Exam Code: TTA1 Practice test 2023 by Killexams.com team TTA1 ISTQB-BCS Certified Tester Advanced Level- Technical Test Analyst ISTQB® Certified Tester Advanced Level - Technical Test Analyst
Explore the role and responsibilities of the technical test analyst and develop your skills at a recognised, advanced level.
Successful completion of the ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation level and a minimum of three years testing experience is recommended.
The Intermediate Certificate may also be helpful but is not required.
Training with a BCS accredited training provider is recommended.
The technical test analysts tasks in risk-based testing
Structure-based testing
Analytical techniques
Quality characteristics for technical testing
Reviews
Test tools and automation
0.1 Purpose of this Document
This syllabus forms the basis for the International Software Testing Qualification at the Advanced
Level for the Technical Test Analyst. The ISTQB® provides this syllabus as follows:
1. To National Boards, to translate into their local language and to accredit training providers.
National Boards may adapt the syllabus to their particular language needs and modify the
references to adapt to their local publications.
2. To test Boards, to derive examination questions in their local language adapted to the
learning objectives for each syllabus.
3. To training providers, to produce courseware and determine appropriate teaching methods.
4. To certification candidates, to prepare for the test (as part of a training course or
independently).
5. To the international software and systems engineering community, to advance the profession
of software and systems testing, and as a basis for books and articles.
The ISTQB® may allow other entities to use this syllabus for other purposes, provided they seek and
obtain prior written permission.
0.2 Overview
The Advanced Level is comprised of three separate syllabi:
Test Manager
Test Analyst
Technical Test Analyst
The Advanced Level Overview document [ISTQB_AL_OVIEW] includes the following information:
Business Outcomes for each syllabus
Summary for each syllabus
Relationships between the syllabi
Description of cognitive levels (K-levels)
Appendices
0.3 Examinable Learning Objectives
The Learning Objectives support the Business Outcomes and are used to create the examination for
achieving the Advanced Technical Test Analyst Certification. In general all parts of this syllabus are
examinable at a K1 level. That is, the candidate will recognize, remember and recall a term or
concept. The learning objectives at K2, K3 and K4 levels are shown at the beginning of the pertinent
chapter.
0.4 Expectations
Some of the learning objectives for the Technical Test Analyst assume that basic experience is
available in the following areas:
General programming concepts
General concepts of system architectures
Certified Tester
Advanced Level Syllabus - Technical Test Analyst
International
Software Testing
Qualifications Board
1. The Technical Test Analyst's Tasks in Risk-Based Testing - 30 mins.
Keywords
product risk, risk analysis, risk assessment, risk identification, risk level, risk mitigation, risk-based
testing
Learning Objectives for the Technical Test Analyst's Tasks in Risk-Based
Testing
1.3 Risk Assessment
TTA-1.3.1 (K2) Summarize the generic risk factors that the Technical Test Analyst typically needs to
consider
Common Learning Objectives
The following learning objective relates to content covered in more than one section of this chapter.
TTA-1.x.1 (K2) Summarize the activities of the Technical Test Analyst within a risk-based approach
for planning and executing testing
The Test Manager has overall responsibility for establishing and managing a risk-based testing
strategy. The Test Manager usually will request the involvement of the Technical Test Analyst to
ensure the risk-based approach is implemented correctly.
Because of their particular technical expertise, Technical Test Analysts are actively involved in the
following risk-based testing tasks:
Risk identification
Risk assessment
Risk mitigation
These tasks are performed iteratively throughout the project to deal with emerging product risks and
changing priorities, and to regularly evaluate and communicate risk status.
Technical Test Analysts work within the risk-based testing framework established by the Test Manager
for the project. They contribute their knowledge of the technical risks that are inherent in the project,
such as risks related to security, system reliability and performance.
1.2 Risk Identification
By calling on the broadest possible trial of stakeholders, the risk identification process is most
likely to detect the largest possible number of significant risks. Because Technical Test Analysts
possess unique technical skills, they are particularly well-suited for conducting expert interviews,
brainstorming with co-workers and also analyzing the current and past experiences to determine
where the likely areas of product risk lie. In particular, the Technical Test Analysts work closely with
their technical peers (e.g., developers, architects, operations engineers) to determine the areas of
technical risk.
Sample risks that might be identified include:
Performance risks (e.g., inability to achieve response times under high load conditions)
Security risks (e.g., disclosure of sensitive data through security attacks)
Reliability risks (e.g., application unable to meet availability specified in the Service Level
Agreement)
Risk areas relating to specific software quality characteristics are covered in the relevant chapters of
this syllabus.
1.3 Risk Assessment
While risk identification is about identifying as many pertinent risks as possible, risk assessment is the
study of those identified risks in order to categorize each risk and determine the likelihood and impact
associated with each risk.
Determining the level of risk typically involves assessing, for each risk item, the likelihood of
occurrence and the impact upon occurrence. The likelihood of occurrence is usually interpreted as the
likelihood that the potential problem can exist in the system under test.
The Technical Test Analyst contributes to finding and understanding the potential technical risk for
each risk item whereas the Test Analyst contributes to understanding the potential business impact of
the problem should it occur. ISTQB-BCS Certified Tester Advanced Level- Technical Test Analyst ASTQB ISTQB-BCS mission Killexams : ASTQB ISTQB-BCS mission - BingNews
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https://killexams.com/exam_list/ASTQBKillexams : Why IT professionalism matters to BCS CEO Rashik Parmar
Doug Drinkwater is an experienced technology and security journalist, whose work has appeared on CIO, CSO, InfoWorld, Internet Business Times, Macworld, Mashable, PCWorld, SC Magazine and The Week, among other publications. He is the CIO UK editor at IDG.
