A large crack was unexpectedly found in a T-38 Talon's cockpit longeron, prompting the US Air Force to ground its entire fleet for visual inspections. SwRI's risk and damage tolerance analyses helped determine an optimal inspection schedule, minimizing downtime and maintaining safety.
New modeling by Southwest Research Institute-led researchers suggests that asteroid Donaldjohanson formed around 150 million years ago when a larger parent asteroid broke apart. The mission's data could shed light on the asteroid's peculiar shape and surface geology.
The Southwest Research Institute-led instrument measures electric and magnetic fields to characterize the lunar subsurface, shedding light on material differentiation and thermal history. The deployment marks a new era in lunar exploration, providing unprecedented insights into the Moon's composition and structure.
The PUNCH spacecraft will study the solar corona and track space weather events in three dimensions for the first time. The constellation includes four small suitcase-sized spacecraft that will provide a clear view of the Sun's outer atmosphere, allowing scientists to discern the exact trajectory and speed of coronal mass ejections.
The ARRAKIS project team aims to understand how microbial life thrives in extreme environments by studying the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes in Alaska. Researchers will use Raman spectroscopy and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to identify and quantify organic compounds and measure ATP and total DNA.
A Southwest Research Institute-led team identified electrons with energies enhanced by processes in the Alfvén wing, shaping the plasma environment around Io. These energized electrons interact with Io's atmosphere and surface, ionizing atoms and molecules and creating aurora.
Researchers at SwRI and U-M have created a new methane flare burner using additive manufacturing and machine learning that eliminates 98% of methane vented during oil production. The burner's design, with a complex nozzle base and impeller, allows for efficient combustion even in challenging crosswind conditions.
The PUNCH mission will study the solar corona and its impact on the solar wind, improving space weather forecasting capabilities. The four small spacecraft, launched by NASA's Small Explorers program, will create a virtual instrument to image the Sun's corona, revealing previously invisible phenomena.
Researchers created a computational method to track brain cell development over time, capturing unlabeled cells and fine structures in live cultures. The algorithm achieved high precision rates for detecting individual neurons, paving the way for studying neurological diseases and developing therapies.
SwRI scientists measure tidal dissipation on Titan by analyzing the planet's spin axis rotation, revealing a recent event that affected its orbit. The study suggests that Titan's noncircular orbit is due to a perturbation within the past 350 million years.
Southwest Research Institute's Risk Evaluation & Medical Decision Efficacy (REMEDY) tool supports agile medical decisions on countermeasures for chemical and biological threats. The REMEDY mission risk evaluations quantify risks and benefits of medical countermeasures, enabling operational planners to make informed decisions.
Laboratory experiments corroborate the theory that Titan maintains its nitrogen-rich atmosphere through internal heating of organic materials. The study found significant amounts of carbon gases like methane and nitrogen, supporting the existence of a geologically short-lived atmosphere.
The PUNCH mission will integrate understanding of the Sun's corona and solar wind. The constellation will deploy in polar orbit, enabling scientists to routinely see and understand the solar wind.
Dr. Lisa Upton received the 2025 Karen Harvey Prize for advancing our understanding of the solar corona and improving solar cycle predictions. She is a leading advocate for a solar polar mission to explore the last uncharted regions of the Sun's atmosphere.
The Lunar Magnetotelluric Sounder (LMS) instrument will characterize the Moon's mantle by measuring electric and magnetic fields, providing insights into its material differentiation and thermal history. The LMS instrument is part of a 14-day lunar lander mission to explore the Moon's subsurface in a previously unexplored location.
Researchers at Southwest Research Institute propose a new model for the formation of Pluto and Charon, suggesting they may have originated from a giant collision similar to the Earth-Moon system. The scenario supports Pluto's active geology and possible subsurface ocean, with implications for the Kuiper Belt.
Walt Downing, Executive VP and COO of SwRI, received the prestigious IEEE MGA Leadership Award for his exemplary leadership in implementing member activities. He has held various leadership positions over decades and recognizes the importance of professional societies like IEEE in developing skills.
The development of magnetometers by Southwest Research Institute will measure the interplanetary magnetic field carried by the solar wind and provide critical data for NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. The instruments will help mitigate space weather impacts on electrical power grids, satellite communication, and navigation systems.
The Southwest Research Institute is recruiting residents and visitors from around the world to participate in an international oil sampling program. Participants will be paid for purchasing prequalified oil samples and shipping them to SwRI's headquarters, with payment amounts varying by location and type of sample.
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has successfully tested a novel fire mitigation method designed to safely store damaged electric vehicles and batteries. The customized test evaluated the effectiveness of an enclosure's watertight seal, providing valuable data on its performance.
Southwest Research Institute has launched a joint industry project to develop technologies for hydrogen-powered heavy-duty refueling operations. The four-year program aims to strengthen existing refueling station equipment and procedures, exploring alternatives to address supply chain issues and technical challenges.
Researchers analyzed 81 common household items for chemical makeup and exposure risks. The study used advanced chromatography and machine learning methods to identify chemicals that could pose negative health effects, such as synthetic antioxidant BKF, when exposure reached a certain threshold.
SwRI's novel Space Weather Solar Coronagraph (SwSCOR) will provide early detection and characterization of Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs), helping to predict geomagnetic storms and protect Earth assets. The instrument suite includes rapid data reduction software, delivering processed images to NOAA forecasters within minu...
SwRI researchers developed a tool to model environments expected on icy moons, accounting for organics and predicting conditions for microbial life. The project aims to constrain environmental factors and provide valuable information about ocean worlds.
A Southwest Research Institute-led team developed a revised solar composition that potentially reconciles spectroscopy and helioseismology measurements for the first time. The new solar composition suggests higher levels of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen in the Sun than previously thought.
