Browse Topic: Satellites

Items (413)

Automatic Detection of Dead-End Roads in High-Resolution Satellite Image

2025-01-716502/21/2025

There are dead-end roads in the road network, and many of them have the function of indicating specific target clues, which is of great significance in the fields of military, urban construction, and disaster relief and rescue. However, many of the important cut-offs are in mountainous or wilderness areas, and surveying them is difficult and costly. The research objective of this project is to extract the breakpoints in the road network using high-resolution Google satellite imagery, so as to provide clues and indications for the subsequent relevant work. Firstly, the image is corrected and pre-processed to highlight road edge information.Then the phase grouping method is improved by setting a double-angle threshold, filtering the edge operator to reduce the calculation error of the gradient angle, and the road network is extracted by the improved phase grouping method. And finally screens out the dead-end road points with the eight-neighbourhood method, and marks them on the

Liu, Ruohan, Haoping, Qi, Jingjie, Kang, Yanyan, Wu, Feifei, Li

Army Completes Satellite as a Managed Service Research Project

TBMG-5213312/01/2024

Intelsat McLean, VA melissa.longo@intelsat.com

Safe, Inexpensive Method to Propel Small Satellites

TBMG-5219512/01/2024

The first CubeSat was launched in 1999; since then, more than 1,000 have been launched. The small size and relatively low cost have made CubeSats popular choices for commercial launches in recent years. The rapid development and application of nanosatellite technology has vastly accelerated mission complexity — sparking interest in robust, low-power, and high-specific-impulse micropropulsion systems.

SAE TOMORROW TODAY: Michigan: The New Epicenter of Aerospace

1338002/09/2023

As the birthplace of the automotive industry and the home of several aviation firsts, Michigan offers unique advantages to the rapidly expanding space economy. To make the most of this opportunity, the Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association (MAMA) has convened three public-private partnerships: the Michigan Launch Initiative, Space-Enabled Communications for Advanced Mobility, and the Mid-America Hypersonic Suborbital Test Range. These programs provide a collaborative platform for public-private partners to support satellite launch capabilities, test commercial and national security applications, and expand 5G connectivity, among other opportunities. We sat down with Gavin P. Brown, Executive Director, MAMA, to discuss these exciting initiatives and learn how the organization is positioning Michigan as a leader in all phases of aerospace manufacturing -- from tool and die all the way through final assembly --by leaning on the state's rich automotive and aviation history.

Hineman, Marcie

Reliable Power for Long-Term Lunar Surface Operations

TBMG-4698111/07/2022

NASA Goddard Space Communications Workshop Preview

TBMG-4641108/18/2022

Since the first satellite launched over six decades ago, spacecraft have relied on radio waves to communicate with Earth. But radio has its limitations. With more and more satellites now in space and entry of commercial players as well as the growing demand for space services, the field of space communications is primed for disruption.

Design and Computational Investigations of Aerobot for Titan with maneuverability using momentum wheel and propeller equipped with droppable weather stations

2022-26-119105/26/2022

Titan, Saturn’s largest moon and the only celestial body which is found to have a landmass composed of liquid hydrocarbons. Nitrogen – The building block of all life that exists on earth is found to be abundant in Titan’s atmosphere of up to 97%. Aerobots provide a great platform for exploring a celestial body with an atmosphere such as Titan. They have modest power requirements, longer mission duration, and can cover a longer distance in a shorter time. They are powered by Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator for optimal mission life. Aerobot’s altitude can be altered by varying the temperature of the air inside the balloon and yaw can be controlled using Reaction Wheel and a motor-driven propeller for forwarding thrust. The proposed Aerobot will be equipped with four miniature deployable fixed weather stations that can be dropped from the aerobot to titan’s surface. They can be deployed at diverse locations such as the equator and Polar Regions to deeply explore the Titan’s climate

Raja, Manoj Kumar, Sivasankaran, Abinash Nataraj, Saravana Mohan, Haribalan, Thangavel, Sabari, R, Vijayanandh, Gnanasekaran, Raj Kumar

