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The Github Copilot AI service is a great tool for developers that can assist with code generation, code completion, refactoring, debugging, generating test cases, and much more. However, as a public cloud AI service, many developers cannot access Copilot due to their company policies or budget constraints. Thanks to modern hardware, it is now possible to run AI models locally on your machine using...

Having the best productivity tools is key to completing your workload efficiently. For simple daily tasks, you don't need a task management app. That's why I use Sticky Notes to get everything done.

The term "cult classic" has come to mean nothing in the modern age, when just about anything can be found online. Yet O'Dessa, a rock musical about destiny, defiance, and dictatorship, feels like it could have become a true cult classic — not just a movie that finds a fandom, but the kind of oddball cinema that would be so clung to by a group of movie misfits that it would be passed around on VHS like a treasured relic. And I can't think of anything more you might want from a rock musical but for it to sing out for the freaks and weirdos. 

Written and directed by Geremy Jasper (Patti Cake$), O'Dessa begins on a barren farm, far from anything, where the title hero sings of the fate her father promised her. She is the Seventh Son, whose song on her heirloom six-string guitar is foretold to save the world from a ruthless tyrant, who wallows in wealth and attention while his people starve.

Bringing in shades of such queer gems as The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Legend of Billie Jean, O'Dessa forges a genderfuck musical that's riveting, romantic, repulsive, and rocking in turns. 

Sadie Sink shines as the rambler heroine of O'Dessa. 

Described by her "dirt-farmer" mother as a "19 year old with stars in her eyes," O'Dessa's story begins in cliche. Played by Sink, this farm girl dreams of the big city and the culture and chaos it promises. Satylite City promises a chance to get on television and fulfill her fortune as a "rambler," like her dearly departed father. With her heirloom guitar and folk-country songs, she hopes to open hearts and change minds. But between her and greatness, she'll come across deceitful "train rats," uncaring pawn shop dealers, sneering brutes, and a sultry lounge singer in a fringed mask that's very Orville Peck. The last of these veers her path into one of romance, rescue, and revenge.

Flipping the gender expectations of such a story on its head, not only is the "Seventh Son" promised to be the hero of enlightenment a girl, without question, but also the beautiful and tragic singer, whose body and song are on sale for survival, is played by a man. Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Mufasa: The Lion King, Cyrano) co-stars opposite Sink as Euri Dervish, whose dashing facade hides a tender heart eager for true love.

As teased in the trailer, the two fall for each other fast, finding love in a hopeless place, full of shadows and neon lighting. Even as they plan their nuptials, gender expectations are challenged, as she wears a rockabilly tuxedo and he favors a gown with a matching red veil. Stranger Things' Sink is enchanting as the androgynous busker, while Harris is beguiling as her wounded but warm-hearted lover. But the freedom to love as you like is challenged in Satylite City, which is ruled by an iron fist, or more specifically an electrified one. 

Regina Hall creates an epic villainess in O'Dessa. 

Reigning high over all the residents of Satylite City is the ever-beaming dictator Plutonovich (The Last of Us' Murray Bartlett). With outrageous (but empty) promises and a constant TV broadcast of himself, he mesmerizes the masses into complacency, even as the world falls to ruin around them. If anyone dares speak out against his narcissistic tyranny, they'll get knocked down by his enforcer, Neon Dion (Regina Hall), who brandishes brass knuckles that carry the electrical charge of a Taser in their punch.

Hall has long been a chameleon who can gracefully leap from outrageous comedies like Girls Trip to heartfelt dramedies like Support The Girls to the chilling suspense of The Master. In O'Dessa, the rightfully acclaimed actress seems to be channeling Grace Jones in a rockin' '80s New Wave/punk style with an exciting don't-fuck-with-me attitude. Wearing sharp-shouldered leather and bangs so blunt they could smash through concrete, Hall's stare is leveling as she takes in Neon Dion's prey. Her physicality is purposeful, and intimidating. Even a limp informed by her character’s tragic backstory only makes her seem harder. Her villainy should make us hate her, but she's so fashionable and thrilling that we could never hate her.

She is a vision of things both terrible and enticing, bringing with her swagger and fury a wealth of world-building beyond the expensive and vivid production design. And in this, Hall plays a clever foil to Plutonovich, with his large lying smile and the jubilant energy of a supercharged reality TV show host. Together, these two performances create a villainy landscape that is intoxicating enough for viewers to understand why so many in Satylite City have fallen into its allure, but toxic enough to crave its undoing. 

