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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Mountaineer and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mount-everest-sherpas-mountain-guide-jobs-not-worth-it-2024-6">Everest guide</a> Garrett Madison summits the tallest mountains in the world.</li><li>He's summited Everest 14 times, and just earned his second "triple crown," a rare mountaineering achievement.</li></ul><p>Garrett Madison has built a career on risking his life to stand atop <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/highest-point-tallest-mountain-every-country-photos-2019-1">the world's tallest peaks</a>. The mountaineer and expedition guide has summited Mt. Everest 14 times, and has led more than 80 other climbers to the top since 2009.</p><p>In May, he earned his second "triple crown" by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-and-worst-parts-first-all-black-team-summit-everest-2022-6">summiting Mt. Everest</a> and two of its neighboring peaks, Mt. Lhotse and Mt. Nuptse, in a single season. Few have achieved this rare feat.</p><p>"I feel really lucky and privileged to get to go on these <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dangerous-expensive-mining-expeditions-in-world-2024-1">expeditions</a>," he told Business Insider.</p><p>But this epic lifestyle also pushes his body to the limit. Being in shape can mean the difference between life or death when <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-solo-parent-while-your-husband-climbs-mount-everest-2023-9">climbing a nearly 30,000-foot-tall mountain</a>.</p><div type="image" title="Group of climbers" height="1200" width="1600" msid="111117965" hostid="261" sizebytes="147492"></div><p>Low oxygen levels, brutally cold temperatures, and long days spent navigating treacherous terrain take a toll on the body. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/climbing-mount-kilimanjaro-what-to-expect-guide-2024-2">Even fit mountaineers can succumb to exhaustion, altitude sickness, or injury.</a></p><p>"Fortunately, I'm on expedition quite a bit throughout the year on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/adrian-ballinger-summit-ski-makalu-fifth-tallest-mountain-in-world-2022-12">big mountains</a>, so my body and mind kind of stay in mountain shape," Madison said.</p><p>But during those rare times when he isn't on expedition, he's preparing for the next one. Madison has developed a strategy for keeping his body in Everest mode in the off-season.</p><h2 id="88598472-5446-45d3-b0a6-a8c92027fd6e">Always seek high-elevation</h2><div type="image" title="Climber in oxygen mask" height="900" width="1200" msid="111117968" hostid="261" sizebytes="107158"></div><p>When he isn't climbing massive <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mount-everest-closed-spring-climbing-season-nepalese-government-coronavirus-precaution-2020-3">Himalayan peaks</a>, Madison spends time skiing and hiking in the smaller, but still mighty mountains in and around his home state of Washington.</p><p>"Continuing to stay in the mountains throughout the year is very, very beneficial if that's where you want to be," he said.</p><p>That's because the body <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mount-everest-death-zone-what-happens-to-body-2019-5">adapts to the low-oxygen levels</a> at higher elevations. The top of Mt. Everest has only a third of the oxygen available at sea level. Spending time in low-oxygen environments —even ones that are less extreme than the top of Everest — actually changes your blood.</p><p>Lack of oxygen causes the body to produce more <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gene-therapy-for-sickle-cell-anemia-costs-millions-fda-2023-12">red blood cells</a>, which carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. It also produces more hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that helps them do their job. At extreme elevations, climbers' supercharged blood helps make sure all their organs receive enough oxygen.</p><p>This enhanced fleet of blood cells lasts long after a climber has returned to low elevation, sticking around for about 120 days. But after that, they'll start to die off. That's why Madison makes sure to spend as much time as he can at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-k2-the-king-of-mountains-terrifies-even-experienced-climbers-2023-8">high altitudes</a> to keep his blood Everest-ready.</p><h2 id="1206dd96-4327-41cb-addd-c9c6bcd239ac">How you can whip your body into Everest shape</h2><div type="image" title="A woman running along a ridge" height="1414" width="2121" msid="111117966" hostid="261" sizebytes="326986"></div><p>When he's not working out at great heights, Madison said he makes sure to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/planet-fitness-membership-fee-classic-card-15-26-years-inflation-2024-5">stay active in the gym</a>.</p><p>"If I'm not skiing or out hiking or climbing, I'll definitely go to the gym and do a mix of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bodybuilder-technique-build-muscle-with-lighter-weight-2024-5">strength training</a>, and some balance, flexibility, agility work," he said.</p><p>His company, Madison Mountaineering, has even <a target="_blank" href="https://madisonmountaineering.com/expedition-know-how/expedition-training-regimens/">created</a> a training guide that can help whip your body into shape for an Everest-level climbing expedition.</p><p>The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-cardio-exercise-men-can-prevent-cancer-2023-7">cardio exercises</a> include things like hour-long runs and steep day hikes. Muscle training includes lunges, push-ups, and jumping exercises.</p><p>It's best to train for an expedition outdoors on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/fitness/calories-burned-walking">hilly terrain</a>, according to the Madison Mountaineering website. But not everyone has access to this where they live.</p><p>If you're limited to working out in the gym but want to train for a big climb, try <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/5-popular-workouts-you-shouldnt-waste-your-time-on-2023-12">the stair mill</a>. It mimics mountain terrain by making you lift a portion of your body weight each step, the website says.</p><p>Training for a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-claims-it-found-abominable-snowman-footprint-in-mountain-2019-4">mountaineering expedition</a> takes a lot of time and work, but all of that effort is important to your safety on the mountain.</p><p>"It's a lot of work, but it's definitely worth it," Madison said.</p>

A climber who summited the world's tallest peaks explains how he trains by keeping his body in Everest-mode

