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Showing posts from April, 2021

World's Widest Plane Flies For 3+ Hours

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  Roc Aces Second Test Flight                                                                                            Source:  Stratolaunch Huge Aircraft Designed to Carry Hypersonic Vehicles for the Pentagon Stratolaunch, the aerospace company founded by the late co-founder of Microsoft Paul Allen, has successfully test flown its huge airplane, Roc, for the second time.  The double fuselage carrier plane is the world's largest aircraft by wingspan.  The wingspan is 385 feet, which is more than double that of a 747 aircraft. Test Flight Roc is powered by six engines.  In the test flight, it reached a peak altitude of 2.6 miles over the Mojave Desert.  The flight lasted 3 hours, 14 minutes and was flawless.  The test demonstrated how the plane handles cabin pressurization and new hardware upgrades. Hypersonic Future Roc is designed to carry Stratolaunch's fully autonomous and reusable hypersonic vehicle, the Talon A.  The Talon A is designed to be a hypersonic test vehicle fo

Future Modes of Travel by Edward Kane

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  Limited Time Amazon Promotion - 80% Off Regular Price                                                       Source:  Amazon   ASIN: B08S958SBV Exciting New Concepts For Travel in the Future The Amazon 80% promotional discount on Edward Kane's book "Future Modes of Travel 2020's & 2030's" ends tomorrow, May 1, 2021.  It is priced today at $1.99 and goes back to $5.99 for the e-book ($9.99 for the paperback) on Saturday, May 1st.  To take a look inside, go to  https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08S958SBV&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_YD4D35QWBPXQ4116KMWS I co-wrote the book with Ed.

Next US Military Fighter Jet Tech

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  Sixth Generation Fighter Jets                          Source:  Lockheed Martin Fighter Jet Concept What Technologies and Innovations Will They Contain? Russia and China power plays against their neighbors are driving escalating spending on the next generation - generation 6 - of fighter jets by major powers around the world. The US, UK, Germany, Japan and France are all working on the development of sixth generation fighter jets that will likely go into service by the mid-2030's.  What innovations and new technologies will define them, including for the US Air Force's secret new fighter jet?  Engineers from Raytheon's Intelligence and Space group, in a recent webinar, offered some expert perspectives. Autonomous and Loaded with Artificial Intelligence The Raytheon engineers believe the aircraft will have self-landing systems to autonomously land on aircraft carriers and elsewhere in challenging conditions.  They also will be equipped with a single large transmitter that

Breakthrough in Drone Delivery Tech

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Wingcopter 198                                                                                 Source:  Wingcopter Drone Can Make 3 Deliveries to Multiple Locations on a Charg e Windcopter 198 is a world first in breakthrough drone technologies.  The all electric powered drone can make three deliveries to multiple locations on a single charge.  That has never been accomplished before, according to German aviation developer Windcopter.  The vehicle can carry 13 pounds and travel 47 miles on a charge.  The lighter the payload, the longer distance it can travel.  Windcopter is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL), fixed wing drone.  The company says it can take off and land virtually anyplace without the need for any sort of infrastructure.  The company believes that the unmanned aerial system (UAS) is a game-changer, designed to create logistical highways in the sky. Fleets of Drones The drone can travel up to 93 mph.  It is targeted for shorter distance deliveries in rural a

Next-G USAF Jet Fighter Beating the Odds & Budgets

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  The B-21 Raider                                                              Source: Northrup Grumman Secret Stealth Bomber The B-21 Raider is the US Air Force's next generation, strategic bomber.  It will replace the B1 and B2 bombers.  Information on the secretive stealth bomber has been largely kept under wraps by the US Air Force and by Northrup Grumman, the US based defense contractor that is building it.  Now comes word from the Chairman of the US House Armed Services Committee, US Congressman Adam Smith (D-Washington) that the B-21 Raider "is on-time, on budget and they're making it work in intelligent ways". The vehicle is being called a modern military procurement miracle. Two Decades of Problematic Military Procurement Processes Congressman Smith, in a speech this week before the American Enterprise Institute, said that the Pentagon is now starting to reverse two decades of aircraft, ship and ground program delays and escalating costs with the more budget

