Hasta La Gadget!

“Most of us would like to think that when it comes to research think tanks, cost is not an issue. Actually, it is, and scientists would love to have unlimited funding, but that is not the way the world works. You’re given a bunch of money, have a deadline, and will need to produce the necessary goods on time. The United States military’s advanced research arm, known as Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), is currently developing a foldable space telescope which could image Earth in high resolution detail without breaking the bank.

This particular telescope design is known as the Membrane Optical Imager for Real-Time Exploitation, or MOIRE for short, where it would come in handy where geosynchronous Earth orbit is concerned, being a place 22,000 miles above where majority of the telecommunications satellites reside.

Lt. Col. Larry Gunn, MOIRE program manager, shared, “Membrane optics could enable us to fit much larger, higher-resolution telescopes in smaller and lighter packages. In that respect, we’re ‘breaking the glass ceiling’ that traditional materials impose on optics design. We’re hoping our research could also help greatly reduce overall costs and enable more timely deployment using smaller, less expensive launch vehicles.” Will we be able to peer in to the lives of ordinary folks even more effectively soon?

DARPA Works On Foldable Space Telescope , original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Military, science, space,

Sgt. Star is the U.S. Army’s dedicated marketing and recruitment chatbot, and he isn’t going to turn whistleblower any time soon. There’s no use threatening him for answers either—he’s programmed to report that kind of hostility to the Army Criminal Investigation Division.

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I’ve been driving around a Super Motard motorcycle for the last six months, and let me tell you, it’s extremely loud, so loud that my neighbors have asked me to start it outside the courtyard where it’s usually parked. One friend said that it sounded like my bike had eaten another one for breakfast. While all this racket is a fun part of having a motorcycle, you can imagine how this would be problematic for military motorcycles.

Note: Bike Shown Here is an Earlier Design by ZERO Motorcycles

With that in mind, DARPA has commissioned the development of a stealth motorcycle, which would allow soldiers to ride for long periods of time without emitting much noise. The bike, would use an extended-range hybrid-electric engine, and will be built by BRD and Logos Technologies. In addition to its stealthy operating capabilities, the bike will have all-wheel drive to help tackle difficult terrain.

Electric and hybrid bikes also make sense for commuters, especially in city traffic. Switching over to electric drive would mean no shifting and reduced noise, and of course lower fuel costs. Also, I’d probably not get any complaints from neighbors either.

[DefenseTech via The Verge]

We’ve heard of stealth planes before, but what about stealth bikes? Well according to a report from DefenseTech, it seems that US military leaders have recently approved funding in which it would see the development of a stealth motorcycle that would allow soldiers to drive for long periods of time on rough terrain without emitting engine noise.

This is thanks to the fact that the stealth motorcycle will use a hybrid-electric engine, which unlike a typical car engine, is relatively silent (if you drive a hybrid or an electric vehicle, you know what we’re talking about). The bike will be built by Logos Technologies and according to the company, will be the first hybrid-electric dirt bike to ever be built.

According to Wade Pulliam, the manager of advanced concepts at Logos Technologies, “Quieted, all-wheel-drive capability at extended range in a lightweight, rugged, single-track vehicle could support the successful operations of U.S. expeditionary and special forces in extreme terrain conditions and contested environments.”

He later adds, “With a growing need to operate small units far from logistical support, the military may increasingly rely on adaptable, efficient technologies like this hybrid-electric motorcycle.” No word on when the development of the stealth bike will be complete or where it will be deployed.

US Military To Work On Stealth Dirt Bike , original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Military,

A huge pyramid in the middle of nowhere tracking the end of the world on radar. An abstract geometric shape beneath the sky without a human being in sight. It could be the opening scene of an apocalyptic science fiction film, but it’s just the U.S. military going about its business, building vast and other-worldly architectural structures that the civilian world only rarely sees.

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