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Tag: launch

  • TrumpRx is launched: How it works and what Democrats say about it

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    The White House’s TrumpRx website went live Thursday with a promise to instantly deliver prescription drugs at “the lowest price anywhere in the world.”

    “This launch represents the largest reduction in prescription drug prices in history by many, many times, and it’s not even close,” President Trump said at a news conference announcing the launch of the platform.

    Drug policy experts say the jury is still out on whether the platform will provide the significant savings Trump promises, though it will probably help people who need drugs not commonly covered by insurance.

    Senate Democrats, meanwhile, called the site a “vanity project” and questioned whether the program presents a possible conflict of interest involving the pharmaceutical industry and the Trump family.

    What is TrumpRx, really?

    The new platform, trumprx.gov, is designed to help uninsured Americans find discounted prices for high-cost, brand-name prescriptions, including fertility, obesity and diabetes treatments.

    The site does not directly sell drugs. Instead, consumers browse a list of discounted medicines, and select one for purchase. From there, they either receive a coupon accepted at certain pharmacies or are routed directly to a drug manufacturer’s website to purchase the prescription.

    The White House said the reduced prices are possible after the administration negotiated voluntary “most favored nation” agreements with 16 major drugmakers including Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk.

    Under these deals, manufacturers have agreed to set certain U.S. drug prices no higher than those paid in other wealthy nations in exchange for three-year tariff exemptions. However, the full legal and financial details of the deals have not been made public, leaving lawmakers to speculate how TrumpRx’s pricing model works.

    What does it accomplish?

    Though the White House has framed TrumpRx as a historic reset for prescription drug costs, economists said the platform offers limited new savings.

    But it does move the needle on the issue of drug pricing transparency, away from the hidden mechanisms behind how prescription drugs are priced, rebated and distributed, according to Geoffrey Joyce, director of health policy at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics.

    “This has been a murky world, a terrible, obscure, opaque marketplace where drug prices have been inconsistently priced to different consumers,” Joyce said, “So this is a little step in the right direction, but it’s mostly performative from my perspective, which is kind of Trump in a nutshell.”

    Still, for the uninsured or people seeking “lifestyle drugs” — like those for fertility or weight loss that insurers have historically declined to cover — TrumpRx could become a useful option, Joyce said.

    “It’s kind of a win for Trump and a win for Pfizer,” Joyce said. “They get to say, ‘Look what we’re doing. We’re lowering prices. We’re keeping Trump happy, but it’s on our low-volume drugs, and drugs that we were discounting big time anyway.’”

    Where does it fall short?

    Early analyses by drug policy experts suggest many of the discounted medications listed on the TrumpRx site were already on offer through other drug databases before the platform launched.

    For example, Pfizer’s Duavee menopause treatment is listed at $30.30 on TrumpRx, but it is also available for the same price at some pharmacies via GoodRx.

    Weight management drug Wegovy starts at $199 on TrumpRx. Manufacturers were already selling the same discounted rates through its NovoCare Pharmacy program before the portal’s launch.

    “[TrumpRx] uses data from GoodRx, an existing price-search database for prescription drugs,” said Darius N. Lakdawalla, a senior health policy researcher at USC. “It seems to provide prices that are essentially the same as the lowest price GoodRx reports on its website.”

    Compared to GoodRx, TrumpRx covers a modest subset of drugs: 43 in all.

    “Uninsured consumers, who do not use or know about GoodRx and need one of the specific drugs covered by the site, might benefit from TrumpRx. That seems like a very specific set of people,” Lakdawalla said.

    Where do Democrats stand?

    Democrats slammed the program this week, saying it would not provide substantial discounts for patients, and called for greater transparency around the administration’s dealings with drugmakers. To date, the administration has not disclosed the terms of the pricing agreements with manufacturers such as Pfizer and AstraZeneca.

    In the lead-up to the TrumpRx launch, Democratic members of Congress questioned its usefulness and urged federal health regulators to delay its debut.

    “This is just another Donald Trump pet project to rebrand something that already exists, take credit for it, and do nothing to actually lower healthcare prices,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) said Friday. “Democrats will continue fighting to lower healthcare costs and push Republicans to stop giving handouts to billionaires at the expense of working-class Americans.”

    Three other Democratic senators — Dick Durbin, Elizabeth Warren and Peter Welch — raised another concern in a Jan. 29 letter to Thomas March Bell, inspector general for the Department of Health and Human Services.

    The three senators pointed to potential conflicts of interest between TrumpRx and an online dispensing company, BlinkRx.

    One of Trump’s sons, Donald Trump Jr., joined the BlinkRx Board of Directors in February 2025.

    Months before, he became a partner at 1789 Capital, a venture capital firm that holds a significant stake in BlinkRx and led the startup’s $140-million funding round in 2024. After his appointment, BlinkRx launched a service to help pharmaceutical companies build direct-to-patient sales platforms quickly.

    “The timing of the BlinkRx announcement so closely following the administration’s outreach to the largest drug companies, and the involvement of President Trump’s immediate family, raises questions about potential coordination, influence and self-dealing,” according to an October 2025 statement by Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

    Both BlinkRx and Donald Trump Jr. have denied any coordination.

    What’s next?

    The rollout of TrumpRx fits into a suite of White House programs designed to address rising costs, an area of vulnerability for Republicans ahead of the November midterms.

    The White House issued a statement Friday urging support for the president’s healthcare initiative, dubbed “the great healthcare plan,” which it said will further reduce drug prices and lower insurance premiums.

    For the roughly 8% of Americans without health insurance, TrumpRx’s website promises that more high-cost, brand-name drugs will be discounted on the platform in the future.

