Articles tagged with "spacecraft"
SpaceX veteran Tom Mueller on rocket engines and Impulse Space
Tom Mueller, a pioneering aerospace engineer, played a crucial role in the rise of commercial spaceflight as SpaceX’s first employee and lead designer of its Merlin, Kestrel, and Draco rocket engines. His early passion for rockets and mechanical engineering led him to build the world’s largest amateur liquid-fuel rocket engine in his garage, which caught Elon Musk’s attention. At SpaceX, Mueller helped develop the propulsion systems that underpin the Falcon 9 rocket, a vehicle that has revolutionized space access by significantly lowering launch costs through reusability and enabling the return of astronaut launches to the U.S. after the Space Shuttle’s retirement. After departing SpaceX in 2020, Mueller founded Impulse Space, focusing on in-orbit mobility—efficiently moving payloads once they are already in space, addressing the next major challenge in space transportation. Impulse has successfully flown three Mira spacecraft on Falcon 9 rideshare missions, demonstrating progress in this emerging sector. Mueller credits his time at Space
energyaerospace-engineeringrocket-enginesspace-propulsionspace-technologyin-space-mobilityspacecraftBlue Origin launches 321-foot rocket with twin NASA orbiters to Mars
Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn rocket on its second flight from Cape Canaveral, carrying NASA’s twin ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) spacecraft destined for Mars. The 321-foot rocket lifted off after a delay caused by weather and solar storms. The $80 million mission aims to study Mars’s upper atmosphere and magnetic fields to understand how solar wind interactions contributed to the planet’s atmospheric loss, which transformed Mars from a wet environment to a dry one. This research is critical for protecting future astronauts from radiation and advancing NASA’s goal of safely sending humans to Mars. A significant milestone for Blue Origin was the successful recovery of the New Glenn booster stage, which landed upright on an offshore barge, demonstrating reusable rocket technology similar to SpaceX’s approach. The twin ESCAPADE spacecraft will first travel to Lagrange Point 2 near Earth, waiting until November 2026 for optimal planetary alignment to use Earth’s gravity for a slingshot maneuver toward Mars
energyspace-explorationrocket-launchMars-missionNASABlue-OriginspacecraftSolar sail probe could enable 40% faster 'space tornado' warnings
A team of scientists from the University of Michigan has proposed a new early warning system to detect "space tornadoes," which are spirals of solar wind plasma and magnetic fields known as flux ropes. These space weather phenomena form during coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the sun and can trigger geomagnetic storms that disrupt satellite orbits, affect astronauts, and potentially cause severe technological outages on Earth. Their simulations showed that flux ropes, ranging from thousands to millions of miles wide, form when fast and slow solar wind streams collide, sometimes persisting long enough to pose significant risks. To improve detection, the researchers suggest deploying a constellation of spacecraft based on the Space Weather Investigation Frontier (SWIFT) concept, consisting of four probes arranged in a triangular-pyramid formation about 200,000 miles apart at the Earth-Sun Lagrange Point 1 (L1). One of these probes would use a solar sail similar to NASA’s proposed Solar Cruiser mission, harnessing sunlight for propulsion. Station
energyspace-weathersolar-sailgeomagnetic-stormssolar-windNASAspacecraftWorld’s first space delivery vehicle drops supplies in under an hour
Inversion, a Los Angeles-based aerospace and defense startup, has unveiled Arc, the world’s first space delivery vehicle capable of delivering up to 500 pounds of mission-critical cargo from orbit to nearly any location on Earth in under an hour. Arc is a reusable, lifting-body reentry vehicle about 8 feet tall and 4 feet wide, designed to remain in orbit for up to five years, ready to rapidly descend when needed. It can maneuver during reentry with a cross-range of approximately 621 miles and lands safely under parachutes without requiring runways. Its propulsion system uses non-toxic materials, enabling immediate safe handling after landing. The vehicle is intended to deliver a variety of urgent payloads such as medical supplies and drones, emphasizing rapid, mission-enabling logistics. Beyond cargo delivery, Inversion positions Arc as a hypersonic test platform capable of speeds exceeding Mach 20, sustaining extreme conditions and heavy g-forces for extended periods. This capability supports the growing U.S. defense focus
