Utah

Utah author shooting for the moon still reaching for the stars after lunar lander misfires

Published

2 years ago

January 11, 2024

Utah author shooting for the moon still reaching for the stars after lunar lander misfires

Estimated read time: 4-5
minutes

OREM — A Utah author’s quest to see her work land on the moon may have gone astray, but she’s hoping the mission may still find a poetic destination among the stars.

“We’re bringing pieces of ourselves to the moon,” said Rebecca Rode, a genre-bending author and proud Utahn who stylizes herself as primarily a science-fiction author. Rode, the bestselling author of the “Numbers Game” young-adult fiction series, is passionate about writing stories based on what she observes happening in the world around her.

Naturally, Rode was excited to receive the invitation in 2021 to join a group of 30,000 artisans from across the world whose creative works would be sent into space and housed permanently on the surface of the moon as part of a project called the Lunar Codex.

The Lunar Codex, a vast collection of creative works aboard Astrobotic Technology’s Peregrine lunar lander, is heading toward the moon with the mission of landing on its surface and establishing itself and its cargo permanently on the lunar landscape.

The Peregrine lunar mission received equipment from NASA. Astrobotic, a commercial venture, sold cargo space that wasn’t taken up by essential equipment to anyone willing to pay prices exceeding $3,000 for a 0.5-inch-by-1-inch “moon box” that would accompany the lunar lander.

The Lunar Codex takes the form of a digitized collection of contemporary art stored on memory cards destined for permanent installation on the moon. The creative collection includes pieces of contemporary music, fiction, podcasts, films and art. The idea of having her work find a home on the moon excited Rode, but she always maintained a level of skepticism regarding the success of the Lunar Codex project.

“For me, it was always a little too good to be true,” Rode said, addressing the part of her that doubted the Lunar Codex would successfully reach its destination. “As a sci-fi author in particular, I know how things can go wrong.” She described how amazed she was as she watched the Peregrine lunar lander launch on Jan. 8; she could hardly believe that it was actually happening.

Unfortunately, an update on the mission issued by Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic revealed that a critical fuel leak had developed just hours after the Peregrine lunar lander’s successful launch and altered the situation, resulting in “no chance” that the craft will make a soft landing on the moon.

While Rode described the outcome of the mission as disappointing, she also acknowledged how so many things needed to go right for the Peregrine lunar lander to get as far as it did. Fortunately, the Lunar Codex was backed up onto another memory drive before Peregrine’s launch and is set to make another attempt for the moon this November aboard Astrobotic’s Griffin lunar lander, the company’s next lunar mission.

Aside from feeling disappointed about the mission’s failure, Rode has instead focused on the good that came about because of the people behind the Lunar Codex and the Peregrine lunar lander. While acknowledging that it’s always nice to learn through the scientific instruments that we send into space, Rode believes the fact that the lunar lander intended to bring human stories to a place that didn’t have access to them before caught people’s attention.

“I think it’s the personal stories that are on that little data card that is touching people’s hearts,” Rode said, adding she believes the sacrifices made by the founders and organizers of the Lunar Codex project were a testament to what can be achieved through collaborating and supporting the creative designs of your colleagues.

Look at what we can accomplish together, even if it didn’t work out — in the end, look at what we did, we shot some books into space! There’s not a lot of people that can say that.

– Rebecca Rode, Utah author

“Look at what we can accomplish together, even if it didn’t work out — in the end, look at what we did: We shot some books into space! There’s not a lot of people that can say that,” Rode said. Rode also found herself feeling grateful for the support from Utah’s burgeoning young-adult fiction community.

Proudly, Rode also revealed that her daughter’s first published book is also a part of the Lunar Codex’s collection of digitized creative works. To her knowledge, her daughter, having published the book at age 12, is the youngest of the authors whose works are part of the Lunar Codex’s collection.

Reflecting on the uncertainty surrounding whether the Peregrine craft will enter an uncontrollable high-speed collision with the moon’s surface or wind up floating off into the endless void of space, Rode said she is hoping for the latter.

She explained that she would find it poetic if the craft and its cargo settled in a permanent place amongst the stars, echoing a well-known quote that she said has provided her comfort throughout the experience: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”

Photos

Most recent Features stories

Sky Mundell is an intern at KSL.com. He’s in the process of completing a bachelor degree in mutimedia journalism at Weber State University, with a minor in political science. He has worked as assistant news editor at The Signpost, the university’s student-run newspaper.

Longtime Utah volleyball coach Beth Launiere retires

Published

2 hours ago

December 8, 2025

Press Room

Longtime Utah volleyball coach Beth Launiere retires

Beth Launiere, the longest-tenured volleyball coach in Utah history, has retired, the school announced Monday.

Over 36 years as Utah’s coach, Launiere amassed 689 wins and took Utah to the NCAA tournament 20 times.

With Launiere in charge, the Utes won six Mountain West titles and advanced to the Sweet 16 four times, most recently in 2019.

“After 36 years as the head volleyball coach at the University of Utah, I have made the difficult decision to announce my retirement,” Launiere said in a school press release.

“While it is not easy to walk away from a lifetime’s work, I am ready and excited to begin the next chapter of my life. Thank you to the hundreds of players whom I have had the privilege to coach, and the many assistant coaches, support staff and administrators who were my daily collaborators to build this program into what it is today.

“I will miss the daily interactions, but I know our relationships will last a lifetime. It has been an honor to represent one of the greatest universities in the country. I will forever love Utah and will always be a Ute!”

Utah was ranked in the AVCA Coaches Top 25 poll for 183 weeks under Launiere’s leadership, and the program produced 16 All-Americans.

During her 36-year career at Utah, Launiere was rewarded with three Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year awards and one Pac-12 Coach of the Year award in 2019.

