Sandia National Laboratories researchers may have developed the key to making hydrogen cars a commercial reality.
A major roadblock in the development of hydrogen cars has been the lack of a reliable hydrogen fuel cell that works well in both dry and humid environments. Hydrogen fuel cells are electrochemical engines that come in several different varieties with the most common being the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell. PEM fuel cells use oxygen from the air and pressurized hydrogen to create electricity, heat and water (steam) as byproducts. The electricity powers the electric motor that turns the wheels of the car.
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Friday, June 5, 2009
High-pressure Compound Could Be Key to Hydrogen-powered Vehicles
Hydrogen-powered cars sound like a great idea, but how do you stuff enough hydrogen into a small, portable volume that’s practical as fuel? Help could be on the way in the form of a hydrogen-rich compound discovered by researchers in the Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Science at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
The newly discovered material is a high-pressure form of ammonia borane, a solid material which itself is already imbued with ample hydrogen. By working with the parent material at high pressure in an atmosphere artificially enriched with hydrogen, the scientists were able to ratchet up the hydrogen content of the material by roughly 50 percent.
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The newly discovered material is a high-pressure form of ammonia borane, a solid material which itself is already imbued with ample hydrogen. By working with the parent material at high pressure in an atmosphere artificially enriched with hydrogen, the scientists were able to ratchet up the hydrogen content of the material by roughly 50 percent.
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Efficient New Light Unfolds Like Paper
The next time your lamp needs a new light bulb, you might change the lamp shade instead of the light bulb.
New research out of Germany and published in a recent issue of the journal Nature shows that cheap and thin organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) can create white light as bright as any compact fluorescent bulb for nearly half the electricity as many compact fluorescent light bulbs.
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New research out of Germany and published in a recent issue of the journal Nature shows that cheap and thin organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) can create white light as bright as any compact fluorescent bulb for nearly half the electricity as many compact fluorescent light bulbs.
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EJ200 Engine Sets New Standards On-wing
The first EJ200 engine has achieved the significant milestone of 1,000 engine flying hours onboard a Royal Air Force (RAF) Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.
Engine EN1030 was the first to be built to the Full Operational Clearance standard at the Rolls-Royce assembly facility in Bristol (UK) and was delivered to the RAF in 2003. Since then it has flown in two Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft in service with 3, 29 and 11 Squadrons, at RAF Coningsby. EN1030 is scheduled to continue flying until 1,200 engine flying hours are achieved, whereupon it will be removed for scheduled maintenance.
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Engine EN1030 was the first to be built to the Full Operational Clearance standard at the Rolls-Royce assembly facility in Bristol (UK) and was delivered to the RAF in 2003. Since then it has flown in two Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft in service with 3, 29 and 11 Squadrons, at RAF Coningsby. EN1030 is scheduled to continue flying until 1,200 engine flying hours are achieved, whereupon it will be removed for scheduled maintenance.
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Blast-Guard - Interior Blast Protection Systems
Ballista-Tek(tm) the specialist interior blast protection division of Exmoor Trim Limited has developed Blast Attenuating Vehicle Seating and Floor Matting designed to increase survivability and reduce injury to Troops in Armoured and Light vehicles.
Vehicle Seating - Purpose built seating which features heavy duty seat frame with GRP/Kevlar double shell with integrated 'Blast-Guard(tm)' Tiles to reduce the effects of both Blast and Shock waves, offering improved protection for troops. Integral harness restraints and Outlast(r) adaptive comfort fabric ensure increased ride comfort along with safety. The system also offers additional protection by the integration of special SF blast Tile fitted beneath seat bases. The flexible design allows the integration of both Blast and Ballistic materials enabling the seat to be suitable for most vehicles. Options include runners for driver and commanders versions and side mounts, allowing the seat to be fitted to interior bulk heads by means of a special Mark 1 tested track system.
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Vehicle Seating - Purpose built seating which features heavy duty seat frame with GRP/Kevlar double shell with integrated 'Blast-Guard(tm)' Tiles to reduce the effects of both Blast and Shock waves, offering improved protection for troops. Integral harness restraints and Outlast(r) adaptive comfort fabric ensure increased ride comfort along with safety. The system also offers additional protection by the integration of special SF blast Tile fitted beneath seat bases. The flexible design allows the integration of both Blast and Ballistic materials enabling the seat to be suitable for most vehicles. Options include runners for driver and commanders versions and side mounts, allowing the seat to be fitted to interior bulk heads by means of a special Mark 1 tested track system.