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A green comet, nicknamed the "devil comet," is becoming visible in the night sky. </li><li>Head to the countryside to see 12P/Pons-Brooks in the next couple of weeks. </li></ul><p>Need a compelling reason to escape the city? The next few weeks offer a unique opportunity to witness a rare, green comet streaking through the night sky.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennium-falcon-comet-heading-toward-earth-seen-with-naked-eye-2023-7">12P/Pons-Brooks</a>, a comet larger than Everest, has already been <a target="_blank" href="https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240216.html">spotted by amateur astronomers</a>. It should become increasingly visible to the naked eye as it approaches the sun over the next month.</p><p>This cosmic object visits us only once every 71 years. It could be the cherry on top for those lucky enough to see the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-2024-total-solar-eclipse-cool-best-special-nasa-2024-1">April 8 solar eclipse</a>, as it may pop up in the darkened sky when the moon blocks out the sun.</p><p>By the end of March, it could be about 5th-magnitude brightness, which means it should be just about visible to the naked eye, and its characteristic tail should start to appear, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.space.com/comet-12p-pons-brooks-march-2024">Space.com reported.</a></p><p>If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, aim to see the comet before April 21, when it makes its closest approach to the sun. After that, it will lower under the horizon, becoming visible to those in the Southern Hemisphere until the end of the year, <a target="_blank" href="https://starwalk.space/en">according to the star-gazing app Starwalk's website.</a></p><p>Your best bet is to head to the countryside, away from city lights. It should be bright enough to see with the naked eye, but just barely, so it's a good idea to bring binoculars to help spot the cosmic object.</p><p>It's worth noting that this celestial visitor can surprise us. It recently <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/devil-comet-excites-scientists-as-it-passes-through-solar-system-2023-10">made headlines</a> when it unexpectedly became about 100 times brighter.</p><p>This rare flare transformed the comet's gas cloud into a fleeting horseshoe shape. This earned the comet nicknames like the Devil Comet or the Millennium Falcon Comet.</p><div type="image" title="Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks" height="1200" width="1343" msid="108439885" hostid="261" sizebytes="135294"></div><p>Other flares have since been spotted, and it's possible they could happen again as 12P/Pons-Brook heads toward Earth.</p><p>It's not clear what caused the flare-ups, but astronomers have suggested this could be a rare case of a comet with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/devil-comet-excites-scientists-as-it-passes-through-solar-system-2023-10">volcanic activity </a>at its surface.</p><p>When planning your <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/green-comet-ztf-viewing-where-when-how-see-2023-1">stargazing adventure</a>, choose the days closest to a new moon, as the moon can outshine cosmic objects when it is full.</p><p>Make sure to check the weather forecast before heading out — an overcast evening can ruin a good stargazing plan.</p><p>When you arrive, don't despair if the comet isn't immediately visible. Your eyes may need 30 minutes or more to adjust to the darkness as it's likely you'll have been staring at screens to get to where you need to be.</p>

A comet larger than Everest will streak through the night sky in the coming weeks. Here's how to see it.

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>On Saturday, over <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/help-arrives-in-nepal-after-a-massive-earthquake-killed-thousands-2015-4" target="_blank">2,200 people were killed</a> after the worst Nepal earthquake in over 80 years.<p><span>The earthquake triggered an avalanche on&#xa0;<span>the slopes of Mount Everest, killing at&#xa0;least <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/help-arrives-in-nepal-after-a-massive-earthquake-killed-thousands-2015-4" target="_blank">17 people and injuring 61 others</a>.</span></span></p><p><span>Among those killed was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-executive-dan-fredinburg-killed-on-everest-2015-4" target="_blank">Google executive Dan Fredinburg</a>,&#xa0;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredinburg">head of privacy for Google X</a>, who&#xa0;<a href="http://www.eonline.com/news/533529/sophia-bush-says-boyfriend-dan-fredinburg-is-safe-after-mt-everest-avalanche-kills-at-least-12-people">survived</a>&#xa0;last year's deadly avalanche on Mount Everest,&#xa0;<a href="https://instagram.com/p/mlE7JaxFoY/">according to media reports and his Instagram account</a>.</span></p><div><div></div></div><p class="embed-spacer"></p><p><span><span>Fredinburg was quite the adventurer, often posting pictures from his journeys to <a href="https://instagram.com/danfredinburg/" target="_blank">his Instagram</a>.&#xa0;<span>On&#xa0;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/danfredinburg" target="_blank">his Twitter bio</a><span>, Fredinburg describes himself as an "</span><span>Adventurer, Inventor, and Energetic Engineer @ Google."&#xa0;</span><span><br /></span></span></span></p><div><div></div></div><p class="embed-spacer"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">In 2013, Fredinburg gained publicity for another reason </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">-</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&#xa0;dating "One Tree Hill" and "Chicago P.D." actress and activist, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0124208/" target="_blank">Sophia Bush</a>.</span></p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The couple first went public that year at Coachella:</span><p><span><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></span></span></p><p><span>In July 2013, Bush gushed about her new boyfriend on Instagram<span>&#xa0;after&#xa0;</span>hosting&#xa0;VH1's Do Something Awards:<span><br /></span></span></p><p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span><span><span id=".reactRoot[2].[0].[0].0.[0].0.[0][0].[1].[1].[0].[0].0.[0].[1].[2][1].[0]">"I usually shy away from personal stuff, but I'm feeling real emotional tonight... Hosting the&#xa0;</span><a href="http://instagram.com/DoSomething">@DoSomething</a>&#xa0;<span id=".reactRoot[2].[0].[0].0.[0].0.[0][0].[1].[1].[0].[0].0.[0].[1].[2][1].[2]">Awards was a milestone for me. And I wouldn't have been the same without this man by my side. Thank you, Dan, for loving my passion and my fight. Thank you for being the spark to my match. (And yeah, shout out to&#xa0;</span><a href="http://instagram.com/Ted_Baker">@Ted_Baker</a><span id=".reactRoot[2].[0].[0].0.[0].0.[0][0].[1].[1].[0].[0].0.[0].[1].[2][1].[4]">&#xa0;for making such damn sexy suits. ;)</span><span id=".reactRoot[2].[0].[0].0.[0].0.[0][0].[1].[1].[0].[0].0.[0].[1].[2][1].[5]">#hotness</span><span id=".reactRoot[2].[0].[0].0.[0].0.[0][0].[1].[1].[0].[0].0.[0].[1].[2][1].[6]">)&#xa0;</span><span id=".reactRoot[2].[0].[0].0.[0].0.[0][0].[1].[1].[0].[0].0.[0].[1].[2][1].[7]">#worththewait</span><span id=".reactRoot[2].[0].[0].0.[0].0.[0][0].[1].[1].[0].[0].0.[0].[1].[2][1].[8]">&#xa0;</span><span id=".reactRoot[2].[0].[0].0.[0].0.[0][0].[1].[1].[0].[0].0.[0].[1].[2][1].[9]">#happy</span><span id=".reactRoot[2].[0].[0].0.[0].0.[0][0].[1].[1].[0].[0].0.[0].[1].[2][1].[10]"></span><span id=".reactRoot[2].[0].[0].0.[0].0.[0][0].[1].[1].[0].[0].0.[0].[1].[2][1].[11]">#unselfishcoupleselfie."</span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><br><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="instagram.com/sophiabush" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/51fac59aecad04c847000010-960/screen%20shot%202013-08-01%20at%204.30.50%20pm.png"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></div><p></p></div></div><strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">After </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-executive-dan-fredinburg-killed-on-everest-2015-4" target="_blank">news that Fredinburg had been killed</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&#xa0;</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">on Mount Everest</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&#xa0;over the weekend, the actress posted the below heartfelt tribute to "</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">one of my favorite human beings on Earth</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">" and "</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">one of the great loves of my life"</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">:</span></strong></span></p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">There are no adequate words. Today I find myself attempting to pick up the pieces of my heart that have broken into such tiny shards, I'll likely never find them all. Today I, and so many of my loved ones, lost an incredible friend. Dan Fredinburg was one-of-a-kind. Fearless. Funny. A dancing robot who liked to ride dinosaurs and chase the sun and envision a better future for the world. His brain knew how to build it. His heart was constantly evolving to push himself to make it so. He was one of my favorite human beings on Earth. He was one of the great loves of my life. He was one of my truest friends. He was an incredible brother, a brilliant engineer, and a damn good man.</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">I'm devastated and simultaneously so deeply grateful to have known and loved him, and to have counted him as one of my tribe. I was so looking forward to our planned download of "all the things" when he got home. I am crushed that I will never hear that story. I am crushed knowing that there are over 1,000 people in Nepal suffering this exact feeling, knowing that they too will never hear another tale about an adventure lived from someone that they love. Disasters like this are often unquantifiable, the enormity is too much to understand. Please remember that each person who is now gone was someone's Dan. Please remember that our time on this Earth is not guaranteed. Please tell those you love that you do. Right now. This very minute. And please send a kiss to the sky for my friend Dan. His energy is so big and so bright, and it's all around us, so put some love toward him today. And then hug your loved ones again.</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">#goodbyesweetfriend #savetheice #Nepal #AdventureswithDAN</p><div><div></div></div><p class="embed-spacer"><br><strong>A day after her initial post, Bush posted the below, still trying to understand the loss:</strong></br></p><p class="embed-spacer" style="padding-left: 30px;">"It happens like this" - Lang Leav #AdventureswithDan</p><div><div></div></div><p class="embed-spacer"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><br><strong>On Monday, Bush announced that she is&#xa0;</strong></br></span><strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">trying to make a difference in the late Google exec's name, sharing a link to his&#xa0;</span><a href="https://www.crowdrise.com/celebratingdan" target="_blank">crowdrise</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&#xa0;fundraising site, which has currently raised nearly $40,000.</span></strong></p><p class="embed-spacer" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">#MondayMantra - "I am going to benefit others as much as I can." @danfredinburg lived like this. I am one of the people in his tribe, who was fortunate enough to watch him constantly exploding like a star, growing, discovering, learning, and BEing. He was one of the rare ones, who could read something like this and then put it immediately into action. There were no fleeting lessons for him. Everything was concrete. Everything was actionable. And we, his tribe, feel him everywhere still. </span></p><p class="embed-spacer" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">He went to a place he loved to pursue his dream and find his peace, and he made sure his happiness would give happiness to others. He was raising funds for @OrphanGift. We will continue doing so for him. If his story has inspired you, helped light a fire in you, or touched your heart, please consider helping us carry out his mission. <a href="https://www.crowdrise.com/celebratingdan" target="_blank">www.crowdrise.com/CelebratingDan</a></span></p><div><div></div></div><p class="embed-spacer"><br><strong>Fredinburg's younger sister, Megan, initially confirmed her brother's death <a href="https://instagram.com/p/16G9prRFsR/?taken-by=danfredinburg" target="_blank">via his Instagram account</a>, stating:&#xa0;&#xa0;</strong></br></p><p class="embed-spacer" style="padding-left: 30px;">"I regret to inform all who loved him that during the avalanche on Everest early this morning our Dan suffered from a major head injury and didn't make it...&#xa0;All our love and thanks to those who shared this life with our favorite hilarious strong willed man. He was and is everything to us."</p><div><div></div></div><p class="embed-spacer"></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/video-earthquake-damage-nepal-2015-4">Stunning video shows the earthquake damage across Nepal</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="8xMzdydDrBxdQLqopn9H4eNVL_xUBiWS" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Actress Sophia Bush posts moving tribute to her Google exec ex-boyfriend who was killed on Everest during earthquake

