Important Innovations

  Next Generation of Renewable Energy Source:  Virtual Power Plant stock images Homes, Working Together, Forming a Virtual Power Plant The concept of virtual power plants is compelling and already in practice.  The plant consists of homes powered by solar panels working together and turning neighborhoods into virtual power plants that can feed excess energy back to the grid.  These virtual power plants are already deployed in locations around the world such as public housing in South Australia and apartment complexes in Utah and California.  It's the next generation of solar power technology.  At some point in the future, virtual power plants may consist of fleets of electric vehicles. Gaining in Popularity Virtual power plants are gaining in popularity for a number of reasons.  They are a promising, green replacement for aging electricity infrastructure and their power plants powered by polluting fossil fuels.  Virtual power plants can distribute energy over a much wider area and

  Grows to 835 Satellite System                                                                      Source:  SpaceX Starlink Launch Moderate Coverage for North America SpaceX launched 60 more Starlink internet satellites into orbit on Sunday with another batch ready to launch on Wednesday.  The Sunday launch to build an inexpensive global internet service brings the total sats deployed to 835 satellites.  That is enough to reach CEO Elon Musk's target of 800 deployed satellites in low Earth orbit to start testing for moderate internet coverage for parts of North America.  This was Space X's 14th launch of Starlink satellites.  To achieve global broadband coverage, Musk says he plans to launch 120 new Starlink satellites per week. Incredible Technology Not just the Starlink technology is incredible, so too is the rocket technology for launch that's being deployed.   The Sunday launch was aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket's sixth flight.  After the successful launch, the f

NASA & Nokia's Bell Labs Building Lunar Connectivity                                                                                Source:  4G stock image Wired, Connected Moon for Astronauts NASA and Nokia's Bell Labs are building a 4G network on the Moon.  Bell Labs has been awarded a $14.1 million contract for the project.  Bell Labs is partnering with spaceflight engineering company Intuitive Machines.  The purpose is to provide US astronauts with a more robust means of communications. 5G Coming Next As is happening on Earth, the 4G network on the Moon will be upgraded to 5G over time.  The 4G system is being built to withstand the Moon's radiation, extreme temperatures and space's vacuum.  The astronauts will use the 4G network for data transmission, control of lunar rovers, streaming of high definition videos and for real time navigation of the lunar surface.  Bell Labs will deploy small cell technology, which is much smaller and requires less energy than the

  New Acela 2021                                                  Source:  Amtrak  Acela Speed Testing for 165 MPH America's fastest train, the Acela, is going to go faster.  It's being speed tested at a 30,000 acre facility near Pueblo, Colorado for its rollout in 2021.  The train will hit speeds of 165 mph in the Boston to Washington, DC corridor.  Amtrak is calling it "a gamechanger". The actual increase in speed is about 15%. More Energy Efficient The new Acela will use 20% less energy, carry 25% more passengers and cut 15 minutes off the train trip between Boston and Washington, DC which takes about 5 hours,  And, there is a lot of new technologies being incorporated into the Acela trains. US vs. Asia and Europe In terms of fast train technology, the US is behind both Europe and Asia.  The primary reason is the lack of investment in new infrastructure that can carry high speed trains.  Some parts of the Boston to Washington, DC train corridor are 100 years old. 

Green Hydrogen Trains from Siemens Energy & Siemens Mobility Source:  Stock Image of Hydrogen Trains Green Sustainable Energy and Green Travel Newly listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Siemens Energy has signed an MOU (memorandum of understanding) with Siemens Mobility to jointly develop and sell hydrogen systems to power trains.  This is another new and important example of the hot and expansive development of hydrogen fuel cell technology.  The two companies have several goals.   They want to standardize the technology for fully hydrogen powered trains made by Siemens Mobility.  They also want to sell the technology to external companies to promote the "hydrogen economy of Germany and Europe". Smart Green Linkage Siemens Energy is developing green hydrogen, which is produced from renewable sources like wind and solar power.  Siemens Mobility specializes in transportation and is still part of the parent company Siemens.  Siemens Energy was spun off from the parent in

  Musk's Latest SpaceX and Tesla Breakthroughs                                                  Source:                                      Amazon  https://amazon.com/author/ekane #1 New Release on Amazon Journalist Edward Kane's latest book "The Elon Musk Factor" is now the #1 new release in Aeronautics and Astronautics and has been the #1 new release in Automotive Engineering on Amazon and Kindle.  It is listed in Amazon's Hot New Book 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_WyYIFbN3CN1CB    I co-authored the book with Ed.

  Second Recent Jet Pack Sighting Over LA                                                Source:  JetPack Aviation JetPack Aviation SPEEDER Gets Ready for Take-off Once again over Los Angeles, the sky offered an amazing sight of a pilot in a jetpack soaring 6,000 feet above the Earth.  It was the second similar sighting and the flights were apparently not authorized by the FAA.  Enter JetPack Aviation's flying motorcycle SPEEDER that's set to do its first test flight.  SPEEDER is the world's first jet powered, personal vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) flying motorcycle.  JetPack Aviation says it had nothing to do with the two mysterious, jetpack flights over LA. Technology Promise of SPEEDER JetPack says with the flip of a switch SPEEDER will be able to hit 300 mph in the air, carry 600 pounds and fly at an altitude of 15,000 feet. They say that's the potential of their SPEEDER flying motorcycle technology.  That would make a trip from LA to San Diego possible in 20