technology highlights

Atomic Layer Processing Coating Techniques Enable Missions to See Further into the Ultraviolet – NASA Science

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Atomic Layer Processing Coating Techniques Enable Missions to See Further into the Ultraviolet – NASA Science

Astrophysics observations at ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths often probe the most dynamic aspects of the universe. However, the high energy of ultraviolet photons means that their interaction with the materials that make up an observing instrument are less efficient, resulting in low overall throughput. New approaches in the development of thin film coatings are addressing this … Read more

Ultra-low-noise Infrared Detectors for Exoplanet Imaging – NASA Science

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Ultra-low-noise Infrared Detectors for Exoplanet Imaging – NASA Science

One of the ultimate goals in astrophysics is the discovery of Earth-like planets that are capable of hosting life. While thousands of planets have been discovered around other stars, the vast majority of these detections have been made via indirect methods, that is, by detecting the effect of the planet on the star’s light, rather … Read more

NASA’s Cloud-based Confluence Software Helps Hydrologists Study Rivers on a Global Scale – NASA Science

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NASA’s Cloud-based Confluence Software Helps Hydrologists Study Rivers on a Global Scale – NASA Science

Rivers and streams wrap around Earth in complex networks millions of miles long, driving trade, nurturing ecosystems, and stocking critical reserves of freshwater. But the hydrologists who dedicate their professional lives to studying this immense web of waterways do so with a relatively limited set of tools. Around the world, a patchwork of just 3,000 … Read more

2023 Entrepreneurs Challenge Winner Skyline Nav AI: Revolutionizing GPS-Independent Navigation with Computer Vision – NASA Science

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2023 Entrepreneurs Challenge Winner Skyline Nav AI: Revolutionizing GPS-Independent Navigation with Computer Vision – NASA Science

Skyline Nav AI’s flagship technology offers precise, real-time geolocation without the need for GPS, Wi-Fi, or cellular networks. The system utilizes machine learning algorithms to analyze terrain and skyline features and match them with preloaded reference datasets, providing up to centimeter-level accuracy in GPS-denied environments. This capability could enable operations in areas where GPS signals … Read more

Towards Autonomous Surface Missions on Ocean Worlds – NASA Science

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Towards Autonomous Surface Missions on Ocean Worlds – NASA Science

  Principal Investigator (PI) PI Institution Project Testbed Used Purpose of Project ARROW Projects Jonathan Bohren Honeybee Robotics Stochastic PLEXIL (SPLEXIL) OceanWATERS Extended PLEXIL with stochastic decision-making capabilities by employing reinforcement learning techniques. Pooyan Jamshidi University of South Carolina Resource Adaptive Software Purpose-Built for Extraordinary Robotic Research Yields (RASPBERRY SI) OceanWATERS & OWLAT Developed software … Read more

New NASA Instrument for Studying Snowpack Completes Airborne Testing – NASA Science

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New NASA Instrument for Studying Snowpack Completes Airborne Testing – NASA Science

7 min read S-MODE, ASIA-AQ, and the Role of ESPO in Complex Airborne Campaigns ESPO solves problems before you know you have them. If you are missing a canister of liquid nitrogen, got locked out of your rental car, or need clearance for a South Korean military base, you want ESPO in your corner. What … Read more

Entrepreneurs Challenge Prize Winner Uses Artificial Intelligence to Identify Methane Emissions – NASA Science

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Entrepreneurs Challenge Prize Winner Uses Artificial Intelligence to Identify Methane Emissions – NASA Science

4 min read NASA-Designed Greenhouse Gas-Detection Instrument Launches Developed by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the imaging spectrometer will provide actionable data to help reduce emissions that contribute to global warming. Tanager-1, the Carbon Mapper Coalition’s first satellite, which carries a state-of-the-art, NASA-designed greenhouse-gas-tracking instrument, is in Earth orbit after lifting off aboard a SpaceX … Read more

Station Science Top News: August 16, 2024 – NASA

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Station Science Top News: August 16, 2024 – NASA

Locations designed as a maintenance work area and an exercise area on the International Space Station are commonly used by crew members for stowage and body maintenance activities, respectively. These differences between intended and actual use demonstrate that systematic observation of material culture can help researchers identify how astronauts adapt to life in microgravity and support better … Read more

Quantum Scale Sensors used to Measure Planetary Scale Magnetic Fields – NASA Science

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Quantum Scale Sensors used to Measure Planetary Scale Magnetic Fields – NASA Science

Magnetic fields are everywhere in our solar system. They originate from the Sun, planets, and moons, and are carried throughout interplanetary space by solar wind. This is precisely why magnetometers—devices used to measure magnetic fields—are flown on almost all missions in space to benefit the Earth, Planetary, and Heliophysics science communities, and ultimately enrich knowledge … Read more

Breaking the Scaling Limits: New Ultralow-noise Superconducting Camera for Exoplanet Searches – NASA Science

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Breaking the Scaling Limits: New Ultralow-noise Superconducting Camera for Exoplanet Searches – NASA Science

When imaging faint objects such as distant stars or exoplanets, capturing every last bit of light is crucial to get the most out of a scientific mission. These cameras must be extremely low-noise, and be able to detect the smallest quantities of light—single photons.  Superconducting cameras excel in both of these criteria, but have historically … Read more