Pangolins are the world’s most illegally trafficked animal. Eight species of the elusive mammals are found in Africa and Southeast Asia, but as many as 300 are poached every day, destined for markets in Vietnam and China, where their meat is considered a delicacy and their scales believed to have medicinal properties. Researchers in the UK are hoping to deter pangolin poaching with fingerprint technology that’s designed to identify poachers and bring them to justice. VOA’s Julie Taboh explains.
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From: MeNeedIt

Pangolins are the world’s most illegally trafficked animal. Eight species of the elusive mammals are found in Africa and Southeast Asia, but as many as 300 are poached every day, destined for markets in Vietnam and China, where their meat is considered a delicacy and their scales believed to have medicinal properties. Researchers in the UK are hoping to deter pangolin poaching with fingerprint technology that’s designed to identify poachers and bring them to justice. VOA’s Julie Taboh explains.
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From: MeNeedIt

Pangolins are the world’s most illegally trafficked animal. Eight species of the elusive mammals are found in Africa and Southeast Asia, but as many as 300 are poached every day, destined for markets in Vietnam and China, where their meat is considered a delicacy and their scales believed to have medicinal properties. Researchers in the UK are hoping to deter pangolin poaching with fingerprint technology that’s designed to identify poachers and bring them to justice. VOA’s Julie Taboh explains.
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From: MeNeedIt

Plans to launch the first NASA astronauts since 2011 to the International Space Station from the United States look set to be delayed due to incomplete safety measures and accountability holes in the agency’s commercial crew program, according to a federal report released on Wednesday.

SpaceX and Boeing Co are the two main contractors selected under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s commercial crew program to send U.S. astronauts to space as soon as 2019, using their Dragon and Starliner spacecraft respectively.

But the report from the Government Accountability Office said the issues could cause delays in the launch of the first crewed mission from U.S. soil by a private company and could result in a nine-month gap in which no U.S. astronauts inhabit the ISS.

“Boeing and SpaceX continue to make progress developing their crew transportation systems, but both contractors have further delayed the certification milestone to early 2019,” the report said.

“Without a viable contingency option for ensuring uninterrupted access to the ISS in the event of further commercial crew delays, we concluded that NASA was at risk of not being able to maximize the return on its multibillion dollar investment in the space station,” it added.

Test flights set for this year

Boeing said it was aiming for test flights this year. “Boeing is working with NASA to ensure that the CST-100 Starliner flies at the earliest time it is safe to do so,”

Boeing senior spokesman Jerry Drelling told Reuters in an email. Officials with SpaceX, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies, and NASA could not immediately be reached to comment.

In 2014, SpaceX and Boeing respectively received $2.6 billion and $4.2 billion contracts to build crew transportation systems under the commercial crew program, NASA’s flagship campaign to use the private sector for ISS missions.

In the report, NASA said it was working closely with its commercial partners to resolve the issues and was developing contingency plans in case of further delays.

Safety first

Before SpaceX and Boeing can launch the astronauts they must demonstrate their crew systems are safe for human spaceflight, according to NASA.

The GAO said it is tracking potential safety risks on the private companies’ crew capsules, including a Boeing Starliner abort system meant to eject the capsule from a hazardous rocket explosion, and a since-upgraded fuel valve on SpaceX’s Falcon rocket that triggered a costly 2016 launchpad explosion.

Since 2011, NASA has bought seats on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft months in advance to send U.S. astronauts to the space station from launchpads in Kazakhstan. U.S. launches before 2011 were handled by NASA.
…

From: MeNeedIt

Plans to launch the first NASA astronauts since 2011 to the International Space Station from the United States look set to be delayed due to incomplete safety measures and accountability holes in the agency’s commercial crew program, according to a federal report released on Wednesday.

SpaceX and Boeing Co are the two main contractors selected under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s commercial crew program to send U.S. astronauts to space as soon as 2019, using their Dragon and Starliner spacecraft respectively.

But the report from the Government Accountability Office said the issues could cause delays in the launch of the first crewed mission from U.S. soil by a private company and could result in a nine-month gap in which no U.S. astronauts inhabit the ISS.

“Boeing and SpaceX continue to make progress developing their crew transportation systems, but both contractors have further delayed the certification milestone to early 2019,” the report said.

“Without a viable contingency option for ensuring uninterrupted access to the ISS in the event of further commercial crew delays, we concluded that NASA was at risk of not being able to maximize the return on its multibillion dollar investment in the space station,” it added.

Test flights set for this year

Boeing said it was aiming for test flights this year. “Boeing is working with NASA to ensure that the CST-100 Starliner flies at the earliest time it is safe to do so,”

Boeing senior spokesman Jerry Drelling told Reuters in an email. Officials with SpaceX, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies, and NASA could not immediately be reached to comment.

In 2014, SpaceX and Boeing respectively received $2.6 billion and $4.2 billion contracts to build crew transportation systems under the commercial crew program, NASA’s flagship campaign to use the private sector for ISS missions.