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US Army Awards DRS $120 M for Tactical Quiet Generators
DRS Technologies, Inc. announced today that it received approximately $120 million in multiple follow-on delivery orders under pre-existing contracts from the U.S. Army's Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey to manufacture more than 7,200 Tactical Quiet Generators (TQG) in various sizes.
The generators are in 3-, 5-, 10-, 15- and 100-kilowatt power output sizes, and will be manufactured by DRS Fermont in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Delivery of the generator sets started in the early part of 2009 and will run through January 2011. DRS TQGs provide military forces with a reliable power source that is lightweight, quiet and can be used in remote field locations wherever electrical power is needed. DRS next-generation 100-kilowatt TQG features an advanced electronic diagnostics and prognostics package, and a state-of-the-art digital control panel. A 200-kilowatt TQG is also offered with this feature, but not part of this contract award.
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The generators are in 3-, 5-, 10-, 15- and 100-kilowatt power output sizes, and will be manufactured by DRS Fermont in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Delivery of the generator sets started in the early part of 2009 and will run through January 2011. DRS TQGs provide military forces with a reliable power source that is lightweight, quiet and can be used in remote field locations wherever electrical power is needed. DRS next-generation 100-kilowatt TQG features an advanced electronic diagnostics and prognostics package, and a state-of-the-art digital control panel. A 200-kilowatt TQG is also offered with this feature, but not part of this contract award.
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Microwave Missiles: High-Energy Weapons in the Air Force
The High Power Microwave Technologies Branch of the Air Force Research Laboratory is looking for an innovative approach for non-lethal weapons technology that targets enemies' electronic systems. Here are projects looking to turn microwaves into technology-disabling weapons.
New research into high-power microwaves could make them a crucial tool of electronic warfare. The U.S. Air Force’s newest directed-energy weapon program, the Counter-Electronics High-Powered Microwave Advanced Missile Project (CHAMP), would create a weapon that fires powerful bursts of HPM, frying the electronics of multiple targets without harming people or other infrastructure.
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New research into high-power microwaves could make them a crucial tool of electronic warfare. The U.S. Air Force’s newest directed-energy weapon program, the Counter-Electronics High-Powered Microwave Advanced Missile Project (CHAMP), would create a weapon that fires powerful bursts of HPM, frying the electronics of multiple targets without harming people or other infrastructure.
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New Army Rifle Fires Laser-Guided Smart Bullets With Onboard Targeting Chips
It would be hard to describe a bullet as smart, but what if that bullet was laser-guided, radio-controlled, and carried an onboard targeting CPU? The US Army has announced the creation of the XM25 rifle, which can fire a new type of explosive round that fit that exact description. Imagine the implications: hitting targets inside buildings or hiding around walls. Whoa.
First, the scope on the rifle has a laser that gauges the distance to the target. The soldier can set exactly where the 25-millimeter bullet will detonate by adding or subtracting 3 meters from that point. Then, the scope will send a radio signal to a chip inside the bullet telling it how far it should travel before exploding.
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First, the scope on the rifle has a laser that gauges the distance to the target. The soldier can set exactly where the 25-millimeter bullet will detonate by adding or subtracting 3 meters from that point. Then, the scope will send a radio signal to a chip inside the bullet telling it how far it should travel before exploding.
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Fianium's new US applications lab aims to prove materials-processing strength of ultrafast fiber lasers
Ultrafast fiber laser manufacturer Fianium (Southampton, England) has opened a new, US-based micro-materials processing applications lab. Fianium established the facility to enable work with OEMs in testing material samples and to highlight the processing results attainable with its picosecond fiber lasers. Fianium aims to prove that ultrafast fiber lasers are superior for materials processing of a diverse range of targets, including materials--such as polymers, glasses, organic tissue and reflective metals--that have historically proven difficult to process using conventional DPSS lasers.
