Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

US’s hypersonic Falcon missile test a dud?

April 27, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Washington, Apr 27(ANI): The Pentagon’s test launch of an experimental hypersonic space vehicle last week aimed to develop a new generation of high-altitude weapon systems is being considered a dud.

The United States Air Force (USAF) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) had test launched the Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 (HTV-2), known as the Falcon, at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

One part of the program aimed to develop a reusable, rapid-strike Hypersonic Cruise Vehicle (HCV), while the other was for the development of a launch system capable of accelerating a HCV to cruise speeds, as well as launching small satellites into Earth orbit.

The Falcon was believed to be a part of the Pentagon’s effort to develop the capability to strike anywhere in the world with a conventional warhead in less than an hour – known as Conventional Prompt Global Strike.

The test vehicle launched last week reached Mach 5 on launch, and was designed to crash and sink into the sea and sink near Kwajalein Atoll, 2,000 miles of Hawaii, 30 minutes later and 4,000 miles from the launch site.

However a DARPA statement released last Friday indicates that all was not perfect with the hypersonic craft.

“Approximately nine minutes into the mission, telemetry assets experienced a loss of signal from the HTV-2. An engineering team is reviewing available data to understand this event,” The Fox News quoted the statement, as saying.

The statement does not specify whether the Falcon completed any of the test maneuvers before controllers lost communications with the craft.

Meanwhile, conspiracy theorists believe that the Falcon seems to be the culmination of the secret project known as “Aurora”, a hypersonic spy plane capable of speeds up to Mach 6 (3,700 mph). (ANI)

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US moving towards ‘high-altitude’ weaponry era with Falcon, X-37B launches

April 24, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Washington, Apr 24(ANI): The Pentagon’s test launch of two unmanned space vehicles this week have highlighted the efforts being made by the United States to develop a new generation of high-altitude weapon systems.

The United States Air Force (USAF) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) test launched a space plane – the Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 (HTV-2), known as the Falcon, at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

One part of the program aims to develop a reusable, rapid-strike Hypersonic Cruise Vehicle (HCV), and the other is for the development of a launch system capable of accelerating a HCV to cruise speeds, as well as launching small satellites into Earth orbit.

Defense analysts believe that the Falcon is part of the Pentagon’s effort to develop the capability to strike anywhere in the world with a conventional warhead in less than an hour – known as Conventional Prompt Global Strike.

Meanwhile, the USAF’s secretive X-37B robotic space plane took off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for a mystery mission that is expected to take months testing new spacecraft technologies.

The X-37 is an unpiloted demonstration spaceplane built by Boeing Phantom Works that is intended to test future launch technologies while in orbit and during atmospheric re-entry.

“The X-37B has been in development for more than 10 years and had a tumultuous history. So, it’s great to see the X37 finally get to the launchpad and get into space,” The Washington Times quoted Gary Payton, U.S. Air Force Deputy Under Secretary for Space Programs, as saying.

The spacecraft will be placed into low Earth orbit for testing, following which it will be de-orbited for landing. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Air Force Deputy, Boeing Phantom Works, cape canaveral air force station, Conventional Warhead, Cruise Speeds, defense advanced research projects agency, Gary Payton, Hypersonic Technology, Launch System, Low Earth Orbit, Mystery Mission, research projects agency, Robotic Space Plane, Spacecraft Technologies, u s air force, Unmanned Space Vehicles, vandenberg air force, vandenberg air force base, vandenberg air force base in california, Washington Times

Adapx to Provide Natural User Interface Technology to BAE Systems in Support of the Defense Advanced Research Projects

March 5, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

SEATTLE, WA, Mar 03 (MARKET WIRE) —
Adapx (http://www.adapx.com), the company that is changing the way mobile
teams collaborate and collect data, today announced that it has been
awarded a subcontract from BAE Systems (LSE: BAES) in support of the
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Deep Green Program.

The goal of the Deep Green Program is to create a decision-making support
system that enables commanders to use simulation to predict outcomes of
various scenarios based on the latest information and to make necessary
adjustments.

The decision support system will include natural computer interfaces for
war fighters, a common futures graph, and a synthetic battle-space engine
that will understand inputs and employ reasoning to predict multiple
potential outcomes on the battlefield. Adapx will contribute its
expertise in natural multimodal interfaces, which will enable war
fighters to interact directly with computer systems using voice, sketch,
and handwriting.

