The “Armata” Universal Combat Platform is a Russian advanced next generation heavy military tracked vehicle platform. The “Armata” platform is intended to be the basis for a main battle tank, a heavy infantry fighting vehicle, a combat engineering vehicle, an armoured recovery vehicle, a heavy armoured personnel carrier, a tank support combat vehicle and several …
Xiaomi Corp.’s valuation could more than double to $100 billion, spurred by its latest financing round, according to investor Yuri Milner. China’s largest smartphone vendor has the same potential as Facebook Inc. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (BABA) to reach that valuation, said the billionaire Milner, an early investor in all three companies. Xiaomi today …
Chinese National Development and Reform Commission Estimate of Over Investment at Probably less than $10.8 trillion sine 1997 A recent study performed by two economists affiliated with the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Beijing’s powerful economic planning and regulatory agency, offered a revealing glimpse into this puzzle. The economists examined two indicators: the …
The China Bicycle Association reports that 36,950,000 electric bicycles (e-bikes) were produced in 2013; 5.4% more than in 2012. Production of regular bikes reached 82 million units in 2013; 0.9% down on the 2012 total. Electric Bike Worldwide Report (EBWR) had projected worldwide electric bike sales at 35 million for 2014, 40 million in 2025, …
Regardless of the final outcome of the situation in the Ukraine with Russia. US and European relations with Russia will be bad for many years. Europe will try to have less dependence upon Russian Natural Gas. Europe now gets about 30% from Russia. Europe and American Banks and investors will try to have less exposure …
Google announced that they’ve acquired Boston Dynamics, creators of quad- and bi-pedal robots like Big Dog and PETMAN. This is Google’s eighth robotics acquisition. Andy Rubin, stepped down as head of Google’s Android business in march after turning a little-known mobile OS into a juggernaut. “His last big bet, Android, started off as a crazy …
George Lucas and Steven Spielberg say the film industry is on track to have a “massive implosion” because there just isn’t enough time in the day for consumers to support all the films released in theaters. Films are competing with all the content and options that the Internet provides. Studios in Hollywood are the equivalent …
Traditionally, Direct Energy (DE), especially High Energy Laser (HEL), has mainly been considered for beaming energy or power, however, it can be exploited for beaming momentum as well. Dr. Y. K . Bae presents an innovative spacecraft maneuvering architecture, DE Momentum Beaming (DEMB), in which momentum is beamed between two spacecraft platforms via the pressure …
Beryllium Aluminum is more than three times stiffer than aluminum with 22% less weight and can be precision-cast to simple and complex configurations. This material is very lightweight with a high modulus of elasticity and can be precision cast for three-dimensional stability. The alloy is ideally suited for certain demanding semiconductor manufacturing equipment, computer components …
Space innovators at the University of Surrey and Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) are developing ‘STRaND-2’, a twin-satellite mission to test a novel in-orbit docking system based upon XBOX Kinect technology that could change the way space assets are built, maintained and decommissioned. STRaND-2 is the latest mission in the cutting edge STRaND (Surrey Training, …
Russia-IC (2011 statements)- Officials from Russia’s Space Agency, Roscosmos, are reportedly in talks with Europe’s ESA and NASA over possibly establishing a collective an orbital station around the moon, or a manned lunar research base. According to Russian news site RIA Novosti, while the country intends on making the moon its focal point, Russia’s plans …