While streaming is defined as broadcasting a video and most of the time includes audio to a wide audience over the internet. Some consider it as a full-time job. From professional chess players to carpenters teaching woodwork skills. Streaming now spans a wide range of content creators. This includes those who have careers as streamers and hobbyists alike.
We’ve now put together the equipment you would need to start the journey as a content creator. Gaming in particular will require a high-end gear depending on the game you are playing. A good rule of thumb is to aim for hardware that exceeds the “recommended requirements” by at least one level of the game. Since streaming software like OBS Studio adds additional workload to your system.
AMD Ryzen 7 7700 3.8GHz CPU, 2 TB hard disk, 32GB DDR5 memory and AMD Radeon RX 9070
Best for those who also plays video game or requires a large computing power
Provides ambiant LED light
This computer can easily play Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077 4K Ultra with no issues. Or run multiple IDEs, run your web application and perform small to medium training models for Machine Learning.
For providing full video experience to viewers while also giving privacy
Machine and hand washable
A green screen is really situational. If your room shows a scenic place and it adds something to your character, then this is really not required. But if you are playing a game and want to keep the focus on the gameplay without distractions, then this is essential.
With these tools, you’ll be ready to dive into streaming and content creation. If you are just starting out, don’t overthink it. Just start.
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The most advanced Galaxy Z series yet, seamlessly blending precision engineering and powerful intelligence to elevate everyday interactions – all in its thinnest and lightest design to date
Samsung Electronics today announced Galaxy Z Fold7, a device that brings together the best of Galaxy design, camera functionality and AI innovation in the thinnest and lightest Galaxy Z Fold series to date. It delivers the premium performance and experience of an ultra smartphone, while unlocking new levels of efficiency and productivity with a larger, more immersive display when unfolded. And with the new One UI 8 as its foundation, it seamlessly integrates intelligent, multimodal agents optimized for the foldable form factor.
“Galaxy Z Fold7 combines Galaxy AI with powerful hardware to deliver our most advanced smartphone experience yet,” said TM Roh, President and Acting Head of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. “This next chapter of foldables brings together design and engineering, with AI built specifically for the foldable form. It gives people the ultra experience they want — powerful, immersive, intelligent, and portable all in one.”
Ultra Sleek, Ultra Powerful
Thinnest, Lightest Galaxy Z Fold
Galaxy Z Fold7 is crafted for those who want the everyday portability and intuitive feel of a traditional smartphone, combined with the enhanced power and flexibility of a larger, unfolded display — all in one device. With its ultra-thin and light design and wider cover display, Galaxy Z Fold7 delivers a seamless on-the-go experience that makes typing and browsing effortless when it is folded.
At just 215 grams,1 Galaxy Z Fold7 is even lighter than Galaxy S25 Ultra.
It is just 8.9 mm thick when folded and 4.2 mm thick when unfolded.2
The device comes with a 6.5-inch3 Dynamic AMOLED 2X cover display, a wider screen4 with a new 21:9 aspect ratio.
Most Expansive Screen on Galaxy Smartphone
When unfolded, Galaxy Z Fold7 becomes more than just a smartphone. It transforms into another device entirely and reveals an expansive screen that expands the workspace for editing, multitasking and immersive viewing — getting more out of Galaxy AI. The main display on Galaxy Z Fold7 is 11% larger than the previous generation, providing even more screen real estate for content editing and multitasking across multiple apps.
The 8-inch5 Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display offers ultra-rich contrast, true blacks and vibrant detail that makes everything pop — from movies to tabs open while multitasking.
With Vision Booster and up to 2,600 nits of peak brightness, Galaxy Z Fold7 stays brilliantly visible even in direct sunlight.
Looks Sleek, Built Tough
Thin and light, Galaxy Z Fold7 is built to move with users, confidently. From repeated folding to being tossed in a bag, it’s engineered for everyday durability and built to last longer, with a restructured hinge and foldable display.
The Armor FlexHinge is thinner and lighter,6 thanks to an enhanced water droplet design and newly implemented multi-rail structure that reduces visible creasing and strengthens durability by evenly dispersing stress.
The cover display is made with Corning® Gorilla® Glass Ceramic 2, a new glass ceramic that has crystals intricately embedded within its glass matrix.7 This secures the screen’s durability and crack deflection capabilities and delivers protection in a remarkably thin form factor.
Advanced Armor Aluminum8 in the frame and hinge housing increases strength and hardness by 10%.
The main display is restructured to be thinner and lighter — yet stronger. This was achieved by implementing the Titanium plate layer. Additionally, Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) was increased to be 50% thicker, making the display tougher.
The Most Powerful Processor Customized for Galaxy
Under the hood, Galaxy Z Fold7 is powered by the best-in-class processor used in Galaxy devices. It’s uniquely customized and makes on-device AI processing tasks — like real-time language translation and Generative Edit — faster and more seamless.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy9 delivers performance boosts of 41% in NPU, 38% in CPU, and 26% in GPU10 compared to the previous generation. This power fuels Galaxy Z Fold7’s ability to process more AI experiences on-device without compromise.
Ultra 200MP Camera
Ultra Detailed, Ultra Clear Photos11
Galaxy Z Fold7 now brings the best of the Galaxy’s pro-grade camera experience to a foldable, combining advanced hardware with intelligent processing for consistently stunning results. Its high-resolution camera captures incredible detail, vibrant color and rich texture, pulling users back into every moment. AI-enhanced imaging automatically optimizes lighting, detail and realism, so photos and videos stay sharp and vivid, even in low light settings such as milestone dinners and late-night café scenes.
