Aerospace

Understanding Space Sustainability

The issue of space sustainability has been gaining more attention with the growing population of objects in low Earth orbit. This debris needs to be tracked to avoid collisions. Test your knowledge about space sustainability in this quiz.

NASA’s Network of Small Moon-Bound Rovers Is Ready to Roll

A trio of small rovers that will explore the Moon in sync with one another are rolling toward launch. NASA JPL’s CADRE rovers will soon map the lunar surface together as a tech demo to show the promise of multirobot missions.

Powering the Wireless Arthroscopic Camera

The first FDA-cleared wireless arthroscopic camera for minimally invasive knee surgeries and other orthopedic procedures got early support from NASA.

Portable Laser-Guided Robotic Metrology (PLGRM)

Innovators at the NASA Glenn Research Center have developed the PLGRM system, which allows an installed antenna to be characterized in an aircraft hangar. All PLGRM components can be packed onto pallets, shipped, and easily operated.

Ice Detection from Microwave Sensors

Ice build-up on aircraft and wind turbines can impact the safety and efficiency of their systems. Microwave sensors were developed that can identify in real time these accumulations while calculating the rate of melting. This is crucial data for aviation.

RISING STAR AWARDS 2024 - Nomination Form

The nominations for 2024 are now closed. The entries are being evaluated by our esteemed panel of judges, which is comprised of leaders from engineering and technology fields. ⇒ Meet the...

RISING STAR AWARD RULES

The Women in Engineering: Rising Star Awards program celebrates and recognizes women engineers who are enhancing the engineering profession through contributions to the industry and society. The nominee should be a...

Tri-Rotor Steering Wheel Yields Programmable Vehicular Control

Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have developed a programmable steering wheel called the Tri-Rotor, which allows an astronaut the ability to easily operate a vehicle on the surface of a planet or Moon despite the limited dexterity of their spacesuit. This technology was originally conceived for the operation of a lunar terrain vehicle (LTV) to improve upon previous Apolloera hand controllers.

Regolith-Polymer 3D Printing

Recognizing the need for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) to support long-duration human missions to the Moon and Mars, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Sidus Space have developed a novel three-dimensional print head apparatus using regolith-polymer mixtures as a building material.

Restoring Sight to Euclid's Visible Instrument System

A newly devised procedure to de-ice Euclid's optics has performed significantly better than hoped. Light coming in to the visible ‘VIS’ instrument from distant stars was gradually...

Dragonfly Wings Used to Study Motion

Scientists from Hiroshima University undertook a study of dragonfly wings in order to better understand the relationship between a corrugated wing structure and vortex motions. They discovered that...

5 Trailblazing Women Astronauts in Space

Only 11 percent of astronauts so far have been women. Who were the early space trailblazers? Which women astronauts broke the gender barriers and paved the way for others to follow? Take this quiz to find out.

Tesla Valve-Inspired Design Could Improve the Performance of Rotating Detonation Engines

Purdue University researchers are testing a patented Tesla valve-inspired injection manifold design that could improve the performance of rotating detonation engines (RDEs).

How Much Do You Know About Counter UAS Technology?

Development of new Counter UAS technologies is expanding across the global Aerospace and Defense industry. Test your knowledge of counter UAS technology with this quiz.

Roboticists Develop Robots for Resilient Extraterrestrial Habitats

Justin Werfel, Senior Research Fellow in Robotics at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), is leading a team tasked with developing...

Additive Manufacturing Subtracts from Rocket Build Time

Additive manufacturing is allowing NASA to deliver payload services and launch services at a better price point.

5Ws of the Light Sail

A light sail developed by Cornell’s Space Systems Design Studio (SSDS) could one day propel small spacecraft through interstellar realms.

The Rising Presence of Women in Engineering

In the U.S., women make up 14 percent of the engineering workforce. The number of female engineers across the globe is on the rise but compared to male engineers it is still much lower.

Women in Aerospace: 7 Questions with Slingshot’s Audrey Schaffer

What are the challenges for women in aerospace and what more can be done to increase the number of women in the STEM workforce? Tech Briefs interviewed Audrey Schaffer, Vice President of Strategy and Policy, Slingshot Aerospace, who has made significant strides in the aerospace industry.

Methods for Predicting Transonic Flutter Using Simple Data Models

NASA’s Ames Research Center has developed a novel closed-form solution to model wing flutter aerodynamics for any aircraft wing (within a certain thickness regime and without camber). This closed-form solution can be readily extended to wing sections with camber.

Next-Generation Radar for the F-35 Lightning II

Northrop Grumman Corporation is developing AN/APG-85, an advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar for the F-35 Lightning II.