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I have uBlock and Canvas Blocker off, the little shield thingy off, my VPN off, and Autoplay allowed, but still cannot play videos on bandcamp. Anyone else having this problem?

Cape Canaveral (AFP) – Amazon on Monday launched its first batch of Project Kuiper internet satellites, marking the start of its push to rival Elon Musk's Starlink.

The mission, called Kuiper Atlas 1, lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 7:00 pm local time (2300 GMT), aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket that will carry 27 satellites into orbit.

A previous attempt was scrubbed earlier this month due to bad weather.

Project Kuiper, a subsidiary of the online retail giant founded by Jeff Bezos, is playing catch-up with Starlink -- SpaceX's sprawling network of internet satellites that has reshaped the sector and handed Musk significant geopolitical clout.

The $10 billion initiative plans to deploy 3,200 satellites into low Earth orbit -- the region of space up to 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers) above the planet -- with hopes of going live later this year.

Pricing has not yet been revealed, but Amazon has pledged it will align with its reputation as a low-cost retailer.

"Atlas V is on its way to orbit to take those 27 Kuiper satellites, put them on their way, and really start this new era in internet connectivity," said ULA's Caleb Weiss.

With Monday's launch, Amazon formally enters a crowded and fast-growing field that includes not just Starlink but other emerging players in the satellite internet race.

SpaceX launched the first batch of Starlink satellites in 2019 and now boasts more than 6,750 operational units, serving over five million customers worldwide -- by far the sector's dominant force.

Starlink has also provided crucial internet access in disaster and war zones, including Morocco after its devastating 2023 earthquake and on the frontlines in Ukraine's war against Russia.

Amazon plans to accelerate launches in the coming months and years, with more than 80 flights booked through United Launch Alliance (a Boeing-Lockheed Martin joint venture), France's Arianespace, Bezos's own Blue Origin, and even Musk's SpaceX.

Its satellites will gradually join the swelling ranks of low Earth orbit, alongside Starlink, Europe's OneWeb, and China's Guowang constellation.

The increasing crowding of this orbital neighborhood has sparked concerns about congestion, potential collisions, and disruptions to astronomical observations.

The expanding role of private companies in space has also raised thorny political questions, especially as Musk's influence stretches beyond business into politics and diplomacy.

Musk has sent mixed signals on Starlink's future role in Ukraine, where it remains vital to Kyiv's war effort -- a conflict that Musk ally US President Donald Trump has vowed to bring to an end.

cross-posted from: https://metawire.eu/post/57330

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Washington (AFP) – A multi-million-dollar US warplane fell off the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier into the Red Sea on Monday in an accident that injured one sailor, the Navy said.

A tractor that was towing the fighter plane -- a model that cost $67 million in 2021 -- also slipped off the ship into the sea.

"The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard," the Navy said in a statement.

"Sailors towing the aircraft took immediate action to move clear of the aircraft before it fell overboard," it said. "All personnel are accounted for, with one sailor sustaining a minor injury."

The carrier and its other planes remain in action and the incident is under investigation, the Navy added. No details of recovery work were released.

It is the second F/A-18 operating off the Truman to be lost in less than six months, after another was mistakenly shot down by the USS Gettysburg guided missile cruiser late last year in incident that both pilots survived.

The Truman is one of two US aircraft carriers operating in the Middle East, where US forces have been hammering Yemen's Huthi rebels with strikes since mid-March in an attempt to end the threat they pose to ships in the region.

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Own work, Japanese ukiyo-e style, digital watercolor. Kanji in the work is the title, "Silent Stillness" (Seijaku).

What do you think, are they still around?

I do notice all these sightings seem to be from tourists, and they never take photos.

I see you mods. It's good to be home.