    “It’s possible the benefits will become broader in the future,” Lakdawalla said. “I would say that the jury remains out on its long-run structure and its long-run pricing effects.”

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    Gavin J. Quinton

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  • NASA’s Artemis II moon launch delayed after technical issues during rehearsal

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    NASA’s Artemis II moon launch delayed after technical issues during rehearsal

    MINUTES. SANIKA ALL RIGHT. SLOWLY BUT SURELY. THAWING OUT HERE. CAM. WELL, LET’S TALK ABOUT A MAJOR SETBACK FOR NASA IN THE QUEST TO GO BACK TO THE MOON. THESE ARE LIVE PICTURES FROM PAT 39, WHERE THE ARTEMIS TWO MISSION WILL REMAIN GROUNDED FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER MONTH. WE BROKE THE NEWS ON SUNRISE AFTER NASA CHIEF JARED ISAACMAN MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA OVERNIGHT. AS WE REPORTED YESTERDAY, CREWS WERE WORKING THROUGH A NUMBER OF ISSUES DURING DRESS REHEARSAL, BUT WE’LL NOW NEED MORE TIME TO FIX THE ROCKET IN ORDER TO LAUNCH WESH TWO. MEGHAN MORIARTY IS LIVE AT KSC, WHERE NASA IS EXPECTED TO GIVE US AN UPDATE IN LESS THAN AN HOUR NOW. MEGHAN, ALL EYES ON THIS. AT 1:00, NASA MISSION SPECIALISTS ARE EXPECTED TO BREAK DOWN WHAT HAPPENED DURING WET DRESS REHEARSAL. THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY HAD THERE, AS WELL AS WHAT’S NEXT FOR ARTEMIS TWO. NOW THAT WET DRESS REHEARSAL, WE HAVE BEEN EXPLAINING IT TO YOU FOR DAYS, BUT JUST A REMINDER, IT’S THAT CRITICAL TEST THAT IS A SIMULATED LAUNCH AND PRACTICE COUNTDOWN AHEAD OF THE REAL DEAL. AND IT’S DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS GIVING NASA A CHANCE TO FIX THINGS BEFORE THE LAUNCH, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE’RE DOING HERE. NASA SAYS THEY PUSHED THROUGH SEVERAL CHALLENGES DURING THE TWO DAY TEST THAT STARTED MONDAY AND WENT INTO THIS MORNING, ADDING THAT THEY MET MANY OF THE PLANNED OBJECTIVES. BUT TEAMS DID ACTUALLY DETECT THAT HYDROGEN LEAK PRETTY EARLY INTO FUELING. THEY DID PUSH THROUGH, BUT ULTIMATELY DETERMINED THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE TOO BIG OF A RISK TO CONTINUE. NOW, HYDROGEN LEAKS, THOUGH THEY’RE NOT UNCOMMON. WELL, IT SHOWS THEY’RE IN A VERY PRECARIOUS SITUATION. HYDROGEN IS INSIDIOUS. IT’S THE SMALLEST MOLECULE. IT CAN EASILY LEAK. THIS CAUSED MANY ISSUES DURING THE ARTEMIS ONE COUNTDOWN. ARTEMIS ONE WAS THAT UNCREWED TEST FLIGHT IN 2022, AND IT ALSO SUFFERED SUFFERED HYDROGEN LEAKS DURING TESTING, WHICH DELAYED ITS LAUNCH DATE. NOW, WHILE TEAMS DETECTED THAT LEAK EARLY ENOUGH, THEY ALWAYS EXPECT A SMALL AMOUNT OF HYDROGEN THAT WILL BE RELEASED DURING THIS PROCESS, ESCAPING SOME OF THOSE SEALS. BECAUSE IT’S SUCH A SMALL MOLECULE. HOWEVER, AS THEY WENT THROUGH THAT TESTING, THEY REALIZED THAT IT WOULD EXCEED NASA’S SAFETY LIMIT. SO NOW THEY’RE TARGETING A LAUNCH IN MARCH. AGAIN, THAT NEWS CONFERENCE IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN AT 1:00. WE’LL NOT ONLY BE STREAMING IT ON WESH.COM, BUT WE WILL BRING YOU THE UPDATES STARTING ON WESH 2 NEW

    NASA’s Artemis II moon launch delayed after technical issues during rehearsal

    Updated: 2:30 PM EST Feb 3, 2026

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    NASA’s Artemis II mission has been postponed to March following technical issues identified during a wet dress rehearsal. The mission was originally scheduled for launch this Sunday, Feb. 8. During the rehearsal on Monday, engineers spent several hours troubleshooting a liquid hydrogen leak, according to NASA.The head of NASA, Jared Isaacman, announced on X around 2 a.m. that hydrogen leaks had been discovered during fueling of the tank. Beyond the liquid hydrogen leak, teams encountered several additional issues, including:A recently replaced valve for the Orion crew module hatch pressurization system required retorquing.Closeout operations took longer than planned.Cold weather affected several cameras and other equipment.Intermittent audio communication dropouts occurred across ground teams.A research chemist monitoring the process at the space center said NASA will need to figure out what was going wrong. NASA explained that the launch was mainly delayed to allow teams to review data and conduct a second wet dress rehearsal. While the new launch window is set for March, there is no specific launch date yet.NASA held a news conference Tuesday at 1 p.m. to discuss the issues and the upcoming launch further.Watch the full conference below:

    NASA’s Artemis II mission has been postponed to March following technical issues identified during a wet dress rehearsal.

    The mission was originally scheduled for launch this Sunday, Feb. 8.

    During the rehearsal on Monday, engineers spent several hours troubleshooting a liquid hydrogen leak, according to NASA.

