An ESA initiative to speed the development of disruptive space technologies took a step forward this month, when a cohort of European innovators presented concepts which they hope will help Europe build commercially competitive, high-performance space transportation systems.

This microscopic X-ray animation shows one of the key technologies allowing advanced computer functionality to fit within the smartphone in your pocket: ‘microvias’ are laser drilled holes a small fraction of a millimetre in diameter. A typical high-density interconnect printed circuit board might possess thousands of microvias, which serve to connect multiple functional layers.

As we look ahead to long-term space missions, one of the big challenges is figuring out how to provide healthy and sustainable food for astronauts. To tackle this, ESA supported two research teams to investigate the possibility of cultivating meat in space.

Although the Crab Nebula is one of the best-studied supernova remnants, questions about its progenitor, the nature of the explosion, and the composition of its ejecta still remain unanswered. The NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope is on the case as it sleuths for any clues that remain within the supernova remnant. Webb’s infrared sensitivity, combined with data previously collected by other telescopes, is offering astronomers a more comprehensive understanding of the still-expanding scene.

Pasadena CA (JPL) Oct 30, 2023
On Oct. 24, 1998, NASA launched the Deep Space 1 spacecraft. Managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, Deep Space 1 served as a testbed for 12 new technologies, including solar electric, also known as ion propulsion, for use in future deep space and interplanetary missions. The spacecraft, the first in NASA's New Millennium program, flew by asteroid Braille and comet B

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Oct 30, 2023
Adtran has unveiled its latest synchronization solutions, fortified with Satellite Time and Location (STL) technology, in a bid to tackle the vulnerabilities increasingly plaguing GPS and other Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). The move aims to significantly enhance the robustness of critical timing infrastructures against jamming and spoofing attacks. The company's OSA 5405-S PT

Pasadena CA (JPL) Oct 30, 2023
NISAR will help researchers explore how changes in Earth's forest and wetland ecosystems are affecting the global carbon cycle and influencing climate change. Once it launches in early 2024, the NISAR radar satellite mission will offer detailed insights into two types of ecosystems - forests and wetlands - vital to naturally regulating the greenhouses gases in the atmosphere that are driving glo

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Oct 30, 2023
Researchers from the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI)-Drs. SuDong Park, Byungki Ryu, and Jaywan Chung-have formulated a new approach to thermoelectric efficiency and engineered a high-efficiency, multistage thermoelectric power generator module. This development has implications for the performance of Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs), key power sources for space pro

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Oct 30, 2023
Rogue Space Systems Corporation, an emerging name in space servicing solutions, has been awarded a Direct-to-Phase II contract by AFWERX, an initiative of the U.S. Department of the Air Force (DAF). The contract focuses on the incorporation of sensor fusion technology, designed to address key challenges in ensuring safe close-proximity operations in space. Founded in 2020, Rogue has been a

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 30, 2023
NASA and Boeing have moved their timelines, setting an April launch date for the Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test (CFT) to the International Space Station (ISS). The decision for the slight delay from a March target was taken during a launch manifest evaluation, factoring in upcoming crew rotations and cargo resupply missions scheduled for this spring. Upon satisfying NASA's stringent saf