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Eclipse watchers were hoping to catch a glimpse of comet 12P/Pons-Brooks during the total solar eclipse.</li><li>I wanted to get a picture of it, so I reached out to astrophotographer Dan Bartlett for help.</li></ul><p>The weeks leading up to Monday's total solar eclipse became even more exciting when astronomers announced that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/devil-comet-visible-during-total-solar-eclipse-how-see-2024-4">comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, also known as the "Devil comet</a>," might be visible during totality.</p><p>This massive comet is the size of Mount Everest, burns bright green, and gets its name for the horn-like shape of its coma. So, of course, I wanted to see it.</p><p>Not only that — I wanted to try to get a picture of it. But I knew <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/green-comet-ztf-what-look-like-see-photos-2023-1">photographing a comet</a> would be no easy feat. They're unpredictable, moving objects that can either be stunningly visible or near impossible to spot.</p><p>I turned to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-photos-totality-us-2024-4">professional astrophotographer</a> for help.</p><h2>Advice from a comet photographer</h2><p>Dan Bartlett has taken <a target="_blank" href="https://www.astrobin.com/users/h2ologg/?sub=uploaded">hundreds of photos of comets</a>. </p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-this-astrophotographer-takes-stunning-photos-of-our-solar-system-2019-1">To create his striking images</a>, he uses high-tech equipment, including huge telescopes with sky-tracking scopes, and advanced photo-processing software.</p><div type="image" title="Copet 12P/Pons-Brooks streaking across a dark, starry sky with a bright yellow star shining on the upper left." height="1709" width="2560" msid="109144495" hostid="261" sizebytes="68508"></div><p>Even with his professional skills and equipment, photographing comets can be difficult. Bartlett said he encounters "every challenge you could imagine," from his scope not working to not being able to get the comet in focus.</p><p>As for me, I'm an amateur with only a standard DSLR, a tripod, and my iPhone. But <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-cloudy-weather-2017-8">if the weather was clear</a> and the comet was visible, I'd still have a chance of getting the shot, Bartlett said, as long as I paid attention to three things:</p><p><strong>Knowing where to look. </strong>A comet is hard to photograph if you don't know where it is.</p><p><strong>ISO rating.</strong> Bartlett suggested I set my ISO around 1,000 - 1,600.</p><p><strong>Choose the right exposure. </strong>When photographing comets, your exposure should be short enough that the comet isn't blurry, but the right setting depends on the speed of the comet and the focal length of the camera.</p><h2>Where it all went wrong</h2><p>Even in the darkness of totality, I wasn't able to spot the "Devil comet" with my naked eye or my camera.</p><p>If I'd had a telescope or binoculars, I might have been able to use them to locate the comet on the horizon, and then direct my camera's zoom lens toward it. But instead, I shot vaguely in the direction of where I thought the comet might be, and only captured darkness.</p><p>Plus, I was amazed by how quickly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-map-nasa-where-when-see-path-of-totality-2024-3">totality</a> whizzed by. During this window, I was also trying to snap photos of the sun's corona, which left me only about one minute to search for the comet and adjust my camera settings before the sun began to emerge from the moon's shadow.</p><p>All in all, I learned that photographing a comet with a standard DSLR is tricky. Ideally, you should use a telescope with a sky tracking scope to help pinpoint its position and zoom in on its features.</p><p>And in general, I wouldn't recommend trying to snap a picture of a comet during a total solar eclipse. The fleeting minutes of darkness afforded by totality make it challenging to locate the comet, adjust your settings, and frame the shot before the sun reappears.</p>