Sun, 05 Feb 2023 15:12:00 -0600Author: Doug Drinkwateren-UStext/htmlhttps://www.cio.com/article/436532/why-it-professionalism-matters-to-bcs-ceo-rashik-parmar.htmlKillexams : Polaris Dawn: The trailblazing commercial mission of the Polaris Program
Polaris Dawn is the gate-opener mission to the larger Polaris Program, a set of at least three anticipated missions bankrolled by a billionaire.
The mission will fly on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft no earlier than March 2023 and will be commanded by Jared Isaacman, the founder of payment provider Shift4. This will be Isaacman's second mission in space after paying for the Inspiration4 mission in 2021.
Four people will fly to space on Polaris Dawn to conduct scientific experiments, raise money for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, and to perform the first commercial spacewalk using SpaceX spacesuits.
Future Polaris Program missions have not been announced in detail, but Isaacman has been vocal about the future of the Hubble Space Telescope that launched in 1990 and which has not been repaired since 2009. NASA is considering a private vendor to launch to the famed observatory after SpaceX and the Polaris Program raised the idea of boosting it to a higher orbit.
The Polaris Dawn crew includes one veteran astronaut and businessperson, two SpaceX personnel experienced in crewed and uncrewed launches and mission operations, and a former combat pilot.
Jared Isaacman, 38 at the time of the Polaris Dawn announcement in 2022, commanded the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission that flew to Earth orbit in September 2021. Isaacman is the billionaire founder of Shift4 Payments and paid for the trip, along with the seats of all of his crewmates. He has also done a high-speed circumnavigation of the world and air shows and previously owned the jet pilot training company Draken International. He has about 6,000 hours of flying experience.
Scott "Kidd" Poteet, age not disclosed, is a retired United States Air Force (USAF) Lieutenant Colonel and a pilot with more than 3,200 flying hours in numerous high-performance aircraft such as the F-16 and T-37, according to his Polaris Dawn biography(opens in new tab). He also served in combat and was commander of the 64th Aggressor Squadron and USAF Thunderbird No. 4 demonstration pilot. Poteet is a long-time business associate of Isaacman, including director of business development at Draken International and vice-president of strategy at Shift4. He has also finished 15 Ironman triathlons since 2000.
Sarah Gillis, age not disclosed, is a lead space operations engineer at SpaceX and responsible for astronaut training for missions such as Inspiration4 and NASA Crew Dragon missions Demo-2 and Crew-1. Her biography notes(opens in new tab) extensive mission control operations, including serving as a navigation officer for Dragon cargo resupply missions, and crew communicator for Dragon human spaceflight missions. Gillis' original career goal was to be a classical violinist, but she changed her career goals to engineering after speaking with her high school mentor, former NASA astronaut Joe Tanner.
Anna Menon, age not disclosed, is a lead space operations engineer at SpaceX, managing crew operations development and working as mission director and crew communicator. Notable missions, her biography states(opens in new tab), include NASA crewed spaceflights Demo-2 and Crew-1, along with the uncrewed cargo missions CRS-22 and CRS-23. Menon previously worked at NASA as a biomedical flight controller for the International Space Station. She also has experience in biomedical engineering with the World Health Organization, Engineers Without Borders and Engineering World Health. Her fourth-grade teacher, Alison Smith Balch, was the daughter of the space shuttle Challenger pilot Michael J. Smith; the elder Smith died during the Challenger shuttle accident in 1986.
The mission was originally scheduled for the last quarter of 2022 and is now expected to fly no earlier than March 2023. Polaris spokesperson Sarah Grover told SpaceNews(opens in new tab) in October 2022 that the program changed its launch projection "based on the readiness of hardware, software and training ... as well as the overall manifest of SpaceX missions." But the March 2023 date is also subject to change based on the International Space Station schedule, which SpaceX also serves through cargo and astronaut missions.
Polaris Dawn will seek to perform the first-ever commercial spacewalk using a new commercial spacesuit designed by SpaceX. Isaacman told the Washington Post(opens in new tab) in October 2022 that the spacecraft may be re-envisioning how such excursions are done today, as NASA tends to schedule all movements precisely and to allow two people only at a time to do spacewalks.
"When we get back to the moon and we get to Mars someday, it won't be just two people at a time," Isaacman said. The spacesuit also should not be customized for future explorers, he added: "You need a mass‑produced, low‑cost EVA [extravehicular activity] space suit so you can get outside in the safety of a habitat and vehicle and do work on the surface of that planet or celestial body or even in space."
The mission is also seeking to go as high as 870 miles (1,400 kilometers). If that happens, it would be the highest-ever Earth-orbiting mission by humans, breaking the record set by the Gemini 11 mission of 853 miles (1,373 km) in September 1966.
Additionally, Polaris Dawn will perform a set of science and engineering experiments, such as communicating with SpaceX's high-speed network, Starlink. Other trial experiments include these listed on the Polaris Dawn website:
Using ultrasound to monitor, detect, and quantify venous gas emboli (VGE), contributing to studies on human prevalence to decompression sickness;
Gathering data on the radiation environment to better understand how space radiation affects human biological systems;
Providing biological samples towards multi-omics analyses for a long-term Biobank; and
Research related to Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS), which is a key risk to human health in long-duration spaceflight.
Polaris Dawn FAQ's answered by experts
Jared Isaacman
Jared Isaacman is the billionaire CEO of Shift4 and funded both Inspiration and the Polaris Program. He has more than 7,000 flight hours of aviation experience, including ratings in multiple experimental and ex-military aircraft.
