Florida · Regional Lead · 2026-10-23
NASA details Earth-orbit rehearsals before next crewed Moon landing
Artemis III is planned for 2027, with four astronauts testing Orion alongside two commercial lander vehicles before a targeted 2028 lunar return.
NASA outlined its Artemis III flight plan on October 23 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The planned 2027 mission would launch Orion from Kennedy and keep four astronauts in Earth orbit for roughly two weeks, rather than take them to the lunar surface.
The crew would first meet a Blue Origin lander test vehicle. Astronauts would enter its cabin to evaluate conditions, controls and life-support equipment. Orion would later dock with a SpaceX Starship test vehicle, but the crew would remain outside Starship during that shorter demonstration.
Three spacecraft launched separately make timing and coordination central to the mission. Engineers intend to examine guidance, communications, software and docking performance before relying on similar capabilities much farther from Earth. Additional time could support suit evaluations and scientific experiments.
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Business · 2026-10-29
Bank of England consults on tokenized collateral for clearing
An October 29 consultation seeks clearer supervision while retaining requirements that collateral remain usable during financial stress.
The Bank of England opened a consultation October 29 on how central counterparties could accept tokenized forms of eligible collateral. It is seeking to clarify supervisory expectations as financial-market participants explore digital representations of assets used to support cleared transactions.
The bank says the existing regulatory framework does not prevent such arrangements, provided the collateral meets central-clearing standards. Assets must remain capable of reliable valuation, transfer and realization when required, including during stressed market conditions.
Read articleTechnology · 2026-10-29
UK plans voluntary standards on technology workplaces and investment
The October 29 announcement proposes industry-developed standards and a 2027 programme for women building high-growth businesses.
The UK government announced October 29 that it will work with industry on two voluntary standards addressing women’s participation in technology. One focuses on workplace culture; the other concerns investment practices affecting founders seeking capital.
The workplace initiative could include trusted routes for reporting harassment. The investment standard could broaden how investors find potential deals and track women-led businesses through successive funding decisions. The measures remain under development rather than already functioning as mandatory rules.
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