Archeopteryx’s Feeding Structures: Evidence of Evolving Flight Demands, Researchers Reveal

Posted on February 6, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

A groundbreaking study by paleontologists at the Field Museum of Natural History reveals that Archeopteryx, the oldest known bird, has a feeding mechanism intricately shaped by the demands of early flight. This discovery implies a simultaneous evolution of diet and aerodynamics during the early history of birds. For detailed insights, check the full report, coming this week in Innovation.

Reconstruction of Archeopteryx, highlighting features such as an oral papilla, a beak tip organ, and a flexible tongue supported by an extra lingual bone. Image credit: Vir Shinkonen.

Flying demands a significant amount of energy compared to walking, swimming, or running, making it one of the most physically taxing forms of exercise. Birds have therefore evolved specialized strategies for efficient food intake and digestion.

Archeopteryx, the oldest known bird-like dinosaur, inhabited regions of present-day Germany around 150 million years ago during the Jurassic period.

Dr. Jingmai O’Connor, associate curator of fossil reptiles at the Field Museum, states, “For a long time, the characteristics defining the transition from land-based dinosaurs to avian dinosaurs were poorly understood.”

Dr. O’Connor notes, “The unique features found in Archeopteryx that are also present in modern birds provide new criteria for determining avian characteristics in dinosaur fossils.”

This research focused on the latest Archeopteryx specimen from Chicago, enhancing our scientific understanding of this ancient bird.

The team compared the preserved tissues of Archeopteryx to the oral papillae of contemporary birds, leading to the significant finding that they identified the first example of an oral papilla in Archeopteryx, as well as the first in the fossil record.

Additionally, the study uncovered several previously unseen features within the skull of Archeopteryx.

A small bone fragment, identified as a tongue bone, was discovered. While human tongues lack bones, many birds possess a series of bones that structure their tongues, allowing for greater flexibility and food manipulation.

“This tiny bone is one of the smallest in the body, yet it indicates that Archeopteryx had a highly mobile tongue, similar to many modern birds,” said Dr. O’Connor.

CT scans also revealed small tunnels at the tip of Archeopteryx’s beak, indicating the presence of nerve traces. Many birds possess a beak tip organ, a sensitive feature at the end of the beak that aids in food foraging.

These findings collectively suggest that Archeopteryx utilized oral papillae, lingual bones, and beak tip organs to develop advanced feeding mechanisms, reflecting their adaptive strategies for survival in flight.

“Our results indicate a significant transformation in feeding strategies as dinosaurs took to the air to meet the high-energy demands of flight,” Dr. O’Connor added.

“Birds possess incredibly efficient digestive systems, designed to maximize the energy extracted from food—a process that begins right in the mouth.”

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Jimmai K. O’Connor et al. 2026. Characteristics of Archeopteryx‘s feeding apparatus reveal the growing demands of flight. Innovation 7(2):101086; doi: 10.1016/j.xinn.2025.101086

Source: www.sci.news

Jurassic Dinosaur Fossils Illuminate the Evolution of Flight

Posted on December 19, 2025 by

Paleontologists studied fossils that are 160 million years old. Anchiornis Huxley, a non-avian theropod dinosaur, was unearthed from the Late Jurassic Tianjishan Formation in northeastern China. The preserved feathers indicated that these dinosaurs had lost their flying capability. This rare find offers insights into the functions of organisms that existed 160 million years ago and their role in the evolution of flight among dinosaurs and birds.

This fossil of Anchiornis Huxley has nearly complete feathers and coloration preserved, allowing for detailed identification of feather morphology. Image credit: Kiat et al., doi: 10.1038/s42003-025-09019-2.

“This discovery has significant implications, suggesting that the evolution of flight in dinosaurs and birds was more intricate than previously understood,” said paleontologist Yosef Kiat from Tel Aviv University and his team.

“It is possible that some species had rudimentary flight abilities but lost them as they evolved.”

“The lineage of dinosaurs diverged from other reptiles approximately 240 million years ago.”

“Shortly after (on an evolutionary timeline), many dinosaurs began developing feathers, unique structures that are lightweight and strong, made of protein, and primarily used for flight and thermoregulation.”

About 175 million years ago, feathered dinosaurs, known as Penaraputra, emerged as distant ancestors of modern birds; they are the only dinosaur lineage that survived the mass extinction marking the end of the Mesozoic Era 66 million years ago.

As far as we know, the Pennaraputra group developed feathers for flight, but some may have lost that capability due to changing environmental conditions, similar to modern ostriches and penguins.

In this study, the researchers examined nine specimens of a feathered pennaraptorian dinosaur species called Anchiornis Huxley.

This rare paleontological find, along with hundreds of similar fossils, had its feathers remarkably preserved due to the unique conditions present during their fossilization.

Specifically, the nine fossils analyzed were selected because they retained the color of their wing feathers: white with black spots on the tips.

“Feathers take about two to three weeks to grow,” explains Dr. Kiat.

“Once they reach their final size, they detach from the blood vessels that nourished them during growth and become dead material.”

“Over time, birds shed and replace their feathers in a process known as molting, which is crucial for flight.” He notes that birds that depend on flight molt in an organized and gradual manner, maintaining symmetry and allowing them to continue flying during the process.

Conversely, the molting of flightless birds tends to be more random and irregular.

“Molting patterns can indicate whether a winged creature was capable of flight.”

By examining the color of the feathers preserved in dinosaur fossils from China, researchers could reconstruct the wing structure, which featured series of black spots along the edges.

Additionally, newly grown feathers, which had not fully matured, were identifiable by their deviation in black spot patterns.

A detailed analysis of the new feathers in nine fossils revealed an irregular molting process.

“Based on our understanding of contemporary birds, we identified a molting pattern suggesting these dinosaurs were likely flightless,” said Dr. Kiat.

“This is a rare and particularly intriguing discovery. The preservation of feather color offers a unique opportunity to explore the functional characteristics of ancient organisms alongside body structures found in fossilized skeletons and bones.”

“While feather molting might seem like a minor detail, it could significantly alter our understanding of the origins of flight when examined in fossils,” he added.

“Anchiornis Huxley‘s inclusion in the group of feathered dinosaurs that couldn’t fly underscores the complexity and diversity of wing evolution.”

The findings were published in the journal Communication Biology.

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Y. Kiat et al. 2025. Wing morphology of Anchiornis Huxley and the evolution of molting strategies in paraavian dinosaurs. Communication Biology August 1633. doi: 10.1038/s42003-025-09019-2

Source: www.sci.news

Baby Palace Took Flight Immediately After Hatching, But Crashed in the Storm

Posted on September 5, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Artist’s impressions of a pterodactyl hatchling battling a tropical storm

Rudolf Hima

The young pterodactyl appeared to have taken flight just days post-hatching, yet some individuals suffered broken wings during a turbulent storm that struck their lagoon habitat.

This immature pterodactyl possessed an adult-like wing configuration, showcasing strength and aerodynamic traits conducive to flight. However, paleontologists have long questioned whether newly hatched individuals were capable of flying.

At the Solnhofen site in southern Germany, countless plant fossils are trapped in limestone. During an examination using ultraviolet light at Haassov’s Museum Bergel, David Unwin and Robert Smith from the University of Leicester, UK, identified a fractured wing of a Pterodactylus antiquus specimen. They soon discovered another hatchling exhibiting the same wing fracture.

“We were astounded,” stated Unwin. “We are not easily shocked. Under UV light, it practically leapt out of the rock. Our immediate reaction was, ‘Bloody hell!’

Unwin and his team estimated that these two specimens, both measuring just 20 cm and still in their growth phase, lived around 150 million years ago, approximately two million years apart. At that time, the location was part of an archipelago, featuring numerous islands and saltwater lagoons, where intense tropical cyclones occasionally triggered rapid underwater landslides that helped preserve fossilized remains.

The hatchling’s bones exhibited a healthy structure without signs of rotation or healing, apart from clean, angled breaks in the humerus (the upper arm bones supporting the wings). These injuries resemble the typical wing damage that adult birds and bats sustain when navigating through oceanic storms.

Juvenile *Pterodactylus antiquus* skeletons from Solnhofen, Germany

University of Leicester

“The most plausible explanation for these unfortunate pterosaurs with fractured wings is that they were airborne during the incident,” Unwin notes.

“In calm conditions, they could potentially float, but turbulent, wave-driven surfaces would cause them to sink.”

These findings bring valuable evidence to the long-standing debate regarding flight capabilities in hatchling pterosaurs, according to researchers.

“I don’t believe they hatched and simply leapt into the air,” Unwin stated. “However, they were likely airborne almost immediately post-hatching. This is one reason why these very young specimens are represented in the fossil record today.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

SpaceX’s Starship Rocket Successfully Concludes Test Flight

Posted on August 27, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

SpaceX Starship Rocket launches in its 10th flight test from Starbase, Texas, Launch Complex 1

UPI/Alamy

The SpaceX Starship, recognized as the most powerful rocket globally, has successfully completed a suborbital test flight following three previous launches that ended in catastrophic explosions.

SpaceX aims to develop a highly reusable and formidable launch vehicle. After several years, the Starship program is set to take over the deployment of Starlink satellites and play a pivotal role in NASA’s Artemis Moon Missions. Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX, has stated that Starship is crucial for his ambition to colonize Mars.

The company embraces a fail-fast approach, more typical of Silicon Valley than the traditional methods prevalent in the aerospace industry. Despite aiming for rapid iterations, recent failures have raised concerns among observers.

Previous test flights (7, 8, and 9) ended in disaster with the upper stage either exploding or failing to land safely. The preparations for the 10th flight faced challenges when the upper stage detonated while holding propellant during ground tests.

This failure drew criticisms and led to doubts about SpaceX’s ability to achieve rapid reusability. Nevertheless, the test flight on August 10 from Starbase, Texas, was mainly successful, despite two previous cancellations.

The upper stage reached orbit and successfully deployed eight mock Starlink satellites to evaluate engine performance in a vacuum. Although an unexpected explosion damaged the engine area, the spacecraft completed its objectives, re-entering Earth’s atmosphere and achieving a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The positioned camera-equipped buoy provided engineers critical insights into the craft’s operations.

