You Choose, What You Want to Spend Your Money on: Kyiv or Moon. You Cannot Have Both, Since Political Problems with Inflation Limit Your Money Supply

"SINGAPORE -- Across China and in the global scientific community, Friday's launch of a Chinese mission to collect samples from the moon's far side has been hailed for its potential for a scientific breakthrough.

But in the U.S., lawmakers and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration see it as a milestone in a rival's (China's and Russia's) campaign to build a base on the moon's most strategic location. Though lacking the specter of nuclear war from the U.S.-Soviet space race six decades ago, this new rivalry puts this century's superpowers on track to spar over lunar real estate, extraterrestrial weaponry and national pride.

The lunar territory that both countries covet is the south pole. It contains resources that could sustain a crewed base. It has ice, which can be turned into water and oxygen for humans, and into hydrogen for rocket fuel. Some south-pole regions enjoy round-the-clock sunlight, a potential source of solar power.

"My concern is if China and Russia got there first and suddenly said, 'OK, this is our territory. You stay out,'" NASA Administrator Bill Nelson told a congressional hearing last month. Nelson said China's aggressive territorial claims in the South China Sea offer a clue as to how Beijing and Moscow would handle a potential lunar dispute.

A crater near the south pole is the destination of China's 53-day mission. It aims to do something no country has done before: collect samples from the moon's far side and bring them to Earth. Scientists hope they can help answer longstanding questions about the origins of the moon, Earth and solar system.

China started its lunar-exploration program in 2004, and has steadily hit milestones. In 2019, Chang'e 4 achieved humanity's first soft landing on the moon's far side. A year later, Chang'e 5 collected soil samples from the near side.

The current Chang'e 6 mission essentially combines the previous two missions.

 The challenge is location. The moon rotates in such a way that the same side always faces Earth. Maintaining communications with a spacecraft on the far side requires China to set up a relay satellite that orbits the moon.

The mission will determine whether China and Russia can hit its goal of putting astronauts on the moon by the end of this decade. Sample-return missions follow the "exact same steps that any human mission to the moon will go through," said James Head III, a Brown University professor who worked on NASA's Apollo program and collaborated with Chinese scientists on studying Chang'e 6 landing zone.

China's goal is to build a permanent base on the moon's south pole in collaboration with Russia by 2035. 

NASA hopes to have a permanent presence before then. A plan for its Artemis program, published in 2020, was to establish base camp on the south pole after American astronauts returned to the moon's surface. But a crewed mission to the lunar surface, originally scheduled for 2025, has been delayed to at least September 2026 because of challenges with the spacecraft's heat shield, among other issues.

NASA envisions using the moon as a steppingstone for crewed missions to Mars, using the moon's surface for practice and perhaps lunar ice for fuel.

Besides worrying that China could try to block other nations from accessing the south pole, Nelson said that China's space program, despite a stated civilian mission, appeared to harbor military aims.

A moon base could help a government disable enemy satellites, for example, said Goswami, the professor.

NASA and Chinese officials didn't respond to requests for comment for this article. 

China's Foreign Ministry has previously said that China opposes the weaponization of space, while accusing the U.S. of threatening its peaceful use." [1]

1. World News: China Blasts Off to Far Side. Woo, Stu; Leong, Clarence.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 04 May 2024: A.8.

 

For those participating in the Lithuanian referendum and living in America

  My friends who also live there report that the Lithuanian consulate in New York is sending envelopes that are too big for voting by mail. The postage stamp that the consulate affixed to the envelope is not enough to pay for this size of envelope, even though the weight of the letter is good. The US Postal Service is sending those ballots back to my friends en masse. Voting at the last minute can make you miss the mark. Take your votes to the post office and pay more if this referendum is important to you. Good luck.

Dalyvaujantiems Lietuvos referendume ir gyvenantiems Amerikoje

Ten gyvenantys mano draugai praneša, kad Lietuvos konsulatas Niujorke siuntinėja pernelyg didelius vokus balsavimui paštu. Pašto ženklo, kurį konsulatas priklijavo prie voko, neužtenka apmokėti tokiam voko dydžiui, nors laiško svoris geras. JAV paštas tuos balsavimo biuletenius masiškai siunčia mano draugams atgal. Balsuojant paskutinę minutę, galinte nespėti. Vežkite jūsų balsus į paštą ir sumokėkite daugiau, jei šis referendumas jums svarbus. Sekmės.

Free advertisement for Eduardas Vaitkus, who wants to work as the President of Lithuania

His idea is very simple: "Live and let live". "Live happily in Vilnius and let the Russians of Donbass and Crimea live undisturbed in Donbass and Crimea." After all, this is how we allow Albanians to live in Albania unmolested. 

