Senator ‌Presses SpaceX Founder Jared Isaacman on Elon ‍Musk’s Role in NASA chief Nomination

WASHINGTON – Senator Ed Markey ‍(D-MA) repeatedly questioned SpaceX founder ⁣Jared Isaacman Wednesday about his‍ relationship with Elon Musk and​ whether the billionaire CEO exerted undue ‌influence during Isaacman’s nomination process to become NASA’s deputy administrator. the hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee highlighted ongoing scrutiny of Isaacman’s ties to Musk as he seeks⁢ confirmation to the ⁤key leadership ⁣role at the space agency.

The line of ⁤questioning underscores concerns about potential conflicts ⁤of interest given ⁣SpaceX’s⁤ significant contracts with‍ NASA and ‍Musk’s ‍often-controversial ‌public persona. isaacman, commander of the first all-civilian orbital mission Inspiration4, is president and CEO of Strip Seven, a company ‌focused on space innovation, and has a close​ working relationship with Musk. His confirmation would place a ​prominent figure from the private space sector⁤ in a critical position within ⁢NASA, raising questions about the balance between public and commercial interests in space ⁣exploration.

Markey pressed Isaacman‍ on whether he had discussed his potential nomination with Musk prior to applying for the position. “Did you discuss ⁢this with Elon Musk before you applied?” Markey asked. Isaacman‌ responded,”I did ⁣have conversations with Elon about it,yes.” He further stated that Musk was “supportive” of his application.

The⁤ senator continued to ​probe‍ Isaacman about the extent of Musk’s involvement, asking if Musk had contacted ⁤anyone at the White House or ⁤NASA regarding the nomination. Isaacman stated he ⁢was unaware of any such outreach. “To my knowledge, he ​did‌ not,”​ Isaacman affirmed.

Despite Markey’s pointed questions, the majority of the committee appeared favorably disposed toward Isaacman’s⁣ confirmation. Several senators, including Democrats,⁢ expressed support, and ⁣Isaacman presented a letter signed by 36 astronauts endorsing ⁤his candidacy. However, Isaacman’s path to confirmation has already faced unexpected hurdles; a previous ‍anticipated confirmation in early June​ was abruptly stalled. The committee will now ⁤consider Isaacman’s ⁢responses and determine whether to advance his nomination to the full Senate ⁣for a vote. The outcome will have significant implications for ​the future ⁣direction⁤ of NASA and the evolving relationship between⁢ the agency and the⁣ burgeoning commercial space industry.

SpongeBob​ SquarePants and PowerWash Simulator Join Apple ​Arcade ‍Lineup

apple Arcade subscribers have a fresh ⁢wave ⁣of content to enjoy ⁤with the addition of ⁢ SpongeBob ⁤SquarePants: Super Squad‍ Showdown and PowerWash ⁤Simulator, alongside several other new‌ titles and updates. The games are now ‌available as part of the ‍subscription ⁢service, offering ad-free and in-app purchase-free ​gaming on Apple devices.

Apple ‌Arcade provides access to over 270 games ‌for $6.99 per month,or is included as part of an ​Apple One bundle. The service delivers a curated selection of mobile games across a variety of genres, ‍appealing to ‍a broad range of players. This latest update reinforces Apple’s commitment to providing⁤ a robust and evolving gaming experience for⁣ it’s⁣ subscribers.

Glassbreakers: Champions ‍of ‌Moss also debuted this week, inviting players to “Lead your ​squad of ‌champions ⁢into a fast-paced ‍and immersive arena ‌where tactics, magic, and power collide. Master the battle in‍ this real-time clash of Champions!” according to ⁢the game’s description.‌

Players⁤ can access Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss and the other new titles through​ the Apple Arcade tab in the App Store. A standalone Apple Arcade subscription costs $6.99/month.

Samsung’s New 9100 Pro SSD Shatters Speed Records,But Shows Peculiar Benchmark Results

SAN FRANCISCO,CA‍ – Samsung’s recently released 9100 Pro SSD is delivering blistering performance,exceeding advertised speeds in some tests,but exhibiting⁤ unexpectedly low scores ⁢in the 3DMark Storage benchmark,according to a new review. The drive, ‍designed for PCIe⁢ 5 nvme slots, is aimed at users demanding the fastest possible storage⁤ for large file ‍transfers and demanding applications.

Testing conducted by‍ IGN with an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D,⁤ asus ROG Crosshair X670E Hero motherboard, and 32GB of 5,200MHz RAM, showed the 9100 Pro surpassing it’s rated read ⁤and write performance in CrystalDiskMark. ⁢A 10GB file transfer to the drive took just 3.9 seconds ‍(write), while transferring back was even faster at 3.4 seconds (read), positioning it among the fastest ‍drives currently available.

Gaming performance was also strong, with final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail benchmark loading ‌in 6.2 seconds, with‍ all scenes loading under two seconds. While not dramatically faster than high-end PCIe 4 SSDs,the results ⁣were still considered “plenty fast.”

However,⁤ the 3DMark Storage benchmark​ yielded a ⁤score of 3,269 ​points with an⁢ average access time of ⁢55 ​microseconds – significantly lower than the 5-6,000+ scores achieved by competing drives.⁢ Multiple test runs produced the same result, and the reviewer noted the issue​ persisted even with ample SLC capacity. Samsung has been​ contacted for comment.

despite the high performance,⁣ the‌ drive generates significant heat, becoming hot to the touch. While the controller itself remained cool (under 40 degrees ‌Celsius during​ testing), the reviewer recommends a heatsink or ⁤active cooling solution.

The review was conducted‌ on a⁣ Windows 11 24H2 installation with the latest drivers and BIOS ⁣updates.

“Elden Ring Nightreign” ⁣Expands hunt with “The Forsaken hollows” ⁢DLC

Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe and FromSoftware have launched “The ⁤Forsaken Hollows,” a new downloadable content pack for the multiplayer co-op ‌survival action game ⁣”Elden ​Ring Nightreign.” The DLC‌ introduces two new playable ⁣archetypes – the⁣ Scholar and ‌the Gravedigger – joining ‌the Nightwalkers in‌ their pursuit.

The Scholar⁤ utilizes deep arcane⁣ knowledge and spellcasting prowess to control ‌the battlefield, while the Gravedigger, a faith-driven warrior commissioned ⁢by ‌her monastery, employs supernatural strength for devastating attacks.

“The Forsaken ⁣Hollows” ⁤also expands the game world with ⁣new areas and challenges within Limveld, featuring⁢ two new bosses to overcome on the third day of play. A⁣ dynamic new feature,”Shifted Earth,” alters the map’s ‍layout under specific conditions,offering a fresh ​experience for players.

“Elden Ring‌ Nightreign” is available on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2622380/ELDEN_RING_NIGHTREIGN/. Additional details, including edition information,​ can be found at ​ https://www.zockerheim.de/?s=Elden+Ring+Nightreign.

Source: press release