Engineering Spacecraft Components at Scale for Commercial Space Growth

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Brian Ippolitto, Vice President of Space Systems at Marotta Controls, discusses how spacecraft component engineering is evolving to meet the accelerating demands of commercial space growth. Listen now!

NASA Marches Toward Artemis III Mission in 2027

On June 9, 2026, NASA provided new Artemis III details and announced the four prime crew members and a backup for the test flight.

How Much Do You Know About Propulsion Technology?

How much do you know about the technology that makes propulsion possible? Find out with this quiz.

Accelerating Spacecraft Development with AI, Digital Twins, and Simulation

During the 2026 Siemens Realize Live conference and exhibition in Detroit, MI, the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast interviewed Dr. Tom Stoumbos, Simulation and Test Leader at Northrop Grumman, about the company’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital simulation and testing tools to design, manufacture, and produce new satellites and space technologies. Listen now!

8 Emerging Space Startups

Powering momentum in the space sector is a new generation of commercial startups designing, building, and flight-testing breakthrough technologies that will enable sustained human presence in low-Earth orbit, on the Moon, and fuel deep-space missions. Read on for a look at eight emerging startups.

A Quadruped Robot That Can Walk a Balance Beam

Researchers in Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute have designed a system that makes an off-the-shelf quadruped robot nimble enough to walk a narrow balance beam. Read on to learn more.

Testing Heat Shields for Space

For decades, Sandia National Laboratories’ National Solar Thermal Test Facility has harnessed the power of the sun to expose aerospace materials to intense heat, replicating the harsh conditions of faster-than-sound flight and atmospheric reentry to ensure the materials’ ability to protect the rest of the vehicle. The most recent of these tests is in support of two exciting NASA missions. Read on to learn more.

Improving Next-Generation Aircraft with Supercomputing and AI

With unprecedented capabilities for simulation and artificial intelligence, the Aurora supercomputer at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory is helping researchers explore new ways to design more efficient airplanes. Read on to learn more.

NASA's Space Computing Breakthrough Powers Future Missions

NASA's High Performance Spaceflight Computing project aims to significantly increase spacecraft computing power. Read on to learn more about it.

NASA Tests High-Power Lithium Thruster for Future Human Missions to Mars

A cutting-edge technology with the potential to enable crewed Mars missions and robotic exploration across the solar system was recently tested at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Read on to learn more about it.

How Much Do You Know About Aircraft Safety?

In 2025, the global aviation industry transported under 5 billion passengers across 38.7 million flights. And yet commercial aviation continues to be one of the safest modes of public transportation — there were 1.32 accidents per million sectors in 2025. What keeps all those aircraft safe? Take this quiz to find out.

Cars and Planes Could Avoid Hazardous Ice and Freezing Rain with New Sensors

Pilots, drivers, and automated safety systems in cars and airplanes could be alerted to icy hazards by a pair of sensors developed at the University of Michigan. Read on to learn more about it.

National Astronaut Day 2026: Astronauts and Space Missions Quiz

This quiz highlights iconic astronauts associated with historic missions — professionals whose work sits at the intersection of engineering excellence and operational courage. How well do you know the people behind the programs that helped define spaceflight innovation? Test your knowledge here.

915 Hours in Space: An Interview with Retired NASA Astronaut Linda Godwin

Whose brain better to pick about NASA, the Artemis II mission, and space travel in general than the professor of astronomy emerita who has spent more than 915 hours in space? Read on for an exclusive Tech Briefs interview — edited for length and clarity — with Linda Godwin.

Lincoln Laboratory Laser Communications Terminal Launches on Historic Artemis II Moon Mission

As it orbits the Moon, the Orion spacecraft will carry an optical (laser) communications system developed at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in collaboration with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Called the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System (O2O), the system is capable of higher-bandwidth data transmissions from space compared to traditional radio-frequency (RF) systems. Read on to learn more.

An Ultra-Low-Power Technology Expands Quantum and Space Potential

The year 2025, the International Year of Quantum Science & Technology, according to the United Nations, saw major advances in quantum computing and in the development of specialized technologies required to scale those systems. And there is now a consensus that cryogenic CMOS technology is one such tool that can have a significant positive impact on the quantum industry. Read on to learn more.

How the F-22 Is Getting Software Updates Faster Than Ever

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, CEO of Defense Unicorns Rob Slaughter explains how their secure software delivery technology enables faster, repeatable updates to flight‑critical systems without changing the aircraft’s underlying hardware. Listen now!

How Much Do You Know About Jet Engine Components?

How much do you know about jet engine parts and components? Find out with this quiz.

How Much Do You Know About Aircraft Control Systems?

How much do you know about aircraft control systems? Find out with this quiz.

Artemis II: The Final Countdown

Originally scheduled for September 2025, Artemis II, NASA’s first crewed mission in the Artemis program is now targeted no later than April 2026 for launch. Taking the crew around the Moon is going to be the agency’s first step toward sustained lunar presence. Read on to learn more about it.

Robotic Space Rovers Keep Getting Stuck — Engineers Have Figured Out Why

Using computer simulations, University of Wisconsin-Madison mechanical engineers have uncovered a flaw in how rovers are tested on Earth. That error leads to overly optimistic conclusions about how rovers will behave once they’re deployed on extraterrestrial missions. Read on to learn more.

Making Oxygen Production in Space More Sustainable

A team of scientists and researchers has found a way to make oxygen production lighter, easier, and more sustainable — using magnetism. Read on to learn more.

SiPhog Technology: Enabling GPS‑Independent Flight for Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, we sit down with the CEO of Anello Photonics Mario Paniccia to explore how their breakthrough SiPhog technology is transforming drone navigation. Listen now!