Engineering
Soft robot can ride wires like a cable car to deliver cargo
Soft robot can ride wires like a cable car to deliver cargo Researchers have created a light-powered soft robot that can carry loads through the air along established tracks, similar to cable cars or aerial trams. The soft robot operates autonomously and can climb slopes at angles of up to 80 degrees, carrying loads up […]
🔬 Science
What is a downburst? These winds can be as destructive as tornadoes − we recreate them to test building designs
What is a downburst? These winds can be as destructive as tornadoes − we recreate them to test building designs A downburst is a powerful wind storm that can be as destructive as tornadoes, with winds reaching over 150 miles per hour and causing widespread damage to buildings, power lines, and trees. Downbursts form when […]
🔬 Science
Development of a MW-Scale High-Voltage Multiphase Dual-Rotor Generator and Rectifier for a PMAD in an NEP System
Development of a MW-Scale High-Voltage Multiphase Dual-Rotor Generator and Rectifier for a PMAD in an NEP System Developing a power management and distribution (PMAD) system for a Mars mission that can be coupled with a megawatt-scale nuclear power generation system. The PMAD system will include a dual rotor generator and power rectifier, optimized and validated […]
💻 Technology
All models are wrong − a computational modeling expert explains how engineers make them useful
All models are wrong − a computational modeling expert explains how engineers make them useful Engineering models are not perfect and can have limitations that lead to failures if not properly understood. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse in 1940 was caused by a fatal engineering assumption: that wind could not cause bridges to move up […]
🔬 Science
NASA Announces 31st Human Exploration Rover Challenge Winners
NASA Announces 31st Human Exploration Rover Challenge Winners NASA has announced the winners of its 31st Human Exploration Rover Challenge, which took place on April 11-12 at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The competition challenged students to design, build, and test a lunar rover powered by either human pilots or remote […]
📰 News
NASA Offers Free High School Engineering Program This Summer
NASA Offers Free High School Engineering Program This Summer NASA’s Glenn Research Center is offering a free summer STEM program for high school students in Northeast Ohio, called the NASA Glenn High School Engineering Institute. The program will take place from July 7-25, 2025, and will provide students with a work-based learning experience to prepare […]
📚 Education
Caroline Cawthon: Supporting America’s Future in Low Earth Orbit
Caroline Cawthon: Supporting America’s Future in Low Earth Orbit Caroline Cawthon joined NASA in 2017 as a contractor supporting the International Space Station and has since held various roles, including certified flight controller, team lead, and lead systems engineer. Cawthon is currently the systems engineering and integration lead for NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development […]
💻 Technology
From FIRST Robotics to NASA Rockets: Angel Saenz’s Journey to White Sands
From FIRST Robotics to NASA Rockets: Angel Saenz’s Journey to White Sands Angel Saenz’s journey to working at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility began with his participation in the FIRST Robotics Competition, a STEM education program that helped him develop a passion for engineering. Saenz credits the program for giving him a head start in […]
🔬 Science
NASA Selects Finalist Teams for Student Human Lander Challenge
NASA Selects Finalist Teams for Student Human Lander Challenge NASA has selected 12 student teams to develop solutions for storing and transferring the super-cold liquid propellants needed for future long-term exploration beyond Earth orbit. The agency’s 2025 Human Lander Challenge is designed to inspire and engage the next generation of engineers and scientists as NASA […]
🔬 Science
Membrane could pave way for sails for space travel
Membrane could pave way for sails for space travel In a potential step toward sending small spacecraft to the stars, researchers have developed an ultra-thin, ultra-reflective membrane designed to ride a column of laser light to incredible speeds. Since its launch in 1977, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft has traveled over 15 billion miles into deep […]
🔬 Science