It is strange that he is the only one among the Lithuanian elite to offer this. After all, this is the only way there is usually peace between us, this is the only way we have not destroyed each other so far.

Nemokama reklama Eduardui Vaitkui, norinčiam dirbti Lietuvos Prezidento pareigose

Jo idėja yra labai paprasta: "Gyvenk ir leisk kitam gyventi".  "Gyvenk sau Vilniuje ir leisk Donbaso bei Krymo rusams  gyventi nekriaudžiamiems Donbase ir Kryme." Juk taip mes leidžiame albanams neskriaudžiamiems gyventi Albanijoje.

Keista, kad jis tik vienas tarp Lietuvos elito tai siūlo. Juk tik taip tarp mūsų dažniausiai būna taika, tik taip mes iki šiol neišnaikinome vieni kitų.

Tesloje Muskas veikia, kad įgytų svarbesnių dalykų

     „Elonas Muskas mėgsta sakyti, kad nenori būti „Teslos“ generaliniu direktoriumi.

 

     Tačiau pastarąsias savaites jis, kaip generalinis direktorius, praleido, tobulindamas automobilių gamintoją taip, kad generalinio direktoriaus kėdėje esantis asmuo būtų dar svarbesnis jos ateičiai.

 

     Jis imasi pakeitimų, dėl kurių tradicinis Tesla automobilių verslas nebegauna pirmenybės. Vietoj to, jis daugiausia dėmesio skiria robotams ir automobiliams be vairuotojų, jis pagrasino savo idėjas apie pažangias technologijas perkelti kitur, jei jam nebus suteikta daugiau nuosavybės teisės į elektromobilių gamintoją. 

 

Tuo tarpu „Tesla“ pradėjo kampaniją, siekdama gauti akcininkų pritarimą birželį ir pakartotinai patvirtinti jo rekordinį 56 mlrd. dolerių uždarbį, pirmą kartą paskirtą 2018 metais. Šį uždarbį sausio mėnesį atėmė Delavero teisėjas, kuriam nepatiko valdybos ryšiai su Musku ir uždarbio apiforminimas.

 

     Šis atlyginimas buvo susijęs su gairėmis, susijusiomis su ambicingu augimu, kurį Tesla turėjo prieš daugelį metų ir kuris padėjo pagreitinti jos staigų augimą ir tapti pirmuoju automobilių gamintoju, kuris kurį laiką buvo įvertintas daugiau, nei 1 trilijonas dolerių.

 

     Dabar Muskas prognozuoja atgimimą, kai Tesla bus visai kitokia įmonė, o pasaulis bus visai kitokia vieta – tokia, kuri primena mokslinę fantastiką su humanoidiniais robotais ir robotaksi.

 

     Muskas apibūdina Teslos potencialą kaip Uber, Airbnb ir Amazon.com debesų verslo junginį. Jo teigimu, įmonei priklausys automobiliai, naudojami, kaip Kibernetiniai taksi, ir parduotų transporto priemones savininkams, kurie vėliau galėtų juos panaudoti ir kaip taksi. Jis įsivaizduoja, kad automobilių borto kompiuteriai, kai jie nenaudojami, bus naudojami debesijos paslaugoms.

 

     Nors daugelis pramonės atstovų įtaria, kad „Tesla“ vis dar toli nuo transporto priemonių, kurioms nereikia žmonių sėdėti už vairo, kūrimo, Muskas pranešė, kad jau šiandien ruošia įmonę tokiai ateičiai.

 

     „Tesla šiais metais išleis apie 10 mlrd. dolerių kombinuotai treniruotėms ir išvadų dirbtiniam intelektui (AI), o pastarasis daugiausia bus automobiliuose“, – neseniai tviteryje parašė Muskas. „Bet kuri įmonė, neišleidžianti tokiam lygyje ir tai nedaranti efektyviai, negali konkuruoti."

 

     Jis padidino išlaidas dirbtinio intelekto plėtrai ir pirmenybę teikė robotų taksi kūrimui, taip pat liepė daug atleisti iš darbo, atsisveikino su keliais vyresniais automobilių verslo lyderiais ir kai kuriems investuotojams kelia nerimą, kad jis per mažai dėmesio skiria naujos kartos modeliams, kuriuos vartotojai gali vairuoti patys.

