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In 1990, when the first images from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope were too blurry to use, JPL scientists and engineers went to work to devise a fix. They created a camera with corrective vision to bring Hubble images into sharp focus. Part of the “Crazy Engineering” series.
(Source: DCMP)
Ion propulsion might sound like science fiction, but engineers at NASA are using it to drive NASA’s "Dawn" spacecraft through the solar system. Learn how ion propulsion works and why it is the reason "Dawn" will be the first spacecraft ever to orbit two solar system bodies beyond Earth. Part of the “Crazy Engineering” series.
Second in the series of three productions designed to let students learn by doing, guiding them through the science and history behind the Wright Brothers' invention of powered flight. This second component contains segments that provide science background (Four Forces of Flight, Newton's Laws, and others) to help students understand aviation concepts. Additional segments show the teacher how to conduct activities (building models or demonstrations) and acquire materials to be used in these activities.
This program discusses the concept of the expanding universe. Calculations by astrophysicists show that the cosmos seems to be speeding up. The 50-billion galaxies thought to comprise our universe are rapidly moving farther apart. Scientists are working to understand the nature of space and the purpose of dark energy and dark matter related to the expanding universe.
Humans have always been intrigued by the idea of flight. Experiments with Hot Air Balloons led to a pig and duck being the first air travel passengers. From there, the Wright Brothers created the first airplane, and aviation was off to the races. From the jet engine and military aircraft to passenger planes, worldwide travel is now a matter of hours rather than days or weeks.
First in the series of three productions designed to let students learn by doing, guiding them through the science and history behind the Wright Brothers' invention of powered flight. This first component contains six ten-minute segments that explore (1) humankind's historical preoccupation with the idea of flight and the life and times of the Wright Brothers; (2) the science concepts of control, lift, and propulsion; and (3) evolution of the science of flight since the Wright Brothers.
Assembly line workers won’t be swapping stories with their robotic counterparts any time soon, but future robots will be more aware of the humans they’re working alongside. With support from the National Science Foundation, roboticist and aerospace engineer Julie Shah and her team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are developing next generation assembly line robots that are smarter and more adaptable than robots available on today’s assembly lines. Part of the National Science Foundation Series “Science Nation.”
The engineers at NASA are studying two new technologies to help image distant Earth-like planets. Coronagraphs are tiny instruments fitted inside telescopes to block light and help scientists study clues as to whether life is present on a planet. Starshades also block light and produce clearer photographs of distant planets. Both of these technologies are used with telescopes and provide scientists with enhanced photographs of space. Part of the “Crazy Engineering” series.
Jennifer Keyes began her NASA career as an intern and then a co-operative education student in 1999. In these programs, she worked on projects in atmospheric science, subsonic aerodynamics, and space exploration. Currently she is an aerospace engineer working as a systems analyst for the Office of Strategic Analysis, Communication, and Business Development at NASA Langley Research Center. In this role, Jennifer supports the senior leadership team as the lead for strategic governance and business development. Part of the "Women@NASA" series.
The journey of NASA's Cassini spacecraft around Saturn is coming to an end. The Cassini mission has been exploring the Saturn system for nearly 13 years and has rewritten the textbooks on the ringed planet and its moons, but the spacecraft is pretty much out of fuel. However, a lot of work from engineers designed the spacecraft and programmed its flight path, and they used astrodynamics to navigate the spacecraft between the rings of the planet. Part of the "Crazy Engineering" series.
As a boy growing up in Brazil 40 years ago, Marc Meyers marveled at the lightweight toughness of toucan beaks that he occasionally found on the forest floor. Now, with support from the National Science Foundation, the materials scientist and mechanical and aerospace engineer at UC San Diego, is conducting the first ever detailed engineering analysis of toucan beaks. He says makers of airplanes and automobiles may benefit from his findings. In fact, panels that mimic toucan beaks may offer better protection to motorists involved in crashes.
With support from the National Science Foundation, aerospace engineer Michael Philen and his team at Virginia Tech are investigating the biomechanics of fish locomotion, in hopes of contributing to the next generation of robotic fish and underwater submersibles. They’re studying how fish use their muscles to swim efficiently and execute underwater maneuvers, such as darting around in perfectly synchronized schools. They’re also developing new smart materials, such as a bioengineered hair that is modeled after the hair cell sensors on the side of fish that allow it to detect minute changes in water flow. Part of the National Science Foundation Series “Science Nation.”
Third in the series of three productions designed to let students learn by doing, guiding them through the science and history behind the Wright Brothers' invention of powered flight. This third component contains the same "how to" segments from the second in the series (13692) and parts of the history and scientific concepts from the first in the series (13691). However, it also provides greater ease and flexibility in locating, reviewing, and pausing in and between segments than the other two productions in the series. Good for sharing with students to aid them as they build and experiment with kites, gliders, and rubber-band-powered planes.
Biologist Ken Dial has documented in extraordinary detail how birds are put together and the mechanics of how they take to the air. With support from the National Science Foundation, Dial and his team at the University of Montana Flight Lab use x-rays and high speed video to better understand the mechanics of bird flight. Dial’s more than 2,000 flight hours as a pilot in a wide range of aircraft adds another dimension to his research. Perhaps, by mimicking what birds have learned over millions of years, aircraft wings could change shape to accommodate both slow and fast flight, or a helicopter propeller’s shape might be altered to be more efficient.
