Car giant's space fight with Musk
One of the world's biggest car makers has joined Elon Musk in the race to the stars.
Honda has officially entered the space race alongside Musk's Space X, after Japan's second largest carmaker announced it had successfully launched a 'resusable rocket prototype'.
In the same week, a Space X rocket dramatically blew up while preparing to take flight, Honda showed it was serious about its space exploration ambitions, first mentioned four years ago.
Honda R&D, which is a subsidiary of Honda Motor Co. said it 'conducted a launch and landing test of an experimental reusable rocket developed independently by Honda'.
Musk's SpaceX rocket goes kablam. Picture X
The rocket, which was 6.3m long, 85cm in diameter and weighed 1312kg, reached an altitude of 271.4m and landed within 37cm of the target touchdown point after a flight of 57s.
According to Honda R&D, the purpose of the test, conducted at a Honda facility in Taiki Town on Hokkaido, the northern most of Japan's main islands, was the 'establishment of key technologies necessary for a reusable rocket'.
'This test marked the first launch and landing test conducted by Honda with an aim to demonstrate key technologies essential for rocket reusability, such as flight stability during ascent and descent, as well as landing capability,' Honda said in a statement.
Honda engineers prepare the rocket. Picture: Honda
Honda conducts a successful launch and landing test of its Experimental Reusable Rocket. Picture: Honda R&D
'Through this successful test, Honda achieved its intended rocket behaviours for the launch and landing, while obtaining data during the ascent and descent.'
Honda announced in 2021 that it was 'pursuing research and development in the field of space technologies' with the thought that its discoveries could also be used in Honda vehicles.
That includes in regard to automated driving systems and sustainable transportation.
Honda is aiming at a suborbital launch by 2029.
'We are pleased that Honda has made another step forward in our research on reusable rockets with this successful completion of a launch and landing test,' Global CEO of Honda Toshihiro Mibe said.
'We believe that rocket research is a meaningful endeavour that leverages Honda's technological strengths.
Honda said space tech is likely to be used in its future cars. Source: Supplied
'Honda will continue to take on new challenges—not only to offer our customers various services and value through our products, while addressing environmental and safety issues, but also to continue creating new value which will make people's time and place more enjoyable.'
Originally published as Car giant's space fight with Musk
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It's more affordable to buy, as well as more comfortable, quieter and more efficient to drive, and offers better long-term ownership benefits. Interested in buying a Honda HR-V? Let CarExpert find you the best deal hereInterested in buying a Subaru Crosstrek? Let CarExpert find you the best deal hereMORE: Explore the Honda HR-V showroom MORE: Explore the Subaru Crosstrek showroom Content originally sourced from: Small SUVs are big business these days. Almost every mainstream auto brand has a high-riding hatchback that promises more space and potential for adventure than a conventional suburban runabout, including these two – the Honda HR-V and Subaru Crosstrek. The two Japanese automakers are arguably the early pioneers of crossover wagons with vehicles like the Subaru Outback, a vehicle which the smaller Crosstrek follows in the wheel tracks of, and the original Honda HR-V that launched almost 20 years ago as a funky three-door city car on stilts. And now, through advances in fuel-saving technology, the HR-V and Crosstrek line up against each other with hybrid powertrains. So which one is better? Let's take a look and find out… These two might be considered small SUVs, but both command a large chunk of change as the flagship variants in their respective model lineups. The HR-V e:HEV X costs $42,990 drive-away, which is a $3000 premium over the lower grade HR-V L variant. The Crosstrek Hybrid S comes with a considerably higher sticker price of $45,590 plus on-road costs. A closer match on price is the lower-grade L, which costs $39,090 plus on-roads, but it misses out on some key features and luxuries. To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool With both of these vehicles positioned as their respective range-toppers, they come with as much standard equipment as Honda and Subaru can throw at them. The extensive list of features on both vehicles includes: While the Subaru misses out on the HR-V's powered tailgate, it picks up a few additional features such as a glass sunroof, power-adjustable driver's seat, 10-speaker Harmon Kardon audio (compared to six in the Honda) and a wireless phone charger. To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Subaru Crosstrek scores higher than the HR-V in independent safety testing, with a maximum five-star ANCAP rating from 2024 compared to the Honda's four-star result from 2022. Both cars, however, feature a comprehensive array of advanced driver aids, including: The Subaru goes a little further with its latest Eyesight suite of features that adds facial recognition software for driver fatigue management, and has a 360-degree reverse parking display. 