Robert Lightfoot’s Post

Gas dynamics was one of my favorite subjects in graduate school, and I am more than intrigued by the sonic boom-less supersonic plane that will be unveiled by NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration on Jan 12th. I always believed the sonic boom was an inevitable and unacceptable consequence of supersonic flight and never imagined that it could be mitigated through engineering design. #fluiddynamics #compressibleflow #supersoniccommercialflight #computationalfluiddynamics Some more articles on the topic: -https://lnkd.in/gAe7Wgsc -https://lnkd.in/gXetEpjV -https://lnkd.in/gDmm5-t7 -https://lnkd.in/gPjUMctF -https://lnkd.in/gG7Ebudh

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s pursuit of supersonic flight has been a cornerstone of aerospace innovation. Among its notable achievements, the Bell X-1 before and the X-15 after stand out as legendary aircraft that pushed the boundaries of human exploration and covered the way for future advancements in high-speed flight. in this article, we will explore the rich history of #NASA’s supersonic endeavors and the groundbreaking programs of these airplanes. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dkhz_KbJ

Little known fact, Barnes Aerospace has a wonderful recipe for pie but we can't show it to you because the ingredients are infinite... 🥁 All kidding aside, commercial aviation relies on the precision of pi in numerous ways. 🛩️ ✈ Blade Angles: Aerospace turbines rely on precisely designed blade angles to optimize efficiency. These angles are calculated using pi-based formulas. ✈ Compressor Stages: Each compressor stage in a jet engine involves intricate geometry. Pi helps engineers determine blade spacing, airfoil shapes, and flow dynamics. ✈ Thrust-to-Weight Ratio: Pi factors into the thrust-to-weight ratio, a critical parameter for aircraft performance. Balancing thrust and weight ensures efficient flight. 🚀 NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration also uses pi to map the Moon, measure Earth’s surface changes, and calculate asteroid orbits. We celebrate Pi Day on March 14 because the mathematical constant keeps our aspirations lofty. 😉 How do you plan to celebrate Pi Day? 🥧 #PiDay #Aerospace #CommercialAviation #SpaceExploration

Critical missions such as the study of asteroid deflection and how this can protect Earth from future natural threats require purpose-built solutions such as the GR712RC dual-core microprocessor from Frontgrade Gaisler. Bon voyage to European Space Agency - ESA's HERA Mission! #spacecomputing #HERAmission

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration has selected Lockheed Martin to develop and build the nation's next generation weather satellite constellation, Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO), for the NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. The baseline contract is for three spacecraft with options for four additional spacecraft. The total estimated value of the contract including options is $2.27 billion. The GeoXO mission will continue and expand upon critical observations of weather provided by the Lockheed Martin-built GOES-R Series geostationary satellites to include new observations of our oceans and air pollution. GeoXO's new capabilities will deliver more accurate weather forecasting and address emerging environmental issues and challenges that threaten our economy and safety. GeoXO and the nation's weather satellites are vital infrastructure for national resilience.

🚀 The HERA mission, part of European Space Agency - ESA's planetary defence strategy, is preparing to explore the Didymos binary asteroid system, including its smaller moon, Dimorphos. Scheduled for launch today, October 7 at 10:52 a.m. EDT (14:52 UTC) aboard a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, HERA will arrive at Dimorphos in late 2026. The mission will focus on studying the aftermath of NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s DART mission, which successfully altered Dimorphos' orbit in September 2022 by 33 minutes after a deliberate impact. HERA’s objective is to gather critical data to enhance our understanding of asteroid deflection techniques, a key component of planetary defence. At the core of HERA’s onboard computer systems is the GR712RC dual-core microprocessor, ensuring high-performance data processing, and the GR718B SpaceWire router, enabling reliable communication between the spacecraft’s subsystems.  We are always proud to support pioneering space systems with our technology! #spacecomputing #HERAmission Reference: https://lnkd.in/dxPMU-f5

Coastal communities are vulnerable to multihazards. A recent study underscores the implications for community and infrastructure resilience planning, emphasizing the need for a targeted approach in transitioning from reactive to proactive hazard mitigation strategies in the era of climate change. In NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration: https://ow.ly/hcgM50QHeNt In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/fEqN50QHeNu

The world's biggest flying lab is traveling throughout Asia this week on an air pollution mission (project name ASIA-AQ), a collaboration between the US agency and regional governments from some of the highest air-polluting countries in the world including the Philippines, South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand. Packed with dozens of highly sensitive instruments, NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration's specially outfitted DC-8 will fly up to 8 hours at a time to swoop up particles that help scientists determine how pollutants are spread in the air. This effort ultimately contributes to an ambitious mission to improve the models that help forecast and fight air pollution. We located the following video of crews preparing the lab, installing sensors, probes, and dozens of highly sensitive instruments into the DC-8 that include NI (National Instruments) components distributed by Braemac. Can you find #NI, #LabVIEW, and #PXI products in action? View the full video series: https://lnkd.in/gbbQYBWQ

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Lockheed Martin have finally taken the wraps off of the X-59, a “quiet supersonic” aircraft that may shape the future of both military and civilian air travel. The intent is to demonstrate that a plane can fly faster than the speed of sound — in this case, 925 MPH — without generating the window-rattling sonic boom that results from the resulting pressure wave. Though it’s impossible to entirely mitigate the effect of a large body moving through the atmosphere at great speed, the team aims to reduce the boom to a “sonic thump” that’s less disruptive to people, infrastructure and wildlife. https://lnkd.in/erQePP-p

NASA’s decision to conduct an uncrewed test flight despite facing issues underscores the importance of prioritizing safety over expedience. Strategies, priorities, challenges, and resources can vary for every event. While mistakes are part of human nature, minimizing their impact through careful planning and risk management is not only crucial but also our responsibility, especially when the stakes are high. Learning from past errors and adopting a cautious approach, like NASA did with the Boeing Starliner, can prevent major disasters and ensure safety.