I tried to snap a photo of the 'Devil comet' during the solar eclipse. Here's what happened.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US Navy has recovered a F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet from the Mediterranean Sea.</li><li>It was recovered from a depth of around 9,500 feet using a remotely controlled vehicle.</li></ul><p>The US Navy said Monday that it recently recovered a sunken F/A-18E Super Hornet that blew off the deck of an aircraft carrier and into the Mediterranean Sea last month. </p><p>The Navy <a href="https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/3119420/us-navy-recovers-fa-18e-from-mediterranean-sea/">said in a statement</a> that it "successfully recovered" the aircraft last week from a depth of around 9,500 feet. </p><p>A team aboard the multi-purpose construction ship Everest used a remote-operated vehicle to attach rigging and lift lines to the jet before using a lifting hook to fish the aircraft from the water and onto the Everest, the Navy said. </p><p>"Our task tailored team operated safely and efficiently to meet the timeline. The search and recovery took less than 24 hours, a true testament to the team's dedication and capability," Lt. Cmdr. Miguel Lewis, a Sixth Fleet salvage officer who helped recover the aircraft, said in the statement.</p><p>The jet blew overboard the USS Harry S. Truman in early July because of "unexpected heavy weather" in the Mediterranean, the Navy <a href="https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/3088326/fa-18-super-hornet-assigned-to-uss-harry-s-truman-blown-overboard-due-to-unexpe/">said</a> at the time. The carrier was in the middle of a replenishment-at-sea when the plane blew off the deck. One sailor suffered minor injuries but has since recovered.</p><p>The incident sparked an investigation, as it was not immediately clear how bad weather was able to toss the heavy aircraft into the sea. Since its recovery, the jet has been sent to a nearby military installation where it will be delivered to the US. </p><p>The Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornets serve as the main carrier-based fighter jets, though the sea service has begun outfitting some carrier air wings with newer, fifth-generation F-35Cs.</p><p>This incident in which an F/A-18 blew overboard marks the third time in less than a year a Western navy has lost a carrier-based fighter to the sea and been forced to deploy additional assets to recover it.</p><p>In November last year, a British pilot operating off the UK carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/f-35-pilot-flying-off-uk-aircraft-carrier-bails-out-2021-11">ditched an F-35B in the Mediterranean</a>, and in January, a US Navy pilot <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/f-35-landing-mishap-aircraft-carrier-south-china-sea-2022-1">bailed out of an F-35C</a> as the strike fighter crashed on the deck of the carrier USS Carl Vinson and slid off into the South China Sea.</p>

The US Navy fished a sunken F/A-18 Super Hornet out of the sea after the fighter jet blew off an aircraft carrier in rough weather