The booster stage detached and performed a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.

While SpaceX did not provide specific comments, they stated on their website that all “primary objectives were met” during the mission.

Patrick Harkness, from the University of Glasgow, remarked that the launch was “an incredible achievement that allowed them to approach high volumes of space at low-cost altitudes.”

Despite advancements, questions linger regarding whether the spacecraft will be ready in time for NASA’s Artemis III lunar landing, planned for 2027. SpaceX remains committed to sending the spacecraft to Mars in 2026, amid ongoing challenges.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Two Unwelcome Viruses Could Be Disrupting Honeybee Flight

Posted on August 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Honeybees battle infectious fungi, bacteria, mites, and viruses daily.

Anthony Brown/Alamy

Two non-threatening viral infections in adult honeybees are surprisingly covert and might disrupt their flying ability. One virus enhances speed, while the other acts as a brake.

Bees face a continual fight against infectious fungi, bacteria, mites, and viruses, many of which pose a threat to entire colonies. However, not all pathogens are equally harmful. For instance, both the deformed wing virus (DWV) and the sacbrood virus (SBV) can lead to severe symptoms if they infect honeybees during their early development. Despite being linked to increased mortality and a decrease in colony size, infection in adult honeybees is often viewed as asymptomatic. Michelle Flenniken from Montana State University and her team questioned whether these viruses were truly harmless.

The researchers studied bee health through their flight capabilities and infected bees with either DWV or SBV. After three days, the bees were tethered to a device resembling a set of small balls, forcing them to fly in circles. A total of 240 bees were observed, and the team measured their flight speed, duration, and distance.

Flenniken and her colleagues found that bees infected with DWV flew at slower speeds compared to uninfected counterparts. Conversely, those infected with SBV exhibited enhanced flight performance. The team predicts that bees with high DWV levels will cover 49% shorter distances than healthy honeybees. In contrast, severely infected SBV bees could experience a flight range increase of up to 53%. “SBV infections are detrimental to larvae and typically harm overall colony health,” says Flenniken.

This research reshapes our understanding of the subtle and odd impacts stealth infections can have on honeybee behavior. Other pathogens are known to influence bee actions. For instance, the Kako virus, a distinct variant of DWV, may provoke more aggressive behavior in bees, as noted by Eugene Riabov, who was not part of this research at the James Hutton Institute in the UK.

“It’s fascinating to observe how members of both DWV and SBV, which are closely related, exhibit such contrasting effects on honeybee aerodynamics,” remarks Riabov.

By disrupting bees’ ability to fly and collect nectar, viruses like DWV could negatively affect their pollination of nearby plants, complicating their foraging efforts. Consequently, as bees struggle, the implications reverberate throughout the entire ecosystem.

Science Advances doi: doi:10.1126/sciadv.adw8382

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Source: www.newscientist.com

SpaceX Gears Up for Its Ninth Starship Test Flight

Posted on May 28, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

SpaceX is set to launch the Starship Megarocket on a crucial test flight this Tuesday, following two earlier unsuccessful attempts. Both previous launches ended in failure when the upper-stage vessels exploded in the Gulf of Mexico and parts of the Caribbean, resulting in substantial debris.

The upcoming Non-White Crime Launch, marking Starship’s 9th Test Flight, is scheduled for liftoff from the Starbase facility in Texas, with a launch window opening at 7:30 PM.

Standing at 400 feet, this spacecraft represents the most powerful rocket ever created and comprises two main components: a first-stage booster known as Super Heavy and the upper-stage spaceship. The Megarocket is central to CEO Elon Musk’s ambitions for Mars exploration.

Following Tuesday’s test flight, Musk is anticipated to deliver a presentation from Texas titled “The Road to the Road Beyond the Lifespan.”

Musk has recently shifted his focus back to SpaceX and Tesla, having stepped back from his prominent presence in the Trump administration. Since the start of the current presidential term, he has overseen significant layoffs across the federal government as part of efficiency initiatives.

Future testing will be closely monitored following the two prior failures of Starship. This will be the first flight utilizing the Super Heavy booster from a previous mission, which successfully returned to Earth.

SpaceX aims for Starship to be a completely reusable system. In three previous test flights, the company successfully executed a spectacular “catch” maneuver, returning the Super Heavy booster to the launch tower’s robotic arm.

The Starship’s most recent flight in early March was cut short after mission control lost contact with the upper vehicle approximately nine minutes post-liftoff.

Footage from Florida and the Caribbean revealed a cloud of smoke, with debris scattered across the sky. The Florida airport issued a temporary ground stop due to “space-fired debris.”

In another test on January 16th, the upper-stage vehicle exploded over the Caribbean, with dust and debris falling on the Turks and Caicos islands; fortunately, local authorities reported no injuries or significant property damage.

The Federal Aviation Administration is conducting an investigation into both incidents and confirmed last week that SpaceX must pause flights again, enlarging the hazard zone along the rocket’s path in accordance with updated safety protocols.

While previous flights had a hazard zone extending 885 nautical miles, Tuesday’s mission will see this area expand to 1,600 nautical miles, affecting the Florida Channel and covering both land and water at launch sites in South Texas, including the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos.

In this latest test flight, SpaceX plans to experiment with various “nominal scenarios” using the Super Heavy booster. Consequently, the first stage will not return to the launch site as part of the catch maneuver. According to the company.

Once in orbit, the upper-stage vehicle will attempt to deploy eight simulated Starlink satellites, which are designed to burn up upon re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere. The mission control team will also aim to re-ignite one of the Raptor engines while in space.

Musk envisions using the spacecraft for future Mars missions, but SpaceX officials indicate that humans will likely complete hundreds of test runs before embarking on journeys with the next-generation rocket.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

SpaceX Astronauts Departing from California Coast for Historic Flight

Posted on April 4, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Four civil astronauts concluded their mission on SpaceX vehicles on Friday, landing in waters near Oceanside, California.

This marked the first time the company had brought people back to Earth in the Pacific Ocean after six years of Dragon Capsules splashing down in the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico.

The FRAM2 mission orbited the Earth for four days in a north-south trajectory, allowing astronauts to witness North and Antarctica directly from space for the first time.

SpaceX relocated its operations to the Pacific Ocean to prevent dragon capsule debris from falling into random parts of the Earth. The vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean and favorable weather along the US West Coast provided a safe and conducive environment for the astronauts’ return.

The first SpaceX Astronaut Mission, a test flight in May 2020, saw Douglas Hurley and NASA’s Robert Behnken launching to the International Space Station. They returned just two months later, splashing down in the Gulf waters off Pensacola, Florida. This mission introduced SpaceX’s upgraded Dragon 2 capsule design.

Subsequently, there were nine NASA-funded flights, five private flights, and ten cargo missions to the International Space Station, all safely landing in Florida.

However, fragments of the spacecraft’s trunk began descending in unexpected locations, such as Australian sheep fields and North Carolina hiking trails. While no injuries or property damage occurred, the continuous rains of space debris pose a risk that needs to be addressed.

SpaceX had initially expected the spacecraft’s trunk to completely burn up during re-entry, but this turned out to be untrue. Therefore, last year, SpaceX announced changes to their Dragon Landing process.

The Dragon Trunk is now abandoned later in the return journey after the spacecraft uses thrusters to deorbit. This ensures targeted debris disposal, with the Pacific Ocean providing a safe area for debris to land without posing a threat to people.

Previously, the Dragon Trunk remained on trajectory for extended periods without a clear prediction of its re-entry location.

The milder Pacific climate also benefits NASA in scheduling missions.

SpaceX’s move partially to the Pacific Ocean for Dragon Landing meets NASA’s requirements for faster processing of scientific experiments returning from space, allowing SpaceX time to prepare for subsequent flights.

The most recent East Coast landing featured a NASA mission returning from the space station with NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore. Due to issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, their stay in orbit extended over nine months. The mission ended with a playful encounter with a pod of dolphins investigating the spacecraft.

In this week’s FRAM2 mission, Chun Wang, an investor in blockchain and cryptocurrency mining, funded a private mission and chose three companions: Norwegian filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen, German robot researcher Laveer Lodge, and Australian explorer Eric Phillips.

Mr. Wang named the mission after the Norwegian ship Fram, which explored the Arctic Circle in the 19th century. He provided updates from orbit, including his experience with space sickness and the uniqueness of Pacific Ocean landings.

“Space motion sickness affected us all – we felt nauseous and vomited several times,” wrote Mr. Wang.

Splashdowns in the Pacific Ocean have historical significance in spaceflight, with most of NASA’s Apollo missions landing there. SpaceX’s return to Pacific landings marks a shift from previous missions primarily landing in Florida.

The curiosity of West Coast dolphins remains to be seen, adding a whimsical touch to the return of space missions.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Rocket explosion by SpaceX causes flight delays at Florida airport due to debris concerns

Posted on March 7, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A huge explosion of a SpaceX rocket above South Florida caused major disruptions for an air traveler due to unexpected delays.

The failure of the SpaceX mission led to the FAA grounding air traffic around Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando, citing concerns about “space-fired debris.”

“After years of traveling, this is a first,” expressed a Facebook user who goes by the name of Rappeck. Executive Peck was flying to South America but had to divert to Miami.

The flight pilot informed passengers that a space rocket had exploded during flight, causing debris to fall along their path. They reassured the passengers that they were safe but needed to circle back to Miami.

Peck shared, “We eventually had to return to Miami. It’s unbelievable. We’ve faced delays due to weather, mechanical issues, and even unruly passengers, but never because of a rocket explosion.”

Jesse Winans, a traveler en route from Costa Rica to Charlotte, found himself in an unexpected layover in Fort Lauderdale along with other passengers.

“They are trying to manage the situation with customers, but I anticipate a long process to reach our destination,” complained the frustrated traveler to NBC South Florida.

Debris from a SpaceX rocket above the Bahamas on Thursday.
John Ward

SpaceX previously experienced a similar accident in January and has pledged to learn from this latest incident.

