Important Innovations

  Looking To Launch Starliner First Un-crewed, Then Crewed                                                       Source:  Boeing Spaceship with Checkered Past Boeing has built the Starliner, a next generation spacecraft, that's designed to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS).  It is an alternative vehicle to the highly successful SpaceX Crew Dragon that brought two astronauts back and forth to the ISS this past summer.   The Starliner has been plagued with development problems, test failures and schedule slippages.  Now it has lost its astronaut Commander Chris Ferguson.  Ferguson is an engineer who helped Boeing develop the space vehicle. December 2019 Test Starliner has experienced a rocky road to development.  In December 2019, during an un-crewed flight, software problems caused the engines to misfire.  Starliner entered the wrong orbital path, never reached the ISS and was forced to return to Earth.  Now, for "personal reasons" Boeing e

  Planets Better For Life Than Earth                                                       Source:  NASA New Scientific Discovery Scientists have discovered 24 "superhabitable" planets with conditions better for life than on Earth and with stars better than our Sun.  The research was led by a team at Washington State University. The planets are warmer, wetter, larger and older than the Earth.  The scientists used a set of criteria to identify the "superhabitable" planets including presence of water, mild temperature and atmospheric conditions, among others. Space Targets For the Search For Life The 24 planets are 100 light years away from the Earth.  The scientists say their findings serve as targets for the next generation of telescopes to explore for signs of life. The scientists believe these 24 planets have the most promising conditions for complex forms of life.  They were identified from a group of 4500 exoplanets.  They estimate the age range of the planets a

SpaceX To Build Hypersonic and Ballistic Missile Tracking Satellites                            Source: Artist Image of Hypersonic Missile New, Highly Advanced Satellite Technology The US Department of Defense has awarded SpaceX a $149 million contract to build hypersonic and ballistic missile tracking and warning satellites.  The satellites will be positioned in low-Earth orbit similar to Starlink.  Starlink is SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's mega-constellation of satellites to provide the world broadband internet at inexpensive prices.  The Pentagon contract is a first for SpaceX and yet another major win for CEO Elon Musk.  This contract comes 3 weeks after US Defense Secretary Mark Espey announced that China and Russia have weaponized space with killer satellites and directed energy weapons. New, Advanced Satellite Technology The new satellites for the military will have wide field of vision, infrared sensors that can pinpoint and track potential missile threats coming in from space at

  Top Ranked on Amazon's Automotive Engineering                                                  Source:                                          Amazon  https://amazon.com/author/ekane My Book on Musk's SpaceX & Tesla Breakthroughs Journalist Edward Kane's just published book "The Elon Musk Factor" is ranked as the #1 new release in Amazon's Automotive Engineering category.  It's also on Amazon's Hot New Releases list.  For a free preview, go to  https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08KHCYGY9&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_JkAFFbC7T0C4C    I co-authored the book with Ed.

  60 More Broadband Satellites Launched Today                                                 Source:  NASA/SpaceX Elon Musk's Promise of More Inexpensive Internet  SpaceX has just deployed 60 more Starlink satellites into orbit.  SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk tweeted, when the satellites reach their targeted points, SpaceX will be able to roll out a fairly wide, public beta test in the northern United States and possibly in southern Canada.  And, he says, as soon as SpaceX receives regulatory approvals from more nations, he will roll the system into other countries.  Musk's space system is designed to deliver inexpensive internet services globally. Starlink Mega-Satellite Constellations for Global Internet This is the 13th Starlink low-earth orbit satellite launch so far.  SpaceX plans on dozens more as it grows its broadband mega-satellite constellation into thousands of small satellites.  The promise is for much less expensive internet availability on a global basis.  Tha

  New Consumer Reports Analysis                                                  Source: Toyota Prius Another Great Reason To Go Electric According to Consumer Reports, electric vehicles, over a lifetime, are vastly less expensive to maintain than gas powered cars.  In fact, they cost half as much to maintain.  And, the savings are about the same whether the car is a hybrid or totally battery operated.  This is another great reason, on top of zero emissions, to consider going electric. Numbers Tell the Story Consumer Reports analysis breaks it down this way.  Over the lifetime of the vehicle, ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles cost $0.061 per mile in maintenance and repair costs.  Electric battery cars like the Nissan Leaf or Tesla Model 3 cost $0.031 per mile and plug in hybrids like the Toyota Prius cost $0.030 per mile. Consumer Reports Conclusion According to Consumer Reports, EV repairs are much less frequent and the vehicles don't need as much maintenance as gas powere

  Gravity Industries Jetpack Being Tested in the UK                  Source:  Gravity Industries Test Flight for Paramedics Daring Aerial Paramedic Emergency Rescues A jetpack made by Gravity Industries is being tested in the Lake Region of the UK for daring aerial paramedic rescues.  The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), which is a helicopter emergency medical service, is testing the jetpack to see how sending paramedics in a jetpack to the rescue of victims safely works. New Technology For instance, in a skiing accident on a mountain slope, a jetpack would allow a paramedic rescuer to arrive to the victim in minutes rather than an hour hiking up the slope.  According to the GNAAS Director Andy Mawson, a jetpack rescuer could mean the difference between life and death. Gravity Industries & Its Entrepreneur Gravity Industries of the UK has completed a number of flights in what they call an "iron man" suit and have set speed records with it. The flying paramedics