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The Subaru's interior is a match for material and build quality, and overall comfort, with great front seats that offer plenty of adjustment, an array of convenient small-item storage spaces, and a collection of physical buttons for easy access to often-used functions like the audio and climate control temperature. And its larger 11.6-inch portrait-style touchscreen is excellent, with a familiar mobile phone-style layout to its menu structure. But the back seats are a little flatter and it does miss out on rear vents, which might be a bit taxing for rear occupants on longer trips. To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool Both the Honda HR-V and Subaru Crosstrek are powered by a conventional series-parallel hybrid system that links a petrol engine with a small electric motor powered by a battery pack to improve fuel consumption. But therein lies almost all of their similarities, as the Honda has a lean-burning 1.5-litre petrol engine, while the Subaru has a larger 2.0-litre horizontally opposed four-cylinder 'boxer' engine. Sure, both of them employ a continuously variable automatic transmission and a lithium-ion battery with the same 1.1kWh capacity, but the Honda has two electric motors sandwiched inside the transmission and drives the front wheels only, while the Subaru has a single electric on the back of its gearbox and retains Subaru's hallmark all-wheel drive layout. Interestingly, Honda doesn't publish the power output of its electric motors separately and Subaru doesn't provide a combined system output. But the end result is largely the same, with the the HR-V producing 96kW of power and 253Nm of torque, compared to the Subaru's 100kW/182Nm outputs. 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On top of that, the Crosstrek will cost more than twice as much to service over the first five years, even though its service intervals have higher 15,000km annual mileage limits than the HR-V. To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool If you're looking for a top-quality small family SUV, you can't go wrong with either of these. Both of these cars are among the best in their class for quality, reliability, driving dynamics and overall comfort. The Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid S has a couple of advantages in this contest, and that's its ability to seat five, its all-wheel drive traction and better safety rating. But it comes with a considerable cost penalty, as does its electrified powertrain compared to cheaper non-hybrid variants which, in reality, doesn't add much for the premium. Which leaves us with the HR-V e:HEV L as the better option here – just! It's more affordable to buy, as well as more comfortable, quieter and more efficient to drive, and offers better long-term ownership benefits. Interested in buying a Honda HR-V? Let CarExpert find you the best deal hereInterested in buying a Subaru Crosstrek? Let CarExpert find you the best deal hereMORE: Explore the Honda HR-V showroom MORE: Explore the Subaru Crosstrek showroom Content originally sourced from: Small SUVs are big business these days. Almost every mainstream auto brand has a high-riding hatchback that promises more space and potential for adventure than a conventional suburban runabout, including these two – the Honda HR-V and Subaru Crosstrek. The two Japanese automakers are arguably the early pioneers of crossover wagons with vehicles like the Subaru Outback, a vehicle which the smaller Crosstrek follows in the wheel tracks of, and the original Honda HR-V that launched almost 20 years ago as a funky three-door city car on stilts. 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The extensive list of features on both vehicles includes: While the Subaru misses out on the HR-V's powered tailgate, it picks up a few additional features such as a glass sunroof, power-adjustable driver's seat, 10-speaker Harmon Kardon audio (compared to six in the Honda) and a wireless phone charger. To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Subaru Crosstrek scores higher than the HR-V in independent safety testing, with a maximum five-star ANCAP rating from 2024 compared to the Honda's four-star result from 2022. Both cars, however, feature a comprehensive array of advanced driver aids, including: The Subaru goes a little further with its latest Eyesight suite of features that adds facial recognition software for driver fatigue management, and has a 360-degree reverse parking display. To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool The Subaru Crosstrek is a fraction larger than the Honda HR-V in every exterior dimension, but Honda does an amazing job of interior packaging and both of these small SUVs offer generous space inside for small families. It must be noted though that the HR-V is technically only a four-seater with room for just two across the rear bench seat, whereas the Subaru has a more traditional three-person rear seat configuration. It also has slightly more cargo carrying capacity too, but the HR-V's 'magic seats' can be configured in 18 different settings, giving it