How was the crew selected?
Jared Isaacman: Polaris is very much a joint effort with SpaceX. We decide on a lot of things together with respect to the Polaris Program. In the case of the crew, we built a crew to meet the mission objectives. Of course, having familiarity and trust with everyone from Inspiration4 played a part, but I think if you look at each crew member's background, you can see why they are so well suited for this mission and the objectives we aim to accomplish.
What are you hoping to accomplish in future Polaris missions?
Isaacman: Each mission should build off the previous one and hopefully much can be learned from the science, the research and all the technology we aim to demonstrate. When Polaris is over, the first crewed Starship should have flown and that is the vehicle that will open space to the many. It will return humans to the moon and ultimately to Mars and beyond. It is amazing to really even think about.
How does the Polaris Dawn crew training compare with the NASA astronauts who fly aboard Crew Dragon?
Sarah Gillis: Our Dragon training program is identical to the NASA astronaut training program, aside from syllabus that relate to rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station, based on our free-flyer trajectory. In addition, we have added an entire training program to prepare us to use the new EVA [extra-vehicular activity, or spacewalk] suit and execute the EVA operation, as well as mission-specific training for the 40 or so research experiments we will be performing in-flight. Finally, the SpaceX medical team has done an awesome job creating a new medical training program that is similar to what NASA crew members undergo.
Isaacman has paid for at least two other Polaris Program missions, which would form the first-ever private set of spaceflights paid by an individual. Isaacman will command the other two missions but has not yet released who his crew members would be or what exactly these missions will be doing.
It is possible that one of those missions could be used to raise the venerable Hubble telescope to a higher orbit, to allow for continued operations well into the 2030s; as things stand the observatory is slowly being dragged down into the atmosphere of Earth as it has not been serviced by astronauts since 2009.
SpaceX and the Polaris Program co-developed the notion to raise Hubble and there is an unfunded agreement between SpaceX and NASA to study that mission's feasibility, which was signed in September 2022. A completion date for the study is not yet disclosed.
Isaacman has said the last Polaris mission would use SpaceX's Starship spacecraft, provided the vehicle is ready for flight. As of early 2023, Starship has yet to perform a scheduled, uncrewed flight test in Earth orbit, as it is awaiting final approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
That said, Starship has been booked for other big missions in the 2020s, like NASA's Artemis program for professional agency astronauts on the moon and for a lunar fly-around mission that will include billionaire Dennis Tito and his wife, Akiko. Another prominent Starship mission is dearMoon, a lunar fly-around mission paid for by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa that will fly eight artists with him.
Explore the Polaris Dawn mission on its official website(opens in new tab). Stay up to date on the Polaris Program on Twitter(opens in new tab) and Instagram(opens in new tab).
Elizabeth Howell is the co-author of "Why Am I Taller(opens in new tab)?" (ECW Press, 2022; with Canadian astronaut Dave Williams), a book about space medicine. Follow her on Twitter @howellspace(opens in new tab). Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom(opens in new tab)or Facebook(opens in new tab).
Mon, 30 Jan 2023 02:44:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://www.space.com/polaris-dawn-facts-about-missionKillexams : Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre announces details of first long-duration Arab astronaut mission
DUBAI, 2nd February, 2023 (WAM) -- The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) today revealed details of the second crewed mission of the UAE Astronaut Programme to the International Space Station (ISS) at an event held at the Museum of the Future.
Scheduled for launch on 26th February at 11:07, the mission will be the first long-duration Arab astronaut mission. Sultan AlNeyadi is the prime astronaut of the mission while Hazzaa AlMansoori is a backup crew.
The star-studded event witnessed the unveiling of the mission logo and the announcement of details of the mission, including training, ISS operations, research experiments and the upcoming stages of the mission.
The event was attended by Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs; Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation; Dr. Amer Ahmad Sharif, CEO of Dubai Academic Health Corporation and President of Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences; Salem Al Marri, Director-General of MBRSC; Emirati astronauts Sultan AlNeyadi and Hazzaa AlMansoori; and other dignitaries, partners and the media.
Al Mansoori said, “Guided by the vision of our wise leadership, the UAE’s space sector has grown significantly over the past decade, with major achievements, including the Emirates Mars Mission, the Emirates Lunar Mission and the upcoming first long-duration Arab astronaut mission. As we look to the future, we are committed to building on this momentum and expanding the capabilities of our space programme and our astronauts. As part of the UAE Astronaut Programme, we have created a sustainable ecosystem that is set to further enhance our understanding of space. Moreover, from uncrewed planetary missions, we are building on the possibility of crewed missions to space and beyond.”
The mission will make the UAE the 11th country to send astronauts on a long-duration mission to the ISS as well as train and prepare them for spacewalks.
Highlighting the importance of the mission, Al Marri stated, “The country is establishing the foundations of this vital sector by providing it with qualified national talent, launching further scientific projects related to space exploration, and supporting the leadership’s economic vision. Long-duration space missions play a crucial role in advancing our understanding of space and our ability to explore and utilise it in the future.”
He added, “Five years down the line, we have not only flown the first Emirati astronaut Hazzaa AlMansoori to space, but are also set to send Sultan AlNeyadi, from the first batch of the UAE Astronaut Programme, into space for a period of six months. This will not only be the first long-duration space mission undertaken by our astronauts, but also the first by a non-ISS partner country, which is an achievement in itself. AlNeyadi’s mission is the next step in our vision for crewed missions for the UAE, which will be followed by Nora and Mohammed for future missions.”
