NASA Glenn Research Center houses a suite of specialized facilities dedicated to studying aircraft engine noise, with recent work focusing on measurement techniques and noise reduction strategies.

The 9- by 15-Foot Low Speed Wind Tunnel (9 x 15 LSWT) underwent modifications completed in 2019 to enhance flow control and reduce background noise. A newly installed five-sensor microphone rake enables precise capture of sound generated by scale experimental propulsors during testing of aircraft engine aerodynamics and acoustics under takeoff and landing conditions.

Housed within the Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Lab (AAPL), a 65-foot geodesic dome built in 1993, researchers conduct tests in an environment engineered to eliminate acoustic reflections. The dome incorporates 17,000 custom fiberglass wedges lining its interior surfaces to absorb sound, creating an anechoic or hemi-anechoic chamber. This setup supports three primary test rigs: the Nozzle Acoustic Test Rig (NATR), the Small Hot Jet Acoustic Rig (SHJAR), and the DGEN 380 Aeropropulsion Research Turbofan (DART).

SHJAR, one of three rigs within AAPL, specializes in testing single-stream nozzles up to 5 cm in diameter at Mach 2.0 and 800 K. It has served as a platform for developing advanced diagnostic methods, including Raman-based optical measurements for turbulent temperature fluctuations and digital Schlieren imaging. Three-dimensional microphone arrays deployed on SHJAR map noise sources, while time-resolved particle image velocimetry has previously captured turbulent velocity correlations in hot jets. These techniques contribute to validating computational models of jet noise, with findings informing nozzle design improvements.

NATR, a free-jet wind tunnel, enables evaluation of noise reduction concepts through scale model testing under simulated takeoff and landing conditions (up to Mach 0.35). Its configuration allows simultaneous far-field noise measurements across all angles, facilitating accurate translation of test results to real-world aircraft noise profiles. Over three decades, NATR has supported key developments, including the early testing of chevron nozzles that are now standard on commercial aircraft. The facility’s scale and integrated flow diagnostics and acoustics capabilities remain unique globally.

The DGEN 380, integrated into the DART test bed, facilitates experiments on turbofan noise, engine controls, and installation effects. Recent tests in August 2019 employed circumferential microphone arrays and sideline arrays to capture detailed acoustic data from nozzle exits, aiming to refine noise prediction methods and mitigation strategies.

The Acoustical Testing Laboratory (ATL), configured as an anechoic or hemi-anechoic chamber, supports diverse missions, including noise analysis for space station experiments and aircraft engine components. Its interior features dense rubber materials and 34-inch fiberglass wedges to absorb 99% of incident sound above 100 Hz. The ATL has been used to test supersonic inlet models and spacecraft ventilation systems, with ongoing research focused on reducing takeoff and landing noise through innovative engine placement.

NASA technical reports related to these facilities are accessible through the NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS).

NASA Glenn Research Center teams are advancing jet noise prediction through specialized software tools designed to help engineers anticipate and reduce engine noise. The development addresses a core challenge in aircraft design: accurately forecasting the sound generated by propulsion systems during operation.

The JeNo code, created at Glenn, calculates far-field acoustic output from axisymmetric jets using Lilley's Acoustic Analogy combined with aerodynamic data from Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes simulations. Engineers validate its predictions against experimental results, focusing initially on subsonic and low-supersonic unheated jets. The software allows researchers to specify observer locations and frequency ranges to model how noise propagates through the air.

Earlier tools like MGBK laid groundwork for analyzing noise reduction techniques. Researchers used MGBK to evaluate chevron-equipped exhaust nozzles — serrated edges on turbofan engines now common on commercial aircraft — that help dampen engine roar. These innovations reflect a broader effort to understand how nozzle geometry influences acoustic signatures.

For fan and rotor-stator interactions, simpler models like V072 provide early-stage estimates of tone noise, which occurs when rotating blades generate distinct audible frequencies. V072 helps predict how design choices such as blade count or spacing affect noise levels. More advanced tools like TFaNS extend this capability by modeling acoustic coupling between blade rows and simulating how tones travel to the far field.

