If we are sending manned interstellar missions to other star systems, it becomes very hard to keep masses and power levels nearly reasonable. Interstellar travel missions really work out better after ...

Stand on a coastal shore and watch how eagles, ravens, seagulls, and crows take flight in high winds. It’s an inspiring sight, to be sure. Additionally, it illustrates an important concept in aerial ...

The new study published today in Science Advances proves it isn’t just albatrosses that perform the aerial acrobatics needed for dynamic soaring on the windy open ocean. The research shows that sleek ...

Details of an unusual collaborative project between the US Air Force and NASA have been revealed, in which tests of a manned glider demonstrated the feasibility of dynamic soaring techniques that ...

A number of concepts exist for exploiting the solar wind as a means of propulsion: the MagSail, the e-sail, and the plasma magnet. All of these concepts work predominately as drag devices and thus are ...

Woods Hole, Mass. (Wed. Nov 30) -- Wandering albatrosses, which are an iconic sight in the Southern Ocean, are highly adapted to long-distance soaring flight. Their wingspan of up to 11 feet is the ...

A new study shows how small seabirds have mastered the art of working smarter, not harder, when soaring at sea. The new study published today in Science Advances proves it isn't just albatrosses that ...