Articles tagged with Space Technology
Global glacier mass loss has increased by 36% since 2000, with 6,542 billion tons lost between 2000 and 2023. This results in an 18 mm annual contribution to global sea-level rise, making glaciers the second-largest contributor after ocean warming.
A recent UBC study found that there's a 26% annual chance of space rocket junk re-entering the atmosphere and passing through a busy flight area, highlighting the potential for uncontrolled debris to disrupt flights. The researchers emphasize the need for policymakers to take action to address this issue.
The regulation of ocean-floor mining may hold key lessons for the management of space debris and mining on the Moon. International discussions on space traffic management and active debris control could help prevent space debris from orbiting the Moon and Mars. Effective regulations are crucial to ensuring sustainable space activities.
Lauren Berger, a Texas A&M University doctoral student, has been awarded a prestigious FINESST grant from NASA to study Martian dunes. She aims to analyze the shapes and patterns of compound dunes on Mars using high-resolution images, comparing them to similar dunes on Earth.
Caltech researchers have developed a platform to characterize ultrathin membranes that could be used in lightsails for interstellar space travel. The team's experiments mark the first step towards achieving this audacious goal, which aims to reach ultrafast speeds and explore distant star systems.
Combining data from two major surveys of the universe's evolutionary history reveals a small discrepancy between expected clumpiness and observed matter distribution. This deviation could suggest unaccounted-for physics influencing cosmic structure formation, such as dark energy.
Adam Leroy, a professor of astronomy at Ohio State University, has been recognized with the 2025 Henry Draper Medal for his groundbreaking work on the interstellar medium and its relationship to star formation in nearby galaxies. His research has provided unprecedented detail on the physical nature of this material, advancing our under...
A study from the University of Michigan suggests that organic solar cells made with small molecules can withstand radiation without degrading, outperforming traditional silicon-based systems. The cause of degradation in others may be preventable by filling electron traps with other atoms.
Experts propose an 18th SDG to protect Earth's orbit from accumulating debris, citing the need for global consensus and mechanisms for enforcement. The proposal builds on earlier calls for a legally-binding treaty to safeguard the planet's orbital environment.
NASA has successfully integrated its Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope's payload into the Roman spacecraft, paving the way for transformative cosmic observations. The telescope will undergo extensive testing to ensure proper function and performance in space.
The University of Texas at San Antonio has launched the Center for Space Technology and Operations Research, which will advance engineering, technology, and operations supporting space missions. The center will address growing demands from civil, commercial, and national security space agencies and companies.
The Roman Space Telescope has successfully integrated its telescope, instruments, and spacecraft components at NASA Goddard. The observatory will focus cosmic light and send it to its instruments, revealing billions of objects in space and time.
The partnership aims to promote STEM education and careers among African students, increasing student engagement, identity, and career awareness. CMU-Africa and Challenger Center will expand the reach of Virtual Missions across the continent, focusing on underserved areas.
The University of Leicester is collaborating with NASA to develop a novel Radioisotope Power System design and conduct laboratory tests. This collaboration aims to improve the efficiency of electrically heated simulators and Stirling convertor technologies, enabling spacecraft to venture into new frontiers. The project builds on previo...
Rice engineers create a new thermal emitter that achieves efficiencies of over 60% despite practical design constraints, opening possibilities for more sustainable industrial processes and renewable energy growth. The technology could inform the development of grid-scale alternative storage solutions and power space applications.
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...
The In-Space Physical AI Workshop, held at Rice University's Ion District, brought together top scientists and experts to explore AI applications in space. Key findings included the potential of AI to streamline spacecraft navigation and crew health management.
A proof-of-concept study has demonstrated that off-the-shelf thermoelectric generators can convert CO2 into useful fuels and chemicals. The temperature differences encountered in various environments, from geothermal installations to the Martian surface, could power this conversion.
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed a system that uses a silent amplifier and record-sensitive receiver to pave the way for faster and improved space communication. The system opens up new communication opportunities in space, allowing for error-free data transmission over long distances.
Researchers developed a system to effectively split transmissions from a single antenna array into multiple beams without additional hardware, allowing satellites to overcome the one-to-one user ratio. This enables significant reductions in cost and power consumption, potentially leading to fewer satellites, smaller satellites, or both.
A new course launched with funding from the UK Space Agency to address the growing skills gap in software, data, and AI for the UK space sector. The Securing the future of space: Space Software and Data/AI CPD programme will equip mid-career professionals with expertise in AI and data-science.
