Good Morning! 🌞 

I am happy to report that so far the USA Olympic team is still in the lead. We have 4 gold, 11 silver, and 11 bronze, for a total of 26 medals.

For our readers from outside the country, good luck! I hope your country win plenty of medals… just not more then the USA please. 😁

Space

Rolls-Royce in Space

Rolls-Royce has secured funding from the United Kingdom Space Agency under the National Space Innovation Program (NSIP) to further develop its space nuclear power technology. The $6.2 million (£4.8 million) award will support the advancement and demonstration of key technologies in the space nuclear micro-reactor.

The Rolls-Royce NSIP project, with a total cost of $11.7 million (£9.1 million), aims to bring the reactor closer to a full system space flight demonstration. The company will collaborate with academic partners from the University of Oxford and Bangor University to develop the entire system design, underlying capabilities, and key technologies.

This project addresses the need for a reliable power supply in space, enabling long-term exploration on the Moon and beyond. Rolls-Royce had previously unveiled a conceptual model design of a nuclear Space Micro-Reactor that could one day supply electricity for a lunar settlement. This prototype was presented at the UK Space Conference in Belfast last year.

The lack of sunlight on the Moon's south side poses a challenge for researchers and expeditions. A nuclear-powered reactor could solve this problem and support a continuous human presence on the Moon. The small, lightweight reactor would operate unaffected by the absence of sunlight, making it ideal for an outpost inside a dark crater at the south pole.

The proposed reactor, measuring 3.3 feet (40 inches) in width and 10 feet (120 inches) in length, is still in development and not yet capable of generating electricity. If all goes as planned, it will take approximately six years and several million dollars to prepare the reactor for its first space flight.

Olympics

Another Gold for the US!

Yesterday evening, the US women’s gymnastics team won the gold medal for the team gymnastics event. While impressive, the victory is not unexpected.

The return of Simone Biles has been a highly anticipated event, and she did not disappoint with her performances during the team event.

Jade Carey, who has been very ill so far during the Olympics, participated in one event were she did the vault. It was an impressive vault and well worth a watch.

Suni Lee did an amazing routine on the uneven bars. While impressive enough on its own, it is even more so when you take into account that she had a pretty scary fall while warming up for the event.

The only noticeable mishap was with Jordan Chiles, who had a fall while attempting a very tricky mount on the beam. Despite the fall, she composed herself excellently and did a stellar performance.

A quick note: NBC Sports miss-titles several of their videos indicating that this was the all-around event. It was not the all-around event, but the team event. The men’s all-around event is today and the women’s is tomorrow.

US News

Explosion at Yellowstone

An unexpected explosion at Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone National Park surprised tourists.

Vlada March, a real estate agent on a guided tour with her family, captured the moment a violent and towering blast of rock, water, and steam erupted from the ground.

No injuries were reported, but the National Park Service shared images on social media showing a boardwalk covered in debris, along with a destroyed bench and sections of a fence. They stated that both their staff and United States Geological Survey (USGS) personnel will monitor the area and reopen it once it's deemed safe.

“Hydrothermal explosions occur when water suddenly flashes to steam underground, and they are relatively common in Yellowstone,” says the USGS.

The USGS explains that these explosions are hard to predict, comparing them to a pressure cooker that may not give any warning signs. They are also more common than people realize. “This was the sort of event that occurs 1-2 times per year (often in the backcountry, so it goes unnoticed). It's an underappreciated hazard that we've been emphasizing for years,” the agency says.

That must have been both frightening and incredible to have witnessed. I am sure it will make a great family story for all who saw it.

This is the video of the event below:

vladamarch_realestate

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Mind Stretchers

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Paul is 5 and goes to bed at 6 o’clock every evening. His older sister Olivia is 7 and doesn’t go to bed untill 7 o’clock. Melanie is 13 and goes to bed two and a half hours after Paul. Stephen is 9 and goes to bed one hour after Olivia. Who goes to bed latest?

Yesterday’s Answers to the Mind Stretchers:
Where in England could be described as ‘After the meal, the plate is full’?

- Nuneaton

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