O'Dessa's soundtrack is largely spectacular.

Many characters will sing across this tale, but Sink is the frontman. Her O'Dessa experiences the edgy glow-up of a country girl gone rock 'n' roll. Her songs shift accordingly moving away from folksy country melodies to more provocative guitar playing and subject matter. Harrison oozes with sex appeal and steamy songs catered to nightclub audiences. And with each of these, the world of O'Dessa grows richer more riveting. However, when it comes to the heroine's big moment and the song that will change the world. I was admittedly let down. 

In Rocky Horror, the climactic "I'm Going Home" is a song delivered by a malevolent misfit, and yet it's so gloriously emotional and strange that you can’t help feeling for Frank even as he gets his final comeuppance. O'Dessa is not that daring. It is the heroic O'Dessa who will get the final song, and hers — while earnestly performed — just doesn’t feel like a finale. There's a lack of energy or perhaps panache that left me yearning for something more in line with Pat Benatar's "Invincible," the anthem for The Legend of Billie Jean, another movie where a resilient teen girl was all that stood between corrupt authority and the truth. O'Dessa's style transformation mirrors Billie Jean's, shifting from long girlish locks that men and mothers adore to a defiantly short and edgy wet look with a rocker garb to match. So, I simply expected more from O'Dessa's climactic number. 

Still, along the way Jasper paves O’Dessa’s path with treasures. Most of the music is delicious as it transitions from country to rock to funk and beyond. The vivid color palette paints a world of surreal pollution and blazing beauty. The performances not only from the leads but also the likes of circus-performing bit players and character actor Mark Boone Junior add texture with each flickering moment of magic and menace. Rather than a glossy aesthetic, Jasper knowingly embraces the grubby, with dirt and glitter giving the film a queer punk energy that infuses each moment with spontaneity and potential.

For all these reasons, O’Dessa feels less like a new movie and more like an old lost gem, finally uncovered. It’s an intoxicating pastiche of color and sound, joy and pain. Admittedly, Jasper's choice to keep the impact of the most gruesome violence offscreen, implied over shown, might undercut the underground aesthetic. But overall, O’Dessa is an exhilaratingly strange and sensational rock musical, studded by powerful screen presences and topped off with scads of WTF flare. 

O'Dessa was reviewed out of the 2025 SXSW Film Festival. The Searchlight Pictures release will debut on Hulu on March 20.

It's 2025, and people still flock to 1080p monitors for their computers. I think it's high time that we make 4K the default resolution of computer displays, because a 4K monitor is absolutely worth putting on your desk.

Switching to Linux? Many will say to try out Ubuntu. Thing is, if you're after a Linux distribution similar to the Windows desktop you already know, Ubuntu might not be the one you want.

Car enthusiasts seem to think electric vehicles are boring, but they're wrong. Sure, some EVs are dull, but most are effortlessly fast and have instant torque, propelling them ahead of any sports car that dares to challenge. Best of all, these EVs are faster than they look, so you can really embarrass other drivers at the lights.

Do you have both a gaming PC and a Mac? You might be pleased to learn that you can stream games from your PC to your Mac, over a local network. That way you can play anything on your Mac, even if there's no native Mac version. Here's how.

Not every movie needs a sequel. 2018's sharply funny thriller A Simple Favor certainly didn't seem poised for one, as its happy ending plopped its duplicitous villainess in prison with a decades-long sentence. But when you created a bad bitch as wickedly fun to watch as Emily Nelson — aka Hope McLanden — wouldn't it be a crime to lock her up for good? You bet your ass, baby. 

Blake Lively returns as the fearsome and fashion-forward femme fatale, opposite Anna Kendrick, reprising the role of true-crime obsessed mommy influencer Stephanie Smothers. And while their chemistry onscreen is as good as it was in the 2018 movie, Another Simple Favor is at its best when it lets Lively cut loose in blooming psycho-biddy fashion. 

As the previous film blended film noir and comedy, its sequel folds in influences from such campy treasures as The Talented Mr. Ripley, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, and House of Gucci. Which is to say, director Paul Feig knows his audience. 

