
Copernical Team
New space capability mapping tool unveiled at the 2023 Avalon Airshow

D-Orbit signs launch contract with Patriot Infovention

Webb reveals intricate networks of gas, dust in nearby galaxies

Does ice in the Universe contain the molecules making up the building blocks of life in planetary systems?

New aurorae detected on Jupiter's four largest moons

Study quantifies global impact of electricity in dust storms on Mars

Biology and Robotics Research Occupy Crew

Japan's H3 rocket fails to leave the launch pad

An extremely lightweight fission rocket could reach the solar gravitational lens in 15 years

Novel propulsion ideas for moving around space seem like they're a dime a dozen recently. Besides the typical argument between solar sails and chemical propulsion lies a potential third way—a nuclear rocket engine. While we've discussed them here at UT before, NASA's Institute of Advanced Concepts has provided a grant to a company called Positron Dynamics for the development of a novel type of nuclear fission fragment rocket engine (FFRE). It could strike the balance between the horsepower of chemical engines and the longevity of solar sails.
FFREs are not a new concept in themselves, but many have massive technical hurdles to overcome before they can be considered useful. Their advantages, such as high specific impulse and extremely high power density, are offset by their disadvantages, such as requiring a complicated form of plasma levitation.
What is a UFO? The US shot down three mysterious objects as interest and concern increase over unidentified craft

On the heels of the Feb. 4, 2023, shooting down of a Chinese balloon suspected of spying on the U.S., American fighter jets have shot down three additional objects in or near U.S. airspace.
When the media asked Glen VanHerck, the Air Force general responsible for overseeing North American airspace, about these events, he refused to rule out extraterrestrial forces at play. Other military officialslater clarified that otherworldly origins aren't a serious consideration, but the comment highlighted the U.S. government's lack of knowledge about these objects.
As a space policy expert, I'm often confronted with questions about UFOs and little green people. However, as these recent episodes have shown, a UFO is far more likely to be human-made, rather than originating from some faraway place in the universe.