Articles tagged with Space Technology
A new study from the University of Copenhagen reveals that astronauts experience changes in their gut bacteria shortly after leaving Earth and gravity behind. The researchers found increased protein fermentation, which may contribute to constipation, and suggest potential interventions for future long-duration space missions.
The panel discussed how advances in engineering are unlocking new scientific missions and driving breakthroughs. Emerging technologies, such as commercial capabilities and artificial intelligence, are reshaping the mission landscape.
The 46th COSPAR Scientific Assembly addressed the challenge of preserving dark and quiet skies for astronomical observations and satellite technology. The session considered scientific, technical, operational, and regulatory perspectives to balance benefits with environmental and societal concerns.
A Southwest Research Institute-led study demonstrates PUNCH's potential to improve space weather forecasts by tracking fast coronal mass ejections and predicting their arrival times. The mission's high-fidelity data enables accurate forecasting, with retro-forecasts predicting arrival times within a 30-minute window.
Researchers developed a method to detect water ice on the moon using seismic waves, which can travel faster through frozen soil. This discovery is critical for NASA's Artemis program, which aims to send crewed landings to the moon's south polar region in 2028.
A team of international researchers has successfully demonstrated a breakthrough in detecting satellites and space debris in orbit using repurposed radio telescopes. This technology can increase sensitivity by more than tenfold, enabling the detection of smaller objects at greater distances.
Scientists at UC Riverside developed a new method to help LIGO detect weaker gravitational-wave events by measuring heat-induced distortions in mirrors. The technique combines thermal imaging with existing wavefront measurements and computer models, enabling the observatory to improve its sensitivity and detect more distant events.
The Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellite (RSGS) payload successfully launched from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral U.S. Space Force Station. The mission aims to extend the life and resilience of satellites in geosynchronous orbit through on-orbit servicing.
Lehigh University has joined an international research consortium to advance commercial space research and innovation, with a focus on low-Earth orbit technology and microgravity science applications. The partnership aims to develop foundational technologies for future commercial platforms, including the Starlab space station.
A recent study from the University of Cambridge predicts that space launch costs will plummet over the next few years, falling more than 90% by 2040. The cost of sending a kilogram of payload into low Earth orbit is expected to drop from $3,868 last year to as little as $273 per kilo by 2040.
Researchers have discovered fragments as small as 5cm in size in geosynchronous orbit, shedding light on their behavior and highlighting the need for more accurate surveys to mitigate damage to expensive satellites.
A University of Houston engineer developed a real-time safety system for quadrotor drones that can prevent accidents caused by unexpected events. The new technology uses a 'safety supervisor' module to monitor the drone's tilt and position in real time, ensuring it stays within safety limits.
University of Delaware researchers have successfully tested geopolymers in space, demonstrating higher strength than identical samples stored on Earth. The findings hold promise for long-term lunar construction, with regolith potentially used to produce construction materials without energy-intensive processing.
Astronomers discovered a giant planet orbiting a dead star, WD1856b, and used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to analyze its atmosphere. The study found the planet migrated toward its dead companion billions of years after the star died, surviving destruction through extreme heat.
This study proposes a frequency-sweeping interferometry technique to measure intertelescope baselines with high precision and stability. Experimental results demonstrate improved stability by 33.47% and ranging accuracy of 44.30 μm over 10 m range.
A dynamic model of the release mechanism and interfacial adhesion effect is established to evaluate release performance and guide optimization. The improved genetic algorithm-based identification method significantly enhances model approximation, enabling accurate description of dynamic behavior during release.
A novel dynamic modeling approach for a net-membrane capture system accounts for combined deformations, enabling effective capture of stationary and spinning debris. The study identifies optimal shooting parameters, demonstrating excellent despinning capability during capture.
A study published in Science Advances reveals that Earth's ionosphere contributed to the majority of ring current ions during a record-breaking super geomagnetic storm in May 2024. This finding highlights the importance of understanding how much Earth's ionosphere contributes to the ring current, as it may be essential for accurately p...
The SwRI-led Lucy mission has found that asteroid Donaldjohanson rotates on two axes, with a wobbling pattern observed every 10.5 and 26.5 Earth days.
Landsat 10 will process up to 1.8 gigabits of compressed data per second, capturing detailed images of the Earth's surface with unmatched radiometric precision. SwRI is developing control technology and operational simulators to regulate instrument temperature and position camera mirrors.