Featuring the first200MP wide-angle camera in the Galaxy Z series, it captures 4x more detail, producing images that are 44% brighter.
The 10MP 100° camera on the main display expands the frame, so when users unfold their phone, it’s easy to capture group selfies, valuable moments and more of the world in a single shot.
Samsung’s next-generation ProVisual Engine processes images faster, enabling every photo and video to be more crisp, vibrant and full of detail.
With Night Video, intelligent motion detection now separates moving subjects from still backgrounds to reduce noise.
10-bit HDR provides more color depth. The result is videos with richer color, deeper contrast and more lifelike detail, no matter the time of day.
Creative Editing with Big Screen
Galaxy Z Fold7 puts a pro-grade creative studio in users’ pocket, with AI-powered tools optimized for its large display. Users can capture stunning photos and videos and then edit with ease. From cleaning up clutter in product shots to removing background noise from café recordings, studio-quality enhancements can be done in a few easy steps. The intuitive and intelligent features on the Galaxy Z Fold7 make it effortless to transform photos and videos into pro-level content, with no extra tools required.
Shots look flawless with Photo Assist,12 which moves, erases or enlarges objects and adjusts angles and fills in backgrounds with AI-powered precision. Users can seize vibrant expressions, including pet profiles with Portrait Studio13 and refine their photos using Galaxy’s enhanced Generative Edit. The ability to seamlessly remove distractions and fill in backgrounds has made Generative Edit a fan favorite, and now it’s even smarter. It offers proactive suggestions with the new Suggest Erases, which automatically detects passersby with the tap of a button.
Side-by-Side Editing and Show Original enables real-time comparison of original images and edited versions on the large screen, making it easier to decide what to modify and what to keep.
Audio Eraser14 has also been upgraded to be more intelligent and convenient. There’s a new toggle in Gallery, and it now proactively detects and removes unwanted background noise like wind or traffic from video recordings.
Ultra AI Experience
The Next Era of Galaxy AI15 on the Large Screen
Galaxy Z Fold7 harnesses the power of the foldable display to amplify the power and convenience of AI, delivering experiences that are instinctive, adaptive and effortlessly efficient. With the new One UI 8 that is context-aware and naturally responsive, optimized for Galaxy Z Fold7’s flexible format and expansive screen offer a more intuitive and immersive way to interact with AI. There’s less jumping between apps and screens and more frictionless creativity and productivity happening seamlessly in one place.
Designed as a true multimodal agent, One UI 816 seamlessly combines large-screen multitasking with intelligent tools that understand what users type, say and even see. And with an AI-powered camera and privacy built into every layer, Galaxy Z Fold7 becomes a smart and secure personal assistant, ready to help anytime, anywhere.
Launching with the all-new One UI 8on Android 16, Galaxy Z Fold7 debuts Samsung’s latest AI-powered platform on foldables, delivering the latest Android experience straight out of the box.
Gemini Live17 is now enhanced with multimodal AI that understands what users see, say and do, making it possible to seamlessly type or speak contextual questions and get answers without having to toggle back and forth between apps. And with screen sharing on Gemini Live or camera sharing on Gemini Live, you can simply show Gemini what users are looking at on the screen or on the camera, then ask questions to get instant insights.
With Circle to Search,18 gaming tips appear exactly when and where you need them. Just circle an item on screen and get instant results, tips or tactics in a floating view that ensures a smooth, uninterrupted experience.
With Galaxy AI Optimized for Large Screens, Galaxy Z Fold7 delivers experiences that maximize the benefits of the expansive foldable display to boost productivity. AI Results View displays results from AI features in a separate Split View or in a Floating View, so the user’s original content remains unobstructed and visible. Users can be more efficient with Drag & Drop AI-generated content, including images and text, directly from Multi Window. With tools like Drawing Assist19 or Writing Assist,20 it’s easier than ever to move ideas and visuals, enabling a smoother creative process.
Future-Ready Mobile Security
As mobile experiences grow ever more intelligent and interconnected, Samsung is reinforcing the foundations that protect them – unveiling new protections for on-device AI, expanding cross-device threat detection and enhancing network security with quantum-resistant encryption. One UI 8 brings enhanced privacy to personalized AI experiences with the new Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection (KEEP21). KEEP creates encrypted, app-specific storage environments within the device’s secure storage area, ensuring each app can access only its own sensitive information and nothing more. With One UI 8, Samsung is advancing Knox Matrix to deliver more proactive and user-friendly protection across the Galaxy ecosystem. Furthermore, as part of its ongoing commitment to quantum-safe security, Samsung is integrating post-quantum cryptography into Secure Wi-Fi.22 This enhancement secures the key exchange process at the core of encrypted connections, helping ensure robust privacy even over public networks.
Availability & Offers
Galaxy Z Fold7 will be available for pre-order starting July 9, with general availability beginning July 25. Galaxy Z Fold7 comes in23 Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow, Jetblack and Mint24 (online exclusive) color options.
For your peace of mind, Samsung Care+25 offers comprehensive coverage for accidental damage, repairs, and replacements. Plus, for users who love having the latest technology, Samsung is introducing the New Galaxy Club.
Get expanded access to Google AI Pro26and 2TB of cloud storage for 6 months at no cost with Galaxy Z Fold7.
For more information about the Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy Z Flip7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 FE, please visit: Samsung Global Newsroom or Samsung.com.
*Measured diagonally, Galaxy Z Fold7’s Main Screen size is 8.0-inch in the full rectangle and 8.0-inch accounting for the rounded corners; actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners.
