China has raised its 2015 target for solar-electricity capacity, giving a shot in the arm to its solar companies, many of which are struggling due to industry overcapacity, slow global demand and overseas trade disputes. China’s State Council, or cabinet, in a statement dated July 4 but posted Monday said installed capacity for solar electricity …
The electric solar wind sail (E-sail) is a new type of propellantless propulsion system for Solar System transportation, which uses the natural solar wind for producing spacecraft propulsion. This paper discusses a mass breakdown and a performance model for an E-sail spacecraft that hosts a scientifi c payload of prescribed mass. In particular, the model …
The goal of the DARPA Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) program is to demonstrate the capability for a joint terminal attack controller (JTAC) [soldier with radio and camera system designated to direct attack] on the ground “to visualize, select and employ weapons at the time of his choosing from an optionally manned/unmanned A-10 platform. An …
NASA’s Space Technology Roadmaps (STRs) were finalized in 2012. I will detail out and summarize the technology roadmaps over the next few articles. Technical Area Space Technology Roadmaps TA01 Launch Propulsion Systems TA02 In-Space Propulsion Systems TA03 Space Power and Energy Storage TA04 Robotics, Tele-Robotics and Autonomous Systems TA05 Communication and Navigation Systems TA06 Human …
Superconducting wire that will enable superconducting magnets with 20-50 tesla. China, Japan, United States and several European countries all should have 45 tesla hybrid superconducting magnets soon. An 88 page report from Europe explains the material challenges (physical stresses) that put an upper limit around 100-120 tesla for a superconducting magnet. Note the applications – …
Although hundreds of planets orbiting other stars have been discovered in the past 15 years, we cannot yet answer the age-old question of whether any of these planets are capable of sustaining life. However, new NASA technology may change that, by giving us our first look at distant planets that not only are the right …
A chance discovery that sea urchins use Nickel particles to harness carbon dioxide from the sea to grow their exoskeleton could be the key to capturing tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere. Experts at Newcastle University, UK, have discovered that in the presence of a Nickel catalyst, CO2 can be converted rapidly and cheaply into …
China’s first domestically made aircraft carrier will be launched next year and will be commissioned between 2015 and 2016, according to a Hong Kong magazine. After the launch of the first carrier, China will bring a second one on stream two years later, the Mirror said in its December edition. China plans to build a …
Eurekalert – Researchers have developed a low cost method for manufacturing multilayered graphene sheets. The new method does not require any specialized equipment and can be implemented in any laboratory. The existing methods for fabricating graphene – including deposition of epitaxial layer on a metallic substrate or silicon carbide, or chemical or physical vapour deposition …
Wired Danger Room – DARPAs Living Foundries project was first announced by the agency last year. Darpa has handed out seven research awards worth $15.5 million to six different companies and institutions including the University of Texas at Austin and the California Institute of Technology. Two contracts were also issued to the J. Craig Venter …
A metal cube the size of a toaster, created at the University of Alberta, is capable of performing the same genetic tests as most fully equipped modern laboratories—and in a fraction of the time. At its core is a small plastic chip developed with nanotechnology that holds the key to determining whether a patient is …