 

     Praėjusią savaitę jis sukėlė daugiau smūgio bangų per automobilių pramonę, kai sumažino didelę dalį komandos, atsakingos už ekstensyvų Tesla įkrovimo tinklą, žinomą, kaip „Superchargers“, ir pareiškė, kad lėtina naujų vietų kūrimąsi. Akcijos nukrito antradienį ir per metus iki penktadienio nukrito 27%.

 

     „Tesla“ pradėjo kurti tinklą daugiau, nei prieš dešimtmetį, kai bandė išspręsti ankstyvųjų elektromobilių pirkėjų susirūpinimą dėl pasiekiamo diapazono.

 

     Kai kurie investuotojai galvojo apie tinklą, kuris buvo atidarytas konkurentams, tokiems, kaip „Ford Motor“, sudarant itin viešus sandorius, kaip „Teslos“ augimo variklį.

 

     Praėjusią vasarą „Morgan Stanley“ analitikas Adamas Jonas apskaičiavo, kad potencialiai didelio pelno „Supercharger“ verslas „Tesla“ buvo vertas apie 20 mlrd. dolerių, nes tikimasi, kad automobilių pardavimas augs.

 

     Bet tada muzika nutrūko.

 

     Per metus pardavimai pirmąjį ketvirtį smuko pirmą kartą nuo 2020 m., o analitikai vidutiniškai skaičiuoja, kad „Tesla“ šiais metais apskritai gali augti. Tai labai toli nuo 50 % metinio augimo tikslo, kurį kadaise prognozavo Tesla. Muskas elgiasi taip, lyg norėtų įveikti lenktynes iki dugno dėl pigių įprastų elektromobilių kūrimo, kuris, jo teigimu, gali būti didelio pelno AI verslas.

 

     Tesla investuotojams tai yra „3 kūnų problema“ arba, kaip žino „Netflix“ laidos gerbėjai, fizikos problema, kai trys dangaus objektai šalia vienas kito sutrikdo galimybę numatyti jų sukimąsi.

 

     Šiuo atveju „Tesla“ susiduria su elektromobilių rinka, kuri kovoja su didėjančia konkurencija Kinijoje ir augančiu hibridų populiarumu JAV, AI technologijos pažadu pakeisti verslo modelius ir paties Musko nepastoviais būdais – trimis jėgomis, dėl kurių sunku nuspėti, kur įmonė vedama.

 

     „Mūsų nuomone, elektromobilių pramonė įžengia į tamsųjį amžių, o dirbtinio intelekto ir robotikos pramonė įžengia į renesansą“, – ketvirtadienį investuotojams sakė Jonas, ilgai nusiteikęs už Teslą. „Tesla sprendimų priėmimas, ką ji daro mažiau, o ką daugiau, turėtų būti matomas per šį objektyvą."

 

     Kitaip tariant, užuot bandęs nubrėžti kursą per didžiules susidūrimo kliūtis, Muskas bando pakeisti visą saulės sistemą.

 

     „Ne visai statant ant to visą bendrovę, bet eiti iš visų jėgų už autonomiją yra akinamai akivaizdus žingsnis“, – tviteryje rašė Muskas. „Visa kita – kaip variacijos arklio traukiamoje karietoje“.

 

     Muskas teigė, kad didžiausias Tesla potencialas yra tai, kaip dirbtinis intelektas gali būti naudojamas humanoidiniuose robotuose, pavadintuose Optimus, pritaikytuose namie, kaip namų tvarkytojai arba gamyklose, kaip darbuotojai.

 

     Bet ne taip, kad Muskas nebūtų laimingas.

 

     Dar prieš tai, kai teisėjas sujaukė jo kompensacijų paketą, Muskas nustebino investuotojus anksčiau, nei prieš metus sakydamas, kad nesijautė patogiai, dirbdamas su AI ir robotika Tesloje, neturėdamas didesnio akcijų paketo – 25 proc. Šiuo metu jam tiesiogiai priklauso apie 13 proc.

 

     Taigi, jis nori atlyginimo paketo, kuris jam buvo suteiktas anksčiau, ir daugiau – galbūt, per akcijų išpirkimą.

 

     Be jo, investuotojams sakė Muskas, „Tesla“, galbūt, negalėtų padaryti „Optimus“. „Jei rytoj mane pagrobs ateiviai, „Tesla“ išspręs autonomiją, galbūt, šiek tiek lėčiau, bet tai išspręs bent jau transporto priemonių autonomiją“, – sakė jis. „Nežinau, ar laimėtume... Optimus ar būsimų produktų atžvilgiu.“ [1]

 

1. Analysis: At Tesla, Musk Moves To Get More Essential. Higgins, Tim.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 04 May 2024: A.1.