The company stated Thursday night in a released statement, “We will analyze data from today’s flight tests to better understand the root causes. Success stems from our learnings, and today’s flights provide more insight to enhance Starship’s reliability.”

Elon Musk summed it up more succinctly with his statement: “Rocket science is hard.”

David K. Lee

Senior Breaking News Reporter

Brian Hamacher of NBC South Florida and Sarah Mahidri contributed.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

SpaceX’s spacecraft rocket lost in test flight due to explosion in previous attempt

Posted on March 7, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Following a failed test flight in January, SpaceX set out for another launch attempt on Thursday hoping for a better outcome.

Unfortunately, the mission was cut short once again after losing contact with the upper-stage vehicle.

The Starship system, towering at 400 feet, launched from SpaceX’s Starbase site near Brownsville, Texas, for its eighth test flight at 6:30pm.

However, within eight minutes, similar to the January incident, some engines seemed to shut off. Live video footage showed the craft spinning before all communication was lost.

In the live webcast, SpaceX Communications manager Dan Huot announced, “I think it’s clear that we won’t continue with today’s mission.”

Shortly after the mishap, Florida airports issued ground stops due to the “space launch incident” in Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, Orlando International Airport, and Miami International Airport.

Videos circulating online show explosions and potential debris in parts of Florida. One video posted by an X user shows what appears to be an overhead fireball in Boynton Beach, Florida.

SpaceX stated on X that the Starship suffered a collapse, described as a “rapid, unplanned demolition.”

The company is now analyzing data from the flight tests to determine the root cause of the incident.

Huot mentioned in the webcast that SpaceX will be monitoring potential debris and working closely with air traffic restrictions.

While accidents are not uncommon in the development of new rockets and spacecraft, this marks the second consecutive setback for SpaceX.

During the seventh test mission in January, a similar loss of communication occurred, eventually leading to an explosion over the Caribbean.

SpaceX Debris
Courtesy Todd Martin

Following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration launched an investigation. Despite clearing the spacecraft for Thursday’s test flight, investigations are ongoing.

The FAA, among other agencies, has faced budget and staffing cuts under the Trump administration, raising concerns about oversight in areas like commercial spaceflight.

SpaceX’s internal investigation revealed that a leaky propellant likely caused the explosion during the previous test flight.

SpaceX made upgrades to prevent similar incidents and enhance safety measures before the Thursday launch.

Despite the short-lived test flight, SpaceX achieved a significant milestone with the Super Heavy Booster returning successfully to the launch site and landing on the Tower’s robotic arm.

This marks the third successful “Catch” operation by SpaceX, a crucial step towards the goal of creating a fully reusable Starship system.

Starship, the most powerful rocket in development, consists of a first-stage booster and an upper-stage spaceship called Super Heavy.

SpaceX officials emphasize that many more test missions will likely be conducted before the Starship can transport humans.

The next-generation Megarocket, Starship, is expected to play a pivotal role in NASA’s moon missions and potentially future missions to Mars.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

SpaceX successfully launches spacecraft rocket on test flight following pre-explosion incident

Posted on March 3, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

SpaceX is set to launch the Starship Megarocket on its upcoming test flight on Monday, approximately six weeks after the top stage of the vehicle exploded over the Atlantic during its final test.

Following the incident on January 16th, SpaceX lost contact with Starship about eight minutes after the flight, leading to subsequent explosions that scattered debris and small fragments near Turks and Caicos. Local authorities confirmed no injuries occurred.

The US Federal Aviation Administration initiated an investigation after the accident and grounded the rocket during the probe. On Friday, the agency announced clearance for the spaceship to resume flights, although the investigation remains ongoing.

SpaceX’s own investigation identified the “attic” section as the source of the leak that caused propellant to escape, triggering a fire and shutting down most of the spacecraft’s engines in a controlled sequence.

Strips of the recent SpaceX launch dotted the sky on January 16th.
Courtesy Todd Martin

Data transmission ceased over eight minutes into the test flight, resulting in the vehicle disintegrating three minutes later.

Subsequent to the incident, SpaceX implemented several hardware and operational modifications to Starship’s upper stage, without disclosing specific details of the upgrades.

The eighth test flight for Starship, originally planned for Friday, encountered brief delays without explanation.

The FAA green-lit the flight, amidst broader fiscal and personnel reductions targeting various federal agencies during the Trump administration’s tenure. Reuters reported that the Government Efficiency Bureau, spearheaded by SpaceX’s Elon Musk, engaged with the FAA, with SpaceX engineers assisting as specialized government personnel.

The existence of Doge personnel within the FAA’s commercial spaceflight division overseeing private companies like SpaceX remains undocumented, prompting some lawmakers and critics, including Senator Ed Markey, to voice reservations regarding potential conflicts of interest.

The planned Monday launch aims to deploy four mock Starlink satellites mid-flight, marking the first payload release by the vehicle.

Upon separation from the second stage, Starship’s first Hull King stage is slated to return to the launch pad, where SpaceX intends to “catch” it using extensive mechanical equipment at the rocket’s launch tower. This stage was successfully retrieved during the January flight, signaling partial testing success for the company.

The catch maneuver is pivotal in SpaceX’s ambition to establish Starship as a fully reusable rocket system.

If the launch proceeds as planned, the upper stage will soar for about an hour on Monday before splashing down in the Indian Ocean off Western Australia.

Standing at 400 feet tall, the spacecraft constitutes the most potent rocket ever developed, comprising a super-heavy first-stage booster and an upper-stage spaceship.

Envisioned to play a crucial role in NASA’s moon missions, SpaceX has been selected by the agency to ferry astronauts during the Artemis III mission scheduled for 2027. Musk hinted at potential application for future Mars missions utilizing the spacecraft.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

First Test Flight of Jeff Bezos’ New Glenn Rocket Successfully Reaches Orbit

Posted on January 17, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA — Blue Origin successfully launched a massive new rocket on its inaugural test flight on Thursday, sending a prototype satellite into orbit thousands of miles above Earth.

Named after the first American to orbit the Earth, the New Glenn rocket took off from Florida and lifted off from the same launch pad that was used for NASA’s Mariner and Pioneer spacecraft half a century ago.

Developed over many years with substantial funding from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the 98-meter-long rocket carried an experimental platform designed to transport the satellite and deploy it into a designated orbit.

With all seven main engines firing at liftoff, the rocket ascended through the early morning sky, exciting the crowds gathered along the nearby beach. Bezos was actively involved in the launch control, and employees of Blue Origin cheered as the spacecraft successfully reached orbit 13 minutes later, earning praise from SpaceX’s Elon Musk.

Although the first stage booster failed to land on the barge in the Atlantic Ocean, the company emphasized that a more significant milestone was achieved. Bezos had mentioned before the flight that attempting to land the booster on the first try was “a bit wild.”

“We did it!” exclaimed Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp about reaching orbit with a thumbs up. “Heading to splashdown and trying again on the landing.”

For this test mission, the satellite was designed to remain attached to the second stage while orbiting the Earth. The plan was to place the second stage in a stable orbit high above, following NASA guidelines to reduce space debris.

New Glenn is set to conduct more missions in the future, carrying spacecraft and eventually enabling astronauts to orbit the Earth and beyond, including to the moon.

Founded by Bezos 25 years ago, Blue Origin plans to launch a paid passenger service starting in 2021, aiming to explore the far reaches of the universe. Their suborbital flights from Texas will use a smaller rocket named after Alan Shepard, the first American in space. The towering New Glenn, honoring John Glenn, stands five times taller.

Blue Origin has invested over $1 billion in the New Glenn launch site, refurbishing Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s historic Complex 36. The launch site is located 9 miles (14 kilometers) from the company’s control center and rocket factory near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center entrance.

The company plans to conduct six to eight New Glenn flights during this year, with the next one scheduled for the coming spring.

Bezos declined to disclose his personal investment in the program during a recent interview, emphasizing that Blue Origin does not see itself in direct competition with Musk’s SpaceX, which has long been a leader in rocket launches.

“There’s enough room for multiple winners,” Bezos stated, highlighting that this marks “the dawn of a new era in space exploration, where we collaborate as an industry to decrease the cost of space exploration and increase access to space.”

New Glenn joins the ranks of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan, Europe’s enhanced Ariane 6, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), and the Saturn V in enabling human spaceflight. It is the latest among several large new rockets launched in recent years, including SpaceX’s Starship.

Standing at approximately 400 feet (123 meters) tall, SpaceX’s Starship is the largest rocket to date. Musk mentioned a possible seventh test flight of the entire rocket from Texas later on Thursday, aiming to replicate the success of catching the returning booster with a giant mechanical arm in October.

NASA plans to utilize Starship for landing astronauts on the moon in the coming years as part of the Artemis program. Blue Origin’s lunar lander, named Blue Moon, will play a role in future moon missions as well.

As NASA transitions leadership, Administrator Bill Nelson has advocated for fostering competition in lunar landing capabilities, resembling the approach of contracting multiple companies for transporting astronauts to the International Space Station. Nelson will be stepping down when the new administration takes office.

Tech billionaire Jared Isaacman has been nominated by the President to lead NASA, pending Senate confirmation. Isaacman, who has embarked on two privately funded SpaceX flights to orbit, will oversee the agency’s future endeavors in space exploration.

Initially planned to send twin spacecraft to Mars for NASA, New Glenn’s debut was postponed due to delays. Nonetheless, Blue Origin intends to continue testing the New Glenn rocket, with potential future missions in the pipeline. The two small spacecraft, dubbed Escapade, will orbit Mars to study its atmosphere and magnetic field.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Starship rocket lost by SpaceX in test flight, but booster successfully recovered

Posted on January 17, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

SpaceX conducted the seventh test flight of its Starship rocket on Thursday but lost contact with the rocket’s upper stage as it continued into space.

The company’s webcast revealed that Starship ceased transmitting data about nine minutes after liftoff.

“We have certainly lost the ship,” stated Kate Tice, SpaceX’s senior manager of quality systems engineering.

According to SpaceX’s statement on X.com, the ship disintegrated during its ascent burn, and the company will analyze the flight test data to determine the cause.