Another Simple Favor goes bigger and bolder.  Anna Kendrick stars in "Another Simple Favor." Credit: Amazon MGM Studio

Written by A Simple Favor's Jessica Sharzer and Shutter Island's Laeta Kalogridis, this sequel is smartly self-aware. Some elements will throwback to the first movie, like Stephanie's story beginning in media res with an update to her vlog followers. This time, instead of just being mid-investigation, Stephanie is under house arrest in a chic Italian villa in Capri, accused of murdering Emily's husband. 

The exotic location immediately ups the spectacle of this sequel, which Feig embraces with glorious aerial shots of the landscape, a mountain peppered with gorgeous homes, a charming shopping center, a devilishly high cliff with rocks all the way down and ominously crashing waves below. But how did Stephanie wind up here? Well, while on a failing book tour for "The Faceless Blonde" — a memoir written about her time with Emily — she's surprised by the bombshell herself. And Emily has an offer Stephanie cannot refuse: Be my maid of honor, or else I'll sue you into oblivion for writing this book. 

See, Emily's not only out of prison ("Out on appeal! Our legal system is so fucked," she grins like the Cheshire Cat.) but also is remarrying a devastatingly macho Italian man named Dante Versano (Michele Morrone). And the only one this beguiling bride-to-be wants by her side at her destination wedding is her best friend — bygones be bygones? 

While obviously hesitant, Stephanie doesn't want to be sued — plus Emily's ambush at her book event has gotten the internet abuzz about "The Faceless Blonde." So this trip could be great for sales — as long as she isn't murdered (and maybe even then.) But when Emily's husband turns up dead, Stephanie needs to clear her name — and turn up fresh clues and freaky secrets to do it! 

Blake Lively is next level in Another Simple Favor.  Blake Lively, Michele Morrone, Alex Newell and Anna Kendrick star in "A Simple Favor." Credit: Amazon MGM Studio

The joys of Emily Nelson in the first film were how she was achingly chic and frankly scary. To a grade school pick-up, she wore clothes that looked like she'd just stepped off a runway. She carried herself not only with an enchanting confidence, but with an edge that threatened to slice the throat of any who would mess with her. She was a female fantasy version of the femme fatale, turning that power to seduce into a seductive power to live truly give-a-fuck free. Yet Lively also brought a tenderness to Emily's twisted backstory and a cutting sense of humor, all of which made this villainess endlessly exciting. Her potential seemed limitless. 

In this sequel, Sharzer and Kalogridis double down on Lively, giving her fresh meat to sink her teeth into with a plotline that includes the mafia and a fresh cache of toxic family secrets. Cheekily, the screenwriters lean into this with a brief re-enactment of a classic moment from The Godfather Part 2, the rare sequel so beloved that many consider it better than its highly acclaimed original. It's a nod to film lovers that Feig and company understand how audiences cringe at sequels — but also why we can rarely deny their appeal. We crave more. 

The more worth indulging in here is Lively smoothly switching from elegantly threatening to crassly funny to intimidatingly unhinged. The Italian backdrop, where a fish-out-water American is awed and annoyed by wealthy locals recalls The Talented Mr. Ripley, allowing the audience to ogle the gorgeous surroundings and obscene wealth while still connecting to the hero, who's arguably a parasite, feeding off those around them. (Stephanie’s assumption that everyone at this ultra exclusive wedding would want to be backdrop in her live blogs is truly wild.) Despite her gluten-free sugar-cookie sweetness, Stephanie is after all exploiting Emily's wedding and access to all this luxury for her blog. But the cost for admission could be her life.

While Kendrick is back in the swing of this plucky amateur sleuth, Another Simple Favor drags when Lively isn't onscreen. Whether flirting or threatening Emily, or plunging back into a flashbacks in a moody dance hall, where she rocks the undeniable allure of Lady Gaga in House of Gucci as a blue-collar brunette wooing one of Italy's most eligible bachelors, Lively is pure fire. And she's got the wardrobe to match. 

Another Simple Favor's wardrobe is beyond outstanding.  Blake Lively stars in "Another Simple Favor." Credit: Amazon MGM Studio

Feig and company are well aware that we gagged over the eleganza of Emily's sexy power suits, and aim to top that fashion spectacle in this sequel. They do it, with aplomb. Props to the entire costume department. From the moment Emily makes her entrance, she is a vision who uses her wardrobe to speak volumes. As teased in the trailer, she swans back into Emily's life wearing a white and gray horizontally striped suit, which while fiercely draped evokes the old-school prison uniform, up to a high button collar. 

