1. Apple Launching Two More New Products This Friday  MacRumors
2. Wall-mounted HomeView drops the woofer and adapter but still costs $299  The Mac Observer
3. Apple HomeView launches Friday: Here’s what’s new  The Apple Post
4. Want to liven up your Samsung with something from Applu? Download these 40 wallpapers designed for HomeView  Samsung Magazine
5. Apple HomeView: Everything you need to know about Apple’s smart-home display  Macworld

1. Meet Drops, the new music app bringing back the fun of sharing songs with friends  TechCrunch
2. HARMAN INTRODUCES DROPS, MAKING MUSIC DISCOVERY MORE PERSONAL, ONE CLIP AT A TIME  HARMAN Newsroom

1. Epic Games Launcher is coming to SteamOS  The Verge
2. Epic Games comments on planned Linux distribution support  GamingOnLinux
3. Steam Deck owners will be able to install the Epic Games launcher  Android Headlines
4. Epic Games launcher is coming to SteamOS, but Fortnite still faces a roadblock  PCQuest
5. “including Fedora, SteamOS”: Epic outlines Linux plans for its new games launcher  MIXED News

1. Sony’s new PlayStation Portal handheld includes ‘additional’ internal storage  The Verge
2. Sony Launches New PS Portal Model in Japan With Internal Storage for 'Future Functionality,' Changes Official Name  IGN
3. New PlayStation Portal Player Gets Built-In Storage in Japan and Korea, Purpose Still Unknown  TechPowerUp
4. 携帯型ゲーム機「PlayStation Portal プレーヤー」が12月10日発売決定！本体ストレージを新たに追加  Saiga NAK
5. Sony Officially Announces New Playstation Handheld  Polygon.com

1. AMD Confirms Excessive SSD Writes in Radeon Drivers, Fix Coming with Adrenalin 26.11.1  TechPowerUp
2. AMD admits GPU driver bug is writing data continuously, wearing out SSDs — Radeon owner claims External Events Utility used up 1% of SSD health every month for over a year, company promises a fix soon  Tom's Hardware
3. Old AMD Windows chipset driver bug that quietly degrades SSDs now back on GPUs  Neowin
4. Radeon PCs Report Constant SSD Writes From AMD Utility, Possibly 432GB a Day  XenoSpectrum
5. An AMD Radeon driver bug is reducing SSD lifespans, but a fix is thankfully on the way  Club386

Mid-power (3-7 kW) Hall effect thruster systems have been identified by government and industry stakeholders as critical capabilities for satellite, defense, and exploration missions. Given the need for this capability, NASA is launching the Advanced Mid-Power Electric Rocket (AMPERE) Challenge.

The NASA AMPERE Challenge invites U.S. commercial companies to develop and demonstrate mid-power Hall effect thruster prototypes. Through this challenge, NASA aims to accelerate the maturation of electric propulsion capabilities, validate real-world performance in NASA test facilities, and build the foundation needed to support future NASA and commercial missions. The challenge is open to companies incorporated in and maintaining a primary place of business in the United States.

Award: $500,000 in total prizes. Up to two winning teams can each receive up to $250,000 in cash prizes, plus access to NASA testing and technology, across three phases.

Registration Open Date: November 9, 2026

Registration Close Date: January 27, 2027

For more information including registration, rules, and eligibility, visit: https://ampere.nasatechmaturation.org/

Read this release in English here.
El domingo 8 de noviembre de 2026, la NASA anunció la convocatoria del reto estudiantil Base Lunar, dotado con un millón de dólares, durante un acto de MAX POWER celebrado en el Complejo de Visitantes del Centro Espacial Kennedy, en Florida. En el marco de una edad de oro de la ciencia, la competición invita a equipos de estudiantes de escuelas secundarias y centros de educación superior de Estados Unidos a aportar diseños para la Base Lunar.

