GREENBELT, MD—Technologist Mahmooda Sultana and her team at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center here have received a $2 million development award to spend the next two years advancing a nanomaterial-based detector platform. This platform measures only 2 by 3 inches, yet is capable of sensing minute concentrations of gases,vapor, atmospheric pressure and temperature, and then transmitting the data via a wireless antenna.

A new generation of supersonic aircraft could dramatically change commercial flight. While the basic technology has been around for decades, it's been plagued by noise issues. Due to sonic booms, supersonic jetliners are unable to fly over land.

Whenever anyone mentions hybrid-electric vehicles today, most people automatically think of cars, buses and trucks. But, up in the sky, the technology is also getting a lot of attention from aerospace engineers. That’s because electric systems are greener, lighter, quieter and more energy-efficient than traditional alternatives.

Barring any obstacles, the Dream Chaser spaceplane will make its initial orbital test flight on Nov. 1, 2016.

HAMPTON, VA—NASA’s Langley Research Center has installed a huge six-axis robot that will be used to deposit epoxy and carbon fibers for making aerospace structures and parts.

HUNTSVILLE, AL—NASA has successfully tested complex rocket engine parts produced with the additive manufacturing process laser metal sintering.

WASHINGTON—NASA contributed approximately $5 billion to U.S. manufacturing in 2012, according to a new study.

HOUSTON—GM and NASA are jointly developing a robotic glove that auto workers and astronauts can wear to help do their jobs better while reducing the risk of repetitive stress injuries.