    The head of NASA, Jared Isaacman, announced on X around 2 a.m. that hydrogen leaks had been discovered during fueling of the tank.

    Beyond the liquid hydrogen leak, teams encountered several additional issues, including:

    • A recently replaced valve for the Orion crew module hatch pressurization system required retorquing.
    • Closeout operations took longer than planned.
    • Cold weather affected several cameras and other equipment.
    • Intermittent audio communication dropouts occurred across ground teams.

    A research chemist monitoring the process at the space center said NASA will need to figure out what was going wrong.

    NASA explained that the launch was mainly delayed to allow teams to review data and conduct a second wet dress rehearsal.

    While the new launch window is set for March, there is no specific launch date yet.

    NASA held a news conference Tuesday at 1 p.m. to discuss the issues and the upcoming launch further.

    Watch the full conference below:

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  • Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket set for Mars mission from Florida’s Space Coast

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    Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is set to launch from Kennedy Space Center on Thursday.The launch window opens at 2:57 p.m. and closes at 4:25 p.m., following delays due to space weather conditions.Over the last hour and a half, crews have begun loading propellant onto the New Glenn.The launch was postponed on Wednesday due to highly elevated solar activity, which can be hazardous for rockets. This activity is a result of geomagnetic storms that also produce the aurora, also known as the northern lights. Sunday’s launch was also scrubbed due to adverse weather conditions on the ground.This mission is pivotal for Blue Origin, as Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy hinted that NASA might select a different company for its Artemis III mission, which aims to return humans to the moon. Duffy suggested that Blue Origin could potentially replace SpaceX for this mission.Dr. Ken Kremer, a research chemist, said, “I think they have an excellent chance to get this contract.”Dr. Don Platt from Florida Tech emphasized the importance of the mission’s success, stating, “The most important thing is to make sure the escapade spacecraft is on the trajectory to Mars and so they’re able to put that into the proper orbit. Anything short of that is not a success.”Blue Origin will also monitor recovery weather conditions, as they aim to land the booster, a feat they did not attempt during their first launch in February. >> WESH 2 will stream the launch in the video player above.

    Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is set to launch from Kennedy Space Center on Thursday.

    The launch window opens at 2:57 p.m. and closes at 4:25 p.m., following delays due to space weather conditions.

    Over the last hour and a half, crews have begun loading propellant onto the New Glenn.

    The launch was postponed on Wednesday due to highly elevated solar activity, which can be hazardous for rockets.

    This activity is a result of geomagnetic storms that also produce the aurora, also known as the northern lights. Sunday’s launch was also scrubbed due to adverse weather conditions on the ground.

    This mission is pivotal for Blue Origin, as Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy hinted that NASA might select a different company for its Artemis III mission, which aims to return humans to the moon.

    Duffy suggested that Blue Origin could potentially replace SpaceX for this mission.

    Dr. Ken Kremer, a research chemist, said, “I think they have an excellent chance to get this contract.”

    Dr. Don Platt from Florida Tech emphasized the importance of the mission’s success, stating, “The most important thing is to make sure the escapade spacecraft is on the trajectory to Mars and so they’re able to put that into the proper orbit. Anything short of that is not a success.”

    Blue Origin will also monitor recovery weather conditions, as they aim to land the booster, a feat they did not attempt during their first launch in February.

    >> WESH 2 will stream the launch in the video player above.

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  • SpaceX set to launch Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on Sunday

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    SpaceX set to launch Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on Sunday

    Updated: 5:15 PM EDT Sep 14, 2025

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    >>>Watch the launch live in the video player aboveSpaceX has scheduled a Falcon 9 launch of Northrop Grumman’s next Cygnus mission to the International Space Station on Sunday. Liftoff is targeted for 6:11 p.m. from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.Eight minutes after liftoff, Falcon 9’s first stage is expected to land on SpaceX’s Landing Zone 2.SpaceX said there is a possibility that residents of Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Indian River, Seminole, Volusia, Polk, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the landing.

    >>>Watch the launch live in the video player above

    SpaceX has scheduled a Falcon 9 launch of Northrop Grumman’s next Cygnus mission to the International Space Station on Sunday.

    Liftoff is targeted for 6:11 p.m. from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

    Eight minutes after liftoff, Falcon 9’s first stage is expected to land on SpaceX’s Landing Zone 2.

    SpaceX said there is a possibility that residents of Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Indian River, Seminole, Volusia, Polk, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the landing.

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  • SpaceX to launch Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Space Coast

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    SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is targeting the launch of 28 Starlink satellites from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The rocket is expected to lift off at 7:56 a.m.This will be the 14th flight for the Falcon 9 first-stage booster supporting this mission.After stage separation, the first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.>> WESH will stream the launch in the video player above.

    SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is targeting the launch of 28 Starlink satellites from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

    The rocket is expected to lift off at 7:56 a.m.

    This will be the 14th flight for the Falcon 9 first-stage booster supporting this mission.

    After stage separation, the first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

    >> WESH will stream the launch in the video player above.

