MaiaSpace, a launch services startup, has signed its first commercial contract with Exotrail, a French space logistics specialist. The two companies plan to integrate MaiaSpace's modular launch services with Exotrail's spacevan platform for payload hosting and satellite delivery. MaiaSpace aims to support various satellite types, from nano-satellites to 1.5-tonne satellites, using a reusable engine with MethaLox fuel. The partnership is a significant step for MaiaSpace, demonstrating its commitment to competitive space launch services.
Recent #France news in the semiconductor industry
➀ The FIFA World Cup Final is the biggest game in the world, regularly reaching more than a billion people globally.
➁ The 2022 World Cup Final between Argentina and France drew an average live audience of 571 million viewers globally, with over 1.4 billion people watching at least one minute of the match live.
➂ In contrast, Super Bowl LVIII had an average audience of 123.7 million viewers in the U.S. and a total international audience of 62.5 million.
➀ STMicroelectronics is considering a 6% workforce reduction through early retirements and attrition;
➁ The cuts could affect up to 2000 to 3000 people out of a workforce of 50,000;
➂ The company is aiming to reduce its cost base and planning an early retirement programme, mainly affecting sites in Italy and France.
➀ The world's total nuclear power capacity stands at 396 GW with 299 GW underway; China is set to become the leader with 176 GW if all planned reactors are completed. ➁ The US plans to add 7 GW, while France, Russia, and India are also expanding their nuclear capacity. ➂ Poland, France, the US, and Iran are among countries planning to build new nuclear plants.
➀ Americans are the top consumers of champagne, with 26.9 million bottles consumed in 2023, followed closely by the UK with 25.5 million bottles. The trade association Comité Champagne reported that while champagne accounts for less than 10% of global sparkling wine consumption, it makes up 35% of the market value. This is generated using only 0.5% of the world’s total vineyard area. ➁ France exported approximately $4.4 billion worth of champagne in 2023, with the U.S. importing nearly $1 billion of it. ➂ The high market value of champagne is attributed to its rarity and status as a luxury product.
➀ Over half of employed U.S. adults expect to receive a Christmas bonus this year; ➁ The likelihood is even higher in Mexico and Brazil, with 65 percent and 85 percent, respectively; ➂ The high share in Mexico is likely linked to the mandatory 'aguinaldo'; ➃ Christmas bonuses are less customary in the UK and France.
➀ The US authorises Ukraine to fire US-made rockets into Russia; ➁ France and the UK are considering allowing the use of their long-range missiles; ➂ Heavy Russian bombing in Ukraine prompts international response and condemnation.
➀ An interdisciplinary team in France and Germany has developed hybrid operating rooms using 5G and AI to improve patient outcomes; ➁ The project, 5G-OR, aims to reduce complications and streamline workflows; ➂ The team has implemented AI-assisted monitoring, AI-supported analysis of surgical data, robot-assisted telesurgery, and mobile robotic support in the OR; ➃ The focus is now on transferring these applications into clinical practice and expanding the network for broader user feedback and international collaboration.
➀ Constellation.global, a French startup, secures €9.3 million in funding for its 5G space connectivity project; ➁ The investment will enable the company to conduct ground and orbit connectivity tests and complete engineering studies for the first two satellites; ➂ The company aims to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access to telecom operators using 5G spectrum.
➀ H, a French AI startup, has lost three of its five founders shortly after raising $220 million in a seed round. ➁ The resigning founders cited 'operational differences' as their reason. ➂ The company continues to work on developing frontier action models aimed at boosting worker productivity and achieving full artificial general intelligence.
➀ The US continued its dominance in the Olympics, topping the medals table in recent games. ➁ China broke the US's Olympic dominance by leading the medals table at the Beijing games in 2008. ➂ France showed significant improvement in Paris, earning 16 gold medals and 64 overall, compared to its performance in Tokyo 2020.
1. The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project in France is delayed by at least eight years, now expected to start operation in 2033. 2. The project's costs have risen by €5 billion, totaling €25 billion. 3. ITER involves collaborations from Japan, EU, U.S., Russia, Korea, China, and India, with the UK declining participation to focus on domestic fusion projects.