Author: Kate McAlpine
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Plasma thrusters used on satellites could be much more powerful
It was believed that running more propellant through a Hall thruster would wreck its efficiency, but new experiments suggest they might power a crewed mission to Mars.
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Avian secret: The key to agile bird flight is switching quickly between stable and unstable gliding
The finding could have implications for future agile autonomous aerial vehicles.
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Bird-like wings could help drones keep stable in gusts
“3D morphing” wings could help small aircraft safely navigate windy urban streets and land with shorter approaches.
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Streamlining aircraft
Joaquim Martins pioneers high-fidelity simulations that bring together multiple disciplines. Recently incorporated into NASA’s open-source software, and being considered for adoption by aircraft manufacturers, the approach has the potential to change the game in aircraft design and other engineering systems.
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Then & Now: Being Black and female in aerospace engineering
The first Black alumna of Michigan Aero (’77) talks with a ’15 graduate about what has and hasn’t changed about being a Black woman in the field.
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$12.75M for reliable hypersonic engines and artificial photosynthesis
Two U-M led projects are funded by the Department of Defense.
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Model developed at U-M is adopted in the aerospace and automotive industries
When making and breaking a single prototype airplane component can cost a million dollars, a reliable computer model enables engineers to explore more designs.
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Overcoming turbulence: Black AERO alumnae share insights on MLK panel
‘I couldn’t have seen myself where I am right now,’ says aerodynamicist Jessica Jones on the importance of representation.
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$5.2M for digital twins of nuclear reactors could bring down nuclear energy costs
Virtual copies of nuclear reactors could enable smarter maintenance for current reactors and more automation for advanced reactors.
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Plasma jet wands could rapidly decontaminate hospital rooms
Room-temperature plasma beams could essentially dissolve away bacteria and viruses.
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Roofing drone nails down shingles
Automated drone does work at the same speed as a novice roofer, researcher says.
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Commercial supersonic aircraft could return to the skies
Don’t call it a comeback.
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Embracing changing landscapes: autonomy, space exploration and diversity
A Q&A with Anthony Waas, the new Richard A. Auhll Department Chair of Aerospace Engineering and Felix Pawlowski Collegiate Chair at the University of Michigan.
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Podcast: The X3 Thruster
Hear Dean Gallimore and recent PhD graduate Scott Hall discuss the X3 “Mars engine” on the new podcast “The High Five.”