Aerospace

Expanding Copernicus’s Earth Observation Program With Hyperspectral Imaging

Last June, the European Commission and the European Space Agency awarded Kuva Space a €5M commercial contract to be the sole provider of hyperspectral data...

Commercial Lunar Landers Ready for the Moon

Through its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, NASA is working with several U.S. companies to accelerate a robotic return to the Moon. Test your knowledge about commercial lunar landers in this quiz.

How Webb Telescope Made Simulation Software Better

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope pushed optical modeling capabilities, driving advances in software used to design medical and augmented reality devices.

Reaching for the Moon: Astrobotic Peregrine Mission One

Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic is at the precipice of groundbreaking historic opportunity with the launch of its Peregrine Mission One (PM1), which, if successful, will make it the first U.S. commercial spacecraft to land on the Moon.

5 Most-Popular Quizzes of 2023

Find out which five of our quizzes were the most popular in 2023.

5 Most-Watched Videos of 2023

Which videos were the most popular this year? Find out, as we’ve curated the top 5 Tech Briefs videos from 2023. Relive their greatness here.

Top 10 Engineering Stories of 2023 on Tech Briefs

If you missed the most-popular engineering stories of 2023 on Tech Briefs, see the list below.

Beyond the Shadows: Engineering Solutions for Surviving the Lunar Night

Passive thermal control systems have been developed over years of research and product development and will serve as enabling technology for NASA’s VIPER and future missions.

‘Digital Winglets’ for Real-Time Flight Paths

Traffic-Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests (TASAR), developed by NASA, is a piece of software pilots and ground operations teams can use to find better routes in transit.

Novel Control Method in Tailless Aircraft

A research team at the Illinois Institute of Technology has for the first time demonstrated the use of a novel control method in a tailless aircraft. The technology allows an aircraft to be as smooth and sleek as possible — making it safer to fly in dangerous areas where radar scans the sky for sharp edges.

Megawatt Motor Could Lead to Electrifying Large Aircraft

A team of MIT engineers is creating a one-megawatt motor that could be a key stepping-stone toward electrifying larger aircraft. The team has designed and tested the major components of the motor.

Spacecraft with Artificial Gravity Modules

NASA Ames Research Center has developed a novel technology — a system and approach for creating artificial gravity using a non-rotating spacecraft with connected moving modules, which can be used for habitation and other purposes.

New Algorithm Keeps Drones from Colliding in Midair

When multiple drones are working together in the same airspace, perhaps spraying pesticide over a field of corn, there’s a risk they might crash into each other. To help avoid these costly crashes, MIT researchers developed a system called MADER in 2020.

Coil-On-Plug Igniter for Reliable Engine Starts

Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have developed a coil-on-plug ignition system for integrated liquid oxygen/liquid methane thermal-vacuum environment propulsion systems operating in a thermal vacuum environment. The innovation will help quell corona discharge issues and reduce overall mass.

Testing Real Driverless Cars in a Virtual Environment

Researchers at The Ohio State University have developed new software to aid in the development, evaluation, and demonstration of safer autonomous, or driverless, vehicles. Called the Vehicle-in-Virtual-Environment (VVE) method, it allows the testing of driverless cars in a perfectly safe environment.

Aerovy Mobility Develops Cloud Software to Support Electric Aircraft Infrastructure

Launched by Purdue University postgraduate students, Aerovy Mobility commercializes cloud-based software solutions to plan and operate infrastructure that charges electric aircraft with renewable energy.

Invertible Neural Network Tool Helps Optimize Airfoil Design

Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are building computational tools using artificial intelligence (AI) that can help optimize airfoil design for wind...

How Much Do You Know About Jet Engines?

As the future of jet engine technology continues to take shape, test your knowledge about how jet engines work with this quiz.

Top Prizes Awarded in 2023 Create the Future Design Contest

NeuroPair’s Fibermag treatment — which aims to help patients of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) recover — took home the distinguished honor on Friday, November 10 in the heart of New York City.

How AI is Changing Military Aircraft Maintenance and More

David Mazar, Vice President of Strategy and Growth, Spark Cognition Government Systems, is the guest on this episode of Here’s an Idea. He explains how his company’s AI-enabled digital maintenance tool is changing the way military aircraft are serviced.

NASA’s Emissive Material Adapted for High-Tech Fabrics

A coating material developed by NASA for protecting spaceplanes’ heat shields is now being used in high-tech fibers and fabrics.

2023 Create the Future Design Contest

The Create the Future Design Contest, launched in 2002 by SAE Media Group, recognizes and rewards engineering innovations that benefit humanity, the environment, and the economy. The annual contest draws product designs from engineers, students, and entrepreneurs worldwide.

2023 Create the Future Design Contest: Aerospace & Defense Finalist

See the 2023 Create the Future Design Contest's Aerospace & Defense Finalist: Zulu Pods, self-contained, sealed, oil tanks and pumps that can be installed into existing low-cost expendable jet engines.

2023 Create the Future Design Contest: Manufacturing & Materials Finalist

Learn about the 2023 Create the Future Design Contest's Manufacturing & Materials Finalist: TenseFlatables, 3D-printed tensegrity-assisted inflatable structures.

NASA’s First Two-Way End-to-End Laser Communications Relay System

NASA is demonstrating laser communications on multiple missions – showcasing the benefits infrared light can have for science and exploration missions transmitting terabytes...