Latest news with #T33
India Today
30-06-2025
- Science
- India Today
First black astronaut Robert Lawrence broke barriers but died before spaceflight
On a chilly December morning in 1967, Major Robert Henry LawrenceJr., the first Black astronaut selected by the US military, climbed into a sleek F104 jet at Edwards Air Force Base in California to demonstrate a key landing later, his space dream ended abruptly. His aircraft crashed, and his legacy went up in smoke and tears rather than in orbit. He was only breaking racial grounds as the first African-American ever on a manned space programme, selected on June 30, 1967, he never got to fly into space. But his story became a beacon for ambition, breaking both racial and professional barriers IN CHICAGO AND THE MAKING OF A PILOTSCHOLARGrowing up in Chicago, Lawrence showed early promise. Born on 2 October 1935, he graduated high school at just sixteen, finishing among the top of his class. His spare hours saw him building model planes and mastering he entered Bradley University, he carried that spark into Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), a programme designed to train college students to become commissioned officers in the US Armed Forces. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) advertisementBy twenty, he held a degree in chemistry, had earned a commission as an Air Force officer, and became a pilot-instructor flying T33 jets in his curiosity did not stop; it demanded more. So he returned to school -- this time at Ohio State University, where in 1965 he earned a PhD in physical COLOUR BARRIERS IN THE SPACE PROGRAMMEBy 1967, he had racked up over 2,500 flight hours, mostly in jets, and flew Lockheed F104 Starfighters to test maneuvers like the 'flare' -- essential for spacecraft landings. It wasn't long before NASA took achievements earned him selection for the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) programme on June 30, 1967 -- the first African American in any US astronaut an era when race walls still loomed, he answered with quiet resolve: 'just another step in civil rights normal progression,' he'd selection included astronaut training, but sadly, no mission would ever take him to space. Manned Orbit Laboratory (MOL) astronauts (Left to Right: Robert T. Herres, USAF; Robert H. Lawrence, Jr., USAF; Dr. Donald H. Peterson, USAF; and James A. Abrahamson, USAF) (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) THE FATAL TRAINING FLIGHTOn December 8, 1967, he was back at Edwards Air Force Base, teaching a trainee how to perform the steepdescent 'flare': a crucial glide manoeuvre for returning flew in an F104 Starfighter. During a steep-descent drill with a trainee, the jet flared too plane struck the runway hard, caught fire, and rolled. The pilot escaped. Lawrence did became the only MOL astronaut to die in training. He left behind a wife, Barbara, and their young son, Tracey.A LEGACY THAT FOUND LIGHT AFTER DARKThe Air Force quietly omitted his name from the original Astronaut Space Mirror Memorial, citing programme definitions. But advocates -- his wife Barbara, son Tracey, and historians -- persisted. In 1997, his name was finally mission patch flew aboard STS-86, and today the Cygnus spacecraft SS Robert H Lawrence honours him. At the Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Complex, the name of U.S. Air Foce Maj. Robert Lawrence is one of those included on the Space Mirror Memorial which honors those lost in efforts to explore space. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) advertisementAFTERMATH AND RECOGNITIONFor years, his story lay hidden -- NASA did not immediately honour his name on the official Astronaut Space Mirror Memorial, citing Air Force from his loved ones and space historians changed that. In 1997, his name was finally etched in honors included having his mission patch flown aboard STS86 in 1997 and inspiring the naming of SS Robert H Lawrence, a 2020 Cygnus HIS STORY STILL MATTERS TODAYRobert Henry Lawrence Jr. never reached orbit, but he broke the most rigid barrier -- race in the astronaut corps. He showed the world that being black and brilliant were not contradictions. He combined science, skill, and steadfast though his life ended before lift-off, his legacy helped launch a more inclusive journey beyond Earth. It inspired a pathway for generations of astronauts -- reminding us that breakthroughs can begin in classrooms, laboratories, and sometimes in tragic accidents on runways.- Ends
Miami Herald
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Nissan Rogue Generations Overview: How It Became The Top-Selling Nissan
