Russia Rushes to Fix Its Only Crewed Launchpad by Late February
Russia’s Roscosmos is pushing hard to get its only crewed launch site back online. The damaged Baikonur Cosmodrome pad is now slated for a late February return to service.
Category: Manufacturing
Chip Crunch to Hit Smartphone Shipments Hard in 2026
A new forecast warns that soaring memory chip costs will likely cause a global smartphone shipment decline in 2026. The low-end market is facing the most severe pressure, forcing manufacturers to make tough choices.
Graphene membranes could slash carbon capture costs
A new study from EPFL models the real-world potential of pyridinic-graphene membranes for capturing CO2. The tech shows promise for cutting costs, especially at coal plants, but faces a key challenge with cement flue gas.
APLEX’s new stainless steel PC can take a 100-bar pressure washer
APLEX Technology has unveiled a rugged new touch panel PC designed for brutal industrial environments. The NuTAM-9E features Intel’s latest Core Ultra processors and can withstand high-pressure, high-temperature washdowns.
INCIT Taps Ryan Kershaw to Lead Canada’s Industrial Transformation
The International Centre for Industrial Transformation (INCIT) has appointed Ryan Kershaw as its new regional ambassador for Canada. Kershaw will focus on driving systems-level change and accelerating tech adoption in the country’s industrial sectors.
Keysight’s New Handheld Analyzer Aims to Capture Every Signal
Keysight Technologies has unveiled its latest handheld analyzer designed for the field. The new D-Series promises to capture every signal event without gaps, even in congested spectrum. It’s a tool built for the converging challenges of 5G, radar, and future 6G networks.
TSMC’s Packaging Bottleneck Forces a Major Strategy Shift
TSMC’s advanced chip packaging lines are completely maxed out, forcing the giant to outsource orders for the first time. This is a direct result of insatiable demand from AI players like NVIDIA and AMD. The move could ease bottlenecks but also boosts competitors.
Congo’s New Cobalt Rules: More Royalties, More Red Tape
The Democratic Republic of Congo is tightening its grip on the global cobalt supply with a new set of export rules. Miners must now prepay a 10% royalty within 48 hours and navigate a maze of certificates, adding fresh complexity just as a quota system was supposed to restart shipments.
Data Center Boom Sends Construction Pay Soaring
The massive buildout of AI infrastructure is supercharging construction wages. Workers on data center projects are seeing pay jump nearly 32% on average, with some hitting six figures.
Samsung’s Exynos 2600 is a big promise for the Galaxy S26
Samsung has formally confirmed its next flagship processor, the Exynos 2600. It’s being pitched as the long-awaited fix for the Exynos line, with a new on-chip heatsink to tackle throttling.