“Buscamos estudiantes dispuestos a pensar de forma creativa, a trabajar en equipo y a abordar problemas reales relacionados con el futuro de la NASA en la Luna”, dijo el administrador de la NASA, Jared Isaacman. “No hace falta esperar hasta la graduación para contribuir. La curiosidad, la creatividad y la voluntad de afrontar problemas difíciles sin respuestas obvias son precisamente las cualidades que necesitamos mientras construimos lo que viene a continuación”.

La NASA está construyendo la Base Lunar, donde los astronautas vivirán, trabajarán y explorarán la región del Polo Sur lunar. La presencia humana permanente en la Luna allana el camino para futuras misiones tripuladas a Marte y requiere talento procedente de diversos sectores y ámbitos.

“A medida que construimos y diseñamos los cimientos de la Base Lunar, queremos aprovechar todo el ingenio y la innovación para tener en cuenta cada aspecto que nuestros exploradores puedan necesitar para vivir y trabajar allí”, afirmó Carlos García-Galán, director del programa Base Lunar. “Los estudiantes aportan precisamente las ideas audaces que estamos buscando, y estoy deseando descubir su enfoque. En definitiva, la Base Lunar es para ellos, las personas que vivirán en un mundo en el que los seres humanos estarán en la Luna para quedarse”.

Este reto, que consta de varias fases, refuerza el compromiso de la NASA con el desarrollo de las competencias técnicas del personal aeroespacial del futuro. Los equipos de estudiantes diseñarán soluciones innovadoras para la Base Lunar en seis categorías: generación y almacenamiento de energía, construcción, sistemas de soporte vital, movilidad en la superficie, redes de comunicaciones y seguridad de los astronautas. La iniciativa ofrece a los participantes la oportunidad de adquirir las aptitudes necesarias para una carrera en la industria espacial, al tiempo que contribuye al avance de nuevos conceptos tecnológicos para la Base Lunar.

Los participantes deben inscribirse en el reto a través de la plataforma NASA STEM Gateway, en inglés. El plazo de inscripción está abierto hasta el 25 de enero de 2027.

“Los estudiantes son la siguiente generación de exploradores e innovadores. Sus perspectivas únicas son fundamentales para ayudarnos a imaginar un futuro lejos de la Tierra, y me entusiasma ver la creatividad y el ingenio que suscitará este reto”, dijo Elaine Ho, administradora asociada de la Oficina de Participación en STEM de la sede central de la NASA en Washington.

El reto estudiantil Base Lunar aborda parámetros medioambientales y de diseño de misiones reales para la vida y las operaciones en la superficie lunar. Los trabajos solicitados reflejan destrezas propias del sector (estudios comparativos, propuestas conceptuales y presentaciones a las partes interesadas), lo que permite a los participantes de formación técnica, profesional y de diversas ramas académicas desarrollar capacidades relevantes para su carrera sin necesidad de contar con experiencia previa en ingeniería o en el ámbito técnico.

La Oficina de Participación en STEM diseñó el reto en colaboración con el programa Base Lunar. El Institute of Competition Sciences (Instituto de Ciencias de la Competición) lo gestiona mediante un contrato con el Centro de Excelencia de la NASA para la Innovación Colaborativa, dependiente de la Dirección de Misiones de Investigación y Tecnología de la agencia.

Para obtener información detallada y en inglés sobre el reto, los requisitos de participación y las bases oficiales, visita:

https://moonbasechallenge.org
-fin-

George Alderman / Cheryl Warner / María José Viñas
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
george.a.alderman@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov / maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov

Nilufar Ramji / Kenna Pell
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov / kenna.m.pell@nasa.gov

On Nov. 6, 2026, Purpose Entertainment hosted the Artemis Celebration Gala at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Merritt Island, Florida. Held on the eve of NASA’s MAX POWER event, the gala celebrated the explorers, innovators, and visionaries advancing the next era of human spaceflight.

The event honored the successful completion of the agency’s Artemis II mission, marking a historic milestone in America’s return to deep space exploration. As one of the signature events concluding the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration, the gala commemorated the achievements of Artemis II while looking ahead to humanity’s return to the lunar surface through the Artemis campaign.

