Science

Light-based logic: The optical chirality logic gate is made of a nonlinear optical material that generates an output signal that’s dependent on the chirality of the two input beams. (Courtesy: Yi Zhang/Aalto University) Light-based optical logic gates operate much faster than their electronic counterparts and could be crucial for meeting the ever-growing demand for more

WASHINGTON — After technical and licensing delays, Virgin Orbit is gearing up for its first launch from the United Kingdom as soon as Jan. 9. A maritime navigation warning issued Jan. 4 identified a zone for hazardous operations for “rocket launching” off the coast of Ireland late Jan. 9, with a backup date of Jan.

Raytheon’s infrared sensing payload will be integrated on a Lockheed Martin LM400 WASHINGTON — Raytheon Intelligence & Space announced Jan. 4 it selected a Lockheed Martin bus to build a missile-tracking satellite for the U.S. Space Force. The U.S. Space Systems Command selected two satellite designs — one by Raytheon and the other by Millennium

Attracting talent: The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee have come up with four policy recommendations to tackle the UK’s skills shortage (Courtesy: iStock/Studio Pro) The UK must attract highly qualified workers from abroad if the country wants to have a flourishing industry and economy. That is one of four recommendations in a new

SAN FRANCISCO – A bootcamp aimed at helping startups navigate the space sector’s complex regulatory landscape is coming to New Mexico. The Space Regulatory Bootcamp, backed by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory and SpaceWERX, is scheduled for Feb. 21-23 at Q Station, a collaboration center for New Mexico’s space industry in Albuquerque. “Many companies

The EWS demonstration launched on the SpaceX Transporter-6 rideshare WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Systems Command on Jan. 3 launched a cubesat intended to demonstrate commercial weather imaging technologies for military use.  The Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) Weather Systems (EWS) demonstration launched on the SpaceX Transporter-6 rideshare that deployed more than 110 small satellites.  Over a planned

The world faces countless social, environmental and economic problems that require complex solutions combining knowledge and expertise across many sectors. Veronica Benson, Andrew Mizumori Hirst and William Wakeham explain why physics degrees need to be revamped so that physicists can better tackle these vital issues The world is always in a state of flux – and no

WASHINGTON — Despite a small funding increase for 2023, NASA’s planetary science programs still face “significant stress” financially that contributed to the delay of one mission and could push back the start of others. NASA received $3.2 billion for planetary science in the fiscal year 2023 omnibus spending bill signed into law Dec. 29. That

WASHINGTON — As Satellogic prepares to launch its latest imaging satellites, the company has slashed revenue projections, resulting in layoffs and delays in construction of a new factory. Four NewSat satellites, built by Satellogic, are among the 114 payloads to be launched on SpaceX’s Transporter-6 dedicated smallsat rideshare mission. That mission is scheduled to launch

WASHINGTON — A task order Collins Aerospace received to develop a new spacesuit for the International Space Station was awarded on a sole-source basis, a move NASA says was intended to preserve competition for later phases of the program. NASA announced Dec. 8 it awarded a $97.2 million task order to Collins to develop a

HELSINKI — China has conducted its 64th and final launch of the year, sending the Shiyan-10 (02) into orbit from Xichang spaceport. A Long March 3B rocket lifted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China at 11:43 p.m. Eastern Dec. 28, carrying Shiyan-10 (02). The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC), confirmed

Board members: Claire Murray (left), Mark Basham (centre) and Matthew Dunstan hard at work on Diamond: The Game. (Courtesy: Diamond Light Source) From the physics of the perfect burger to a board game inspired by a synchrotron, physics has had its fair share of quirky stories this year. Here is our pick of the best

WASHINGTON — SpaceX capped off the busiest year in its two-decade history Dec. 30 with a Falcon 9 launch of a commercial Israeli imaging satellite. A Falcon 9 lifted off at 2:38 a.m. Eastern from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The rocket’s first stage, flying its 11th mission,

HELSINKI — China is aiming to grow cooperation with emerging space nations including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.  Space was named as one of a number of priority areas for the next three to five years during the first China-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit held in Riyadh earlier this month.  “China stands ready

Tushna Commissariat ponders the surprising fluid dynamics of wine It’s got legs Wine in a glass has some interesting fluid dynamics. (Courtesy: iStock/Georgia-Court) See, swirl, sniff, sip and savour – these are the five S’s of wine tasting. You, or the oenophile (wine connoisseur) in your life may be well-versed in swirling that perfect glass

WASHINGTON — Fresh off of securing a significant budget increase, the European Space Agency plans to hire 200 new employees in 2023 to help it implement new projects. At a Dec. 15 briefing after a meeting of the ESA Council, agency officials announced ESA would increase its staff, currently at about 6,000 people, by 200

WASHINGTON — A cubesat launched on Artemis 1 missed its original chance to go into orbit around the moon but could still carry out its primary mission if engineers fix its thrusters in the coming weeks. The NASA-funded LunaH-Map spacecraft, a six-unit cubesat, was one of 10 cubesat secondary payloads flown on the Artemis 1

Inherited nanobionics: light-harvesting bacteria infused with nanoparticles can produce electricity in a “living photovoltaic” device. (Courtesy: Giulia Fattorini) Materials and nanotechnology are thriving fields for physicists, who often benefit from collaborating with chemists, biologists, engineers and, of course, materials scientists. This makes materials and nanotechnology fascinating to write about, and this year has been no