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  • Israel launches strikes on targets in Iran risking escalation in Mideast wars

    Israel launches strikes on targets in Iran risking escalation in Mideast wars

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    Israel launched airstrikes early Saturday on what it described as military targets in Iran in retaliation for a ballistic missile assault Oct. 1, officials said. There was no immediate information on damage in the Islamic Republic.Video above: Israeli officials refuse to commit to US efforts to end war in GazaIsrael’s military described the attack as “precise strikes on military targets in Iran,” without immediately elaborating.“The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since Oct. 7 – on seven fronts – including direct attacks from Iranian soil,” an Israeli military statement said. “Like every other sovereign country in the world, the State of Israel has the right and the duty to respond.”In Tehran, the Iranian capital, the sound of explosions could be heard, with state-run media there initially acknowledging the blasts and saying some of the sounds came from air defense systems around the city.A Tehran resident told The Associated Press that at least seven explosions could be heard, which rattled the surrounding area. The resident spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.Meanwhile, state media in Syria described its air defenses as targeting “hostile targets” there as well.Iran has launched two ballistic missile attacks on Israel in recent months amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip that began with the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel also has launched a ground invasion of Lebanon.The strike happened just as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was arriving back in the U.S. after a tour of the Middle East where he and other U.S. officials had warned Israel to tender a response that would not further escalate the conflict in the region and exclude nuclear sites in Iran.White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement that “we understand that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran” and referred reporters to the Israeli government for more details on their operation.Israel had vowed to hit Iran hard following a massive Iranian missile barrage on Oct. 1. Iran said its barrage was in response to deadly Israeli attacks against its proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah, and it has promised to respond to any retaliatory strikes.Israel and Iran have been bitter foes since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Israel considers Iran to be its greatest threat, citing its leaders’ calls for Israel’s destruction, their support for anti-Israel militant groups and the country’s nuclear program.Israel and Iran have been locked in a yearslong shadow war. A suspected Israeli assassination campaign has killed top Iranian nuclear scientists. Iranian nuclear installations have been hacked or sabotaged, all in mysterious attacks blamed on Israel. Meanwhile, Iran has been blamed for a series of attacks on shipping in the Middle East in recent years, which later grew into the attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on shipping through the Red Sea corridor.But since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, the battle has increasingly moved into the open. Israel has recently turned its attention to Hezbollah, which has been firing rockets into Israel since the war in Gaza began. Throughout the year, a number of top Iranian military figures have been killed in Israeli strikes in Syria and Lebanon.Iran fired a wave of missiles and drones at Israel last April after two Iranian generals were killed in an apparent Israeli airstrike in Syria on an Iranian diplomatic post. The missiles and drones caused minimum damage, and Israel — under pressure from Western countries to show restraint — responded with a limited strike.But after Iran’s early October missile strike, Israel promised a tougher response.

    Israel launched airstrikes early Saturday on what it described as military targets in Iran in retaliation for a ballistic missile assault Oct. 1, officials said. There was no immediate information on damage in the Islamic Republic.

    Video above: Israeli officials refuse to commit to US efforts to end war in Gaza

    Israel’s military described the attack as “precise strikes on military targets in Iran,” without immediately elaborating.

    “The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since Oct. 7 – on seven fronts – including direct attacks from Iranian soil,” an Israeli military statement said. “Like every other sovereign country in the world, the State of Israel has the right and the duty to respond.”

    In Tehran, the Iranian capital, the sound of explosions could be heard, with state-run media there initially acknowledging the blasts and saying some of the sounds came from air defense systems around the city.

    A Tehran resident told The Associated Press that at least seven explosions could be heard, which rattled the surrounding area. The resident spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

    Meanwhile, state media in Syria described its air defenses as targeting “hostile targets” there as well.

    Iran has launched two ballistic missile attacks on Israel in recent months amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip that began with the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel also has launched a ground invasion of Lebanon.

    The strike happened just as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was arriving back in the U.S. after a tour of the Middle East where he and other U.S. officials had warned Israel to tender a response that would not further escalate the conflict in the region and exclude nuclear sites in Iran.

    White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement that “we understand that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran” and referred reporters to the Israeli government for more details on their operation.

    Israel had vowed to hit Iran hard following a massive Iranian missile barrage on Oct. 1. Iran said its barrage was in response to deadly Israeli attacks against its proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah, and it has promised to respond to any retaliatory strikes.

    Israel and Iran have been bitter foes since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Israel considers Iran to be its greatest threat, citing its leaders’ calls for Israel’s destruction, their support for anti-Israel militant groups and the country’s nuclear program.

    Israel and Iran have been locked in a yearslong shadow war. A suspected Israeli assassination campaign has killed top Iranian nuclear scientists. Iranian nuclear installations have been hacked or sabotaged, all in mysterious attacks blamed on Israel. Meanwhile, Iran has been blamed for a series of attacks on shipping in the Middle East in recent years, which later grew into the attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on shipping through the Red Sea corridor.

    But since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, the battle has increasingly moved into the open. Israel has recently turned its attention to Hezbollah, which has been firing rockets into Israel since the war in Gaza began. Throughout the year, a number of top Iranian military figures have been killed in Israeli strikes in Syria and Lebanon.

    Iran fired a wave of missiles and drones at Israel last April after two Iranian generals were killed in an apparent Israeli airstrike in Syria on an Iranian diplomatic post. The missiles and drones caused minimum damage, and Israel — under pressure from Western countries to show restraint — responded with a limited strike.

    But after Iran’s early October missile strike, Israel promised a tougher response.

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  • Liftoff: NASA’s Europa Clipper Sails Toward Ocean Moon of Jupiter

    Liftoff: NASA’s Europa Clipper Sails Toward Ocean Moon of Jupiter

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    NASA’s Europa Clipper has embarked on its long voyage to Jupiter, where it will investigate Europa, a moon with an enormous subsurface ocean that may have conditions to support life.

    The spacecraft launched at 12:06pm EDT Monday aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Central Florida.

    The largest spacecraft NASA ever built for a mission headed to another planet, Europa Clipper also is the first NASA mission dedicated to studying an ocean world beyond Earth. The spacecraft will travel 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers) on a trajectory that will leverage the power of gravity assists, first to Mars in four months and then back to Earth for another gravity assist flyby in 2026. After it begins orbiting Jupiter in April 2030, the spacecraft will fly past Europa 49 times.

