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  • Meta AI Translation Tool Automatically Dubs and Lip-Syncs Your Reels – PCMag

    1. Meta AI Translation Tool Automatically Dubs and Lip-Syncs Your Reels  PCMag
    2. Meta’s AI voice translation hits global stage  Hindustan Times
    3. Facebook, Instagram reels creators get AI-powered audio dubbing feature for foreign audiences  Deccan Herald
    4. Facebook, Instagram creators get AI audio translations and lip-syncing for global audience  India TV News
    5. Meta AI can clone your voice in another language: Here’s how it works  Business Today

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  • Prosus says quarterly profit rises 54%, plans $2 billion in asset sales

    Prosus says quarterly profit rises 54%, plans $2 billion in asset sales

    JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -Dutch technology investor Prosus plans to raise $2 billion through asset sales in the near term, the company’s CEO said on Wednesday as he announced a 54% increase in quarterly earnings.

    Amsterdam-headquartered Prosus, which is majority-owned by South Africa’s Naspers and focused on food and lifestyle-ecommerce within its key markets of Latin America, India and Europe, has already raised $780 million from asset sales in the last four months to July.

    In a shareholder letter covering the annual general meeting and sent to media, Chief Executive Fabricio Bloisi said asset sales to date showed “our commitment to disciplined capital allocation” and set $2 billion as a near-term target.

    Bloisi also said the company’s ecommerce adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (aEBITDA) rose 54% to $237 million in the quarter ending June 30, at the top end of the group’s guidance.

    Revenue rose 15% year-on-year to $1.7 billion, he said.

    (Reporting by Nqobile Dludla;Editing by Helen Popper)

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  • Brandon Blackstock’s daughter opens up about losing ‘a piece of my heart’

    Brandon Blackstock’s daughter opens up about losing ‘a piece of my heart’



    Brandon Blackstock’s daughter makes heartfelt statement days after father’s death

    Brandon Blackstock’s daughter, Savannah Blackstock Lee, was hit by the news of her father’s demise while she was preparing for the arrival of her baby girl and she has only now addressed the sad news.

    The 23-year-old daughter of the talent agent who passed away at 48, took to Instagram on Tuesday, August 19, and shared a heartbreaking tribute to her dad.

    Savannah posted a carousel of pictures with her dad, the first being one from her wedding, and wrote a lengthy caption.

    “My daddy never fell short of making my dreams come true. No matter how high or how far, he made a way,” she began.

    “Not only did he make my dreams come true, he chased them with me. Worldwide he was there, my biggest cheerleader. He is my best friend, my voice of reason, and my favorite phone call every day,” Savannah continued.

    The Florida Realtor went on to share that she is grateful to her father for gifting her the gift of faith as she wrote, “he blessed me the most valuable gift I could’ve asked for. The gift of knowing where he is today, in Heaven with our Savior.”

    Savannah concluded, “Heaven gained an angel. I’m so thankful for the time I did have and I can’t wait for eternity. I love you daddy and I will miss you indefinitely.”

    The photos featured Brandon enjoying his time with his daughter and her husband, Quentin Lee, as well as the couple’s son, Luke, 3. 

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  • All About Prince William and Kate Middleton’s $21 Million “Forever Home,” Forest Lodge

    All About Prince William and Kate Middleton’s $21 Million “Forever Home,” Forest Lodge

    The Gist

    • Prince William and Kate Middleton have decided that Forest Lodge will be their “forever home.”

    • The new property is roughly four miles from Adelaide Cottage, where the family has lived since 2022.

    • Forest Lodge is located in Great Windsor Park; Windsor Castle and Adelaide Cottage are part of an adjacent estate, Windsor Home Park.

    Prince William and Kate Middleton are gearing up for one last move just a few miles down the road from their current home, Adelaide Cottage. Situated in Great Windsor Park, Forest Lodge will host the Wales family just in time for Christmas, if all goes to plan, and many more holidays after that.

    “This is a move for the long-term,” one insider told The Sun when news of the family’s move first broke. “They see it as their forever home.”

    With eight bedrooms and six bathrooms, Forest Lodge is roughly double the size of Adelaide Cottage. The property is also even more “isolated” than their previous home, given that it is further from Windsor Castle and nestled deeper in the private grounds of Great Windsor Park.