Next-gen swarm CubeSats’ synchronization and re-programmability

2022-26-116105/26/2022

The increasing need for interstellar data has increased the deployment of satellites in space, thereby increasing the space debris, also resulting in unnecessary costs. CubeSats have been gaining scads of attention worldwide for their affordability and ease of construction by the educational community. To further enhance this it is imperative for a simple and reliable communication technique and its ability to work on robust missions by enabling CubeSats in intelligent ways. The paper proposes a technology that can reduce the costs by deploying CubeSats and improving their lifetime and number of missions using TinyML and reprogrammability capabilities. Swarms of CubeSat deployed for extraterrestrial missions can be synchronized, without having any ground support with the help of onboard ML algorithms. CubeSats, being cost-effective and resource-efficient, its life-expendability can come as an added advantage. Hence, the paper also proposes the use of TinyML for power optimization and

Giridharan, Nithyaashree, PRANAV, PV

Design of a thermal energy storage panel for reducing the temperature fluctuations in a CubeSat or a NanoSat using a passive thermal cooling system.

2022-26-117205/26/2022

The application of CubeSat or a NanoSat for low-orbit data collection has expanded because of their economical cost for development and lightweight structures. Thermal analysis is one of the vital components during the design and configuration procedure of CubeSat or a NanoSat as the thermal loads in orbit can undoubtedly harm the functions of components in the system and therefore the whole framework can be affected. When the satellite travels from the dark side of the planet to the one facing the sun there is a major change in fluctuations of temperature. Due to heat absorption, transfer and emission on one side, the satellite surface presents an asymmetric temperature distribution and causes a change in momentum which can manifest in spinning and non-spinning satellites in different manners which can cause orbital decays in satellites. The purpose of a thermal management system is to maintain the temperatures within each system to their operating range and to minimize the

Mishra, Prem Sangam, Mankar, Suyash, Subudhi, Sudhakar

SPACE DEBRIS - NEW ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS FRONTIERS

2022-26-113905/26/2022

Due to the magnitude of launches in recent times, there is a significant rise in space debris. This perpetual forecasted increase has provided the engineers and business forerunners an opportunity to introduce new markets in the removal and resale of Space Debris as an economic good. The paper shall propose two aspects of the conduction of Space Debris trade: Engineering and Business. The recovery of the debris consists of a Parasitic Satellite with ion-thrusters and onboard compact flight computers, which clings onto massive space debris and forces them for re-entry into the atmosphere, at a trajectory that is safe and traffic-free. These parasitic satellites can be manufactured in three size variations depending upon the target space debris, to maintain weight constraints for the rocket carrier. They are deployed at the target orbits by a carrier. While the large metallic debris is removed by the satellites using electromagnets, the smaller debris is captured by a Wolverine material

Giridharan, Nithyaashree

Occulter for CubeSat Coronagraph

TBMG-3763209/01/2020

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has developed SpOC Cube, a complete coronagraph that fits into a 6U CubeSat. SpoC Cube is designed to minimize noise from the coronagraph that can interfere with data collection and analysis. One way to avoid this light contamination is to place the occulter as far away from the instrument as possible. SpoC Cube’s occulter is a full seven feet away, nearly twice as far as in the STEREO spacecraft that collects similar data. Additional noise reduction is achieved by using a spherical-shaped occulter rather than a flat disk (think nature’s most effective occulter, the Moon).

TBMG-3761509/01/2020

OPEN MIND Technologies USA, Inc. Needham, MA 888-516-1232

Radiation-Tolerant FPGAs Solve Spacecraft Design Challenges

TBMG-3761609/01/2020

Satellite and spacecraft system designers have a few different options when selecting field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) semiconductors. One FPGA option is commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components that reduce component unit cost and lead time, but they are generally not reliable enough, must be up-screened (which increases cost and engineering resources), and require soft and hard Triple Modular Redundancy (TMR) to mitigate radiation effects in space.

Quantifying Autonomous Soaring on a Surveillance and Communications Relay Mission

TBMG-3710306/01/2020

Missions for small unmanned aircraft (Group 1 and Group 2) include over-the-hill surveillance and providing airborne communications relay points. Greater endurance is almost universally desired by operators to increase the time spent on-station performing the mission and reduce the number and frequency of takeoffs and landings.