Dr. James Walker has received the Distinguished Scientist Award for his significant contributions to hypervelocity impact science and penetration modeling. His research applications include body armor, ground vehicle armor, and shielding against orbital debris.
Researchers at Southwest Research Institute will conduct a 12-month targeted water-sampling campaign to analyze the Las Moras Springs system and its relationship with the Pinto Creek watershed. The project aims to improve water management and conservation efforts in Kinney County, Texas.
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) will help the US Air Force modernize methods to sustain three fleets of military aircraft, including the T-38 Talon, A-10 Thunderbolt II, and B-52 Stratofortress. The institute's analyses will aid in determining when structural repairs are necessary.
A Southwest Research Institute-led team has detected carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide on Charon's surface, revealing insights into the moon's geological processes and formation. The presence of these substances suggests that Charon's surface is altered by solar ultraviolet light and energetic particles.
During its flyby, the Lucy spacecraft discovered a trough and ridge structure on Dinkinesh, revealing a complex history of sudden breakups and transformation. The asteroid's internal strength and dynamic evolution were also revealed, suggesting that it has significant cohesion, unlike some other asteroids.
The Juno spacecraft has directly measured charged oxygen and hydrogen molecules from Europa's atmosphere, providing key constraints on the potential oxygenation of its subsurface ocean. The findings suggest that oxygen is continuously produced in the surface ice shell, with an estimated 12 kg per second, which could support habitability.
Researchers found evidence of hydrothermal or metamorphic activity within the icy dwarf planets Eris and Makemake, which have methane deposits with geochemical origins. The discovery suggests elevated temperatures in their rocky cores, potentially leading to liquid water and habitability.
Scientists detected water molecules on two asteroids, Iris and Massalia, indicating a distribution of water in our solar system that can inform searches for life beyond Earth. The discovery was made possible by using the FORCAST instrument to isolate mid-infrared spectral signatures indicative of molecular water.
A new SwRI study posits that the large mounds on Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth are similar in size and shape, suggesting a common origin. This finding supports the streaming instability model of planetesimal formation, where gentle collision speeds allowed objects to accumulate and form Arrokoth.
A team of scientists calculated that most of the Moon's permanently shadowed regions are younger than previously estimated and contain relatively young deposits of water ice. The findings suggest that current estimates for cold-trapped ices are too high, which could impact future missions to the Moon.
A Southwest Research Institute-led team modeled the early impact history of Venus to explain how it maintains a youthful surface despite lacking plate tectonics. The findings suggest that higher-speed, higher-energy impacts created a superheated core that promoted extended volcanism and resurfaced the planet.
A team led by SwRI and UTSA discovered Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities in Jupiter's magnetosphere, enabling the transfer of energy and mass from the solar wind. This process is crucial for understanding the interaction between the solar wind and planetary magnetic fields.
The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered a massive plume of water vapor on Saturn's moon Enceladus, stretching over 6,000 miles. This finding has significant implications for the search for life beyond Earth, as it suggests that Enceladus may have the necessary ingredients for habitability.
Researchers attribute unusual radar properties to coherent backscatter opposition effect (CBOE) and ice surface irregularities. The CBOE model, improved by Hofgartner and Hand, can explain all icy satellite radar properties.
Researchers used computational simulations to model Charon's internal ocean freeze and its effects on the moon's surface. The study found that the freezing of an internal ocean may have formed deep depressions along Charon's girth but was unlikely to lead to cryovolcanoes erupting with ice and water in its northern hemisphere.
Numerical simulations suggest that Mimas' Herschel impact basin is compatible with a thinning ice shell and geologically young ocean. The results imply that the present-day ocean within Mimas must have been warming and expanding since its formation, potentially making it an emerging ocean world.
Researchers utilized the James Webb Space Telescope to observe dense interstellar clouds, revealing a treasure trove of pristine ices from the early universe. The study provides new insights into chemical processes in one of the coldest places in the universe, offering clues on molecular origins and sulfur storage.
Researchers recreated interstellar cloud and asteroid conditions to understand how carbonaceous chondrites acquired amino acids, finding that interstellar cloud conditions are resilient to asteroid processing but influence the amount of amino acids present.
Scientists from Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) used data from NASA's Juno spacecraft to observe magnetic reconnection between Ganymede and Jupiter. The study found accelerated electrons traveling along the magnetic field at Ganymede's magnetopause, indicating the presence of reconnection.
Researchers have observed long, web-like plasma structures in the Sun's middle corona, which discharge particles into space through interactions within the structures. This innovative observation method could lead to a better understanding of the solar wind's origins and its interactions with the rest of the solar system.
The SwRI experiment helped predict the effects of NASA's DART impact on asteroid Dimorphos. The study assessed ejecta momentum enhancement created by the space probe's collision, measuring a 3.4-fold increase in momentum transfer.
Researchers compiled 41 solar occultation observations of Saturn's rings from the Cassini mission to inform future investigations into their formation and evolution. The study reveals new information on ring particles' sizes and compositions, shedding light on the origins of the ring system.
Scientists have discovered new evidence of phosphorus availability in Enceladus's ocean, making it a prime target in the search for extraterrestrial life. The discovery suggests that Enceladus's subsurface ocean is likely habitable due to its high levels of dissolved phosphorus.
Asteroid Bennu's surface is characterized as loosely bound, with a near-subsurface layer composed of weakly bound rock fragments containing twice the void space as the overall asteroid. The study provides new insights into the physical properties of rubble-pile asteroids, with implications for their long-term evolution.
A Southwest Research Institute team has developed a machine learning tool to label large, complex datasets efficiently. The iterative labeling technique reduces manual verification time by 50%, enabling deep learning models to identify potentially hazardous solar events more accurately.