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Aeronautics

Blog: Aerospace
Go for Launch: Scientists Explore Radiation Risks to Mars-Bound Astronauts
Technology Leaders: Materials
The Problem of Obsolete Avionics
UpFront: Robotics, Automation & Control
UpFront: September 2021 Tech Briefs
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Top Stories

Blog: Energy

A 'Charging Room' Powers Devices Through the Air

Blog: Aerospace

A 3D-Printed 'Fish Fin' Offers New Ideas for Morphing Aircraft

INSIDER: Energy

More Efficient Electricity Distribution Thanks to New Insulation Material

Blog: Power

A New Way to Launch Rockets: Microwave Power

Blog: Aerospace

Go for Launch: Scientists Explore Radiation Risks to Mars-Bound Astronauts

INSIDER: Energy

Better Batteries for Grid-Scale Energy Storage

Latest Briefs & News

Blog: Aerospace
A 3D-Printed 'Fish Fin' Offers New Ideas for Morphing Aircraft
Professor Francois Barthelat wants to incorporate the fish fin's strong, flexible characteristics into robotic and aerospace designs.
Blog: RF & Microwave Electronics
A New Way to Launch Rockets: Microwave Power
A team at the University of Tsukuba used a beam of microwave radiation to a launch a drone into the air. Can this type of propulsion take off?
Special Reports: Imaging
Aerospace Manufacturing - August 2021

Demanding applications in the aerospace industry require products and systems that are manufactured using the latest technologies – from design and simulation, to fabrication and final testing. To help...

White Papers: Aerospace
Design Considerations for Harsh-Environment Connectivity

As humans continue to explore the depths of the oceans, the heights of the mountains, and the far reaches of galaxies, the technologies we use in these extreme conditions push...

Briefs: Materials
High-Pressure Soft Lithography for Microtopographical Patterning of Molded Polymers and Composites
Applications include anti-fouling and anti-contamination, aerodynamic and hydrodynamic drag reduction, and adhesive joining of composite parts.
Briefs: Aerospace
Method Detects Onset of Destructive Oscillations in Aircraft Turbines
Early flutter detection will help in the development of safer and more eco-friendly aircraft turbines.
Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition
Drones Use Machine Learning to Detect Landmines
Dangerous “butterfly” landmines can be detected using low-cost drones and infrared cameras.
Briefs: Aerospace
GPS-Enhanced Onboard Navigation System (GEONS)
The open-architecture flight software package provides solutions for onboard orbit determination.
Briefs: Energy
Winglet with Injected Flow
Injection of air at the trailing edge of a winglet further reduces drag.
Facility Focus: Electronics & Computers
Facility Focus: Duke University Pratt School of Engineering
Duke Engineering supports clinical ultrasound imaging, restoration of hearing by cochlear implant, megapixel photography, and metamaterials.
Blog: Communications
How Can the Private Sector Support Space?
A reader asks a Space Force expert about new markets, including data transport, traffic management, and advanced power.
Question of the Week: Power
Will 'Zero-Impact' Planes Take Off?

Our May issue of Tech Briefs highlighted a hybrid-electric aircraft design from MIT that, according to its creators, could reduce global nitrogen oxide (NOx) 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: Test & Measurement
Cord Tension Measurement Device
Potential applications include parachutes, hot air balloons, weather balloons, blimps, sails, and parasails.
Special Reports: Photonics/Optics
Advanced Materials & Coatings - May 2021

New diamond super-material enhances military aircraft survivability…a gold film gives robots “chameleon skin”…shape-shifting nanomaterial offers exciting biotech...

White Papers: Aerospace
Ensuring Aerospace Safety & Cost-Efficiency with Fiber Optics

Keeping passengers and crews safe, flights on time, and costs and maintenance on-budget requires high-quality, innovative advanced test and measurement capabilities. Whether in...

Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems
Laser-Light-Based Accelerometer
The tiny device accurately measures acceleration in smaller navigation systems and other devices.
Articles: Materials
Evaluating Low-and Ultra-Low-Outgassing Silicones for Space Applications
Highly purified, low-outgassing silicones prevent material degradation in satellites and space vehicles.
Question of the Week: Propulsion
Will Turboelectric Aircraft Take Off?

A recent video on Tech Briefs TV highlighted NASA’s new idea for aircraft: the STARC-ABL. The concept under development aims to bridge the gap between current jet fuel-powered aircraft and future all-electric vehicles.

Special Reports: RF & Microwave Electronics
Unmanned Systems - March 2021

Drones that swarm and change shape mid-flight... autonomous combat vehicles on the battlefield...the latest in counter-UAS technology. Read about new advances in air and ground unmanned systems in this report...

Briefs: Software
New Mathematical Tool Can Select the Best Sensors for The Job
A mathematical framework can help engineers make informed decisions about which sensors to use and where they must be positioned in aircraft and other machines.
NASA Spinoff: Data Acquisition
NASA Brings Airport Communications into the Digital Age
Pilots and air traffic controllers no longer will rely solely on voice communications.
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.
Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control
Algorithms Improve Quadrotor Drone Performance
The algorithms enable drones to quickly switch between hover and forward flight.
Special Reports: Aerospace
Rugged Computing - March 2021

From the battlefield to the oceans to the extremes of space, electronics and computing advances enable missions in the harshest conditions. To help you keep pace with the latest developments, we present this...

Briefs: Test & Measurement
Method Tracks What Happens Inside Batteries
The method could be key to designing more efficient batteries for specific uses such as electric cars and airplanes.
NASA Spinoff: Manufacturing & Prototyping
NASA Brain-Training Technology Makes Smart Glasses
With a technique first used at NASA, researchers are making glasses that can improve your concentration.
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
Application Briefs: Aerospace
Cameras Capture Asteroid Debris Retrieval
See how Space Dynamics Laboratory built the electronics for a three-camera suite onboard OSIRIS-REx.
Question of the Week
Will Stretchable Smartphones Catch On?

Webcasts

On-Demand Webinars: Automotive

Thermoplastic Solutions to Address Trends and Needs in Automotive Exterior and...

Upcoming Webinars: Automotive

The Role of Multi-Angle Spectrophotometers in Color Measurement

Upcoming Webinars: Automotive

Advanced High-Peak-Power Semiconductor Laser Transmitter...

Upcoming Webinars: Automotive

Software Reuse in Automotive Engineering

Upcoming Webinars: Automotive

Don’t Let the Future of High-Voltage Cables Shock You

Upcoming Webinars: Aerospace

Artemis: Back to the Moon

Trending Stories

NASA Spinoff: Materials

Nanotechnology Repairs Engine Damage in Cars

INSIDER: Energy

More Efficient Electricity Distribution Thanks to New Insulation Material

INSIDER: Energy

Better Batteries for Grid-Scale Energy Storage

Articles: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Contacts for Hi-Rel Connectors: Comparing Technologies

NASA Spinoff: Transportation

Nanotechnology Repairs Engine Damage in Cars

Briefs: Information Technology

Evaluating Descent and Ascent Trajectories Near Non-Spherical Bodies

Videos