“The multimodal interfaces from Adapx enable commanders and staff to
naturally create and communicate plans using handwriting, sketch, and
voice,” said Tadg Corkery, Deep Green Program Manager at BAE Systems.
“Courses of actions are automatically entered into the Deep Green system
without forcing staff to navigate a complex graphical user interface.”

The multimodal speech and sketch software automatically converts
hand-drawn sketches and accompanying verbal comments issued during
military planning sessions. The digital courses of action can then be
analyzed and simulated in order to present a set of options to the
commander. Adapx has been developing multimodal systems since 1999,
building on earlier work by the company’s founders to support DARPA’s
Command Post of the Future Program.

“We are very pleased to be working with BAE Systems and to develop these
advanced user interfaces and collaborative technologies for DARPA,” said
Dr. Phil Cohen, co-founder and executive vice president of research at
Adapx.

About BAE Systems
BAE Systems is a global defense, security and
aerospace company with approximately 107,000 employees worldwide. The
Company delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and
naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information
technology solutions and customer support services. In 2009 BAE Systems
reported sales of GBP 22.4 billion (US$ 36.2 billion).

About Adapx
Adapx is changing the way mobile teams collect data and
collaborate with Capturx(TM) software. A broad range of industries and
agencies use Capturx products as natural interfaces into Microsoft
Office, GIS, and CAD systems through digital pens and voice. Teams can
immediately collect and access data in native file formats and systems
without the delay and cost of transcribing paper or deploying mobile
computers. Adapx has strategic partnerships with Microsoft, ESRI,
In-Q-Tel, and works with standard digital pen technology from Anoto. For
more information, please visit www.adapx.com or send email to
sales@adapx.com. Capturx products are available on the GSA Schedule
[GS-35F-0131R] or through ESRI.

Adapx and Capturx, and their respective logos are trademarks, registered
trademarks, or service marks of Adapx Corporation. Other products and
company names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective owners.

Media Contacts:
Deanna Leung Madden
Buzz Builders for Adapx
206-915-0512
Email Contact

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Blue lasers can tear through water to establish better contact with submarines

August 26, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, August 26 (ANI): The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is turning to blue lasers to establish contact with submarines, as they penetrate water more effectively.

The water that hides enemy submarines also makes it hard to contact the friendly ones from the air – unless they surface.

According to a report in New Scientist, reaching submerged subs has required giant transmitters sending very low-frequency radio waves, which limits data transmission speeds, until the development of the blue lasers.

It has long been known that blue light penetrates water well.

DARPA tried to develop blue laser links to subs around 1980, but failed as the lasers available were inefficient.

DARPA’s fresh shot utilizes new compact lasers that emit blue light, and receivers with filters which transmit that wavelength and block any background light.

Fitting them in planes and ships should provide a high-bandwidth link with allied subs. (ANI)

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Soon, vehicles that drive on their own

May 27, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, May 27 (ANI): Ever imagined reading a book or watching a movie in your car, while your vehicle guides itself through the traffic and navigates on its own? Well, thanks to a new technology called ‘autonomous vehicle navigation’, this could soon be a reality.

If this technology comes into action, it may also see fleets of self-navigating vehicles for the military operating in war zones.

Keeping this in mind, a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contest was conducted, which aimed at spurring the development of such technologies.

The DARPA Urban Challenge was held at a former air force base in Victorville, Calif. in late 2007, and offered a 3.5 million dollars purse to competitors who could design the fastest and safest vehicles that could traverse a 60-mile urban course in moving traffic in less than six hours.

The contestant vehicles were unmanned and had to complete a simulated military supply mission, manoeuvring through a mock city environment, avoiding obstacles, merging into moving traffic, navigating traffic circles, and negotiating intersections-all while conforming to California driving rules.

And out of the 89 international teams participating in the contest, only six could make it to the finish line in the allotted time.

The winning vehicle, which finished with the fastest time- an average speed of approximately 13 miles per hour- had Wende Zhang of General Motors as part of its design team.

The GM team incorporated existing technology already offered in some of their vehicles that can assist in parking or detect lane markers and trigger alarms if the drivers are coming too close to the shoulder of the road.

And for the DARPA challenge, they developed a more sophisticated package of sensors that included GPS coupled with a camera and a laser-ranging LIDAR system to guide and correct the vehicle’s route through the city.

