Important Innovations

VoltAero E-Plane Takes Off Source:  VoltAero Future of Green Flying France-based VoltAero is testing its advanced Cassio electric plane with smart electric motors from Safran.  The new e-aircraft is also a hybrid that can fly on biofuel.  It's the creation of aviation industry heavyweights:  former Airbus executive Jean Botti and test pilot Didier Esteyne. So far, they have successfully test flown the plane with two new, Safran smart electric motors mounted on the wings.  Cassio is a 9-seater and has one propeller operating at  the rear of the vehicle. E-Plane Businesses Cassio is designed for private owners, air charter and air taxi operations, regional point-to-point commercial flights and other business uses such as corporate travel.  VoltAero is going to offer the Cassio in three versions.  An all-electric model with four seats and a range of 110 nautical miles.  A light hybrid model with six seats and a range up to 320 nautical miles.  And, a full hybrid with nine s

Robotic Satellite Fixing Systems Source:  NASA SAT  New DARPA Space Initiative The US Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA, has launched an innovative program to extend the life of US satellites orbiting in space.  In essence, DARPA is creating a robotic system to inspect, service, repair, improve and extend the lives of US satellites in orbit.  The program promises significant money savings and much longer and efficient use of satellites. Space Logistics DARPA is partnering with Space Logistics, a subsidiary of Northrup Grumman, to develop and deploy advanced robotic capabilities in space.   The first step is to develop what DARPA is calling a "DEXTEROUS ROBOTIC SERVICE".  The technology needed would increase satellite life spans, improve their reliability and resilience.  All of which would save the US government and space companies significant money lost when a satellite's operations breakdown and are currently unf

1st Evidence of Superconductivity Coming from Space Source:  Meteorite  Breakthrough Scientific Discovery For the first time, scientific evidence has been found in a meteorite that superconducting materials are produced in space naturally.  University of California San Diego scientists discovered superconducting material in one of the largest meteorites in the world - Mundrabilla that fell to Earth in Australia.  This is a first and superconductors are one of the most coveted materials in the world. For a great news blog with a lot more details, go to I mportant Innovations Collection: Superconductivity in Space : https://amzn.to/3dnRDtb Superconducting Material Discovered in Meteorite Super:  Mundrabilla Meteorite First Evidence of Superc...

Curiosity Rover Takes an Action Picture Source:  NASA, JPL Caltech Space Shots NASA's Curiosity Mars rover snapped a picture of itself after drilling a hole into a rock structure on Mars.  The picture documents the tough job in rough terrain that this remarkable piece of robotic technology is performing.  Curiosity made its way up the steep rocky incline called the Greenheugh Pediment, as seen in the picture behind the rover. Space Renaissance 21st Century This is part of an 86 image series taken by the camera on the Curiosity Rover's robotic arm.  For Curiosity, today is day 2,687 roving the harsh and mysterious environment of the Red Planet and sending back images and samples to NASA  Part of that mission is to determine if life ever existed on Mars and if deep within the surface of Mars there is water that could sustain life.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics Update Source:  Tokyo 2020 Olympics Emergency Meeting The International Olympic Committee just announced that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will not be cancelled.  The IOC just concluded an emergency meeting on Sunday.  This as global coronavirus cases have catapulted past 300,000 and the death toll in Italy alone jumped 800 in the past day. While there will be no cancellation, the IOC is stepping up their "scenario planning" for the Games and a postponement is officially on the table. Delaying the Games The Games are set to start July 24, 2020. The IOC will hold detailed discussions to possibly push back the kick-off date. They added cancellation wouldn't help anyone or solve any problems. So cancellation is not on their agenda. Mounting Pressure on the IOC Growing numbers of global athletes, teams and federations are calling for a delay in the Olympics as the pandemic spreads in virtually every corner of the world.  The IOC is facing mounting

Based On Photosynthesis in a Leaf, Artificial Photosynthesis Source" stock image of leaves in the Sun Lawrence Berkeley National Lab The new technology is an artificial version of photosynthesis.  It's a dreamed-for renewable energy technology that top scientists and engineers have been chasing for decades.  Artificial photosynthesis has just been achieved by a team of scientists at the renowned Lawrence Berkeley National Lab in California. Photosynthesis Photosynthesis is the sunlight-driven, chemical reaction process that leaves and algae use to convert CO2 into cellular fuel.  Led by scientist Heinz Frei, the Berkeley Lab team has developed an artificial photosynthesis system.  It's composed of nano-sized tubes capable of all of the key steps in fuel generation. Big Green Deal This new green, renewable energy technology is a very big deal.  The new technology has the potential to generate vast amounts of renewable energy by using the CO2 i

New NASA Discovery NASA:  Quasar Tsunami Energy Outflows Accelerating at 46 Million Miles Per Hour NASA's Hubble space telescope has spotted tsunamis ripping across galaxies in deep space.  The tsunamis spotted by NASA astronomers are actually quasar tsunamis.  Quasars are objects similar to stars in distant space.  NASA just unveiled the discovery.  They are calling it "the most energetic outflow ever witnessed in the Universe." 13 Quasar Outflows Spotted The outflows from the quasars tear across interstellar space causing massive havoc to the galaxies where the quasars reside. The amount of energy is tremendous.  And the velocities of the quasars is unfathomable - 46 million miles per hour, or as NASA puts it a few percentages of the speed of light. NASA was able to study 13 quasar outflows and also measure the speed of the gas spewing out of them being accelerated by the quasar wind. Quasars, Black Holes and Galaxies Quasars contain massive black holes