Starship explodes

A SPACEX Starship spacecraft, the upper portion of the most powerful launch system ever built, exploded during its eighth test flight Thursday, disrupting air traffic and marking the second consecutive failure for the vehicle this year.

The uncrewed Starship mission lifted off at 5:30 p.m. local time from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas, the U.S., with the spacecraft riding atop a 71-meter-tall Super Heavy rocket booster. The booster separated as planned from the Starship’s upper stage, setting itself up for a successful landing within the “chopstick” arms of “Mechazilla,” or SpaceX’s launch tower near Brownsville, Texas. It’s the third time SpaceX has successfully executed the chopsticks booster catch.

More undergrads

PEKING University announced Saturday that the school will enroll 150 more undergrads this fall semester for disciplines related to basic scientific research, information technology, engineering and clinical medicine.

Wuhan University, Renmin University, and Tsinghua University have also revealed plans earlier to expand their undergraduate intake this year, aiming to cultivate talent essential for advancing new technologies and emerging industries.