A Visible and Infrared Fusion Based Visual Odometry for Autonomous Vehicles

2020-01-009904/14/2020

An accurate and timely positioning of the vehicle is required at all times for autonomous driving. The global navigation satellite system (GNSS), even when integrated with costly inertial measurement units (IMUs), would often fail to provide high-accuracy positioning due to GNSS-challenged environments such as urban canyons. As a result, visual odometry is proposed as an effective complimentary approach. Although it’s widely recognized that visual odometry should be developed based on both visible and infrared images to address issues such as frequent changes in ambient lightening conditions, the mechanism of visible-infrared fusion is often poorly designed. This study proposes a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) based model comprises a generator, which aims to produce a fused image combining infrared intensities and visible gradients, and a discriminator whose target is to force the fused image to retain as many details that exist mostly in visible images as possible. Based on the

Zhou, Yunfei, Yin, Zhishuai

Celebrating Women in Engineering & Science: Jasmin Moghbeli, NASA Astronaut

TBMG-3616603/01/2020

Jasmin Moghbeli’s astronaut class graduated in January 2020 — the first class to graduate since the agency announced the Artemis program. She holds a BS degree in aerospace engineering with information technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a MS in engineering science in aerospace engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. Moghbeli was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in 2005 upon completion of her undergraduate degree. An AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter pilot and Marine Corps test pilot, Moghbeli served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010. At the time of her selection as an astronaut candidate, Moghbeli was testing H-1 helicopters. She has accumulated more than 150 combat missions and 2,000 hours of flight time in more than 25 different aircraft. She is eligible for assignment to missions destined for the International Space Station, the Moon, and ultimately, Mars.

A New Network Design for the “Internet from Space”

TBMG-3606602/01/2020

Satellites do not yet play a major role in the world’s Internet infrastructure; however, this may soon change. Within the next decade, a new generation of satellites could lay the foundations for an “Internet from space,” according to Ankit Singla, a professor at ETH Zurich’s Network Design & Architecture Lab. His team is investigating how to improve the performance of large-scale computer networks including the Internet.

Insect-Inspired Motion Sensing

TBMG-3599302/01/2020

Researchers have taken inspiration from flying insects to demonstrate a miniaturized gyroscope, a special sensor used in navigation technologies. Gyroscopes sense rotational motions to provide directional guidance without relying on satellites, so they are immune to signal jamming and other cyber threats, making them ideal for aircraft and submarines.

Facility Focus: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

TBMG-3596902/01/2020

Dr. Robert Hutchings Goddard is considered the father of modern rocket propulsion. A physicist, Goddard also had a unique genius for invention. It is in his honor that NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, was established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight complex.

A New Network Design for the “Internet from Space”

20AERP02_0602/01/2020

Satellites do not yet play a major role in the world's Internet infrastructure; however, this may soon change. Within the next decade, a new generation of satellites could lay the foundations for an “Internet from space,” according to Ankit Singla, a professor at ETH Zurich's Network Design & Architecture Lab. His team is investigating how to improve the performance of large-scale computer networks including the Internet. Exploiting advances in cost-cutting technologies in the space sector, the new satellite systems would use thousands of satellites instead of the tens of satellites used in past systems. These satellites could then be linked to each other via laser light to form a network. The coverage provided by these satellites would reach remote regions that currently have no or very limited access to the Internet, since they are not connected or are only poorly connected to the intercontinental fiber optic cables that power today's Internet.

CubeSat Form Factor Thermal Control Louvers

TBMG-3582601/01/2020

Thermal control of small spacecraft, including CubeSats, is a challenge for the next era of NASA spaceflight. Science objectives and components will still require strict thermal control while smaller volumes will inherently absorb and shed heat more quickly than a larger body. Thus, game-changing technologies must be developed to stabilize the thermal environment inside of small spacecraft.

Graphene Field Effect Transistors for Radiation Detection (GFET-RS)

TBMG-3514809/01/2019

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center developed novel transistor technology based on a single graphene layer coupled to a radiation absorber substrate. Unlike conventional charge-sensing detectors, the GFET-RS utilizes the sensitive dependence of graphene conductance on local change of the electric field, which can be induced by interaction of radiation with the underlying absorber substrate.

Laser-Pointing System Transmits Data from Tiny Satellites

TBMG-3515409/01/2019

Since 1998, almost 2,000 shoebox-sized satellites known as CubeSats have been launched into space. Due to their small frame and the fact that they can be made from off-the-shelf parts, CubeSats are significantly more affordable to build and launch than traditional satellites that cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

NASA Eyes GPS at the Moon for Artemis Missions

19AERP09_0609/01/2019

The Global Positioning System (GPS), a satellite-based navigation system used by an estimated four billion people worldwide to figure out where they are on Earth at any moment, could be used to pilot in and around lunar orbit during future Artemis missions to the Moon. NASA is developing a special receiver that would be able to pick up location signals provided by the 24 to 32 operational GPS satellites. GPS is operated by the U.S. military about 12,550 miles above Earth's surface and is open to anyone with a GPS receiver. These same GPS signals provide location data used in vehicle navigation systems, interactive maps, and tracking devices of all types, among many other applications.

