Propulsion

Briefs: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Oxide Dispersion Strengthened Medium Entropy Alloy

This additively manufactured alloy is tailored for high-temperature applications.

Briefs: RF & Microwave Electronics

High-Power Microwaves for Launching Space-Bound Rockets

Using microwaves reduces the cost of launching rockets.

Briefs: Materials

3D-Printed Nanosatellite Thruster Emits Pure Ions

The thruster provides a low-cost, extremely efficient propulsion source for miniature satellites.

Briefs: Power

Rotating Detonation Engines for Rocket Propulsion

These engines will allow upper stage rockets for space missions to become lighter, travel farther, and burn more cleanly.

Briefs: Nanotechnology

Hybrid Propellant Formulation Uses Graphene Foams

This method increases burn rate of solid propellants.

Briefs: Energy

Hybrid-Electric Plane Concept Could Reduce Air Pollution

The proposed design could reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 95 percent.

Articles: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Cleaner, Faster Flight is on the Horizon

These 6 advancements are leading us to cleaner, faster aircraft.

Briefs: Energy

Rocket Thruster Exploits the Mechanism Behind Solar Flares

Thrusters based on magnetic reconnection could complete long-distance missions in a shorter period of time.

Articles: Propulsion

SAE WCX™ Digital Summit Preview

Live discussions will explore electric vehicles, propulsion, advanced electronics, and more.

Facility Focus: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Facility Focus: NASA Langley Research Center

See how NASA Langley tests a variety of advanced aircraft concepts. including ways to make flying both cleaner and quieter.

INSIDER: Imaging

High-Speed Infrared Reveals Safer Hypergolic Propellant

When SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule splashed down off the Florida coast in August following its first crewed mission, the two astronauts inside could not exit the capsule...

Facility Focus: Aerospace

Facility Focus: Stanford University School of Engineering

Stanford University’s School of Engineering has been at the forefront of innovation for nearly a century

NASA Spinoff: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Water-Powered Engines Offer Satellite Mobility

The technology could allow deep-space exploration without running out of propellant.

Articles: Motion Control

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Automotive/Transportation Category Winner — Low-Noise Laser for Lidar

Compact lasers now offer precise colors.

Articles: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

2020 Create the Future Design Contest: Aerospace & Defense Category Winner — NiobiCon™

The NiobiCon™ underwater connector will not short out, corrode, or cause an electrical shock if touched while powered in harsh environments like saltwater.

Application Briefs: Aerospace

Wave Energy Modeling for Safer Space Travel

What does wave energy have to do with space exploration? Plenty, it turns out.

Facility Focus: Test & Measurement

Facility Focus: NASA John C. Stennis Space Center

Stennis now is testing RS-25 rocket engines for the Space Launch System (SLS) that will carry humans back to the Moon.

Blog: Robotics, Automation & Control

Answering Your (Mars 2020) Questions: Will the Perseverance Rover Carry Around NASA's Mars Helicopter?

The Mars rover Perseverance has a helicopter. Will the rover have to carry it around?

Briefs: Transportation

Electrohydraulically Actuated Valve Train

The new technology demonstrates a 20 percent savings in fuel in typical passenger car low-load operating conditions.

Briefs: Aerospace

SMART Solar Sail

The miniaturized, autonomous, reconfigurable solar sail is capable of very fine maneuvering by small surface deformation.

Briefs: Test & Measurement

Machine Learning Enables Rapid Rocket Engine Design

This method provides a fast way to assess rocket engine performance in a variety of operating conditions.

Briefs: Aerospace

Supersonic Spike Diffuser

This diffuser provides double the pumping efficiency in one-quarter the space.

Blog: Software

A Faster Way to Design Rockets: Scientific Machine Learning

To speed up the design process, researchers from the University of Texas are finding more efficient ways to predict, or "learn," a rocket's behavior.