By contrast, Stephanie's costumes are defiantly — and comically — unchic, like when she shows up to board a private jet wearing mismatched sweatpants, dull sneakers, and a travel pillow, already secured around her neck. Meanwhile, Emily is dressed like a Golden Age gangster, her dark dress slacks and shirt set off by pale grey suspenders, a dynamically pinned tie, a fedora, and a blood-red rose. This look proves to be a warning of the kind of people who will be on that plane. 

More clues drop through fits, like on the wedding day when the bride's veil unveils a deep red ombre on the end of her train, reminiscent of the blood spilled. Even when dripping in jewels — wearing necklaces so decadent they serve as shirts too dazzling for this world — Emily is intimidating and exhilarating. Lively is living for every look, be it brazen or outright bonkers. Simply put, Blake ate. It's just unfortunate not every character is so thought out. 

Another Simple Favor suffers in the supporting characters — not cast.  Bashir Salahuddin, Alex Newell, Andrew Rannells, Aparna Nancherla, Kelly McCormack star in "Another Simple Favor." Credit: Amazon MGM Studio

The first film offered a snarking trio of parent peers (Andrew Rannells, Kelly McCormack, and Aparna Nancherla) to provide color commentary on the dramas of Emily and Stephanie. They're back, but only briefly as the plot swiftly abandons Stephanie's cozy stomping grounds. But she's not alone in Capri, bringing with her book agent Vicky (Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist's Alex Newell), who is little more than a plot device. 

To keep Stephanie from seeming too callous, someone needs to remind the audience that drama on this trip — and yes even murder — would be great for Stephanie's book sales. However, Vicky is such a thinly written character that — against a backdrop where nearly every other actor in this movie is white — she becomes reduced to the "sassy Black friend" stereotype, who exists solely for clips and to prop up the white heroine. While Newell shined on Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, she's given so little to do here that she can't register beyond this tired and problematic trope. 

Other supporting players also suffer, like Taylor Ortega as a comically unskilled stalker and Bashir Salahuddin, returning as Detective Summerville, who's barely in the movie, with his biggest moment being on the phone while half asleep. To Morrone's credit, while his Dante is a sketch of ferocious machismo, he brings enough verve to the part to keep things fun. 

Allison Janney and Elizabeth Perkins star in "Another Simple Plan." Credit: Amazon MGM Studio

While these characters are jarringly underwritten, Sharzer and Kalogridis find fresh angles for Henry Golding, who played Emily's husband Sean in the first film, and some fresh chaos to be mined by Elizabeth Perkins, who takes over the role of Emily's mother from Hacks' Jean Smart. But the real standout of the supporting cast is Allison Janey to the surprise of no one. Playing a long lost relative of Emily's, Janey brings the sharp comic timing and chameleon-like ability to shift tone that's made her a treasure in films like Juno, I, Tonya, and Drop Dead Gorgeous. 

Like Emily Nelson, Another Simple Favor is a shapeshifting creature, transforming in tone moment to moment to revel in biting humor, relish in mob drama, plunge into the delicious depths of mad women in the psycho-biddy subgenre, and showcase fashion, telling, sensational, and shocking. Is it better than the original? Yes and no.

This is a far messier movie that the first, where the imbalance between the appeal of the plucky Stephanie and the devious Emily is even greater than before and the supporting characters are littered with undercooked roles. However, if your favorite bits of A Simple Favor was Lively embracing her inner bad girl and delivering face and looks? You'll cherish this divinely twisted thriller. 

Another Simple Favor was reviewed out of its world premiere at 2025 SXSW. The film will premiere on Prime Video on May 1.

Reddit's automated moderation system is apparently flagging the word "Luigi" as potentially violent, The Verge reported.

On Friday, a post appeared on the r/FreeLuigi subreddit stating, "PSA: the word 'luigi' is now flagged by reddit for violence." A screenshot of a comment about the video game Luigi's Mansion 3 on the r/popculture subject shows a highlight of the word "Luigi" and a tag, "Check for Violence - [Luigi]."

Reddit

r/FreeLuigi is a community dedicated to Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old suspect in the December 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Since Mangione's arrest in December, he has received a flood of support online, both because of his status as a "folk hero" amid outrage at the U.S. healthcare system, and because of his physical attractiveness. His legal defense team recently created a website as supporters donate to his defense fund and follow his case. Mangione is currently being held in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, according to the website.

