space Archives - IDEGRAAF

NASA to create first-ever space technology research institutes

February 18, 2017 saheli

NASA has selected proposals for the creation of two multi-disciplinary, university-led research institutes that will focus on the development of technologies critical to extending human presence deeper into our solar system, the US space agency said. The new Space Technology Research Institutes (STRIs) created under these proposals will bring together researchers from various disciplines and organisations to collaborate on the advancement of cutting-edge technologies in bio manufacturing and space infrastructure, with the goal of creating and maximising Earth-independent, self sustaining exploration mission capabilities. “NASA is establishing STRIs to research and…

The rise of chatbots in the edu-tech space

January 9, 2017 saheli

Over the years, while start-ups have shut down or absorbed heavy losses across sectors, the education sector, for the most part, seems to be facing ups and downs squarely. A number of edu-tech players have also survived VC’s tightening purse strings in the last year or so. What’s more, in the age of machine learning and artificial intelligence, bots are mushrooming in many sectors – they’ll increasingly take over some functions across a range of businesses. But if Prepathon’s founder Allwin Agnel’s surmise turns out to be largely accurate, while…

Liberal arts schools seek collaboration in digital learning space

December 13, 2016 saheli

Dive Brief: Campus Technology profiles the annual Future Trends Forum video chat, during which leaders from several liberal arts colleges detailed the efforts to combine on distance learning technology and innovation in 21st century teaching. Some schools discussed the difficulty of collaborating on EdX platforms, as varying campuses held contracts at different times and resource challenges prohibit flexibility to expand program offerings. Some attendees discussed the value of the Liberal Arts Consortium for Online Learning, which has helped member schools to redesign core curriculum courses for online learning and standardizes…

Japan tests innovative magnetic tether for slowing space junk

December 9, 2016 saheli

Japan has launched a cargo ship which will use a half mile- (700m)-long tether to remove some of the vast amount of debris from Earth’s orbit. The tether, made of aluminium strands and steel wire, is designed to slow the debris, pulling it out of orbit. The innovative device was made with the help of a fishing net company. There is estimated to be more than 100 million pieces of space junk in orbit, including discarded equipment from old satellites, tools and bits of rocket. Many of these objects are…

Kids ‘hack’ space tech to save Earth

March 29, 2016 Anupam

Kolkata: Imagine tackling day-to-day environmental challenges in Kolkata by putting to use technologies that are already in place at the International Space Station (ISS) orbiting the Earth. That’s exactly what schoolkids from Bengal and California have done to tackle environmental issues and sustainability challenges in Kolkata and Oakland. From cleaning up the air by replacing fuels in cars with hydrogen produced from air to filtering the highly toxic chromium ions in the tannery waste, Indian and American students have collaborated to churn out six demonstrable projects that will be…