    Getty Images

    Prince William and Kate Middleton with their three children at Sandringham Church in 2024.

    The couple’s previous homes include Kensington Palace, where they lived on and off from 2013 to 2022, and Adelaide Cottage, where the family of five currently resides. William and Kate first lived together as roommates at St. Andrews University and rented a home in Anglesey, Wales, when William was stationed there as a Royal Air Force pilot. Ahead, everything you should know about the Prince and Princess of Wales’s future “forever home,” Forest Lodge.

    Forest Lodge is over 250 years old.

    Getty Images Forest Lodge.

    Getty Images

    Forest Lodge.

    Forest Lodge was built by non-royals in 1770 and acquired by the Crown on June 27, 1829 (as of 2025, that makes it 255 years old). The property was then known as Holly Grove, presumably because its original owner, Spencer Mackay, owned multiple sugar plantations in the Caribbean, including one called Cane Grove.

    In her 1997 book Royal Landscape: The Gardens and Parks of Windsor, Jane Roberts reported that Sir John Aird, who lived in the mansion in the mid-20th century, found the name “distasteful.” It was thus renamed Forest Lodge in 1937.

    It’s only four miles from Adelaide Cottage.

    Adelaide Cottage and Forest Lodge are located nearby and yet not quite on the same property; while the former is in Windsor Home Park, the latter is in the adjacent Great Windsor Park. Still, the two homes are only four miles apart.

    This closeness represents a marked difference from their last move, which saw the family of five relocate from Kensington Palace all the way to Adelaide Cottage (a roughly 24-mile trip from the center of London to Windsor). Recall that the move “surprised a lot of people” when they left the big city in 2022.

    “Being able to live in the middle of Windsor Home Park, where they’re not overlooked and can come and go in complete privacy, makes the downsize from Kensington Palace worth it on every level,” royal author Katie Nicholl told OK magazine at the time.

    Princess Anne almost lived there instead.

    Getty Images Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips in 1973.

    Getty Images

    Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips in 1973.

    Apparently Princess Anne and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips, considered moving into Forest Lodge after they married in 1973. A report from The Daily Telegraph from December 1975, two years after Anne married, stated that she had considered the property.

    The newlyweds moved into Oak Grove House, a five-bedroom Georgian house located at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, instead. Then, in 1976, they relocated to the Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire, where Anne still lives today. (The couple divorced in 1992.)

    It’s an “isolated” property.

    And the Wales family likes it that way. Moreover, the move represents something of a “fresh start” for the family, who experienced “three really tough years” that included the death of Queen Elizabeth II and Kate Middleton and King Charles’s dual cancer diagnoses.

    “They are looking forward to creating many happy memories in their new home and leaving some of the unhappier ones behind,” a source told The Daily Mail.

    “It’s about as isolated as you can get there, so you can see the attraction for them,” another insider added. “It’s situated in a huge private chunk of Windsor Great Park, and the children can go out cycling for miles and not come anywhere near any of the local residents. There’s a nearby fishing lake that’s open only to staff, but that’s it. It’s also a lot closer—probably a 15-minute drive—to their current school.”

    Prince William and Kate Middleton are renovating.

    Getty Images Forest Lodge under renovation in 2001.

    Getty Images

    Forest Lodge under renovation in 2001.

    According to The Sun, William and Kate “are paying for the move and rent at no extra cost to the taxpayer.” The property is currently undergoing “minor internal and external renovations” in the hopes that the family can move in by Christmas. “Kate has already been spotted picking new furniture to kit out the new abode, including a 24-seater table,” the outlet reported.

    They plan to live there long-term.

    Indeed, the property has been dubbed their “forever home” by royal insiders, and it seems that the Wales family will remain there even once Prince William is crowed King. This break in tradition would make William the first monarch since medieval times to not live in a castle or a palace.

    “The late Queen said she had to be seen to be believed,” one source told The Daily Mail. “I just hope that the Prince of Wales can find the right balance between raising his family away from the public glare at Windsor with the presence required of him as a future, and eventual, head of state.”

    Read the original article on InStyle

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  • Redmi Note 15 Pro+ will debut the new Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chip

    Redmi Note 15 Pro+ will debut the new Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chip

    It didn’t take long for Xiaomi to claim bragging rights for the just announced Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chip. The upcoming Redmi Note 15 Pro+ will be the first phone to launch with the latest 7-series chip when it goes official in China tomorrow.

