# NASA Hires Three Companies to Carry Its Spacecraft's Calls Home, a Giant Free AI Model Arrives, and a Pancreatic Cancer Pill Reaches 5,000 Patients Evening Edition No. 8 · Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 8:00 PM ET · Singularity Nightly Covers Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 6:00 PM ET to Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 6:00 PM ET Edited by Dennis W. Davis. AI-assisted; see How We Make This: https://singularitynightly.com/how-we-make-this/ > NASA picks Astranis, Global Enterprise Solutions and Viasat to build the next relay network for its spacecraft, Moonshot sets free its Kimi K3.1 Pro model, SpaceX picks Qualcomm for Starlink Mobile's ground network, Joby says its air taxi is in the last stage of FAA approval, a pancreatic cancer pill reaches more than 5,000 patients, the Space Force chief talks about a Russian satellite that tailed a radar satellite, the bank regulator sets out how to check AI that acts on its own, Schroders puts a bond fund on Solana, and Xiaomi's humanoid robots work a full factory shift. ## In 60 Seconds - NASA hired three companies, with contracts worth up to about $1.07 billion together, to build a new network of relay satellites that carries messages between spacecraft and Earth. - Moonshot AI put its Kimi K3.1 Pro model online for anyone to download. It is the highest scoring free-to-download model on one leading scorecard. - Voters in local races turned down data center plans in 37 of the 38 measures called so far, in early, unofficial results. - Also: a pancreatic cancer pill reached more than 5,000 patients in its first weeks, and Xiaomi says its humanoid robots worked a full 8-hour shift in its car factory. ## Lead Signal **NASA picks three companies to carry its spacecraft's calls home** ![A NASA Tracking and Data Relay Satellite drifting above the blue Pacific Ocean after its release from space shuttle Atlantis in 1991](https://singularitynightly.com/img/editions/tdrs-atlantis-1991-1920.jpg) *A Tracking and Data Relay Satellite drifts above the Pacific after astronauts released it from space shuttle Atlantis in 1991. NASA now wants companies to take over this job. Credit: NASA* NASA [announced Wednesday](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-announces-ka-band-satellite-relay-awards-for-space-communications/) that it picked Astranis, Global Enterprise Solutions and Viasat to develop commercial relay services in the Ka-band, a high radio frequency that can carry a lot of data. A relay satellite works like a cell tower in the sky: a spacecraft sends its data up to the relay, and the relay passes it down to Earth, so the spacecraft does not have to wait until it flies over a ground station. NASA's own relay fleet, the Tracking and Data Relay Satellites, is getting old and being retired, and NASA wants to buy the service from companies instead of owning the satellites. The contracts are firm-fixed-price, which means the company, not the taxpayer, covers any cost overruns. The most each company can be paid is $264.3 million for Astranis, $340.4 million for Global Enterprise Solutions and $460.9 million for Viasat, about $1.07 billion in all. The first phase runs from Nov. 4, 2026 to May 3, 2027, and options can stretch the work through 2029, ending with a test in space. NASA says the services must be "compatible with current missions in space," so spacecraft already flying can use them without changes. > **Why it matters:** much of what we learn from space, from weather pictures to astronaut video calls, reaches Earth through relay satellites. Hiring companies to build the next network could make the service cheaper and faster, the way NASA already buys rides to the space station. It is a development contract now; a test in space comes by 2029. ## The Ticker - [ORBIT] NASA picked Astranis, Global Enterprise Solutions and Viasat for up to about $1.07 billion to develop commercial Ka-band relay services. [source](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-announces-ka-band-satellite-relay-awards-for-space-communications/) - Why it matters: spacecraft need a reliable way to send their data home. - [AI] Moonshot AI published the full Kimi K3.1 Pro model for anyone to download, 2.8 trillion parameters in all. [source](https://huggingface.co/moonshotai/Kimi-K3.1-Pro) - Why it matters: a model this strong that anyone can run puts pressure on the paid ones. - [AI] Gemini 4 Carbon (High) rose to 60 points on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, still the top score. [source](https://artificialanalysis.ai/models) - Why it matters: the best AI models are still getting better week by week. - [AI] OpenAI agreed to buy Pierre