Thousands gathered over several days in early November to experience MAX POWER – NASA’s first exhibition of America’s superiority in space, aeronautics, and technology on and around the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The multi-day, family-friendly event honored the nation’s 250th anniversary and served as a culmination of the agency’s Inspiration Tour.

Among the many highlights, NASA welcomed President Donald J. Trump to MAX POWER, which featured flyovers and a skydive from NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, and announced a new X-plane, astronaut candidate recruitment, a student Moon Base challenge, and discussed the agency’s latest lunar exploration plans.

“It was a great week at NASA Kennedy, where we were joined by the President and federal, state, international, and industry leaders,” said Isaacman. “During our nation’s 250th birthday, the year of Artemis II’s voyage around the Moon, we were thrilled to invite the public out to see the rockets, the landers, the rovers, and the technology that will return astronauts to the lunar surface and build the base, not to mention witness a wonderful airshow that included NASA research aircraft and was headlined by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.”

Through multiple park experiences, NASA and external collaborators at UP.Summit, Air Dot Show, Purpose Entertainment, and Delaware North each hosted a variety of private and public events Nov. 4-8. Teams showcased the newest aircraft, rovers, autonomous vehicles, and technologies defining the future of air and space. Astronauts, scientists, engineers, pilots, and subject matter experts were on hand for a variety of moderated discussions, appearances, and more.

Some of the key announcements made at MAX POWER included:

• NASA opened astronaut applications through Thursday, Dec. 3, seeking future explorers to fly Artemis and low Earth orbit missions, and help build humanity’s first lunar outpost.
• NASA also challenged students to a $1 million competition to design innovative solutions for the Moon Base, giving participants an opportunity to develop necessary skills for careers in the space industry while helping advance new concepts for Moon Base technologies.
• Agency leadership announced numerous awards, task orders, and selections involving 12 companies to advance development of the Moon Base, marking significant progress toward establishing humanity’s first permanent presence on the lunar surface. The announcements spanned transportation, technology, and science initiatives, including moving forward with development of PROMISE, NASA’s nuclear-powered lunar rover.
• Isaacman unveiled the agency’s newest X-plane, the X-70 Fractal, an experimental aircraft which could revolutionize crewed flight with its maneuverability and flight-control technology.

While guests journeyed between three park locations on the ground at NASA Kennedy’s historic Shuttle Landing Facility, T-38s, F-5s, and an ER-2 sped overhead during four flyovers, several of which were piloted by Isaacman. Some guests also were invited to a black-tie gala featuring agency leadership remarks and panel discussions with Apollo and Artemis astronauts.

NASA’s Artemis III crew members also took to the stage during the astronaut announcement, previewing their test flight in low Earth orbit in 2027. NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, and Andre Douglas, as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Luca Parmitano all will fly aboard Orion, will launch on the SLS (Space Launch System), to test docking and rendezvous capabilities with the Blue Origin Blue Moon lander and SpaceX Starship lunar lander test articles, respectively, laying the groundwork to land astronauts on the Moon in 2028.

Finally, while this expo was the first for NASA, there is much more to come. As part of a public/private partnership, NASA and its partners also announced CAPEWEEK: The Great American Aerospace and Technology Expo at Kennedy. The new annual expo will debut March 27 through April 2, 2028, at Kennedy’s Shuttle Landing Facility, with a footprint expected to ultimately grow upward of 500,000 people.

“It was an educational and inspirational event, with a student Moon Base science challenge, a call for more NASA astronauts, and the unveiling of a new X-plane,” said Isaacman. “All credit goes to the NASA workforce and our partners, doing the work each day to bring the NASA missions to reality, and events like this so successful. So much so that we are doing it again, only bigger. CAPEWEEK begins in 2028.”

To learn more about NASA’s missions, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov

NASA’s two ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) spacecraft have each successfully completed a powered Earth flyby, using Earth’s gravity in combination with a sustained engine burn to slingshot themselves toward Mars. With these successful maneuvers complete, the twin spacecraft are on target to reach the Red Planet in September 2027.

