Skip to main content

Estonian mission will deploy ‘plasma brake’ to deorbit satellites faster


Estonia’s ESTCube-2 satellite is set for takeoff this week with an ambitious mission: the first demonstration of “plasma brake” technology to deorbit satellites faster and help reduce space debris. To achieve this, ESTCube-2 will also for the first time use electric sail (or e-sail) technology. This is a type of tether devised by Pekka Janhunen of the Finnish Meterological Institute (FMI) as a propellant-free mechanism of exploring the Solar System. The satellite’s e-sail is an interweaved aluminium tether line 50 metres in length. It’s made up of 50-micrometre wires, no bigger than the average human hair. In low-Earth orbit, the…

This story continues at The Next Web

from The Next Web https://ift.tt/57Evz1d
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

TNW Podcast: Boris comes over to co-host; Slack’s Cal Henderson talks European tech

 Welcome to the new episode of the TNW Podcast — the show where we discuss the latest developments in the European technology ecosystem and feature interviews with some of the most interesting people in the industry. In today’s episode, Andrii is joined by Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten, co-founder, member of the board, and former CEO of TNW. The topics discussed include the jobs created by Dutch startups, giant state funding for energy projects, translations of the word ‘computer’, and a bunch of other things in between. In the interview section, we’re featuring a conversation with Cal Henderson, co-founder and… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/jUgcNFD
Post a Comment
Read more

The TickTime is a clever productivity gadget that just works

With so much of the world’s workforce shifting to remote labor, a whole lot of people are trying to figure out how to be productive at home for the first time. Well, I’ve been working from home for years, and I still haven’t totally figured out the puzzle. There are no shortage of apps designed to help you be more productive, but I’m not sure anything I’ve tried has had as much potential as a little gadget called the TickTime. The concept is simple but clever. If you’ve ever heard of the Pomodoro method, which asks you to work in… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/2ySFso4
Post a Comment
Read more

CHEAP: This Lenovo Smart Display with Google Assistant is HALF OFF

Welcome to CHEAP, our brand-new series about things that are good, but most of all, cheap. CHEAP! Yes, this is my hype. The Lenovo Smart Display (with, of course, Google Assistant) is on offer for only $99.99 – in other words, HALF PRICE! Fast, go get it! I have this exact device and, well, I’m sorry to say it makes me pretty happy. Look, I never thought I’d be into voice-activated assistants, but, lord, I was wrong. Maybe it’s the screen? On second thought, it’s definitely the screen –  it adds an extra little something to the experience. So, what can… This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Google , Lenovo from The Next Web https://ift.tt/2UlsGaW
Post a Comment
Read more