    Redmi’s Weibo profile confirmed the new chip alongside a few other key specs coming to the Note 15 Pro+. The 7s Gen 4 chip will be paired with a 5200mm² vapor chamber to help keep thermals in check.

    Note 15 Pro+ is also getting a 7,000mAh battery with 90W wired charging and 22.5W reverse wired charging. The Xiaomi-made battery is claimed to offer a guaranteed 1600 charge cycles.


    Redmi Note 15 Pro+ key specs teasers (machine translated from Chinese)
    Redmi Note 15 Pro+ key specs teasers (machine translated from Chinese)
    Redmi Note 15 Pro+ key specs teasers (machine translated from Chinese)
    Redmi Note 15 Pro+ key specs teasers (machine translated from Chinese)

    Redmi Note 15 Pro+ key specs teasers (machine translated from Chinese)

    6.83-inch display with 1.5K resolution and 3,200 nits peak local brightness. The screen will be protected by Xiaomi Dragon Crystal Glass. Note 15 Pro+ will also bring stereo speakers with a 400% volume mode and a claimed loudness of 82.5dB.

    We also get some additional camera details. Note 15 Pro+ will feature a 50MP OmniVision Light Hunter 800 sensor and a telephoto lens with 2.5x optical zoom. Redmi shared some camera samples from the two shooters.


    Redmi Note 15 Pro+ camera samples
    Redmi Note 15 Pro+ camera samples
    Redmi Note 15 Pro+ camera samples
    Redmi Note 15 Pro+ camera samples
    Redmi Note 15 Pro+ camera samples
    Redmi Note 15 Pro+ camera samples

    Redmi Note 15 Pro+ camera samples

    Source (in Chinese)

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  • Ferulic acid in coffee and apples may prevent deadly heart spasms better than medication: Study |

    Ferulic acid in coffee and apples may prevent deadly heart spasms better than medication: Study |

    A recent study has revealed that ferulic acid, a natural compound found in common foods like coffee, apples, rice, and wheat, can effectively prevent coronary artery spasms, a key factor behind heart attacks. Published in the Journal of Pharmacological Sciences and conducted by Dr. Kento Yoshioka and his team at Toho University, Japan, the research shows that ferulic acid not only blocks calcium channels but also works through alternative pathways to inhibit artery contractions.While the study used pig heart arteries, the findings suggest that including ferulic acid-rich foods in your diet could support heart health. The researchers note that the experimental doses were higher than typical dietary intake, meaning supplements may be needed to match therapeutic levels. This study highlights the potential of natural compounds like ferulic acid in cardiovascular protection alongside conventional medications.

    Ferulic acid benefits from coffee and apples for heart spasms

    Ferulic acid is a natural antioxidant commonly found in plant-based foods such as coffee, apples, brown rice, and other whole grains. Recent studies highlight its potential benefits for heart health, particularly in preventing heart spasms. It works by protecting the body’s cells from oxidative stress, a harmful process linked to aging and many chronic diseases. At the same time, ferulic acid helps reduce inflammation, which is a key factor in the development of cardiovascular issues. This combination of antioxidant support and anti-inflammatory action may help improve the function of blood vessels and reduce the risk of spasms in the heart muscles. Unlike synthetic medications, ferulic acid offers a natural approach that supports the body’s defense mechanisms without harsh side effects. Including foods rich in this compound as part of a balanced diet may be a simple yet effective way to promote long-term heart health and overall well-being.

    How ferulic acid from coffee and apples prevents heart spasms

    The study reveals that ferulic acid blocks calcium channels in the walls of arteries, much like certain heart medications such as diltiazem. However, what makes ferulic acid particularly promising is that it doesn’t rely on just one mechanism. It also works through additional pathways that help prevent the contraction of smooth muscles in blood vessels. This dual approach not only relaxes the arteries but also provides a more comprehensive form of protection. In situations where standard medications may have limited effects or cause side effects, ferulic acid could serve as a valuable alternative or complementary option.Its ability to act on multiple targets within the cardiovascular system may offer broader and more flexible defense against coronary artery spasms, which are sudden constrictions that can reduce blood flow to the heart and potentially trigger heart attacks. These findings suggest that ferulic acid holds strong potential as part of a natural strategy for heart health.

