Beyond Earth: The Future of In-Space Servicing

It no longer requires the imagination of Arthur C. Clarke to see where the space industry is headed. We need only to look at every other system of vehicles, appreciate the falling technical roadblocks, and observe the regulations and resources environment. It is with confidence that we ask not, “if?” but, “when?” We invite you to consider, “what’s next?” because almost anything becomes possible with the right foundations in place.

SuperGPS Accurate Within 10 Centimeters

This new technology — developed by engineers at Delft University of Technology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and VSL, and which can achieve an accuracy of 10 centimeters — is important for the implementation of a range of location-based applications, such as automated vehicles, quantum communication, and next-generation mobile communication systems.

Researchers Demonstrate Noise-Free Communication with Structured Light

Researchers have outlined a new optical communication protocol that exploits spatial patterns of light for multi-dimensional encoding in a manner that does not require the patterns to be recognized, thus overcoming the prior limitation of modal distortion in noisy channels.

Imaging Space Debris in High Resolution

A team has introduced a new method for taking high-res images of fast-moving and rotating objects in space, such as satellites or debris in low-Earth orbit.

Getting NASA Data to the Ground with Lasers

The Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) will usher in a new era of laser communications.

Lightweight, Self-Deployable Helical Antenna

NASA's newly developed antenna is lightweight (at or below 2 grams), low volume (at or below 1.2 cm3), and low stowage thickness (approx. 0.7 mm), all while delivering high performance (at or above 10 dBi gain).

A First-Of-Its-Kind Integrated Optical Isolator

A team of researchers led by electrical engineer Marko Lončar at SEAS has developed a method for building a highly efficient integrated isolator that’s seamlessly incorporated into an optical chip made of lithium niobate.

New Wireless System for Greater 5G Access

A new paper on wireless connectivity from researchers at the lab of Dinesh Bharadia, an affiliate of the UC San Diego Qualcomm Institute (QI), introduces a new technique for increasing access to the 5G-and-beyond millimeter wave (mmWave) network.

Wearable RFID Sensor Tags Yield Extended Operational Times

The technology exploits the inherently passive nature of RFID to approximate the services provided by traditional active Internet of Things (IoT) protocols like ZigBee and Bluetooth.

An Innovative Method to Produce Soft, Recyclable Fibers for Smart Textiles

Drawing inspiration from how spiders spin silk to make webs, a team of researchers has developed an innovative method of producing soft fibers that possess three key properties (strong, stretchable, and electrically conductive), and at the same time can be easily reused to produce new fibers.

AI-Powered Earth Mapping for Global Sustainability

By combining historical and current data from multiple NASA and European satellites, MD-based terraPulse applies AI to create meaningful maps enabling data-driven ecological decisions.

Nanoscale 3D Structure to Control Light

3D nanometer-scale metamaterial structures hold promise for advanced optical isolators.

Amplified Power of Traveling-Wave Tubes

Traveling-wave tubes designed for NASA are being used not only for satellite systems but also ground applications.

Always-On Intelligent Sensing at Microwatt Levels

An interview with Tom Doyle, CEO and Founder of Aspinity, Pittsburgh, PA, about the company's analog machine learning chip, the AML100 analog machine learning processor.

Condition Monitoring Comes to Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Now, broader availability of sensors, evolving capabilities, and new digital platforms and tools are making IIoT capabilities more readily available and easy to manage with small teams.

An Energy-Efficient Method to Monitor Soil Moisture

The University of Maine’s Wireless Sensor Networks laboratory has developed a novel method of using AI and machine learning to make monitoring soil moisture more energy and cost efficient.

Why 2023 Will Be the Year of the ‘Platform’

This year's CES provided a glimpse at whiz-bang technology and gadgets, as well as what might be the first in a whole new generation of premium VR headsets.

Microscopic Color Converters May Yield Small Laser-Based Devices

New research suggests that laser-based devices are poised to become a lot smaller.

Nanoscale 3D Structure to Control Light

3D nanometer-scale metamaterial structures hold promise for advanced optical isolators.

Lunar Surface Navigation System

Scientists have developed a novel concept for a lunar navigation system based on the reverse-ephemeris technique.

Room Temperature Oxygen Sensors

Traditional oxygen sensors have significant drawbacks and suffer from high power consumption.

LoRaWAN - Designed for Wireless Sensor Networking

Learn about LoRaWAN networking as a solution for connecting wireless sensors at long distances, while extending battery life.

3D-Printed Sensors May Lead to Better Weather Research

Scientists have created the first completely digitally manufactured plasma sensors — also known as retarding potential analyzers (RPAs) — for orbiting spacecraft.

Using Laser Transceivers for LEO Satellite Links

Organizations in both the public and private sectors are currently racing to launch large numbers of satellites into low-Earth orbit (LEO).

Achieving 100 Gb/s Using O-band Technology

To ensure networks are prepared for the next wave of transmission, operators need to build wave multiplexing systems that will allow connections to migrate to 100 Gb/s.

Thermal Modeling of Small Satellites

Over the last few years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of satellites in orbit. A significant portion of this increase is thanks to the smaller size of newer satellites.

Five Tips for Optimizing 5G Private Network Signals

In the coming years, the wireless communications segment will expand significantly as 5G private networks launch.