A Reddit spokesperson told The Verge that there isn't a "sitewide filter for the word 'Luigi' or expectation that users stop talking about Luigi Mangione." Despite this, however, the same user posted a second example of Reddit "flagging" Luigi, telling the user to check for violence.

Mashable has reached out to Reddit and will update this story if we hear back.

Nothing's phones aren't the most premium, and yet they punch above their weight. They're playing by a different set of rules, and I wish others did the same.

TL;DR: Get a Headway Premium lifetime subscription for A$76 with our unbeatable offer (reg. A$480) using code LEVELUP20 at checkout until 30 March at 11:59 PM PT.

The (quickie) TikTok ban left us all staring blankly at our screens, but maybe that’s a good thing. Perhaps this was a wake-up call to replace our doomscrolling, or at least some of it, with reading.

We aren’t suggesting you delete all of your social media apps, but maybe spend just 10 to 15 minutes each day on Headway. This book-summary app makes reading a lot more fun than usual since you just get the highlight reel instead of having to read it cover to cover. Now, Mashable readers can get a lifetime subscription to Headway Premium for A$76 (reg. A$480) and save hundreds.

Scroll less, read more

Headway is full of content that’s personalized to your interests, from CEO success stories to wacky animal facts or healthy lifestyles.

Still aren’t convinced you’re actually going to enjoy reading? You don’t have to — listen to the audio version of book summaries instead; they’re like mini-podcasts. 

The more you read (or listen) to books on Headway, the more the app gets to know your taste. It’ll recommend books you’ll enjoy, almost like "BookTok."

Looking to read more books? A Headway Premium lifetime subscription is A$76 (reg. A$480) using code LEVELUP20 at checkout until March 30 at 11:59 PM PT, and you won’t find a better price anywhere else.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: GTHW App Limited Headway Premium: Lifetime Subscription AU$76
AU$480 Save AU$404 Get Deal

Recently, I wanted to find out how phone and tablet screen time was affecting battery drain. You might not think to go to Python for that, but its basic statistics tools can actually provide the answer.

The electric and autonomous vehicle industries are evolving rapidly, driven by innovative technologies that promise to change how we travel. This list highlights the key players in these industries, their contributions, and how they're shaping the future of transportation.

EVs were once a niche choice, but with the world clearly moving towards electrification and infrastructure growing, their value proposition is becoming more and more clear. However, with so many great options on the market right now, it’s hard to figure out who offers the best bang for your buck.

With a good pair of open-back headphones, you can experience audio in a much more natural state, especially if you value music, from simply listening to sound mixing. Rejoice, audiophiles—these headphones are for you!

This week, a viral Instagram post stated that Apple cut International Women's Day (March 8) from its calendar — but that's not quite right.

Bellesa, a sex toy brand, posted on March 4, "Apple quietly removed International Women's Day from the calendar. That's weird." The carousel post goes on to explain how one can add it to their own Apple Calendar. International Women's Day was first observed in 1911, according to the IWD website, and is now run by various groups across the world. It's nestled in Women's History Month, and is a day to celebrate women's achievements and advocate for their rights.

SEE ALSO: Down with the Enola Gay? Defense Department purging digital materials under Trump's DEI orders

This post, which has over 41,000 likes as of publication, came after Google Calendar removed Black History Month, Pride Month, and more holidays around three weeks ago. The tech giant stated it was due to a move to only include public holidays and national observances, but the removals prompted public outrage, as their timing aligns with the anti-diversity push fueled by Donald Trump's second presidential term.

Since coming back into office in January, Trump has overseen the removal of LGBTQ White House pages and language about queer and trans people on other government websites, as part of an overall crusade to end Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Tech companies have started to comply with this, such as Meta and Google removing its DEI programs. (Apple shareholders recently voted to keep its DEI policies.)

Given the anti-DEI push, commenters easily believed that Apple made this move. But according to Politifact, this isn't the case because Apple apparently never had International Women's Day on its calendar in the first place. Apple told Politifact that neither International Women's Day nor Women's History Month were ever featured on Apple Calendar.

Mashable has reached out to both Apple and Bellesa, and will update this story if we hear back.

This week, Mashable's Entertainment Editor, Kristy Puchko appeared on the movie review panel show, Talking Pictures with Neil Rosen. Alongside fellow film critics, Neil Rosen, Bill McCuddy, and Mike Sargent, she shared her thoughts on a array of new releases and still sizzling standouts from 2024.

