DARPA AI Flies a Modified F-16D Jet in a Dogfight Versus a Human Piloted F-16

DARPA’s Air Combat Evolution (ACE) program had the first-ever in-air tests of AI algorithms autonomously flying a fighter jet against a human-piloted fighter jet in within-visual-range combat scenarios (aka dogfighting). The General Dynamics X-62 VISTA (“Variable Stability In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft”) is an experimental aircraft, derived from the F-16D Fighting Falcon, which was modified as …

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China Developing Giant Magnetic Launcher for Hypersonic Space Planes

China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation’s (CASIC) plans to build a giant magnetic launcher to propel airplanes up to speeds where they can start hypersonic scramjet engines. CASIC has built a 2000 meter long low-vacuum track high-speed maglev test facility in the industrial heartland of Datong, Shanxi province. This is able to accelerate heavy object …

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SpaceX Starlink FCC Filing for Closer, Faster and Better Service

SpaceX second-generation satellites have performed even better than expected so SpaceX has sent a request to the FCC to allow operation at about 350 kilometer instead of 530 kilometers. This would be 68% of the height which would enable 68% latency. This would get latency from 28-35 milliseconds down to 15-20 milliseconds. In 2022, the …

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2 Megawatt Nuclear Reactors That Can Fit In a Truck

NANO Nuclear is a startup that has raised over $8 million to develop micro nuclear fission reactors with up to 2 megawatts of power. They will be transported by Semi Trucks. They plan to sell 1,000 microreactors on a yearly basis for a trillion-dollar industry. Nuclear currently supplies some 18% of US power needs off …

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AI to Track Hypersonic Missiles

EpiSci will use AI software to leverage infrared satellite data from the Space Development Agency (SDA) future constellation of hundreds of satellites. The satellites will have overhead persistent infrared (OPIR) sensors. The startup EpiSci has expertise in signal processing technology using state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) techniques to provide warfighters a competitive advantage. A …

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