The Download: NASA’s tiny spacecraft, and the RSV vaccine shortage

NASA is working on making spacecraft as small as possible to enable more affordable space exploration. However, miniaturization faces challenges due to fundamental laws of physics. Meanwhile, there is a shortage of preventative drugs for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as rates of sickness rise, leading to frustration among parents and pediatricians.

In other news, Sam Bankman-Fried has been found guilty on all seven fraud charges, with his sentence to be announced in March next year. Also, an investigation by MIT Technology Review revealed that Minnesota police used an app called Intrepid Response to collect data on journalists at protests, raising concerns about potential authoritarianism.

Key takeaways

NASA is working on making spacecraft as small as possible to make space exploration more affordable. However, there are physical limitations to how small these spacecraft can be.
There is a shortage of preventative drugs for RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), despite the availability of new tools to protect children from the virus. The CDC has advised pediatricians to ration doses.
Sam Bankman-Fried has been found guilty on all seven fraud charges, but his sentence will not be determined until March next year.
Minnesota police used an app called Intrepid Response to collect data on journalists at protests. The tool can almost instantly de-anonymize protest attendees and track their movements, which some see as a step towards authoritarianism.

The Download: NASA’s tiny spacecraft, and the RSV vaccine shortage

Key takeaways

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