    “Congratulations to our Europa Clipper team for beginning the first journey to an ocean world beyond Earth,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “NASA leads the world in exploration and discovery, and the Europa Clipper mission is no different. By exploring the unknown, Europa Clipper will help us better understand whether there is the potential for life not just within our solar system, but among the billions of moons and planets beyond our Sun.”

    Approximately five minutes after liftoff, the rocket’s second stage fired up and the payload fairing, or the rocket’s nose cone, opened to reveal Europa Clipper. About an hour after launch, the spacecraft separated from the rocket. Ground controllers received a signal soon after, and two-way communication was established at 1:13pm with NASA’s Deep Space Network facility in Canberra, Australia. Mission teams celebrated as initial telemetry reports showed Europa Clipper is in good health and operating as expected.

    “We could not be more excited for the incredible and unprecedented science NASA’s Europa Clipper mission will deliver in the generations to come,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Everything in NASA science is interconnected, and Europa Clipper’s scientific discoveries will build upon the legacy that our other missions exploring Jupiter — including Juno, Galileo, and Voyager — created in our search for habitable worlds beyond our home planet.”

    The main goal of the mission is to determine whether Europa has conditions that could support life. Europa is about the size of our own Moon, but its interior is different. Information from NASA’s Galileo mission in the 1990s showed strong evidence that under Europa’s ice lies an enormous, salty ocean with more water than all of Earth’s oceans combined. Scientists also have found evidence that Europa may host organic compounds and energy sources under its surface.

    If the mission determines Europa is habitable, it may mean there are more habitable worlds in our solar system and beyond than imagined.

    “We’re ecstatic to send Europa Clipper on its way to explore a potentially habitable ocean world, thanks to our colleagues and partners who’ve worked so hard to get us to this day,” said Laurie Leshin, director, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “Europa Clipper will undoubtedly deliver mind-blowing science. While always bittersweet to send something we’ve labored over for years off on its long journey, we know this remarkable team and spacecraft will expand our knowledge of our solar system and inspire future exploration.”

    In 2031, the spacecraft will begin conducting its science-dedicated flybys of Europa. Coming as close as 16 miles (25 kilometers) to the surface, Europa Clipper is equipped with nine science instruments and a gravity experiment, including an ice-penetrating radar, cameras, and a thermal instrument to look for areas of warmer ice and any recent eruptions of water. As the most sophisticated suite of science instruments NASA has ever sent to Jupiter, they will work in concert to learn more about the moon’s icy shell, thin atmosphere, and deep interior.

    To power those instruments in the faint sunlight that reaches Jupiter, Europa Clipper also carries the largest solar arrays NASA has ever used for an interplanetary mission. With arrays extended, the spacecraft spans 100 feet (30.5 meters) from end to end. With propellant loaded, it weighs about 13,000 pounds (5,900 kilograms).

    In all, more than 4,000 people have contributed to Europa Clipper mission since it was formally approved in 2015.

    “As Europa Clipper embarks on its journey, I’ll be thinking about the countless hours of dedication, innovation, and teamwork that made this moment possible,” said Jordan Evans, project manager, NASA JPL. “This launch isn’t just the next chapter in our exploration of the solar system; it’s a leap toward uncovering the mysteries of another ocean world, driven by our shared curiosity and continued search to answer the question, ‘are we alone?’”

    Europa Clipper’s three main science objectives are to determine the thickness of the moon’s icy shell and its interactions with the ocean below, to investigate its composition, and to characterize its geology. The mission’s detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet.

    Managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California, NASA JPL leads the development of the Europa Clipper mission in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The main spacecraft body was designed by APL in collaboration with NASA JPL and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The Planetary Missions Program Office at Marshall executes program management of the Europa Clipper mission.

    NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at NASA Kennedy, managed the launch service for the Europa Clipper spacecraft.

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  • SpaceX targeting Tuesday for Polaris Dawn launch

    SpaceX targeting Tuesday for Polaris Dawn launch

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    SpaceX will try again to launch Polaris Dawn on Tuesday at 3:38 a.m. from Kennedy Space Center.Several previous attempts have been scrubbed over the past two weeks. The most recent opportunity was missed because of unfavorable weather conditions in the recovery area. According to SpaceX, weather is currently 40% favorable for liftoff.WESH 2 will carry the launch live on air and stream it on WESH.com.

    SpaceX will try again to launch Polaris Dawn on Tuesday at 3:38 a.m. from Kennedy Space Center.

    Several previous attempts have been scrubbed over the past two weeks. The most recent opportunity was missed because of unfavorable weather conditions in the recovery area.

    According to SpaceX, weather is currently 40% favorable for liftoff.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    WESH 2 will carry the launch live on air and stream it on WESH.com.

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  • NASA, Blue Origin Prepare for New Glenn Launch of Mars Mission

    NASA, Blue Origin Prepare for New Glenn Launch of Mars Mission

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    NASA and Blue Origin are preparing for the agency’s ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) mission, which begins on the inaugural launch of the company’s New Glenn rocket.

    The mission will study the solar wind’s interaction with the magnetosphere on Mars.

    Blue Origin is targeting no earlier than Sunday, October 13th, for the launch of New Glenn-1 from Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Central Florida.

    The ESCAPADE mission will use two identical spacecraft to investigate how the solar wind interacts with the hybrid magnetosphere on Mars and how this interaction drives the planet’s atmospheric escape.

    ESCAPADE is the first multi-spacecraft orbital science mission to the Red Planet. Its twin orbiters will take simultaneous observations from different locations around Mars. According to NASA, the observations will reveal the planet’s real-time response to space weather and how the Martian magnetosphere changes over time.

    The mission is funded by NASA’s Heliophysics Division and is part of the NASA Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration program.