    Top ferulic acid foods to support heart health

    Incorporating ferulic acid-rich foods into your diet is easy and delicious. Key sources include:

    • Coffee: Brewed and espresso options provide high antioxidant levels.
    • Apples: The skin contains higher concentrations of ferulic acid.
    • Whole grains: Brown rice, oats, and wheat are excellent sources.
    • Vegetables: Spinach, broccoli, and carrots contain moderate amounts.

    Even moderate intake can support cardiovascular health, though achieving study-level doses may require supplements.

    Expert tips on using ferulic acid to prevent heart spasms

    While the study highlights ferulic acid’s potential, experts recommend dietary incorporation first rather than relying solely on supplements. Maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and routine check-ups, remains essential. Ferulic acid-rich foods can complement these habits and provide extra cardiovascular support.The Toho University study underscores the power of natural compounds like ferulic acid in preventing coronary artery spasms. While medications remain critical for many patients, ferulic acid from everyday foods such as coffee and apples may offer an additional layer of protection.Including these foods in your diet is a simple, natural step toward better heart health. Future research will help clarify optimal dosing, but the current findings already highlight the promise of dietary strategies for cardiovascular wellness.Also read| 7 Japanese drinks that can help melt belly fat naturally


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  • Scientists get a rare peek inside of an exploding star – The Washington Post

    1. Scientists get a rare peek inside of an exploding star  The Washington Post
    2. Supernova Reveals What The Inside of a Star Really Looks Like  ScienceAlert
    3. Onionlike Space Explosion May Be a New Type of Supernova  The New York Times
    4. Giant Star Laid Bare: Reveals Birthplace of Silicon and Sulfur  Weizmann Wonder Wander
    5. First-of-its-kind supernova reveals innerworkings of a dying star  Northwestern Now News

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  • Israel’s Gaza City plan is killing prospect of peace in Middle East, says Jordan | Israel-Gaza war

    Israel’s Gaza City plan is killing prospect of peace in Middle East, says Jordan | Israel-Gaza war

    Israel is “killing all prospects” for peace in the Middle East, Jordan’s foreign minister has said amid escalating international outrage over Israel’s plans for a new large-scale offensive in Gaza City and its intention to massively expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

    Ayman Safadi made his remarks during a visit to Moscow on the same day that the Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, approved a plan to conquer Gaza City, an urban area that is home to hundreds of thousands of people in the north of the Palestinian territory.

    Echoing the sentiment, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said that the proposed new Gaza offensive would lead to “true disaster” and drag the region into “permanent war”.

    Katz’s announcement, which will lead to the mobilisation of an extra 60,000 Israeli troops, was also condemned by Germany, historically one of Israel’s closest allies in Europe, which said it “rejects the escalation” of Israel’s campaign in Gaza.

    Germany said it found it “increasingly difficult to understand how these actions will lead to the freeing of all the hostages, or to a ceasefire”, the government spokesperson Steffen Meyer told reporters.

    Katz announced that he had approved the plan to conquer Gaza City despite the decision earlier this week by Hamas and other Palestinian factions in Gaza to accept a ceasefire proposal which in most of its most significant details aligns with a proposal already previously agreed by Israel. Israel has yet to formally respond.

    Separately on Wednesday, Israel announced that plans to build a large new illegal settlement block had been approved. The block would split the West Bank into two with the deliberate intention – according to far-right finance minster, Bezalel Smotrich – of killing off any prospect of the establishment of a Palestinian state.

    Palestinians check the rubble of a house after it was destroyed by the Israel Defense Forces in the village of Beit Sira in the West Bank. Photograph: Mahmoud Illean/AP

    Amid credible evidence that Israel’s policies in Gaza have led to conditions of mass starvation, and accusations of genocide, Israel has doubled down on its defiance of outraged international opinion that it is threatening to turn Israel into a pariah state, even as a growing number of countries have said they plan to recognise Palestinian statehood.

    The new call-up of 60,000 reservists and extension of the service for an additional 20,000 Israeli troops took place days after hundreds of thousands in the country rallied for a ceasefire.

    A growing campaign of exhausted reservists has accused the government of perpetuating the war for political reasons and failing to bring home remaining hostages.

    The families of the hostages and former army and intelligence chiefs have also expressed opposition to the expanded operation in Gaza City. Most of the families of the hostages want an immediate ceasefire and worry an expanded assault could imperil efforts to bring home the 50 hostages still in Gaza. Israel believes that 20 are still alive.

