Important Innovations Collection

Cubesats in Command Source:   NASA Cubesat High Theater in Low Earth Orbit Two cubesats (small satellites) powered by steam performed a complicated and coordinated maneuver in space today.  With the help of NASA on the ground, one of the spacecraft commanded the other to close the 5.5 mile gap between them.  It did so successfully. Old Fashioned Steam Power The twin spacecrafts' fuel tanks are filled with water.  Thrusters convert the water into steam which propels the cubesats.  NASA says today's maneuvers demonstrate how small spacecraft can work together on future missions.  NASA adds these spacecraft are designed to operate in swarms.  These space teams could be deployed in the future for deep space exploration and work autonomously to explore new worlds.  NASA plans on sending cubesats to the Moon in 2020.  For a free Kindle borrow of my latest book "Big Space News 2019", go to  amazon.com/author/ekane  https://www...

Tiny, Semi-Autonomous, Cheap Source:  Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute New Invention:  Trash Collector for Space Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are developing tiny OSCaR CubeSats for trash collection in space.  The small satellites are designed to spot, capture, trap and deorbit space debris.  The capture is performed by nets onboard.  The European Space Agency estimates 129 million pieces of space debris orbiting at such high speeds even small pieces can do damage. Inexpensive and Effective The team at Rensselaer is developing OSCaR as an affordable means to eliminate the debris.  OSCaR stands for Obsolete Spacecraft Capture and Removal. The system consists of three linked CubeSat modules, each with distinct functions. In Orbit OSCaRs would be launched into orbit.  They'll use radar, thermal and optical imaging systems to locate space debris and deploy their nets to capture it.  Each OSCaR can carry four pieces of...