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Flying is the safest mode of transportation, but some airports are more dangerous than others.</li><li>Mountains, unpredictable weather, short runways, and poor infrastructure can make flying more difficult.</li></ul><p>Sometimes, it's okay to clap when a plane lands.</p><p>Despite the common fear of flying, air travel is the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/secret-hidden-airplane-safety-features-2019-12">safest</a> mode of transportation with tens of thousands of planes journeying across the globe every day, and the odds of being in a major commercial accident are extremely low — about one in six million, according to the International Air Transport Association's 2022 safety <a href="https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/2023-releases/2023-03-07-01/">report</a>.</p><p>In fact, the report revealed there were just five fatal accidents among 32.2 million commercial flights in 2022. The impressive record is thanks to a heightened focus on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/secret-hidden-airplane-safety-features-2019-12">aviation safety</a> over the decades.</p><p>Airport design and geography, in particular, are major factors in how risky an aircraft operation is. Most passenger airports have robust infrastructure like visual aids and alerts that keep pilots aware of what's going on in and around the airfield.</p><p>Runways are usually paved with clear taxi and hold instructions — albeit <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/near-miss-incidents-wakeup-call-to-the-aviation-industry-2023-2">recent near-misses in the US</a> suggest there is still work to be done when it comes to airport safety.</p><p>However, there are some places that have such minimal technology and are so dangerous to take off and land at that only a handful of aviators are trusted to fly in the rough conditions — and their skill may deserve a round of applause.</p><p>Here are eight of the most challenging airports in the world to operate an airplane.</p><h2>Barra Airport in Scotland</h2><div type="image" title="A Loganair plane on Barra Airport's sand airfield. A caution sign warning of sand storms from aircraft blasts is beside the runway." height="1333" width="1778" msid="103780846" hostid="261"></div><p>Barra Airport is located on a tiny island off the west coast of Scotland in an area known as The Isles of Barra and Vatersay. Due to the remote territory and low demand, the airport only has a control tower and a small terminal but there is no space for an actual runway.</p><p>Instead, airplanes land on three triangle sand strips located along the water at Traigh Mhor, allowing planes to land in any direction depending on the winds. </p><p>Barra Airport is actually the <a href="https://www.hial.co.uk/barra-airport" target="_blank" rel="noopener">only</a> airport with scheduled flights where planes land on sand — but it makes flying there extremely difficult.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimdobson/2018/11/08/the-17-most-dangerous-airports-in-the-world-and-why-you-must-experience-them/?sh=448239882a8f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Forbes</a>, the runways are only five feet above sea level and completely vanish at high tide, so pilots must be alert to unexpected weather and changing tide conditions.</p><p>Fortunately for pilots and passengers, the airport has safety procedures to help tackle the unusual terrain.</p><p>In July, Barra Airport flight information officer Joyce Beverstock told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2023/07/20/beach-runway-barra-airport-scotland-lon-orig.cnn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> that there are "beach inspections" before every flight and security patrols that keep people from venturing out onto the runways.</p><p><a href="https://www.loganair.co.uk/en-gb/flights-to-barra" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Loganair</a> is the only airline that regularly serves Barra, with flights from Glasgow, Scotland, using the rugged de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, a <a href="https://www.baesystems.com/en/heritage/de-havilland-canada-dhc-6-twin-otter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Canadian-made aircraft</a> specially designed for challenging terrain and short runways.</p><h2>Paro International Airport in Bhutan</h2><div type="image" title="A plane landing at Paro airport looking down at the runway from above." height="1338" width="1784" msid="103780847" hostid="261"></div><p>Bhutan's Paro International Airport is one of the most geographically complicated airports in the world.</p><p>Located in a valley between 18,000-foot peaks and dense forest trees, only a few dozen pilots have been specially trained to fly in and out, and flights are only allowed during <a href="https://www.paroairport.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">daytime</a> hours.</p><p>According to Forbes, a few factors make the approach particularly dangerous, including the steep 45-degree turn into the runway — which the pilots can't even see until moments before dropping onto the airfield.</p><p>The runway is also very <a href="https://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_23/737-700Bhutan_story.html#:~:text=Paro%20International%20Airport%2C%20in%20the,airports%20for%20takeoffs%20and%20landings." target="_blank" rel="noopener">short</a> at just 6,500 feet, meaning the narrowbody planes flying to and from the airport must operate within very strict speed and altitude parameters.</p><p>Moreover, the airport <a href="https://simpleflying.com/bhutan-paro-airport-exclusivity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lacks</a> helpful radar systems that could help guide the planes in, so aviators must rely on their eyes and training.</p><p>Currently, only two carriers fly to Paro Airport: state-owned flag carrier Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines and privately-owned Bhutan Airlines, both <a href="https://www.flightaware.com/live/findflight?origin=VQPR&amp;destination=VECC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flying</a> Airbus A319s.</p><h2>Juancho E Yrausquin Airport in the Dutch Caribbean</h2><div type="image" title="A top-down view of Saba island with the airport in the top left of the picture with the blue ocean in the background." height="1196" width="1595" msid="103780849" hostid="261"></div><p>The world's shortest commercial runway is on the Dutch Caribbean island of Saba, which is located east of the US Virgin Islands and south of Anguilla.</p><p>With just five square miles of space to work with and few flat areas, the airport's asphalt landing strip only stretches about one-fourth of a mile at a mere 1,300 feet long.</p><p>The short runway paired with mountain cliffs means the margin for error is extremely narrow, and pilot precision is key to <a href="https://www.insider.com/worlds-most-terrifying-airport-runways-2016-7">preventing the aircraft from nose-diving</a> off the end of the runway and into the ocean.</p><p>Similar to Paro Airport<a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/saba-airport-shortest-commercial-runway/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a>, just a select number of aviators are trained to fly in and out of Saba. The only airline with scheduled flights is Sint Maarten-based <a href="https://www.winair.sx/destinations/saba-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Winair</a> using a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter.</p><p>Winair fleet instructor Captain Roger Hodge told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/saba-airport-shortest-commercial-runway/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> in July 2022 that flying into Saba is extremely challenging, and "adrenaline" can kick in.</p><p>"Flying into Saba gets kind of hairy sometimes, but by knowing what to do, we make it look simple and calm," he said.</p><h2>Courchevel International Airport in the French Alps</h2><div type="image" title="A plane landing at Courchevel Airport in the French Alps." height="1325" width="1766" msid="103780850" hostid="261"></div><p>Courchevel International Airport in the French Alps provides access to one of the <a href="https://www.insider.com/courchevel-1850-france-most-luxurious-ski-resort-world-2022-11">world's most luxurious ski destinations</a>, but only specially trained pilots can tackle the airport's awkward downhill slope and short 1,700-foot runway.</p><p>The strip's 18.5% downward gradient is a particularly challenging factor, according to Forbes, meaning pilots must maneuver perfectly. </p><p>Plus, the unforgiving landscape paired with the airport's lack of lights or guidance systems means flights are only possible in clear weather conditions — wind and storms would make flying in or out too risky.</p><p>The only scheduled air carrier flying to the airport is France's Alpine Airlines, which uses a Vulcanair P68 Turbo Observer aircraft built for short-field performance. However, private jets and helicopters also use the risky landing strip.</p><h2>Toncontin International Airport in Honduras</h2><div type="image" title="A plane landing at Toncontin International Airport." height="1370" width="1826" msid="103780852" hostid="261"></div><p>To reach Honduras' capital city of Tegucigalpa, pilots must first maneuver through mountainous terrain before making a sharp turn and steep descent into the Toncontin International Airport — similar to the conditions in Bhutan.</p><p>The treacherous conditions are made even more difficult by the short 7,100-foot runway, with the biggest concern being the risk of jets overshooting the runway.</p><p>This actually happened in 2008 when a <a href="https://reports.aviation-safety.net/2008/20080530-0_A320_EI-TAF_PRELIM.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TACA Airlines Airbus A320</a> skidded off the runway and into a street, killing three people onboard — including the captain — and two people on the ground.</p><p>However, some concerns at the airport have been remedied with the <a href="https://ticotimes.net/2021/10/19/new-honduras-airport-to-replace-one-of-worlds-most-dangerous" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opening</a> of the new Palmerola International Airport in 2021. Only domestic flights now operate at Toncontin with all international flights going through the safer Palmerola, which has a 9,200-foot runway.</p><h2>Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten</h2><div type="image" title="Beachgoers enjoying a Delta airliner fly overhead at Maho Beach." height="2955" width="3940" msid="103780854" hostid="261"></div><p>Probably the most famous airport on this list is Princess Juliana International Airport on the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten, mostly due to its scenic approach that flies directly over a public beach.</p><p>Tourists and planespotters alike are known to line the airport fence waiting for huge jetliners to take off and land overhead, though the activity can be dangerous with people being knocked off their feet — and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3vxFTjC1SM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even killed</a> — due to the jet engine blasts.</p><p>Aircraft landing at Princess Juliana are not only dangerous for those on the ground, but the 7,100-foot runway and low approach push larger commercial aircraft to their operating limit. </p><p>But, airlines seem to be managing as planes as big as the massive <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/air-france-jet-hurricane-landing-2012-8">Boeing 747 have visited Sint Maartan's airport.</a></p><h2>Tenzing-Hillary Airport (Lukla Airport) in Nepal</h2><div type="image" title="A plane getting to takeoff from runway 24 at Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Nepal with clouds, mountains, and greenery in the background." height="1334" width="1778" msid="103780857" hostid="261"></div><p>Officially named Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Lukla is the gateway to Mt. Everest with hundreds of climbers traveling through the airport on their way to and from base camp.</p><p>Lukla is like the Rainbow Road of flying, but pilots have to zig-zag between peaks — one of them being the world's tallest mountain — while simultaneously trying to navigate down to a mere 1,700-foot, one-way airstrip. And, the <a href="https://www.insider.com/why-nepal-has-so-many-fatal-plane-crashes-2023-1">airport has minimal infrastructure to assist</a>.</p><p>Maintaining speed and altitude is key to safety, and there is little to no room for error due to the steep incline required for takeoff and the unpredictable weather that could see sunny skies turn to zero visibility in a matter of minutes — meaning it's hit-or-miss if the flight will actually depart as scheduled.</p><p>Plus, the airport is situated at an altitude of about 10,000 feet where air is less dense. This can <a href="https://www.altitudehimalaya.com/blog/lukla-airport-of-nepal#:~:text=Short%20runway%3A%20Lukla%20Airport's%20runway,off%20within%20the%20available%20distance." target="_blank" rel="noopener">impact aircraft performance</a> and it make it more difficult for pilots to control their plane.</p><p>The airport is no stranger to disaster, either. According to the <a href="https://aviation-safety.net/database/airport/airport.php?id=LUA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aviation Safety Network</a>, 56 people have died on flights arriving, departing, or near Lukla since 2004.</p><p>"Most runways are quite flat and are quite long, whereas [Lukla] is on a hillside," former Lukla pilot Jimbo Burgess told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2023/08/03/most-dangerous-airport-lukla-nepal-cprog-orig-fj.cnn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> in August, noting the incline is a 30 or 40-degree slope. "The mountain is literally right at the other end of the airport, and the weather can change so quickly."</p>

7 of the most challenging airports around the world for airline pilots to take off and land at