UAE Mission 2
Dubbed as Crew-6, the mission will launch aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with Emirati astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi being designated as the Mission Specialist of the Prime Crew along with NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen (Spacecraft Commander) and Warren Hoburg (Pilot) and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev (Mission Specialist).
Crew-6 is part of Expedition 69, with Roscosmos Cosmonauts Nikolai Chub and Oleg Kononenko, and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara joining the team at later dates. Expedition 69 will potentially continue to install the final pieces of iROSA, the roll-out solar arrays on the International Space Station, in addition to conducting scientific experiments and research.
The backup for Crew-6 comprises Emirati Astronaut Hazzaa AlMansoori (Mission Specialist), NASA’s Jasmin Moghbeli (Spacecraft Commander), ESA’s Andreas Mogensen (Pilot) and Roscosmos’ Konstantin Borisov (Mission Specialist).
Once onboard the ISS, Sultan will have a heavy schedule of experiments and dedicated time for live interactions with various entities, universities and schools. There will be 13 live calls and 10 ham radio interactions, and sessions for the community outreach programme with Emirates Literature Foundation, which will be allocated throughout the six months.
Mission Patch
The Director General of MBRSC unveiled the UAE Mission 2 patch logo while paying tribute to the UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Inspired by the first mission logo patch, the second mission patch captures Sultan AlNeyadi as he is looking up to Sheikh Zayed, against the backdrop of the International Space Station, Earth and space. The logo signifies the six-month mission’s crucial role in advancing our understanding of space. The mission will add scientific value and find practical benefits to Improve sustainability and efficiency back home.
Scientific and Educational Research
During his 4,000 hours onboard ISS, Sultan AlNeyadi will conduct over 19 advanced research experiments and studies in collaboration with NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) on a range of syllabus that include: the cardiovascular system, back pain, technical demonstration, epigenetics, immune system, fluid science, plant biology, material science, sleep analysis and radiation.
The mission will further comprise education outreach and engagement efforts to inspire the next generation of scientists and explorers. As part of the UAE Astronaut Programme Grants Research Programme, MBRSC has selected two research projects from the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), that will also be part of the Crew-6 mission.
The first project will focus on assessing how the spaceflight environment of microgravity affects cardio-postural interactions, while the second project will investigate dental/oral cells in a microgravity-simulated environment on the ground. Both projects will engage students and researchers to ensure the capability development and qualification of new generations of scientists. In addition to MBRU, data sharing from the mission will include prominent local universities such as NYU Abu Dhabi and others.
Upcoming Mission Details
AlNeyadi and AlMansoori will undergo a two-week quarantine before launch, in preparation for the mission. The astronauts of Crew-6 mission will then travel to Kennedy Space Center six days before the launch. A day before the launch, the crew will try on their tailored spacesuits and conduct a dry rehearsal of going up to the launch site, entering the capsule and conducting all checks to confirm everything is in order.
Speaking on the upcoming mission, Sultan AlNeyadi said, “With the second mission to the ISS, we are raising the limits of our ambitions and raising the UAE flag ever higher. This mission presents a unique chance for the UAE to contribute to the international space community and advance our understanding of the universe. I am grateful for the support and training provided by NASA and our international partners, and I am excited to create new milestones together during this mission.”
“We are going to space to raise the limits of our ambitions and keep the flag of the UAE flying high. All these are for future generations, for whom a promising and auspicious future awaits,” he added.
Hazzaa AlMansoori spoke about what it means to be the first to travel to the ISS. "Being an astronaut from the UAE and the Arab world means being part of something bigger than yourself. It means dedicating your life to exploring the unknown and pushing the boundaries in the fields of space and science. It is a privilege and an honour to have had the opportunity to represent my nation and humanity in the vastness of space. Sultan’s mission to the International Space Station is a continuation of this incredible journey of discovery and exploration.”
The UAE Astronaut Programme is one of the projects funded by the ICT Fund of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), which aims to support research and development in the ICT sector in the UAE and promote the country’s integration on the global stage.
Community Initiatives by MBRSC
With an aim to further connect with the community and the future generation of the UAE, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre has partnered with the Emirates Literature Foundation to build a knowledge-based programme. Under the partnership, the entities launched ELF in Space - a fun and educational initiative that seeks to foster a learning drive in the community.
From workshops to weekly content, the Emirates Literature Foundation will activate this specially curated programme for all students in the UAE during the period of the mission on ISS. The centre aims to reach 20,000 students/children through this programme.
Speaking on the partnership, Isobel Abulhoul OBE, CEO and Trustee, Emirates Literature Foundation and Festival Director, said, “Emirates Literature Foundation is thrilled to be partnering once again with our extended family, MBRSC, to showcase the courageous and inspiring strides of the UAE’s space project to young people across the Arab world. At ELF we are passionate about bringing the spoken and written word alive for children across the Emirates, the Arab world and beyond, so we feel that this collaboration aligns perfectly with our ethos of supporting children to reach for the stars and achieve their dreams. Over the six months that Astronaut Sultan will be in the ISS our collaboration will include a weekly broadcast - packed full of interviews, fun facts, competitions, activities and opportunities to ask the astronauts questions, “elfinspace” will truly be a landmark in interactive education to bring the exciting and groundbreaking work of the UAE’s mission in space to life.”
Isobel further added, “With our love of literature, we have included a wonderful range of authors, poets and scientists to engage with the astronauts and light the fire of imagination amongst future generations of space explorers. We look forward to this exciting adventure together.”