Among the movies discussed on the episode, which airs nationally on PBS All Arts, were the Nicole Kidman erotic-thriller Babygirl, Ed Burns' latest dramedy Millers in Marriage, the toxic rom-dramedy I Love You Forever, the Oscar-winning I'm Still Here, the Daisy Ridley actioner Cleaner, the sci-fi thriller Companion, and Bong Joon Ho's latest genre-bending gem, Mickey 17.

Which are a must-see and which are worthy of missing? Watch the episode above, and you'll know what's up.

Tax season is no walk in the park — and that’s especially so for small business owners and solopreneurs. Even if you’re already properly managing your quarterly taxes and have all of your ducks in a row, this time of year means facing your business financials head-on and making any revisions needed to keep your business books going in the right direction.

Thankfully for small business owners, there are a handful of really good tax credits that you can take advantage of for the 2024 tax year. The following tax credits range from employee retention to healthcare credits, all of which are designed to give small business owners a leg up come tax season.

What is the difference between a tax deduction and a tax credit?

The main difference between a tax deduction and a tax credit is that a tax deduction applies to your business income, which can potentially put you into a lower tax bracket and lessen the amount of taxable income you’ll report to the IRA. A tax credit is simpler — it reduces the dollar amount of taxes that you owe. This means that you’ll save dollar-for-dollar on the tax credits that apply to your small business.

Here are the best 2024 tax credits for small business owners:

Disabled Access Tax Credit

The Disabled Access Tax Credit covers 50% of expenses incurred (up to $10,250) from making your small business more accessible to those living with disabilities. The credit can also be used for hiring interpreters, making alternative materials available to individuals with visual impairments, and more.

Empowerment Zone Employment Credit

The Empowerment Zone Employment Credit allows businesses in empowerment zones or distressed areas that hire and retain employees in said area to claim up to $3000 per employee. The credit doesn’t limit the number of employees and can be renewed annually.

Qualified Plug-in Electric and Electric Vehicle Tax Credit

If you purchased a plug-in electric vehicle such as an electric car or electric scooter for your small business after the 2010 tax year, your small business might be eligible for this tax credit. The credit total is between $2,500 and $7,500 depending on the size of your EV’s battery.

R&D Tax Credit

Businesses of all sizes that are innovating a process or product and can prove that they’re doing so through quantifiable research are eligible for the R&D Tax Credit. This might include software development, design, product enhancements, and other relevant innovations.

SECURE 2.0 Act

The SECURE 2.0 Act affords tax credits to small businesses that implement a 401(k) plan for employees or that add an auto-enrollment feature to an existing employer retirement plan. 

Small Business Health Care Tax Credit

The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit was created to help small businesses put in place health insurance programs for their employees. The tax credit covers 50% of premiums paid and is available for small business owners for up to two consecutive taxable years. Keep in mind that to qualify for this tax credit, a small business must also have fewer than 25 full-time employees and pay average wages below the annual inflation-adjusted limit.

Work Opportunity Tax Credit

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit was first announced in 2021 but has since been extended to the end of 2025 by the Consolidated Appropriations Act. This tax credit applies to small businesses that hire those who otherwise face difficulties finding employment, such as ex-felons, SNAP recipients, and certain veterans. Small business owners can receive up to $2400 for every new hire that meets the appropriate specifications.

The secretive exploits of the X-37B spaceplane continue.

After spending 434 days in space, the crewless Space Force craft returned to Earth on March 7, landing at California's Vandenberg Space Force Base in the middle of the night. The agency snapped pictures of its return, including the image of a hazmat suit-clad crew attending to the outer space craft.

"The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle-7 (OTV-7), the U.S. Space Force’s dynamic unmanned spaceplane, successfully deorbited and landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, on Mar. 7, 2025 at 02:22 a.m. EST," the U.S. Space Force posted on X.

SEE ALSO: Aliens haven't contacted us. Scientists found a compelling reason why.

This was the seventh mission of the X-37B, which orbits 150 to 500 miles above Earth to explore reusable space vehicle technologies and conduct long-term space experiments. The plane was originally built by Boeing for NASA, but the project transferred to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, in 2004. At nearly 30 feet long, it's one-fourth the size of NASA's retired Space Shuttle.

