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29 Dec 2024 — 4 min read

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Today, Jeju Air Flight 7C2216, a Boeing 737-800, crashed while attempting to land at Muan International Airport in South Korea. The aircraft, arriving from Bangkok, Thailand, was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members. Over 175 people lost their lives, making it one of the deadliest aviation accidents in South Korea’s history. Only two crew members survived and are currently receiving medical treatment.
Crash video:

Initial investigations suggest a bird strike may have caused a landing gear failure, contributing to the crash. Air traffic controllers had warned the pilots of bird activity shortly before the accident, prompting a mayday call. However, experts caution against attributing the crash solely to a bird strike, as other mechanical or procedural issues may have played a role. Both black boxes have been recovered, and a full investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the disaster.

Economics & Markets:

Environment & Weather:

Yesterday, a strong storm system moved through the southern United States, producing over 50 confirmed tornadoes and reports of additional unconfirmed tornado activity in southeastern Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The storms caused significant damage, including destroyed homes and infrastructure. In Brazoria County, Texas, one person was killed, and several others were injured. Mississippi also reported one fatality in Adams County and injuries in Franklin County.

The National Weather Service issued warnings for severe tornado activity throughout the region. The storm caused widespread power outages, leaving tens of thousands of people without electricity in states including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Holiday travel was disrupted, with over 7,000 flight delays and hundreds of cancellations affecting major hubs like Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Houston.

Space:

Yesterday, December 28, 2024, at 8:58 p.m. PST, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The mission deployed 22 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. These satellites are part of SpaceX’s growing Starlink constellation, designed to provide global broadband internet coverage. By increasing the number of satellites in orbit, this mission aims to enhance the network’s capacity and connectivity for users worldwide.

Today, December 29, 2024, at 12:00 a.m. EST, SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The mission, named “Astranis: From One to Many,” carried four MicroGEO communications satellites for the company Astranis.
Unlike low Earth orbit satellites, these satellites are designed to operate in geostationary orbit, where they will remain fixed over specific regions to provide targeted internet and communication services. Both missions highlight the varied applications of SpaceX’s launch services, from expanding global satellite constellations to deploying region-specific communication systems.