Thu, 02 Feb 2023 05:14:00 -0600en-AEtext/htmlhttps://www.msn.com/en-ae/news/other/mohammed-bin-rashid-space-centre-announces-details-of-first-long-duration-arab-astronaut-mission/ar-AA172BCsKillexams : Long-delayed ExoMars mission still dreams of 2028 launch
War, budget cuts, a pandemic and a crash: For all its trials, Europe's ExoMars mission might be more deserving of the name Perseverance than NASA's Martian rover.
But the European Space Agency still hopes the mission can launch in 2028 on its long-delayed quest to search for extraterrestrial life on the Red Planet.
This time last year, the ESA's Rosalind Franklin rover was all ready for a September launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, planning to catch a ride on a Russian rocket and descend to the Martian surface on a Russian lander.
Then Moscow invaded Ukraine in March, and sanctions imposed by the ESA's 22 member states led to Russia pulling out and the mission being suspended.
It was just the latest blow for the hundreds of scientists who have been working on the project for more than two decades.
First conceived in 2001, the ambitious program quickly proved too expensive for Europe, which has still to land a rover on Mars.
The United States' space agency NASA stepped in to fill the funding gap in 2009. But three years later, budget cuts led to NASA pulling out.
Help then came from an unexpected source: Russia's space agency Roscosmos.
Together, the ESA and Roscosmos launched the Schiaparelli EDM module in 2016 as a test run for ExoMars.
But when Schiaparelli arrived at Mars, a computer glitch caused it to crash into the surface and fall silent.
That failure pushed back the launch of the joint Russian-European ExoMars mission to July 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic pushed that date back to 2022, when it was again delayed by the invasion of Ukraine.
Tricky Russian negotiations
Late last year, the ESA's ministerial council agreed to kept the mission alive with an injection of 500 million euros ($540 million) over the next three years.
David Parker, the ESA's director of human and robotic exploration, said last week that one of the arguments they put forward for continuing the mission was "that this is a unique piece of European science.
"It's like James Webb," he said referring to the space telescope that has been sending back astonishing images of distant galaxies since 2022.
"But it's for Mars—it's that scale of ambition.
"This is the only mission that is foreseen that can actually find evidence of past life."
But some significant hurdles remain that could make a 2028 launch difficult—including that the ESA needs a new way to land its rover on Mars.
The ESA will first have to recover European components, including an onboard computer and radar altimeter, from Russia's Kazachok lander, which is still at its assembly site in Turin, Italy.
However only Russia can extract the components from the lander.
Difficult negotiations have been underway for Russian experts to come and dismantle the lander.
"We expected them in mid-January, but they didn't come," ESA ExoMars program team leader Thierry Blancquaert told AFP.
"We asked them to have everything done by the end of March," he added.
NASA to the rescue?
To get off the ground, the new mission will depend on support from NASA, which has so far indicated it is happy to help.
For its new lander, the ESA hopes to take advantage of US engines used to get NASA's Curiosity and Perseverance rovers onto the Martian surface.
It will also have to rely on NASA for radioisotope heater units, after losing access to Russia's supply. These units keep the spacecraft warm.
NASA has not yet voted on a budget that would support such efforts, but "we are preparing the collaborative work together and things are progressing well," Blancquaert said.
Francois Forget, an astrophysicist at France's CNRS scientific research center, said that "this new impetus for cooperation is linked to the fact that this time, the US has a joint project with Europe: Mars trial Return."
The mission, planned for around 2030, is intended to return to Earth samples collected from Mars by both ExoMars and Perseverance, which touched down on the planet in July 2021.
Unlike Perseverance, the Rosalind Franklin rover can drill up to two meters (6.5 feet) below the surface of Mars, where traces of possible ancient life could be better preserved.
ExoMars' planned landing site is also in an area of Mars expected to have been more favorable to hosting past life.
"We think there was a lot of water there," said Forget.
"There is another Mars to explore, so even in 10 years' time the mission will not be obsolete," he added.
Citation: Long-delayed ExoMars mission still dreams of 2028 launch (2023, February 3) retrieved 19 February 2023 from https://phys.org/news/2023-02-long-delayed-exomars-mission.html
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Thu, 02 Feb 2023 10:00:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://phys.org/news/2023-02-long-delayed-exomars-mission.htmlKillexams : NASA announces crew for Axiom Mission 2
The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour crew ship that carried four Axiom Mission 1 astronauts to the space station is pictured docked to the Harmony module. File photo courtesy of NASA
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- The crew for NASA's next privately-funded mission to space has been selected as the agency moves closer toward commercializing space travel.
Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut, will be in command of Axiom Mission 2, which will be piloted by businessman John Shoffner, NASA said in a press release released Monday. Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi, members of Saudi Arabia's first national astronaut program, will serve as specialists for the mission.
Commercial space technology company Axiom Space is funding the mission, which will send the crew to the International Space Station on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. They will spend 10 days at the space station taking part in several activities, including commercial and outreach activities.
"Axiom Space's second private astronaut mission to the International Space Station cements our mission of expanding access to space worldwide and supporting the growth of the low-Earth orbit economy as we build Axiom Station," said Michael Suffredini, president and CEO of Axiom Space.
AX-2 will be a mission of firsts. It will be the first to include astronauts who are part of a foreign government agency and it will be the first commercial mission with a woman at the command position, NASA said.
Whitson has spent 665 days in space -- a U.S. record -- and embarked on 10 spacewalks.
"I'm honored to be heading back to the station for the fourth time, leading this talented Ax-2 crew on their first mission," said Whitson.
"This is a strong and cohesive team determined to conduct meaningful scientific research in space and inspire a new generation about the benefits of microgravity. It's a testament to the power of science and discovery to unify and build international collaboration."
