The Milky Way is warped, and it might be the work of dark matter

NeRD

The Milky Way is twisted, and astronomers may finally know why. They’re laying the blame on a football-shaped, tilted halo of dark matter that envelopes our galaxy.  The common image of our galaxy resembles a flattened disk similar to a vinyl record, but what you might not imagine is the flared skirt at its edge structured like the outer ring of a frisbee. And when scientists have studied the shape of the Milky Way in great detail, they found the disk of our spiral galaxy to also have a warp,…

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Fire in the sky: Chasing the annular solar eclipse 2023 on the Extraterrestrial Highway

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ELY, Nevada   — The state of Nevada is the perfect place to watch for strange things in the sky.  And it’s easy to see why as you head north out of Las Vegas and turn onto state route 375, the “Extraterrestrial Highway.” This straight stretch of windblown road crosses mostly empty desert, offering vast vistas of open sky and long-distance views of the surrounding mountain ranges in the distance. Dotted along the route are UFO– and alien-themed attractions like the Alien Research Center in Crystal Springs, Nevada, a metal Quonset…

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Dead star at heart of cosmic graveyard predicts the sun’s fate

NeRD

For the first time, astronomers have studied a dead star sitting in the heart of a cosmic graveyard of similarly aged stellar bodies. The stellar remnant, a white dwarf, lies at the center of a cloud of stellar wreckage, gas and dust that astronomers call a planetary nebula. It’s located in the open star cluster Messier 37, which is around 4,500 light years from Earth. Not only could studying this white dwarf and its surroundings reveal how it died, almost like examining a cosmic crime scene, but it could also…

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Failure Analysis

NeRD

Failure analysis determines what, why and how things went wrong when a component, system, or structure fails and  is a valuable tool in the development of new products and the improvement of existing ones.   Our multi-disciplined team has the expertise and in-house capabilities to determine the root cause of failures on a wide range of materials including paints and coatings, adhesives and sealants, composites, rubbers, plastics, elastomers, and metals. We routinely apply our expert knowledge of oxygen systems, composite pressure systems, propellants and aerospace fluids, and propulsion systems to…

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The annular solar eclipse of 2023 is underway! See the 1st ‘ring of fire’ photos and video

NeRD

The first images of the moon passing between the sun and the Earth in a so-called “ring of fire” solar eclipse are coming in and the views are amazing.  The moon and sun are aligning in what scientists call an “annular solar eclipse,” in which the moon doesn’t completely cover the sun and leaves a brilliant ring of sunlight visible, giving it a “ring of fire” effect. The solar eclipse will be visible to potentially millions of spectators across several U.S. states from Oregon to Texas, before moving on to…

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China discovers never-before-seen ore containing a highly valuable rare earth element

NeRD

Scientists in China have unearthed a never-before-seen type of ore that contains a rare earth element sought after for its superconductive properties.  The ore, dubbed niobobaotite, is made of niobium, barium, titanium, iron and chloride, the South China Morning Post reported.  It’s the niobium that is causing excitement: This light-gray metal is currently used mostly in the production of steel, which it strengthens without adding significant weight. Niobium is also used in making other alloys (materials made of mixes of metals) and can be found in particle accelerators and other…

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The mysteries of the dark universe could be solved by the Rubin Observatory

NeRD

A pioneering new observatory that will build the most precise map of the universe ever could, in the process, solve two of science’s most pressing mysteries: The nature of dark energy and dark matter . Collectively, these components make up what’s known as the dark universe. The Vera C. Rubin observatory is currently under development on the El Peñón peak of Cerro Pachón mountain in Chile and is set to begin operations in 2025. When it does, Rubin will conduct the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), observing the entire…

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Environmental Management

NeRD

We take an active role in limiting our impacts on the environment and being responsible for the environmental quality of our community. Management support and grassroots efforts have helped to educate employees about environmental concerns, encourage our site’s involvement in sustainability activities, and embrace and implement employee ideas. This support has led to a facility-wide culture of environmental awareness and sustainability that reaches across our site. Waste minimization projects, innovative technologies, sustainable acquisition, recycling activities, and other “green” initiatives have become routine site procedures.

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Propulsion Systems

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Since the first rocket engine test in 1964, our facility has performed development and certification testing of space propulsion systems for manned and unmanned spacecraft. Along with our half century of propulsion system testing and analysis, our ISO 9001 certified processes provide rigorous but flexible testing ensuring quality data for our customer. Our site also houses on-site propulsion related expertise in composite pressure systems, oxygen systems, and propellants and aerospace fluids for further testing support. In addition to this expertise, we work closely with our Environmental Management and Safety and Mission Assurance teams to provide all environmental permitting, and ensure…

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Oxygen Systems

NeRD

Specializing in the study of oxygen compatibility in space, aircraft, medical, and industrial applications, we investigate the effects of increased oxygen concentration on the ignition and burning of materials and components to help ensure the safety of personnel and equipment.In systems or environments with higher oxygen content and/or pressure, materials that normally do not burn have a lower ignition temperature, are more vigorously combustible, and have a higher flame temperature if they do burn.  In response to the reactivity of oxygen, vigorous testing and requirements for the selection, combination, and cleanliness…

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