Following the loss of contact, social media users shared photos and videos depicting a fireball near the Caribbean islands. The trajectory of Starship’s launch indicated that the fireball was likely debris from the rocket re-entering the atmosphere.

Starship took off from SpaceX’s commercial Starbase facility near Brownsville, Texas, around 5:30 p.m. ET, and the rocket’s “super heavy” booster successfully returned to the launch site. This marked the second successful booster catch during a flight, unlike the previous flight.

No crew members were on board the Starship flight, but Elon Musk intended to carry 10 “Starlink simulators” in the rocket’s payload bay to deploy satellite-like objects into space. This test is crucial for SpaceX to launch the next generation of larger and heavier Starlink satellites.

The Starlink simulator’s composition remains undisclosed, but it is likely a mass simulator commonly used in rocket development. Starship was scheduled to reach space, circle the Earth, and splash down in the Indian Ocean before losing contact.

SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of rocket technology with each Starship flight, aiming to assess features like thermal tiles and reentry trajectories.

Valued at $350 billion, Starship stands as the most powerful and tallest rocket to date, dominating the space industry with its numerous successful tests.

SpaceX’s Starship rocket system comprises the towering 403-foot Starship stacked atop the 232-foot superheavy booster, powered by the collective force of 33 Raptor engines generating 16.7 million pounds of thrust.

Starship utilizes liquid oxygen and liquid methane, requiring over 10 million pounds of propellant for launch. The current launch marked Ship 33, representing the enhanced “Block 2” version with significant upgrades.

This flight trial included a booster powered by a reused Raptor engine from its fifth test flight, contributing to SpaceX’s goal of creating a fully reusable system for cargo and crew missions beyond Earth.

Moreover, Starship plays a vital role in NASA’s plans for lunar exploration, with SpaceX awarded a contract as part of NASA’s Artemis program to utilize Starship as a manned lunar lander to return astronauts to the moon.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

SpaceX reveals Starship spacecraft experienced rupture during flight, footage of debris circulating online

Posted on January 17, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

SpaceX announced Thursday that its Starship spacecraft was damaged during a flight meant to test the capabilities of its giant rocket.

The upper stage of the rocket system appears to have disintegrated somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico or possibly the Caribbean Sea. Shortly after SpaceX announced it had lost contact with the spacecraft, a video showing debris flying through the sky surfaced on social media.

Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, Shared a video of the rubble on Xwrote, “Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!”

Musk added later: “Preliminary indications are that there was an oxygen/fuel leak in the cavity above the firewall of the ship’s engine, which was large enough to create a pressure that exceeded the capacity of the vent.”

Musk added that there will be no changes to future launch plans, although some changes will be made, such as increased firefighting efforts.

No one was aboard the Starship, but it is currently being tested in preparation for a mission to the moon and beyond.

SpaceX’s seventh Starship test flight started off smoothly, with the rocket lifting off and the booster returning intact to shore at the company’s Starbase launch site near Brownsville, Texas.

Problems began shortly thereafter, and SpaceX lost contact with Starship about nine minutes after liftoff. Kate Tice, senior manager of quality systems engineering at SpaceX, said the company had lost a ship. SpaceX wrote about X It said there had been a “rapid and unplanned demolition.”

The Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday that it was “aware of an anomaly that occurred during the SpaceX Starship Flight 7 mission.”

Shortly after, the FAA said in an updated statement that it “temporarily slowed and redirected the aircraft around the area where spacecraft debris had fallen,” adding that normal operations had resumed.

SpaceX video According to an article posted early Thursday, Starship’s planned trajectory would take it from the southern tip of Texas, over the Gulf of Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula, east to near Cuba, and across the Atlantic Ocean. If the flight had gone as planned, it would have ended up in the Indian Ocean.

Starship is the most powerful rocket ever developed, standing 400 feet tall. The rocket consists of two parts: a first stage booster known as the Super Heavy and an upper stage Starship spacecraft.

The system is expected to play a key role in NASA’s efforts to return to the moon. NASA has selected SpaceX to carry astronauts to the moon’s surface on NASA’s Artemis III mission, scheduled to launch in 2027. Musk also said Starship could be used for future Mars missions.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson I posted a congratulatory message to X. noted that test flights are critical to ensuring safe manned missions.

“Spaceflight isn’t easy. It’s never routine. That’s why these tests are so important. Each test brings us closer to the moon and, through #Artemis, to Mars. ” he wrote.

It is not uncommon for accidents to occur during the testing of new rockets and spacecraft. SpaceX’s first attempt to launch Starship in 2023 ended with a fiery explosion minutes after liftoff. The incident triggered a months-long safety review that scrutinized the environmental impact of rocket launches from South Texa’s Gulf Coast.

Holly Hackman told NBC News she was walking on the beach with her boyfriend in the Turks and Caicos Islands when debris started flowing overhead and recorded video. she posted online.

“He thought it was an alien,” Hackman said. “We were going for a walk on the beach and my boyfriend looked up and freaked me out.”

Jason Abbruzzese

Jason Abbruzzese is deputy editor for technology and science at NBC News Digital.

Dennis Chow

Dennis Chou is a science and space reporter for NBC News.

Colin Seeley, Noraig O'Connor and Brian Gullion contributed.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

SpaceX Successfully Launches Fake Satellite on Seventh Starship Test Flight

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

December 2024 Starship rocket preparing for seventh flight

space x

SpaceX's next Starship test flight will be its most ambitious yet, and for the first time will include a new “Block 2” version with a number of design updates.

What is a starship?

Starship is the most powerful rocket ever flown. SpaceX aims to develop the vehicle into a quickly reusable vehicle that can carry large payloads into orbit, land on Earth, and launch another mission within hours.

It's a bit confusing, but Starship is the name given to both the entire spaceship, which consists of a super heavy booster and the ship it launches, as well as a single ship once separated from the booster.

SpaceX is rapidly iterating on both Super Heavy and Starship, taking a Silicon Valley approach to design that considers regular testing and dramatic failures simply part of the process. However, this will be the first test of the so-called Block 2 Starship upper stage.

What's new in Starship Block 2?

the company says on the website Starship's electronics have been “completely redesigned” and now include more than 30 cameras. It also has 25% more propellant, is 3.1 meters taller, and has repositioned front flaps.

Also included for the first time is an early version of the pin needed to be captured and reused in ground towers. However, SpaceX currently only has one tower that is used to capture boosters, so there will be no attempt to capture Starships for reuse this time. A second tower is under construction.

What does a test flight involve?

SpaceX expects the upper stage to reach space, complete a partial orbit around Earth, safely re-enter the atmosphere, and fall in a controlled manner into the Indian Ocean. The Super Heavy's first stage must return to the launch site and be captured by the launch tower's mechazilla or “chopstick” arm. If successful, this will be the second capture.

The launch marks a milestone for SpaceX as it marks the first time Starship hardware will be reused. One of the Super Heavy's 33 Raptor engines was previously used on Starship's fifth test flight. This was the only test to date in which the booster was safely returned, so it was the company's first opportunity to reuse something.

Another first is Starship's deployment of 10 fake Starlink satellites. These mock satellites are comparable in size and weight to the company's upcoming third-generation Internet Beam hardware and will test Starship's ability to safely launch payloads into orbit. Previous Starship flights have never carried a payload. Toy bananas carried on Flight 6.

A number of other smaller tests will be performed during the seventh flight to provide engineers with valuable data. For example, one of the Starship's Raptor engines was scheduled to be reignited in space, and some heat-resistant tiles were removed as a test. Several types of new thermal tiles are also being tested, including those with active cooling capabilities.

When will the launch take place?

SpaceX has not officially announced a launch date, but the company's controversial owner Elon Musk said: Tweet points out the goal of January 10th.

According to several NOTAMs (Notifications to Airmen – Warning Pilots of Unusual or Potentially Hazardous Activities) issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration, the launch slot given to the company is mid-January 10th. It starts at 4pm standard time (10pm UK time).

The launch period runs until January 16, giving the company some leeway in the event the launch is postponed due to technical issues or bad weather.

Like all Starship launches, Flight 7 will lift off from SpaceX's property in Boca Chica, Texas, and will be streamed live online.

What happened on previous Starship launches?

During the first test flight on April 20, 2023, three of the 33 engines in the booster stage failed to ignite. The rocket then lost control and self-destructed.

During the second test flight on November 18, 2023, the flight progressed further, gaining enough altitude to separate the booster and upper stage as planned. The booster stage ultimately exploded before reaching the ground, and the upper stage self-destructed before reaching space.

Test Flight 3 on March 14, 2024 was at least partially successful as the upper stage reached space again, but it did not return to Earth unscathed.

The next flight was on June 6, when the upper stage reached an altitude of more than 200 kilometers and flew at speeds of more than 27,000 kilometers per hour. Both the booster and upper stage completed a soft landing at sea.

In Test Flight 5, the superheavy booster dropped onto the launch pad and landed safely on SpaceX's launch tower, known as Mekazilla, supported by “chopsticks.”

During Test Flight 6, Starship reached an altitude of 228 kilometers and splashed down in the Indian Ocean. Super Heavy aborted its landing on the launch tower due to a communications failure and instead made a controlled water landing in the Gulf of Mexico.

Source: www.newscientist.com

The Unimaginable Increase in Turbulence During Flight: The Surprising Explanation

Posted on November 23, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Turbulence is a common occurrence during flights and can sometimes be dangerous. It can result in emergency landings and even fatalities.

In May 2024, a flight from London to Singapore had to make an emergency landing after encountering severe turbulence over Myanmar. Sadly, one passenger died, and many others were hospitalized.

Shortly after this incident, another flight from Doha to Dublin experienced turbulence, leading to several passengers being hospitalized. These incidents raise concerns about the frequency and severity of turbulence.

Turbulence is typically caused by sudden changes in airflow due to various factors like storm clouds, fronts, and air movement over mountains. Pilots can often anticipate and avoid these known forms of turbulence.

However, clear-air turbulence, which occurs without warning due to speed differences between air masses, poses a more significant risk. This type of turbulence is invisible and challenging to detect, making it particularly dangerous for passengers and crew.

