NASA Holds Briefing on New Planetary Landing Technology, SpaceRef “Today NASA held a briefing on its recent Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) project test. LDSD is a rocket-powered, saucer-shaped test vehicle which may be used on future planetary missions.”

Yes, Virginia, You Will Be Able to Download your iTunes on Mars, Eventually, SpaceRef “Our world is becoming rapidly connected and as humanity ventures off planet they will take their appetites for LOLz, cat memes, silly YouTube videos, and iTunes with them making a need for space-based internet and other broadband services a reality according to panelists speaking on “The Future of Space-Based Communications” at the AIAA SPACE 2014 Forum […]

NIAC Announces Five Phase II Funded Concepts, SpaceRef Business “Looking ahead to an exciting future, NASA is continuing to invest in concepts that may one day revolutionize how we live and work in space with the selection of five technology proposals for continued study under the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program.” The five studies chosen to advance to Phase II of the NIAC program include: — A concept for […]

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Sunshield Stacks Up to Test, NASA “The Sunshield on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is the largest part of the observatory–five layers of thin membrane that must unfurl reliably in space to precise tolerances. Last week, for the first time, engineers stacked and unfurled a full-sized test unit of the Sunshield and it worked perfectly.”

National Research Council Report Says It’s Too Soon for 3-D Printing to Significantly Enhance Space Operations, SpaceRef Business “A National Research Council report, 3D Printing in Space, says it’s too soon for 3-D Printing to significantly enhance space operations. Released today, the report includes several recommendations including that NASA and the Air Force should jointly cooperate, possibly with other agencies and industry, “to to research, identify, develop, and gain consensus […]

Reader note:“I was at the DRC all week. NASA showed up with the most awesome/expensive looking tracker/trailer.  It had a custom paint job, new custom “pelican” cases for all equipment, a fold out tent on the side, and a $15K Cadillac golf cart (image). The team, if you view their videos had 50+ workers, a high-bay work area, a specialize sewing team and a seemingly unlimited tax payer funded budget. […]

Keith’s 30 Oct 4:52 pm note: What is innovate.nasa.gov? It claims to be “a collaboration platform to foster open discussion about technology across NASA and its external innovation community. This is the place for you to rethink and reinvent existing research, learn about NASA technology, and shape the conversation about future NASA innovation. We post information about NASA’s inventions and technology focus areas. You join other technology experts, researchers, and […]

.@NASASpinoff why don't @NASATechBriefs @NASA_Technology @NASATechgateway coordinate & retweet ALL #NASA tech news? Who's in charge? #NASA — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) October 25, 2013 NASA Technology That Can’t Link To Itself, earlier post Keith’s note: NASA Office of the Chief Technologist has no link to NASA Tech Briefs. NASA Tech Briefs does not link to NASA OCT. In fact, I did a search of the source HTML code on the […]