Incredible Technology

At the center of space exploration beats a heart of incredible technological marvels and innovation that inspires scientists and engineers to reach for the stars. See some of the wildest space tech concepts here, as well as technologies needed to ensure humanity's expansion across the solar system.

Related Topics: 3D Printing, Curiosity Mars Rover Mission, SpaceX, International Space Station 

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lightsail and africa

LightSail 2 celebrates 3rd space birthday as end of mission approaches

By Elizabeth Howell published

LightSail 2 is now marking three years of spaceflight, but is unlikely to celebrate a fourth anniversary.

Artist's conception of a fission system on the moon.

NASA funds nuclear power systems for possible use on the moon

By Elizabeth Howell published

Three companies will demonstrate their potential to power lunar infrastructure using nuclear fission systems, under new joint NASA contracts announced on Tuesday (June 21).

The Stratolaunch Roc carrier plane during its seventh test flight June 16, 2022.

Stratolaunch's huge Roc carrier plane flies higher than ever on 7th test flight

By Elizabeth Howell published

Stratolaunch's enormous Roc carrier aircraft aced its seventh test flight yesterday (June 16), flying higher than it ever has before.

This apparatus, located at Aalto University in Finland, was used to cool superfluid helium-3, where two time crystals were created and touched together.

'Time crystals' work around laws of physics to offer new era of quantum computing

By Keith Cooper published

Touching two time crystals together has created an important building block for a quantum computer.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching the Transporter 5 mission in May 2022.

Momentus troubleshooting problems with newly launched space tug

By Mike Wall published

Momentus' newly launched Vigoride space tug has been experiencing some issues in orbit.

Stratolaunch's Roc carrier plane takes off for its sixth test flight on June 9, 2022.

Stratolaunch ends 6th test flight of Roc, the world's largest airplane, early after unexpected results

By Josh Dinner published

The world's largest plane took off for its sixth test flight on Thursday (June 9) but ended up landing before completing all of its flight objectives.

The Perseverance rover and its helicopter companion, Ingenuity.

Mars helicopter Ingenuity has a dead sensor but its team aims to keep flying

By Josh Dinner published

Ingenuity's handlers are preparing the little chopper for operation in the bitter cold of Martian winter, as nighttime temperatures have begun to drop below its design parameters.

The fourth test that Ukrainian startup Promin Aerospace recently conducted on the engine for its "self-devouring" rocket.

Ukrainian startup conducts new tests for engine of 'self-devouring' rocket

By Olga Ozhogina published

Ukrainian rocket company Promin Aerospace, which is currently developing an ultralight, autophagic launch vehicle, has conducted a new series of studies on its unique engine.

The sleek nose of the SR-72 Darkstar hypersonic plane featured in "Top Gun: Maverick."

'Top Gun: Maverick' got help from Lockheed Martin engineers to create its hypersonic SR-72 Darkstar plane

By Jeff Spry published

Lockheed Martin engineers assist Hollywood to design "Top Gun: Maverick's" Darkstar jet

On the 198th day of its mission, NASA's Perseverance Mars rover took this selfie.

Pew pew! Perseverance rover on Mars picks its own prize rocks to shoot with laser

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA is hailing the Perseverance rover's improved ability to pick its own targets as a way of speeding up science on Mars.

The doughnut-shaped fusion chamber of the TCV contains the superheated hydrogen plasmas in powerful magnetic fields to keep it from damaging the walls.

Physicists just rewrote a foundational rule for nuclear fusion reactors that could unleash twice the power

By Tom Metcalfe published

Future fusion reactions inside tokamaks could shine even brighter than before, thanks to groundbreaking new research to find the maximum density of the hydrogen plasma fuel that powers them.

Talon-A vehicle photographed at sunset.

Stratolaunch reveals its first hypersonic design for high-altitude flights

By Elizabeth Howell published

Stratolaunch's Talon-A test vehicle will eventually drop from the biggest airplane ever built, known as the Roc.

An artist's illustration of an Ultra Safe Nuclear battery in space.

US military wants to demonstrate new nuclear power systems in space by 2027

By Elizabeth Howell published

The U.S. Defense Innovation Unit has awarded two contracts for nuclear propulsion and power systems in space by 2027.

A still image from the Mars helicopter Ingenuity on its record-breaking flight on April 8, 2022.

Watch the Mars helicopter Ingenuity take a record-breaking flight in daring NASA video

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA has unveiled incredible footage of its Mars helicopter Ingenuity on a record-breaking flight in April 2022.

Tracks of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover.

Soar over Mars rover tracks with Ingenuity helicopter (video)

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity cruised above some tracks made by its robotic partner on its most recent flight, as footage captured by the rotorcraft shows.

Mitsubishi has developed a technique that enables the 3D printing of satellite antennas in space.

3D printed satellite antennas can be made in space with help of sunlight

By Tereza Pultarova published

Satellite antennas can be 3D-printed in space with the help of sunlight using a new patented technique that promises to do away with clunky satellite parts that take up space in a rocket.

Two pixelated images with a faintly visible object circled at the center

Wild Apophis asteroid spacecraft concept would loft tiny, laser-driven probes for 2029 flyby

By Elizabeth Howell published

An early-stage mission concept could see laser-driven light-sail probes visit a notorious asteroid.

The view from a camera-equipped payload launched on a high-altitude test flight by SpinLaunch from Spaceport America in New Mexico on April 22, 2022.

Watch SpinLaunch sling a payload high into the sky in epic test flight video

By Mike Wall published

A new video gives us a dramatic look at the space startup SpinLaunch's unique liftoff strategy.

A timelapse view of the ionosphere from the International Space Station, with city lights shining below.

DARPA launches 'Ouija' project to study radio signals in Earth's atmosphere with satellites

By Elizabeth Howell published

The U.S. military plans to launch satellites to learn more about how radio signals behave in part of the Earth's atmosphere.

The X-59 is lowered to the ground at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California following a crane operation to remove it from the back of its transport.

Watch NASA's supersonic X-59 jet come together in Lockheed Martin's new video

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA's new X-59 supersonic jet is coming together quickly after its latest pit stop in California.