Study Confirms Biofuels Reduce Jet Engine Pollution on This Week @NASA – March 17, 2017

TL;DR

NASA's recent findings show that biofuels can reduce particle emissions from jet engines, NASA exhibits and activities were featured at the SXSW Interactive Festival, satellite imagery captured a major winter storm, Boeing's Starliner parachute design was tested, and NASA celebrated Pi Day with math problems related to space exploration.

Transcript

“Here’s some of the stories trending This Week at NASA!” Findings published March 15 in the journal Nature from a series of flight tests in 2013 and 2014 near NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in California indicate that using biofuels helps jet engines reduce particle emissions in exhaust by as much as 50 to 70 percent. That’s both an econom... Read More

Key Insights

• 🚒 Biofuels can significantly reduce particle emissions from jet engines, providing both economic and environmental benefits.
• 🇨🇫 NASA actively participates in public events and showcases its activities to increase public understanding and engagement.
• ❄️ Satellite imagery plays a crucial role in studying and understanding weather patterns, such as major winter storms.
• 🪂 Testing the design of spacecraft components, such as parachutes, ensures the safety and reliability of future missions.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the benefits of using biofuels in jet engines?

According to recent flight tests, using biofuels in jet engines can reduce particle emissions in exhaust by 50 to 70 percent. This has both economic and environmental benefits, as it decreases the negative impact of aviation on air quality and climate change.

Q: What activities did NASA showcase at the SXSW Interactive Festival?

NASA exhibited a wide range of activities at the festival, including exhibits, activities, and speakers. Attendees had the opportunity to experience and understand NASA's work in science, aeronautics, technology, human spaceflight, and Mars exploration.

Q: How did satellite imagery contribute to studying the major winter storm?

NASA's Aqua satellite gathered infrared data from the winter storm, providing temperature information that helped scientists understand the storm's strength. Additionally, NOAA's GOES-East satellite provided visible and infrared imagery, showing the extent and movement of the storm.

Q: What was the purpose of testing Boeing's Starliner parachute design?

The test near the White Sands Missile Range aimed to prove the design of the parachutes that the Starliner spacecraft will use for safe returns to Earth during future NASA missions. This ensures the spacecraft's reliability and the astronauts' safety during re-entry.

Q: How did NASA celebrate Pi Day, and what was the purpose of the math challenge?

NASA celebrated Pi Day by hosting an online Pi Day Challenge, consisting of four math problems related to space exploration. The challenge aimed to get students excited about pi and its applications beyond the classroom, promoting interest in STEM fields.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Biofuels help jet engines reduce particle emissions in exhaust by 50 to 70 percent, providing economic and environmental benefits.

• NASA exhibited its wide-ranging activities at the SXSW Interactive Festival, showcasing its work in science, technology, aeronautics, human spaceflight, and more.

• Satellite imagery captured a major winter storm in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast U.S., providing valuable temperature and movement data to scientists.

• Boeing's Starliner parachute design was tested using a flight-sized boilerplate near the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, ensuring safe returns for upcoming NASA missions.

• NASA celebrated Pi Day with an online math challenge focused on space exploration, encouraging students to explore the applications of pi beyond the classroom.