Experts predict that turbulence will increase with climate change, with clear-sky turbulence already on the rise. Studies show a significant increase in wind shear and severe turbulence on common flight routes, with projections indicating a further rise in turbulence incidents in the coming years.

While the risk of turbulence-related injuries remains relatively low, it is essential for passengers to always wear their seat belts during flights. This simple precaution can reduce the likelihood of injuries during turbulent conditions.

If you have any questions or concerns about turbulence or climate change’s impact on air travel, feel free to contact us via email at questions@sciencefocus.com or reach out to us on social media.

For more intriguing science facts and information, visit our website for engaging content.

This article (by Dominic Hamilton in London) addresses the impact of climate change on turbulence during flights.

For more updates and interesting science content, follow us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Stay informed with our fun facts and engaging science articles!

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Robot Pigeon Uncovers the Secrets of Bird Flight without Vertical Caudal Fins

Posted on November 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A pigeon-inspired robot has uncovered the mystery of bird flight without vertical tails found in human-designed aircraft. The prototype has the potential to lead to passenger planes that can reduce drag and fuel consumption.

The vertical stabilizer, or tail fin, in aircraft allows for side-to-side turns and prevents unintentional changes in direction. Some military aircraft, like the Northrop B-2 Spirit, are designed without tails to reduce radar visibility. Instead, they use inefficient methods like flaps creating extra resistance on one side.

Research by David Lentink at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands led to the development of the PigeonBot II to study how birds maintain control without vertical stabilizers.

PigeonBot II, a robot designed to imitate bird flight techniques

Eric Chan

SEI 230190334 — PigeonBot II, a robot designed to imitate bird flight techniques

Eric Chan

The previous model, built in 2020, mimicked bird flight by flapping wings but had a traditional tail. The new design, featuring 52 real pigeon feathers, incorporates a bird-like tail, and successful test flights confirm its functionality.

Lentink explains that PigeonBot II’s success lies in its programmed, reflexive tail movements resembling those of birds. The intricate tail movements contribute to stability, proven by the robotic replica’s flight.

The team controlled PigeonBot II’s nine servo motors, utilizing propellers on each wing for steering and tail adjustments in response to the autopilot’s commands. Lentink notes that the complexity of these reflex movements prevents direct human control of PigeonBot II.

After numerous unsuccessful tests, the control system was refined, enabling safe takeoff, cruising, and landing. Lentink envisions a future where vertical stabilizers are unnecessary, reducing weight and drag in aircraft designs.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Live coverage of SpaceX’s 6th test flight with appearances by Musk and Trump

Posted on November 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

SpaceX is gearing up for the sixth test flight of Starship, the world’s most powerful rocket. Elon Musk’s company follows a “fail fast, learn fast” approach to research and development, which resembles the culture of Silicon Valley more than the aerospace industry, with an acceleration in the pace of launches. It seems so.

When is the next flight?

SpaceX states on the website that Starship is scheduled to conduct its sixth test flight on November 19th, with launch slots opening at 4pm Central Time (10pm UK). A live stream of the launch will be available. SpaceX’s X account on the social media platform also owned by Musk, can be viewed here at newscientist.com

It took SpaceX 18 months to complete Starship’s first five test flights, with the fifth happening in mid-October. With the launch of its sixth flight next week, it will be just over a month since the last flight, making it the fastest flight yet.

What will SpaceX attempt with Flight 6?

Flight 6 mirrors Flight 5 in many ways but with some significant differences.

The booster stage will once again try a “chopstick” landing, catching and securing the vehicle as it returns to the launch pad for a soft landing. This methodology aims to eventually enable boosters to be reused multiple times, significantly reducing the cost of launching payloads into orbit.

Starship during high altitude test flight

SpaceX

Starship SN8 high altitude flight test https://www.flickr.com/photos/spacex/50703878421 Photographed on December 9, 2020 — Starship during high altitude test flight

SpaceX

The upper stage will enter space, complete a partial orbit, re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, and splash-land in the Indian Ocean. In this flight, the upper stage will attempt to reignite one of the Raptor engines in space to gather valuable operational data. Also, new heat shield designs will be tested during atmospheric reentry.

One notable change in this flight is that the landing of the upper stage in the Indian Ocean will be filmed during the day as the launch occurs later in the day. This will provide detailed images as previous landings happened at night, limiting the visibility for engineers compared to daytime landings.

What occurred in previous Starship launches?

During the first test flight on April 20, 2023, three out of the 33 engines in the booster stage failed to ignite. This led to the rocket becoming uncontrollable and self-destructing.

In the second test flight on November 18, 2023, the flight proceeded further, with the booster and upper stage separating as planned. However, the booster stage exploded before reaching the ground, and the upper stage self-destructed before reaching space.

Test Flight 3 on March 14, 2024, was at least partially successful as the upper stage reached space, but it did not return to Earth unscathed.

The subsequent flight on June 6 saw the upper stage reach an altitude of over 200 kilometers and fly at speeds exceeding 27,000 kilometers per hour. Both the booster and upper stage completed a soft landing at sea.

Test Flight 5 was the most ambitious yet, with Starship’s super-heavy booster touching down on the launch pad and being safely caught by “chopsticks” on SpaceX’s launch tower, known as Mechazilla. This innovative landing approach aims to secure and lower the booster for reuse.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The Sixth Starship Launch: When is SpaceX’s Next Flight Test and What to Anticipate?

Posted on November 14, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

SpaceX said on its website that it aims to conduct Starship's sixth test flight as early as November 18.

space x

SpaceX is preparing for the sixth test flight of Starship, the world's most powerful rocket. The company has a “fail fast, learn fast” approach to research and development that is more akin to the world of Silicon Valley than the aerospace industry, and the pace of launches appears to only be accelerating.

When is the next flight?

SpaceX says on the website The company said it aims to conduct Starship's sixth test flight as early as November 18. This claim is supported by the Federal Aviation Administration issuing a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen). rocket launch warning SpaceX launch pad area in Boca Chica, Texas. The 30-minute launch slot opens at 4pm local time (10pm Japan time).

It took SpaceX 18 months to conduct Starship's first five test flights, with the fifth taking place in mid-October. When the airline launches its sixth flight next week, it will be just over a month since the last flight, making it the fastest flight ever.

What will SpaceX try with Flight 6?

In many ways, Flight 6 is a repeat of Flight 5, but with some key differences.

The booster stage will again attempt a “chopstick” landing, grabbing and securing the aircraft as it returns to the launch pad so it can be lowered to the ground. This approach is designed to ultimately allow boosters to be reused multiple times and significantly reduce the cost of putting payloads into orbit.

The upper stage will reach space, complete a partial orbit, re-enter Earth's atmosphere and splash-land in the Indian Ocean. But this time, the upper stage will attempt to reignite one of the Raptor engines during its stay in space in order to gather valuable operational data. It also plans to test new heat shield designs during atmospheric reentry.

Another difference is that because the launch will take place later in the day, the landing of the upper stage in the Indian Ocean can be filmed during the day, allowing for more detailed shots. Previous missions had landed at night, so while the footage was cinematic and dramatic, it didn't provide engineers with as much insight as footage from daytime landings.

What happened during previous Starship launches?

During the first test flight on April 20, 2023, three of the 33 engines in the booster stage failed to ignite. The rocket then became uncontrollable and self-destructed.

During the second test flight on November 18, 2023, the flight progressed further and gained enough altitude to separate the booster and upper stage as planned. The booster stage ultimately exploded before reaching the ground, and the upper stage self-destructed before reaching space.

Test Flight 3 on March 14, 2024 was at least partially successful as the upper stage reached space again, but it did not return to Earth unscathed.

Test Flight 5 was the most ambitious yet, with Starship's super-heavy booster dropping onto the launch pad and being safely caught by “chopsticks” on SpaceX's launch tower, known as Mechazilla. It is equipped with “chopsticks” that can be used to grab and fix a specific position on the aircraft and lower it to the ground.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

SpaceX Aims for Starship Flight Next Week, Just One Month after Previous Flight

Posted on November 12, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Starship during high altitude test flight

space x

SpaceX is preparing for the sixth test flight of Starship, the world’s most powerful rocket. The company has a “fail fast, learn fast” approach to research and development that is more akin to the world of Silicon Valley than the aerospace industry, and the pace of launches appears to only be accelerating.

When is the next flight?

SpaceX says on the website The company said it aims to conduct Starship’s sixth test flight as early as November 18. This claim is supported by the Federal Aviation Administration issuing a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen). rocket launch warning SpaceX launch pad area in Boca Chica, Texas. The 30-minute launch slot opens at 4pm local time (10pm Japan time).

It took SpaceX 18 months to conduct Starship’s first five test flights, with the fifth taking place in mid-October. When the airline launches its sixth flight next week, it will be just over a month since the last flight, making it the fastest flight ever.

What will SpaceX try with Flight 6?

In many ways, Flight 6 is a repeat of Flight 5, but with some key differences.

The upper stage will reach space, complete a partial orbit, re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and splash-land in the Indian Ocean. But this time, the upper stage will attempt to reignite one of the Raptor engines during its stay in space in order to gather valuable operational data. It also plans to test new heat shield designs during atmospheric reentry.

Another difference is that because the launch will take place later in the day, the upper stage’s landing in the Indian Ocean can be photographed during daylight hours, allowing for more detailed images. Previous missions had landed at night, so while the footage was cinematic and dramatic, it didn’t provide engineers with as much insight as footage from daytime landings.

What happened on previous Starship launches?

During the first test flight on April 20, 2023, three of the 33 engines in the booster stage failed to ignite. The rocket then became uncontrollable and self-destructed.

Test Flight 3 on March 14, 2024 was at least partially successful as the upper stage reached space again, but it did not return to Earth unscathed.

Test Flight 5 was the most ambitious yet, with Starship’s super-heavy booster dropping onto the launch pad and being safely caught by “chopsticks” on SpaceX’s launch tower, known as Mechazilla. It is equipped with “chopsticks” that can be used to grab and fix a specific position on the aircraft and lower it to the ground.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

New Insights into the Evolution of Flight from Microraptor Dinosaur Footprints

Posted on October 24, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The trajectories of theropod dinosaurs could be used as indirect evidence of pre-avian aerial behavior, according to a new study.

