facility in Starbase, Texas. Separately, Stifel sees the company as a potential buyer of stalled data center projects with electricity access, citing its investment-grade balance sheet and $40 billion in committed GPU financing.

Universe Today

Researchers develop CORTEX to guide autonomous docking with inactive satellites in low Earth orbit

Thousands of inactive or non-communicating satellites orbit Earth in low Earth orbit, creating a challenge for operators that rely on spacecraft to signal their presence. Researchers are developing CORTEX, a system designed to guide a repair satellite to autonomously dock with these “zombie” spacecraft.

Ars Technica

High activity

SpaceX is now fundamentally an “infrastructure company,” senior official says

Flying Magazine

Amazon Prime Air MK30 delivery drone joins Museum of Flight exhibit

A prototype Amazon Prime Air MK30 delivery drone has joined a Museum of Flight exhibit, highlighting a decade of evolution in autonomous delivery technology. The announcement places the aircraft’s development in a public museum setting, though the available report provides no details on its operational history or exhibit duration.

Bloomberg

Pentagon taps Machina Labs to mass-produce low-cost attack drones in modular factories

The Pentagon has tasked robotics startup Machina Labs with developing a way to mass-produce inexpensive attack drones in quickly assembled modular factories. The effort reflects a push to scale autonomous systems for modern warfare through manufacturing that can be deployed and assembled rapidly.

Bloomberg

High activity

SpaceX and Tesla shares fall as midterm results raise investor concerns over regulation and data center growth

SpaceX and Tesla shares extended losses after Democratic victories in the U.S. midterm elections heightened investor concerns about potential congressional probes, tighter regulation and slower data center expansion. Reports put Thursday’s declines at about 9% for SpaceX and 11% for Tesla, with their combined market value down more than $420 billion.

Payload

Orbital taps Orca Aerospace for onboard autonomy software in deal worth up to $20 million

Satellite autonomy startup Orca Aerospace has agreed to supply software for Orbital’s data-center fleet under a deal valued at up to $20 million. The announcement links onboard autonomy capabilities with Orbital’s satellite data-center plans, though the summary provides no deployment schedule or contract milestones.