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NASA announced Tuesday it had narrowed down to two options the reworked Mars Sample Return mission aiming for a cheaper and quicker completion than the version that had been killed last year.

One would be to use a version of the sky crane system that was used to land both the Mars rovers Perseverance and Curiosity safely on the Martian surface. The other would be to use a heavy lander from a commercial partner such as SpaceX or Blue Origin.

“Either of these two options are creating a much more simplified, faster and less expensive version of the original plan,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

The cost of the original MSR plan had ballooned to a projected cost of $11 billion with a sample not getting back to Earth until at least 2040.

“That was just simply unacceptable,” Nelson said. “It was my decision that, in consultation with everyone, we pulled the plug on it.”

That decision came last April, and Tuesday’s announcement was the culmination of an MSR strategy review team that was formed. NASA is still sticking with two options for now because the commercial company pitches need more time to gather information, Nelson said. read more

Lauren Rosenblatt | (TNS) The Seattle Times

A year after a panel blew off a 737 Max midflight, Boeing says mistakes like those leading up to the near-disaster on Jan. 5, 2024, won’t happen again.

The company has increased inspections, created new procedures to make sure airplane parts and airplane work are documented, and, it says, recommitted itself to the quality and safety of the planes it makes.

Boeing is entering the new year with a new CEO, a new contract with its unionized Machinists workforce and a new plan to focus on quality and safety. But, the company and the Federal Aviation Administration, the agency charged with overseeing Boeing, aren’t out of regulatory hot water as many wonder if Boeing’s factories will see lasting change.

FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said Friday that Boeing’s changes and the agency’s oversight are “not a one-year project.”

“What’s needed is a fundamental cultural shift,” Whitaker wrote in a blog. “That will require sustained effort and commitment from Boeing, and unwavering scrutiny on our part.” read more

By PAUL WISEMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vowing to stop machines from taking their jobs, 45,000 U.S. longshoremen are threatening to go on a strike that would shut down ports on the East and Gulf coasts and could damage the American economy just as President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House.

By PAUL WISEMAN, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. job openings rose unexpectedly in November, showing companies are still looking for workers even as the labor market has cooled overall.

Openings rose to 8.1 million in November, the most since February and up from 7.8 million in October, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. They were down from 8.9 million a year earlier and a peak of 12.2 million in March 2022 as the economy was roaring back from COVID-19 lockdowns. But they still exceed pre-pandemic levels.

Economists had expected job openings to fall slightly in November.

Layoffs rose slightly in November, and the number of people quitting their jobs fell, suggesting that Americans are less confident in their ability to find better jobs elsewhere.

Openings were up in professional and business services, a broad category that includes managerial and technical workers, and in finance and insurance. They fell in the information industry, which includes publishers and telecommunications companies. read more

Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras concert lineup for 2025 will include a variety of performers, from Juanes to Joe Jonas plus TLC. “American Idol” winner Scotty McCreery and “Jersey Shore” alumnus DJ Pauly D.

Universal Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnival will be held at Universal Studios theme park from Feb. 1 through March 30. Concerts are held on select nights during that period, following the park’s nightly Mardi Gras Parade, which will feature six new floats this year as well as the traditional bead tossing.

The concerts, included with Universal admission, are held at the park’s Music Plaza Stage. The lineup, subject to change, includes:

• Feb. 1: T-Pain.

• Feb. 8: Joe Jonas.

• Feb. 15: Kool & the Gang

• Feb. 16: Juanes.

• Feb. 22: Scotty McCreery.

• March 1: Foster the People.

• March 8: Illenium.

• March 15: All Time Low.

• March 16: Lawrence.

• March 21: Coco Jones.

• March 22: DJ Pauly D.

• March 29: TLC.

Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. BlueSky: @themeparksdb. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters. read more