WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — NASA has awarded a total of $1.5 million to two U.S. teams for their novel technology solutions addressing energy distribution, management, and storage as part of the agency’s Watts on the Moon Challenge. The innovations from this challenge aim to support NASA’s Artemis missions, which will establish long-term human presence on the Moon.

This two-phase competition has challenged U.S. innovators to develop breakthrough power transmission and energy storage technologies that could enable long-duration Moon missions to advance the nation’s lunar exploration goals. The final phase of the challenge concluded with a technology showcase and winners’ announcement ceremony Friday at Great Lakes Science Center, home of the visitor center for NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.

“Congratulations to the finalist teams for developing impactful power solutions in support of NASA’s goal to sustain human presence on the Moon,” said Kim Krome-Sieja, acting program manager for NASA Centennial Challenges at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “These technologies seek to improve our ability to explore and make discoveries in space and could have implications for improving power systems on Earth.”

The winning teams are:

First prize ($1 million): High Efficiency Long-Range Power Solution of Santa Barbara, CaliforniaSecond prize ($500,000): Orbital Mining Corporation of Golden, Colorado

Four teams were invited to refine their hardware and deliver full system prototypes in the final stage of the competition, and three finalist teams completed their technology solutions for demonstration and assessment at NASA Glenn. The technologies were the first power transmission and energy storage prototypes to be tested by NASA in a vacuum chamber mimicking the freezing temperature and absence of pressure found at the permanently shadowed regions of the Lunar South Pole. The simulation required the teams’ power systems to demonstrate operability over six hours of solar daylight and 18 hours of darkness with the user three kilometers (nearly two miles) away from the power source.

During this competition stage, judges scored the finalists’ solutions based on a Total Effective System Mass (TESM) calculation, which measures the effectiveness of the system relative to its size and weight – or mass – and the total energy provided by the power source. The highest-performing solution was identified based on having the lowest TESM value – imitating the challenges that space missions face when attempting to reduce mass while meeting the mission’s electrical power needs.

Team H.E.L.P.S. (High Efficiency Long-Range Power Solution) from University of California, Santa Barbara, won the grand prize for their hardware solution, which had the lowest mass and highest efficiency of all competitors. The technology also featured a special cable operating at 800 volts and an innovative use of energy storage batteries on both ends of the transmission system. They also employed a variable radiation shield to switch between conserving heat during cold periods and disposing of excess heat during high power modes. The final 48-hour test proved their system design effectively met the power transmission, energy storage, and thermal challenges in the final phase of competition.

Orbital Mining Corporation, a space technology startup, received the second prize for its hardware solution that also successfully completed the 48-hour test with high performance. They employed a high-voltage converter system coupled with a low-mass cable and a lithium-ion battery.

“The energy solutions developed by the challenge teams are poised to address NASA’s space technology priorities,” said Amy Kaminski, program executive for Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing in NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “These solutions support NASA’s recently ranked civil space shortfalls, including in the top category of surviving and operating through the lunar night.”

During the technology showcase and winners’ announcement ceremony, NASA experts, media, and members of the public gathered to see the finalist teams’ technologies and hear perspectives from the teams’ participation in the challenge. After the winners were announced, event attendees were also welcome to meet NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen.

The Watts on the Moon Challenge is a NASA Centennial Challenge led by NASA Glenn. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center manages Centennial Challenges, which are part of the agency’s Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program in the Space Technology Mission Directorate. NASA contracted HeroX to support the administration of this challenge.

For more information on NASA’s Watts on the Moon Challenge, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/wattson

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SOURCE NASA

Final Short Form Prospectus Accessible on SEDAR+

/THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/

VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 20, 2024 /CNW/ – Kits Eyecare Ltd. (TSX: KITS) (“KITS” or the “Company”), a leading vertically integrated eyecare provider, is pleased to announce that it has filed with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces of Canada, other than Québec, and obtained a receipt for, a final short form prospectus (the “Final Prospectus”) in connection with the previously announced secondary offering of common shares of the Company (the “Common Shares”) pursuant to which Canaccord Genuity Corp., as sole bookrunner and co-lead underwriter, together with Beacon Securities Limited, as co-lead underwriter, on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (collectively, the “Underwriters”) have agreed to purchase, on a bought deal basis, an aggregate of 1,125,000 Common Shares held by Roger Hardy and entities managed by Roger Hardy (the “Hardy Shareholders”), LD Group Holdings Ltd. (“LD Group”) and Joseph Thompson (together with the Hardy Shareholders and LD Group, the “Selling Securityholders”) at an offering price of $10.15 per share (the “Offering Price”) for total gross proceeds to the Selling Securityholders of $11,418,750 (the “Offering”). KITS will not receive any proceeds from the Offering.