Apollo Fusion will supply NASA JPL with MaSMi Hall thrusters as sole licensed manufacturer

SAE-MA-0345605/08/2019

JPL transferred the license to Apollo after the company was awarded a contract to produce three engineering model MaSMi-EM thrusters for JPL’s Ascendant Sub-kW Transcelestial Electric Propulsion System (ASTRAEUS). Apollo will deliver the three MaSMi-EM thrusters to JPL this summer.

Kucinski, William

Effects of Reynolds and Mach Numbers in Large Eddy Simulation of Supersonic Round Jets

TBMG-3393703/01/2019

Rockets/landers arrive on the Moon with supersonic speed and impact lunar regolith. There is no reliable software to computationally simulate in an effective way the supersonic plumes escaping from these rockets/devices. A Large Eddy Simulation (LES) model and hybrid WENO (weighted essentially non-oscillatory) scheme numerical method were developed to address this problem.

Flexible, Spinning Heat Shield for Spacecraft

TBMG-3391203/01/2019

Heat shields are essentially used as the brakes to stop spacecraft from burning up and crashing on entry and reentry into a planet's atmosphere. Current spacecraft heat shield methods include huge inflatables and mechanically deployed structures that are often heavy and complicated to use.

New Horizons spacecraft to reach Ultima Thule

SAE-MA-0321112/27/2018

Three years after completing its Pluto flyby, New Horizons will explore a mysterious object named Ultima Thule, meaning “beyond the known world.” The reddish piece of rock and ice is thought to be a castoff of an older version of our solar system, untouched for billions of years.

Kucinski, William

SHEAth-based Rollable LEnticular-Shaped and Low-Stiction (SHEARLESS) Composite Booms

TBMG-3339112/01/2018

NASA's Langley Research Center has developed the SHEARLESS composite boom with a final cross-section shape that is lenticular and is flexible enough to allow elastic flattening and subsequent coiling around a cylindrical reel/drum. The torsional stiffness of the structure is also greatly increased and becomes two orders of magnitude larger than that of the individual tape-spring components alone.

NASA at 60: 1958-2018 Decades of Discovery

TBMG-3309910/01/2018

For six decades, NASA has led the peaceful exploration of space, making discoveries about our planet, our solar system, and our universe. At home, NASA research has made great advances in aviation, helped to develop a commercial space industry, enrich our economy, create jobs, and strengthen national security. Here is just some of what NASA has achieved in its first 60 years.

Space Debris Orbit and Attitude Prediction for Enhanced and Efficient Space Situational Awareness

TBMG-3302510/01/2018

This research deals with the problem of modelling the orbit and attitude motion of uncontrolled manmade objects in orbit about the Earth, which tumble due to the natural influences of the near-Earth space environment. A mathematical, physics-based and computational approach is taken to model the forces and torques that drive the orbit and attitude evolution of such objects. The main influence modelled is solar radiation pressure (SRP), which is the interaction of solar electromagnetic radiation with the surface of an object, leading to both forces and torques that influence the orbital and attitude motion. Other influences, such as the gravitational field of the Earth, are also modelled.

Piezoelectric Thrust Vector Control for Hall Effect Thruster

TBMG-3284909/01/2018

The design of the CubeSat required precision pointing of the thrust vector through the spacecraft center of gravity to minimize fuel usage for attitude correction. Because the center of gravity shifts over the course of the mission, a means of adjusting the thrust vector was needed. Existing space-qualified actuators were either too large, lacked the precision required for pointing, or could not handle the high temperature of the thruster.

3D Printed Spacecraft Parts

TBMG-3273008/01/2018

Stratasys Ltd. Eden Prairie, MN 952-937-3000

GNSS LANDING SYSTEM SENSOR UNIT (GLSSU) WITH VHF DATA BROADCAST (VDB) RECEIVER

ARINC743C (Current)06/22/2018

This document sets forth the characteristics of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Landing System Sensor Unit (GLSSU) with a built-in VHF Data Broadcast (VDB) receiver. The intent of this document is to provide general and specific design guidance for the development of GLSSU for airline use. It describes the desired operational capability of the GLSSU and the standards necessary to ensure interchangeability.

Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee

Affordable Vehicle Avionics (AVA)

TBMG-2903806/01/2018

NASA Ames Research Center has developed a novel, low-cost, self-contained guidance system for small payload operators. Small satellites are becoming ever more capable of performing valuable missions for both government and commercial customers; however, currently these satellites can only be launched affordably as secondary payloads, which makes it difficult for the small satellite mission to launch when needed, to the desired orbit, and with acceptable risk.

Novel Radiation Shielding Material for Dramatically Extending the Orbit Life of CubeSats

TBMG-2886605/01/2018

NASA Langley Research Center has developed an innovative radiation shield made by layering metal materials in the Z-shielding method. It is a new, low-cost, and easy-to-implement method to protect CubeSat electronic circuits from ionizing radiation found in low Earth orbits. It is estimated that this approach can extend the life of CubeSat electronics by an order of magnitude.

Method and Associated Apparatus for Capturing, Servicing, and De-Orbiting Earth Satellites Using Robotics

TBMG-2872704/01/2018

Engineers at Goddard Space Flight Center have overcome limitations plaguing the satellite sector since its inception through the development of a robotic system allowing for the autonomous capture and servicing of in-orbit satellites. By enabling spacecraft to identify, pursue, and attach to a target satellite, this innovation will make possible satellite inspection, repairing, refueling, and upgrading. The major benefits provided by this technology will be of great interest to the commercial satellite sector.

EOS MLS Level 2 Data Processing Software, Version 4

02/01/2018

This software reads MLS Level 1 products — the Earth Observing System (EOS) Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) calibrated measurements of microwave radiance products and operational meteorological data — and produces a set of estimates of atmospheric temperature and composition. The software features are driven by the instrument and its unique capabilities to measure the atmospheric temperatures and composition at the Earth's limb. By careful and judicious choice of signal bands, and by dividing the computing into chunks and phases, scientifically useful products can be produced with wide spatial and temporal coverage. The software includes a highly developed forward model algorithm and an inverse model that makes efficient use of memory.

Rockets re-engineered-a step further into the cosmos

17MEIP12_0112/01/2017

The 20th-Century nuclear arms race led to pioneering efforts in space technology, primarily driven by nations' desire to surpass one another for supremacy in spaceflight capability. Despite the largely deplorable motivations that drove the so-called “space race,” it resulted in a massive surge in aerospace engineering efforts that eventually led to the development of artificial satellites orbiting the earth, space probes that have explored the moon and other planets and the most challenging accomplishment: human spaceflight. After the first human spaceflight in 1961 by Yuri Gagarin of the USSR, and later the U.S.'s Alan Shepard, respectively the first-ever “cosmonaut” and “astronaut,” engineering efforts were dedicated mainly towards landing a man on the moon.

Aerospace & Defense Technology: September 2017

17AERP0909/01/2017

On-Orbit Satellite Refueling Flow Measurement The Path from Concept to Operational Status Radiation Tolerant "Smart Backplanes" for Spacecraft Avionics Using Heat Pipes to Cool Embedded Computers Electronically Dimmable Aircraft Windows How do you block the light of the sun? Eliminating Electrical Arcing in Satellite Systems NASA Miniaturizes Century-Old Radio Sounder Technology Developing an Airborne Optical Systems Testbed (AOSTB) New Class of Excimer-Pumped Atomic Lasers (XPALS) Research demonstrates the viability of an atomic laser having a quantum efficiency greater than one. Hydrodynamic Drag Force Measurement of a Functionalized Surface Exhibiting Superhydrophobic Properties Comparing the skin friction drag effects of a superhydrophobic flat plate to an untreated flat plate of the same material and geometry. Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) Suppression and Long Delivery Fibers at the Multikilowatt Level with Chirped Seed Lasers Using chirped seed amplification with a MEMS

Towed-Glider Airborne Launch System Cuts Costs and Increases Efficiency and Safety

TBMG-2752609/01/2017

Putting a satellite into low Earth orbit requires a lot of energy, with ground-launched rockets expending two-thirds of their propellant fighting to get through the atmosphere. Researchers at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center have developed an innovative approach to launching satellites into space from an airborne platform. As with other air-launch approaches, it provides significant flexibility in the location and direction of the launch vehicle. Furthermore, unlike other air-based launch techniques, this system avoids the significant drawbacks related to expensive and complex design/development efforts, difficult maneuvering, risks to crew, and inefficient flight performance.