The first Axiom Space and NASA mission, Ax-1, was completed last April. The mission was scheduled to last 10 days but weather conditions kept the crew in space for an extra week.
NASA said private astronaut missions are a step toward privately funded commercial space stations. The agency is examining proposals for more private missions.
Sun, 12 Feb 2023 10:01:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://www.upi.com/Science_News/2023/02/13/nasa-axiom-space-mission-crew/7391676330203/Killexams : Sunrise pupuseria is latest Mission eatery to close this week
The sun has set on the beloved pupusa spot Sunrise. And, it has also set for pizzeria Pi Bar and the Laotian eatery Hawker Fare.
On Sunday, days after Pi Bar ended its 14-year run via Instagram, Hawker Fare and Sunrise served their last suppers. The closures are a drop in the bucket for a slew of pandemic closures in the neighborhood, according to SF Chronicle data analysis that shows the Mission lost 100 places in 2020 and 2021, the second-most for any neighborhood citywide. Only downtown topped it, with 150 closures.
Sunrise
Alba Guerra, the owner of Sunrise Restaurant. Photo taken Nov. 1, 2018.
The pandemic proved insurmountable for Sunrise, which also experienced troubles in better times. Nevertheless, for years the casual restaurant at 3126 24th St. successfully lured in customers hungry for loroco and cheese pupusas during breakfast or lunch.
“I’m really sensitive right now,” owner Alba Guerra said in Spanish, choking up. “I had it for 18 years.”
By Monday mid-afternoon, the light-blue restaurant’s front door was shut, and the outdoor tables were nowhere in sight. Guerra was still fielding calls on Sunrise’s landline, “because some customers don’t know we’ve closed yet.”
Guerra declined to add more details about the restaurant’s closure for now, citing the need to tie up loose ends and her emotional state.
Still, it’s clear that money has been an issue over the past five years, starting when Guerra’s landlord, Andrew Kong, increased rent by $3,000 a month in 2018. In a previous interview with Mission Local in 2020, Guerra said the pandemic tanked Sunrise’s sales to $1,000 per week, leaving her far short of her $7,800 monthly rent. Just after the pandemic started in 2020, Guerra said she was $30,000 in debt due to landlord troubles, and she feared closure.
The city awarded Guerra a $7,500 Resiliency Fund grant in 2020, but that went quickly after the owner bought new equipment she needed for SF New Deal, a pandemic-borne program that partnered struggling restaurateurs with food gigs to serve Covid-19 patients. Years earlier, Sunrise also received a $150,000 SF Shine Business Grant to pay for new equipment and refurbish her restaurant.
The Sunrise owners alleged then that Kong had failed to keep the building up to code and the restaurant experienced housing code violations, like eroded drywall and flooding.
Guerra established Sunrise in 2005, and it’s now wedged between other Mission mainstays Adobe Books and La Reyna Bakery. Over the years, it became a neighborhood favorite for its casual atmosphere and delicious food, and it participated in Calle 24 Latino Cultural District programming and MAPP poetry readings. Guerra used the space to host events from other organizations, and donated some proceeds back to them. The Salvadoran immigrant’s pupusas inspired this video.
Pi Bar
Pi Bar owners Richard Rosen and Jennifer Garris enjoying a mushroom pizza and beer. Photo by Clara-Sophia Daly.
Pi Bar announced its adieu on Jan. 26 in an Instagram post, which divulged that a new owner would take over the space.
“Hopefully, will be seeing many of you in the next few weeks while we wrap things up! Cheers!” it said. It will close in February, it told SFGate.
Pi Bar was not immediately available for comment.
The nearly 14-year-old pizza shop and craft brewery used to dole out $3.14 slices (get it?) and offer a wide selection of local beer on tap. Its happy hour, as a nod to the name, began at 3:14 on the dot.
The shop was founded three years after owners Rich Rosen and Jennifer Garris met one fateful night at Anchor Brewing, as Mission Local previously reported. Later, Rosen met the pizzeria’s original chef, Joe Lee, who used to tend bar at Zeitgeist. Before its buzzing opening in 2009, the group held memorable test-run openings for friends and family that had Rosen “scared shitless,” and led to many trial-and-error pies that wound up in the trash.
The New York-style pizzeria survived more than a decade at 1432 Valencia St., situated nearly equidistantly between 25th and 26th streets. The pandemic proved tough, too. Already, social media users are bemoaning the loss of its Death by Mushroom pie, which incorporates Moonlight Death and Taxes beer in the sauce.
“My favorite bar of all time. San Francisco’s biggest loss in ages,” one Instagram user commented. Another added: “Now this is some sad shit news.”
Hawker Fare
Food from Hawker Fare. Photo taken Aug. 18, 2012.
Also through the internet grapevine, the colorful Thai and Laotian restaurant Hawker Fare bade farewell.
“It is with the gravest of sad news for me to announce. Hawker Fare’s Last Day of Service will be today. Please join us [for] our last big party,” the restaurant’s Sunday Instagram post stated. Two more posts appeared on Hawker Fare’s profile to say goodbye to owner James Syhabout’s “best friend” and the restaurant’s dishwasher of seven years, and to thank Syhabout’s Stockton friends who visited for last shift.
Sunday’s Instagram post blamed the closure on “insurmountable” operating costs of food and labor. Syhabout told The Chronicle that the Mission’s “crime, grit and dirtiness” contributed to fewer customers, too.
Hawker Fare leaders were not immediately available for comment.