New study by University of Southampton confirms the universe's expansion is still accelerating as previously found, debunking 2025 claims that the cosmos was slowing. The team re-evaluated data using Type Ia supernovae to calculate vast cosmic distances and found no error in their methods.
A team of astronomers used JWST to detect the motion of stars near a galaxy's center affected by a dormant black hole's gravity. The findings suggest that densest galaxies were sites of rapid black hole growth early in cosmic history.
Researchers have discovered the fastest wind near a supermassive black hole at ultraviolet wavelengths, driven by the quasar's surrounding matter disc. The wind's velocity is up to 30% the speed of light, making it unlike any hurricane on Earth.
MIT engineers have developed a new propulsion system that integrates chemical and electrical thrusters, allowing small satellites to perform both fast maneuvers and precise adjustments. The system uses a special propellant called ASCENT, which powers both types of thrusters, enabling smaller and more flexible spacecraft.
Researchers at Texas A&M University are designing how humans will build and survive on the moon, focusing on sustainable construction using lunar regolith. The institution's efforts aim to reduce costs associated with shipping materials to the moon, making it possible to produce rocket propellant locally.
Researchers discovered the Zwan-Wolf effect in the Martian atmosphere, which helps move solar wind plasma around the planet and makes it less dense. This finding advances scientists' understanding of how the sun interacts with the solar system, particularly on unmagnetized bodies like Mars.
The US Naval Research Laboratory has launched the Glowbug-2 instrument to identify and localize cataclysmic cosmic events known as short gamma-ray bursts (GRB). The mission provides essential data for multi-messenger astrophysics, serving as a critical electromagnetic counterpart to ground-based gravitational wave observatories.
The European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) will be the most powerful optical and infrared telescope ever built, enabling unprecedented observations of exoplanets and galaxies. Canadian astronomers will gain guaranteed access to the telescope through a $11.3M grant, supporting the development of the ANDES instrument.
Researchers at MIT and Europe create model predicting gravitational wave patterns from black holes in dark matter environments, detecting possible imprints on LVK data. The study offers a new way to screen gravitational-wave signals for hints of dark matter.
The report outlines risk scenarios on Earth, at sea, and in space, analyzing the fragility of interconnected digital systems. Experts call for coordinated action between countries to improve digital resilience and protect essential services.
Researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo developed a 5.8 GHz foldable antenna designed to provide high antenna gain while remaining compact enough for small satellites. The system aims to improve communication capabilities of small satellites used in applications such as space-based internet services and disaster monitoring.
Researchers at Northumbria University have been awarded £4m to unlock the secrets of Earth's radiation belts. The project will combine extensive spacecraft data with advanced computer modelling to determine what controls energy transfer through the magnetosphere and into the radiation belts.
The NRL launched three advanced experimental payloads aboard the STPSat-7 mission, including LARADO to detect orbital debris, GOSAS for improved navigation reliability, and GARI-1C to pave the way for future defense applications. This mission marks a significant step forward in advancing US space-based capabilities.
New research uses SWOT satellite data to detect two-dimensional tsunami wave patterns near the earthquake's source, offering critical insight for coastal risk evaluation. The study found that trailing tsunami waves are linked to an earthquake rupture occurring less than 10 kilometers beneath the trench.
Using Distributed Acoustic Sensing technology, scientists deployed fibre-optic cables across the lunar surface to detect seismic waves generated by moonquakes, meteorites, and landings. The cables can record signals at a higher spatial resolution than traditional seismic networks.
Researchers propose using swarms of pico-satellites to form a single large antenna for reliable, high-quality data transmission. This innovative solution could lead to cheaper and more reliable network coverage worldwide, especially in remote areas.
Rice University has been selected to lead the US Space Force Strategic Technology Institute 4 (SSTI) with a $8.1 million cooperative agreement. The Center for Advanced Space Sensing Technologies (CASST) will focus on developing advanced remote sensing and sensemaking technologies from space. The research team will integrate existing te...
The University of Portsmouth, in partnership with SARsatX and the Saudi Space Agency, is developing an Earth observation satellite mission concept aimed at supporting climate science and environmental resilience. The project combines academic and technical expertise to address shared environmental challenges.
The launch of Mauve marks a new era for astronomical data and collaborations, enabling researchers to study stars in ultraviolet and visible light. The satellite will investigate magnetic activity, stellar flares, and exoplanet habitability.
Researchers at Ohio State University have developed a new laser 3D printing method that can create extremely durable structures using simulated lunar dirt. The study found that the material's properties depend on the surface onto which it is printed, and that environmental factors such as oxygen levels and temperature affect its stabil...