added flexibility to carry larger, and taller, items. As for the rest of the cabin, both are fairly dark with a predominantly black colour palette, but both offer plenty of headroom and an excellent range of adjustment for the driving position to suit all types. The Honda's dash layout is a little more conservative with a horizontal bar that runs through the middle, separating the floating tablet-style 9.0-inch touchscreen from a bank of physical controls for the climate control system below, with a traditional gear selector, twin cupholders and a covered bin in the centre console. The infotainment system has a logical menu structure with large widgets that are easy to identify, as well as a rotary dial to adjust the volume and shortcut buttons for the homepage and to go back one step. The front seats are super comfortable with sumptuous cushioning and good lateral support, and the materials and build quality are impressive. There's more room in the back seat than you'd imagine for such a small car, and rear occupants are treated to good comfort levels with plenty of legroom, plus excellent vision through the large windows, rear vents, twin USB-C power outlets and a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders. The Subaru's interior is a match for material and build quality, and overall comfort, with great front seats that offer plenty of adjustment, an array of convenient small-item storage spaces, and a collection of physical buttons for easy access to often-used functions like the audio and climate control temperature. And its larger 11.6-inch portrait-style touchscreen is excellent, with a familiar mobile phone-style layout to its menu structure. But the back seats are a little flatter and it does miss out on rear vents, which might be a bit taxing for rear occupants on longer trips. To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool Both the Honda HR-V and Subaru Crosstrek are powered by a conventional series-parallel hybrid system that links a petrol engine with a small electric motor powered by a battery pack to improve fuel consumption. But therein lies almost all of their similarities, as the Honda has a lean-burning 1.5-litre petrol engine, while the Subaru has a larger 2.0-litre horizontally opposed four-cylinder 'boxer' engine. Sure, both of them employ a continuously variable automatic transmission and a lithium-ion battery with the same 1.1kWh capacity, but the Honda has two electric motors sandwiched inside the transmission and drives the front wheels only, while the Subaru has a single electric on the back of its gearbox and retains Subaru's hallmark all-wheel drive layout. Interestingly, Honda doesn't publish the power output of its electric motors separately and Subaru doesn't provide a combined system output. But the end result is largely the same, with the the HR-V producing 96kW of power and 253Nm of torque, compared to the Subaru's 100kW/182Nm outputs. Both are tuned to run on the most affordable 91 RON standard unleaded, but the Honda must push significantly less mass (it weighs over 200kg less) and can use its electric motors more often, shutting down the petrol engine for short periods at cruising speeds, which makes it more efficient. Honda claims the HR-V has combined fuel consumption of 4.3L/100km, whereas the Subaru is only marginally better than non-hybrid versions of the Crosstrek with a claimed average of 6.5L/100km. To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool Your hip pocket will be even happier with the HR-V over the long term when it comes to maintenance costs. Honda is currently offering an extended eight-year warranty with free roadside assistance across its entire SUV range, including all variants of the HR-V. This compares to the standard five-year, unlimited-km warranty for the Subaru, which only includes the first year of roadside assistance for free. On top of that, the Crosstrek will cost more than twice as much to service over the first five years, even though its service intervals have higher 15,000km annual mileage limits than the HR-V. To see how the Honda HR-V stacks up against its rivals, check out our comparison tool If you're looking for a top-quality small family SUV, you can't go wrong with either of these. Both of these cars are among the best in their class for quality, reliability, driving dynamics and overall comfort. The Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid S has a couple of advantages in this contest, and that's its ability to seat five, its all-wheel drive traction and better safety rating. But it comes with a considerable cost penalty, as does its electrified powertrain compared to cheaper non-hybrid variants which, in reality, doesn't add much for the premium. Which leaves us with the HR-V e:HEV L as the better option here – just! It's more affordable to buy, as well as more comfortable, quieter and more efficient to drive, and offers better long-term ownership benefits. Interested in buying a Honda HR-V? Let CarExpert find you the best deal hereInterested in buying a Subaru Crosstrek? Let CarExpert find you the best deal hereMORE: Explore the Honda HR-V showroom MORE: Explore the Subaru Crosstrek showroom Content originally sourced from:
Herald Sun
2 days ago
- Herald Sun