In the report, NASA said it was working closely with its commercial partners to resolve the issues and was developing contingency plans in case of further delays.

Safety first

Before SpaceX and Boeing can launch the astronauts they must demonstrate their crew systems are safe for human spaceflight, according to NASA.

The GAO said it is tracking potential safety risks on the private companies’ crew capsules, including a Boeing Starliner abort system meant to eject the capsule from a hazardous rocket explosion, and a since-upgraded fuel valve on SpaceX’s Falcon rocket that triggered a costly 2016 launchpad explosion.

Since 2011, NASA has bought seats on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft months in advance to send U.S. astronauts to the space station from launchpads in Kazakhstan. U.S. launches before 2011 were handled by NASA.
…

From: MeNeedIt

Plans to launch the first NASA astronauts since 2011 to the International Space Station from the United States look set to be delayed due to incomplete safety measures and accountability holes in the agency’s commercial crew program, according to a federal report released on Wednesday.

SpaceX and Boeing Co are the two main contractors selected under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s commercial crew program to send U.S. astronauts to space as soon as 2019, using their Dragon and Starliner spacecraft respectively.

But the report from the Government Accountability Office said the issues could cause delays in the launch of the first crewed mission from U.S. soil by a private company and could result in a nine-month gap in which no U.S. astronauts inhabit the ISS.

“Boeing and SpaceX continue to make progress developing their crew transportation systems, but both contractors have further delayed the certification milestone to early 2019,” the report said.

“Without a viable contingency option for ensuring uninterrupted access to the ISS in the event of further commercial crew delays, we concluded that NASA was at risk of not being able to maximize the return on its multibillion dollar investment in the space station,” it added.

Test flights set for this year

Boeing said it was aiming for test flights this year. “Boeing is working with NASA to ensure that the CST-100 Starliner flies at the earliest time it is safe to do so,”

Boeing senior spokesman Jerry Drelling told Reuters in an email. Officials with SpaceX, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies, and NASA could not immediately be reached to comment.

In 2014, SpaceX and Boeing respectively received $2.6 billion and $4.2 billion contracts to build crew transportation systems under the commercial crew program, NASA’s flagship campaign to use the private sector for ISS missions.

In the report, NASA said it was working closely with its commercial partners to resolve the issues and was developing contingency plans in case of further delays.

Safety first

Before SpaceX and Boeing can launch the astronauts they must demonstrate their crew systems are safe for human spaceflight, according to NASA.

The GAO said it is tracking potential safety risks on the private companies’ crew capsules, including a Boeing Starliner abort system meant to eject the capsule from a hazardous rocket explosion, and a since-upgraded fuel valve on SpaceX’s Falcon rocket that triggered a costly 2016 launchpad explosion.

Since 2011, NASA has bought seats on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft months in advance to send U.S. astronauts to the space station from launchpads in Kazakhstan. U.S. launches before 2011 were handled by NASA.
…

From: MeNeedIt

Plans to launch the first NASA astronauts since 2011 to the International Space Station from the United States look set to be delayed due to incomplete safety measures and accountability holes in the agency’s commercial crew program, according to a federal report released on Wednesday.

SpaceX and Boeing Co are the two main contractors selected under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s commercial crew program to send U.S. astronauts to space as soon as 2019, using their Dragon and Starliner spacecraft respectively.

But the report from the Government Accountability Office said the issues could cause delays in the launch of the first crewed mission from U.S. soil by a private company and could result in a nine-month gap in which no U.S. astronauts inhabit the ISS.

“Boeing and SpaceX continue to make progress developing their crew transportation systems, but both contractors have further delayed the certification milestone to early 2019,” the report said.

“Without a viable contingency option for ensuring uninterrupted access to the ISS in the event of further commercial crew delays, we concluded that NASA was at risk of not being able to maximize the return on its multibillion dollar investment in the space station,” it added.

Test flights set for this year

Boeing said it was aiming for test flights this year. “Boeing is working with NASA to ensure that the CST-100 Starliner flies at the earliest time it is safe to do so,”

Boeing senior spokesman Jerry Drelling told Reuters in an email. Officials with SpaceX, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies, and NASA could not immediately be reached to comment.

In 2014, SpaceX and Boeing respectively received $2.6 billion and $4.2 billion contracts to build crew transportation systems under the commercial crew program, NASA’s flagship campaign to use the private sector for ISS missions.

In the report, NASA said it was working closely with its commercial partners to resolve the issues and was developing contingency plans in case of further delays.

Safety first

Before SpaceX and Boeing can launch the astronauts they must demonstrate their crew systems are safe for human spaceflight, according to NASA.

The GAO said it is tracking potential safety risks on the private companies’ crew capsules, including a Boeing Starliner abort system meant to eject the capsule from a hazardous rocket explosion, and a since-upgraded fuel valve on SpaceX’s Falcon rocket that triggered a costly 2016 launchpad explosion.

