Category Archives: Research

Spacecraft Research is at it again

Posted on 10 May 2013 by Joseph

It’s been a little while since I checked in with the goings-on back at my Cornell research lab. Totally unsurprisingly, some very cool things are happening there! One is that the Sprite and KickSat project has gone all the way … Continue reading →

Posted in Concepts, Graduate school, Research, Science Fiction, Space | Leave a comment

CubeSats are Cool Sats

Posted on 6 October 2012 by Joseph

This past week, some CubeSat developers got to see something that few space programs – and almost no CubeSat programs – ever do. These CubeSats are “1U” size – 10 x 10 x 10 cm cubes – and deployed from … Continue reading →

Posted in Research, Space | Leave a comment

Calling All Space Tech!

Posted on 10 January 2012 by Joseph

In grad school, I became a big fan of NIAC (the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts) and the Office of the Chief Technologist. These wings of the NASA organization support research into far-flung, visionary technological concepts. They are the parts … Continue reading →

Posted in NASA, Research, Space | Leave a comment

Kick Yourself into Orbit!

Posted on 26 October 2011 by Joseph

Ah, I’ve only been out a few months, but I already miss some things about being in grad school! For instance, I miss all the crazy brainstorming of new and wild space systems, missions, and technologies. No doubt you, dear … Continue reading →

Posted in Concepts, Graduate school, Research, Space | Leave a comment

Bright and Dark

Posted on 27 June 2011 by Joseph

I read an article today that simultaneously made me very happy and very depressed. The article is this: “Iacocca picks a likely winner — for diabetes patients,” from the Boston Globe. It’s about how a former Chrysler executive is bankrolling … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Research | Leave a comment

The Television Episode Experience

Posted on 15 June 2011 by Joseph

I finally got a chance to watch the episode of the National Geographic Channel’s “Known Universe” that filmed partly in my Cornell research lab. The episode is about how we currently build stuff in space, and how we might build … Continue reading →

Posted in Graduate school, Research, Science | 2 Comments

I’m…on…TV!

Posted on 2 June 2011 by Joseph

Next Thursday, 9 June, an episode of “Known Universe” will air on the National Geographic Channel entitled “Construction Zone,” about the ways humans build things in space – or might build them in the future. For a couple-minute segment about … Continue reading →

Posted in Graduate school, Research | 4 Comments

I Guess That’s It

Posted on 28 February 2011 by Joseph

I have successfully defended my dissertation. I would appreciate it if you would address me by my correct title, now: Doctor of Rocket Science. (I’m kidding.) The funniest thing about this to me is that I know that the research … Continue reading →

Posted in Graduate school, Research | 2 Comments

How to Build a Tractor Beam

Posted on 3 February 2011 by Joseph

Hello, Intertubes! I have been slacking off on the blog in favor of preparing my dissertation and the presentation for my defense. I know, excuses, excuses… To keep all eighteen of my intrepid readers happy, here is a video that … Continue reading →

Posted in Concepts, Gadgets, Graduate school, Research, Science | 2 Comments

Inventing New Uses for Dropbox

Posted on 18 December 2010 by Joseph

After buying my third computer (I have a work desktop in my office, a personal laptop, and a personal tablet), I became a big fan of Dropbox. The service is a paradigm of cloud computing: I get a folder on … Continue reading →

Posted in Gadgets, Graduate school, Research | Leave a comment