The Future of Flying by Edward Kane

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  Briefings on Exciting Flying Concepts                                  Source:  Amazon Kindle  ASIN : B093J89VF5 Now Available on Amazon and Kindle Edward Kane's latest book "The Future of Flying" has just been published by Amazon and Kindle.  It provides journalistic briefings on the most exciting flying concepts under development including hypersonic and supersonic passengers planes, zero emissions aircraft, flying cars, wing suits, jet packs and more.  To take a look go to  https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B093J89VF5&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_SNQCDFM84D9D40FAZ5PJ      I co-authored the book with Ed.

Thailand's Huge Hydro-Solar Energy System

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One of the World's Largest Floating, Hydro-Solar Energy Systems                                   Source:  Thailand's Electric Generation Authority Floating Renewable Energy on a Dam On a reservoir in northeast Thailand, nearly 145,000 solar panels are being installed to complete one of the world's largest floating hydro-solar hybrid energy systems on a reservoir/dam.  Backing it up are seven solar farms covering 300 acres of water.  Thailand has been criticized for its reliance on fossil fuels.  The government of Thailand is now changing the nation's energy mix.  The Thai government and the state run Electric Generation Authority are promising 8 more renewable energy dam projects over the next 16 years.  They will generate 2,725 megawatts of energy. Transitioning to Renewables Thailand has long relied on coal for its energy.  By 2037, it is targeting 35% of its energy coming from renewables. Thailand is developing a hybrid system of continuous power generation between

Amazon Sale on Our Innovation Books - Time Limited

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Special Amazon Promotional Sale on 3 of Edward Kane's Innovation Books Limited Time Discounts -- 80%, 90% &100%  Right now is a great opportunity to purchase several of Edward Kane's recent books on innovations at a deep discount up to 80%, 90% and 100%. I co-authored the books with Ed.  Until April 27, 2021, one book is available for free, "New Innovations for Gen Y", which contains the latest, hot innovations of special interest to people 25 to 40 years old. Here is what Amazon is making available: Future Modes of Travel 2020's & 2030's at $1.99, which is an 80% discount  https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08S958SBV&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_XYYJYKQS4075M52JTM4H New Inventions for the 2020's Part 1 at $.99, which is a 90% discount https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08THWN8JD&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_1WP2D31YRM92XBG71QES New Innovations For Gen Y - for free until 4/27/21. h

NASA Creates Breathable Oxygen on Mars

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  World 1st: Pure, Usable Oxygen Extracted on Mars                                        Source:  NASA - MOXIE MOXIE Science Rover Did the Job NASA's Mars Mission has achieved another world first.  It has extracted breathable, pure oxygen from the thin Martian atmosphere.  This extraordinary feat was accomplished by a piece of technology onboard the Perserance rover.  MOXIE, a small science rover that is the size of a toaster - extracted and converted carbon dioxide into oxygen.  MOXIE stands for Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment. Impressive Technology MOXIE uses electrolysis to separate molecules of oxygen from molecules of carbon dioxide, using extreme heat.  95% of the Martian atmosphere is composed of carbon dioxide.  The initial oxygen created was small:  about enough to provide ten minutes worth of oxygen to an astronaut.  But it is the first time in history that a natural resource, directly usable by human, has been extracted on another planet. Scaling Up