In her final season, Launiere and the Utes made the NCAA Tournament, finishing the season with a 15-15 record with wins over No. 23 BYU and No. 13 Kansas before losing to the University of Northern Iowa in the first round of the NCAAs.

Launiere will leave a lasting legacy as the volleyball program’s greatest coach.

Utah athletic director Mark Harlan wasted no time naming her successor, appointing Alyssa D’Errico as the sixth head coach in program history.

“Alyssa D’Errico is a tremendous identifier of talent and is elite in developing student-athletes and building genuine relationships,” Harlan said. “With her championship pedigree, All-America playing experience, and the three years she has spent at the University of Utah as associate head coach, she is uniquely equipped to take over leadership of our volleyball program.

“I’m thrilled to appoint Alyssa as our new head coach, and excited to see her establish herself as this program’s leader, building on the legacy that Beth Launiere has built.”

D’Errico is a three-year assistant of Launiere’s, joining the program ahead of the 2023 season.

“I want to sincerely thank Mark Harlan, Charmelle Green and Jason Greco for their trust and support in giving me this opportunity to lead Utah volleyball,” said D’Errico in a press release.

“Of course, I also must thank Beth Launiere. I am deeply grateful to Beth for bringing me out here to be a part of this incredible volleyball program and athletic department. Her countless contributions to our sport, her care for the athletes, and the legacy she leaves behind are inspiring — truly leaving the program better than she found it.

“As I step into this role, I am honored and energized to help guide our program into the next era, with new heights in sight and a strong vision for sustained excellence. I look forward to building on our foundation, elevating our competitive standard, and fostering a culture where our student-athletes thrive on and off the court.”

Utah head coach Beth Launiere talks with her players between sets during the NCAA tournament match against Marquette at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Source link

Utah

Semi rollover disrupts northbound traffic on I-15 in Salt Lake

Published

14 hours ago

December 8, 2025

Press Room

Semi rollover disrupts northbound traffic on I-15 in Salt Lake

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A semi-truck tipped onto its side blocked several northbound lanes on Interstate 15 in Salt Lake City.

The crash was first reported by the Utah Department of Transportation around 6:20 a.m. and was located at the top of the on-ramp from 1300 South.

Traffic cameras in the area showed the truck rolled over, blocking multiple lanes to the right of the highway. First responders arrived on scene and blocked two more lanes, leaving only one lane open for through traffic.

It is currently unclear what caused the semi-truck to rollover or if there were any injuries as a result of the crash.

UDOT advised drivers to expect major delays on I-15 and to use an alternate route, such as I-215 or State Street.

As of 7 a.m., UDOT’s traffic monitor website showed traffic was at a near standstill as far back as 3300 South, nearly five miles south of the crash site.

No estimate for when I-15 would reopen was immediately available.

_____

Source link

Utah

Gov. Cox calls Utah Legislature into special session on redistricting, to repeal collective bargaining ban

Published

1 day ago

December 7, 2025

Press Room

Gov. Cox calls Utah Legislature into special session on redistricting, to repeal collective bargaining ban

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Gov. Spencer Cox has called the Utah Legislature into a special session to address redistricting and election-related issues, and repeal Utah’s collective bargaining ban after it qualified for a vote on the 2026 ballot.

The call was anticipated, but beyond election deadlines, the agenda items signal that lawmakers will address the appellate process when they gather on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 6 p.m. The GOP-controlled legislature is currently anticipating embarking on an appeals process after a Third District judge struck down a redistricted map drawn by lawmakers and put in place one crafted by an expert for anti-gerrymandering groups.

Lawmakers will address “amendments to court rules related to appeals by government officers or governmental entities and appeals of election, voting, and redistricting cases; and clarify that the Utah Supreme Court has exclusive and original appellate jurisdiction over election, voting, and redistricting cases, to address the appeals process for a post-judgment motion on attorney fees in such cases, and address statutory inconsistencies,” according to the Governor’s call.

As reported exclusively by ABC4, lawmakers will push back filing deadlines and consider a joint resolution about the “constitutional authority” of the courts. Utah’s GOP leaders have been highly critical of Judge Dianna Gibson since the ruling in late August, some even suggesting impeachment.

Repeal of HB267 after successful signature gathering

The repeal of the anti-collective bargaining ban, known by its bill name H.B. 267, comes after months of speculation that a repeal was in the works after public labor unions gathered more than enough signatures at lightning speed for a referendum to put the question to voters in 2026.

The coalition labor groups, called Protect Utah Workers, supported the repeal in a statement after the call was made public.

“The expected repeal belongs to the Utahns who stood up and signed the referendum,” the coalition said. “More than 320,000 people who signed the petition sent a clear message that public workers deserve a voice on the job. The coalition thanks legislative leadership for respecting the will of the people. This anticipated repeal preserves the rights of firefighters, police, nurses, public educators, transportation workers, airport staff, and all other critical public workers who improve the lives of Utahns every day,” said a spokesperson for the group.

Here is the complete list of agenda items for Tuesday’s special session:

to modify election provisions relating to qualifying for placement on a primary election ballot, including changing the declaration of candidacy filing period for congressional office;
to consider a joint resolution of the House of Representatives and the Senate regarding constitutional authority, including in redistricting, and the redistricting process;
to consider amendments to court rules related to appeals by government officers or governmental entities and appeals of election, voting, and redistricting cases;
to clarify that the Utah Supreme Court has exclusive and original appellate jurisdiction over election, voting, and redistricting cases, to address the appeals process for a post- judgment motion on attorney fees in such cases, and to address statutory inconsistencies regarding the appellate jurisdiction of the Utah Supreme Court and Utah Court of Appeals; and
to repeal H.B. 267, Public Sector Labor Union Amendments, enacted in the 2025
General Session.

Source link