energyaerospacehypersonic-technologyspace-logisticsspacecraftpropulsion-systemsdefense-technologySpaceX Targets an Orbital Starship Flight with a Next-Gen Vehicle in 2026
SpaceX is targeting an orbital flight of its next-generation Starship vehicle by 2026, marking a critical step in the spacecraft’s development. Orbital missions will provide essential data on Starship’s heat shield performance during atmospheric reentry and enable tests of in-orbit refueling, a capability vital for future Mars missions. The company recently completed the 10th full-scale test flight of the combined Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage on August 26, launching from Starbase, Texas. The flight successfully demonstrated improved propulsion and propellant system reliability, overcoming issues from previous tests, and achieved a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean within three meters of the target. A key focus of the recent flight was testing metallic heat shield tiles as a potential alternative to the traditional ceramic tiles. SpaceX installed three metal tiles on the side of the vehicle to evaluate their durability and heat resistance. However, these metal tiles oxidized during reentry, turning a rusty orange color and proving less effective than ceramic
energymaterialsaerospaceSpaceXheat-shieldpropulsion-systemsspacecraftAlien spy? Mystery space object may be nuclear spaceship, claims Harvard scientist
A recently discovered interstellar comet, 3I/ATLAS, detected in July 2025, has attracted significant scientific attention due to its rare origin outside our solar system. It is only the third known interstellar object after 1I/ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov. Harvard scientist Avi Loeb has speculated that 3I/ATLAS might not be a natural comet but potentially a nuclear-powered spacecraft of extraterrestrial origin. Loeb bases this hypothesis on observations from the Hubble Space Telescope showing a light glow seemingly emanating from the object's core rather than from surrounding dust, as is typical for comets. He proposes two explanations: either it is a radioactive fragment from a supernova or, more speculatively, a spacecraft emitting dust from its surface as it travels through space. Loeb acknowledges that these claims are bold and require more evidence to be substantiated. He highlights the object's unusual "fine-tuned trajectory" and its similarity in size to
energynuclear-energyspace-technologyinterstellar-objectspacecraftnuclear-powered-spacecraftextraterrestrial-technologyFirefly Space files for an IPO
Firefly Aerospace has filed for an initial public offering (IPO), signaling its intent to enter the public markets later in 2025. The company, which achieved notable milestones this year including a commercial Moon landing, submitted its S-1 registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. While the exact share count and pricing remain undisclosed, Firefly reported having $176.9 million in cash and equivalents, alongside $173.6 million in debt, including a $136.1 million term loan with a high interest rate. The IPO proceeds are expected to partly repay this debt. Financially, Firefly’s revenue grew significantly to $55.8 million as of March 31, 2025, primarily driven by its Blue Ghost lunar lander missions, but the company continues to operate at a net loss, with a $231.1 million loss in fiscal 2024. Looking ahead, Firefly projects strong growth supported by several major contracts and developments. These include a partnership with
energyaerospacespace-technologylaunch-vehiclesspacecraftIPOcommercial-spaceflightA European Startup's Spacecraft Made It to Orbit. Now It's Lost at Sea
The Exploration Company, a European startup focused on developing orbital spacecraft, recently conducted a test flight of its 2.5-meter diameter demonstration vehicle, Mission Possible, launched aboard SpaceX's Transporter 14 mission. The flight achieved several key milestones: successful launch, nominal payload operation in orbit, stabilization after separation, reentry, and reestablishment of communication post-blackout. However, contact was lost shortly before the capsule's planned ocean touchdown, likely due to a failure in the deployment of its parachutes—critical for safe recovery. The parachutes, sourced from US-based Airborne Systems and with proven flight heritage, were expected to deploy between Mach 0.8 and Mach 0.6, but the vehicle was ultimately lost at sea, marking a partial failure in the mission’s recovery objective. Despite this setback, the company communicated transparently and promptly, acknowledging the partial success and ongoing investigation into the root cause. Mission Possible was developed rapidly and cost-effectively, with a budget of
