Copernical Team
Benchmark Space Systems cracks code for viable ASCENT propellant
Tapped to help U.S. defense agencies deploy safer propellant alternatives to hydrazine, Benchmark Space Systems has announced a two-year, $2.81 million AFRL SPRINT (Space Propulsion Research and Innovation for Neutralizing Satellite Threats) award to further develop and test flight-optimized thrusters running on ASCENT (Advanced Spacecraft Energetic Non-Toxic) fuel. It is Benchmark's secon
Is a Mach 4 Passenger Jet Possible? NASA, Industry Explore Idea
Flying from New York City to London up to four times faster than what's currently possible may sound like a far-off dream, but NASA is exploring whether the commercial market could support travel at such speeds. NASA recently investigated the business case for supersonic passenger air travel aboard aircraft that could theoretically travel between Mach 2 and Mach 4 (1,535-3,045 mph at sea level).
Producing superior graphene aerogel in space
Graphene aerogel is a remarkable lightweight material that is both thermally insulating and electrically conductive. This makes it appealing for use in a wide variety of applications-from improved energy storage in batteries to better oil spill cleanup methods to next-generation space suits. A team of researchers from Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley are leveraging
NASA Armstrong supports wind study
Wind affects all aircraft, particularly during takeoff and landing. It's especially critical for new types of transportation. A new NASA flight campaign studying wind aims to gather information to enhance air taxi safety. Researchers measured wind at altitudes below 2,000 feet using drones, sensors, weather balloons, and other technology during the Advanced Exploration of Reliable Operatio
Swarm of small transportation vehicles carries 40 tons
Old production machinery has to be replaced due to changed requirements. However, high weight and limited space in plants often make it very difficult to assemble and disassemble big machines or to reposition them. Frequently, this is done by hand using heavy-duty rollers. FORMIC Transportsysteme, a spinoff of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), has developed a semi-automatic transpor
Indian rover confirms sulphur on Moon's south pole
India's Moon rover has confirmed the presence of sulphur on the lunar south pole, the country's space agency said. Last week, India became the first country to land a craft near the largely unexplored south pole, and just the fourth nation to land on the Moon. "The Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) instrument onboard Chandrayaan-3 Rover has made the first-ever in-situ measureme
How data from a NASA lunar orbiter is preparing Artemis astronauts
When astronauts set off for a trip around the moon in 2024 with NASA's Artemis II mission, they will go primed with knowledge of lunar landmarks gathered by one of the Agency's premiere robotic missions to our nearest cosmic neighbor.
NASA's New Horizons mission still threatened
The New Horizons spacecraft that studied Pluto and Kuiper belt object Arrokoth continues its pioneering exploration of the Kuiper belt. However, that might soon end if NASA doesn't change course. The New Horizons science team has been told by NASA that the mission as they know it is slated to end September 30, 2024.
In response, many in the planetary science community have communicated extreme disapproval of that action to the agency. In addition, the National Space Society launched a petition drive to save the mission and its mission scientists. It's asking people to sign and show public support to the decision-makers at NASA. The deadline is the end of August.
Interested members of the public can also write to their Congressmembers or Senators directly about the issue. Those representatives can contact NASA administrator Bill Nelson to save the mission and its science team.
Scientists prepare ISS experiment to study how droplets form in space
Dropcoal, short for drop coalescence, is a research project that studies how droplets form in space and on Earth. The results will grant insights into raindrop and cloud formation, fuel combustion and interactions between materials, all with broad implications for industry and academy. They also play a crucial role in administering medicine to astronauts during lengthy and far-reaching space missions.
The project encompasses experiments running during parabolic flights and in laboratories. The aim is to study droplet formation and coalescence in the low gravity environment of the International Space Station as part of a future ESA mission.
When drops collide
On Earth, gravity complicates drop formation. When a liquid falls or drips, gravity pulls it downward and affects the way the drop forms. Instead of a simple, perfectly spherical shape, gravity causes the drop to elongate or flatten out as it falls.
India's moon rover confirms sulfur and detects several other elements near the lunar south pole
India's moon rover confirmed the presence of sulfur and detected several other elements near the lunar south pole as it searches for signs of frozen water nearly a week after its historic moon landing, India's space agency said Tuesday.