Aeronautics

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.

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.

Firefly Aerospace Adds Volta’s Wireless Power Receiver to Blue Ghost Mission 2 Lander

Firefly Aerospace recently announced a new commercial payload agreement with Volta Space Technologies to host a wireless power receiver on Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 2 lander on the far side of the Moon. The payload will serve as a technology demonstration for Volta’s planned lunar power network, called LightGrid. Read on to learn more.

Peering through Lunar Darkness: Laser Invention to Steer the Next Generation of Moon Landers

In a pivotal step toward autonomous lunar exploration, Advanced Navigation has announced the successful completion of the critical terrestrial validation for its LUNA (Laser Measurement Unit for Navigational Aid) sensor. Read on to learn more.

AI-Powered Vision System Helps Drones Navigate Safely

The skies are getting crowded. Every day, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration manages tens of thousands of flights — from drones and helicopters to commercial jets. As air traffic...

“I Told You the Moon Was Made of Cheese”

If the title grabs your attention, you're going to have to read on. We promise you there is an explanation, but you must first read the article.

Cislunar Space Exploration: Next Frontier for Propulsion Advancements

The race is on for leadership in cislunar space, considered a gateway to the future of space exploration. Yet operating in this domain introduces unique challenges for propulsion systems. Read on to learn more about the progress being made on the matter.

Exploring Earth Science with a New Navigational System

NASA and its partners recently tested an aircraft guidance system that could help planes maintain a precise course even while flying at high speeds up to 500 mph. The instrument is...

Mass 3D Printing in Space for the First Time

Auxilium Biotechnologies has successfully deployed its 3D bioprinter aboard the ISS. The platform is the first of its kind, making history by printing eight implantable medical devices simultaneously in just two hours.

7 Space Sustainability Startups

A renewed focus on space sustainability has led to the emergence of several new space startups that are thinking out of the box to find novel technology solutions to tackle space junk. Read on to take a look at seven such startups.

Robotic “SuperLimbs” Aid Astronauts to Recover from Falls

MIT engineers are designing a pair of wearable robotic limbs that can physically support an astronaut and lift them back on their feet after a fall. The system, which the researchers have dubbed Supernumerary Robotic Limbs or “SuperLimbs,” is designed to extend from a backpack. Read on to learn more.

Helping Robots Make Good Decisions in Real Time

In 2018, Google DeepMind's AlphaZero program taught itself the games of chess, shogi, and go, using machine learning and a special algorithm to determine the best moves to win a game within a...

Bird-Inspired Drone Can Jump for Take-Off

EPFL researchers have built a drone that can walk, hop, and jump into flight with the aid of birdlike legs, greatly expanding the range of potential environments accessible to unmanned aerial...

Ball Valve Assembly Yields Linear Flowrate Control

Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have developed an adjustable thermal control ball valve assembly which utilizes a unique geometric ball valve design to facilitate precise thermal control within a spacesuit. The technology meters the coolant flow going to the cooling and ventilation garment, worn by an astronaut in the next generation space suit. Read on to learn more.