Dish & Amazon Web Services 5G Network

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  World's 1st Wireless Network on Public Cloud                                                                                             Source:  DISH                                    Source :  5G Network Stock Image Dish's Cloud 5G Dish, the direct broadcast satellite TV service provider, and Amazon Web Services are partnering on establishing a new 5G network nationwide in the US.  The new 5G network will start operating in Las Vegas later this year and it will go nationwide. This is an effort by Dish and Amazon Web Services to compete against Verizon and AT&T as a nationwide wireless internet, TV and phone provider. The AWS infrastructure will deploy a cloud native 5G network for Dish, that will pull in phone and wireless devices to the new network for new subscribers.  Dish has a membership base of 11.3 million pay-TV subscribers that will be tapped into for 5G phone and wireless internet services.  Dish is spending $10 billion to change itself into a cloud based wir

Sale on Innovation Books by Edward Kane

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Special Amazon Promotional Sale on 3 of Ed & My Innovation Books Limited Time Discounts -- 80%, 90% &100%  Right now is a great opportunity to purchase several of journalist Edward Kane's recent books on innovations at a deep discount up to 80%, 90% and 100%.  Until April 27, 2021, one book is available for free. I co-authored the books with Ed.  Here is what Amazon is making available: Future Modes of Travel 2020's & 2030's at $1.99, which is an 80% discount  https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08S958SBV&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_XYYJYKQS4075M52JTM4H New Inventions for the 2020's Part 1 at $.99, which is a 90% discount https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08THWN8JD&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_1WP2D31YRM92XBG71QES New Innovations For Gen Y - for free for two days. https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08XJXK5GP&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_GNYFT7CS4RTDDD2G3S9X

Historic Space Launch by Space X

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  4 Astronauts Aboard Recycled Capsule and Recycled Rocket                                   Source:  NASA & Space X Flying in Proven Flight Systems This morning, Space X launched a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station aboard a recycled, reused Falcon 9 rocket booster, dubbed B1061, by SpaceX.  The launch made history multiple times. It is the first time that astronauts have flown on a recycled, reused Crew Dragon capsule, named Endeavor, coupled with a reused Falcon 9 first stage launch rocket.  It is also the first time that astronauts representing three different space agencies - NASA, Europe's ESA and Japan's JAXA, have ridden in the same space capsule.  Space X's Endeavor made history last May when it became the first commercial space vehicle to ferry NASA astronauts to the ISS as part of the first launch of astronauts from the US in twenty years.  Today's flight not only made history.  It provided a spectacular light show in the skies fro

US To Cut Emissions 50% by 2030

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  President Joe Biden Pledges Aggressive Action on Climate Change                                                                                                  Source:  The White House White House Virtual Climate Summit on Earth Day At the White House Virtual Climate Summit, President Joe Biden pledged to cut US greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.  The pledge will require massive changes and breakthrough renewable energy innovations for the US energy and transportation industries. President Biden says it is absolutely necessary and doable.  Biden made the pledge before more than 40 government leaders from around the world at his virtual, 2 day Leaders Summit on Climate, designed to demonstrate that the US is once again a strong force in the fight against Climate Change.  The previous Administration scoffed at Climate Change, withdrew from the Paris Accords and derailed efforts to fight global warming.  One of President Biden's first acts as President was to rejoin the Pari

Amazon's HiTech Hair Salon in London

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  High  Tech Future of Hairdressing with AR                                                  Source:  Amazon Salon Amazon Salon in London Amazon is launching its first, high tech hair salon in East London.  The state of the art, experiential Amazon Salon features augmented reality mirrors that show the client what they look like in specific hair styles and hair colors before they try and buy the treatment. The salon offers traditional hair salon services like haircuts, hair coloring and blow dries.  It is staffed by hairdressers from an independent London hair salon Neville Hair & Beauty.  The Amazon Hair Salon has come as quite a surprise to the retail world.  Amazon calls it "experimental". Growing Retail Use of AR Amazon Salon is part of the small but growing use of AR for retail. In the Amazon Salon, product selection utilizes Point & Learn technology. If you determine that you like what a product such as a shampoo and conditioner can do for your look, you can cli