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Options Expand in Heavy Lift
In the airlift world, the unexpected is the rule. The U.S.—with by far the largest domestic market—has long dominated the segment, but may now be on the verge of losing leadership.
The Obama administration has announced its intention to cap production of the Boeing C-17 at 205 aircraft. Boeing, during 2008, proposed continuing the C-17A line while working on the C-17B, a substantially modified version for shorter, softer airfields. But the C-17B would have taken until 2016 to get into production, meaning that the price for 40-60 B models would include six more years of C-17As.
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The Obama administration has announced its intention to cap production of the Boeing C-17 at 205 aircraft. Boeing, during 2008, proposed continuing the C-17A line while working on the C-17B, a substantially modified version for shorter, softer airfields. But the C-17B would have taken until 2016 to get into production, meaning that the price for 40-60 B models would include six more years of C-17As.
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Raytheon's SLAMRAAM Demonstrates Ability To Intercept UAS
Raytheon's Surface Launched Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile successfully intercepted a maneuvering unmanned aircraft system (UAS) during a flight test at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.
"This test highlighted the flexibility and adaptability networked sensors and shooters bring to the warfighter to respond to today's evolving threats," said Pete Franklin, vice president for Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems' National and Theater Security Programs.
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"This test highlighted the flexibility and adaptability networked sensors and shooters bring to the warfighter to respond to today's evolving threats," said Pete Franklin, vice president for Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems' National and Theater Security Programs.
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Boeing Submits Proposal For USMC Unmanned Cargo Aircraft Demon
Boeing has submitted a proposal offering its A160T Hummingbird for the U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory's Immediate Cargo Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Demonstration Program.
"The Marines have identified an urgent need for unmanned aerial vehicles to deliver supplies in lieu of putting trucks and personnel on dangerous roads," said John Groenenboom, A160T program manager for Boeing.
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"The Marines have identified an urgent need for unmanned aerial vehicles to deliver supplies in lieu of putting trucks and personnel on dangerous roads," said John Groenenboom, A160T program manager for Boeing.
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Thursday, June 4, 2009
New Armor Passes Tough Test
You all might remember we reported a new kind of flexible body armor being developed by pre-Dragon Skin designer Allan Bain back in October.
At the time, Bain had tested his armor against some pretty mean armor-piercing rounds (a Swiss-made armor piercing round that is more powerful than the one specified by the Army) shattering the tiles but slowing down the round enough to keep it from penetrating the Dyneema backing.
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At the time, Bain had tested his armor against some pretty mean armor-piercing rounds (a Swiss-made armor piercing round that is more powerful than the one specified by the Army) shattering the tiles but slowing down the round enough to keep it from penetrating the Dyneema backing.
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DARPA killer AI robots to 'participate in own construction'
You've got your robots which can make copies of themselves, of course. That's pretty scary - a runaway exponentially-multiplying machine horde, potentially able to overrun the human race in an eyeblink. But how much more scary would it be if you had a machine which could not only make copies of itself once complete, but could also participate in its own construction while it was still being built?
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US raygun jumbo jet now firing live blasts in flight
The US Missile Defence Agency's long awaited blaster-cannon-in-a-jumbo-jet, the Airborne Laser (ABL), is now carrying out inflight test zappings. Reports suggest that the actual laser is doing well so far, but that the carrying 747 is suffering technical problems having been grounded for a lengthy period while its energy weapon was fitted.
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Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Powerful Ideas: Electronics Grown by Germs
Ancient germs that hunt bacteria are now getting recruited to assemble the electronics of the future. Scientists are using viruses to build solar cells and other gadgets that are dramatic improvements over their existing counterparts. These new techniques also manufacture the devices in a way that is far safer for the environment than current methods.
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Inside the Military’s Secret Terror-Tagging Tech
The story that the CIA uses tiny homing beacons to guide their drone strikes in Pakistan may sound like an urban myth. But this sort of technology does exist, and might well be used for exactly this purpose. It might even have been the “secret weapon” that Bob Woodward said helped the American military pacify Iraq.
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Princeton Optronics gets Navy contract to develop powerful blue VCSEL arrays
Princeton Optronics (Trenton, NJ), which develops some very interesting high-power vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), as well as low-noise solid-state lasers, has received a $750K two-year-duration Navy Phase II SBIR contract for developing blue-laser arrays that consist of frequency doubled high-power VCSEL arrays.