Computer, maker of a code storage service, to build it into its Codex coding tool; terms were not shared. [source](https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/openai-acquire-pierre-expand-codex-170249678.html) - Why it matters: AI coding helpers are growing into full workshops for building software. - [AI] Sentra raised $150 million for software that controls which company data AI agents can reach. [source](https://siliconangle.com/2026/11/04/sentra-raises-150m-to-control-what-ai-agents-can-reach-in-corporate-data/) Not investment advice. - Why it matters: AI helpers need clear limits on what they are allowed to see. - [WILD] Xiaomi says its humanoid robots worked a full 8-hour shift sorting parts in its electric car factory. [source](https://electrek.co/2026/11/04/xiaomi-humanoid-robot-8-hour-shift-ev-factory/) - Why it matters: robots shaped like people are starting to last a whole work day. - [WILD] StarBot launched Spark, a 90 centimeter humanoid robot priced at $7,999 and built in the United States, the company says. [source](https://manilatimes.net/2026/11/04/tmt-newswire/globenewswire/made-in-america-and-priced-at-7999-starbot-launches-spark-humanoid-robot/2461996) - Why it matters: humanoid robots are starting to cost less than a used car. - [WILD] After the market closed, Qualcomm reported $10.32 billion in quarterly revenue, adjusted earnings of $2.17 a share and record car chip sales of $1.99 billion, up 89%. [source](https://s204.q4cdn.com/645488518/files/content_files/FY2026-4th-Quarter-Earnings-Release.pdf) Not investment advice. - Why it matters: cars are turning into computers on wheels, and chipmakers are cashing in. - [WILD] Agility Robotics, maker of the Digit humanoid robot, completed its merger with Churchill Capital Corp XI and starts trading on Nasdaq as AGLT on Thursday. [source](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/11/04/3395899/0/en/agility-robotics-and-churchill-capital-corp-xi-complete-business-combination.html) Not investment advice. - Why it matters: ordinary investors will soon be able to own a piece of a humanoid robot company. - [WILD] After the market closed, chip designer Arm reported record quarterly revenue of $1.44 billion. [source](https://newsroom.arm.com/news/arm-q2-fye27-results) Not investment advice. - Why it matters: Arm designs the chip blueprints inside most phones, and more and more data centers too. - [ORBIT] SpaceX picked Qualcomm to supply 5G equipment for tens of thousands of ground sites for Starlink Mobile, with a U.S. rollout from 2027. [source](https://www.satellitetoday.com/connectivity/2026/11/04/spacex-strikes-deal-with-qualcomm-for-terrestrial-component-of-starlink-mobile-network/) - Why it matters: your phone could one day switch between towers and satellites without you noticing. - [ORBIT] NASA's Swift observatory fell back into the atmosphere at 7:39 AM ET over western Indonesia, about four hours later than first predicted. [source](https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/11/04/nasas-neil-gehrels-swift-observatory-reenters-over-western-indonesia/) - Why it matters: a telescope that spotted thousands of cosmic explosions has finished its work. - [ORBIT] Hubble found that 37 small dwarf galaxies hold much less oxygen than scientists expected. [source](https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/hubble-reveals-cosmic-mystery/) - Why it matters: a missing ingredient can point to how galaxies grow and lose gas. - [ORBIT] NASA and NOAA said this year's weather over Antarctica favored deeper ozone loss. [source](https://science.nasa.gov/earth/2026-ozone-hole/) - Why it matters: the ozone layer shields us from harmful sunlight, so scientists track it every year. - [LAUNCH] There were no orbital launches worldwide in the window; the count stays at 256 for 2026. The next is a Chinese Long March 2C around 11:00 AM ET Thursday. [source](https://ll.thespacedevs.com/2.3.0/launches/upcoming/) - Why it matters: even busy launch years have quiet days. - [LAUNCH] Spain's PLD Space tested the system that would destroy its MIURA 5 rocket if a flight went wrong, and moved the first flight to the first half of 2027. [source](https://europeanspaceflight.com/pld-space-completes-miura-5-flight-termination-system-test/) - Why it matters: Europe is building more of its own rockets so it does not have to rely on others. - [AIR] Joby reported $55 million in quarterly sales and raised its 2026 sales outlook to $135 million to $140 million. [source](https://ir.jobyaviation.