NASA Sats Track Emissions Individually

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World 1st: NASA & CA Partnership Targets Solo Emissions Sites From Space                        Source:  Greenhouse Gas Emissions Stock Image         Source: NASA Curiosity Image of Methane Outbreaks on Mars $100 Million  Greenhouse Gas Tracking System From Space   NASA and California, with financial backing from philanthropist Michael Bloomberg, are launching a $100 million satellite tracking system to pinpoint individual sources of large greenhouse gas emissions.  For the first time, these new satellites, with new technologies developed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Labs (JPL), will be able to both see and measure emissions at the level of individual facilities like a specific oil refinery. Currently, the measurements have been at the scale of large geographic areas. Methane Emissions Tracked By Carbon Mapper The top greenhouse gas target for the satellites is methane, which is 80 times more potent than other greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide during the first twenty yea

NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Flies on Mars

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   World Aviation History is Made                               Source:  NASA - Ingenuity 1st Image First Helicopter That Flew on Another Planet NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter has succeeded in achieving the first powered, controlled flight on another planet.  It used its navigation camera, which autonomously tracks the ground beneath Ingenuity during flight, to take its first black and white image from the air.  The small rotocraft has made world history with its first flight.  It is part of a long series of NASA achievements that were thought to be technologically impossible. First Flight Ingenuity is solar-powered.  During its first flight, it reached a height of ten feet and hovered steadily for thirty seconds before landing smoothly back on Mars after 39.1 seconds of flight.  The flight test was totally autonomous.  Because of Mars' nearly 200 million mile distance from Earth, NASA can not control Ingenuity with a joystick.  Ingenuity's flight was powered and piloted

Germany's Mach 25 Plane Concept - Spaceliner

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  Flying at 25 Times the Speed of Sound                                                       Source:  DLR Germany's Hypersonic Spaceliner  The German Aerospace Research Institute and DLR, Germany's Research Center for Space & Aeronautics, are developing an incredibly fast, hypersonic commercial aircraft concept called Spaceliner.  The vehicle will fly at the edge of the Earth's atmosphere, where space, begins at speeds of 25 Mach or 18,527 mph. It would be capable of getting 50 passengers and a 2 person crew from London to Australia in 90 minutes.   Highly Advanced Hypersonic Technology. Spaceliner is a long range project with the goal of flying passengers by 2040.  The hypersonic aircraft is launched on a rocket.  A second orbiter releases from the rocket booster stage to carry passengers around the world.  The concept is similar to but far more advanced than that of the space shuttle.  Virgin Galactic has a similar approach with its space tourism spaceplane, but with

BMW's Electrified Wingsuit

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  New Form of Personal Air Mobility Source:  BMWi BMW's Electrified Wingsuit to Fly In BMW has designed, developed and tested the world's first all electric wing suit that enables a person to fly at speeds up to 186 mph. The revolutionary alternative means of travelling was developed by BMW in partnership with Designworks.  The flying suit began as a concept three years ago created by 33 year old Austrian Peter Salzman, who is a skydiver, paragliding instructor and wingsuit pilot.  BMW, Designworks and Salzman have taken the concept to new heights. The apparatus took three years to develop and is designed to showcase BMW's expertise in electrification. Successfully Tested Over the Alps The BMW wingsuit is electric powered with two chest mounted, carbon propellers delivering 20 horsepower for five minutes. There are two main parts.  It consists of a suit with wing like pieces of fabric and an electric drive unit that contains the propellers.  It weights about 28 pounds. The

Future of Carbon Free Flying

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 Airbus'   Climate Neutral, Zero Emissions Flying                                                       Source:  Airbus ZEROe France-based Airbus is a firm believer that the future of flying is zero emission aircraft, powered by hydrogen.  The global aviation and aerospace company is working on three concepts for the world's first zero emissions commercial aircraft that Airbus wants to put service by 2035.  The concepts represent different technological and aerodynamic design approaches to zero emissions flight.  Each concept relies upon hydrogen as the primary power source.  The three concepts are codenamed ZEROe. Carbon Neutral Flying Airbus says that it is committed to a future of zero emissions flights through the use of hydrogen as the power source. The three ZEROe concepts are designed to be the world's first climate neutral, zero emissions commercial aircraft for long distance and short haul transportation.  The major goal is to end the commercial aviation industry&#