    A military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with military regulations, said that troops would operate in parts of Gaza City where they have not yet been deployed and where Israel believes Hamas is still active.

    Gaza City is both Hamas’s military and governing stronghold and one of the last places of refuge in northern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands are sheltering. Israeli troops will be targeting Hamas’s vast underground tunnel network there, the official added.

    It remains unclear when the operation will begin, but it could be a matter of days and such a mobilisation of reservists is the largest in months.

    Israel’s top planning committee approved plans for the so-called E1 settlement in an area of land east of Jerusalem that critics have said would undermine hopes for a contiguous Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

    Last week, Smotrich backed plans to build 3,400 homes on a contentious parcel of land that lies between Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim.

    António Guterres, the UN secretary general, warned that constructing Israeli homes there would “put an end to” hopes for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

    Guy Yifrach, the mayor of Maale Adumim, said on Wednesday: “I am pleased to announce that just a short while ago, the civil administration approved the planning for the construction of the E1 neighbourhood.”

    All of Israel’s settlements in the West Bank, occupied since 1967, are considered illegal under international law, regardless of whether they have Israeli planning permission.

    Aviv Tatarsky, a researcher at the Israeli anti-settlement organisation Ir Amim, said: “Today’s approval demonstrates how determined Israel is in pursuing what Minister Smotrich has described as a strategic programme to bury the possibility of a Palestinian state and to effectively annexe the West Bank.

    “This is a conscious Israeli choice to implement an apartheid regime,” he added, calling on the international community to take urgent and effective measures against the move.

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  • USA Women’s Eagles Squad names to kick off Rugby World Cup in England

    USA Women’s Eagles Squad names to kick off Rugby World Cup in England

    USA Women’s Eagles Head Coach Sione Fukofuka and staff have announced the 23-player squad set to take on host nation England in the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.

    With over 40,000 tickets already sold, the Eagles will face off against the Red Roses in Pool A at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. USA fans can catch the match live on Paramount+ at 2:30 pm ET on Friday, August 22nd. 

    This year marks the 10th edition of the tournament, which has been expanded to feature 16 teams. The Eagles, currently ranked 10th in the world, are in a competitive Pool A alongside world-number-one ranked England, Australia, and Samoa. 

    Fukofuka has named 11 players who will make their first Rugby World Cup appearance including Keia Mae Sagapolu, Tahlia Brody, Emily Henrich, Ilona Maher on the starting XV with Alivia Leatherman, Paige Stathopolous, Rachel Ehrecke, Freda Tafuna, Cass Bargell, Kristin Bitter, and Sariah Ibarra on the bench ready to make an impact. 

    He commented; “Our focus for the first match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 is very much on ourselves and executing our game plan to put pressure on England. We know they have big external expectations on them as world number 1 and will have the pressure of being the host nation, so we are quietly going about our work, building confidence and looking forward to performing in front of family, friends and fans on the World Cup stage. 

    “England are World Number 1, and we expect them to be physical, accurate and confident  for the full 80 minutes. They have a strong set piece and threats across the field, however we are confident we also have a strong set piece platform with threats to attack them with confidence and have the commitment in defence to give us opportunities to create pressure.

    “The team have worked hard to be here and earned their opportunity to represent the United States at the World Cup. Our intensive selection process, followed by the camps at Mt St Mary’s and Loughborough University have required the players to dig deep and work hard to make the team, so being here is a testament to that work ethic and commitment. Making it here has a level of satisfaction and excitement at the opportunity in front of us, but now we prepare to perform and earn results.”

    The atmosphere and energy in the stadium will be high as the match will open with a performance from chart-topping English singer Anne-Marie before players run out to the biggest ever Women’s Rugby World Cup stage. 

    After taking on the host country, the USA Women’s Eagles will continue their pool stage journey with matches in York against Australia and Samoa. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the knockout stage.

