Entertainment
Boeing Satellite Falls Apart In Space
By Brian Myers
| Published
A communications satellite manufactured by U.S. company Boeing broke into at least 20 pieces while in orbit over the weekend, disrupting use from users across multiple continents and littering the skies with giant pieces of space junk. The Intelsat 33e satellite functioned to provide needed broadband communication from its position above the Indian Ocean to users in Europe, Africa, and Asia, but went immediately offline after failing to keep together. At this point, officials from the U.S. Space Force and engineers from Boeing have been unable to determine the cause.
In Orbit Since 2016
The 14,600 pound Boeing satellite was slightly larger than a midsize car and was both designed and manufactured by the company. The Intelsat 33e was launched into orbit more than eight years ago and has been in its geostationary orbit south of India since 2016. The craft was part of Boeing’s EpicNG platform, an endeavor that was meant, in part, to improve global broadband communications.
The Intelsat 33e was not the first of its kind to have major problems while orbiting the Earth. Its predecessor, IS-29e, spent several years in space before failing. The Boeing satellite was said to have been pummeled by a micrometeoroid strike, causing a serious fuel leak. The premature end of both of these satellites severely alters the intended lifespan of these orbiting vessels, which Boeing engineers first believed to be as high as 15 years in space.
What Went Wrong?
A Failure Review Board has been established to explore the causes of the Boeing satellite mishap. It consists of the company and government agencies, which will all work to study the data and hopefully come to a conclusion.
The latest Boeing disaster is not only another black eye on the company’s recent performances, but also serves to add a great amount of space junk to the area just outside the Earth’s atmosphere. It’s estimated that there are now more than 30,000 pieces of debris that orbit the planet, which are being monitored by multiple space agencies across several nations. These Boeing satellite pieces combine with the other pieces of space junk that pose serious threats to other satellites in orbit as well as incoming and outgoing spacecraft.
More Bad News
The unexplained destruction of the Boeing satellite is not the only bad news from the company in recent weeks. Its Starliner mission experienced multiple failures that resulted in two NASA astronauts being stuck in space for weeks after they were originally scheduled to return to Earth. But Boeing’s space issues are but a small part of its problems as its mainstay, domestic and international aircraft, have been plagued with maladies that have received great attention throughout the last several years.
Boeing’s Max 737 planes were grounded after two crashes that killed more than 300 people, which resulted in an investigation into alleged fraud by the embattled company. Making matters worse, Boeing’s 300,000 employees have forced the company against the wall and worsened its financial position.
It was reported today that, in order to comply with growing demands by the union and to help navigate other financial woes, Boeing will sell more than $19 billion worth of stock to raise capital.
Source: Intelsat
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