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/197/joby-reports-third-quarter-2026-financial-results) Not investment advice. - Why it matters: air taxi makers are earning money from flights today while they wait for approval. - [AIR] EHang showed the EH216-EK, a pilotless aircraft that drops fire-fighting canisters on fires in their first minutes. [source](https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/11/04/3395507/0/en/ehang-unveils-eh216-ek-high-payload-firefighting-evtol-expanding-multi-scenario-emergency-response-portfolio.html) - Why it matters: catching a fire early can stop it before it spreads. - [AIR] NASA flew its SPLICE landing guidance system on a drone over a dry lake in California to practice picking safe spots to land on the Moon. [source](https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/armstrong/nasa-navigation-experiment-shows-promise-for-planetary-landings/) - Why it matters: future Moon landers will need to spot rocks and holes on their own. - [MED] Revolution Medicines said more than 5,000 U.S. patients have taken its pancreatic cancer pill Rasonque in its first weeks on sale. [source](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/11/04/3395785/0/en/revolution-medicines-reports-third-quarter-2026-financial-results-and-update-on-corporate-progress.html) - Why it matters: pancreatic cancer has had few good options for a long time. - [MED] Novo Nordisk raised its 2026 outlook for the third time this year as sales of its Wegovy weight loss pill rose 53% from the quarter before. [source](https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/2026-11-04-novo-nordisk-lifts-2026-outlook-as-wegovy-pill-surges/) Not investment advice. - Why it matters: a pill instead of a shot makes these medicines easier for many people. - [MED] Boehringer Ingelheim licensed six early cancer drugs from China's SBP Group for $358 million up front and up to $7 billion in all. [source](https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/human-health/boehringer-announces-new-oncology-partnership-sbp-group) - Why it matters: more new medicines are being invented in China and licensed to the rest of the world. - [DEF] Gen. Douglas Schiess, the Space Force chief, said his service tracked a Russian satellite that moved close to a commercial radar satellite. [source](https://defensescoop.com/2026/11/04/space-force-gen-schiess-russian-satellite-maneuvers/) - Why it matters: space is crowded, and nations watch each other closely up there. - [DEF] The Air Force is asking small companies for mobile 3D printers that pour concrete shelters to protect bases from air attacks. [source](https://www.defensenews.com/global/mideast-africa/2026/11/04/under-threat-of-air-strikes-us-looks-to-bolster-base-infrastructure-with-3d-printing/) - Why it matters: printing a building on site could be faster than shipping one. - [DEF] Shield AI said it expects European orders soon for X-BAT, a jet-powered drone warplane it aims to sell for about $25 million each. [source](https://breakingdefense.com/2026/11/shield-ai-cofounder-teases-snowball-of-x-bat-fighter-drone-announcements-in-europe/) - Why it matters: drone warplanes cost a fraction of a fighter jet with a pilot. - [POLICY] In early, unofficial results, voters went against data center development in 37 of the 38 local ballot measures called so far. [source](https://statecapitallobbyist.com/artificial-intelligence-ai/data-centers/data-centers-on-the-ballot-where-things-stand/) - Why it matters: towns want a say before giant power-hungry buildings arrive. - [POLICY] Piqua, Ohio, banned data centers bigger than 25 megawatts with about 67% of the vote. [source](https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/charter-amendment-banning-large-data-centers-wins-approval/article_d4cf4dc3-b418-58b1-8523-9348694b561b.html) - Why it matters: a city charter change is hard to undo later. - [POLICY] A court in Sao Paulo ordered Meta to stop training its AI on Brazilian news content for now, with fines of up to 1 million reais a day. [source](https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2026/11/04/court-orders-meta-to-halt-training-on-brazilian-media-content) - Why it matters: courts around the world are deciding who controls the words AI learns from. - [TOKEN] Morgan Stanley said it is among the first banks to put U.S. stocks and Treasuries on a blockchain through DTCC's new tokenization service. [source](https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/11/04/morgan-stanley-says-it-is-among-the-first-banks-to-put-u-s-stocks-and-treasuries-on-a-blockchain) Not investment advice. - Why it matters: big Wall Street banks are moving from talking about tokens to using them. - [TOKEN] Schroders launched a tokenized version of an emerging markets bond fund on the Solana blockchain with