UP NEXT: SATELLITES FOR REAL-TIME TARGET TRACKING
In modern warfare, real-time surveillance is vital for strategic dominance. Detecting moving ground vehicles and aircraft accurately provides military personnel with essential data for potential targets. The U.S. Space Force aims to support this capability through the development of Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) and Air Moving Target Indicator (AMTI) satellites, which can track moving targets from space. However, achieving high enough resolution for imagery or radar for reliable detection poses challenges, due to the rapid speed of satellites deployed in low Earth orbit (LEO). Nevertheless, the USSF hopes to field an operational system by the 2030s that either complements or replaces some roles currently being performed by the Air Force's E-3 and E-7 aircraft. (Breaking Defense, September 4, 2024)
CHINA'S HYPERSONIC EDGE
Already a leader in hypersonic missile technology, China may now be outpacing the U.S. as a result of a recent breakthrough. If proven feasible, Chinese scientists claim to have improved on hypersonic missile design by incorporating steel nose cones instead of costly tungsten — thanks to advanced thermal protection technology. Previously, the intense heat of hypersonic flight (up to 3,000°F) made the use of steel, which has a melting point of 2,190°F, impractical. However, the new technology integrates ultra-high temperature ceramics and insulating aerogels to keep steel components intact during flight. Meanwhile, using steel instead of more costly metals translates into significant savings, cheaper manufacturing costs and the ability to produce more of units. (Interesting Engineering, September 4, 2024)
HOW TO OPTIMIZE QUANTUM COMMUNICATIONS
As we enter the quantum era, communications technology faces a choice: build new infrastructure or enhance existing networks. Quantum technology promises secure, eavesdropping-proof data transmission through entangled photons. But building a separate quantum Internet could prove costly. However, a breakthrough from Leibniz University Hannover may hold out a solution. Researchers at the institution have developed a method that transmits entangled photons and laser pulses on the same color channel, allowing quantum and standard data to coexist without interference. This hybrid network could address national cybersecurity concerns cost-effectively, leveraging existing infrastructure for next-generation security. (SciTech Daily, September 8, 2024)
TOWARD MILITARY-GRADE 3D PRINTINGS
In recent years, the Department of Defense has been experimenting with how to harness 3D printing for military use. Supernova, a new startup, is lending a helping hand, and taking the lead on the fabrication of military-grade energetic materials via 3D printers. The quality of objects printed by the company are noteworthy given ability of its printers to process more viscous resin, resulting in greater "structural integrity and functional performance." Supernova's printing innovations can be applied to military products as diverse as rocket motors, explosives and bullet grains. (National Defense, September 16, 2024)
VORTEX CANNON CAPABILITIES
In an exciting new discovery, scientists from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, and the University of Southampton in the UK have created the world's first electromagnetic vortex cannon. The development is significant because the vortex rings produced can be used to encrypt and transmit data (for wireless communication) or for sensing and detection. According to the project scientists, "[The Vortex's] ability to maintain structural integrity even in the presence of environmental disturbances positions them as valuable tools in remote sensing and target detection... By analyzing the unique patterns of these vortex pulses, we can develop more precise and reliable methods for detecting and locating objects, whether in defense systems or space exploration." Potential uses for defense applications will continue to increase as the technology matures. (Popular Mechanics, September 20, 2024)
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