When greater physical fidelity is required, Linflux offers a more comprehensive 3D analysis of rotor and stator flows, though it demands significantly more computational power. Validated against wind tunnel tests, Linflux simulates complex interactions including blade sweep and lean angles to refine noise predictions.

Broadband noise from turbulent airflow interacting with fan blades and vanes is studied using BFANS, which models turbulence impinging on blade leading edges. This approach, combined with data from Glenn’s 9’x15’ Low Speed Wind Tunnel, helps identify particularly noisy components during development.

RSI (Rotating Blade Interaction Source Investigation) calculates broadband noise spectra from fan wake turbulence interacting with exit guide vanes. The code analyzes acoustic power at various frequencies based on turbulence characteristics, without requiring frequencies to align with blade passing rates.

Propeller noise, influenced by unsteady aerodynamic loading from uneven airflow, is examined using WOBBLE. The tool models tone generation from blade thickness and loading effects, while accounting for aircraft attitude through yaw, pitch, and roll inputs. It provides directional insights into how sound radiates from propellers under varying conditions.

Supersonic rotor tip effects that produce “buzz saw” noise are analyzed with MPT, which uses computational fluid dynamics data to assess blade-to-blade variations caused by manufacturing differences or operational changes like blade untwisting during hot runs.

For integrated propulsion system modeling, ADPAC — developed by Allison Engine Company under Glenn contracts — simulates complex internal and external flows in next-generation short-duct turbofan engines. The tool supports steady and unsteady analyses across 2D, axisymmetric, and 3D configurations, including effects like bleeding and leakage.

Researchers emphasize that these tools collectively support a design process where noise considerations are embedded early, reducing the need for costly late-stage modifications. The software suite reflects a systematic approach to acoustic engineering, grounded in validated physics models and experimental comparisons.

Requests for access to these codes come from academic institutions, industry partners, and international research organizations. While specific adoption timelines vary, the overarching goal remains consistent: to improve aircraft performance by minimizing noise without compromising efficiency or thrust.

A Spanish startup, UARX Space, is addressing technical anomalies that emerged during the first flight of its orbital transfer vehicle, OSSIE-D, launched on October 1 aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 mission. At least ten PocketQube payloads have been released into orbit.

Shortly after liftoff, the company lost contact with the spacecraft, according to Andrés Villa Granata, UARX co-founder and chief technology officer, who spoke with SpaceNews via email. To manage the situation, UARX transmitted a backup command to the OTV designed to activate fault detection, isolation and recovery systems, enabling payload deployment without requiring real-time ground station input.

The command was sent two days after launch, but due to the ongoing communications blackout, UARX could not confirm whether it had been received. Villa Granata explained that the decision to proceed was driven by the need to prioritize customer missions and by awareness of the spacecraft’s limited battery life.

The root cause of the communication failure was later traced to a configuration error in the ground station interface being used. Once corrected, contact with OSSIE was re-established. Since then, all systems have operated as expected, and telemetry confirms that the commands issued two days post-launch were received correctly and that all planned deployments occurred as intended.

With communications restored, UARX successfully awakened the vehicle’s sequencer from low-power mode and downloaded deployment data. The telemetry also verified that all payloads were released properly.

OSSIE-D, a 200-kilogram-class orbital transfer vehicle developed by UARX, carried a mix of hosted payloads and dedicated satellites. These included PocketQubes from AMSAT-Deutschland, the Libre Space Foundation, Orion Space of Nepal, Argentina’s National Technological University – Haedo Regional Faculty, and others. Argentine firm DIYSatellite provided deployment dispensers and coordinated customer flights.

While some customers had planned for deployments 7 to 30 days after launch, AMSAT-Deutschland announced on October 4 that it had initiated an earlier deployment sequence, beginning on October 2 at 1:48:09.950 p.m. CEST. The group noted that their signals were initially undetected, as they had not been monitoring the expected frequencies.

