The trihydrogen cation (H3+) plays a key role in the interstellar chemistry. Here the authors, using state of the art experiments and computation, identify factors that govern H3+ formation from doubly ionized small organic molecules, offering guidelines for examining alternative sources of H3+ in the universe.
How fast is the speed of light? This video explores the true scale of the universe by simulating travel at light speed and beyond. Starting from outside the Milky Way, we move through cosmic objects like Andromeda, the Pleiades, and even our Solar System. Watch as the limits of light speed reveal just how unimaginably vast the universe is. From 1x the speed of light to trillions of times faster, this journey will change how you see the cosmos and our place within it. Perfect for space enthusiasts and anyone curious about the true scale of the universe.
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A laboratory prototype of a plasma electric rocket engine based on a magnetic plasma accelerator has been produced by Rosatom scientists, who say it could slash travel time to Mars to one or two months.
Rosatom says that the average power of the engine, operating in pulse-periodic mode, reaches 300kW making it possible to accelerate the spacecraft to much higher speeds than conventional engines.
Alexey Voronov, first deputy director general for science at the Rosatom Research Institute in Troitsk, said: “Currently, a flight to Mars using conventional engines can take almost a year one way, which is dangerous for astronauts due to cosmic radiation and exposure to radiation. Using plasma engines can shorten the mission to 30–60 days, meaning it will be possible to send an astronaut to Mars and back.”
After Elon Musk said SpaceX would rescue the “stranded” Starliner astronauts, NASA moved their return date up by two weeks — a slight adjustment to a plan that had already been in place for months.
WASHINGTON — A Texas state agency awarded $47.7 million in grants to five space companies to support projects like construction of facilities and development of spacecraft in the state.
The Texas Space Commission announced Feb. 10 that it awarded the grants to Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, Intuitive Machines, SpaceX and Starlab Space. The grants are part of the commission’s Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund (SEARF) program.
“Today’s awards will support Texas companies as we grow commercial, military and civil aerospace activity across the state,” Gwen Griffin, chair of the board of the commission, said in a statement.
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Our memristor is inspired and supported by a comprehensive theory directly derived from the underlying physical equations of diffusive and electric continuum ion transport. We experimentally quantitatively verified the predictions of our theory on multiple occasions, among which the specific and surprising prediction that the memory retention time of the channel depends on the channel diffusion time, despite the channel being constantly voltage-driven. The theory exclusively relies on physical parameters, such as channel dimensions and ion concentrations, and enabled streamlined experimentation by pinpointing the relevant signal timescales, signal voltages, and suitable reservoir computing protocol. Additionally, we identify an inhomogeneous charge density as the key ingredient for iontronic channels to exhibit current rectification (provided they are well described by slab-averaged PNP equations). Consequently, our theory paves the way for targeted advancements in iontronic circuits and facilitates efficient exploration of their diverse applications.
For future prospects, a next step is the integration of multiple devices, where the flexible fabrication methods do offer a clear path toward circuits that couple multiple channels. Additionally, optimizing the device to exhibit strong conductance modulation for lower voltages would be of interest to bring electric potentials found in nature into the scope of possible inputs and reduce the energy consumption for conductance modulation. From a theoretical perspective, the understanding of the (origin of the) inhomogeneous space charge and the surface conductance is still somewhat limited. These contain (physical) parameters that are now partially chosen from a reasonable physical regime to yield good agreement, but do not directly follow from underlying physical equations. We also assume that the inhomogeneous ionic space charge distribution is constant, while it might well be voltage-dependent.
“The standardization of water-based propulsion is in fact a fundamental step forward to make space technologies more accessible and sustainable, also paving the way for other possible applications,” the researchers concluded.
Several developments have taken place to enhance the efficiency of space propulsion technologies. Recently, scientists tested reflective sails that use the pressure from lasers or starlight to propel spacecraft.
Besides, scientists are also investigating the concept of antimatter rocket propulsion technology to make deep space exploration viable.
Rockets propelled by nuclear reactors could slash the time it takes us to get to Mars.
The lightsail will travel faster than any previous spacecraft, with potential to eventually open interstellar distances to direct spacecraft exploration.