*Measured diagonally, Galaxy Z Fold7’s Cover Screen size is 6.5-inch in a full rectangle and 6.5-inch accounting for the rounded corners. The actual viewable area is smaller due to the rounded corners and camera hole.
Dimension & Weight
Folded
72.8 x 158.4 x 8.9mm
*Thickness of Galaxy Z Fold7 when folded measured from top to bottom of the glasses of Galaxy Z Fold7.
Unfolded
143.2 x 158.4 x 4.2mm
*The thickness of Galaxy Z Fold7 when unfolded does not include the frame of the Main Screen.
*30X Space Zoom includes 3x Optical Zoom and 10x digital zoom with AI Super Resolution technology. Zooming in past 3x may cause some image deterioration
AP
Snapdragon® 8 Elite for Galaxy
*Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Snapdragon is a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.
Memory & Storage
16GB Memory with 1TB internal storage12GB Memory with 512GB internal storage12GB Memory with 256GB internal storage
*Availability may vary by market or channel. Actual storage space may vary by market, model, file size and format.
Battery
4,400mAh (typical) dual battery
*Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated capacity is 4272mAh for Galaxy Z Fold7. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors.
Charging
Wired Charging*: Up to 50% charge in around 30 min. with 25W Adapter** and 3A USB-C cable*** Fast Wireless Charging 2.0**** Wireless PowerShare*****
*Wired charging compatible with QC2.0 and AFC. Results from internal Samsung lab tests, conducted with 25W Travel Adapter while it has 0% of power remaining, with all the services, features and screen turned off. Actual charging speed may vary depending on the actual usage, charging conditions and other factors.**25W Power Adapter sold separately. Use only Samsung-approved chargers and cables.***Wireless charging compatible with WPC.****Wireless PowerShare is limited to Samsung or other brand smartphones with WPC Qi wireless charging, such as Galaxy Z Fold7, Z Flip6, Galaxy Z Fold5, Z Flip5, Galaxy Z Fold4, Z Flip4, S22 series, Z Fold3 5G, Z Flip3 5G, S21 FE 5G, S21 series, Z Fold2, Note20 series, S20 series, Z Flip, Note10 series, S10 series, S9 series, S8 series, S7 series, S6 series, Note9, Note8, Note FE, Note5, and wearables such as Galaxy Buds2 Pro, Buds2, Buds Pro, Buds Live, Watch6, Watch6 Classic, Watch5, Watch5 Pro, Watch4, Watch4 Classic, Watch3, Watch Active2, Watch Active, Gear Sport, Gear S3, Galaxy Watch, and Galaxy Buds. May not work with certain accessories, covers, or other brand devices. May affect call reception or data services, depending on your network environment.
Water Resistance
IP48
*Based on lab test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. Not advised for beach or pool use. Rinse residue/dry if wet. Water resistance of device is not permanent and may diminish over time because of normal wear and tear.
Glass/Metal
Cover
Corning® Gorilla® Glass Ceramic 2
Back
Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2
Frame
Advanced Armor Aluminum
OS
Android 16One UI 8
Network & Connectivity
5G*, LTE**, Wi-Fi 7***, Bluetooth® v5.4
*Requires optimal 5G network connection, available in select markets. Check with your carrier for availability and details. Download and streaming speeds may vary based on content provider, server connection and other factors.**Availability of LTE model varies by market and carrier. Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment.***Wi-Fi 7 network availability may vary by market, network provider and user environment. Requires optimal connection and a Wi-Fi 7 router.
*SIM card sold separately. Availability may vary depending on market and carrier.**eSIM availability may vary depending on software version, region and carrier. Check with your carrier if your mobile network plan supports eSIM.
Colors
Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow, Jet-black* [Samsung.com Exclusive] Mint**
*Availability of color may vary by market, region or carrier.**Online exclusive colors only available on Samsung.com.
1 Weight may vary by country or region. 2 The thickness of Galaxy Z Fold7 when unfolded does not include the frame of the Main Screen. 3 Measured diagonally, Galaxy Z Fold7’s Cover Screen size is 6.5-inch in the full rectangle and 6.5-inch accounting for the rounded corners; actual viewable area is smaller due to the rounded corners and camera hole. 4 Compared to previous Galaxy Z Fold series. 5 Measured diagonally, Galaxy Z Fold7’s Main Screen size is 8.0-inch in the full rectangle and 8.0-inch accounting for the rounded corners; actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners. 6 Compared to previous Galaxy Z Fold series. 7 Corning® Gorilla® Glass Ceramic 2 is applied to the front of the device and Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 is applied to the rear. 8 Advanced Armor Aluminum frame does not include volume and side keys, SIM tray or camera lens barrel. 9 Snapdragon branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. 10 AP performance improvements shown compared to Galaxy Z Fold6. Actual performance will depend on user environment, conditions and pre-installed software and applications. 11 Results may vary depending on shooting conditions including multiple subjects, being out of focus or moving subjects. 12 Generative Edit feature for Photo Assist requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Editing with Generative Edit may result in a resized photo. A visible watermark is overlaid on the image output upon saving in order to indicate that the image is generated by AI. The accuracy and reliability of the generated output is not guaranteed. 13 Portrait Studio feature for Photo Assist requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Editing with Portrait Studio results in a resized photo. A visible watermark is overlaid on the image output upon saving in order to indicate that the image is generated by AI. The accuracy and reliability of the generated output is not guaranteed. 14 Audio Eraser results may vary per video depending on how sounds present in the video. Samsung Account login required. Certain types of sound can be detected such as voices, music, wind, nature, crowd and noise. Compatible with common video/audio formats accessible in Gallery, Samsung Notes, Video Player, Voice Recorder, Call transcription. The actual sound detection may vary depending on audio source, and the condition of the video. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed. 15 Samsung Account login may be required to use certain AI features. Samsung does not make any promises, assurances or guarantees as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the output provided by AI features. Availability of Galaxy AI features may vary depending on the region/country, OS/One UI version, device model and phone carrier. 