SpaceTech
NASA Tech to Use Moonlight to Enhance Measurements from Space
NASA Tech to Use Moonlight to Enhance Measurements from Space NASA is launching a new mission called Arcstone to measure moonlight from space and use it as a calibration standard for Earth-viewing sensors. The mission will use a spectrometer to measure lunar spectral reflectance, which will provide a stable and universal calibration source for satellite […]
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NASA Awards Third Crowdsourcing Contract Iteration
NASA Awards Third Crowdsourcing Contract Iteration NASA has awarded its third crowdsourcing contract iteration, NOIS3, worth $475 million over 10 years to empower NASA’s workforce by engaging global communities in solving complex space exploration challenges. The contract aims to utilize multiple crowdsourcing tools and methodologies, including public prize competitions, freelance tasking, technology searches, and other […]
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NASA Langley Uses Height, Gravity to Test Long, Flexible Booms
NASA Langley Uses Height, Gravity to Test Long, Flexible Booms NASA’s Langley Research Center has developed a technique to test long, flexible composite booms for space use, utilizing gravity to aid in the testing process. The facility’s height allows for vertical testing without the need for extra equipment that can affect the boom’s response, providing […]
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Photophoretic Propulsion Enabling Mesosphere Exploration
Photophoretic Propulsion Enabling Mesosphere Exploration Photophoretic Propulsion Enabling Mesosphere Exploration (PPEMSE) is a NASA-funded concept that aims to explore Earth’s upper atmosphere using no-moving-parts flying vehicles. The concept utilizes photophoretic levitation and propulsion, which creates lift in structures that absorb light on the bottom yet stay cool on the top, maximizing payload capabilities. The proposed […]
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Addressing Key Challenges To Mapping Sub-cm Orbital Debris in LEO via Plasma Soliton Detection
Addressing Key Challenges To Mapping Sub-cm Orbital Debris in LEO via Plasma Soliton Detection Researchers are developing a new approach to detect sub-cm orbital debris in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) using plasma soliton detection, which could provide a breakthrough in space situational awareness. The proposed investigation aims to address two key technical challenges: developing an […]
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Power on the Dark Side: Stimulus-Responsive Adsorbents for Low-Energy Controlled Storage and Delivery of Low Boiling Fuels to Mobile Assets in Permanently Shaded Regions
Power on the Dark Side: Stimulus-Responsive Adsorbents for Low-Energy Controlled Storage and Delivery of Low Boiling Fuels to Mobile Assets in Permanently Shaded Regions Researchers are developing stimulus-responsive adsorbents to store low-boiling fuels for mobile assets in permanently shaded regions. The project focuses on Metal Oxide Frameworks (MOFs) that can store methane and oxygen, which […]
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Piezoelectric-Based Power Conversion for Lunar Surface Systems
Piezoelectric-Based Power Conversion for Lunar Surface Systems Piezoelectric-based power conversion systems are being developed for small power systems on the lunar surface. These systems aim to offer high power density, reducing size, weight, and cost while maintaining high efficiency. The extreme lunar environment poses challenges, but piezoelectric systems can withstand prolonged exposure to cold and […]
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Early Career Faculty 2024
Early Career Faculty 2024 Researchers are preparing for next moonwalk simulations using advanced propulsion systems, including a high-voltage multiphase dual-rotor generator and rectifier. A team at Purdue University is working on concept demonstrations of directed energy propulsion using metasurface lightsails, which could potentially revolutionize space travel. Scientists are developing innovative power systems to enable small-scale […]
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Developing Oxychalcogenide Membranes for Superconducting Power Transmission
Developing Oxychalcogenide Membranes for Superconducting Power Transmission Researchers are developing oxychalcogenide membranes for superconducting power transmission, aiming to create a cable that can operate on the Moon with low electrical losses. The team will use novel manufacturing techniques to grow alternating layers of FeSe SrTiO3 films onto a substrate, resulting in a superconducting tape that […]
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NASA Announces Call for New Computing Approaches to Earth Science
NASA Announces Call for New Computing Approaches to Earth Science NASA is launching the “Beyond the Algorithm Challenge” to encourage innovative computing approaches for solving complex Earth science problems. The challenge, sponsored by NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office, aims to develop new business models and transformative computing methods such as quantum computing, neuromorphic computing, or […]
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