    The ESCAPADE mission is led by the University of California, Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory, and the spacecraft is designed by Rocket Lab. The agency’s Launch Services Program, based at NASA Kennedy, secured the launch service under the VADR (Venture-class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare) contract.

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  • All the Best New Kitchen Products That Dropped in March

    All the Best New Kitchen Products That Dropped in March

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    Nikol is a shopping writer for The Kitchn’s commerce team. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri – Columbia. In addition to writing about cool home and kitchen finds, she loves reality television and her Pomeranian, Finn.

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    Nikol Slatinska

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  • New Approach Paves the Future of Commercial Space Launch

    New Approach Paves the Future of Commercial Space Launch

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    For the first time, two launch service providers have agreed to simultaneously operate from a single launch complex. Phantom COO Mark Lester and Vaya COO Rob Fabian signed the memorandum of agreement at the Space Mobility Conference, outlining how the two companies will work concurrently at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 13 (LC-13). 

    Commercial companies sharing a Launch Complex is a novel approach to maximize limited launch-site availability at the Cape. Historically, one company would exclusively occupy a Launch Complex and populate it with unique and proprietary infrastructure dedicated to its use. While this approach was satisfactory when available launch sites were plentiful and few launch vehicles existed, it is not sustainable in the rapidly growing and diverse commercial space launch environment.

    In addition to maximizing available land use, Phantom and Vaya’s approach provides significant national security advantages through responsive and resilient launch. The ability for multiple companies to share infrastructure and launch support systems in a nimble manner dramatically increases launch pad throughput and launch resilience to provide assured access to space. This approach leverages proven airport models where runways, taxiways, gates, and operational infrastructure are company-agnostic shared resources.

    “Vaya Space and Phantom value the importance of collaboration to create new responsive launch capability in a safe and efficient manner for long-term growth and sustainability. We have worked diligently together over the last several months on the agreement to underscore our commitment to safety and best address and balance government, spaceport, and company needs,” stated Phantom COO Mark Lester. 

    About Vaya Space 

    Vaya Space is a privately owned company based on the Space Coast and leveraging patented Vortex Hybrid engine technology to disrupt the Space and Defense markets. For media inquiries, please contact media@vayaspace.com

    About Phantom Space

    Founded by inventors and entrepreneurs Jim Cantrell and Michael D’Angelo, Phantom Space Corporation is a space transportation company democratizing space access by mass manufacturing launch vehicles, satellites, and space propulsion systems. Phantom’s vision is to become the “Henry Ford of Space Transportation” through the opportunity to mass manufacture and launch hundreds of rockets — a 100% U.S.-controlled-and-operated enterprise headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, with multiple launch operations centers. Learn more at https://www.phantomspace.com/

    Contact:
    Jim Cantrell, CEO
    (520) 207-2799
    pr@phantomspace.com

    Source: Vaya Space

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  • SpaceX Starship’s second uncrewed launch ends in explosion

    SpaceX Starship’s second uncrewed launch ends in explosion

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    SpaceX’s Starship Mars rocket and spacecraft launched for the second time early Saturday morning, making it through lift-off and a planned separation of the uncrewed ship and rocket booster before both ended up exploding.

    The massive Starship rocket launched around 5:03 a.m. Pacific from SpaceX’s launch facility near Boca Chica, Texas. On a livestream of the launch, SpaceX employees tempered viewers’ expectations, warning that the company didn’t expect to recover any hardware for future re-flight from either rocket booster or launch, even in the best case scenario.

    The stated goal, employees said, was to make it to separation of the rocket booster and the Starship craft.

    The Hawthorne company has added a new, hot-stage separation system into the rocket, in which the rocket booster keeps a few engines burning while the spaceship ignites all of its engines to get more boost. Though it puts more pressure on the booster, the complicated procedure is intended to increase the carrying capacity for the ship.

    About three minutes after lift-off, the booster and ship did successfully separate, but the booster broke apart shortly after. The Starship craft continued to ascend, but about nine minutes after lift-off, the company said it lost data from the craft.

    The company said it believes the automated flight termination system on the ship was triggered “very late in the burn” as it headed over the Gulf of Mexico, said John Insprucker, a longtime SpaceX employee who frequently appears on the company’s livestream to give technical updates and explanations. The automated flight termination system is a safety mechanism embedded in the rocket’s software that destroys the vehicle if it senses that its course or performance is awry or unsafe.

    Though the flight did not reach completion, company employees on the livestream called it “an incredibly successful day” that would yield data for future improvements.

    It did mark progress compared with the last test seven months ago, which ended in an explosion a few minutes after lift-off, raining debris over the nearby area and destroying its launch pad.

    That explosion, too, was triggered by the rocket’s autonomous flight termination system.

    SpaceX said at the time that Starship started going off course during that flight due to a propellant leak in the rocket’s booster, which affected the main flight computer and resulted in a loss of communications. That led to the majority of the booster’s engines going out.

    After that test flight, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered SpaceX to make fixes to the rocket, including redesigning its hardware to prevent leaks and fires. On Wednesday, the FAA said it authorized Starship’s second test flight. The company said it has put into place “leak mitigations” and improved its engine and rocket booster testing.

    SpaceX also said it made “significant reinforcements” of the launch pad’s foundation and added a flame deflector intended to prevent future launch pad damage.

    SpaceX Starship is poised for its launch attempt.

    (Scott Schilke / Associated Press)

    Starship is key to SpaceX’s future business plans and the U.S.’s return to the moon. SpaceX is under contract with NASA to develop the Starship spacecraft into a lunar lander for NASA’s Artemis program.

    The company also plans to eventually phase out its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket in favor of the much larger Starship, which it also envisions for use in missions to Mars.