16 Some functional widgets may require a network connection and/or Samsung Account login. Availability of functions supported within the apps may vary by country. 17 Gemini is a trademark of Google LLC. Results for illustrative purposes. Gemini Live feature requires internet connection and Google Account login. Service availability may vary by country, language, device model. Features may differ depending on subscription and results may vary. Compatible with certain features and certain accounts. Currently, you can use a personal Google Account that you manage on your own, or a work or school account for which your administrator has enabled access to Gemini. You must be 13 (or the applicable age in your country) or over to use Gemini with a personal or school Google Account and 18 or over to use Gemini with a work account. 18 Circle to Search is a trademark of Google LLC. Sequences shortened and simulated. Results for illustrative purposes only. Service availability may vary by country, language, device model. Requires internet connection. Users may need to update Android and Google app to the latest version. Works on compatible apps and surfaces. Results may vary depending on visual matches. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed. 19 Drawing assist feature requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. A visible watermark is overlaid on the image output upon saving in order to indicate that the image is generated by AI. The accuracy and reliability of the generated output is not guaranteed. Drawing assist feature requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. A visible watermark is overlaid on the image output upon saving in order to indicate that the image is generated by AI. The accuracy and reliability of the generated output is not guaranteed. 20 Writing Assist requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Must meet length requirements to activate feature. Service availability may vary by language. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed. 21 Available on Galaxy smartphones and tablets with One UI 8 or later. 22 Secure Wi-Fi offers free protection of up to 1024MB per month for Android OS 13 or later, and 250MB per month for Android OS 12 or earlier versions. Availability details may vary by market or network provider and connectivity is subject to applicable network environments. 23 Color availability may vary depending on country or carrier. 24 Exclusively available on Samsung.com 25 Terms and conditions apply. Samsung Care+ coverage, service type and promotion details may vary by country/region and deductible (service fee) may apply. To be eligible for Samsung Care+ promotion benefit, registration may be required. For detailed Samsung Care+ information, please visit https://www.samsung.com/samsung-care-plus/. 26 Google AI Pro is a trademark of Google LLC. Google AI Pro and Gemini for Gmail, Docs, and more are only available for ages 18+. Gemini for Gmail, Docs and more is available in select languages. Rate limits may apply.
The possibility of terraforming Mars to make it habitable by humans has captured recent headlines and the imagination — but is there science to support it? In a recent perspective paper in Nature Astronomy, a team of planetary scientists, led by Pioneer Research Labs and the University of Chicago, look at what would be needed to make the Martian surface environment more Earth-like — and what needs to be done now if there’s a hope of the Red Planet someday being able to sustain human life.
“Believe it or not, no one has really addressed whether it’s feasible to terraform Mars since 1991,” said Nina Lanza, a planetary scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and a co-author on the paper. “Yet since then, we’ve made great strides in Mars science, geoengineering, launch capabilities and bioscience, which give us a chance to take a fresh look at terraforming research and ask ourselves what’s actually possible.”
Terraforming Mars would require warming the atmosphere to enable engineered microbes to create oxygen through photosynthesis, which would further allow for slow oxygen build-up to support liquid water and more complex life. “Before we can assess whether warming Mars is worthwhile, relative to the alternative of leaving Mars as a pristine wilderness, we must confront the practical requirements, cost, and possible risks,” the authors write.
The article addresses current knowledge of Mars’ water, carbon dioxide and soil composition, and possible approaches to warming the surface temperature of Mars and raising atmospheric pressure and oxygen abundance. New techniques have emerged that could raise Mars’ average global temperature by tens of degrees within a few decades. Research priorities can focus on understanding fundamental physical, chemical, and biological constraints that will shape any future decisions about Mars. Such research would drive advances in Mars exploration, bioscience, and atmospheric engineering.
The authors also note that this research could ultimately help maintain “oasis Earth.” They argue that technologies developed for Mars habitation, such as desiccation-resistant crops, efficiently remediating soil, and improved ecosystem modeling, will likely benefit our home planet.
“Mars terraforming research offers a vital testbed for planetary science, potentially validating theories or exposing knowledge gaps,” they write. “Continued research promises significant scientific progress, regardless of whether full-scale terraforming occurs.”
Until that research is done, they write, “We don’t even know what’s physically or biologically possible. … If people can learn how to terraform a world such as Mars, this may be the first step to destinations beyond.”
Paper: “The case for Mars terraforming research.” Nature Astronomy. DOI: 10.1038/s41550-025-02548-0
LA-UR-25-24029
Originally published at: Los Alamos National Laboratory
If the smoldering heat is bothering you, better make some plans for some quality time spending with family or friends. A camping trip on the nearest national park, official camp sites, or wild camping is another activity you can enjoy. Bonding with nature to cool off your head and release some pent up stress through fishing and other calming or even exciting recreation are some of the things you can do.
Readiness
While we mentioned that you should be aware of the weather, announcements on the location along with who you are going with in our previous posts. Here are some additional things you should consider.
Availability – Make sure camping is allowed in your chosen location. Some areas have designated camping zones for your safety and to protect the local wildlife
Rules and regulations – Campfires on some location are banned. Check with the local authorities or management.
