Engineering
How was the wheel invented? Computer simulations reveal the unlikely birth of a world-changing technology nearly 6,000 years ago
How was the wheel invented? Computer simulations reveal the unlikely birth of a world-changing technology nearly 6,000 years ago The wheel’s invention is still shrouded in mystery, but recent computer simulations suggest that it may have originated from wooden rollers around 6,000 years ago. A team of researchers discovered over 150 miniaturized wagons made from […]
🔬 Science
I Am Artemis: Ernesto Garcia
I Am Artemis: Ernesto Garcia Ernesto Garcia, an engineering manager at Rayotech Scientific, is responsible for fabricating windowpanes for the Orion spacecraft, a critical component of NASA’s Artemis program. The manufacturing process involves cutting and grinding glass sheets to near net shape, followed by strengthening the edges and polishing/coating the windows to ensure they can […]
🔬 Science
Dr. Natasha Schatzman Receives Vertical Flight Society (VFS) Award
Dr. Natasha Schatzman Receives Vertical Flight Society (VFS) Award Dr. Natasha Schatzman, an aerospace engineer at NASA Ames Research Center, received the inaugural Alex M. Stoll Award from the Vertical Flight Society (VFS) in May 2025. The award honors Dr. Schatzman’s exceptional commitment to advancing vertical flight and enhancing the well-being of her colleagues. Dr. […]
📰 News
Auburn Team Wins 2025 NASA Moon and Mars Design Competition
Auburn Team Wins 2025 NASA Moon and Mars Design Competition Auburn University’s team “Dynamic Ecosystems for Mars Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) Testing, Evaluation, and Reliability (DEMETER)” won top prize in NASA’s 2025 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems – Academic Linkage (RASC-AL) Competition Forum. The RASC-AL Competition is a unique initiative that bridges the gap […]
🔬 Science
Career Spotlight: Mathematician (Ages 14-18)
Career Spotlight: Mathematician (Ages 14-18) A mathematician uses their expert knowledge of math to solve problems and gain new understanding about how our world works, applying math to various fields like engineering, finance, and sciences. NASA employs mathematicians in various roles, including astronomer, mathematical modeler, electrical engineer, data analyst, and computer scientist, who use math […]
🔬 Science
Johnson’s Paige Whittington Builds a Symphony of Simulations
Johnson’s Paige Whittington Builds a Symphony of Simulations Paige Whittington, a NASA engineer, combines her passion for music and space exploration by developing simulations to inform human spaceflight decisions. As a principal flutist for Purdue University’s Wind Ensemble, Whittington learned the importance of harmonization and teamwork, skills she now applies to her work as a […]
🔬 Science
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 […]
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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 […]
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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