Centrifuge. [source](https://www.theblock.co/news/business/2026-11-04-schroders-centrifuge-tokenized-emerging-markets-debt-fund-solana-432878) Not investment advice. - Why it matters: old-line fund managers are bringing everyday funds onto blockchains. ## The Desks ### AI Models **Moonshot sets free Kimi K3.1 Pro, a 2.8 trillion parameter model anyone can download** ![Illustration: a huge library of glowing books with its doors open](https://singularitynightly.com/img/editions/kimi-k31-pro-weights-1376.jpg) *A huge library of glowing books, with a door open for anyone to walk in. Credit: Illustration: Singularity Nightly (AI-generated)* Moonshot AI, a company in Beijing, [put Kimi K3.1 Pro on Hugging Face](https://huggingface.co/moonshotai/Kimi-K3.1-Pro) on Wednesday, keeping its promise to share the model's weights by Nov. 4. Weights are the numbers a model learns in training; publishing them lets anyone download the model and run it on their own computers. The model has 2.8 trillion parameters in all, but it is a mixture of experts: it is split into 896 smaller expert parts and only 16 of them work on each word, so it uses about 104 billion parameters at a time. It reads text and pictures and can hold about a million tokens, small pieces of words, in mind at once. The full download is about 1.56 terabytes, [Runtime Wire reports](https://runtimewire.com/article/moonshot-ai-kimi-k3-1-pro-weights), far more than a home computer can run. Moonshot's [own blog](https://www.kimi.ai/blog/kimi-k3-1-pro) lists strong test scores, which it measured itself, and says it removed cyberattack material before release. The license is not fully open: companies with more than $20 million in yearly sales that sell the model's answers need a separate deal, [OrcaRouter explains](https://www.orcarouter.ai/blog/kimi-k3-1-pro-weights-released-self-hosting-cost). On the [Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index](https://artificialanalysis.ai/models), Kimi K3.1 Pro scores 46, the highest of any downloadable model, while the top overall, Gemini 4 Carbon (High), rose to 60. "We'll keep advancing open intelligence," Moonshot said. > **Why it matters:** when a strong AI model is free to download, universities, hospitals and small companies can run it on their own machines and keep their data private. It still trails the best paid models by a wide gap on independent tests. Expect other labs to answer with free models of their own. ### Satellites and Orbit **SpaceX picks Qualcomm to build the ground side of Starlink Mobile** ![Illustration: a cell tower on a hill with satellites crossing the sky](https://singularitynightly.com/img/editions/starlink-mobile-qualcomm-1376.jpg) *A cell tower on a hill at dusk, with a line of satellites crossing the sky above it. Credit: Illustration: Singularity Nightly (AI-generated)* SpaceX chose Qualcomm to supply 5G base station equipment for the ground part of Starlink Mobile, its phone service, [Qualcomm announced](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261104680757/en/) Wednesday morning. A base station is the radio box on a cell tower that talks to your phone. Qualcomm will provide its Dragonwing QRU100 and QDU100 platforms and radio units, which use massive MIMO, antennas with many small parts that can serve many phones at once on the same airwaves. The deal covers "tens of thousands of sites" over several years, with a nationwide U.S. rollout starting in 2027. Starlink already beams service from satellites straight to some phones, which helps in places with no towers at all; adding towers on the ground would carry heavier traffic in towns and cities, while satellites cover the gaps. SpaceX said the equipment gives "a flexible foundation for a multi-band network," [Via Satellite reports](https://www.satellitetoday.com/connectivity/2026/11/04/spacex-strikes-deal-with-qualcomm-for-terrestrial-component-of-starlink-mobile-network/). The dollar value was not shared. > **Why it matters:** today a phone either has bars or it does not. A network that mixes towers and satellites could mean fewer dead zones on back roads, at sea and in the mountains. The rollout starts in 2027, so this is a plan for now. ### Air Mobility **Joby says its air taxi is in the last stage of FAA approval, and its sales climb** ![A Cessna Caravan fitted with Joby's self-flying technology in flight over the San Francisco Bay Area](https://singularitynightly.com/img/editions/joby-j208-caravan-1600.jpg) *Joby's self-flying technology at work in a Cessna Caravan over the San Francisco Bay Area, Sept. 7, 2026. Credit: Joby Aviation* Joby Aviation [reported](https://ir.jobyaviation.