“This is the first time NASA has used a powered Earth flyby to propel a spacecraft toward Mars, and we’ve now executed this maneuver twice, flawlessly, in just two days,” said Asal Naseri, acting associate flight director for the Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

The two ESCAPADE spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Nov. 13, 2025, when Earth and Mars were on opposite sides of the Sun. So instead of heading straight for the Red Planet, as most other Mars missions have done, both spacecraft entered a “loiter” or “Earth-proximity” orbit. They charted a first-of-its-kind, kidney-bean-shaped course around a place in space about a million miles from Earth called Lagrange point 2, which is a gravitational balancing point on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun. Then they headed back toward Earth to perform this gravitational slingshot maneuver around our planet once Earth and Mars were favorably aligned.

“With this loiter orbit and Earth flyby, ESCAPADE is pioneering a new strategy for getting to Mars,” said Jeff Parker of Advanced Space, lead mission designer. “This method provides the flexibility to launch almost anytime and then use Earth’s gravity to get a boost to Mars, rather than waiting every two years to launch there directly when the planets are aligned.”

The first ESCAPADE spacecraft completed its close approach to Earth and its approximately 9-minute trans-Mars injection burn — the engine firing that commits the spacecraft to its path to Mars — at 5 a.m. EST on Nov. 7, when it was about 1,000 miles above the planet’s surface. The second spacecraft followed suit two days later, completing its close approach and engine burn at 6 a.m. EST on Nov. 9, when it was about 650 miles above the planet’s surface.

These powered flybys of Earth set both spacecraft on course for their 10-month cruise to Mars, culminating with their Mars orbit insertion burns planned for Sept. 7 and Sept. 9, 2027. Once in orbit around Mars, the two spacecraft will fly in formation to study how a million-mile-per-hour stream of material flowing from the Sun, known as the solar wind, interacts with the Martian environment and how that drives atmospheric loss at Mars.

“By better understanding how the solar wind affects the Martian environment, ESCAPADE’s findings could help us plan and prepare for future human exploration of the Red Planet,” said Michele Cash, ESCAPADE program scientist at NASA Headquarters.

The twin ESCAPADE spacecraft have already taken some science observations during their loiter orbit as they flew multiple times through Earth’s magnetotail, a part of our planet’s magnetic environment that gets stretched away from Earth, opposite the Sun, by the solar wind. During the 10-month trip to Mars, the spacecraft also will be able to study the dynamics of the solar wind between Earth and Mars.

Along the way, the spacecraft will perform a series of trajectory correction maneuvers to adjust their path and ensure they are on a precise course to rendezvous with Mars in September 2027.

When they reach Mars, two days apart, each spacecraft will fire its engine for about 11 minutes to slow down and enter orbit around the planet. The spacecraft then will take several months to maneuver into their first science formation, where they will follow one another in the same orbit to study how the planet’s environment changes with time and location. Science operations are expected to begin in June 2028.

Six months later, the two spacecraft will shift into different orbits, with one traveling farther from Mars to observe the incoming solar wind and the other staying closer to the planet to study how Mars responds to the solar wind in real time. That science campaign is scheduled to last five months.

“This will be the first science mission to choreograph two orbiters around Mars, and the first time we will be able to make coordinated observations of the Martian environment from two different locations simultaneously,” said ESCAPADE’s principal investigator, Rob Lillis of the University of California, Berkeley.

Funded by NASA’s Heliophysics Division, ESCAPADE is part of the agency’s SIMPLEx (Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration) program, which supports missions that explore the solar system in innovative ways with smaller budgets.

The University of California, Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory leads the mission with key partners Rocket Lab; NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; Advanced Space; and Blue Origin.

“The ESCAPADE mission continues the scientific legacy of historical Mars missions with a dedicated team driving new innovations for its journey to and at the Red Planet,” said Skyler Kleinschmidt, ESCAPADE program executive at NASA Headquarters.

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