Of the three ERMINAZ-2 PocketQubes deployed, two are operational and undergoing commissioning, while the status of the third remains unconfirmed due to lack of signal acquisition.

UARX has not disclosed details about other satellites aboard OSSIE-D, and co-founders have declined to comment on their current status.

The mission also marked the first use of UARX’s deployment rings SAU&RON 24 inch and SAU&RON 15 inch, representing a milestone in its orbital delivery capabilities.

Ethereal Space, which contributed two three-unit cubesats integrated into UARX’s RAMI deployment system, emphasized that while space missions often face unforeseen challenges, its focus remains on building reliable space-weather observation infrastructure. The company continues to rely on its technology and team to support long-term operational goals.

A spent upper stage from a Chinese rocket fell to Earth and landed in a farmer's cornfield in Minnesota, according to local reports. The object, measuring 11 feet in diameter, was recovered after the rocket's launch from China on September 15, 2026.

International law holds the launching nation responsible for any damage caused by space objects that return to Earth. The debris, identified as part of the Zhuque-2E rocket's upper stage, survived reentry and impacted the field shortly after the vehicle deployed 10 Qianfan networking satellites into orbit.

The rocket, developed by LandSpace, launched from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone in northwest China. It carried satellites for the Qianfan communications network, a Chinese alternative to Starlink. The launch placed the satellites in a circular polar orbit at an altitude of approximately 560 miles (900 kilometers). After payload deployment, the upper stage executed a deorbit maneuver to reduce its orbital lifetime.

Unlike typical disposal practices, which often involve controlled reentries over oceans, this stage appears to have experienced an uncontrolled descent. The incident follows a prior failure in June, when a similar Zhuque-2E upper stage fragmented in low-Earth orbit, creating debris in a congested region of space. That earlier breakup prompted concerns about risks to the International Space Station and satellite constellations.

The U.S. Space Force confirmed the reentry event but has not released official tracking data. LandSpace has not publicly commented on the incident. While most rocket debris burns up during reentry, larger components can survive and reach the surface. The Minnesota farmer who discovered the object reported it to local authorities, who coordinated with federal agencies to recover and analyze the material.

The event underscores ongoing challenges in space sustainability, particularly regarding the management of orbital debris from emerging commercial space actors. It also raises questions about international coordination in monitoring and mitigating risks associated with rocket disposals.

A materials testing laboratory at the Harwell campus in the United Kingdom marked its tenth anniversary on 14 October 2026, highlighting a decade of work on high‑performance substances for space programmes.

The facility, known as the ESA‑RAL Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory, was launched in 2016 through a partnership between the European Space Agency and the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council, an arm of UK Research and Innovation. It sits within the broader ESA laboratory network across Europe and lies just a short distance from ESA’s main UK site.

Over the past ten years the lab has grown to house more than 25 testing systems and has completed over 150 projects. It has collaborated with roughly 40 industrial partners and contributed to more than 15 scientific publications. The milestone was marked by an event that showcased how the lab’s testing methods have enabled advances such as lightweight propulsion tanks for the M‑Argo CubeSat mission, performance verification of electronics for ESA’s Quantum telecommunications programme, and the analysis of stainless‑steel components 3D‑printed on the International Space Station.

Lab staff have also become recognised for expertise in powder characterisation, additive manufacturing for space hardware, and quality inspection of electronic assemblies. These capabilities support European companies in developing, verifying and commercialising new space‑related technologies.

Looking ahead, the laboratory plans to expand its focus on characterising materials produced by next‑generation 3D printing, including smart manufacturing techniques and in‑space fabrication. Martina Meisnar, a Materials and Processes Engineer at ESA, said the centre has become an important hub for innovative developments and expressed optimism about future opportunities. Joe Bennett, Innovations Technology Access Centre Manager at STFC‑UKRI, added that the collaboration has helped pre‑screen new materials for upcoming missions and will continue to benefit both local and international businesses.