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/197/joby-reports-third-quarter-2026-financial-results) $55 million in sales for July to September, most of it from Blade, the helicopter and plane booking service it owns, and raised its 2026 sales outlook by 15% to $135 million to $140 million. Blade flew more than 44,000 passengers in the quarter. Joby says its electric air taxi is in the fifth and final stage of FAA type certification, the government's check that an aircraft's design is safe, and that FAA pilots have finished a wide range of test flights that count toward approval. It has 17 aircraft in production and $2.2 billion in cash. Joby says its J208, a small plane fitted with self-flying technology, made the first fully autonomous civilian flight across the United States, and its Air Force contracts for self-flying work now total about $37 million, [StockTitan's copy of the release](https://www.stocktitan.net/news/JOBY/joby-reports-third-quarter-2026-financial-4g5cqollvyhi.html) shows. CEO JoeBen Bevirt pointed to "completing a wide range of 'for credit' testing with the FAA." Not investment advice. > **Why it matters:** an air taxi can only carry paying passengers after the FAA signs off, and Joby says it is on the last step. If it gets there, short hops over traffic could start in a few cities. The final approval date is still not set. ### Medicine **A new pancreatic cancer pill reaches more than 5,000 patients in its first weeks** ![Illustration: a single pill resting in an open hand](https://singularitynightly.com/img/editions/rasonque-pancreatic-pill-1376.jpg) *A single pill resting in an open hand, in soft green light. Credit: Illustration: Singularity Nightly (AI-generated)* Revolution Medicines [said Wednesday at 4:02 PM ET](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/11/04/3395785/0/en/revolution-medicines-reports-third-quarter-2026-financial-results-and-update-on-corporate-progress.html) that more than 5,000 patients in the U.S. were treated with Rasonque (daraxonrasib) by the end of September, about five weeks after it went on sale. Sales were $197.6 million in that time, including the first stocking of pharmacies. Rasonque is a RAS inhibitor, a medicine that blocks RAS, a protein switch that gets stuck on in most pancreatic cancers and keeps tumors growing. The FDA approved it on Aug. 26 for pancreatic cancer that has spread, [GEN reports](https://www.genengnews.com/topics/cancer/stockwatch-revolution-shares-stay-flat-despite-historic-fda-approval-of-oral-pancreatic-cancer-therapy/), after a trial in which patients on the pill lived a median of 13.2 months, against 6.7 months on chemotherapy. The FDA has now given a third Breakthrough Therapy designation, a fast lane for promising drugs, to using it as a first treatment together with chemotherapy, and European regulators have recommended approval. The list price is $39,800 a month. "This drug showed unprecedented results in an area of high unmet need," the FDA's Dr. Angelo de Claro said at approval. > **Why it matters:** pancreatic cancer is one of the hardest cancers to treat, and doubling how long people live is a big step. Thousands of patients are already getting the pill. Tests for lung cancer and for newly diagnosed patients are still underway. ### Defense **The Space Force chief talks about a Russian satellite that tailed a commercial radar satellite** ![Two satellites close together in orbit above Earth at night](https://singularitynightly.com/img/editions/schiess-space-force-1376.jpg) *A satellite moving close beside another in orbit. Credit: Illustration: Singularity Nightly (AI-generated)* Gen. Douglas Schiess, the Space Force's top officer, said Wednesday that his service tracked Russia's Cosmos 2612 satellite as it moved close to ICEYE-X36, a radar imaging satellite owned by the Finnish company ICEYE, and kept U.S. Space Command informed, [DefenseScoop reports](https://defensescoop.com/2026/11/04/space-force-gen-schiess-russian-satellite-maneuvers/). He spoke at a Mitchell Institute event. The tracking company LeoLabs [reported in October](https://www.satellitetoday.com/government-military/2026/10/19/russian-satellite-maneuvered-within-extreme-proximity-of-iceye-satellite-leolabs-reports/) that from Oct. 15 to 19 the Russian satellite closed from about 400 kilometers away to 2 to 3 kilometers, at times about 500 meters. Moving one satellite close to another on purpose is called a rendezvous and proximity operation; it can be used to inspect, repair or threaten. LeoLabs said the moves do not prove the Russian satellite meant harm, and [Breaking Defense](https://breakingdefense.com/2026/10/russian-satellite-stalked-iceye-spacecraft-in-potentially-dangerous-on-orbit-maneuvers/) called them potentially dangerous. "We're making sure that we get lessons learned from that," Schiess said. The