The animals in charge are Dromaeosauriformipes larus Trucks are thought to be small microraptid dinosaurs related to the ancestors of birds. Image credit: Julius Csotonyi.

In the study, University of Maryland paleontologist Thomas Holtz Jr. and his colleagues examined two-toed footprints made by fast-moving, small, bird-like microraptid dinosaurs.

with scientific name Dromaeosauriformipes larus these footprints are almost 100 million years old (Cretaceous period) and were discovered preserved in rock slabs in Korea.

“This guy is lanky. He's one of the smallest dinosaurs we have fossils of,” Holtz said.

“These footprints were a puzzle because they were so small and so far apart.”

Paleontologists believe that the producers Dromaeosauriformipes larus It's not just about running on land.

The animal gained lift by flapping its winged arms, allowing it to move faster than relying solely on leg strength.

This form of exercise, known as flap running, falls somewhere between running and flying.

This generates enough aerodynamics to lift the animal off the ground in one go, allowing it to run up a tree, for example, but stops short of flying at full power.

Microraptors are cousins, but Velociraptor And it is unknown whether it is a modern bird Dromaeosauriformipes larus You will be able to fly for longer periods of time.

Trajectory of a Microraptorian theropod excavated from the Jinju Formation in Korea. Image credit: Dececchi others., doi: 10.1073/pnas.2413810121.

“We can overcome the debate over whether pre-avian dinosaurs used arms for locomotion before flight evolved and provide missing details such as which species had these abilities, when they developed them, and to what extent. We can now begin to find out,” he said. Michael Pittman is a paleontologist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

“Our findings show that Dromaeosauriformipes larus “It would have needed to run at about 10.5 meters per second (23.5 miles per hour) to make the track using just the power of its hind legs,” said paleontologist Dr. Alex DeCecchi of Dakota State University.

“The relative speed of our footprints is faster than that of modern running animals such as ostriches and cheetahs.”

“This is also unlikely, so we think the dinosaur could have used the aerodynamics created by flapping its feathered arms to lengthen its stride, creating a slower trajectory.”

“The footprints also suggest that the raptor was in the midst of taking off or landing,” Holtz said.

“It's like a plane descending, bouncing a little bit on the runway, and then slowing down.”

“Microraptors, capable of powered flight, were less sophisticated than modern birds in terms of flight equipment. They would have been relatively clumsy.”

of result Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

_____

T. Alexander Dececchi others. 2024. Theropod trajectories as indirect evidence of pre-avian aerial behavior. PNAS 121 (44): e2413810121;doi: 10.1073/pnas.2413810121

Source: www.sci.news

When is SpaceX’s next test flight for Starship “Chopsticks” scheduled?

Posted on October 11, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

SpaceX’s Starship rocket before its first test flight in 2023

space x

SpaceX has been preparing Starship since August for its fifth test flight, which the company claims could launch as soon as this weekend.

What is a starship?

Starship is the most powerful rocket capable of flying. SpaceX aims to develop it into a quickly reusable vehicle that can carry large payloads into orbit, land on Earth, and launch another mission within hours. The company takes a “fail-fast” approach to research and development more commonly seen in Silicon Valley than in the conservative world of space exploration.

What will the next test flight include?

The fifth test flight will likely be the first attempt to drop Starship’s super heavy booster (the rocket’s first stage) onto the launch pad. SpaceX’s launch tower, called Mechazilla, is equipped with a pair of “chopsticks” that can grab and hold the booster in a specific position and lower it to the ground.

When will the launch take place?

space x stated on the website The flight could take place as early as October 13, pending regulatory approval.

The U.S. Coast Guard appears to have given official weight to this claim. Warning to seafarers The rocket launch took place one day earlier, on October 12, from 7:00 a.m. Central Standard Time (CST) to 8:10 a.m. near Boca Chica, Texas.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which must approve each launch before it launches, previously said Starship would not fly until November. public relations person said to san antonio express news Nothing has changed on October 3rd. “We are not issuing a launch permit for a launch within the next two weeks. In fact, no launch has taken place. Late November is still the target date,” they said.

However, the FAA also warned pilots that rocket launches could occur in the Boca Chica area between October 13 and 19. Neither the U.S. Coast Guard nor the FAA responded. new scientist Ask for explanation.

One possibility is that SpaceX is announcing the launch date to pressure the FAA for approval. The other thing is that we are considering releasing it without approval. that's what it did in the pastsent an early prototype of Starship to high-altitude testing in 2020 without permission. SpaceX was contacted by: new scientist We contacted them for more information, but received no response.

Why does it take so long for the FAA to approve test flights?

This is a question SpaceX has been asking for some time. in long blog post The paper, published in September, complained that Starship for test flight No. 5 had been ready since last month and was awaiting launch.

“Unfortunately, instead of focusing resources on critical safety analysis and cooperating with reasonable safeguards to protect both the public and the environment, we are faced with a variety of “The approval process has been derailed multiple times due to unforeseen issues,” the post said.

But the FAA won’t work on the timescale SpaceX is requesting. The company requires SpaceX to conduct an investigation after each launch, suggest remedies for failure and adhere to strict licensing requirements before any subsequent attempts. Essentially, this tension stems from the friction of fast-paced, startup-like businesses with conservative, risk-averse government agencies.

The FAA previously stated that SpaceX Analysis not done properly The effects of a sonic boom caused by a launch. that it has polluted the environment It features a water flooding system designed to counter Starship’s powerful rocket exhaust. And we couldn’t get all the proper permits. In response, SpaceX founder Elon Musk threatened to sue the FAA.

What happened on previous Starship launches?

During the first test flight on April 20, 2023, three of the first stage’s 33 engines failed to ignite. Several more planes subsequently failed in flight. The rocket then went out of control and activated its self-destruct function.

Test Flight 2 on November 18, 2023, made further progress and gained enough altitude for the first and second stages to separate as planned. However, as the first stage decelerated and rotated to begin the landing procedure, it exploded. The second stage progressed smoothly to an altitude of about 149 kilometers (149 kilometers), passing through the Kármán line, considered the beginning of the universe. However, before orbiting or returning to Earth, it stopped transmitting data and was destroyed by a failsafe function.

Test Flight 3 on March 14, 2024 was at least partially successful, as it reached space, conducted fuel transfer tests, and flew farther and faster than ever before. However, the aircraft lost attitude control during flight and failed to make a planned soft landing.

Test Flight 4 on June 6 of this year was the most successful to date, with Starship reaching orbit at an altitude of more than 200 kilometers and flying at speeds of more than 27,000 kilometers per hour. Both the booster and upper stage completed a soft landing at sea. As the Starship re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, there was a dramatic scene in which the sheer heat of one of its control fins burned off due to extreme temperatures, but the company says it has fixed this problem with a new heat-resistant tile design. There is.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Incredible Pterosaur Fossils offer insights into their flight capabilities

Posted on September 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Smaller pterosaurs may have flapped their wings, while larger ones may have flown.

Terryl Whitlatch

Despite living hundreds of millions of years apart, pterosaurs may be more similar to modern birds than previously thought: the bone structure of these giant reptiles suggests that the largest used wings to fly, while smaller ones flapped their wings to achieve flight.

The discovery comes from a remarkably well-preserved pterosaur fossil unearthed in Jordan, where the mechanism of flight has left traces in the skeleton. Jeffrey Wilson Mantilla At the University of Michigan.

Pterosaurs began flying about 80 million years before birds and bats. During their 150 million year reign, from the Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous period, they conquered every continent and evolved into a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Some were as small as a sparrow, while others had wingspans the size of a city bus. Analysis of pterosaur bones has revealed that different pterosaurs used different flight tactics to stay airborne.

Wilson-Mantilla and his team compared the fossils of two different pterosaur species and were delighted to discover that the 3D structure of the bones was still intact, which was a surprise because the hollow, brittle bones of pterosaurs would have easily broken down. Computed tomography scans revealed that the bones of the two reptile species were significantly different.

Large pterosaur, Arambrugiana Philadelphiahad spiral ridges running up and down the inside of their bones, similar to modern birds like eagles that fly with their wings fixed. Inabatanin Arabia The bird, a new species to science, had crossed struts that mimicked those of flapping birds.

The helical spiral helps resist twisting forces during ascent, and the crossed footings resist bending forces of the flaps. Wilson Mantilla.

Because the team found the fossils in what was once a coastal area, Mantilla thinks the soaring pterosaurs may have gained altitude by riding updrafts (currents of warm air rising from the ocean surface). He speculates that these pterosaurs could have also flapped their wings specifically to take to the air, making their soaring trait even more unusual.

The reason why one of these pterosaurs appeared to be flapping and the other was soaring raises new questions about how the more than 100 other known pterosaur species flew. Mantilla next wants to examine fossils from around the world to see if this pattern holds true. Perhaps, like modern birds, only the largest individuals of their species were able to soar.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

New study shows pterosaurs utilized all four limbs for flight propulsion

Posted on August 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Take-off is a key part of powered flight and likely constrains the size of birds, although extinct pterosaurs are known to have grown to much larger sizes. Three different hypothesized take-off movements have been proposed to allow pterosaurs to fly: a vertical burst jump using only the legs similar to those used by mostly ground-dwelling birds, a less vertical jump using only the legs similar to those used by birds that fly frequently, and a quadruped jump using the wings as well in a movement similar to the take-off jump of a bat. Palaeontologists from the University of Bristol, Liverpool John Moores University, ABC Federal University and Keele University built a computational musculoskeletal model of an avian pterosaur with a five-metre wingspan, reconstructed 34 major muscles and estimated muscle moment arms across the three hypothesized take-off movements.

One-second takeoff sequences used in the study highlighting the key phases: (A) Bipedal burst style takeoff highlighting the timing of the crouch, ankle lift, and launch phases. (B) Bipedal recoil style takeoff highlighting the timing of the countermotion and launch phases. (C) Quadrupedal recoil style takeoff highlighting the crouch, leap, and launch phases. Images courtesy of Griffin others., doi: 10.7717/peerj.17678.