A global team of scientists, led by University of Houston microbiologist Madhan Tirumalai, has identified the critical role of biofilms in human space exploration. Biofilms could influence astronaut health, drug delivery and space agriculture, while also posing risks to astronaut health.
Researchers have developed a compact high-temperature superconducting magnetoplasmadynamic thruster, reducing power consumption by 96% and weight by 73%, enabling more efficient space propulsion. The thruster achieved an ultra-high specific impulse of 3,265 seconds, significantly reducing spacecraft fuel requirements and launch costs.
Researchers found that fungi can extract valuable metal palladium and platinum group elements from meteorite material in microgravity. The study suggests that microbial biomining could have terrestrial benefits for efficient resource extraction and create sustainable biotechnologies.
A high-energy cosmic event detected by the China-led Einstein Probe space telescope may mark the moment when an intermediate-mass black hole tears apart and consumes a white dwarf star, according to astrophysicists from The University of Hong Kong. The team provided crucial theoretical judgement that led to the focus on this model.
A team from the University of Trento has identified an empty subsurface lava tube beneath Venus' surface, estimated to be approximately one kilometer in diameter and 375 meters deep. The discovery was made possible by analyzing Magellan's radar images and provides new insights into Venus' volcanic processes and geology.
The University of Texas at Arlington has launched the Center for Space Physics and Data Science, expanding undergraduate and graduate degree programs in space physics and data science. The center will train students across six focus areas, preparing them for careers in the rapidly growing space industry.
A new study by HKU and UCLA scientists reveals that Alfvén waves act as an invisible power source, driving charged particles into the atmosphere and producing glowing auroral lights. The research provides a definitive answer to the physics of Earth's aurora and offers a universal model applicable to other planets in our solar system.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has reaffirmed the need for critical cooperation on submarine cable resilience, with a focus on shortening repair times and supporting underserved regions. The Porto Summit Declaration and recommendations aim to bolster international cooperation across governments and industries.
Researchers have developed a passive, solar-powered orbital data center that can scale AI computing and reduce environmental impact. The system leverages decades of research on 'tethers' and could host thousands of computing nodes to replicate terrestrial data centers.
Researchers created the highest resolution map of dark matter, showing its interaction with normal matter through gravity. The new data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope confirms previous research and provides new details about dark matter's influence on the Universe.
A team of international astronomers, including HKU researchers, have uncovered evidence that some fast radio burst sources reside in binary stellar systems. They detected a distinctive signal revealing the presence of a nearby companion star orbiting an FRB source.
Researchers at KAIST have developed a new reference signal technology using laser light to precisely synchronize radio telescope observation timing and phase. This allows for clearer imaging of distant black holes and reduces phase delay errors between instruments.
A novel parameterization method for orbits near collinear libration points has been developed, allowing for systematic cataloging and robust identification of cislunar objects. The method enables the characterization of motion along two directions, providing critical insight into spacecraft maneuvers and transfer events.
The double swept waverider demonstrates outstanding comprehensive performance through numerical simulation verification. It maintains an ideal longitudinal static stability margin of approximately 2%, laying a solid foundation for practical engineering applications.
The American Physical Society's Global Physics Summit will convene over 14,000 physicists worldwide for groundbreaking research presentations. The event will feature both in-person and online experiences, including scientific sessions, exhibits, and networking events.
Researchers propose a theoretical model to analyze adhesion and escape phenomena during low-velocity impacts between charged dust particles and spacecraft. The study focuses on the interaction between charged particles and spacecraft within a plasma sheath, considering significant size differences.
Space: Science & Technology has been officially indexed in the Web of Science: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) since December 8, 2025. The journal aims to promote innovation and breakthroughs in space science and technology.
The KAIST-UEL team has developed a transformative wheel capable of traversing the Moon's extreme terrains, including steep lunar pits and lava tubes. The 'origami' airless wheel expands from a compact size to overcome obstacles, while utilizing flexible materials and specialized design elements to withstand harsh lunar conditions.
The Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) has been upgraded with 145 low-noise amplifiers, allowing for more sensitive measurements of cosmic radiation. This enables researchers to study dark and distant regions of the universe, gaining insights into star and galaxy formation.
A research team proposes a 'three-in-one' modeling strategy to tackle the complex electromagnetic environment of future space-air-ground networks. The framework integrates digital twin technology and agent-based modeling to capture dynamic interactions and understand signal intent.