robotautonomous-navigationspacecraftspaceflightparachute-deploymentorbital-flightaerospace-materialsNASA's nuclear rocket program canceled as Trump budget slashes space science
The Trump administration’s proposed NASA budget for fiscal year 2026 includes drastic cuts to space science funding, slashing it from $7.5 billion in 2025 to $3.9 billion. Among the programs targeted for elimination is DRACO, a nuclear thermal propulsion demonstrator developed by NASA and DARPA. DRACO was designed to use a nuclear reactor to heat liquid hydrogen fuel to extremely high temperatures, potentially doubling the efficiency of traditional chemical rockets and significantly reducing travel times for deep space missions, such as trips to Mars. The cancellation comes despite DRACO nearing its estimated launch date and reflects a broader pattern of prioritizing projects with quicker political or financial returns over long-term, generational technologies. The budget proposal has faced strong criticism from scientists, lawmakers, and space policy experts who warn that such cuts could lead to a decline in U.S. leadership in space exploration. NASA’s acting administrator, Janet Petro, justified ending nuclear propulsion projects by stating that near-term human exploration and science goals do
energynuclear-propulsionNASAspace-technologyDRACOspacecraftspace-explorationThis Chinese Spacecraft Is Traveling to One of Earth’s Quasi-Moons
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has released the first image from its Tianwen-2 probe, currently over 3 million kilometers from Earth and en route to Kamo’oalewa, a near-Earth quasi-moon asteroid. Launched on May 29, 2023, Tianwen-2 aims to study Kamo’oalewa from a distance before landing on its surface in July 2026 to collect samples. After returning these samples to Earth, the spacecraft plans to use Earth’s gravity to slingshot toward another asteroid, 311P/PanSTARRS. The mission faces challenges such as landing on the asteroid’s low-gravity surface and will provide valuable data on the composition of rocky celestial bodies. Kamo’oalewa is one of seven known quasi-moons of Earth—asteroids that orbit the sun in a path similar to Earth’s but are not gravitationally bound to our planet. Discovered in 2016 near Hawaii, it is about
energyspace-explorationsolar-panelsspacecraftasteroid-samplingTianwen-2quasi-moonWorld's first metal-free motor could supercharge EVs and spacecraft
Researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) have developed the world’s first fully functional electric motor made entirely without metal components, using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) instead of traditional copper coils. This metal-free motor demonstrates a 133% increase in electrical conductivity and is 80% lighter than conventional copper-based motors. The innovation addresses a critical challenge in transportation—lightweighting—which can significantly improve energy efficiency, battery performance, and range in electric vehicles, drones, and spacecraft. The motor was successfully tested by powering a scale model car on asphalt roads, achieving speeds over half a meter per second and continuous operation for 60 minutes under varying loads. A key breakthrough enabling this development was a novel purification technique called the LAST (Lyotropic Liquid Crystal-Assisted Surface Texturing) process. This method removes metal catalyst impurities embedded in CNTs during production, reducing contamination from 12.7% to less than 0.8%, while preserving the nanotubes’ electrical properties. The process involves dissolving CNTs in chlorosulfonic acid to form a liquid crystal state that self-aligns the tubes; exposure to water then generates hydrochloric acid that eliminates iron impurities. The purified CNT cables achieved an electrical conductivity of 7.7 megasiemens per meter, comparable to copper but at a fraction of the weight (1.7 g/cm³ vs. copper’s 8.9 g/cm³). This advancement holds promise for significantly reducing motor weight across various applications without compromising performance.
materialscarbon-nanotubeselectric-motorlightweight-technologyelectric-vehiclesspacecraftenergy-efficiency