5-minute read - A previous KMI column discussed various methods of propulsion and the respective “oomph” that each one has. Austin Morris, Director of Engineering, continues this topic by reviewing how spacecraft need to generate their own power in order to keep running and a few of the different ways to do that.

5 minute read - In today’s column Austin Morris, Director of Engineering, addresses different types of propulsion systems, what some of the trade-offs might be in selecting them, and compares the relative “oomph” of each system.

5 minute read - Modern space technology comes with many obstacles, the most difficult of which to overcome is gravity. Fortunately, our knight in shining armor is the humble rocket, which rides upon a steed of fire and smoke to defeat the gravitational tyrant. In today’s column, KMI Director of Engineering Austin Morris explains a bit about the concepts that lie beneath the Tyranny of the Rocket Equation.

4 minute read - In my previous column, The Sky is Falling and That’s Okay, I discussed the fact that there is an average of one orbital object that reenters Earth’s atmosphere every day. I also described why it is typically better for these objects to reenter than to stay in orbit, to ensure that they burn away into nothingness and cause no risk of damage to other objects. This is because the enormous amount of air friction that is encountered when entering the atmosphere at orbital speeds creates such an unbearable amount of heat that very few objects can survive it long enough to slow down and descend to the surface.