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=22663">US Navy</a></span></p><p class="caption">US Navy destroyers</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>The US has been putting increased pressure on the Chinese maritime militia, a paramilitary sea force disguised as a fishing fleet, in an effort to deter provocations in the South China Sea.</li><li>The US Navy's top admiral told his Chinese counterpart earlier this year that provocations by militia vessels would be treated the same as those carried out by Chinese navy warships.</li><li>Last week, the US ambassador to the Philippines told reporters that US <keyword id="6354810" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="defense">defense</keyword> obligations to its ally could be triggered by maritime militia attacks.</li><li>As seemingly-aggressive incidents involving Chinese fishing vessels occur frequently in the South China Sea, this rhetorical shift in the US position signals a lower threshold for confrontation and conflict in the disputed waterway.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's home page for more stories.</a></li></ul><p>The US is ratcheting up the pressure on China's sea forces in a way that could lower the threshold for conflict in the South China Sea, a hotbed of tension and dispute.</p><p>The US is signaling a tougher stance toward the Chinese maritime militia, a paramilitary force disguised as a fishing fleet that often harasses foreigns rivals at the fringes of China's vast sovereignty claims in the disputed waterway.</p><p>The Chinese maritime militia "thrives within the shadows of plausible deniability," <a href="https://usnwc.edu/Faculty-and-Departments/Directory/Andrew-Erickson">according</a> to Andrew Erickson, a leading expert at the US Naval War College on this particular sea force, which regularly harasses foreign ships.</p><p>The Department of Defense first called attention to the maritime militia in its 2017 report on China's military power. The report <a href="https://www.defense.gov/Portals/1/Documents/pubs/2017_China_Military_Power_Report.PDF?source=GovDelivery">explained</a> that China uses its commercial fishing fleet to engage in gray-zone aggression, "<span>to enforce maritime claims and advance its interests in ways that are calculated to fall below the threshold of provoking conflict."</span></p><p><span>It wasn't until this year, though, that the US really began putting pressure on the militia forces.</span></p><p>Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson warned his Chinese counterpart during a meeting in Beijing in January that the US Navy will treat coast guard and maritime militia vessels as combatants and respond to provocations the same way it would a Chinese navy ship, the Financial Times <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/ab4b1602-696a-11e9-80c7-60ee53e6681d">reported</a>.</p><p>In March, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo publicly assured the Philippines that the US would come to its defense in the event that it was attacked in the South China Sea. "<span>Any armed attack," the secretary <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-usa/pompeo-assures-philippines-of-us-protection-in-event-of-sea-conflict-idUSKCN1QI3NM">explained</a>, "on Philippine forces, aircraft or public vessels in the South China Sea will trigger mutual defense obligations."</span></p><p><span>US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim clarified the earlier assurances on Friday, telling reporters that US security guarantees apply to potential acts of aggression by the Chinese maritime militia. </span></p><p><span>"Any armed attack, I would think that would include government-sanctioned militias," the ambassador explained, <a href="https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/06/16/1926840/sea-militia-attacks-could-trigger-us-obligations-under-defense-treaty">according</a> to The Philippine Star.<br /></span></p><p><span>The increased pressure is intended to change China's strategic calculus in the contested waterway, experts argue.</span></p><p><span>"By injecting greater uncertainty about how the US will respond to China's grey-zone coercion, the US hopes to deter Chinese destabilizing maritime behaviour, including its reliance on coast guard and maritime militia vessels to intimidate its smaller neighbours," Bonnie Glaser, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/ab4b1602-696a-11e9-80c7-60ee53e6681d">told</a> the Financial Times.</span></p><p><span>At the same time, it potentially makes it easier for a lower-level dispute between China and its neighbors to escalate, especially considering the ambiguity surrounding both the US deterrence posture and the role of the maritime militia.</span></p><p><span>Incidents involving Chinese fishing vessels, potential members of the maritime militia, are frequent occurrences in the South China Sea.</span></p><p><span>For instance, in April, more than 200 Chinese fishing vessels allegedly swarmed Thitu Island, a Philippine-occupied territory in the Spratly Islands. </span></p><p><span>And, last week, a suspected Chinese vessel allegedly rammed a Philippine ship in the South China Sea, sinking it and then sailing off as nearly two dozen Filipino fishermen fought for their lives in open water.</span></p><p>It is unclear exactly what type of incident might trigger US defense obligations.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-k2-harder-climb-mt-everest-2017-9">Mount Everest is not the hardest mountain to climb - here's what makes K2 so much worse</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

It looks like the US has been quietly lowering the threshold for conflict in the South China Sea

