Government Spending Limit Impact

Federal Agencies Disrupted by Spending Limit

The Trump administration's $1 spending limit on government credit cards is causing disruptions across federal agencies.

• NOAA: Scientists are unable to order equipment to repair ships and radars.
• FDA: Labs are facing delays in ordering basic supplies.
• National Park Service: Employees are canceling trips for maintenance work.
• USDA & FAA: Employees fear mission-critical projects could stall.
• NIH: Researchers are putting experiments on hold due to shortages, potentially leading to the euthanasia of lab animals.

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency continues to hunt for waste across the federal government.

Autonomous Vehicles

Google's Self-Driving Car Development

Google and various automakers are actively pushing for autonomous vehicles on American roads. Currently, self-driving cars are legal in three states, with Google's fleet having logged over 300,000 miles. While legal and ethical challenges remain, the progression of this technology is monitored closely as it evolves from experimental testing to a consumer product with the potential to save lives.

Robotaxi Testing

Amazon is initiating robotaxi testing in Austin and Miami.

Waymo Update

Waymo released a software update to address honking issues in San Francisco.

Space Exploration

SpaceX Starship Flight 8

SpaceX is set to conduct the eighth test flight of its Starship rocket, aiming to correct issues from January's flight where the upper stage disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean. The launch is scheduled for Monday and will be webcast live on SpaceX's website and X.

Flight Objectives

The primary goals include Starship's first payload deployment and several reentry experiments to return the upper stage for a mid-air capture.

Previous Flight Analysis

Flight seven experienced an engine glitch, causing an early shutdown and breakup over the Caribbean. The FAA investigated, with SpaceX citing amplified vibrations affecting the propulsion system.

Mission Details

With FAA approval, this flight will follow a similar suborbital trajectory as previous tests, deploying test satellites (four Starlink simulators). SpaceX will also perform reentry experiments to aid the upper stage's return.

Space Exploration

Firefly Aerospace's Lunar Landing

Firefly Aerospace, a Texas-based company, has made history by successfully landing its Blue Ghost lunar module on the moon's surface. The landing took place in Mare Crisium near Mons Latreille. This marks the first time a private company has achieved this milestone. NASA has recognized this achievement, emphasizing its importance for space exploration and the Artemis program.

The Blue Ghost module is carrying 10 NASA instruments to study the lunar environment over 14 Earth days. This research supports future astronaut missions to the Moon and Mars. Shortly after landing, the module captured and shared its first images, revealing the lunar surface with Earth visible in the distance.

Space Technology and Blockchain

Spacecoin's Decentralized Internet Initiative

Spacecoin, a satellite telecommunications company, is developing a decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) powered by blockchain to provide global internet connectivity via space infrastructures. The company launched its first satellite, CTC-0, on SpaceX’s Bandwagon-2 rocket and plans to expand its satellite network by 2026, with a major launch in Q4 2025. In collaboration with HackerNoon, Spacecoin launched the Spacecoin Writing Contest, offering a 15,000 USDT prize pool for writers exploring decentralized internet, space tech, and blockchain use cases.

AI

Elon Musk vs. Sam Altman

Elon Musk is attempting to undermine Sam Altman's plans for the leading AI platform, reigniting a past disagreement between the two tech figures.

Entertainment

The Electric State Final Trailer

The final trailer for the Russo brothers' film, 'The Electric State', based on Simon Stålenhag's graphic novel, has been released. Starring Millie Bobby Brown, with Chris Pratt, the film will be available on Netflix on March 14.

Flying closer to Earth delivers higher-resolution imagery The closer a satellite flies to Earth, the higher the resolution of its imagery, but there's a catch.

Space Exploration

Firefly's Moon Landing

Firefly's successful lunar landing is described as "clockwork," with the team stating, "We got some Moon dust on our boots."

Business & Finance

Elon Musk on Social Security

Elon Musk labeled Social Security a "Ponzi Scheme" during a discussion with Joe Rogan, asserting that future obligations surpass tax revenue. He also claimed, without evidence, that 20 million deceased individuals are still listed as "alive" in the database. Musk then addressed national debt and defended DOGE member vetting, despite reports of staff lacking clearance.

Space Exploration

Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Lunar Landing

Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander successfully landed on the Moon, becoming the second private spacecraft to achieve this. Launched from Cape Canaveral aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on January 15th, Blue Ghost will conduct research operations for two weeks. These include lunar subsurface drilling, sample collection, X-ray imaging, and dust mitigation experiments. The goal is to provide environmental data and test technologies for future NASA crewed missions. Blue Ghost is also scheduled to capture high-definition images of a total eclipse on March 14th. Another lander, Resilience, is expected to arrive on the Moon in early May.

Technology and Transportation

Autonomous Vehicle Speed Record

A Maserati MC20 Coupe, utilizing self-driving software developed by Politecnico di Milano, achieved a new land speed record for autonomous vehicles, clocking in at 197.7 mph at the Kennedy Space Center. This accomplishment surpasses the prior record of 192.2 mph held by the Indy Autonomous Challenge and PoliMOVE. The objective is to rigorously test the algorithms underpinning autonomous driving systems at high speeds to enhance safety for self-driving vehicles on public roads. Paul Mitchell, CEO of Indy Autonomous Challenge, highlighted the importance of pushing AI-driver software and robotic hardware to their limits with a street car to translate autonomous racing insights into safer, high-speed autonomous mobility on highways. The Maserati MC20, valued at $239,000, is powered by a 621-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine.

Automotive Industry

2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA

Mercedes-Benz is releasing a new CLA model in 2026, including a hybrid version.

Electric Vehicle Industry

Xpeng's Delivery Surge

Xpeng reported strong delivery numbers in February, exceeding 30,000 cars for the fourth consecutive month. This was largely driven by its mass-market Mona vehicle. Deliveries of the Mona M03, equipped with a basic driver-assist system, have consistently surpassed 15,000 units per month since December. Xpeng also saw robust demand for its P7+ electric sedan. Analysts anticipate that Xpeng's upcoming new vehicles will further boost its delivery momentum.

Other EV Makers

Xiaomi delivered over 20,000 electric cars for the fifth straight month and reduced the starting price of its SU7 Ultra sedan. BYD reported 318,233 new energy passenger car sales in February, and Zeekr delivered 14,039 units, up from the previous month.