Many years after Honda and Toyota established their grip on the compact crossover segment with the CR-V and RAV4, Nissan arrived on the scene with the Rogue. Like those crossovers, the Rogue aimed to be a little bit of everything to buyers: Cheap enough, practical enough, and with a bit more rough-road capability than a sedan or hatchback. Over three generations, the Rogue has gone on to become Nissan's best-selling model in the United States; only the Sentra is anywhere close to it in 2025 so far. Here's an overview of each Rogue generation and how the crossover has changed through the years. This Nissan Rogue's model years were from 2008 to 2013, after going on sale in 2007. It had slightly oddball styling from the front, even after a mid-cycle refresh for 2011. Power comes from a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with 170 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque, with front-wheel drive being standard and all-wheel drive an option. From the Nissan Rogue's first year, all models used a CVT, and this has generally been one of the Rogue's weak points. Not only did the CVT create a noisy, unrefined driving experience, but this transmission was unreliable, even leading to a class-action lawsuit filed against the brand. If you're willing to live with the CVT and keep up with maintenance, the rest of the Rogue package is pleasant enough. Efficiency was good, crash-safety scores were high, and the Rogue was practical enough. It's a pity that this model was held back by a lackluster powertrain. Related: Toyota RAV4 Generations Overview: Evolution Of The Crossover Pioneer Manufactured for the 2014 to 2020 model years, the second-gen Rogue was a larger and more handsome crossover. Nissan managed to free up enough space for an optional third row, something that set apart the T32 from most rivals, although it could only offer up 31.4 inches of legroom in this back row. The company persisted with its CVT transmission and the same 170-hp four-cylinder engine, so there was no improvement in performance. Reliability remained an issue with the CVT, so much so that Nissan extended the warranty on second-gen Rogues, but that was merely a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. For the 2017 model year, the Rogue gained a hybrid model with 176 hp - it returned up to 34 mpg combined, as opposed to the non-hybrid model's 29 mpg. Overall, the second-gen Rogue was more practical but continued to be let down by sluggish acceleration and CVT issues. Despite this, Rogue sales in the USA reached over 400,000 annual units in 2017 and 2018, the last time it achieved this level of sales success. Related: Hyundai Tucson Generations Overview: How This RAV4 Rival Has Evolved On sale since the 2021 model year, the T33 is the current generation of the Nissan Rogue. Inside and out, this is a big leap forward, with the T33 boasting the smartest of all Nissan Rogue body styles and a plush interior, especially on top trims, which get features like quilted leather upholstery. Initially, Nissan stuck with its 2.5L four-pot with 181 hp, but this was soon replaced by an all-new 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine. This smaller mill had variable compression technology, allowing for a better balance of power and economy. Its 201 hp and 225 lb-ft were better than before, and FWD models can achieve 33 mpg combined. Unfortunately, Nissan continued to stick with a CVT, spoiling the driving experience. In December 2013, an investigation into engine failure was also opened, concerning the 1.5-liter unit, continuing a theme of powertrain maladies that have affected all generations of the Rogue. We do know that a new Rogue Hybrid is on the way, and this will fill a major gap in the Rogue lineup, since the RAV4 and CR-V both have more powerful hybrid options. We only hope this model achieves the performance, refinement, and reliability to match the many strong attributes of the T33. Related: This Is The Most Reliable Nissan Rogue Model Year Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Gordon Murray's cars to headline 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed
GMA T50 will be one of the featured cars The cars of Gordon Murray Automotive will be the focus of the famous central sculpture at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed as part of the event's celebration of 60 years of its founder's influence in automotive design and engineering. As part of the celebrations, the Festival of Speed will also host the brand's public debuts of the T50, T33 and T33 Spider supercars. The T50s will also make its dynamic debut at the 81st Goodwood Member's Meeting. Gordon Murray, who founded GMA in 2017, has been an influential figure in design and engineering during his six decades in the automotive industry. He was Formula 1 technical director for Brabham and McLaren Racing, where cars he designed won the world championship in 1981, 1983, 1988, 1989 and 1990. In 1988, Murray began the development of the ground-breaking McLaren F1, which entered production in 1992, and in later years he went on to found Gordon Murray Design, in 2007. 'For 60 years, I have enjoyed the design and engineering challenge of pushing the boundaries of what's possible – be that in racing or road cars,' said Gordon Murray, who was awarded a CBE in 2019. 'The supercars that Gordon Murray Automotive builds today are inspired by every car I've designed, raced and owned. Lightweight design, innovative use of materials, the latest technologies and even bending the laws of physics come into all we do,' he added. The 2025 Festival of Speed will be the 32nd running of the UK's most popular motoring event and will take place from Thursday 10 July to Sunday 13 July. Last year's central sculpture focused on 100 years of MG and featured the MG B and the MG Cyberster. ]]>