The article proposes a novel finite-time ESO for noncooperative target surrounding control in spacecraft formation. A new manifold is defined and an observer is used to estimate the unknown dynamics. The state equation of the proposed FTESO is obtained, which enables the controller to fulfill the surrounding mission rapidly.
Lunar ISPP focuses on carbothermal process to produce oxygen from regolith, while NASA near-term plans rely on H2 and O2 propellants. For Mars, electrolysis of CO2 is considered simplest method, with water-based approach preferred for practicality. Power requirements for both lunar and Martian ISPPs pose significant challenges, with so...
Researchers develop a new active multi-beam antenna design method that optimizes gain, sidelobe level, and beam direction using AI-powered surrogate models. The method solves complex nonlinear optimization problems, allowing for the creation of high-performance antennas with reduced complexity.
A new study published in Physical Review Letters suggests that nanohertz gravitational waves may not originate from supercool first-order phase transitions. Researchers found that such transitions would struggle to complete, shifting the frequency of the waves away from nanohertz frequencies.
The design method proposes a novel approach to configuring mega constellations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observation. By categorizing satellites into basic and accompanying satellites, the authors optimize their orbits to minimize differences between ascending and descending nodes of basic satellites. Additionally, they utilize the Nond...
The proposed method uses a directed graph model to maximize output current in RBS. It applies the greedy algorithm to connect batteries in parallel, achieving correct MAC values.
Researchers develop a method for high-precision open-loop velocity measurement of the Tianwen-1 probe, achieving an accuracy 2 times higher than traditional baseband velocity measurement. This technology enables precise orbit determination and is applied to planetary atmosphere detection.
The article presents a stochastic modeling approach for interplanetary supply chain planning, considering demands at a Martian base as a source of uncertainty. The model minimizes total launch mass through multi-stage stochastic MILP modeling, resulting in reduced infrastructure costs and propellant requirements.
A team of international scientists has demonstrated the existence of a lunar lava tube cave, with radar reflections indicating an underground conduit in Mare Tranquillitatis. This discovery provides crucial evidence for safe site selection on the Moon and supports future exploration missions.
For the first time, a team of French scientists has observed brown dwarfs orbiting very close to bright stars using precise astronomical imaging. The findings provide new insights into the formation of these unusual celestial objects and massive exoplanets.
The University of Leicester is collaborating with ispace to explore lunar night survivability using Radioisotope Heater Units on the Series 3 lunar lander and rovers. The team aims to develop new technology to survive the cryogenic environment of lunar nights, which can drop temperatures to -170 degrees Celsius.
The University of Washington's STRIVE project aims to understand the troposphere and stratosphere, where the ozone layer resides, and their interface. This will help monitor changes in the ozone layer, air quality, and climate processes.
The Lunar Environment Monitoring System, developed by UMD researchers, will track seismic activity on the moon's surface during the upcoming Artemis III mission. The system's data will help prepare NASA for a long-term presence on other planetary bodies.
Researchers develop AI-based system to track small metallic objects in Low Earth Orbit, outperforming classical detection methods. The system's high detection rate and low false alarm rates make it suitable for proactive decision-making and intervention strategies.
The commercial space sector has seen significant growth, with over 2,660 satellites launched into orbit in recent years. International collaborations are also expanding, enabling diverse perspectives and new ideas to emerge in science and space exploration.
Researchers used a Compton camera, originally designed for astronomy, to capture the polarization of gamma rays emitted from atomic nuclei. This revealed the internal structure of the atomic nuclei and significantly reduced uncertainties in determining spin and parity.
Drexel University researchers develop a lightweight alternative to metal components in satellites by coating 3D-printed polymers with MXene, a conductive nanomaterial. The MXene-coated waveguides weigh up to eight times less than traditional aluminum ones and maintain nearly 95% transmission efficiency.
Researchers at UTSA's Department of Physics and Astronomy have used deconvolution algorithms to enhance images of galaxy NGC 5728 obtained by the James Webb Space Telescope. The study reveals a faint extended feature that could be part of an outflow from a supermassive black hole interacting with the host galaxy.
A team of scientists found evidence that the moon's shrinkage led to surface warping in its south polar region, including areas proposed for crewed Artemis III landings. Shallow moonquakes can devastate hypothetical human settlements on the moon due to loose sediments and unstable surface slopes.