The Underwriters have also been granted an over-allotment option (the “Over-Allotment Option”) to purchase up to an additional 168,750 Common Shares from the Selling Securityholders at the Offering Price for additional gross proceeds of $1,712,812.50 if the Over-Allotment Option is exercised in full. The Over-Allotment Option can be exercised at any time, in whole or in part, for a period of 30 days from the closing date of the Offering, which is expected to occur on or about September 26, 2024 and is subject to certain customary closing conditions.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the 1933 Act or under any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act, and applicable U.S. state securities laws.

Access to the Final Prospectus and any amendment is provided in accordance with securities legislation relating to procedures for providing access to a short form prospectus and any amendment. The Final Prospectus is accessible on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. An electronic or paper copy of the Final Prospectus and any amendment may be obtained, without charge, from Canaccord Genuity Corp. at ecm@cgf.com by providing the contact with an email address or address, as applicable.

About KITS

KITS makes eyecare easy. KITS is a leading vertically integrated digital eyecare brand providing eyewear for eyes everywhere. We offer customers access to a vast selection of contact lenses and eyeglasses, including our own exclusive KITS designed products, as well as a robust suite of online vision tools. Our efficient digital platform, backed by our industry-leading manufacturing and designs, removes intermediaries, and enables us to offer great prices and deliver made to order personalized products with incredible care and accuracy. We are creating disruption in the industry by constantly pursuing cutting-edge technologies to enable the best customer experience, including online eyewear fitting tools, and virtual try-on for glasses. We strive to delight our customers with our competitive prices, a convenient digital shopping experience, fast and reliable delivery options, and an unrelenting focus on earning our customers’ lifelong trust. For more information on KITS, visit: www.kits.com.

Forward-Looking Information

Certain information in this press release, including statements relating to the closing date of the Offering, and the exercise by the Underwriters of the Over-Allotment Option, constitutes forward-looking information. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “targets”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “an opportunity exists”, “is positioned”, “estimates”, “intends”, “assumes”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate” or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “will” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent management’s expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events.

Forward-looking information is necessarily based on a number of opinions, assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by KITS as of the date of this press release, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to the factors described in greater detail under the “Risk Factors” sections of the management’s annual information form, discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations of KITS for the 3-month and 6-month periods ended June 30, 2024, each available at www.sedarplus.ca. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect KITS; however, these factors should be considered carefully. There can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. In particular, the closing of the Offering is subject to customary closing conditions and there can be no assurance that all such conditions will be satisfied. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and KITS expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements containing any forward-looking information, or the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE KITS Eyecare Ltd.

Mutual fund and exchange-traded fund (ETF) assets and sales

TORONTO, Sept. 20, 2024 /CNW/ – The Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC) today announced investment fund net sales and net assets for August 2024.

Mutual fund assets totalled $2.145 trillion at the end of August, up by $7.7 billion or 0.4 per cent since July. Mutual fund net sales were $2.4 billion in August.

ETF assets totalled $464.0 billion at the end of August, up by $5.9 billion or 1.3 per cent since July. ETF net sales were $4.3 billion in August.

August insights

Mutual fund net sales were positive for the second consecutive month.Year to date, mutual funds experienced inflows of $3.6 billion, compared to outflows of $23.2 billion over the same period last year.Money market funds experienced the largest single month of outflows since November 2021, largely the result of outflows from high-interest saving account funds.Year to date, ETFs experienced inflows of $41.6 billion, which is 82 per cent higher than inflows over the same period last year.

Mutual fund net sales/net redemptions ($ millions)*

Mutual fund net assets ($ billions)* 

ETF net sales/net redemptions ($ millions)*

ETF net assets ($ billions)* 

IFIC direct survey data (which accounts for approximately 87 per cent of total mutual fund industry assets and approximately 80 per cent of total ETF industry assets) is complemented by estimated data to provide comprehensive industry totals.

IFIC makes every effort to verify the accuracy, currency, and completeness of the information, however, IFIC does not guarantee, warrant, represent or undertake that the information provided is correct, accurate or current.

© The Investment Funds Institute of Canada. No reproduction or republication in whole or in part is permitted without permission.

* Important information about investment fund data

Mutual fund data is adjusted to remove double counting arising from mutual funds that invest in other mutual funds.Starting with January 2022 data, ETF data is adjusted to remove double counting arising from Canadian-listed ETFs that invest in units of other Canadian-listed ETFs. Any references to IFIC ETF assets and sales figures prior to 2022 data should indicate that the data has not been adjusted for ETF of ETF double counting.The balanced funds category includes funds that invest directly in a mix of stocks and bonds or obtain exposure through investing in other funds.Mutual fund data reflects the investment activity of Canadian retail investors.ETF data reflects the investment activity of Canadian retail and institutional investors.

About IFIC

The Investment Funds Institute of Canada is the voice of Canada’s investment funds industry. IFIC brings together 150 organizations, including fund managers, distributors and industry service organizations to foster a strong, stable investment sector where investors can realize their financial goals. By connecting Canada’s savers to Canada’s economy, our industry contributes significantly to Canadian economic growth and job creation. Learn more about IFIC

SOURCE The Investment Funds Institute of Canada