    USA Women’s Eagles v England | Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

    Name Club
    Hope Rogers Exeter Chiefs
    Kathryn Treder Loughborough Lightning / Bay Area Breakers
    Keia Mae Sagapolu Loughborough Lightning
    Tahlia Brody Loughborough Lightning
    Erica Jarrell – Searcy Sale Sharks
    Kate Zackary Ealing Trailfinders
    Georgie Perris-Redding Sale Sharks
    Rachel Johnson Exeter Chiefs / Denver Onyx
    Olivia Ortiz Sale Sharks
    McKenzie Hawkins Denver Onyx
    Bulou Mataitoga Loughborough Lightning / Bay Area Breakers
    Alev Kelter Loughborough Lightning / Bay Area Breakers
    Ilona Maher Bristol Bears / USA Sevens
    Emily Henrich Leicester Tigers / Boston Banshees
    Lotte Sharp Saracens
    Paige Stathopoulos Ealing Trailfinders / Boston Banshees
    Alivia Leatherman Trailfinders / Twin Cities Gemini
    Charli Jacoby Exeter Chiefs / Queensland Reds
    Rachel Ehrecke Denver Onyx
    Freda Tafuna Lindenwood University
    Cassidy Bargell Boston Banshees
    Kristin Bitter Denver Onyx
    Sariah Ibarra USA Sevens

    USA Coaches & Staff | Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

    Head Coach, Attack + Backs | Sione Fukofuka

    Assistant Coach, Defense | Sarah Chobot

    Assistant Coach, Forwards | Mel Bosman

    Head of Athletic Performance | Charles Dudley

    Analyst | Callum Howells

    Lead Physiotherapist | Alice Mae

    Athletic Trainer | Sam Malette

    Team Doctor | Abbie Hamilton

    Massage Therapist | Delwyn Griffith

    Performance Psychologist | Scott Goldman

    Team Manager | Alana Gattinger

    General Manager, High Performance | Tamara Sheppard

    Media Manager | Jenni Burke

    USA Women’s Eagles Match Schedule | Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

    USA v England

    August 22 | 2:30 pm ET | Stadium of Light, Sunderland

    Paramount+

    USA v Australia

    August 30 | 2:30 pm ET | York Community Stadium, York

    Paramount+

    USA v Samoa

    September 6 | 8:30 am ET | York Community Stadium, York

    CBS, Paramount+

    Quarterfinals Begin September 13

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  • Student-led NASA project takes flight on balloon mission

    Student-led NASA project takes flight on balloon mission

    A years-long student-led NASA project that develops technology to help guide rockets will near its final destination this month on board the Balloon Optimization Opportunity Platform!, or BOOP!

    Astrophysical sciences and technology Ph.D. student Kazuma Noda has taken the lead and traveled to New Mexico for the launch of the balloon mission, which will take the Cryogenic Star Tracking Attitude Regulation System (CSTARS) into the atmosphere.

    Past RIT undergraduate students used NASA funding to create CSTARS, an instrument designed and built to orient a rocket payload based on the images of stars. CSTARS previously flew on the sounding rocket named the Cosmic Infrared Background ExpeRiment-2 (CIBER-2), but firmware issues hampered the mission.

    BOOP! will provide advantages to see CSTARS get the results many RIT students have worked towards.

    “I think we fixed the issue we had, and now we want to see if this can track stars again,” said Noda, who added that balloons are much cheaper than sounding rockets, and observation time will increase from 8 to 10 minutes to possibly four hours with BOOP!

    Associate Professor Michael Zemcov from the School of Physics and Astronomy and Professor Dorin Patru from Kate Gleason College of Engineering have been the lead advisers on the CSTARS effort, and are excited to see BOOP! take it to the finish line.

    “All these algorithms and systems and electronics that we’ve built over the almost ten years in support of CSTARS, we’re finally at the point where it all works,” he said. “This is a fun project that has a long history that many students have contributed to over the years.”

    As an undergraduate student in Japan, Noda worked with sounding rockets in collaboration with CIBER. He knew he wanted to continue doing the work, so he made the move to RIT for graduate school.

    While Zemcov corresponded with NASA to get CSTARS involved with the BOOP! mission, he handed the project to Noda to lead.

    “For a Ph.D. student, the ideal situation is to be given a leadership role,” said Zemcov. “He’s done really well in executing that. We should be giving students these opportunities as much as we possibly can. It’s the best way to learn.”

    Noda previously traveled to NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia to integrate CSTARS onto the BOOP! gondola, and traveled to New Mexico for BOOP!’s launch, giving him hands-on, real-world experience with a NASA mission.

    As Zemcov added, “There’s no substitute for going out and doing it yourself.”

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