Important Innovations

  SpaceX Launching Experimental Mars Rocket Prototype Source:  Space X "Hop Tests Of Starship" SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has plans to colonize Mars.  To take the new colonists, who choose to go there, he's working on an experimental rocket prototype and has been launching it on what he calls "hop tests".  The vehicle is called SN5 and doesn't look like a rocket.  It looks like a large, steel silo with a rocket strapped underneath.  It's been launched to 500 feet and landed with success in late summer 2020 in south Texas.  This prototype is designed to help SpaceX precisely launch and land a huge spacecraft with spot-on accuracy from the Earth to other planets. Starship to Mars SpaceX is accelerating the development of a massive spacecraft and rocket system called Starship which the CEO hopes will carry the first humans to Mars.  He tested a series of prototypes including Starhopper several times in 2019 with some successes and failures. Musk has spent 2020 de

  Yamaha YDX-MORO  - Smart, Green, Powerful Source:  Yamaha YDX-MORO Full Suspension Mountain Bike Yamaha has developed its first, full suspension electric mountain bike. There are two models, each with a unique, patent pending dual twin frame design.  The dual twin frame has a split frame set up on the front and back tires.  That allows the seat to rest lower when the biker is standing on the pedals to get through difficult terrain. According to Yamaha, the dual twin frame design delivers a "superior combination of handling performance and durability".  This is Yamaha's first ever full suspension electric mountain bike setup with Horst link design. Pricey and Powerful The two models are the Desert Yellow YDX-MORO priced at $4,499. and the Blue/Nickel YDX-MORO Pro at $5,499.  Both are powered by a 500 Wh battery/motor setup.  Both have Yamaha's mid-drive motor, the Yamaha PW-X2.  The motor is highly advanced.  It uses a unique quad-sensor setup that precisely calculat

NYC to London in Two Hours Source: Virgin Galactic SST that Could Break All Records for Passenger Travel Virgin Galactic is partnering with Rolls Royce to develop a supersonic passenger jet that can fly from New York City to London in two hours.  The agreement was cut after Virgin Galactic successfully completed a concept SST design review with NASA.  The new SST will fly at Mach 3 or 2,300 mph, cruise at 60,000 feet and carry between 9 and 19 passengers.  The next-G jet will take some years to develop and test, but it represents the promise of greatly advanced supersonic travel around the world. Making far away places in the world like Sydney, Australia, a place to reach from London in five hours. SST Concorde If the Virgin Galactic-Rolls Royce SST proves to perform as expected, the vehicle will break all transatlantic airline records.  In February 1992, the British Airways Supersonic Concorde went from NYC to London in 2 hours, 52 minutes and 59 seconds at Mach 2 or 1,250 mph.  That

Unique Ocean Getaway Source:  Anthenea  French Architect's Invention The Anthenea aquatic mobile pod is one of the most innovative and green, new travel vehicles of the 2020's.  It's a totally solar powered pod that serves as a luxury floating hotel suite or water based mobile home.  It's the invention of French architect Jean-Michel Ducancelle.  His inspiration came from a floating pod in a 1977 James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me". The vessel is designed to sail so that the occupants can travel to different destinations. Everything You Need and Eco-Friendly The floating habitat is built to enjoy the ocean environment and do no harm to it.  Besides being totally solar powered, it uses sand screw anchoring to avoid any damage to the ocean surroundings.  The vessel is dome shaped and offers 360 degree views of the water including views under the water.  The Anthenea provides many of the amenities of a luxury hotel suite.  There's a living area with kitche

Fascinating SK & Israeli Partnership on Self-Driving Tech Source:  Hyundai Ioniq Autonomous Car Hyundai Mobis and Israel's Cognata A global partnership between Hyundai Mobis and Israel's Cognata has just been announced to accelerate to market autonomous, self driving vehicles.  Cognata develops simulation software and training data for driver assistance systems and autonomous, self driving vehicles.  Hyundai Mobis, a software provider and part of the Hyundai group, has selected Cognata to test its offerings to facilitate the use of self-driving vehicles and accelerate them to the global market .  Rolling Out Self-Driving Vehicles to Market Large scale, simulations provide the only environment where advanced driver assistance system programs (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle technology can be safely tested and validated, according to Cognata.  Cognata CEO Danny Atsmon says there is tremendous growth and momentum coming out of South Korea on both ADAS and self-driving technologie

Flying Cars for Urban Air Mobility Source:  Embraer DreamMaker eVTOL Future of Aerial Ride Sharing Despite the global pandemic, Brazil based aircraft manufacturer Embraer and Uber Elevate are moving forward with speed to deploy fleets of "urban air mobility" vehicles in the skies near you.  By 2023, they say they will offer travelers the option of an affordable shared flight.  They hope to get vehicle testing underway by the end of this year.  Uber, the ride sharing service and Embraer, the aircraft maker are partnering in the effort. eVTOLs The flying cars that will serve as flying, shared ride taxis, are eVTOLs - electric, vertical takeoff and landing vehicles.  Uber Elevate and Embraer have just launched an eVTOL simulator to ensure that the vehicles meet necessary requirements, including noise levels.  Between now and the target deployment date of 2023, eVTOLs need to be finalized and tested. And advanced urban air traffic management systems must be put in place.  Embraer

New CEO's Focus on High Growth, New Auto Technologies Source:  Ford's CEO Jim Farley Source:  Ford EV Charging Station Veteran Ford Exec Jim Farley Named CEO The incoming CEO of Ford, Jim Farley, intends to expand Ford's business operations into new, high growth technologies.  The technologies include software, electric vehicle charging and fleet management.  He says these are new growth initiatives that will result in a great deal of value for Ford.  Farley is a Ford veteran who has overseen virtually all of Ford's global markets.  He succeeds CEO Jim Hackett as Ford's 4th CEO since 2014. COVID Damage Jim Farley's job will not be an easy one.  He will be managing global restructuring for Ford operations that took a major hit from the COVID pandemic and forced shutdowns, as did many global corporations.  The US #2 automaker is loaded with debt.  Year to date, Ford's share price is down 26% and its market cap is 1/10th of Tesla. Transition and Revitalization