Aerospace
Space and Submarine Explorers Are Right to Take Risks
What lessons does the loss of the Titan submersible have for preventing spaceflight disasters?
Aerospace142 articles archived since 1845
Aerospace
What It Takes to Grow Crystals in Space
Researcher Debbie G. Senesky builds materials that can work on Venus
Climate Change
‘The Moose’ and Other Military Planes May Have to Cut Cargo as Planet Warms
The C-17 Globemaster III—which transports troops and tanks—may have to shed weight as rising temperatures driven by climate change affect flying conditions
Aerospace
India Aims for the Moon with Launch of Chandrayaan-3
After a failure in 2019, India’s second attempt to land on the moon comes as the nation signs on to a U.S.-led plan to shape future global lunar activities
Aerospace
Early-Warning System Could Reduce Injuries from In-Flight Turbulence
Ground-mounted microphones could pick up ultralow-frequency sound waves produced by clear-air turbulence, the leading cause of in-flight injuries and fatalities
Defense
Drone-on-Drone Combat in Ukraine Marks a New Era of Aerial Warfare
Antidrone technology is combatting “flying IEDs” in the air over Ukraine—with implications beyond the war with Russia
Aerospace
What High-Tech Prizes Does the Downed U.S. Drone Hold? Russia Really Wants to Know
An MQ-9 Reaper drone is sitting at the bottom of the Black Sea. Will the U.S. or Russia recover it?
Aerospace
What Can We Do to Make Sure the FAA and Southwest Airlines Fiascoes Never Happen Again?
Congress and the airline industry must reassess how they approach and fund air transportation modernization
Aerospace
Sorry, UFO Hunters—You Might Just Be Looking at a Spy Balloon
From space aliens to foreign surveillance, we spoke to experts to find out what’s really going on with the balloon brouhaha.
Aerospace
Did the Pentagon Shoot Down a Harmless Ham Radio Balloon?
Surging numbers of small research balloons increase the odds of airborne mistaken identity—and harsher regulations
Defense
Why We’re Suddenly Spotting Spy Balloons
Every question we have about the airborne objects that may or may not be spying on the U.S.
Defense
Chinese Spy Balloon Has Unexpected Maneuverability
An expert explains why it’s so odd that the suspected Chinese spy balloon can change course
Climate Change
More Airports to Use Greener ‘Glide’ Approach to Landing
A growing number of U.S. airports are trying swoop landings rather than staircase descents, a method that saves fuel, cuts emissions and reduces noise
Astronomy
Satellite Constellations Are an Existential Threat for Astronomy
Growing swarms of spacecraft in orbit are outshining the stars, and scientists fear no one will do anything to stop it
Aerospace
Space Elevators Are Less Sci-Fi Than You Think
I’ve been working on space elevators for almost 20 years, and though we still have issues to solve, we are getting closer to making them reality
Engineering
NASA’s Saturn V Rocket, the Moon Rock Box and the Woman Who Made Them Work Properly
Yvonne Y. Clark, known as Y.Y. throughout her career, had a lifetime of groundbreaking achievements as a Black female mechanical engineer. In the third episode of the third season of the Lost Women of Science podcast, we see how Y.Y.’s brilliance helped make Project Apollo a success...
Aerospace
Could Dragons from Game of Thrones Actually Fly? Aeronautical Engineering and Math Says They Could
Dragon flight in Game of Thrones comes from wing area, weight, speed and hints of a different atmosphere than that of Earth
Aerospace
The Biden Administration Must Designate Civilian Satellites Critical Infrastructure
Nongovernment satellites are vulnerable to attack, and calling them critical infrastructure would make it easier for the U.S. to fight back
Space Exploration
A New Private Moon Race Kicks Off Soon
Commercial spacecraft are vying to land on the lunar surface, but can they jump-start a new space economy?
Artificial Intelligence
AI Can Predict Potential Nutrient Deficiencies from Space
New work maps a region’s nutrient landscape