Wildlife Awareness – Being aware that there could possibly be bears or aggressive birds in the area you should prepare for these wildlife animals
Don’t feed wild animals. Doing so can encourage them to approach campsites, which may lead to dangerous encounters for both you and the animals
Store your food in lockers or containers or wild animals like bears can trace it back to your camp
Waste Management – If you need to dispose of trash in the area, ensure it’s biodegradable and eco-friendly. Ideally, take your waste with you to minimize environmental impact.
Gear
As with any adventure, a backpack or backpacks is essential. It would be hard to survive or enjoy if carrying all your supply and equipment with just a shopping bag. While that is still possible.
Blue Origin announced its next New Shepard crewed flight, NS-33, will lift off from Launch Site One in West Texas on Saturday, June 21. The launch window opens at 8:30 AM CDT / 13:30 UTC. The webcast on BlueOrigin.com will start at T-30 minutes.
The mission patch for NS-33.
Additionally, Blue Origin released the NS-33 mission patch. A few of the symbols embedded include:
The leaves symbolize Allie and Carl Kuehner’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
The school bus symbolizes Leland Larson’s family businesses.
The Moon symbolizes Freddie Rescigno, Jr.’s passion for archeological discoveries.
The scales of justice represent Jim Sitkin’s work in employment law.
The lotus flower symbolizes Owolabi Salis’ spiritual journey.
Each symbol is connected to the Crew Capsule by a thin green line representing each crew member’s unique journey.
There are two green lines circling Earth. The first represents the horizon and the second represents the Kármán line.
For more information on the crew, please see our previous blog post below.
Conservationists Join Blue Origin’s Next New Shepard Flight, NS-33
June 13, 2025
Blue Origin today announced the six people flying on its NS-33 mission. The crew includes: Allie Kuehner and her husband, Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno, Jr., Owolabi Salis, and James (Jim) Sitkin.
This mission is the 13th human flight for the New Shepard program and the 33rd in its history. The flight date will be announced soon. On launch day, the live webcast will start 30 minutes before liftoff.
Meet the Crew
Allie Kuehner
Allie is an environmentalist and dedicated conservationist with a passion for protecting natural ecosystems and wildlife for future generations. She serves on the board of Nature is Nonpartisan, a nonprofit organization advocating for bipartisan solutions to environmental challenges. Allie is an avid adventurer and explorer driven by a profound respect for nature and a desire to experience the wild places they work to protect. From remote landscapes to rugged terrain, she believes that firsthand exploration strengthens the case for thoughtful environmental stewardship.
Carl Kuehner
Carl serves as Chairman of Building and Land Technology (BLT), a real estate development, investment, and property management firm dedicated to building communities and ecosystems that promote long-term growth and sustainability. Under his leadership, BLT has redefined urban development by integrating innovative design with a deep commitment to environmental responsibility and community impact. Deeply committed to conservation, Carl champions efforts to sustain, restore, and enhance wildlife and natural habitats, sustainable food systems, and environmental restoration projects through business strategy and philanthropic initiatives. His work reflects a belief that responsible development and social stewardship go hand in hand, creating a legacy that balances progress with purpose.
Leland Larson
Leland is a philanthropist and former CEO of School Bus Services, Inc. and Larson Transportation Services. Both are family-owned businesses based in Oregon focused on public transportation systems regionally and nationally. In 1997, Leland co-founded the Larson Legacy, a philanthropic foundation focused on supporting hundreds of progressive nonprofits domestically and internationally. Early in his career, Leland was a teacher, worked in the Army counseling soldiers on their educational aspirations, and served as a Delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1968, which wrote the present-day Constitution of Hawaii. Leland is a passionate gardener and beekeeper, raises koi fish and chickens, and cherishes spending time with monks in the high mountains of Tibet.
Freddie Rescigno, Jr.
Freddie is an Italian-American entrepreneur, business owner, and competitive golfer based in Suwanee, Georgia. He is President and CEO of Commodity Cables, a company he founded in 2001 that services the electrical distribution market for wire and cable needs. His passion for archeological discoveries is at the heart of his interest in space. A lifelong golfer, Freddie has competed as an amateur at the state and national levels for 20 years. He is a father of three boys, who have inherited his same love for golf and Italian culture.
Owolabi Salis
Owolabi is an attorney and a financial consultant. He is the author of Equitocracy, which presents a vision for democracy that prioritizes equity among diverse groups. Owolabi is also a key member of The Soul Maker Ministry, which preaches diversity given the diverse nature of the universe. He is dedicating this mission to victims of discrimination and civil rights violations.
Jim Sitkin
Jim practiced law in California for four decades before retirement. His expertise focused on employment class actions on behalf of non-unionized employees, challenging industries that traditionally had rejected application of various employee protections. Jim is a volunteer for a global NGO, facilitating meetings with government and community leaders in Central Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. A lifelong adventurer, Jim has explored seven continents and has dreamt of space since he was a child growing up watching Star Trek. Jim and his wife, Sue, live in California with their very fat cat, Hickory.
Follow Blue Origin on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, and YouTube, and sign up on BlueOrigin.com to stay current on all mission details.
New Shepard Astronauts by Mission
To date, the program has flown 64 humans and more than 175 scientific payloads above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. Blue Origin astronauts include:
NS-32 (May 31, 2025): K-12 STEM teacher Aymette Medina Jorge; radiologist and explorer Dr. Gretchen Green; former Panamanian ambassador to the United States Jaime Alemán; entrepreneur Jesse Williams; aerospace executive Mark Rocket; and entrepreneur Paul Jeris.
