Venus Aerospace Achieves Milestone with First U.S. Flight Test of Revolutionary RDRE Engine

Houston-based startup Venus Aerospace has marked a significant milestone in hypersonic propulsion with the first successful test flight of its rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) in the United States. The historic flight took place on May 14 at Spaceport America in New Mexico, representing the first time this groundbreaking technology was tested in real-world flight conditions in the U.S. CEO Sassie Duggleby emphasized that this achievement was the result of five years of dedicated effort toward making hypersonic travel both scalable and practical.

The rotating detonation rocket engine offers a novel approach to propulsion by replacing traditional combustion with a rotating detonation wave, which enhances thrust and fuel efficiency. This innovative design enables speeds projected to reach Mach 6—six times the speed of sound—and could revolutionize space launches by eliminating the need for traditional launchers, allowing aircraft to take off directly from runways. The RDRE is intended to work in tandem with Venus Aerospace’s VDR2 air-breathing detonation ramjet, creating a propulsion system capable of sustained hypersonic travel.

Andrew Duggleby, the company’s CTO, noted that this test was crucial because it demonstrated the engine’s performance outside of controlled laboratory conditions, providing valuable flight data that confirms the engine’s scalability. The combined propulsion system removes the reliance on complex multi-stage rockets or external boosters, potentially reshaping the future of high-speed transportation with more efficient and compact engines.

Looking ahead, Venus Aerospace plans to transition from atmospheric testing to full-scale propulsion tests of their Stargazer M4, a reusable passenger aircraft capable of reaching Mach 4. The company aims to integrate the RDRE technology into commercial aerospace applications, bridging the gap between military and commercial aviation by enabling fast, fuel-efficient hypersonic flight that could transform how people and goods move across the globe.

iQOO Neo 10 Pro+ Debuts with Snapdragon 8 Elite and Massive 6,800mAh Battery: Full Specs and Pricing Details

The iQOO Neo 10 Pro+ officially launched in China on Tuesday, marking the latest addition to Vivo’s sub-brand Neo series. Powered by the cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, this new flagship device is designed to deliver high performance alongside an immersive display experience. The smartphone sports a large 6.82-inch AMOLED panel with a sharp 2K resolution and a smooth refresh rate of up to 144Hz. In addition to its impressive visuals, the device also carries an IP65 rating for dust and splash resistance, ensuring durability in everyday use.

On the photography front, the iQOO Neo 10 Pro+ features a dual rear camera setup led by a 50-megapixel primary sensor complemented by an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens. The front-facing camera offers 16 megapixels, perfect for selfies and video calls. Photography enthusiasts will appreciate the versatile shooting capabilities, while gamers and power users will benefit from the phone’s advanced cooling system — the 7K Ice Dome VC liquid cooling — which helps maintain optimal temperatures during heavy use. Under the hood, the device packs a massive 6,800mAh battery with 120W fast charging support, ensuring long-lasting usage and quick recharge times.

Pricing for the iQOO Neo 10 Pro+ starts at CNY 2,999 (around Rs. 35,500) for the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage model. Other configurations include 12GB+512GB at CNY 3,499, 16GB+256GB at CNY 3,299, 16GB+512GB at CNY 3,699, and a top-tier 16GB+1TB version priced at CNY 4,199. The phone comes in three stylish colors: Black Shadow, Chi Guang White, and Super Pixel. It is currently available for purchase exclusively in the Chinese market.

On the software side, the Neo 10 Pro+ runs OriginOS 15, which is based on the latest Android 15, providing users with an up-to-date and optimized interface. The device boasts a powerful combination of Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset built on a 3nm process and an Adreno 830 GPU, supported by up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1TB of UFS 4.1 storage. Benchmark tests have shown impressive scores, with the phone reaching over 3.3 million points on AnTuTu. Additionally, the inclusion of iQOO’s proprietary Q2 chip is aimed at enhancing gaming performance, making the Neo 10 Pro+ a compelling choice for mobile gamers and performance enthusiasts alike.

MediaTek Unveils Hybrid AI Computing Strategy at Computex 2025

At Computex 2025, MediaTek unveiled a series of cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) innovations designed to power a broad range of devices and platforms. Central to its showcase was the company’s first hybrid computing solution, aimed at enhancing AI performance at the edge by combining on-device AI processing with high-speed 5G connectivity. This approach promises to deliver faster, low-latency AI experiences while ensuring data privacy, setting the stage for more responsive and secure AI applications in smart homes and beyond.

MediaTek’s hybrid computing concept integrates its AI-powered Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) gateway with advanced AI capabilities directly on the device. Currently in the prototype phase, this solution has already undergone successful proof-of-concept trials with a leading telecommunications infrastructure provider. The company demonstrated an AI Hub that acts as a centralized control center, enabling on-device AI agents to work together and serve as personal assistants. This technology aims to allow users to control multiple smart home devices simultaneously through natural language commands, making connected living more intuitive and efficient.

Beyond hybrid computing, MediaTek revealed new AI-focused chipsets targeting various markets. One notable announcement was a new chipset designed specifically for in-car infotainment systems, bringing enhanced AI-powered features such as voice recognition, personalized user interfaces, and real-time data processing to vehicles. This expansion into automotive AI aligns with MediaTek’s broader strategy to embed AI capabilities across diverse platforms, including Internet of Things (IoT) devices, which the company also highlighted at the event.

MediaTek also showcased its collaboration with Nvidia on the GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip, touted as the world’s smallest AI supercomputer. Designed for the DGX Spark system, this superchip can execute up to 1,000 trillion operations per second (TOPS) and run AI models containing up to 200 billion parameters locally, a significant leap for on-premise AI processing. Collectively, these innovations underscore MediaTek’s commitment to advancing AI technology at multiple levels—from edge devices and smart homes to automotive and cloud computing—driving forward its vision of a seamlessly AI-powered future.