    SpaceX also intends to expand its Starlink broadband internet network through Starship launches, which will be able to carry many more satellites than the Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy rockets.

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    Samantha Masunaga

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  • Le Creuset Just Brought Back Its Gorgeous Pink Chiffon Collection — and It’s Already on Sale

    Le Creuset Just Brought Back Its Gorgeous Pink Chiffon Collection — and It’s Already on Sale

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    Life’s too short not to have fun with colorful cookware. Sure, silver and black pieces are neutral classics, but when you can showcase your personality and add some flair to your kitchen, you totally should! It’s a simple yet powerful way to give your space a facelift, especially if you display them on the stove all the time (and believe us, you will).
    READ MORE…

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    Morgan Pryor

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  • The Limited-Edition Eggo Waffle Robot Vacuum That Sold Out in Hours Is Back in Stock — and You Can Get It on Sale Right Now

    The Limited-Edition Eggo Waffle Robot Vacuum That Sold Out in Hours Is Back in Stock — and You Can Get It on Sale Right Now

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    We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

    Here at The Kitchn, we see internet-famous products all the time, and part of our job is to discern whether they’re actually worth the investment. To determine this, we’ll sometimes test those TikTok-viral or seemingly gimmicky products. Other times, there’s no need, because they sell like hotcakes — or should we say, waffles. One novel household staple we recently came across is the EggoVac Robotic Vacuum and Mop by Bissell. It sold out in just a few hours the day it initially launched, but if you missed that, you’ll be happy to learn that the machine is being restocked today! Available on Bissell’s website and on EggoVac.com, this fun collab not only looks adorable (and appetizing), but it’ll leave your floors spotless regardless of whether you have hard floors, carpet, or both. Best of all, the EggoVac cleans without you having to lift a finger, and it also doubles as a mop! It might look like a waffle, but this vacuum is no gimmick.

    What is the EggoVac Robotic Vacuum and Mop?

    This machine was designed with parents in mind, and that’s not only evident in its waffle-themed appearance. For those with small children or pets, this two-in-one cleaning tool will be a post-meal game-changer thanks to its powerful suction, 140-minute run time, and 360-degree mapping technology. Simply use the Bissell Connect app to map out desired cleaning routes. Once the EggoVac has vacuumed, you can switch it to mop mode, during which spinning scrub pads will remove any remaining debris from sealed hard floors. You’ll also be happy to learn that the machine has a built-in sensor that helps it avoid carpets when mopping. Oh, and how could we forget? Your purchase of the EggoVac also gets you a freezer’s worth of Eggo waffles!

    What Bissell Reviewers Are Saying

    If the reviews are any indication, this tough little vacuum is going to give you back a lot of the time and energy you’ve been spending with a manual vac. It’s perfect for those with busy lifestyles and even busier households, so if you fall into either camp, snag an EggoVac now before it sells out again!

    Buy: EggoVac Robotic Vacuum and Mop, $150 (normally $549.99)

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    Nikol Slatinska

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  • SEMPRE & Vector Launch Partner on Resilient Responsive and Flexible Launch System

    SEMPRE & Vector Launch Partner on Resilient Responsive and Flexible Launch System

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    Combined survivable launch infrastructure solution created to address emerging national security challenges

    SEMPRE, the technology company created to secure America’s critical infrastructure, today announced that it has partnered with Vector to provide secure, resilient, mobile command-and-control infrastructure for Vector’s rapid launch capability. 

    Vector Launch is a responsive launch vehicle solution provider whose mission is to help solve complex national security challenges facing the intelligence community, the U.S. Department of Defense and other government agencies. 

    SEMPRE’s fully integrated survivable and resilient command-and control-system—purpose-built to conform to the highest industry and military standards for security, resiliency, and quality—will be combined with Vector’s responsive launch, creating a unique joint solution that will employ the following capabilities:

    • EMP-hardened, secure, high-performance edge processing allows for resilient command and control of the vehicle and its launch operations, in even the most challenging and hostile environment.
    •  Secure and redundant 5G and satellite back-haul communications with support for DoD and commercial providers, allowing for launch anytime, anywhere.
    • TEL (transport erector launcher) providing for a survivable, self-contained, mobile launch platform with the ability to rapidly “launch-and-scoot” from austere unimproved locations.
    • Small-footprint, remote command and control eliminating the need for large numbers of personnel at the launch site.

    These joint capabilities will be offered for use by others in the space and defense industry to help improve command and control, telemetry analysis, autonomous launch and secure mission operations.

    “The SEMPRE-Vector combined solution will allow for flexible mission profiles and enable decision makers and future warfighters to decisively and accurately respond in the time of crisis,” says SEMPRE CEO Rob Spalding, former senior director of strategy at the National Security Council and retired USAF Brigadier General. “Developed to help counter various emerging threats from the Indo-Pacific, as well as man-made disasters and those coming from nature and from space, SEMPRE technology deployed along with responsive and remote launch will provide a capability unique in the industry.”

    “Our partnership with SEMPRE will help us to deliver an even more innovative and responsive product for our national security customers,” says Vector Chief Technology Officer Jeff Lane.

    About SEMPRE

    SEMPRE (Secure EMP-Resistant Edge) connects, protects and secures what matters most: information and communication vital to critical infrastructure. To accomplish this, our team of security and digital infrastructure experts set out to tackle every aspect of what modern communications should offer users: security, resiliency, high-performing edge computing and survivability. With a focus on innovation and a commitment to excellence, SEMPRE is dedicated to providing solutions that enhance the nation’s security and help secure a safer future for all.

    About Vector Launch

    Vector Launch’s primary mission is to solve complex national security challenges facing the intelligence community, US Department of Defense and other government agencies.