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mars-helicopter-spins-blades-first-flight-nasa-team-nervous-2021-4">NASA's Ingenuity helicopter</a> on Monday <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/watch-live-nasa-fly-ingenuity-mars-helicopter-first-time-2021-4">flew on Mars</a> for the first time, making <keyword id="696288" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="spaceflight">spaceflight</keyword> history.</li><li><keyword id="2459491" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="ingenuity">Ingenuity</keyword>'s 10-foot hover was the first controlled, powered flight on another planet.</li><li>Space helicopters could one day explore other planets or scout terrain for <keyword id="47638" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mars">Mars</keyword> astronauts.</li></ul><p><keyword id="6360409" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Nasa">NASA</keyword>'s Ingenuity space <keyword id="46492" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="helicopter">helicopter</keyword> lifted off from the Martian surface, flew, and landed safely, pioneering a technology that could revolutionize the way we explore other planets.</p><p>The 4-pound drone began to spin its four carbon-fiber blades early Monday.</p><p>Spinning in opposite directions at 2,500 rotations a minute - about five times the speed of a helicopter on Earth - the blades gained enough traction in the thin Martian atmosphere to lift Ingenuity into the air.</p><div type="image" title="ingenuity flight mars helicopter" height="450" width="800" msid="82146877" hostid="261"></div><p>It took several hours for NASA to receive the data confirming that the mission was a success, which it reported to cheers in the control room at 6:52 a.m. ET.</p><p>The drone climbed about 10 feet above the red-dust ground and hovered there for about 30 seconds.</p><p>It was the first powered, controlled flight on another planet.</p><p>Though 10 feet may not sound like much, hovering there is the equivalent of flying three times as high as the peak of Mount Everest, since Mars' atmosphere has 1% the density of Earth's.</p><p>Ingenuity's purpose on Mars was simply to show that rotorcraft technology could work in that kind of harsh environment. Its mission is now a success.</p><div type="image" title="ingenuity mars helicopter first flight photos perseverance edited skitch 4x3" height="1500" width="2000" msid="82146880" hostid="261"></div><p>Two cameras on the bottom of Ingenuity recorded a still image and are likely to have produced footage too, though this takes longer to reach Earth.</p><p>The Perseverance rover - which <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-releases-mars-landing-video-perseverance-rover-2021-2">carried Ingenuity to Mars</a> - watched the liftoff from a nearby overlook, filming as well.</p><p>Video footage from both was expected to be available within a few days of the launch, NASA officials said before the flight.</p><div type="image" title="NASA Perseverance " height="2160" width="2880" msid="82144618" hostid="261"></div><p>Ingenuity had to fly autonomously, since it takes eight minutes for signals to travel between Earth and Mars - far too long to control the flight in real time.</p><p>So while it was the dead of night in Pasadena, California, a team of NASA engineers was awake, waiting to hear from the helicopter.</p><div type="image" title="mars helicopter ingenuity nasa gif" height="360" width="640" msid="82144616" hostid="261"></div><p>They had spent five years building the vehicle in preparation for this moment but couldn't do anything to control it in real time. In fact, they didn't hear from the helicopter until about three hours after it flew.</p><p>At 6:52 a.m. ET, mission controllers received a signal that Ingenuity had touched down in one piece. The room erupted in cheers and applause.</p><p>"We can now say that human beings have flown a rotorcraft on another planet," MiMi Aung, the project manager for Ingenuity, told the helicopter team at NASA mission control shortly after receiving the flight confirmation. "We must take a moment to celebrate."</p><p>Ingenuity's success means it will attempt to conduct up to four more flights of increasing difficulty over the next month, venturing higher and farther each time.</p><p>Before the flight, Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA's associate administrator for <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">science</keyword>, told Insider the flight would prove that NASA "can add an aerial dimension to discovery and exploration on Mars."</p><p>"That aerial dimension, of course, opens up aspects of science and overall exploration that, frankly, at this moment in time are only our dreams," he said.</p><h2>NASA's space-drone dreams</h2><div type="image" title="mars astronauts helicopter drone skitch" height="1080" width="1920" msid="82144619" hostid="261"></div><p>Space helicopters similar to Ingenuity could someday explore canyons and mountains, study large regions faster than a rover can, or even do reconnaissance for astronauts.</p><p>These space drones could fly "over ravines, down canyons, up mountains," Josh Ravich, the mechanical lead for the Ingenuity team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, told Insider. "Even rocky terrain is fairly inaccessible to the rovers but much more easily accessed by a rotorcraft."</p><p>NASA already has a helicopter mission in development: A rotorcraft called <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasas-dragonfly-will-fly-around-titan-looking-for-origins-signs-of-life">Dragonfly</a> is set to launch toward Saturn's moon Titan in 2027. It aims to investigate whether that methane-rich world could host alien life.</p><div type="image" title="dragonfly titan helicopter nasa" height="1080" width="1440" msid="82144620" hostid="261"></div><p>But Dragonfly is still only the beginning of NASA's space-drone dreams.</p><p>"Instead of a large rover carrying a small helicopter, imagine maybe a large helicopter carrying a small rover in the future," Ravich said.</p><p>Zurbuchen said he could even imagine a "fleet" of flying robots assisting future Mars astronauts.</p><p>"I'm sure our community will look at any and all options to bring controlled flight to bear as a tool of research and exploration," Zurbuchen said. "I'm sure they'll think of aspects that I cannot think of right now."</p><h2>The first of up to 5 high-risk, high-reward flights</h2><div type="image" title="mars ingenuity helicopter rotor blades spin" height="1500" width="2000" msid="82144622" hostid="261"></div><p>Since all of Ingenuity's flights are demonstrations of an experimental technology, NASA engineers are prepared for later attempts to fail.</p><p>"We are aware that failure is more likely in this kind of scenario, and we're comfortable with it because of the upside potential that success has," Zurbuchen said.</p><p>But if all goes well, Ingenuity's fifth and final venture could take it up to 15 feet high and out over 980 feet of Martian ground.</p><p>By then, though, "it would be unlikely to land safely, because we'll start going into unsurveyed areas," Aung said in a preflight briefing.</p><p>"If we do have a bad landing, that will be the end of mission," she added. "The lifetime will be determined by how well it lands, pretty much."</p><p>In NASA's eyes, though, Ingenuity is already victorious, since Monday's feat provides unprecedented data about flight on Mars that will inform future rotorcraft projects.</p><p>The worst-case scenario, Ravich said, would have been if Ingenuity didn't fly at all.</p>

NASA's Mars helicopter took flight for the first time, opening the door for a new generation of space drones

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ridge Leoni/U.S. Navy via Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">The future USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is seen underway on its own power for the first time on April 8, 2017 in Newport News, Virginia.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>The Navy has been accepting new aircraft carriers batteries not included - unfinished and missing key capabilities - to skirt cost caps.</li><li>The USS Gerald R. Ford and the future USS John F. Kennedy do not and will not have the ability to deploy with fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters until post-delivery modifications have been completed.</li><li>Lawmakers have decided to change things up with new legislation that will require the Navy to give the Kennedy this capability before it takes delivery of the carrier.</li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></strong></li></ul><p>The new Ford-class supercarriers are being delivered to the US Navy without the ability to carry the service's new stealth fighters, and lawmakers have decided to put a stop to it.</p><p>It's very difficult to get something like an aircraft carrier cheaply and quickly and have it work well. In the case of the Ford-class carriers, the Navy program is facing cost overruns, delivery delays, and missing capabilities.</p><p>The Navy has been accepting unfinished aircraft carriers that are lacking critical capabilities, such as the ability to launch and recover F-35s.</p><p>The service has been planning to complete the necessary work after delivery to skirt the caps imposed by Congress to keep costs from soaring, USNI News <a href="https://news.usni.org/2019/06/03/congress-unhappy-with-ford-class-inability-to-deploy-with-f-35-fighters">reported</a> this week. The workaround ultimately results in higher costs in the long run.</p><p>The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), which should be delivered back to the fleet this fall, currently lacks the ability to deploy with F-35s, and the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), which is still in the works, will not be able to deploy with F-35s either, at least not upon initial delivery.</p><p>That's a big problem for Congress.</p><p>"<span>CVN-79 will not be able to deploy with F-35s when it's delivered to the Navy," a congressional staffer said this week, telling reporters that it's "unacceptable to our members that the newest carriers can't deploy with the newest aircraft."</span></p><p><span>The Navy argues that while the newest carriers may not be ready to carry F-35s upon delivery due to the need for additional modifications, none of which require significant redesigns to the ship, they will be ready to go by the time the air wing is stood up and the carrier-based F-35Cs are ready for operational deployment aboard the Navy's new flattops.</span></p><p>The "<span>F-35C modifications for CVN-78 and CVN-79 are currently scheduled for </span><span>a future post-delivery modernization maintenance period that will occur </span><span>prior to the planned F-35C operations on those carriers," Captain Daniel Hernandez, a spokesman for the Navy acquisitions chief, told Business Insider.</span></p><p><span>The two follow-on Ford-class carriers, CVN-80 and 81, "will be constructed with those modifications made during construction and will not require a post-delivery modification," he further explained.</span></p><h2><span>Congress isn't having it</span></h2><p><span>Lawmakers, however, are not satisfied with the Navy's plans. </span></p><p><span>The House Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces has <a href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AS/AS28/20190604/109544/BILLS-116HR2500ih-SeapowerandProjectionForces.pdf">included</a> a line in the Fiscal Year 2020 National <keyword id="6354810" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="defense">Defense</keyword> Authorization Act, which is still ongoing legislation, requiring that the USS John F. Kennedy be capable of deploying with F-35s before the Navy takes delivery of the new carrier.</span></p><p>Experts agree that it's time for action.</p><p>"I think it's a good idea to drive the Navy to make the ship more complete when it's delivered because that's a problem that's getting worse, not better," Bryan Clark, a defense expert and former Navy officer, told Business Insider, explaining that Congress will need to provide financial relief as changes to the service's current approach to aircraft carrier development will likely result in higher upfront costs.<span> </span></p><p><span>Lawmakers have proposed amending the cost caps on the new supercarriers, a change the Navy welcomes.</span><span> </span></p><p><span>"The Navy supports the lifting of cost caps on CVN78 - CVN81 so that it can take full advantage of opportunities to deliver capability earlier and more rapidly incorporate new requirements into the ship baseline," Hernandez told Business Insider.</span></p><p><span>The new legislative measures could address a serious problem for the Navy that truthfully extends well beyond the ability of its new carriers to carry F-35s. </span></p><p><span>With the USS Gerald R. Ford, the Navy has faced challenges with the electromagnetic aircraft launch system and the arresting gear for recovering planes, the propulsion system, and the advanced weapons elevators, basically everything required for an effective next-generation aircraft carrier.</span></p><p><em><strong>Read more: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-aircraft-carrier-weapons-elevators-wont-work-anytime-soon-2019-5">Trump's Navy secretary bet his job on getting a critical supercarrier weapon system to work. The Navy says it won't be ready in time.</a></em></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mount-everest-death-zone-first-hand-account-2017-9">The world's tallest mountains like Mount Everest and K2 have a 'death zone' - here's a first-hand account of what it's like</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