Apple Invests in Forests to Fight CC

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  $200 Million Forest Restore Fund Source:  Forest Stock Image Green, Profitable Forests To Remove Carbon Dioxide From the Air Apple is creating a $200 million fund that will invest in timber producing "Working Forests, managed specifically to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.  Apple is partnering with the non-profit Conservation International on what it calls the Restore Fund, which will be managed by Goldman Sachs.  Besides fighting Climate Change, the forests will also generate a profit. Apple Fighting Climate Change The forests that the Restore Fund will invest in will produce commercial timber, be profitable and through proper forest restoration and management remove carbon dioxide.  Apple's goal for the Working Forests program is to remove one million metric tons of carbon dioxide every year.  Another objective is to demonstrate that sustainable forests and carbon removal can be profitable.   Multifaceted Green Approach The Restore Fund is a new initiative by Ap

Jeff Bezos & Nuclear Powered Spacecrafts

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Bezos' Blue Origin Wins DARPA/Pentagon Contract for Nuclear Spacecraft                                             Source:  Blue Origin                                     Source:  DARPA Nuclear Powered Spacecraft Nuclear Powered Trips to Space Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' aerospace company Blue Origin has won a US Department of Defense contract to design a nuclear powered spacecraft.  The $2.5 million contract was awarded by the Pentagon's DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) as part of its DRACO program (Designated Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations).  Lockheed Martin and General Atomics were awarded similar contracts for the DRACO program. Nuclear Thermal Propulsion The DARPA program is focused on developing and testing nuclear thermal propulsion technology to power space travel.  The technology utilizes a small nuclear reactor inside the rocket to heat up the liquid fuel and propel the spacecraft beyond low Earth orbit into deep space.  DARPA believes that

Sustainable Jet Fuel - United's Global Push

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  Eco-Skies Global Alliance Source:  United Airlines Sustainable Jet Fuel From Trash Chicago headquartered, United Airlines is partnering with Nike, Siemens, Japan's Takeda Pharmaceuticals and 12 other global companies to fund the use, this year, of 3.4 million gallons of low carbon, sustainable jet fuel.  The green fuel will be created from trash.  Sustainable jet fuel can be at least 80% lower in greenhouse gas emissions than regular jet fuel. The global partnership is aimed at starting to reduce the airline industry's carbon/greenhouse gas emissions footprint. Tripling The Use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Airlines have been using sustainable fuel since 2008 to cut their greenhouse gas emissions.  But, until now, sustainable fuels represent less than 1% of the aviation fuel used worldwide.  The new partnership will triple that amount each year.  United says the initiative gives customers a way to reduce the carbon impact of flying and it should significantly boost the market

Hypersonic Air Force One For US Presidents

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  Air Force One at Mach 5                                      Source:  Hermeus Hypersonic Jet Flying 5 Times The Speed of Sound Atlanta, Georgia based Hermeus Corporation is developing a hypersonic Mach 5 passenger jet.  The jet will be capable of flying from New York City to London in 90 minutes.  Hermeus has established a partnership with the US Air Force and with the Presidential and Executive Airlift Directorate (PE) to develop the 20 passenger vehicle for the President of the United States and his executive staff as a hypersonic Air Force One. NASA Onboard Very recently, NASA joined with Hermeus, the USAF and PE in a concerted effort to develop the jet.  Hermeus has successfully tested a prototype engine capable of powering an aircraft to travel at five times the speed of sound.  Another US company, Exosonic of California, is simultaneously partnering with the USAF and PE to develop a supersonic jet capable of speeds of 1.8 Mach to carry the US President to destinations around th