NASA-supported wireless microphone array quickly, cheaply, and accurately maps noise from aircraft, animals, and more. Anyone who lives near an airport or is experiencing the emergence of a cicada brood can quickly identify the source of that ongoing noise. However, running tests to identify the noise created by a new drone or find pests in … Read more
For spacewalks to even be possible, spacesuits need insulation and temperature controls to withstand temperature swings between 250 and minus 250 degrees Fahrenheit. This extreme environment made NASA innovators look beyond everyday materials to find something unique to keep explorers comfortable and safe. In the 1980s, NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston entered into a … Read more
Before the U.S. Cycling Federation adopted a requirement for all bike racers to wear helmets in 1986, most people rode without one. The only helmet options at the time drew rider complaints for being too hot and heavy. But, with a bit inspiration from a NASA aircraft wing design used during World War II, more … Read more
In low Earth orbit, satellites face a constant challenge – a tiny amount of atmospheric drag that, over time, causes them to slow down and decay their orbit. To combat this, spacecraft rely on in-space thrusters to adjust positioning and boost orbits. However, most of these thrusters use heavy, expensive chemical propellants. This is where … Read more
NASA battery safety exams influence commercial product testing Battery safety is of paramount importance in space, where the risk of thermal runaway looms large. This dangerous reaction, characterized by a continuous escalation of temperatures within the battery, can potentially lead to a fire or explosion. For two decades, Judy Jeevarajan was the NASA engineer in … Read more
Humans aren’t the only mammals working to mitigate the effects of climate change in the Western United States. People there are also enlisting the aid of nature’s most prolific engineers – beavers. Using NASA-provided grants, two open-source programs from Boise State University in Idaho and Utah State University in Logan are making it possible for … Read more
Natural disasters like volcanic eruptions, floods, and tornados can dramatically change the surface of Earth to the point where alterations are visible in space. Changes driven by human actions and interventions, such as mining and deforestation, are also visible in satellite imagery. For over 50 years, NASA’s Landsat satellites have recorded our planet’s changing surface. … Read more
Math for designing lasers becomes artist’s key to creating complex crease patterns After uncovering the mathematical underpinnings of origami, Robert Lang left a 20-year engineering career, including over four years at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, to pursue his lifelong passion. However, while he was working at JPL, Lang picked up an important … Read more
NASA-funded molecular research enables better disease detection At first glance, the search for life beyond Earth might not seem related to human illness, but to biochemist Steven Benner, the connection is clear. “In diagnostics for an infectious disease, you’re looking for alien life inside of a patient,” said Benner, who has spent nearly two decades … Read more
After Eugene Malinskiy saw a physician assistant trip over arthroscopic camera cords during a medical procedure, he and his brother, Ilya, set out to develop a wireless arthroscopic camera. Early in the development process, the Malinskiys got a boost from engineers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, who advised on technical specifications through the … Read more