Since 2011, NASA has bought seats on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft months in advance to send U.S. astronauts to the space station from launchpads in Kazakhstan. U.S. launches before 2011 were handled by NASA.
…

From: MeNeedIt

The acting head of the Environmental Protection Agency plans to keep cutting anti-pollution rules and regulations on industry.

Andrew Wheeler held his first meeting with EPA employees Wednesday after taking over the job for Scott Pruitt, who resigned last week amid allegations of ethics violations.

Wheeler, like Pruitt and President Donald Trump, believes the nation’s air and water can still be protected without what they say are job-killing regulations and pollution standards on industry.

Wheeler said the EPA would make cleaning up Superfund industrial waste sites and investing in water infrastructure priorities.

He promised to listen to all voices within the agency. “I value your input and your feedback, and you will find me and my team ready to listen,” Wheeler told staffers.

Wheeler also said he was proud of his work as a coal industry lobbyist — something that has attracted criticism from environmentalists and some Democrats. He said some people use the term “coal lobbyist” in a derogatory manner, but that he had nothing to be ashamed of.

Wheeler’s lobbying efforts primarily focused on better health care, pensions and benefits for retired coal miners.

Trump will nominate a new EPA chief in the coming months, and that person must meet Senate approval. Wheeler has said he is not interested in the job permanently.
…

From: MeNeedIt

The acting head of the Environmental Protection Agency plans to keep cutting anti-pollution rules and regulations on industry.

Andrew Wheeler held his first meeting with EPA employees Wednesday after taking over the job for Scott Pruitt, who resigned last week amid allegations of ethics violations.

Wheeler, like Pruitt and President Donald Trump, believes the nation’s air and water can still be protected without what they say are job-killing regulations and pollution standards on industry.

Wheeler said the EPA would make cleaning up Superfund industrial waste sites and investing in water infrastructure priorities.

He promised to listen to all voices within the agency. “I value your input and your feedback, and you will find me and my team ready to listen,” Wheeler told staffers.

Wheeler also said he was proud of his work as a coal industry lobbyist — something that has attracted criticism from environmentalists and some Democrats. He said some people use the term “coal lobbyist” in a derogatory manner, but that he had nothing to be ashamed of.

Wheeler’s lobbying efforts primarily focused on better health care, pensions and benefits for retired coal miners.

Trump will nominate a new EPA chief in the coming months, and that person must meet Senate approval. Wheeler has said he is not interested in the job permanently.
…

From: MeNeedIt

The acting head of the Environmental Protection Agency plans to keep cutting anti-pollution rules and regulations on industry.

Andrew Wheeler held his first meeting with EPA employees Wednesday after taking over the job for Scott Pruitt, who resigned last week amid allegations of ethics violations.

Wheeler, like Pruitt and President Donald Trump, believes the nation’s air and water can still be protected without what they say are job-killing regulations and pollution standards on industry.

Wheeler said the EPA would make cleaning up Superfund industrial waste sites and investing in water infrastructure priorities.

He promised to listen to all voices within the agency. “I value your input and your feedback, and you will find me and my team ready to listen,” Wheeler told staffers.

Wheeler also said he was proud of his work as a coal industry lobbyist — something that has attracted criticism from environmentalists and some Democrats. He said some people use the term “coal lobbyist” in a derogatory manner, but that he had nothing to be ashamed of.

Wheeler’s lobbying efforts primarily focused on better health care, pensions and benefits for retired coal miners.

Trump will nominate a new EPA chief in the coming months, and that person must meet Senate approval. Wheeler has said he is not interested in the job permanently.
…

From: MeNeedIt

The acting head of the Environmental Protection Agency plans to keep cutting anti-pollution rules and regulations on industry.

Andrew Wheeler held his first meeting with EPA employees Wednesday after taking over the job for Scott Pruitt, who resigned last week amid allegations of ethics violations.

Wheeler, like Pruitt and President Donald Trump, believes the nation’s air and water can still be protected without what they say are job-killing regulations and pollution standards on industry.

Wheeler said the EPA would make cleaning up Superfund industrial waste sites and investing in water infrastructure priorities.

He promised to listen to all voices within the agency. “I value your input and your feedback, and you will find me and my team ready to listen,” Wheeler told staffers.

Wheeler also said he was proud of his work as a coal industry lobbyist — something that has attracted criticism from environmentalists and some Democrats. He said some people use the term “coal lobbyist” in a derogatory manner, but that he had nothing to be ashamed of.

Wheeler’s lobbying efforts primarily focused on better health care, pensions and benefits for retired coal miners.

Trump will nominate a new EPA chief in the coming months, and that person must meet Senate approval. Wheeler has said he is not interested in the job permanently.
…

From: MeNeedIt

The air pollution problem isn’t going away. According to the World Health Organization, nine out of 10 people worldwide breathe polluted air and approximately 7 million die as a result of exposure to it each year. One creative startup has an artistic solution to an ugly problem. VOA’s Tina Trinh reports.
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From: MeNeedIt