Short Takes – 3-29-25

Upcoming Launch - Fram2 Mission. SpaceX.com article. Pull quote: “SpaceX is targeting Monday, March 31 at 9:46 p.m. ET for Falcon 9’s launch of Fram2 to a polar orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. There are three additional launch opportunities within the approximate 4.5-hour window: 11:20 p.m. ET followed by 12:53 a.m. and 2:26 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1. If needed, backup opportunities are available on Tuesday, April 1 starting at the same time.”

Breakthrough in Battery Technology Promises Safer, Longer-Lasting EVs. I-HLS.com article. Pull quote: “Not only does this method make the battery safer, but it also allows for higher charging voltages, boosting the overall energy density of the battery. This breakthrough could be a game-changer for electric vehicles, providing longer-lasting, safer batteries that can withstand higher voltages. Published in Science Advances, the research paves the way for the development of batteries that are both more efficient and safer for everyday use.”

Trump pushes aides to go bigger on tariffs as key deadline nears. WashingtonPost.com article. Pull quote: “In public and private, the president has said tariffs represent a win-win that will bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States and fill federal coffers with trillions of dollars in new revenue. He has also said he thinks he made a mistake in allowing advisers to talk him out of bigger tariffs during his first term, the people said, and that he thinks a single, simple duty on most imports could help prevent exemptions from weakening their impact. It’s unclear how seriously that proposal is being considered.”

Trump Turns Homelessness Response Away From Housing, Toward Forced Treatment. MedPageToday.com article. Pull quote: “But Trump wants to gut taxpayer-subsidized housing initiatives. He is pushing for a punitive approach that would impose fines and potentially jail time on homeless people. And he wants to mandate sobriety and mental health treatment as the primary homelessness intervention -- a stark reversal from Housing First.”

Months after first incursion, Ukrainian troops fighting in second Russian region. Reuters.com article. Pull quote: “The Ukrainian operation may be an attempt to distract Russian forces as they try to drive out the last Ukrainian forces from neighbouring Kursk. One of the Russian blogs, Rybar, said Russia had moved reinforcements to Belgorod from Goptarovka in the Kursk region.”