In Baltimore, Zhang will present GM’s patented new methods for detecting lanes and correcting a vehicle’s route, which helped them win the challenge.

However, Zhang said that a commercially viable autonomous driving product might still take a decade to hit the markets.

The findings were presented at the 2009 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/International Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/IQEC) at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore. (ANI)

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Jumping robots may soon find role in military service

May 11, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 10 (ANI): Robots that can leap 8 metres vertically to clear walls or fences may soon find themselves in the military.

Sandia National Laboratories’ prototype Urban Hopper can really do wonders just by hopping.

Now robot maker Boston Dynamics has landed the job of producing a military version with a dash of more self-control.

US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which is funding the programme, says it wants the hopper for urban reconnaissance and intelligence gathering – although it admits it could also be fitted with a raft of weapons, reports New Scientist.

Sandia’s shoebox-sized prototype, which is driven by an electric motor, rolls along on wheels. It jumps using a gas piston which is powered by methylacetylene and nitrous oxide.

However, its leaps so far are pretty haphazard.

“The existing hoppers do not maintain a stable orientation during hops, but tumble randomly,” says DARPA spokesman Mark Peterson. (ANI)

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US military blew up pigs to test body armour: Research

April 9, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Apr.9 (ANI): American military researchers are reported to have blown up live pigs dressed in body armour in an attempt to study the link between roadside bomb blasts and brain injury.
The research determined that body armour does not worsen brain injury, reports The Telegraph.

Researchers strapped pigs and rats into Humvee simulators and subjected them to about 200 blasts, according to Pentagon documents and interviews obtained by USA Today.

The tests were carried out over an 11-month period.
The explosions ranged in intensity, wounding some of the pigs and killing others.

Jan Walker, a spokesman for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which conducted the study, told the paper that roadside bombs are the top killer of US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The research also showed that body armour protected troops’ lungs and was critical to surviving blasts.

Pigs that were not dressed in body armour died from blasts within 24 to 48 hours, while those with armour survived “significantly higher blasts,” Walker said.

However, animal rights campaigners have condemned the tests.

Martin Stephens, vice president for animal research issues at the Humane Society of the United States, told the paper that blowing up pigs raised “red flags,”.

Colonel Geoffrey Ling, who led the study, said pigs were good subjects because their brains are more similar to human brains than those of rats. Pig hearts and lungs are also similar to humans’.

The Pentagon said a minimal number of animals were used in the testing and that they were treated humanely at all times. (ANI)

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New form of destructive terrorist material unlikely

March 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, March 25 (ANI): Scientists have determined that it is highly unlikely that terrorists could produce a new and particularly dangerous form of the explosive responsible for airport security screening of passengers’ shoes.

Gerard Harbison, a chemist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and his team, used computer simulations to analyze a variety of potential peroxide-based explosives in the same chemical class as triacetone triperoxide (TATP).

That powerful, easy-to-make explosive was used by the “shoe bomber,” Richard Reid, in his failed attempt to blow up a transatlantic airline flight in 2001.

Harbison’s team became intrigued by “Internet lore,” reports circulating on the Web claiming creation of another explosive – tetracetone tetraperoxide (TeATeP) – which is reputedly a more lethal relative to TATP.

Initially working on detection methods of peroxide explosives for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the group instead began to investigate the structure of TeATeP to evaluate likelihood of its use as a terrorist’s weapon.

“Our analysis indicates that potentially new and destructive terrorist materials, which would tax our detection capabilities, may be too unstable for a practical synthesis,” said Harbison.

“We consider it unlikely that any of the previous syntheses were actually successful, and the Internet myths about TeATeP are nothing more than that. So, the good news is basically this is something we don’t have to worry about,” he added.

The group investigated 20 molecular structures of various acetone peroxide compounds and found that all substances larger than TATP are likely too sensitive to be used as weapons.

“The energies we’re seeing in the analysis are extreme enough,” Harbison said, adding that a review of previous TeATeP synthesis reports raised many questions.

“If you look at the actual literature on people who claim to have made TeATeP, it’s very ambiguous. We think probably what happened when people thought they were making TeATeP was that they were actually making TATP,” he added.

According to Harbison, this synthesis error is common and often fatal. When trying to make TATP, a less stable relative, diacetone diperoxide, often is created.

“Using computational chemistry, we can narrow down the domain of potential hazards, things that aren’t going to be on the horizon,” he said.