NS-31 (April 14, 2025): Entrepreneur and global STEM advocate Aisha Bowe; bioastronautics research scientist and civil rights activist Amanda Nguyễn; CBS Mornings co-host and Oprah Daily editor-at-large Gayle King; global pop superstar Katy Perry; film producer Kerianne Flynn; and New York Times bestselling author, pilot, and philanthropist Lauren Sánchez.
NS-30 (February 25, 2025): Entrepreneur Elaine Hyde; Spanish adventurer and TV host Jesús Calleja; Bess Ventures Founder and NS-19 Astronaut Lane Bess; reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Richard Scott; quantitative researcher Tushar Shah; and an undisclosed sixth crew member.
NS-28 (November 22, 2024): Business professional Austin Litteral; MIT engineer and TV host Emily Calandrelli; Bayshore Capital CEO Henry Wolfond; entrepreneur James (J.D.) Russell; and philanthropists Sharon Hagle and her husband, Marc, who both previously flew on NS-20.
NS-26 (August 29, 2024): Cardiologist Dr. Eiman Jahangir; entrepreneur Ephraim Rabin; entrepreneur Eugene Grin; Orbitelle founder Karsen Kitchen; entrepreneur Nicolina Elrick; and University of Florida Professor Rob Ferl.
NS-25 (May 19, 2024): Retired CPA Carol Schaller; former Air Force Captain and first Black astronaut candidate Ed Dwight; pilot Gopi Thotakura; Family Tree Maker founder Ken Hess; Industrious Ventures investor Mason Angel; and French entrepreneur Sylvain Chiron.
NS-22 (August 4, 2022): Technology leader Clint Kelly III; Dude Perfect cofounder Coby Cotton; Portuguese entrepreneur Mário Ferreira; Egyptian mechanical and biomedical engineer Sara Sabry; telecommunications executive Steve Young; and British-American mountaineer Vanessa O’Brien.
NS-21 (June 4, 2022): Investor and NS-19 Astronaut Evan Dick; pilot and Action Aviation Chairman Hamish Harding; adventurer and Dream Variation Ventures Co-Founder Jaison Robinson; electrical engineer and former NASA test lead Katya Echazarreta; civil production engineer Victor Correa Hespanha; and Insight Equity Founder and explorer Victor Vescovo, Commander, USN (Ret.).
NS-20 (March 31, 2022): New Shepard Chief Architect Gary Lai; president of Commercial Space Technologies, LLC, and former associate administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration Office of Commercial Space Transportation Dr. George Nield; entrepreneur and adventurer Jim Kitchen; real estate executive Marc Hagle; executive and investor Marty Allen; and SpaceKids Global Founder Sharon Hagle.
NS-19 (December 11, 2021): Content creator Cameron Bess, space industry executive and philanthropist Dylan Taylor; investor Evan Dick; Bess Ventures Founder Lane Bess; the eldest daughter of Alan Shepard, the first American to fly to space, and the namesake of New Shepard Laura Shepard Churchley, and Good Morning America host Michael Strahan.
NS-18 (October 13, 2021): Blue Origin’s Vice President, New Shepard Mission & Flight Operations Audrey Powers; entrepreneur and Planet Labs Co-Founder Dr. Chris Boshuizen; entrepreneur Glen de Vries; and actor William Shatner.
NS-16 (July 20, 2021): Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos; volunteer firefighter and co-founder of HighPost Capital Mark Bezos; student Oliver Daemen; and aviator Wally Funk.
It’s Father’s day and also Men’s Health Month. What better way to appreciate these than take care of our dear father (or father figure). There are many ways to show appreciation, from thoughtful gifts and going far beyond.
While most likely they have one of these and will be reluctant to replace what they already have. Power tools are a safe choice, specially if their tools are already worn out. But in all seriousness, even if worn out, I’d still use my old trusty toolset. Just in case though.
Entertainment or listening to music is a past time most will understand. Whether it’s tuning in to your favorite podcast to instrumentals that lets you focus. A good pair of Bluetooth headphones is recommended. Aside from giving much mobility and not being restricted to the length of the wires, the quality of these portable boom box are something you can’t deny.
A huge hole in your vehicle security if you don’t have one. In today’s standard a dashcam is just as important as insurance, probably even more. It has the power to protect you from “crash-for-cash” scam, accident evidence and an overall monitoring for your ride. If your father doesn’t have one yet, this will be a perfect present already.
Let’s be honest here. Sometimes all we want is a little peace and a cold drink. A gift like a comfy chair, a quiet spot and a few frosty brews. Just make sure there’s a chiller nearby to keep the moment going.
Spending some quality time with your father or parents in general is always (almost) a welcome one. A visit with food in tow is one thing you could do. While a surprise visit might be an inconvenience for some, you might want to give a heads-up.
Cheers to all the fathers and father-figure out there!
And the winner is… the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. The Utah Student Robotics Club won the grand prize Artemis Award on May 22 for NASA’s 2025 Lunabotics Challenge held at The Astronauts Memorial Foundation’s Center for Space Education at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.
“Win was our motto for the whole year,” said Brycen Chaney, University of Utah, president of student robotics. “We had a mission objective to take our team and competition a step further, but win was right up front of our minds.”
Lunabotics is an annual challenge where students design and build an autonomous and remote-controlled robot to navigate the lunar surface in support of the Artemis campaign. The students from the University of Utah used their robot to excavate simulated regolith, the loose, fragmented material on the Moon’s surface, as well as built a berm. The students, who competed against 37 other teams, won grand prize for the first time during the Lunabotics Challenge.
