New type of painkiller approved in US. ChemistryWorld.com article. Pull quote: “Journavx will be more expensive than opioids, which could cause conflicts over access depending on health insurers and national providers’ willingness to cover the cost. ‘Post-operative pain management is usually bundled into surgical costs, and this drug is expensive compared to opiates,’ says Cohen. ‘It therefore might not be used because it eats into hospital profits.’ It may be unavailable or approved only for specific indications in some hospitals, he adds.”
The dream of offshore rocket launches is finally blasting off. TechnologyReview.com article. Pull quote: “But at the moment, sea-based launches are limited to small rockets that can deploy payloads of a few thousand pounds to orbit. No ocean spaceport is currently equipped to handle the world’s most powerful rockets, like SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, which can deliver more than 140,000 pounds to orbit. There are also currently no public plans to invest in sea-based infrastructure for heavy-lift rockets, but that may change if smaller offshore spaceports prove to be reliable and affordable options.”
Bird flu confirmed in Nevada dairy worker. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: “The individual had conjunctivitis, commonly called pink eye, and no other reported symptoms.”
Getting rid of the penny introduces a new problem: nickels. CNN.com article. Pull quote: “One reason that the government has to make so many pennies every year is a large percentage of them don’t remain in circulation. They are stashed in penny jars or junk drawers at home. Or they fall on the ground and people don’t even bother to pick them up.”
ULA’s Vulcan rocket still doesn’t have the Space Force’s seal of approval. ArsTechnical.com article. Pull quote: “The good news is that United Launch Alliance has an inventory of rockets awaiting an opportunity to fly. The company plans to finish manufacturing its remaining 15 Atlas V rockets within a few months, allowing the factory in Decatur, Alabama, to focus solely on producing Vulcan launch vehicles. ULA has all the major parts for two Vulcan rockets in storage at Cape Canaveral.”
NASA, SpaceX Update Crew-10 Launch, Crew-9 Return Dates. Blogs.NASA.gov blog post. Pull quote: “After Crew-10 arrives to the space station, Crew-9 will help the newly arrived crew familiarize with ongoing science and station maintenance work, which supports a safer transition of operations aboard the orbital complex. Following the handover, NASA and SpaceX will prepare to return to Earth NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov aboard Crew-9 pending weather conditions at the splashdown sites off the coast of Florida.”
House GOP skeptical it can advance Trump agenda by week’s end. TheHill.com article. Budget Committee markup hearing on Thursday. Pull quote: “Arrington’s [Rep (R,TX)] blueprint included a $4.5 trillion budgetary cap on how much it would cost to extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, a figure Smith said wouldn’t be enough. It also outlined a $1.5 trillion floor for spending cuts with a target of cutting $2 trillion.” Those figures are already be questioned by House Ways and Means Committee Chair.
Lawsuits Related to Trump Admin Actions. CourtWatch.news list of court cases with links.
EO 14200 - Amendment to Duties Addressing the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People's Republic of China. Federal Register.
EO 14201 - Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports. Federal Register.