The Navy's newest supercarriers can't carry its new F-35 stealth fighters, and Congress is not happy about it

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Apple</span></p><p class="caption">Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Apple wants to become the company you trust to keep your passwords and online identity safe.</li><li>During the opening keynote of its Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, Apple announced a splashy new feature in the upcoming iOS 13 called "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sign-in-with-apple-wwdc-2019-facebook-google-alternative-2019-6">Sign in With Apple,"</a> a feature for consumers that lets them sign into apps without giving away too much personal data. </li><li>But the other was something Federighi mentioned in an off-hand way, which we still don't know much about - a "single sign‑on extension" that will allow corporate Apple device users to use their Face ID and Touch ID to login to the apps. </li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></strong></li></ul><p>Apple wants to become the company you trust to keep your passwords and online identity safe.</p><p>During the opening keynote Monday of its Worldwide Worldwide Developers Conference taking place this week in San Jose, California, Apple's <span> senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi mentioned two new things the company is doing.</span></p><p><span>One was a splashy new feature in the upcoming iOS 13 called "Sign in With Apple." Instead of having to hand over your email to an app's creator and remember a password - or login with a Facebook or Google account - Apple device users will be able to log in to their apps with TouchID or FaceID, with the iPhone or iPad handling the rest. </span></p><p><span>And one of the coolest things about this, is that, even if an app developer insists on obtaining an email address to register your account, Apple will create a <a href="https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-13-preview/features/">one-time-use, throwaway account for the purpose</a>. That means that it will let you into the app, but not give the developer your email to spam you forever more.</span></p><p><em><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sign-in-with-apple-wwdc-2019-facebook-google-alternative-2019-6">Apple just took a direct shot at Google and Facebook with a new service called 'Sign in with Apple'</a></strong></em></p><p><span>But the other thing was something Federighi mentioned in an off-hand way, which we still don't know much about.</span></p><p><span>He said iOS 13 will give </span><span>"<keyword id="6356323" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="enterprise">enterprise</keyword> customers the ability to have single sign on to enterprise accounts."</span></p><h2><span>SSO is a big deal</span></h2><p>"Single Sign On," or SSO, is the term used to refer to apps that manage employee passwords. You sign into one app, and that in turn helps you sign into whatever <em>other</em> apps your IT department has authorized you to use. In this way, employees have to remember far fewer passwords, and enterprises can easily control who has access to what.</p><p>Apple explains this mysterious new iOS 13 feature as a "single sign‑on extension" that will allow employees to use their Face ID and Touch ID to login to the apps provided by the company.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2019/06/apple-previews-ios-13/">Apple</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div>Apple said it will work with "identity providers" and app developers on the feature but didn't say which ones. </p><p>Apple already works with tools that help manage corporate fleets of devices known as mobile device management (MDM). While Apple offers its own MDM software for iPhones, iPads, and Macs, there are tools that let IT departments manage PCs, phones, or tablets from multiple vendors.</p><p><em><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-breaking-up-facebook-is-actually-a-terrible-idea-2019-5">Why breaking up Facebook is actually a terrible idea</a></strong></em></p><p>So its likely that Apple isn't going to try and completely compete with the likes of existing SSO products, like Okta or Microsoft Azure Identity Management, in the same way that its own tools don't compete with MDM providers.</p><p>It's also not clear if the enterprise SSO feature will allow enterprise employees to shield their email addresses from app developers, the same way that Sign in with Apple will work for consumer apps. </p><h2>Taking a stand on privacy</h2><p>What is clear is that Apple is stepping up with a technology alternative to signing in to apps with Facebook and Google IDs. Both of these companies collect loads of personal information on the people who use their services (and in some cases, <a href="https://www.apnews.com/828aefab64d4411bac257a07c1af0ecb">even when you specifically don't give permission</a>). They want to learn as much as they can about you so they can sell ads.</p><p>Facebook has been particularly come under the gun for its lax protection of the data it collects. Chris Hughes, one of its cofounders even called for it to be broken up. But Google has also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-ceo-sundar-pichai-jab-at-apple-privacy-2019-5">been on the hot seat over privacy, too.</a></p><p>And that's been a boon to arch-competitor Apple as it increasingly positions itself as the privacy champion, since it doesn't sell ads.</p><p>Google is starting to feel the pressure, too. Last month, in an op-ed in the New York Times, Google's CEO tried to address its privacy reputation while taking a swipe at Apple, saying '<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-ceo-sundar-pichai-jab-at-apple-privacy-2019-5">'privacy cannot be a luxury good."</a></p><p>Apple isn't the only one working on disrupting Facebook and Google's hold on app identity sign-ons. Cloud identity management company Okta <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-breaking-up-facebook-is-actually-a-terrible-idea-2019-5">is working on technology and a standard </a>that will let users control their passwords and data shared on the internet.</p><p>And <a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-forget-google-facebook-log-in-with-our-new-blockchain-id/">Microsoft last month released an open source digital identity tool</a> based the blockchain, the tech that powers Bitcoin, that also promises to let users control their own data online.</p>      <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-k2-harder-climb-mt-everest-2017-9">Mount Everest is not the hardest mountain to climb - here's what makes K2 so much worse</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

You Searched For "everest fleet" and got 11 results

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NASA's Mars helicopter took flight for the first time, opening the door for a new generation of space drones

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