Interplanetary spaceflight

NASA, in its relentless pursuit of space innovation, announced on Thursday the selection of 13 new projects for its 2024 Phase I awards under the Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program. These awards, totaling up to $175,000 each, are granted to teams proposing advanced and unconventional space technologies.Will You Click Windows’ New Copilot Button?The NIAC program, known for funding groundbreaking concepts, has previously contributed to notable missions such as the Mars Ingenuity helicopter and instruments used in…

Planetary protection is, more than ever, a major responsibility for humankind. Ensuring that no alien matter is carried back to Earth by spacecraft returning from an interplanetary mission is not the whole issue, however, as planetary protection also involves making sure that the planets and other celestial bodies that we visit remain pristine, in order not to jeopardize scientific research.Taking out the Trash (in Space)Formulating policies for planetary protection issues and keeping them up-to-date is the responsibility…

The rocket engine test occurred at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Image: NASAAs NASA gears up for a return to the Moon with the Artemis missions, the administration has announced that its researchers have successfully developed and tested a new type of supersonic rocket engine called a rotating detonation rocket engine.The rotating detonation rocket engine, or RDRE, generates thrust with detonation, in whicha supersonic exothermic front accelerates to produce thrust, much the same way a…