For almost nine years, diners experienced a whirlwind of flavor at Hawker Fare, which introduced the Mission to Lao Isaan favorites and fun, tropical cocktails. The menu was inspired by street food and “hawker market” culture found in Thailand and Lao. Those in-the-know also remember Holy Mountain, the quietly marked speakeasy just upstairs.
As Asian hate crimes increased in 2021 and 2022, the restaurant redoubled efforts to raise awareness for the community, and highlighted Lao New Year with special events. The eatery hosted comedy shows, and despite its conspicuous location, Holy Mountain occasionally offered loud karaoke nights.
The location, at 680 Valencia St. near 18th Street, was Hawker Fare’s second site; the first was in Oakland, where Syhabout’s mom ran a Thai restaurant. That space closed in 2017.
Syhabout told the Chronicle he still owns two restaurants Oakland, Hawker Fare’s sister restaurant, Hawking Bird, and Commis.
Mon, 30 Jan 2023 11:05:00 -0600Julian Marken-UStext/htmlhttps://missionlocal.org/2023/01/sunrise-pi-bar-hawker-fare-mission-closed/Killexams : Is Barclays (BCS) Outperforming Other Finance Stocks This Year?No result found, try new keyword!Is Barclays (BCS) one of those stocks right now? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out. Barclays is a member of our Finance group, which includes 872 ...Wed, 11 Jan 2023 02:24:00 -0600text/htmlhttps://www.nasdaq.com/articles/is-barclays-bcs-outperforming-other-finance-stocks-this-yearKillexams : Computing degrees more popular due to AI, says BCS
An increase in applications to university computing courses could be down to the rising use and exposure of artificial intelligence (AI), according to BCS.
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, claimed the number of students applying to study computing at university this year has risen by 9.6%, making it the fastest-growing degree subject.
These figures are most likely down to increased awareness of AI, cyber security and data science, and how they play a part in real-world issues, the BCS suggested.
Julia Adamson, managing director for education and public benefit at BCS, said: “Young people – and an increasing proportion of young women – see that a computing degree is a passport to change the world. AI and machine learning are transforming how kids complete homework and how job applicants write their covering letters.
“It’s no wonder so many people see their futures in technology. The more diverse range of people we have working in computing, the fairer and more inclusive the results will be for all of us.”
Tech is a huge part of everyone’s day-to-day lives, especially since the pandemic forced people to adopt digital methods of working and shopping during lockdowns, meaning many now have a greater awareness of tech as a potential career path.
“The more diverse range of people we have working in computing, the fairer and more inclusive the results will be for all of us”Julia Adamson, BCS
Clare Marchant, chief executive of UCAS, which provided the figures, claimed the subjects seeing the most interest this year were also those perceived to have good career prospects, such as computing and law.
Looking at the figures from UCAS, BCS found there were almost 93,000 applications for computing degrees in the UK this year, with an 18% increase in the number of women wanting to study computing at university.
This will close the gender gap in the subject to some extent, but while 2023’s figures are better than the previous year’s, there are still more male than female students applying for computing.
In 2022, male students outnumbered female students by 4.2 to 1; this year, there are 3.8 male students for every female student applying for computing degrees.
There has also been an increase in the number of girls taking computing subjects at both A-level and GCSE in the UK, but across Europe, there is still a large drop-off of women from tech-based subjects, with McKinsey research suggesting 31% of girls who study tech-based subjects at school across Europe don’t continue to study them at university.
Fri, 17 Feb 2023 08:54:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://www.computerweekly.com/news/365531434/Computing-degrees-more-popular-due-to-AI-says-BCSKillexams : Is Barclays (BCS) Stock Undervalued Right Now?
The proven Zacks Rank system focuses on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find winning stocks. Nevertheless, we know that our readers all have their own perspectives, so we are always looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong picks.
Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors use fundamental analysis and traditional valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are being undervalued by the market at large.
On top of the Zacks Rank, investors can also look at our innovative Style Scores system to find stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will want to focus on the "Value" category. Stocks with high Zacks Ranks and "A" grades for Value will be some of the highest-quality value stocks on the market today.
One company to watch right now is Barclays (BCS). BCS is currently holding a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A. The stock is trading with a P/E ratio of 5.34, which compares to its industry's average of 8.18. Over the last 12 months, BCS's Forward P/E has been as high as 7.65 and as low as 3.93, with a median of 5.23.
Value investors also use the P/S ratio. The P/S ratio is is calculated as price divided by sales. This is a prefered metric because revenue can't really be manipulated, so sales are often a truer performance indicator. BCS has a P/S ratio of 1.21. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.39.
If you're looking for another solid Banks - Foreign value stock, take a look at Deutsche Bank (DB). DB is a # 2 (Buy) stock with a Value score of A.
Deutsche Bank is trading at a forward earnings multiple of 6.69 at the moment, with a PEG ratio of 0.75. This compares to its industry's average P/E of 8.18 and average PEG ratio of 0.79.
Over the last 12 months, DB's P/E has been as high as 9.70, as low as 4.29, with a median of 5.87, and its PEG ratio has been as high as 1.04, as low as 0.12, with a median of 0.64.
Additionally, Deutsche Bank has a P/B ratio of 0.36 while its industry's price-to-book ratio sits at 1.59. For DB, this valuation metric has been as high as 0.42, as low as 0.21, with a median of 0.28 over the past year.
Value investors will likely look at more than just these metrics, but the above data helps show that Barclays and Deutsche Bank are likely undervalued currently. And when considering the strength of its earnings outlook, BCS and DB sticks out as one of the market's strongest value stocks.
