Space shuttle Enterprise damaged by Hurricane Sandy

Space shuttle Enterprise damaged by Hurricane Sandy Although there is as yet no official confirmation, it appears that the Space Shuttle Enterprise, recently moved to a permanent home in New York City, was damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Space shuttle Enterprise damaged by Hurricane Sandy  Space shuttle Enterprise damaged by Hurricane Sandy Space shuttle Enterprise damaged by Hurricane Sandy Space shuttle Enterprise damaged by Hurricane Sandy   The Space Shuttle Enterprise inside its display pavilion at the Intrepid museum (Photo: NA... The Space Shuttle Enterprise

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ORBITEC flight tests new vortex liquid fuel rocket engine

ORBITEC flight tests new vortex liquid fuel rocket engine Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC) successfully flight tested its patented vortex liquid fuel rocket engine on October 25. The engine was installed in a Prospector-class Garvey Spacecraft Corporation launch vehicle, and the resulting rocket was launched at the Friends of Amateur Rocketry facility near Edwards Air Force Base in California. The flight established substantial progress toward ORBITEC's development of a 30,000-lb (13,600-kg) thrust vortex engine for the US Air Force Advanced Upper Stage Engine Program and for NASA'

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HondaJet enters production

HondaJet enters production  The Honda Aircraft Company has announced that its HA-420 HondaJet business jet is entering production. At a press conference at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) annual meeting and convention in Orlando, Florida, Honda announced that the “world’s most advanced light jet” had passed key testing milestones and is on its way to certification and delivery. HondaJet enters production HondaJet enters production HondaJet enters production HondaJet enters production HondaJet enters production HondaJet enters production Hon

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Hypergravity helps in development of light, aircraft-grade alloy

Hypergravity helps in development of light, aircraft-grade alloy In the quest for more efficient commercial aircraft to help reduce fuel consumption, weight reduction without compromising safety is one of the most obvious areas of focus. Researchers at the European Space Agency (ESA) working in the Intermetallic Materials Processing in Relation to Earth and Space Solidification (IMPRESS) Project have used hypergravity to help develop an aircraft-grade alloy they claim is twice as light as the nickel superalloys currently used in conventional jet engines, but boasts equally good properties.

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Tiny NanoQ quadrocopter could serve as an inexpensive research platform – or a fun toy

Tiny NanoQ quadrocopter could serve as an inexpensive research platform – or a fun toy QFO Labs, a Minneapolis-based start-up, is attempting to launch a mini quadcopter toy called the NanoQ. It uses inexpensive 3-axis gyros and accelerometers to remain stable mid-flight, and comes with a one-handed remote that integrates tilt sensors for smooth and natural control – and unlike most quadrotors, the NanoQ's propellers are inverted which prevents them from colliding with ceilings. Tiny NanoQ quadrocopter could serve as an inexpensive research platform – or a fun toy Tiny NanoQ quadrocopter c

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World’s first 100 percent biofuel-powered flight of civil aircraft

World’s first 100 percent biofuel-powered flight of civil aircraft Earlier this year, Air Canada joined a growing number of airlines conducting flights using biofuels. Like similar flights by Boeing and Lufthansa, the aircraft was powered by a mix of petroleum and biofuel. Now the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has removed the fossil fuel component completely with the first flight of a civil jet powered by 100 percent unblended biofuel. World’s first 100 percent biofuel-powered flight of civil aircraft   World’s first 100 percent biofuel-powered flight of civil aircraft

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TechJect’s Dragonfly micro UAV flies like a bird and hovers like an insect

TechJect’s Dragonfly micro UAV flies like a bird and hovers like an insect Given their impressive flight capabilities, it’s not surprising to see researchers turning to the world of flying insects for inspiration when developing new kinds of micro UAVs. With their ability to both fly at high speeds and hover, the dragonfly would seem an obvious candidate for biomimicry. But with the exception of the DelFly, we hadn’t seen many attempts to model a micro UAV on the dragonfly’s four wing design. That could be changing with a multi-disciplinary team from Georgia Tech having developed a robotic f

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