Developing a Satellite-Based Autonomous Vehicle Control System

TBMG-2704706/01/2017

The rapid rise of global interest in the field of autonomous driving is ushering in a new era of automobiles. With many vehicles already offering autonomous preventative safety systems, the addition of improved road infrastructure could increase the reliability and maturity of autonomous driving functions, ultimately increasing the driver's sense of safety.

BiBlade Sampling Chain

TBMG-2703106/01/2017

The BiBlade sampler has been developed for potentially acquiring samples from the surface of a planetary body. The tool could conceivably be used in both in situ and notional sample return missions to planetary bodies including asteroids, comets, and moons. While the tool was designed for planetary sampling missions, it could have terrestrial applications as well.

ELECTRIC ROCKETS AND THE FUTURE OF SATELLITE PROPULSION

17MEIP06_0406/01/2017

Humans have been using rocket propulsion for almost a millennium, starting with Chinese rockets and “fire arrows” in the 13th century and continuing to the modern era's powerful Space Shuttle and Falcon rockets. For most of that history, rockets have been chemically fueled, but in the past century scientists and engineers have also experimented with electric rockets, also known as ion engines or ion propulsion systems. Rather than using chemical reactions to create heat and accelerate a propellant, electric rockets use electromagnetic or electrostatic fields acting on charged ions of propellant, speeding them up and shooting them out, away from the vehicle, producing thrust. The electrical energy to generate these fields comes from the sun, from batteries, or both.

GPS Satellite Geometry Analysis Tool (GPSGEM)

TBMG-2688005/01/2017

The purpose of the GPS Satellite Geometry Analysis Tool (GPSGEM) is to evaluate GPS satellite geometry for a given Earth-fixed location or for a provided trajectory. The tool will generate a listing of all satellites in view, the best satellite combination defined by the most optimum Geometric Dilution of Precision (GDOP), the GDOP profile expected if all satellites are available, and the worst-case GDOP profile when one or two satellites are removed from the available constellation. The tool will provide the navigation controller with insight into the expected performance of the GPS constellation, and allow an assessment of the implications to onboard navigation performance for the ascent, orbit, abort, and entry phases of flight.

Cellular Reflectarray Antenna and Method of Making Same

TBMG-2686205/01/2017

NASA's Glenn Research Center invites companies to license a new concept design for terrestrial satellite dishes and communications systems. The Cellular Reflectarray Antenna (CRA) has been developed and tested for use with next-generation Ka-band satellites, although it can be used with all bands of satellite communication. The design's flat, planar configuration all but eliminates the wind-loading problems associated with larger parabolic reflectors for dish systems. The technology also offers unique features that provide ease of installation and improved signal reception, while deterring piracy and theft of subscription satellite services.

Electric Rockets and the Future of Satellite Propulsion

TBMG-2667904/01/2017

Humans have been using rocket propulsion for almost a millennium, starting with Chinese rockets and “fire arrows” in the 13th century and continuing to the modern era's powerful Space Shuttle and Falcon rockets. For most of that history, rockets have been chemically fueled, but in the past century scientists and engineers have also experimented with electric rockets, also known as ion engines or ion propulsion systems.

Touchscreen Tablet Mission System

TBMG-2675704/01/2017

Inzpire Lincolnshire, UK +44 1522 688 231

BiBlade Sampling Chain

TBMG-2669204/01/2017

The BiBlade sampler has been developed for potentially acquiring samples from the surface of a planetary body. The tool could conceivably be used in both in situ and notional sample return missions to planetary bodies including asteroids, comets, and moons. While the tool was designed for planetary sampling missions, it could have terrestrial applications as well.

Exo-Brake Enables Safe Return for Small Spacecraft

TBMG-2669804/01/2017

NASA's Exo-Brake is a critical technology that can potentially help science payloads return to Earth from the International Space Station through the deployment of small spacecraft. The Exo-Brake is a tension-based, flexible braking device resembling a cross-parachute that deploys from the rear of a satellite to increase the drag. It is a deorbit device that replaces the more complicated rocket-based systems that would normally be employed during the deorbit phase of re-entry.

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