Engineering news
First ever private lunar mission enters orbit around the Moon
New Atlas
A historic mission to the Moon is approaching its crescendo, with the Israeli-built Beresheet lander today entering orbit around our biggest satellite and preparing to close in on its surface. If successful, it will become the first privately built spacecraft to touch down on the Moon, and would make Israel just the fourth nation to do so after the US, the Soviet Union and China.
5G technology to boost UK economy by up to £15.7bn by 2025 – Barclays
Production Engineering Solutions
New research from Barclays Corporate Banking shows that 5G could supercharge the UK economy by up to £15.7bn per year by 2025 – but the opportunity could be missed because industry leaders still do not know enough about the benefits of investing in the technology.
Electric car battery with 600 miles of range? This start-up claims to have done it
The Verge
Innolith, a Swiss start-up, claims to have made the world’s first 1,000 Wh/kg rechargeable battery. By comparison, the batteries that Tesla uses in its Model 3 — the so-called 2170 cells — are an estimated 250 Wh/kg.
MPs slam Crossrail’s ‘disastrous’ governance
Rail Technology Magazine
MPs have said they are “increasingly alarmed at the continual shortcomings” of Crossrail and the Department for Transport as the project's nearly £3bn overspend and substantial delays still “may not be enough.”
Meet the young innovators who are engineering tomorrow
Professional Engineering
In our search for the most exciting young engineers, we discovered a rich seam of talent and drive running right through the profession. We combined nominations from readers and recommendations from the IMechE’s Young Members Board to find the brightest and best young engineers aged 35 or under.
Emissions growth in the United States and Asia fuelled record carbon levels in 2018
Science Mag
Global carbon levels reached a record high last year, as surging demand for fossil fuels in the United States and Asia sent emissions soaring, the International Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris said last week.
Amazon will launch thousands of satellites to provide internet around the world
The Verge
Amazon plans to launch a constellation of 3,236 satellites into low Earth orbit in order to provide internet to “unserved and underserved communities around the world.” Amazon is the latest in a string of companies with plans to use a network of thousands of satellites to offer broadband around the world. Unlike traditional satellite internet, these plans involve the use of satellites in low Earth orbit, which can be operated cheaply and with lower latencies.
PressurePores propeller tech cuts underwater noise pollution
The Engineer
Increasing levels of underwater noise generated by shipping can threaten marine mammals and fish, which rely on sound to navigate, communicate and find food. Now a new technology capable of reducing the underwater radiated noise generated by ships’ propeller cavitation has been developed by researchers at Strathclyde University and West Sussex-based Oscar Propulsion.
National Grid prepped to accept 100% zero-carbon sources by 2025
E&T
The operator of the UK’s National Grid has said that it is preparing the system to fully run on carbon-free electricity sources by 2025. The National Grid’s Electricity System Operator (ESO) said it currently relies on a mix of generation to balance the system and ensure that electricity is always available when needed.
38p for every £1: year after first figures, gender pay gap is far from closed
Professional Engineering
At 72 engineering-related firms, men were paid an extra 35% or more on average.
Professional Engineering analysis found 10 companies with a difference of 43.2% or more. One business had a 62% difference in mean hourly rate – meaning that, for every pound earned by men, women earned only 38p. One year on, has anything changed?