The objective of the program is to develop high-energy pulsed blue lasers with energies of greater than10 mJ per pulse for Navy light detection and ranging (LIDAR) applications. The phase II contract follows a successful completion of a phase I SBIR contract received last year.
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The objective of the program is to develop high-energy pulsed blue lasers with energies of greater than10 mJ per pulse for Navy light detection and ranging (LIDAR) applications. The phase II contract follows a successful completion of a phase I SBIR contract received last year.
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Concerns Over Recovering AF447 Recorders
The French accident investigation office (BEA) believes the suspected crash site of Air France AF447 may make recovery of flight data and cockpit voice recorders a challenge and is bracing for having to rely on other datapoints to try to unravel the mystery of the crash of the Airbus A330-200.
It's not just the depth of the ocean where the A330 went down that's at issue, but also the rough terrain of the sea-bed in that region, says Paul-Louis Arslanian, head of the BEA. "This will not be an easy investigation," he notes.
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It's not just the depth of the ocean where the A330 went down that's at issue, but also the rough terrain of the sea-bed in that region, says Paul-Louis Arslanian, head of the BEA. "This will not be an easy investigation," he notes.
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ABL Laser Gets MDA Nod Thus Far
The director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) says he is pleased with the performance of the Airborne Laser’s (ABL) mission systems to date, but the 747-400F platform has recently had problems with flight worthiness.
U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Patrick O’Reilly says ABL’s laser has been fired and displayed atmospheric compensation beyond 100 kilometers (60 miles) 12 times, most recently in a test flight last weekend. The laser’s ability to compensate for particles in the atmosphere that can dissipate the laser energy is a key criterion to the success of the system.
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U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Patrick O’Reilly says ABL’s laser has been fired and displayed atmospheric compensation beyond 100 kilometers (60 miles) 12 times, most recently in a test flight last weekend. The laser’s ability to compensate for particles in the atmosphere that can dissipate the laser energy is a key criterion to the success of the system.
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Pentagon Seeks More Power From Vehicles
A strong argument could be made that given the recent innovations in ground-vehicle armor, and vehicle-mounted communications and sensor equipment brought about by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. military is in a “Golden Age” for tactical vehicles.
It’s jarring to think that just a few years ago, U.S. forces entered Iraq in thin-skinned, often doorless or roofless Humvees, vehicles that now seem more appropriate for museums than combat zones. The unforeseen needs of extra armor, especially underbelly armor to deflect roadside bombs, and the exponentially greater power-generation requirements of a force that increasingly relies on sensors and communications gear, has strained the fleet to its limits, and led to a revolution in vehicle technology.
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It’s jarring to think that just a few years ago, U.S. forces entered Iraq in thin-skinned, often doorless or roofless Humvees, vehicles that now seem more appropriate for museums than combat zones. The unforeseen needs of extra armor, especially underbelly armor to deflect roadside bombs, and the exponentially greater power-generation requirements of a force that increasingly relies on sensors and communications gear, has strained the fleet to its limits, and led to a revolution in vehicle technology.
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Joint Platform Tablet MRT Computers
DRS Technologies, Inc., announced today that it received a $217 million contract to produce rugged computing systems which include Joint Platform Tablet military rugged tablet (MRT) computers, keyboards, docking stations, interface cables and base plates in support of the Movement Tracking System (MTS) for the U.S. Army. The systems are designed and manufactured at the DRS Tactical Systems business unit in Melbourne, Florida. Deliveries will begin this year and continue into 2010.
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Joint War Games Test Today’s, Tomorrow’s Security Challenges
A series of seminar-type, joint-force war games being held at McLean, Va., are examining present and future threats, senior U.S. military officers said here today.
The war games began May 31 and are slated to conclude June 5.
The U.S. military “had a great model for deterrence” during the Cold War, Navy Vice Adm. Robert S. Harward, deputy commander for U.S. Joint Forces Command, based at Norfolk, Va., said during a conference call with reporters. That model mostly was based on the use of conventional military forces to deter the Soviet Union.