At Tesla, Musk Moves To Get More Essential

"Elon Musk likes to say he doesn't want to be CEO of Tesla.

But the chief executive has spent the past weeks reworking the automaker in ways that make the person in the CEO chair even more crucial to its future.

He is making changes that de-prioritize Tesla's traditional car business. As he instead focuses on robotics and driverless cars, he has threatened to take his ideas on advanced tech elsewhere if he isn't given more ownership of the electric-car maker. Meanwhile, Tesla has begun a campaign to win shareholder approval in June to reauthorize his record $56 billion compensation package first approved in 2018. It was rescinded in January by a Delaware judge who took issue with the board's ties to Musk and how the deal was put together.

That pay was linked to milestones related to ambitious growth that Tesla met years ago and helped fuel its meteoric rise to become the first automaker to be valued -- for a while -- at more than $1 trillion.

Now, Musk is predicting a rebirth, in which Tesla is a much different company and the world is a much different place -- one resembling science fiction with humanoid robots and robotaxis.

Musk describes Tesla's potential as a mashup of Uber, Airbnb and Amazon.com's cloud business. In his telling, the company would own cars used as Cybercabs and sell vehicles to owners who then can deploy those as taxis as well. He envisions the cars' onboard computers, when not in use, being used for cloud services.

While many around the industry suspect Tesla is still far from rolling out vehicles that don't require humans behind the wheel, Musk has signaled that he is already preparing the company for that future today.

"Tesla will spend around $10B this year in combined training and inference AI, the latter being primarily in car," Musk tweeted recently. "Any company not spending at this level, and doing so efficiently, cannot compete."

He has boosted spending on AI development and has prioritized development of a robo-taxi, while also ordering sweeping layoffs, saying goodbye to several senior leaders in the car business and causing some investors to worry he isn't focused enough on next generation models for consumers to drive themselves.

This past week, he sent more shock waves through the car industry when he slashed much of the team responsible for Tesla's expansive charging network, known as Superchargers, and said he was slowing the build-out of new locations. Shares fell on the news Tuesday and are down 27% for the year through Friday.

Tesla began building the network more than a decade ago as it tried to address worries among early EV buyers about range.

Some investors had come to think of the network, which was being opened to rivals such as Ford Motor in highly publicized deals, as a growth engine for Tesla.

Last summer, Adam Jonas, an analyst for Morgan Stanley, estimated the potentially high-margin Supercharger business was worth about $20 billion to Tesla as car sales were expected to grow.

But then the music stopped.

Year-over-year sales in the first quarter fell for the first time since 2020, and analysts on average estimate Tesla may just eke out growth this year overall. That's a far cry from the 50% annual compounded growth target Tesla once was projecting. Musk is acting like he wants to leapfrog a race-to-the-bottom battle for making cheap mainstream EVs for what he says can be a high-margin AI business.

For Tesla's investors, it is a "3 Body Problem," or as fan's of the Netflix show are familiar with, an issue in physics where three celestial objects near each other disrupt the ability to predict their rotation.

In this case, Tesla faces an EV market contending with increased competition in China and growing popularity of hybrids in the U.S., the promise of AI technology upending business models, and Musk's own erratic ways -- three forces that make it hard to predict where the company is headed.

"The EV industry in our view is entering a commoditized dark age, while the AI and robotics industry is entering a renaissance," Jonas, long bullish on Tesla, told investors Thursday. "Tesla's decision-making around what it does less of and what it does more of should be seen through this lens."

Put another way, instead of trying to chart a course through massive colliding obstacles, Musk is trying to change solar systems all together.

"Not quite betting the company, but going balls to the wall for autonomy is a blindingly obvious move," Musk tweeted. "Everything else is like variations on a horse carriage."

The biggest potential for Tesla, Musk said, is how AI can be used in humanoid robots, dubbed Optimus, for application in homes as housekeepers or factories as workers.

But not without making Musk happy.

Even before the judge threw his compensation package into disarray, Musk surprised investors earlier this year by saying he didn't feel comfortable working on AI and robotics at Tesla without having a greater ownership stake -- 25%. He currently directly holds about 13%.

So, he wants the pay package he was previously given and more -- maybe through a share buyback.

Without him, Musk suggested to investors, Tesla might not be able to do Optimus. "If I got kidnapped by aliens tomorrow, Tesla will solve autonomy, maybe a little slower, but it would solve autonomy for vehicles at least," he said. "I don't know if we would win . . . with respect to Optimus or with respect to future products."" [1]

1. Analysis: At Tesla, Musk Moves To Get More Essential. Higgins, Tim.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 04 May 2024: A.1.