Aerospace

Wind Tunnel Tests Confirm It: Bats Can Fly

Sometimes scientists won't understand it even after they see it, but at least they'll believe it despite its improbability. Such is the case with bats, the bumblebee and the hummingbird, which according to classic wing theory should not be able t ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 2 2008 - 3:11am

The Complex Aerodynamic Tracks Of Flying Bats

Bats generate a measurably distinct aerodynamic footprint to achieve lift and maneuverability, quite unlike birds and contrary to many of the assumptions that aerodynamicists have used to model animal flight, according to University of Southern California ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 1 2008 - 11:07pm

Basic Propulsion: 50 Years Since Redstone-Jupiter C And, If It Works, Don't Fix It

Although it's been a half century since America entered the space age, the basic propulsion concepts used to push Explorer I into space will be the same type of propulsion that the nation will use to begin the next half century of space exploration. I ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 9 2008 - 11:35am

F-35C Lightning II Stays Stealthy But Can Withstand Carrier Landings

The F-35 is a supersonic, multi-role, 5th generation stealth fighter. Three F-35 variants derived from a common design, developed together and using the same sustainment infrastructure worldwide, will replace at least 13 types of aircraft for 11 nations in ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 24 2008 - 1:02pm

Self-Healing Aircraft Technology Mimics Nature

A self-healing aircraft could be available in the near future, thanks to an epoxy resin developed by Bristol University aerospace engineers that ‘bleeds’ from embedded vessels near the holes or cracks and quickly seals them up, restoring structural integri ...

Article - News Staff - May 20 2008 - 10:43pm

Flight: One Way 'Back To Nature' Would Be A Bad Idea

Since earliest recorded history, and presumably beyond, humans have always wanted to fly. First attempts involved imitation of winged creatures around them, and unfailingly ended in disaster. No workable flying machines have ever looked particularly simila ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 5 2008 - 11:20pm

Sandia Satellite Sensors Spot Nukes From Space

There's a satellite in medium Earth orbit- one of 31 U.S. Air Force satellites- that carries some special cargo; a collection of sensors to detect and triangulate airborne or space-based nuclear explosions anywhere they may occur. In the recent past, ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 19 2008 - 9:54am

DelFly Micro Air Vehicle Weighs Just Three Grams

This DelFly Micro, made by Delft University of Technology, is a 'Micro Air Vehicle' (MAV), an exceptionally small remote-controlled aircraft with camera and image recognition software. The Micro, weighing just 3 grams and measuring 10 centimeters ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 22 2008 - 8:51pm

Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer- GOCE take-off in September 2008

Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer- GOCE will be launched in a few weeks (10 September 2008). It is one of the biggest event within geodesy this year, hell probably in the history of geodesy. GOCE will improve our knowledge of this p ...

Blog Post - Bente Lilja Bye - Oct 22 2008 - 11:07pm

Solving The Sonic Problem To Usher In A Boom In Supersonic Travel

A new age for air travel is dawning; at least if you’re one of the lucky few in the market for supersonic luxury travel. Lockheed Martin's advanced Skunk Works unit is designing a small, 12-seat passenger jet that would travel at 1,200 mph (Mach 1.8) ...

Article - Kimberly Crandell - Sep 2 2008 - 1:38pm