• "Radiation Hardening by Design" Techniques Improve Commercial FPGA

    After nearly 3 years of building test circuits and prototypes, Xilinx Corporation has planned an initial pilot run of its fully redesigned Virtex-5™ field-programmable gate array--a flagship device that, thanks to Air Force Research Laboratory-developed radiation hardening techniques, will be better

  • The Genesis of Better Satellite Telemetry

    The success of Air Force Research Laboratory's Genesis Black Box program translates to a breakthrough capability for transmitting critical satellite data--whether emergency or nonemergency--from almost anywhere in space to the ground. A recent launch activity confirmed the viability of using a local

  • Science "CAREs" About Edge-of-Space Cloud Behavior

    In the interest of investigating the phenomena of noctilucent--or night-shining--clouds, Air Force Research Laboratory worked with other science community participants to assist the Naval Research Laboratory and Department of Defense Space Test Program in launching the Charged-Aerosol Release

  • Butterfly Biology Inspires New Sensing Capability

    A collaboration of Air Force Research Laboratory, General Electric, and academic researchers are leveraging the chemical sensing properties of butterflies to develop nanostructured photonic sensors that, if implemented, would not only enable faster and more selective detection of dangerous chemical

  • Interturbine Burners Ignite Quest for Fuel-Efficient Engines

    The successful demonstration of Small Business Innovation Research-enabled interturbine burners in an FJ44-3 engine furthers the ITB technology's viability towards improved operational versatility of gas turbines for a variety of military systems, including manned and unmanned aircraft and missiles.

  • Dr. Siva Banda Earns Distinguished Senior Professional Honors

    Dr. Siva S. Banda, director of the U.S. Air Force Center of Excellence in Control Science at the Air Force Research Laboratory, earned the Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Senior Professional. Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley presented Dr. Banda with the prestigious award during an

  • Multiobjective Optimization Better Propulsion Design

    Optimally performing propulsion systems require that the competing needs (i.e., individual design parameters) of various components be considered holistically--enter Air Force Research Laboratory research partner Prairie View A&M University and its successful demonstration of a solution that does

  • Fuels Research Finds Algae Green in More Ways Than One

    Propulsion researchers have pinpointed algae as a promising wellspring for producing new alternative fuels, the military certification of which ranks high among Air Force priorities. In evaluating the capacity of non-petroleum-based products to meet operational performance demands while effecting

  • Air Force accepting public comment on 445th Airlift Wing conversion to C-17

    The Air Force will accept comments through Jan. 3, 2011 on the Environmental Assessment for the 445th Airlift Wing conversion from C-5 Galaxy to C-17 Globemaster aircraft. The Air Force is proposing to issue a Finding of No Significant Impact/Finding of No Practicable Alternative (FONSI/FONPA) based

  • Senior DOD leaders share perspectives on future warfighting

    A panel of senior Department of Defense and service component leaders acknowledged Nov. 30 that an uncertain, fluid international security environment demands new thinking and approaches to meeting training and simulation requirements for future joint warfighters. While each service has its own