Next Generation Space Telescope mirrors and optical components are complete and telescope will launch October 2018 and determine whether nearest exoplanets have water and much more

The telescope element of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the largest space telescope ever constructed, stands completed in an enormous clean room at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. JWST will now go through a series of rigorous tests, including shaking and noise tests to simulate launch conditions, and cryogenic tests to make sure it …

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Japan making progress with domestic stealth fighter and plans for unmanned wingmen robotics support fighters

The main flight-test program of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) X-2 fighter technology demonstrator will begin within weeks, following three months of ground testing. The Mitsubishi X-2 Shinshin is a Japanese experimental aircraft for testing advanced stealth fighter aircraft technologies. It is being developed by the Japanese Ministry of Defense Technical Research and Development Institute …

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US Army mounting combat lasers ranging from 2 kiloWatts to 60 kiloWatts on different sized trucks

The US Army has already experimented with a 10-kilowatt laser on a heavy truck, Boeing’s High Energy Laser – Mobile Demonstrator (HEL-MD), which could shoot down mortar rounds in flight. Lockheed is scaling up the truck-mounted laser to 60 kiloWatts, Boeing has scaled its laser down to 2 kW: still powerful enough to shoot down …

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Robot sales and growth are solid but not yet showing growth that might drive mass human unemployment

Robots for the automation of industrial tasks are on the rise in North America, according to a recently-released industry report from the Association for Advancing Automation. More than $800 million in orders were placed in the first half of 2016, setting a new purchasing high for the industry of 14,583 robots. This represents a 2% …

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China has a new long range bomber program

The head of the Chinese air force, Ma Xiaotian, stated that China is developing a new long-range bomber. “We are now developing a new generation of long-range bomber, and you’ll see it in the future,” Ma told the Global Times without elaborating. China has been ramping up research into advanced new military equipment, including submarines, …

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Manned test flights of vertical takeoff and landing 18 rotor electric rotorcraft

The premiere of manned flights with the world’s first certified Multicopter, e-volo’s Volocopter VC200, marks a step forward in urban mobility. The Volocopter is a personal aerial vehicle designed to be so easy and safe to fly that anyone can command it. Due to its electric propulsion, it has no tailpipe emissions and is impressively …

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USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier scheduled for commissioning this summer

The $13 billion USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) aircraft carrier is the most expensive and most advanced warship ever built. It will be commissioned this summer. The ship can hold 4,500 people and weighs 90,000 tons. The CVN-78 is the lead ship in the Ford class of aircraft carriers, replacing some of the U.S. Navy’s …

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First US Air Force image of B-21 Long Range Strike Bomber

The first official drawing of the U.S. Air Force’s B-21 bomber has been revealed and it looks like an updated B2 bomber Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James unveiled the artist rendering Friday based on the initial design concept. Black, sleek, with swept-back wings and stealthy design make this aircraft look a lot like another …

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Carnival of Space 428

1. Universe Today – ExoMars Heads to the Red Planet in 2016 The 2016 launch window for Mars missions is fast approaching along with opposition, and ESA is refining its target window for ExoMars. Mars launch season offers the optimal time to make the trip from Earth to Mars, as missions prepare to break the …

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Russia fielding second generation Ratnik future soldier gear with better armor, sensors and communications

Ratnik is a Russian infantry combat system. It is designed to improve the connectivity and combat effectiveness of the Russian army. Improvements include modernized body armor, helmet with special monitor (eye monitor, thermal, night vision monocular, flashlight), systems of communication and special headphones. The “Strelets” (“Musketeer”) system gives ability of voice and video communication. Also, …

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