    Source: SEMPRE

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  • SB22 launches new omni-channel retail sports betting solution, K22 | Yogonet International

    SB22 launches new omni-channel retail sports betting solution, K22 | Yogonet International

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    Betting platform provider SB22 announced Wednesday the launch of K22, “a fully automated next-generation retail betting solution” that enables operators of all sizes to offer “a highly cost-effective and competitive” retail sportsbook. K22 is an expansion of the GLI-33-certified Fi22 platform and showcases the platform’s omni-channel technology by linking the digital and retail sports betting experience.

    “Building upon SB22’s mission to address the pervasive legacy tech problem and move the sports betting industry solidly into the 21st century, K22 revolutionizes the way sportsbooks operate by introducing industry-first TITO (ticket in-ticket out) functionality,” the company wrote in a press release. 

    This enables casinos to operate their sportsbook kiosks like conventional slot machines—with bonusing, coupons and drawings—and to streamline casino accounting procedures, notes the firm. The premium kiosk will also support cashless functionality in jurisdictions that allow it.

    Vladimir Jovanovic, Chief Operating Officer of SB22, said: “K22 is the first true self-service retail technology that allows operators to offer a profitable sportsbook without significant operational overhead and capital investment.”

    “This is an industry game changer as even smaller casino operators can offer their own sportsbook and control their brand and player experience,” he added.


    Vladimir Jovanovic

    K22 introduces the ability for casinos to “easily integrate with leading casino management systems to offer operators and players a seamless sportsbook experience,” according to the company.

    Utilizing Fi22’s AI/ML capabilities, casino operators will be able to provide carded players with custom in-house promotions, retention offers, higher betting limits, and extensive reporting to understand their players across all verticals offered in the casino.

    Vik Shrestha, Chief Commercial Officer of SB22, added: “With over 950 combined Commercial and Tribal casinos in the US, retail sports betting is a major market with significant growth ahead.”

    “Advanced capabilities including linking a casino account to a sports betting account and even a Free to Play engagement app, enables operators to seamlessly cross-promote and drive revenues across their entire business,” Shrestha further said.

    Sam Humphreys, CEO of London Bay Capital, concluded: “SB22 and its management team are not just thought leaders in the sports betting and gaming industry; they’re delivering the goods. This is just one more example of how SB22 is setting the pace on the technology front.”

    Earlier this year, SB22 announced the launch of AW22, which it calls “the sports betting industry-first patent pending Apple Watch Wagering App.” The novelty was presented during the G2E 2022 showcase in Las Vegas, and offers “an intuitive way for users to place wagers quickly and track the outcomes of their bets, all from their Apple Watch.”

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  • Wedding Industry Icon Behind Catan Fashions Partners With Evergreen for Bridal Podcast

    Wedding Industry Icon Behind Catan Fashions Partners With Evergreen for Bridal Podcast

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    Press Release


    Dec 1, 2022 09:00 EST

    Patrice Catan, the creative entrepreneur behind one of the largest bridal boutiques in the country, Catan’s Fashions, is launching a podcast in partnership with Evergreen Podcasts.

    The Tales from Behind the Veil series will hone in on Patrice’s approach to customer service while educating retailers on delivering dream-come-true experiences, through practical business advice and heart-warming stories. She is joined by veteran Evergreen producer Leah Haslage, who has produced for top shows like Pit Pass Moto, Banking Transformed, and Simple, Interrupted – A PetDesk Podcast. Haslage also hosts her own show, Weddings Unveiled, on the growing Evergreen podcast network. 

    “I’m thrilled to be hosting this podcast with Evergreen, engaging an audience of listeners with the good, the bad, and the funny,” Patrice says. “Tales from Behind the Veil will ‘unveil’ what I’ve learned from the ground up by being on the floor.”

    Her podcast debut follows more than 40 years as a creative designer in the bridal industry, an experience that she credits to her father, founder of Pat Catan’s Craft Centers. One of the largest craft retailer stores in the world, Catan’s was later acquired by the Texas-based Michaels Co. in 2016. In 1980, Patrice opened Catan’s Bridal, once the country’s largest bridal store with 54,000 square feet of dressing rooms, gowns, and 27 seamstresses.  

    “It’s a joy to welcome Patrice, a legend in the bridal and craft industry, to our family of shows made to delight and inspire creators,” says David Allen Moss, Evergreen’s Chief Creative Officer. “She’s served thousands of brides over the decades, earned countless awards within the marketplace, and has been a featured speaker at events across the country. What could be more inspiring?” 

    Patrice joins Evergreen as the company remains on track to becoming the largest independent podcast network in the world. Producing only four shows in 2017, the company now publishes 192 shows across 12 genres. Through original production, branded podcasts, and podcast advertising, Evergreen specializes in content distribution to a broad audience. 

    Recently, Patrice was commissioned by Cleveland’s Western Reserve Historical Society to replicate and assemble bridal headpieces. The National Bridal Association awarded her Retailer of the Year (The DEBI Awards). 

    Tales from Behind the Veil launches Dec. 1, 2022, and will be available to stream via the Evergreen network on Apple PodcastsSpotifyPandoraStitcher, and iHeartRadio

    About Evergreen Podcasts

    Evergreen Podcasts is an award-winning production house that brings entertaining, thought-provoking content to people wherever they are. Evergreen produces podcasts that capture modern thinkers, influencers, and personalities. Top thought leaders and breakout brands choose Evergreen to capture inspiring stories through branded content, original shows, and partner podcasts. 

    Learn more about Evergreen Podcasts and check out the complete lineup of shows. Our storytelling podcasts have something for everyone. 

    Source: Evergreen Podcasts

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