“Powered flight is a form of locomotion that is restricted to only a small number of animals because it is energy-intensive, requires specialized adaptations to take off and requires lift to support thrust and weight,” Dr Benjamin Griffin from the University of Bristol and his colleagues said.

“The most energy-intensive part of powered flight is take-off from the ground. During this stage, the animal needs to get high enough into the air to be able to utilize an unimpeded flapping cycle.”

“Take-off also requires the animal to gain enough speed so that the wings can overcome drag (i.e. thrust) and generate enough lift to support the animal's weight.”

“As size increases, so do altitude and speed requirements, limiting the takeoff size of flying animals.”

“Modern flying animals do not have a mass greater than 25 kg. The heaviest flying animals were Bustard (Otis Tarda)It was recorded to have weighed 22kg.

“Despite this, many extinct animals grew large bodies and are still thought to be capable of flight. Argentavis magnificens and Pelagornis sandersi They are predicted to have masses of 70 kg and 21.8 to 40 kg, respectively.”

“Pterosaurs vary in size, with medium-sized pterosaurs predicted to have a wingspan of 2-5 metres and weigh between 20 and 30 kilograms.”

“They also reached the largest sizes among the largest animals, such as pterosaurs. Quetzalcoatlus Northropii It is predicted to have reached a much larger mass (150 kg, or more commonly 250 kg).”

“Flight at such a large mass challenges our understanding of the functional limits of flight, and understanding pterosaur take-off is crucial for establishing the functional limits of biological flight.”

This new research follows years of analysis and modeling of how muscles in other animals interact with bones to produce movement, which are beginning to be used to answer the question of how the largest known flying animals were able to take off from the ground.

The authors created the first computer model of this kind for a pterosaur analysis, to test three different ways that pterosaurs might have taken flight.

By mimicking this movement, the researchers hoped to understand the leverage principles that could be used to propel the animal into the air.

“Larger animals have to overcome greater obstacles to fly, which is why the ability of large animals like pterosaurs to fly is particularly intriguing,” Dr Griffin said.

“Our model shows that unlike birds, which rely primarily on their hind limbs, pterosaurs likely relied on all four limbs to take to the air.”

of Investigation result Published in the journal Peer J.

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BW Griffin others2024. Modelling the take-off moment arm of an ornithosaur. Peer J 12: e17678; doi: 10.7717/peerj.17678

Source: www.sci.news

SpaceX readies Starship for flight with innovative ‘chopstick’ landing technique

Posted on July 27, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Testing the Super Heavy booster for Starship's fifth test flight

SpaceX

SpaceX is making final preparations for its fifth and most ambitious Starship test flight yet. While the previous four flights all aimed to land on water in the ocean, this test will be the first to attempt a landing on a launch pad.

What is Starship?

This is the heaviest, most powerful rocket ever flown. SpaceX aims to develop it as a rapidly reusable launch vehicle that can carry a large payload into space, return to the launch pad, land, and be ready for the next mission within days or even hours. A series of test flights over the past two years has inched closer to that goal.

NASA has signed a contract with SpaceX to supply a variant of its Starship lunar lander to send astronauts to the moon's surface after late 2026. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's ultimate ambition is to send humans to Mars using Starship.

What will SpaceX attempt on its fifth test flight?

The fifth flight will likely be the first attempt to catch Starship's Super Heavy booster (the rocket's first stage) on the launch pad. SpaceX's launch tower, called Mechazilla, will eventually Grab boosters at specific points You can secure it and lower it the remaining distance to the ground later.

During the fourth test flight, the booster performed a “virtual landing” over the ocean, slowing its descent over the water's surface to simulate what would be required to capture a real swordfish, before splashing down on the water. Musk posted on X “I think we should try catching the booster with Mechazilla's arms on our next flight.”

When is it expected to be released?

The official release date has not yet been decided, Full-time test burning The first stage of the rocket was launched on July 15th and is currently unhindered by any obstacles.

Musk himself X Post on July 6th The launch is expected to take place within “four weeks,” tentatively around August 3, though it's worth keeping in mind that Musk has a history of insisting on delivery dates that haven't been met.

What has happened in Starship launches so far?

During the first test flight on April 20, 2023, three of the first stage's 33 engines failed to ignite, after which several more failed during the flight, causing the rocket to spin out of control and self-destruct.

The second test flight on November 18 of the same year continued, reaching an altitude high enough for the first and second stages to separate as planned, but exploded as the first stage rotated to begin its deceleration and landing procedure. The second stage continued safely to an altitude of about 90 miles (149 km), passing the Kármán line, which marks the beginning of the universe, but was destroyed by a safety mechanism after it stopped transmitting data before completing an orbit or returning to Earth.

The third test flight, on March 14 this year, was at least partially successful, as it reached space, performed a fuel transfer test, and flew farther and faster than ever before, but lost attitude control during the flight and failed to make a planned soft landing.

The fourth test flight, on June 6 this year, was the most successful to date, with Starship reaching an orbital altitude of more than 200 km and traveling at a speed of more than 27,000 km/h. Both the booster and upper stage made a soft landing in the ocean. There was a dramatic scene when the intense heat of Starship's re-entry into Earth's orbit caused the skin of one of its control wings to burn off, but the company said this was resolved with a new heat-resistant tile design.

What would happen if this launch were to fail?

The chances of Starship completing its mission perfectly are slim, so it's likely that it will fail in some way. But failure will provide data and experience that can be used to improve the design and processes for the sixth launch. SpaceX has shown it can iterate quickly and make great strides with each launch.

Still, the company's bold strategy of catching the booster on the launch pad puts not just the spacecraft at risk but also the hardware on the ground, meaning the fifth test flight will likely be the riskiest yet.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Spaceship Launch 3: When is SpaceX launching their flight today?

Posted on March 14, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

SpaceX's Starship is preparing for flight

space x

After two failed missions, SpaceX will launch its third large-scale Starship rocket on March 14th. Here's everything you need to know about it.

What is a starship?

starship It is the most powerful rocket ever made. Measuring 121 meters long, the reusable booster can lift the second stage to an altitude of more than 70 kilometers before safely landing. This second stage is also reusable and is intended to make Starship an affordable, reliable vehicle that can quickly turn around and start again. The ultimate goal of this project is to land humans on the moon and later on Mars.

What time does Starship take off?

SpaceX announced live stream video The launch will begin at 8:25 a.m. local time in Texas (13:25 GMT). The actual launch will take place approximately 30 minutes after the livestream begins.

Where will the starship go?

As you can imagine, this launch is our most ambitious yet. What SpaceX is aiming for Successfully launch the first and second stages, transporting the starship into space, opening and closing the payload door as a test, and finally refueling from one starship to another as a first step. Shuffle from one tank to another. This is essential for long-range missions and reignites the engines for controlled re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.

The launch will follow a new trajectory that will see the second stage splash down in the Indian Ocean. Although designed as a reusable aircraft, the mission is to make slow, controlled landings at sea rather than on land or ships. This is easier and safer at this stage of development.

What happened the last time a starship was launched?

There have been two Starship launches, both of which ended in failure, which is part of SpaceX's “fail fast, learn fast” strategy.

During the first launch on April 20 last year, three of the 33 engines in the first stage failed to ignite. Several more planes subsequently failed in flight. The rocket then went out of control and activated its self-destruct device, leading to what SpaceX sarcastically calls a “rapid unscheduled disassembly (RUD).” The entire flight lasted about three minutes and reached a maximum altitude of 39 kilometers.

Starship's second launch took place on November 18th. This time, all 33 engines fired and the rocket flew far enough for the first and second stages to separate. However, as the first stage decelerated and rotated to begin the landing procedure, it exploded. The second stage continued to fly smoothly until it reached an altitude of about 149 kilometers (149 kilometers), passing the Kármán Line, which marks the beginning of the universe, but it stopped transmitting data before completing its orbit, causing the safety device to fail. I did. Return to Earth.

What if this launch fails?

It probably won't work in some ways. It is highly unlikely that a starship will complete its mission perfectly. However, any failure will provide data and experience that can be used to improve the design and process for the fourth launch. SpaceX has shown in the past that it can iterate quickly and make significant progress with each launch.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Starship Launch 3: SpaceX Launch Schedule and Flight Details

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

SpaceX's Starship is preparing for flight

space x

After two failed missions, SpaceX will launch its third large-scale Starship rocket on March 14th. Here's everything you need to know about it.

What is a starship?

What time does Starship take off?

SpaceX announced live stream video The launch will begin at 7:30 a.m. local time in Texas (11:30 a.m. Japan time). The actual launch will take place approximately 30 minutes after the livestream begins.

Where will the starship go?

What happened the last time a starship was launched?

There have been two Starship launches, both of which ended in failure, which is part of SpaceX's “fail fast, learn fast” strategy.

What if this launch fails?

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Delta Airlines offers eclipse viewing flight as airlines seek to profit from solar phenomenon

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Passengers who book special Delta flights will have the opportunity to witness the total solar eclipse in April from a unique perspective at 30,000 feet.

The airline revealed on Monday that it will be offering flights from Dallas-Fort Worth to Detroit on April 8, allowing passengers to maximize their time within the eclipse’s “total path.”

The eclipse is anticipated to be a significant event as it travels through various populated areas of North America, including parts of Mexico, the continental United States, and eastern Canada. In the U.S. alone, millions of sky gazers from Texas to Maine will have the chance to witness this rare astronomical occurrence.

A solar eclipse happens when the moon moves between the Earth and the sun, temporarily blocking the sun’s light. Within the approximately 100-mile-wide strip known as the Path of Totality, observers will witness the moon completely obscuring the sun, creating a darkened afternoon sky.

Delta Airlines is providing eclipse enthusiasts with another option to experience the April event. The flight announced on Monday will be the airline’s second full charter scheduled for April 8. The initial flight from Austin, Texas to Detroit was announced on February 19 and sold out within 24 hours, according to the company.

The Austin to Detroit flight (Delta Flight 1218) is on an A220-300 aircraft, departing from Texas at 12:15pm Central Time and arriving in Detroit at 4:20pm Eastern Time.

The flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Detroit (Delta Flight 1010) is operated on a large A321neo plane, departing Texas at 12:30 PM (Central Time) and landing in Detroit at 4:20 PM (Eastern Time).

While the flights are designed to maximize time within the total path, they are subject to potential changes due to factors like weather conditions and air traffic control.

For detailed booking information, visit the following website: Delta.com.

The upcoming solar eclipse is poised to be a major draw for travel and tourism, with many businesses already capitalizing on it. Hotels are offering special solar eclipse packages, while state tourism departments are organizing various events tied to the cosmic phenomenon.

During the April eclipse, the total path will traverse through states like Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. In certain areas of Michigan and Tennessee, totality may be visible if weather conditions are clear.

In other parts of the continental U.S., observers will witness a partial solar eclipse, where the moon appears to “take a bite” out of the sun and only partially obscures it in the sky.

To safely observe the eclipse, use eclipse glasses or a pinhole projector to avoid eye damage. Never look directly at the sun during a solar eclipse, even when it is partially or mostly covered by the moon.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Next SpaceX Flight Test Scheduled for Launch this Month

Posted on February 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Starship was first launched on April 20, 2023.

Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images

SpaceX is preparing to launch its massive Starship rocket for the third time. However, the exact launch date will not be announced until the US government's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completes its investigation into why the previous launch (November 2023) failed to reach orbit.

The Starship rocket's first test launch in April 2023 went out of control due to some engine problems. These failures triggered an automatic flight termination system designed to safely detonate the rocket. It failed, and the rocket continued to tumble until it collapsed. It didn't reach space.

The accident damaged the launch pad and scattered debris over a vast area. SpaceX will begin second Starship test launch in November 2023 after launch facility repairs and updates are made and the FAA certifies that sufficient work has been done to prevent similar damage from occurring again did.

That didn't work either. Everything seemed fine for a few minutes. The rocket reaches space, but then its engine begins to fail and it explodes. Now SpaceX has to build a new rocket, and the FAA has to give it permission to fly.

“We expect that license to be issued in February. So it will be [flight] The third time will happen in February of this year,” SpaceX official Jessica Jensen said at a press conference on January 9th.

Ultimately, Starship is intended to transport astronauts to and from the moon. NASA has selected this rocket for the Artemis III and IV missions planned for 2026 and 2028. The massive rocket could carry astronauts to Mars as early as 2029, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said. But first, Starship must reach space without exploding or breaking apart, and its third flight will be an important test.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

NASA’s Rotating Explosive Rocket Engine Takes Flight with 3D Printing Technology

Posted on December 27, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

by Ramon J. Osorio, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center December 26, 2023

Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, successfully completed a 251-second high-temperature combustion test of a full-scale rotary explosion rocket engine combustor in fall 2023, achieving more than 5,800 pounds of thrust. Credit: NASA

NASAMarshall Space Flight Center tested a 3D-printed Rotating Explosive Rocket Engine (RDRE) for more than four minutes and was able to generate significant thrust. This test is essential for deep space missions and represents a step forward in NASA’s development of an efficient propulsion system for the Moon. Mars vision.

NASA has achieved a new benchmark in the development of an innovative propulsion system called the Rotating Explosive Rocket Engine (RDRE). Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, tested his new 3D-printed RDRE for 251 seconds (or over four minutes) and were able to generate more than 5,800 pounds of thrust.

This type of sustained burn emulates the typical requirements for a lander touchdown or deep space burn that could set a spacecraft on a course from the Moon to Mars, the center said. said Thomas Teasley, lead Marshall combustion equipment engineer.

RDRE’s first high-temperature fire test was conducted in Marshall in the summer of 2022 in partnership with In Space LLC and Purdue University (Lafayette, Indiana). The test generated more than 4,000 pounds of thrust for nearly a minute. The main objective of the latest tests was to extend the combustor to different thrust classes, support all types of engine systems, and maximize the diversity of missions it can deliver, from landers to upper stages to supersonics. Teasley said the key is to better understand how to increase the Reverse propulsion is a deceleration technique that has the potential to land larger payloads, and even humans, on the surface of Mars.

Test stand video taken at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, shows the ignition of a full-size rotary-explosion rocket engine combustor that ignited for a record 251 seconds and achieved more than 5,800 pounds of thrust. It is shown.

“RDRE significantly increases design efficiency,” he said. “This shows we are getting closer to developing lightweight propulsion systems that will allow us to send more mass and payloads into deep space, a critical component for NASA. From the moon to Mars vision. “

Engineers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland; Venus Aerospace, Houston, Texas, is working with NASA Marshall to identify ways to scale the technology for higher performance.

RDRE is managed and funded by the Game Changing Development Program within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate.

Source: scitechdaily.com

First sustainable aviation fuel-powered long-distance flight takes off

Posted on November 29, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

LONDON — On Tuesday, the first transatlantic flight fueled entirely by sustainable aviation fuel departed from London to New York, as the industry aims to demonstrate the viability of eco-friendly air travel.

Virgin Atlantic’s Boeing 787s use a blend of 88% waste fat from AirBP and 12% synthetic aromatic kerosene made from plant sugars.

According to Flightradar24 data, the test flight VIR100, which had no paying passengers, took off from London Heathrow Airport at 11:49 a.m. UK time (6:49 a.m. ET) and landed at New York JFK Airport, scheduled to arrive shortly before 2 p.m. Eastern time.

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a general term for non-fossil-based fuels, including biofuels derived from plant and animal raw materials, municipal waste, and agricultural residues.

While emissions still occur, advocates argue that the overall “lifecycle emissions” from this fuel are significantly lower than those from regular petroleum-based fuels.

Other airlines Have you ever used SAF? It can be used on commercial flights, but usually on short-haul flights, mixed with up to 50% of conventional fuel, which was previously regulated. Tuesday’s Virgin Atlantic flight was approved by the UK Civil Aviation Authority earlier this month.

In 2021, a group of 60 companies in the aviation, transportation, and cargo industries pledged to reach 10% of SAF usage in global jet aviation fuel supply by 2030.

The advantage of SAF is that it can be used without modification of existing aircraft engines. Many airlines pledged to make investments to increase their fuel usage as they strive to reduce overall emissions during flight, including by using more fuel-efficient aircraft.

However, many challenges remain before widespread adoption, including supply shortages, high costs, and concerns about the sustainability of power generation.

There are relatively few factories producing SAF or companies shipping SAF around the world. Incentives for producers are hampered by low profits, and the Royal Society warned in a report earlier this year that only some biofuels are low carbon and feedstock availability is a challenge for scale-up.

Several groups discuss how increased production of biofuels risks exacerbating deforestation and food shortages. They argue that reducing the environmental impact of aviation, which contributes to around 2% of anthropogenic CO2 emissions, requires reducing the number of flights operated.

Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss stated that the flight demonstrated that SAF could be used as a “safe drop-in replacement for fossil-based jet fuel, helping to decarbonize long-haul aviation” and that it would prove to be the only viable solution. “SAF is simply in short supply, and it is clear that significant further investment will be required to reach large-scale production. This will only happen if the facilities are in place,” he added.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Shield AI secures $200 million funding with $2.7 billion valuation to advance military autonomous flight technology expansion

Posted on October 31, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Shield AI The company has secured $200 million in fresh funding to expand its autonomous flight systems for the U.S. military and its allies.

Established in 2015, the startup currently holds a valuation of $2.7 billion. The latest funding round was led by US Innovation Technology Fund (USIT) with significant participation from Riot Ventures, a previous investor in Shield AI. Other contributors include existing investors Disruptive and Snowpoint, as well as new investor ARK Invest, an investment management company founded by Cathie Wood.

USIT, guided by billionaire Thomas Tull, served as the sole investor in Shield AI’s initial $60 million Series E funding. This substantial Series F round is a testament to the company’s successful track record of fundraising – the Series E raised a total of $225 million, and its Series D ranged between $210 million and $300 million.

It also highlights the capital-intensive nature of defense-focused startups, even for companies like Shield AI that offer more affordable systems compared to their traditional counterparts.

The startup specializes in developing hardware and software to transform drones and aircraft into autonomous systems capable of carrying out missions in conflict zones. The company’s flagship product is Hivemind, an AI pilot software that enables drones and aircraft to operate autonomously without relying on GPS assistance. Shield AI has also introduced a drone swarm feature called V-Bat Teams, which allows a single human operator to command at least four V-Bat drones (developed by Martin UAV, acquired by Shield AI in 2021).

“Our nation faces the challenging reality of having insufficient pilots, and rule-based autonomous solutions are insufficient for the existence of such swarms,” said Ryan Tseng, CEO and co-founder, when announcing V-Bat Teams earlier this month. “Shield AI changes this. For nearly nine years, Shield AI has been building the world’s most advanced AI pilots using a unified AI foundation that is applicable and deployable across all aircraft types, from quadcopters to F-16s. We’ve been steadfastly focused on that.”

The San Diego-based company is also working on integrating Hivemind into unmanned fighter jets and other aircraft. The Shield AI technology stack has garnered significant interest from the Department of Defense due to increasingly sophisticated counter-drone technologies that focus on disrupting drone communications and navigation.

“The battlefield is increasingly dominated by drone warfare, and adversaries are turning the battlefield into a hostile environment by disrupting communications and GPS,” stated Stephen Marcus, co-founder and general partner at Riot Ventures. “We are doing everything we can to address this. Modern Air Forces are operating blindly. Shield’s AI pilots are intelligent and adaptable to their environment, requiring no GPS or communications. Their AI is trainable and adaptable for diverse missions, and they have successfully flown teams of copters, V-BATs, and modern fighter jets. The most comparable technology we have seen thus far is what Tesla is doing with their self-driving stack.”

The new funding arrives amidst a surge in investor support for defense technology startups, driven in part by escalating geopolitical tensions and the U.S. lagging behind its adversaries. Engineers and the Pentagon are keenly aware of the risks at hand. In fact, some Shield AI executives have made noteworthy comparisons: Back in 2021, co-founder Ryan Tseng drew parallels between the Chinese military and Netflix, and the U.S. military and Blockbuster.

Source: techcrunch.com