We've all dated a guy who could ruin Coldplay for you
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. We've all got one. That one song, that one band, that one album that now tastes like heartbreak. Maybe it was playing in the background when he broke up with you. Maybe it was your song - the one he sang in the car with his whole chest before he blew up your life. Or maybe it was Coldplay. For the wife of Andy Byron - the tech CEO now going viral after appearing on the Coldplay kiss cam with his alleged HR-chief mistress - it's going to be Coldplay. Forever. And that's not just cruel. That's psychological warfare. Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. A tech CEO was busted on the kiss cam with his HR exec mistress. Image: TikTok/@instaagraace The kiss cam moment that blew up the internet Last week, at a Coldplay concert in Boston, the band's kiss cam panned to a couple cuddling in the crowd. As the audience cooed and Chris Martin smiled, the man - later identified as Byron - ducked out of view like a panicked meerkat while the woman beside him, HR executive Kristin Cabot, frantically turned away and shielded her face. From the stage, Chris Martin joked, 'Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy.' Turns out, it was the former. TikTok detectives quickly linked the couple to a billion-dollar AI company called Astronomer, where Byron is CEO and Cabot is his HR hire. Since then, their names have been blasted across headlines and hashtags, dissected on Reddit threads, and framed in reaction memes like a tech-industry telenovela. Internet users pointed out that Byron's wife quietly removed her married name from social media. Her Facebook was eventually deleted altogether - presumably to avoid the thousands of comments flooding in from strangers watching her marriage unravel in real time. The wife didn't just lose her husband - she lost her soundtrack The internet is having a field day. And yes, from a distance, it's deliciously messy. The kiss cam. The cringey scramble. The 'f***ing hell, it's me' vibe of the footage. If the goal was to cheat discreetly, attending a concert with literal stadium-wide cameras was… bold. But here's the thing: behind the LOLs and the gossip and the Chrissy Teigen-level memes is a woman. A wife. Possibly a mother. And she's now the unwitting protagonist of a viral cheating saga, her life detonated in surround sound. And it wasn't just detonated. It was scored. With Coldplay. RELATED: My husband's affair baby turned up after his death Coldplay is everywhere - supermarkets, lifts, hold music. Image: Instgram/Coldplay You can't escape Coldplay - and now she can't escape the pain This is the part that gets me - the music. Because Coldplay isn't niche. It's not like her ex ruined an obscure Swedish doom-metal band. Coldplay is everywhere. It's in supermarkets, shopping centres, airport lounges, elevators, hold music. You can't even watch a rom-com trailer without Fix You or The Scientist playing behind a montage of heartbreak and rain. Every time this woman goes to buy groceries, or waits on hold to cancel a joint phone plan, or orders a cab that's tuned into Smooth FM, there's a solid chance Chris Martin will be there, whisper-singing directly to her trauma. RELATED: How Ashley Madison convinced 37mil people to have an affair From the stage, Martin joked, 'Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy.' Image: Instagram/Coldplay Music is memory - and heartbreak has a playlist That's the thing about music and memory - they attach themselves to each other. Songs are time capsules. Emotional landmines. And when a betrayal happens in stereo, you don't just lose your partner. You lose your playlists. There's something especially brutal about discovering your husband is cheating via jumbotron. But what breaks me is the thought of this woman turning on the radio and being gut-punched by Clocks. Because we've all been there. Maybe not at the scale of a viral tech scandal, but we've all had someone ruin a song. A cafe. A park bench. A scent. A suburb. Love has a way of soaking into the fibres of everyday life - and when it's ripped away, those fibres turn to razor wire. She didn't ask for this spotlight Right now, this woman is probably living in shock. She's probably fielding calls and deleting apps and wondering if anyone's told the kids. She's not laughing at the kiss cam. She's not scrolling TikTok for takes. She's staring at a house that feels different now. At a man she doesn't recognise. At a future she didn't see coming. And while the world jokes about mistresses and HR policies and bad life choices scored by soft rock, she's in mourning. Not just for her marriage - but for everything that used to feel safe. Including Coldplay. From viral gossip to a personal tragedy So yes, we're all laughing at the kiss cam couple. But maybe - quietly, tenderly - we could also spare a thought for the woman whose heart just broke in four million pixels. The woman who didn't ask to be part of the show. The woman who'll never be able to hear Yellow again without feeling sick. Because we've all dated a guy who could ruin Coldplay for you. And once they do, there's no getting it back. Originally published as We've all dated a guy who could ruin Coldplay for you