Ahead of establishing a lasting human presence on the Moon, space agencies are advancing a suite of missions aimed at improving landing precision, communication, resource detection, and surface endurance. The European Space Agency has outlined a schedule of investigations and technology demonstrations set to fly on commercial lunar landers over the next several years. These efforts focus on gathering data that can inform safer, more sustainable operations in the lunar environment.

One of the upcoming payloads, LandCam-X, will ride aboard Voyager’s Griffin-1 lander. The instrument will capture high-resolution images during descent to document surface conditions and refine autonomous landing algorithms. By analyzing real-time visual data, engineers hope to reduce risks associated with future landings, particularly in uneven or poorly mapped terrain.

Also scheduled for launch on Intuitive Machines’ IM-3 mission is MPAc, a laser ranging system designed to measure the Earth-Moon distance with greater accuracy than previous methods. This technique, refined since the Apollo era, supports ongoing research into the Moon’s internal structure and fundamental physics. The same launch will carry Scanway’s SOP120 telescope into lunar orbit, where ESA plans to acquire survey data to assist in selecting future landing sites.

Lunar Pathfinder, a communications relay satellite developed by ESA, is set to launch on Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 2. Once in lunar orbit, it will become the first node of Moonlight, a planned communications and navigation network for the Moon. The satellite will support surface missions, including NASA’s LuSEE-Night radio astronomy experiment, which will study cosmic signals from the far side of the Moon. Another payload on the same mission, PLATE, will travel to the surface aboard the Rashid-2 rover to assess how lunar dust affects mechanical components over time.

Prospect, ESA’s most ambitious resource-focused investigation, is slated for delivery to the Moon via Intuitive Machines’ IM-4 mission. The package includes a drill capable of reaching one meter below the surface near the south pole, where it will collect samples for analysis. Scientists will examine these materials for signs of water ice and other volatiles, while also testing methods to extract oxygen from regolith. Understanding the distribution and accessibility of such resources is critical for reducing the cost of future missions.

A separate technology demonstrator, UWB, will evaluate ultra-wideband wireless communication and precise ranging between a lander and rover on the lunar surface. Though similar systems are used on Earth, this experiment will determine their viability in the unique conditions of lunar operations. Another instrument, EMS, will fly on the LUPEX mission jointly led by Japan and India. It will study the Moon’s exosphere, the tenuous layer of gas surrounding the surface, to better understand how volatile compounds like water move and redistribute over time.

The Rover Permittivity Sensor suite, integrated into the Rashid-3 rover, will search for subsurface water ice by measuring how lunar soil responds to electrical signals. Its findings could help identify promising locations for future drilling or mining activities. Meanwhile, OASIS, a compact service station designed to operate through the extreme cold of the lunar night, will provide power and data handling for long-duration experiments. One of its first users will be ECHO, an observatory that will characterize the Moon’s space environment, including dust dynamics and charged particle interactions.

Together, these missions represent a coordinated effort to address key technical challenges before sustained exploration begins. By partnering with commercial providers and international agencies, ESA aims to build capabilities incrementally, using each flight to validate technologies and expand scientific understanding. The data collected will inform decisions about where to establish infrastructure, how to protect equipment and personnel, and how to maximize the scientific return of future lunar activities.

Research published in the journal Gut indicates that specific patterns of antibodies in the bloodstream can identify individuals who are likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease up to ten years before clinical diagnosis. Scientists from the University of Oxford and University College London analyzed blood samples from more than 1,000 participants, comparing those who later developed Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis with control subjects who remained disease‑free. The study found that elevated levels of certain immunoglobulin G subclasses and altered antibody reactivity to gut microbial antigens were present in the future patients well before any symptoms emerged. These immune markers were detectable in samples collected an average of eight to ten years prior to diagnosis, suggesting a prolonged pre‑clinical phase of the disease. Early identification of such antibody signatures could enable clinicians to intervene earlier, potentially altering disease trajectories through targeted therapies or lifestyle modifications. However, the researchers cautioned that further validation in diverse populations is required before these findings can be routinely applied in clinical practice. They also emphasized that the presence of these antibodies does not guarantee disease development, but rather reflects an increased biological risk that warrants monitoring.