“During the 16th annual Lunabotics University Challenge the teams continued to raise the bar on excavating, transporting, and depositing lunar regolith simulant with clever remotely controlled robots,” said Robert Mueller, senior technologist at NASA Kennedy for Advanced Products Development in the agency’s Exploration Research and Technology Programs Directorate, and lead judge and co-founder of the original Lunabotics robotic mining challenge. “New designs were revealed, and each team had a unique design and operations approach.”
Students from University of Illinois Chicago receive first place for the Robotic Construction Award during the 2025 Lunabotics Challenge.
NASA/Isaac Watson
Other teams were recognized for their achievements: The University of Illinois Chicago placed first for the Robotic Construction Award. “It’s a total team effort that made this work,” said Elijah Wilkinson, senior and team captain at the University of Illinois Chicago. “Our team has worked long and hard on this. We have people who designed the robot, people who programmed the robot, people who wrote papers, people who wired the robot; teamwork is really what made it happen.”
The University of Utah won second and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa came in third place, respectively. The award recognizes the teams that score the highest points during the berm-building operations in the Artemis Arena. Teams are evaluated based on their robot’s ability to construct berms using excavated regolith simulant, demonstrating effective lunar surface construction techniques.
To view the robots in action from the Robot Construction Award winners, please click on the following links: University of Illinois Chicago, University of Utah, University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Students from Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana received the Caterpillar Autonomy Award during the 2025 Lunabotics Challenge.
NASA/Isaac Watson
Students from Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana received the Caterpillar Autonomy Award for their work. The University of Alabama placed second, followed by the University of Akron in Ohio. Michigan Technological University came in fourth, followed by the University of Illinois Chicago, and the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. This award honors teams that successfully complete competition activities autonomously. It emphasizes the development and implementation of autonomous control systems in lunar robotics, reflecting real-world applications in remote and automated operations.
An Artemis I flag flown during the Nov. 16, 2022, mission was presented to the University of Illinois Chicago, as well as the University of Virginia in Charlottesville as part of the Innovation Award. The recognition is given to teams for their original ideas, creating efficiency, effective results, and solving a problem.
Dr. Eric Meloche from the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and Jennifer Erickson, professor from the Colorado School of Mines in Golden each received an Artemis Educator Award, a recognition for educators, faculty, or mentors for their time and effort inspiring students.
The University of Utah received the Effective Use of Communications Power Award and the University of Virginia the agency’s Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science Award.
Students from the Colorado School of Mines pose for a photo after receiving a Systems Engineering Award during the 2025 Lunabotics Competition.
NASA/Isaac Watson
Students from the Colorado School of Mines placed first receiving a Systems Engineering Award. University of Virginia in Charlottesville and the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, came in second and third places.
This is truly a win-win situation. The students get this amazing experience of designing, building, and testing their robots and then competing here at NASA in a lunar-like scenario while NASA gets the opportunity to study all of these different robot designs as they operate in simulated lunar soil. Lunabotics gives everyone involved new technical knowledge along with some pretty great experience.”
Kurt Leucht Commentator, Lunabotics Competition and Software Development team lead
Below is a list of other awards given to students:
Systems Engineering Paper Award Nova Award: Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia; Boise State University; Texas A&M University in College Station
Best Use of Systems Engineering Tools: The University of Utah
Best Use of Reviews as Control Gates: The University of Alabama
Systems Engineering Paper Award Leaps and Bounds Award: The University of Miami in Florida
Best presentation award by a first year team: University of Buffalo in New York
Presentations and Demonstrations Awards: University of Utah; Colorado School of Mines; University of Miami
STEM Engagement Awards: The University of Utah placed first, followed by the University of Virginia and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach
NASA SSERVI Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science: The University of Virginia
Efficient use of Communications Power Award: The University of Utah
By: Elyna Niles-Carnes Originally published at: NASA
Summer is almost here. Or we should say, that summer is here, but the actual weather must’ve been late to wake up.
As with any change in season, its also accompanied with a change in possible activities. The increase in temperature also comes with changes in nature. Some of these activities are popular to many. Like hiking along nature trails, walking along the country side or strolling around the shore.
Here we have some of the essentials while going on hiking and nature walks. From what to bring in your leisurely walk to an adventure in the forest and mountains.
Preparation
Weather : Check the weather forecast in advance. Prediction has largely improved and is considerably more accurate compared to years ago.
Company : Who you are going with. Check with them, confirm if it’s a go or no go. If you are going alone, make sure to tell someone in case of emergency. This includes the location and possibly how long you are going to be gone.
Destination : Check for announcements on the location of your activity. If there are emergencies like closure, wildflife dangers and other similar events you might want to postpone it.
Essentials / What to Bring
Hiking and camping gear
Clothing
Footwear
Food and water. Specially water. Summer, while good for long walks, you have to be aware and keep yourself hydrated.
Emergency and first aid kit. This might include signal flares aside from the usual medicine kit.
Bug spray or insect repellent. Depending on location, this can be an issue. Allergic reactions to bees is no joke.
Choosing the right backpack
The right backpack can be tricky sometimes. While it heavily depends on how long you are going out. Sometimes, it can also be about the nature of the items and the length of the activity.
Highly durable with plenty of pockets. These two things are most of the time enough for someone to buy a bag. Specially children, they love pockets, the more the merrier. Another thing this bag has going for it is the comfortable cushion it provides the shoulder, making long walks at ease as you focus on the adventure instead of the discomfort. While we received some feedback on the straps about making it stronger, this also depends on how much you fill it with.
You might think this pack is rigid, judging from its squarish design. But it’s designed like that for “tactical” purpose. For critical features such as durability, adaptability, and functionality. With it’s main compartment being able to open like a suitcase, you could easily take in or out equipment and gears. When you talk about this backpack, it’s more on the functional side rather than the fashion. But since fashion is subjective, who could say this isn’t.