“I think we now know so much more about not just what works for improvised-explosive-device detection but also what doesn’t work, and we don’t have to try it out experimentally,” he added. (ANI)

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Nanogenerators produce electricity from jacket wearing hamsters

February 15, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Feb 14 (ANI): Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology, US, have used nanotechnology to produce electricity from running hamsters wearing power-generating jackets.

“Using nanotechnology, we have demonstrated ways to convert even irregular biomechanical energy into electricity,” said Zhong Lin Wang, a Regent’s professor in the Georgia Tech School of Materials Science and Engineering.

“This technology can convert any mechanical disturbance into electrical energy,” he added.

The research was supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Air Force, and the Emory-Georgia Tech Center for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence.

The study demonstrates that nanogenerators, which Wang’s team has been developing since 2005, can be driven by irregular mechanical motion, such as the vibration of vocal cords, flapping of a flag in the breeze, tapping of fingers or hamsters running on exercise wheels.

Scavenging such low-frequency energy from irregular motion is significant because much biomechanical energy is variable, unlike the regular mechanical motion used to generate most large-scale electricity today.

The nanogenerator power is produced by the piezoelectric effect, a phenomenon in which certain materials – such as zinc oxide wires – produce electrical charges when they are bent and then relaxed.

The wires are between 100 and 800 nanometers in diameter, and between 100 and 500 microns in length.

To make their generators, Wang’s research team encapsulated single zinc oxide wires in a flexible polymer substrate, the wires anchored at each end with an electrical contact, and with a Shottky Barrier at one end to control current flow.

They then attached one of these single-wire generators to the joint area of an index finger, or combined four of the single-wire devices on a “yellow jacket” worn by the hamster.

The running and scratching of the hamster – and the tapping of the finger – flexed the substrate in which the nanowires were encapsulated, producing tiny amounts of alternating electrical current.

Integrating four nanogenerators on the hamster’s jacket generated up to up to 0.5 nanoamps; less current was produced by the single generator on the finger.

Wang estimates that powering a handheld device such as a Bluetooth headset would require at least thousands of these single-wire generators, which could be built up in three-dimensional modules.

“We believe this is the first demonstration of using a live animal to produce current with nanogenerators,” Wang said. “This study shows that we really can harness human or animal motion to generate current,” he added.

Beyond the finger-tapping and hamster-running, Wang believe his modules could be implanted into the body to harvest energy from such sources as muscle movements or pulsating blood vessels. (ANI)

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NASA plans to reduce sonic booms to distant rumbles in jets

February 11, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Feb 11 (ANI): If NASA has its way, the sonic booms coming out of jets might be reduced to distant rumbles.

According to a report in New Scientist, quieter supersonic aircraft might soon become a reality, with NASA completing a delicate set of flight tests to measure how modifications to an F-15 jet can affect the way shock waves form.

The results could help turn sonic booms into distant rumbles.

The measurements will be used to calibrate a computer model of shock wave propagation which will be a crucial aid for engineers designing a new generation of quieter supersonic aircraft.

“We’re pretty close to being able to control sonic booms,” said Peter Coen of NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia, principal investigator for the agency’s supersonic research programme.

Shock waves form at the front and back of supersonic aircraft as they shove air out of the way. When these shock waves hit the ground, observers hear them as a single boom.

Public opposition to booms has led to a ban on civilian supersonic flight over US land, and this key factor has discouraged further development of supersonic planes.

Attempts to quieten the sound have focused on a technique called boom shaping, which has it that booms would be weaker if they spread out over a larger area.

The idea is to redesign the shock-forming zones around the nose and tail so that waves from them don’t hit the ground together, but instead arrive over a longer period, like distant thunder.

Five years ago, NASA, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and several aerospace companies studied how a spiked nose-cone fitted to an F-5 fighter jet affected shock waves generated at the nose.

Now, NASA has finished a similar set of measurements of the boom generated at the rear of an aircraft. This depends on the shape of the wings and air flow around the engine.

The “Lift and Nozzle Change Effects Tail Shock” project (LANCETS) measured the shock waves produced by a modified F-15 jet in different wing and engine configurations.

The measurements were taken by a second F-15 flying close behind and will be used to calibrate NASA’s computer models of how shock waves form.

If the results live up to expectations, the next step would be to modify a jet so that it produces a low rumble rather than a boom in supersonic flight.

“We think we could do it in the next four to five years,” Coen told New Scientist. (ANI)

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