Important Innovations Collection

Combination Plane and Drone - Tayln Air                                                  Source:  Talyn Air No Need For an Airport Los Angeles-based Talyn Air has designed a unique e-VTOL, an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle.  The vehicle is a concept that flies like a plane but launches and lands with the assistance of a large drone. The unmanned drone flies the e-VTOL to its flight level where it releases the e-VTOL once its rotors reach a flight sustaining speed. The drone returns to its base to be recharged for another takeoff or landing.  Talyn Air says this system is so efficient it can travel three to five times farther than most other electric planes. Rocket Science Talyn Air was co-founded by two astronauts, Jamie Gull and Evan Mucasey, who both worked on Crew Dragon and the Falcon 9 rocket at SpaceX.  ...

2 NASA Astronauts Safely Return to Earth Source:  NASA - Crew Dragon onboard SpaceX Rescue Ship SpaceX Founder Elon Musk's View of Space Travel for All For the 2 brave astronauts, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, who took the ride of their lives on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and hurtled into space onboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft to the ISS in May, it is now mission accomplished. They made it safely back to Earth today, having accomplished the first private space mission with US astronauts launched from the US into space for NASA.  They've made history. Perhaps NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine put it best calling the mission "the next era in human spaceflight", as NASA will be purchasing space rides from SpaceX.  For SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk, this is a huge accomplishment that he says he wasn't sure he could do when he founded SpaceX in 2002.  He kept on perfecting his rocket science technology and he did it with a great victory today. SpaceX Vict...

SpaceX Crew Dragon & ISS Source:  NASA ISS 2 US Astronauts Hop Onboard ISS This past weekend SpaceX Crew Dragon with US astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley onboard made it to the International Space Station.  It's an historic accomplishment for a private company and NASA.  The two astronauts will be up there for up to three months doing scientific experiments and celestial observations. What's Up There? To learn about the big, upcoming space missions of the 2020's including NASA and SpaceX plans, check out my book "Space 2020's: What's Up There?" Until June 2 at 11AM ET, it's on sale as an Amazon Countdown Deal.   The link is  ASIN: B087DV4DZ6 amazon.com/author/ekane

Adidas Onboard the International Space Station for Sneaker Experiments Source:  NASA ISS Putting Running Tech to the Longest Distance Test Adidas is really going the distance.  It just sent running shoe material aboard a SpaceX rocket to the International Space Station.  The purpose is to develop the most comfortable, high performance running shoes from experimentation in the harsh conditions of space.  The German based footwear giant is performing the first ever footwear research in space. One Big Boost in Zero-Gravity Boost pellets made of the same plastic that Adidas integrates into the soles of its Boost sneakers and other running shoes are undergoing scientific experimentation in space.  This will give Adidas the opportunity to test their performance and maximum configuration in sneakers without the interference of gravity. World's Longest Scientific Marathon The plastic pellets are made of two difference polymers with slightly...

Fedor in Orbit Seeking ISS Source:  Russian Space Agency Roscosmos - Fedor Spacebot Docking at ISS Aborted Today Russia's first humanoid robot Fedor or Skybot F850 is travelling in space aboard an unmanned spacecraft to the International Space Station.  The Russian Soyez spacecraft tried to dock with the ISS to deliver Fedor today but the docking was aborted.  Russian cosmonauts issued the order to abort the approach to the ISS because the Soyez wasn't on target to properly lock-on. The Russian space agency says the approach did not cause any safety issues for the ISS or astronauts onboard. Second Try on Tuesday The crewless, automated Soyez backed away safely and Russian flight controllers are determining next steps.  They believe the problem was a radio failure aboard the ISS not the Soyez.  The Director of the Russian space agency Roscosmos says they'll try again to dock on Tuesday morning. Fedor, Astronauts' Assistant Once on board...

Lunar Orbiter, Lander & Astronaut Habitat Source:  NASA Lunar Orbiter Concept Man on the Moon in 2024 NASA's plan is for a mini-space station that would orbit the moon with astronauts onboard for 30 to 60 day stays as they travel back and forth to the surface of the Moon. The new space station will be a lunar orbiter, lander and astronaut habitat. It's called the Lunar Orbital Platform - Gateway that NASA wants to use to speed travel and exploration of the Moon.  The Trump Administration wants humans on the Moon again by 2024. Gateway on a Fast Track NASA wants the 1st phase of Gateway - the  Power & Propulsion phase - to launch in 2022.  NASA is expected to select an industry proposal on phase 1 next spring  The 2nd phase is the lunar habitat where the astronauts will live, work and do scientific experiments, on and near the Moon.  In 2024, it's expected that both components will be launched on a commercial rocket. International P...

Robotic Team to Monitor ISS Source:  NASA Astrobees The Buzz in Space Robots in orbit is the buzz in space.  NASA's Astrobee robots will very soon be onboard and working in the International Space Station (ISS).  They will assist the astronauts with housekeeping chores and inspections on the ISS. Bot Cubed The robots are one foot cubes.  They'll work in the zero gravity environment with the help of six fans, one on each surface of the cube. NASA created the Astrobees to take care of some of the routine tasks for the astronauts. Space Talk The robots are equipped with multiple sensors.  They'll use the sensors to take readings.  They also have a specialized grasping claw that they can use when needed.  And, they can communicate.  They have a mike, speaker and touchscreen.  NASA can manipulate them remotely allowing NASA to inspect the station from the ground.  3 Astrobees will be launched to the ISS later this month.  ...

UAE Astronaut Going to Space UAE Astronauts For Space Big Middle East Space Ambitions The United Arab Emirates just announced it will send the first astronaut from a Gulf Arab nation into space.   The astronaut will fly aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station.  The launch is set for September 25, 2019.  UAE has two ready to go. Going into Space UAE has been launching its space program and is now  taking off. And, it has big ambitions. It launched its first UAE satellite KhalifaSat in October 2018 from Japan. And it wants to launch a probe to Mars in 2010.  Its big plan is to colonize Mars in 2117 and have a fully functional city there with 600,000 people.. Space is a great, competitive space that enables great innovation ambitions from across the world and beyond.  For more news blogs on innovation, go to  amazon.com/author/ekane

Cimon - Crew Interactive Mobile Companion Robot Assistant in Orbit Source:  Cimon onboard ISS New Collaboration Among Astronauts, Robots and Artificial Intelligence The $6 million robot is called Cimon, the Crew Interactive Mobile Companion.  It just went on duty aboard the International Space Station (ISS).  It's equipped with IBM Watson's natural language artificial intelligence.  It's designed to serve as a personal assistant to astronauts.  It's now being tested onboard ISS as a new collaborative partnership of astronauts, robots and AI in space. One of 2018's Top Innovations The robot is cited at one of the most important innovations of 2018.  It can help astronauts repair the ISS, run experiments and even walk the crew through medical procedures.  Cimon is a bit larger than a basketball and on earth weights 11 pounds.  The mission is to determine if an AI bot can increase crew efficiency and boost morale during long duration space...