U.S. has said only that it is watching. > **Why it matters:** many satellites that help with maps, weather and farming are owned by companies, not governments. A foreign satellite parking next to one raises questions about how to keep them safe. For now this is about watching and learning, not a fight. ### Law and Policy **The bank regulator tells examiners how to check AI that acts on its own** ![Illustration: a bank vault door with a red stop button beside it](https://singularitynightly.com/img/editions/occ-ai-framework-1376.jpg) *A bank vault door with a glowing red stop button beside it. Credit: Illustration: Singularity Nightly (AI-generated)* The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which oversees national banks, [issued Bulletin 2026-54](https://www.occ.gov/news-issuances/bulletins/2026/bulletin-2026-54.html) on Wednesday, its first framework for how bank examiners should review AI. The 20-page [document](https://www.occ.gov/news-issuances/news-releases/2026/nr-occ-2026-97a.pdf), titled "Super Intelligence: Supervisory Framework," sorts AI systems into four risk tiers by what happens if they fail, not by how advanced they are. The riskiest tier covers AI agents, programs that take actions on their own, that move payments, make instant credit decisions or release fraud holds. The lowest covers office tools for staff. The OCC suggests safeguards such as circuit breakers, automatic stops when a system behaves oddly, plus limits on how fast it can act and kill switches, and controls on AI agents that customers send to their banks. It warns that "An agentic system could remain available while taking inappropriate or harmful actions." The bulletin is guidance for examiners and does not create new rules, [Decrypt notes](https://decrypt.co/382560/us-bank-regulator-issues-first-ai-framework-banks-battle-rogue-agents). > **Why it matters:** banks are starting to let AI move money and approve loans. This tells them the government will check that a person can stop the AI fast if it goes wrong. It is guidance now, and it applies to national banks. ### Tokenized Assets **Schroders puts an emerging markets bond fund on the Solana blockchain** ![Illustration: bonds and coins turning into glowing tokens on a chain](https://singularitynightly.com/img/editions/schroders-solana-fund-1376.jpg) *Bonds from many countries turning into glowing tokens on a long chain. Credit: Illustration: Singularity Nightly (AI-generated)* Schroders, a London fund manager that looks after about $1.1 trillion, launched a tokenized version of its Emerging Market Bond fund on the Solana blockchain with the tokenization company Centrifuge, [The Block reports](https://www.theblock.co/news/business/2026-11-04-schroders-centrifuge-tokenized-emerging-markets-debt-fund-solana-432878). Emerging market bonds are loans to governments and companies in growing economies such as Brazil, India or Indonesia. Investors buy tokens of a feeder fund, a small fund that puts all its money into the larger main fund, which holds about $2.2 billion, [Cryptoast reports](https://cryptoast.fr/schroders-fonds-obligataire-emergent-tokenisation-milliards-solana-centrifuge/). It is Schroders' first fund on Solana. The size of the token fund, the minimum investment and who may buy were not shared. Schroders' John Mensack said the aim is to make funds "more accessible and fit for the future." Tokenized real-world assets now total [$39.40 billion](https://app.rwa.xyz/), up from $39.27 billion on Tuesday, per RWA.xyz. > **Why it matters:** a fund that lives on a blockchain can be bought, sold and settled faster, and may one day be easier for people around the world to reach. Big, careful fund managers joining in shows tokens moving into the mainstream. Details on who can buy are still to come. Not investment advice. ### Wildcard **Xiaomi's humanoid robots work a full 8-hour shift in its car factory** ![Illustration: two humanoid robots sorting car parts on a factory line](https://singularitynightly.com/img/editions/xiaomi-humanoid-shift-1376.jpg) *Two humanoid robots sorting car parts on a factory line. Credit: Illustration: Singularity Nightly (AI-generated)* Xiaomi says its humanoid robots worked a full 8-hour shift in its electric car factory, sorting the side covers that fit around a car's center console and catching and fixing their own mistakes, [Electrek reports](https://electrek.co/2026/11/04/xiaomi-humanoid-robot-8-hour-shift-ev-factory/). In March the robots managed a 90.2% success rate over 3 hours, with a cycle time, the time to finish one round of the task, of 76 seconds, and by July Xiaomi said they reached 98%. Xiaomi did not share how many parts were sorted this time, the success rate, or