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Tue, 07 Feb 2023 06:42:00 -0600en-UStext/htmlhttps://finance.yahoo.com/news/barclays-bcs-stock-undervalued-now-144002383.htmlKillexams : After 8 years, the Mission gets a women-centric, queer neighborhood bar
Those of us who chose San Francisco as home, but weren’t lucky enough to grow up here, have each had to find our place: Our people, our neighborhood, our go-to bar.
Malia Spanyol took the phrase “make yourself at home” to heart: She has built a network of spaces around the city where different communities can thrive, find safety or solace, or just have a rowdy good time.
Next week, the longtime Mission District resident is opening Mother Bar, located near 16th and Mission streets, with the goal of providing a neighborhood gathering place for queer women. It takes the place of Bond Bar, which closed at the end of last year.
“I felt like an outcast my whole life, which is fine, [but] we need homes,” she says.
The 53-year-old already owns La Lucha coffee shop in Noe Valley, the punk music venue Thee Parkside in Potrero Hill, and Woodenman Muay Thai gym in SoMa. There is some overlap, but each spot has its own unique clientele and distinct vibe.
Photo of Mother Bar, courtesy of Malia Spanyol.
Spanyol has an “it just happened” attitude when she considers how she ended up with her various business ventures, but she kept an eye out while working in bars and restaurants to pay her bills. Her first venture in the industry came in 2003, when Spanyol and a friend acquired Pop’s Bar, the beloved 24th Street watering hole.
She passed Pop’s to the next owner in 2014, but the new spots just kept piling on: In 2007, she took over Thee Parkside. After she started training in Muay Thai, she opened her own, better version of a fight gym. And when she saw tech companies sprout up near Thee Parkside, she decided to seize the moment and open a coffee window off the side of the bar.
“And then, during the pandemic, I think I was bored and out of my mind,” Spanyol said of how La Lucha became a standalone cafe in Noe Valley. “A friend was like, ‘Hey, so this space is opening up, and I could really use some coffee. And I’m like a block away’ … and so, I opened it up.”
During the pandemic, Spanyol also began researching San Francisco’s history of women’s bars and came across a plethora of places that had, over the years, closed their doors.
“Valencia Street was super women-centric,” Spanyol said. Like any real San Franciscan, she can easily list the lost institutions that once speckled the neighborhood: Osento women’s bathhouse, Leather Tongue Video, lesbian bar Artemis Society, the feminist bookstore Old Wives Tales, and Sofia’s, which claimed to be the city’s first queer Latina bar.
The Lexington Club, the last lesbian bar in the Mission at the time, closed in 2015. Today, Jolene’s and El Rio remain in the Mission as livelier queer party spots.
“I started to get nostalgic for the Lexington days, you know, and where we had that space and you get to not have to be so hyper-vigilant anymore,” Spanyol said.
By some luck, Bond Bar popped up for sale. It was a fitting place for her plan: Esta Noche, an old-school gay and trans bar, held the 16th Street location for 35 years until its closure in 2014. Spanyol remembered it as a bar that opened for Latino men who were harassed at the Castro LGBT bars.
It seemed the right time, Spanyol said, to provide a safe space for the LGBT community.
Or, to put it simply: “So let’s bring back a little bit of the dirty queers, so to speak.”
Photo of Mother Bar, courtesy of Malia Spanyol.
Although Bond bar was fancy, Spanyol warns that visitors shouldn’t expect that in the new bar. There will be nice cocktails, cheap beers, the photo booth and the old Bond staff. Otherwise, she’s just going to add a little paint — the outside is now purple, instead of black — and “let it figure out what it is.”
Spanyol, too, was figuring her life out when she came to San Francisco in 1989. “Because I’m gay, and the city was so gay. And so I went to college here,” Spanyol says.
She grew up on the “beautiful, gorgeous” island of Oahu, but, she explains, it’s an island, and San Francisco State University offered more. “I just needed to have more room to grow.”
Reminiscing, she reflects on the community she has been a part of through the years. She’s watched her regulars go from being 21 to starting families and finding careers; and then there was the July 4 when “someone threw an M-80 and blew out a cop car window” and the SWAT team descended on her block — “that was fun.”
“You get to create a community where you don’t feel like a weirdo, you know, and you have a home,” Spanyol said of running her own businesses. She did this at Pop’s, a spot for “hoodlums and shenanigans,” and again with Thee Parkside, known for hosting bands and its light-hearted events, like Twang Sunday, and its annual tricycle races and women’s arm wrestling championships.
And for the inevitable fistfights that arise, learning self-defense came in handy. At her Muay Thai gym, where she also teaches classes, she got to create an environment that she always wanted to see in a fight gym: Clean, warm, and making sure women didn’t get left behind.
Even being labeled as a lesbian feels ostracizing, Spanyol says: “You use the word ‘lesbian’ and you get pigeonholed into this one sort of concept of a person. And I’m not even that, you know? And so I want to create the space for all kinds of weirdos, all the weird queers, all the dirty queers, all the lesbians. All of everyone, everyone who’s ever felt like a fucking outcast.”
(“Can I say I’m a big fat dyke?” she asks when I confirm how she prefers to be identified.)
Malia Spanyol stands outside her bar, Thee Parkside. Photo taken Dec. 2022, by Eleni Balakrishnan.
In kind, she’s been training those who work for her to cultivate community, too: Her bartenders from Thee Parkside are “leaving the nest” and are part of a venture taking over the Kilowatt, just down the street from Mother.
“If they need a cup of sugar, I can run on up there.”
Mother Bar, located at 3079 16th Street, is hosting its soft opening Friday, Jan. 27 and Saturday, Jan. 28. The official opening will be on Thursday, Feb. 2, at 6 p.m.