Technicians standing near the recently landed X-37B spaceplane. Credit: U.S. Space Force The slightly charred X-37B spaceplane after landing at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Credit: U.S. Space Force This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

The spaceplane's most recent national security-related mission launched in December 2023, and it accomplished a new feat. The Space Force recently revealed on X that the spaceplane "executed a series of first-of-kind maneuvers, called aerobraking, to safely change its orbit using minimal fuel." "Aerobraking" involves using close passes by Earth's atmosphere to produce drag, ultimately allowing it to switch orbits without burning too much of its finite fuel.

When not aerobraking, it appears the spaceplane kept busy with reconnaissance-related activity.

"While in orbit, Mission 7 tested space domain awareness technology experiments that aim to improve the United States Space Force’s knowledge of the space environment," the Space Force said in a statement. "These technologies are critical to the U.S. Space Force’s ability to conduct space operations in an increasingly congested and contested environment of space, to the benefit of all users of the domain."

Spaceplanes, too, must contend with the amassing spacecraft and space junk in Earth's orbit.

Astronauts orbiting 250 miles above Earth got a front-row seat to destruction on Thursday.

During a SpaceX flight test of Starship, the world's most powerful rocket and spacecraft system, NASA's Don Pettit snapped photos from the International Space Station of the ship blowing up. The images, which he posted on X, the social platform owned by SpaceX founder and President Donald Trump's right-hand man Elon Musk, show the astonishing accident from space. 

"We saw the Starship 8 breakup in the upper atmosphere and fall back to earth from the ISS," said Pettit, known for his photography from the lofty perch.

Starship, a 400-foot-tall, super-heavy-lift rocket and spaceship, blasted off shortly after 5:30 p.m. CT on March 6 from the aerospace company's private spaceport in Boca Chica, Texas. The test flight was the rocket system's eighth. This is now the second consecutive test, coming off the heels of a mishap in January, in which the ship exploded less than 10 minutes into flight — long before its intended splashdown in the Indian Ocean. 

SEE ALSO: SpaceX is so close to turning its rocket headquarters into an actual city This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

During the January test, two flashes occurred near one of the ship's engines shortly after booster separation. SpaceX has said strong vibrations led to fuel leaks that were too much for the ship's vents to handle, leading to fires that eventually triggered the flight termination system. Spacecraft debris rained down over Turks and Caicos, resulting in one report of property damage. 

Despite that investigation remaining open, the Federal Aviation Administration allowed the company to conduct this week's test. FAA spokesman Steven Kulm told Mashable the agency determined that no system, process, or procedure related to the mishap affected public safety or SpaceX's license. 

"A return to flight operations of the vehicle-type involved in the mishap is ultimately based on public safety," he said in an email.

As for Thursday's test, Starship again began experiencing vibrations just before finishing its ascent. Several engines failed, leading to the ship losing control. Flight controllers lost communication with Starship about 9.5 minutes after launch. Shortly after, people began taking and posting pictures and videos online of debris raining over the Bahamas, and flights were temporarily grounded in Florida to avoid the wreckage. 

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

SpaceX said the rocket stayed within a designated safety zone, and the company quickly worked with air traffic and safety officials after the failure. 

"Any surviving debris would have fallen within the pre-planned Debris Response Area," the company said in a post-flight statement. "There are no toxic materials present in the debris and no significant impacts (are) expected to occur to marine species or water quality."

Anyone who finds a chunk of Starship or has property damage from the event should contact the company's debris hotline (Yes, they have one.), at 1-866-623-0234, or email recovery@spacex.com, officials said.

SpaceX has faced criticism for its previous Starship test failures. Its executives insist that building fast, destroying expensive hardware, and learning quickly from mistakes are all part of the company's philosophy — in stark contrast with NASA's much slower approach.

A SpaceX Starship launched on its eighth flight test from Boca Chica, Texas, on March 6, 2025. Credit: SpaceX

Musk has previously complained that federal regulations have a chokehold on his company, impeding its progress and ability to conduct rapid testing. Industry watchers have speculated that his new close ties with Trump will remove some of that bureaucratic red tape. 

NASA will depend on the rocket company to ferry astronauts to the lunar surface on a modified Starship for the Artemis III and IV moon missions under a $4.2 billion contract. To do that, SpaceX first has to master refueling its spaceship in space. For Musk, Starship is also a passion project to eventually send people to Mars and build a self-sustaining city on the Red Planet.

"With a test like this, success comes from what we learn," the company said on X, "and today’s flight will help us improve Starship’s reliability."