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The war games began May 31 and are slated to conclude June 5.
The U.S. military “had a great model for deterrence” during the Cold War, Navy Vice Adm. Robert S. Harward, deputy commander for U.S. Joint Forces Command, based at Norfolk, Va., said during a conference call with reporters. That model mostly was based on the use of conventional military forces to deter the Soviet Union.
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DARPA’s Hypersonic Vulcan Engine Meld
It might not be a Vulcan mind-meld, but it’s pretty close. The Department of Defense’s technology brain trust, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), has given 4 contractors the go-ahead to develop the advanced Vulcan combination engine system for hypersonic flight. The 8-month first phase features awards to: Alliant TechSystems, General Electric, Rolls Royce, and United Technologies.
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Lockheed Martin Conducts Successful Flight Of AFRL’s Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft
On Tuesday, June 2, Lockheed Martin and the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) successfully conducted the initial demonstration flight of the Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft (ACCA). This flight marks the final and most significant milestone of Phase II of AFRL’s ACCA program, in which Lockheed Martin replaced the mid/aft fuselage and empennage of a Dornier 328J aircraft with an advanced composite structure.
"Yesterday was one of those perfect days where I get to be the first to fly a new aircraft and everything goes as planned. The aircraft was a real pleasure to fly and we experienced no issues,"said Rob Rowe, Lockheed Martin test pilot.
ACCA took off to the east from USAF Plant 42 at 6:55 a.m. The aircraft then banked west and climbed to an altitude of approximately 10,000 feet where the two-pilot crew took the vehicle through a series of airspeed and stability and control tests. These tests are important to understand how the composite cargo aircraft performs at varying speeds, attitudes, and altitudes. This data will be used as a baseline for future tests.
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"Yesterday was one of those perfect days where I get to be the first to fly a new aircraft and everything goes as planned. The aircraft was a real pleasure to fly and we experienced no issues,"said Rob Rowe, Lockheed Martin test pilot.
ACCA took off to the east from USAF Plant 42 at 6:55 a.m. The aircraft then banked west and climbed to an altitude of approximately 10,000 feet where the two-pilot crew took the vehicle through a series of airspeed and stability and control tests. These tests are important to understand how the composite cargo aircraft performs at varying speeds, attitudes, and altitudes. This data will be used as a baseline for future tests.
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Lockheed Receives $2bn Contract Modification for F-35 Lightning II Lot III
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $2,106,525,040 modification to definitize the previously awarded Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) air system low rate initial production Lot III advance acquisition contract (N00019-08-C-0028) to a cost-plus-incentive-fee/award-fee contract.
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How to retaliate in cyber attacks debated
In the murky world of computer espionage, the United States faces hard choices on how to retaliate when government or privately owned networks come under cyber attack, senior military and intelligence officials said Tuesday.
As the administration grapples with how best to defend its computer networks, debate is raging over how far the United States can go in pursuit of cybercriminals, and even what constitutes a digital act of war.
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As the administration grapples with how best to defend its computer networks, debate is raging over how far the United States can go in pursuit of cybercriminals, and even what constitutes a digital act of war.
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Boeing Looks for 'Silent Eagle' Development Partners
Boeing officials are in talks with several U.S. and foreign-based companies about forming a consortium to share development costs on the Chicago-based defense giant's new F-15SE "Silent Eagle" fighter aircraft.
The Silent Eagle is an updated version of Boeing's venerable F-15. It features a new coating to shield it from enemy radar, an internal weapon carriage, new avionics and a V-tail.
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The Silent Eagle is an updated version of Boeing's venerable F-15. It features a new coating to shield it from enemy radar, an internal weapon carriage, new avionics and a V-tail.
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Aerovironment’s Global Observer: Flying High, Again
The late Dr. Paul McReady’s Aerovironment, Inc. has achieved just renown for the success of its small UAVs like the Army’s RQ-11 Raven and the US Marines’ RQ-14 Dragon Eye/Swift. Outside the military sphere, however, it is best known for civil successes like the human-powered Gossamer Condor, the giant, solar-powered Pathfinder and Helios aircraft, and the flying Quetzalcoatlus northropi ornithopter on display in the Smithsonian museum.
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