The world’s biggest airplane took to the skies over the weekend with a new type of payload under its expansive wings. Stratolaunch’s Roc carrier plane conducted its first-ever captive-carry flight with a powered and fueled-up hypersonic test vehicle on Sunday (Dec. 3). The main goal was to evaluate the propulsion system of that vehicle — the first of Stratolaunch’s robotic Talon-A craft, known as TA-1 — and to see more generally how it behaves while being carried in flight, company representatives said. “Talon-A’s propulsion system supports a liquid-propellant rocket engine…
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Lockheed Martin’s ‘Tantrum’ tech could help get satellites up and running without the wait
Lockheed Martin and Firefly Aerospace are combining to launch a demonstrator that aims to slash the time it takes spacecraft payloads to become operational. The unique wideband Electronically Steerable Antenna (ESA) developed by Lockheed Martin will test rapid calibration and could pave the way to payloads becoming operational much quicker. Calibration is the process of fine-tuning the sensor system to ensure it operates accurately and effectively once it is in orbit. While it can take months for traditional on-orbit sensors to be powered on, fully calibrated and readied to perform…
Read MoreWatch Europe’s new Ariane 6 rocket fire its engines in new timelapse video
Ariane 6, the European Space Agency‘s (ESA) next-generation launch vehicle recently passed a major milestone as the rocket moves closer to its debut. A Nov. 23 wet dress rehearsal put the spacecraft and its ground crews to the test, running through a full countdown and rocket fueling, and culminating in a 7-minute firing of the core stage’s main engine. A new video released by ESA and posted to the agency’s YouTube channel highlights the Nov. 23 test in a timelapse compilation, condensing the rocket rollout and hot fire to about…
Read MoreDJI Osmo Action 4 review
Key specs: Camera: 1/1.3-inch sensor / f/2.8 / 155° FOV Video resolution: 4K, 2.7K, 1080p Frame rates: 4K up to 60FPS, 2.7K up to 120FPS, 1080p up to 240FPS Slow motion: 4K up to 120FPS, 2.7K up to 120FPS, 1080p up to 240FPS Dimensions: 2.77 x 1.74 x 1.29 in (70.5 x 44.2 x 32.8 mm) Weight: 5.11 oz (145 g) Compatible with: Larger FPV drones Action cameras are an essential element for FPV drones because, in the majority of cases, these drones require an additional camera for capturing video.…
Read MoreNASA’s X-59 ‘quiet’ supersonic jet heads for a new red, white and blue paint job
NASA’s experimental supersonic jet is ready to rock a red, white and blue color scheme ahead of it’s first flight in which it will quietly shatter the sound barrier over Earth. The X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology (Quesst) jet moved to the paint barn at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works’ facility in Palmdale, California, on Nov. 14, 2023. The jet’s color scheme was changed from green to a white body with a sonic blue underside and red wing accents. The patriotic new paint job is more than just aesthetic, however. The paint…
Read MoreThese high-tech buzzers may help astronauts avoid getting lost in space (video)
Wearable tech which alerts astronauts of dangers could one day help astronauts from getting lost in space, but it would require a trust for technology deeper than what humans currently have. Researchers at Brandeis University in Massachusetts are developing devices which buzz like cellphones to give a tactile ‘nudge’ that can help wearers orient themselves correctly. The NASA-funded study shows the cues could help astronauts fight jolts of confusion, known to scientists as spatial disorientation, arising from temporarily obscured vision, like when flying through a thick layer of clouds or…
Read MoreFuture moon astronauts may 3D-print their supplies using lunar minerals
For over two decades, astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have relied almost entirely on materials shipped from Earth for scientific research and daily life — an exception is water, which is recycled from wastewater on the station. Thanks to the growing commercial space industry and a global interest in long-term missions beyond the ISS, which sits 250 miles (402 kilometers) above ground, scientists are developing methods to manufacture supplies off-Earth. The end results would help reduce flight costs during interplanetary travels to the moon, Mars and maybe beyond,…
Read MoreNASA wants to fly this nuclear Dragonfly drone on Saturn’s moon Titan. Watch its wind tunnel test (video)
Testing is now underway on NASA’s Dragonfly rotorcraft, a nuclear-powered, car-sized aerial drone that will look for potential precursors to life on Saturn’s moon, Titan. But before Dragonfly can take to the sky, NASA has to make sure it can withstand the moon’s unique environment. Dragonfly’s main goal is to study the complex chemistry on Titan that may give insights into the origins of life in our solar system. Equipped with cameras, sensors, and samplers, this vehicle will investigate areas of Titan known to contain organic materials, especially those regions…
Read MoreWatch NASA test a 3D-printed rocket nozzle designed for deep space (video)
Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama conducted a test of a new 3D-printed rocket nozzle designed for deep space. The test was conducted as part of NASA’s Reactive Additive Manufacturing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or RAMFIRE, project. RAMFIRE seeks to investigate the use of 3D printing and aluminum in order to reduce manufacturing times and weight. Reducing mass, and therefore takeoff weight, is a crucial goal for laboratories and space agencies developing hardware for future exploration in deep space far beyond low Earth orbit, said John…
Read MoreSpace Perspective unveils ‘Space Spa’ restroom for balloon tourist flights (images)
Space Perspective just unveiled the latest addition to its stratospheric tourism operation: a uniquely designed restroom, called the “Space Spa,” that will become part of its Spaceship Neptune capsule. Spaceship Neptune, which will be carried high into Earth’s atmosphere by a massive balloon, is a pressurized capsule that promises passengers a more luxurious and sedate experience than the suborbital rocket rides offered by Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic. Located within the eight-passenger capsule’s Space Lounge, the Space Spa will function as a personal retreat during Spaceship Neptune flights, company representatives…
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