The researchers designed a means to engineer single-nanometer magnetic tunnel junctions with a CoFeB/MgO stack structure, allowing them to control the shape and interfacial anisotropies independently. This enables the MTJ performance to be tailored for applications ranging from retention-critical to speed-critical.
Researchers at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences developed a 10-centimeter-diameter glass metalens that can image the sun, moon, and distant nebulae with high resolution.
Researchers propose a new method to track small pieces of space debris by detecting electric signals emitted when they collide. This approach could help protect satellites and spacecraft from damage, as tiny pieces of debris can cause significant harm at high orbital speeds.
The University of Texas at El Paso is leading a research effort to detect and study Unresolved Resident Space Objects (URSOs) using spectroscopy. The team aims to extract properties such as material composition and structural health to monitor the health of government-owned and commercial space assets.
The new centre, NESST, will support the creation of over 350 jobs and inject £260m into the North East economy. It will be a hub for collaborative research, technology development, and STEM engagement activities.
Researchers developed a new method that accumulates drugs in cancer lesions while rapidly clearing them from healthy tissues. The method uses radiopharmaceuticals with a new ligand that promotes rapid excretion, reducing toxicity and improving treatment outcomes.
Researchers on the International Space Station produced a quantum gas containing two types of atoms for the first time in space. This achievement enables studying quantum chemistry, which focuses on how different atoms interact and combine with each other.
A Lancaster University PhD student used a new method to calculate the optical depth of Saturn's rings, revealing their transparency. By analyzing changes in Cassini's Langmuir Probe data during solar eclipses, the researcher determined how much sunlight passed through each ring.
Researchers create a legged small celestial body landing mechanism that can land stably in different conditions, including varying gravity and slopes. The study found that key factors such as cardan element damping, foot anchors, retro-rocket thrust, and landing slope affect the landing performance.
Researchers used seismic data to locate and identify a thin layer of molten silicates overlying Mars' metallic core. The discovery reveals a denser and smaller Martian core, aligning with other geophysical data and analysis of Martian meteorites. This finding provides new insights into how Mars formed, evolved, and became a barren planet.
Texas A&M University is collaborating on a research project to track objects in high Earth orbits, expanding space domain awareness capabilities. The Space University Research Initiative aims to develop new technology and systems to monitor objects influenced by the moon's gravity.
A Purdue University experiment is investigating how reduced gravity affects boiling and condensation, crucial for long-term space habitats. The research aims to provide data needed to answer decades-old questions about these phenomena in weightlessness.
A team of researchers has successfully tested a new asteroid detection algorithm, HelioLinc3D, which identified its first 'potentially hazardous' asteroid, 2022 SF289. The discovery confirms the algorithm's effectiveness in finding near-Earth asteroids with fewer and more dispersed observations than traditional methods.
Researchers demonstrate that perovskite solar cells damaged by proton radiation in low-earth orbit can recover up to 100% of their original efficiency via thermal vacuum annealing. The study used ultrathin sapphire substrates and found that fluorine diffusion from the dopant causes defects, which can be reversed by heat treatment.
Scientists have developed a new radar technique that can image hidden features within the upper few feet of ice sheets, including melting glaciers on Earth and potentially habitable environments on Jupiter's moon Europa. The technique boosts resolution by combining two different radar bandwidths and looking for discrepancies.
The InVADER Mission successfully deployed a high-tech laser laboratory on the ocean floor, marking a paradigm shift in ocean research and exploration. The Laser Divebot collects compositional data without disturbing the environment, removing the need for physical samples.
Researchers discovered a gravitationally lensed supernova named SN Zwicky, which was magnified nearly 25 times by a foreground galaxy. This discovery presents an opportunity to study the inner cores of galaxies, dark matter, and the mechanics behind universe expansion.
Researchers at the University of Georgia have confirmed evidence of a previously unknown planet outside our solar system using machine learning tools. The discovery highlights the potential for artificial intelligence to enhance scientists' work and speed up analysis, with the potential to dramatically expand exoplanet discoveries.
Researchers used NASA InSight data to directly measure Mars' core properties, finding a completely liquid iron-alloy core with high percentages of sulfur and oxygen. This discovery provides new insights into Martian formation and geological differences between Earth and Mars, potentially impacting planetary habitability.
The SuperBIT telescope has begun capturing high-resolution images of the Universe on its first research flight. It is investigating the mystery of dark matter, which is thought to be made up of particles that can bounce off each other during galaxy collisions.