how often a person had to step in. Founder Lei Jun has said he wants humanoid robots working at large scale across Xiaomi's factories within 5 years. Xiaomi called the shift "another step toward real-world industrial deployment." > **Why it matters:** a robot that can last a full shift is a robot a factory might actually pay for. It could take over dull, repetitive jobs and leave people the work that needs judgment. This is one company's own report on one task, so the real test is many robots on many jobs. ## Watch Fresh uploads from our usual channels were thin today, so these are in case you missed them. [Video: Moonshots with Peter Diamandis, episode 307 (Oct. 31): how AI is moving the stock market, Google's profit pressure, and Sam Altman's latest comments.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHMU5ql7O6o) [Video: All-In (Oct. 30): the hosts on Anthropic's filing to go public and Google's market drop.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1Dy4e4ff0s) Disclosure: Singularity Nightly is drafted with help from Anthropic's Claude. We cover Anthropic like any other company. ## Voices - Dr. Alexander Wissner-Gross, on AI that helps build the next AI: "The Singularity is now its own lead engineer." [source](https://theinnermostloop.substack.com/p/welcome-to-november-2-2026) (opinion) ## By the Numbers - $1.07 billion: the most NASA could pay the three relay companies together. [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-announces-ka-band-satellite-relay-awards-for-space-communications/) - 2.8 trillion: parameters in Kimi K3.1 Pro, about 104 billion at work at a time. [Hugging Face](https://huggingface.co/moonshotai/Kimi-K3.1-Pro) - 60: the new top score on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, Gemini 4 Carbon (High). [Artificial Analysis](https://artificialanalysis.ai/models) - 0: orbital launches worldwide in the window; 256 so far in 2026. [Launch Library 2](https://ll.thespacedevs.com/2.3.0/launches/upcoming/) - 5,000+: U.S. patients treated with Rasonque in about five weeks. [Revolution Medicines](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/11/04/3395785/0/en/revolution-medicines-reports-third-quarter-2026-financial-results-and-update-on-corporate-progress.html) - 13.2 vs. 6.7 months: median survival on Rasonque against chemotherapy in its main trial. [GEN](https://www.genengnews.com/topics/cancer/stockwatch-revolution-shares-stay-flat-despite-historic-fda-approval-of-oral-pancreatic-cancer-therapy/) - $55 million: Joby's quarterly sales. [Joby](https://ir.jobyaviation.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/197/joby-reports-third-quarter-2026-financial-results) Not investment advice. - 37 of 38: local data center ballot measures called so far that went against data centers, unofficial. [State Capital Lobbyist](https://statecapitallobbyist.com/artificial-intelligence-ai/data-centers/data-centers-on-the-ballot-where-things-stand/) - 4: risk tiers in the OCC's AI framework for banks. [OCC](https://www.occ.gov/news-issuances/bulletins/2026/bulletin-2026-54.html) - 8 hours: the factory shift Xiaomi's humanoid robots completed. [Electrek](https://electrek.co/2026/11/04/xiaomi-humanoid-robot-8-hour-shift-ev-factory/) - 47: novel drugs approved by the FDA in 2026, unchanged. [FDA](https://www.fda.gov/drugs/novel-drug-approvals-fda/novel-drug-approvals-2026) - $39.40 billion: tokenized real-world assets, excluding stablecoins. [RWA.xyz](https://app.rwa.xyz/) Not investment advice. ## Tomorrow's Watchlist - Thu Nov. 5, 8:10 AM ET: spacewalk to install the last two new solar arrays on the space station. - Thu Nov. 5, about 11:00 AM ET: Long March 2C launch from China. - Thu Nov. 5: Agility Robotics begins trading on Nasdaq as AGLT; AASLD liver meeting opens in Denver (to Nov. 9). - Fri Nov. 6: American Heart Association meeting begins (to Nov. 9); Ceres-2 launch from China, about 6:35 PM ET; Falcon 9 USSF-432 from Vandenberg, 7:46 PM ET (date may move). - Sun Nov. 8: Precision BioSciences presents hepatitis B gene editing results at AASLD. - Coming up: Archer results Nov. 9; Falcon 9 USSF-627 Nov. 9, 10:03 PM ET; Vulcan returns with Amazon Leo satellites Nov. 13, 12:54 PM ET; Electron's 100th flight Nov. 14; ERAM answers and the FCC open meeting on drone airwaves Nov. 19. --- Source: https://singularitynightly.com/editions/2026-11-04-evening-8/ License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Cite: Singularity Nightly, "NASA Hires Three Companies to Carry Its Spacecraft's Calls Home, a Giant Free AI Model Arrives, and a Pancreatic Cancer Pill Reaches 5,000 Patients", Wednesday, November 4, 2026, https://singularitynightly.com/editions/2026-11-04-evening-8/. CC BY 4.0.