A bag purpose-built for storage and is waterproof. In short, for the beach and the pool, or any place with water, water that you don’t want inside your bag. With a 60-liter capacity and a shoe compartment, you could not only bring it to the beach but also at the gym.
Researchers share the design and implementation of an incentive-based Space Sustainability Rating.
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics | Media Lab MIT News (https://news.mit.edu/2025/deploying-practical-solution-space-debris-0514)
Caption:A team co-led by MIT Associate Professor Danielle Wood’s Space Enabled research group has developed and launched the Space Sustainability Rating (SSR), a system for scoring space mission operators on their launch and de-orbit plans, collision-avoidance measures, debris generation, and data sharing.
At this moment, there are approximately 35,000 tracked human-generated objects in orbit around Earth. Of these, only about one-third are active payloads: science and communications satellites, research experiments, and other beneficial technology deployments. The rest are categorized as debris — defunct satellites, spent rocket bodies, and the detritus of hundreds of collisions, explosions, planned launch vehicle separations, and other “fragmentation events” that have occurred throughout humanity’s 67 years of space launches.
The problem of space debris is well documented, and only set to grow in the near term as launch rates increase and fragmentation events escalate accordingly. The clutter of debris — which includes an estimated 1 million objects over 1 centimeter, in addition to the tracked objects — regularly causes damage to satellites, requires the repositioning of the International Space Station, and has the potential to cause catastrophic collisions with increasing frequency.
To address this issue, in 2019 the World Economic Forum selected a team co-led by MIT Associate Professor Danielle Wood’s Space Enabled Research Group at the MIT Media Lab to create a system for scoring space mission operators on their launch and de-orbit plans, collision-avoidance measures, debris generation, and data sharing, among other factors that would allow for better coordination and maintenance of space objects. The team has developed a system called the Space Sustainability Rating (SSR), and launched it in 2021 as an independent nonprofit.
“Satellites provide valuable services that impact everyone in the world by helping us understand the environment, communicate globally, navigate, and operate our modern infrastructure. As innovative new missions are proposed that operate thousands of satellites, a new approach is needed to provide space traffic management. National governments and space operators need to design coordination approaches to reduce the risk of losing access to valuable satellite missions,” says Wood, who is jointly appointed in the Program in Media Arts and Sciences and the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro). “The Space Sustainability Rating plays a role by compiling internationally recognized responsible on-orbit behaviors, and celebrating space actors that implement them.”
France-based Eutelsat Group, a geostationary Earth orbit and low Earth orbit satellite operator, signed on as the first constellation operator with a large deployment of satellites to undergo a rating. Eutelsat submitted a mission to SSR for assessment, and was rated on a tiered scoring system based on six performance modules. Eutelsat earned a platinum rating with a score exceeding 80 percent, indicating that the mission demonstrated exceptional sustainability in design, operations, and disposal practices.
As of December 2024, SSR has also provided ratings to operators such as OHB Sweden AB, Stellar, and TU Delft.
In a new open-access paper published in Acta Astronautica, lead author Minoo Rathnasabapathy, Wood, and the SSR team provide the detailed history, motivation, and design of the Space Sustainability Rating as an incentive system that provides a score for space operators based on their effort to reduce space debris and collision risk. The researchers include AeroAstro alumnus Miles Lifson SM ’20, PhD ’24; University of Texas at Austin professor and former MIT MLK Scholar Moriba Jah; and collaborators from the European Space Agency, BryceTech, and the Swiss Institute of Technology of Lausanne Space Center (eSpace).
The paper provides transparency about the inception of SSR as a cross-organizational collaboration and its development as a composite indicator that evaluates missions across multiple quantifiable factors. The aim of SSR is to provide actionable feedback and a score recognizing operators’ contributions to the space sustainability effort. The paper also addresses the challenges SSR faces in adoption and implementation, and its alignment with various international space debris mitigation guidelines.
SSR draws heavily on proven rating methodologies from other industries, particularly Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in the building and manufacturing industries, Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture systems (SAFA) in the agriculture industry, and Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) in the education industry.
“By grounding SSR in quantifiable metrics and testing it across diverse mission profiles, we created a rating system that recognizes sustainable decisions and operations by satellite operators, aligned with international guidelines and industry best practices,” says Rathnasabapathy.
The Space Sustainability Rating is a nongovernmental approach to encourage space mission operators to take responsible actions to reduce space debris and collision risk. The paper highlights the roles for private sector space operators and public sector space regulators to put steps in place to ensure such responsible actions are pursued.
The Space Enabled Research Group continues to perform academic research that illustrates the benefits of space missions and government oversight bodies enforcing sustainable and safe space practices. Future work will highlight the need for a sustainability focus as practices such as satellite service and in-space manufacturing start to become more common.
Reprinted with permission of MIT News http://news.mit.edu/
As the Catholic Church prepares for one of its most sacred traditions, all eyes turn to the Vatican where the College of Cardinals gathers to elect the next Supreme Pontiff. This infographic provides an essential guide to the key players who will shape this historic decision.
From influential Cardinals representing diverse theological perspectives to regional power brokers and potential papal candidates, we’ve mapped the most significant figures in this upcoming conclave. Understand their backgrounds, positions on critical issues facing the Church, and the alliances that may determine who emerges as the next leader of over 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide.
Whether you’re following Vatican politics closely or simply curious about this ancient process unfolding in modern times, this guide offers vital context for the momentous selection ahead. For more details on the Conclave process, check out this infographic explainer.
