BEAM

Four environmental organizations filed a petition Thursday asking the Federal Communications Commission to reverse its approval of a startup's plan to beam on-demand sunlight from space to Earth. The groups argue the agency ignored potential impacts on wildlife and astronomy when clearing the project, and are pushing the regulator to reconsider its decision.

SpaceX has announced a spectrum deal to support its Starlink direct-to-mobile phone service. The agreement would give the company access to radio spectrum needed to beam connectivity to standard smartphones, a key step in expanding its satellite-to-phone offering. Details of the partner and financial terms have not been confirmed, and observers are watching for what the deal means for telecom rivals and rural coverage.

SpaceX has been granted a U.S. patent covering beam synchronization and delay compensation for direct-to-cell communications. The technology supports the company's effort to connect standard mobile phones directly to satellites, allowing calls and data service without ground towers. The patent highlights SpaceX's push into satellite-based mobile connectivity, competing with other providers in the fast-growing direct-to-device market.

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, a nuclear science facility at Michigan State University, hosted an event titled 'The Future of Mental Health'. The discussion brought the topic of mental health into a setting usually associated with physics research, though details about speakers, attendees and conclusions have not been widely reported. Coverage so far is limited to a brief announcement from the campus newspaper, and the substance of what was discussed remains unclear.