Andrew Reiter

Here’s some more cool info on physics-informed neural networks, or, 2020’s version of reduced order modeling. Most applications are in the CFD space, but now more research is looking at hypersonics, middle defense, and PNT in space systems. I’m stoked to see how far this type of work goes - I’ll always be a physicist at heart. https://lnkd.in/gEsKRaU4

1

Here's a painful thought... If you see emergent intelligence in LLMs, you might be duped in a way psychics use on their audiences (full argument in linked article) The thing is, it's suprisingly easy to have happen. First, the LLMS use... language. Pretty sophisticated language. We humans tend to associate sophisticated language with intelligence. Just think if the LLM spoke to you like a hillbilly redneck. How would you react? That it sounds like a college educated and reasonable actor prime us to anthropomorphize it much faster than if it were a clucky robot. This helps set the stage for a classic psychic con. People who want to believe there is a consciousness in AI will always find it in today's LLMs. Gary Marcus highlights this essay which is a wonderful follow-on to the one I shared yesterday from Alejandro Piad Morffis. And because I'm proud to be wrangling these problems myself, here's an essay I wrote a few months ago on the risks of anthromoporphizing AI titled "The Biggest Threat from AI is Us! https://lnkd.in/gquF9x_2 https://lnkd.in/gJNGdGXU

8

1 Comment

Put the SE back in MBSE In the engineering community, the mention of MBSE is usually tied to keywords like SysML, Cameo, MagicDraw, and other mentions to the numerous other platforms. Don't get me wrong, I have been a Cameo/MagicDraw user for over 10 years and will continue to champion those platforms (maybe a bit of bias)...but MBSE is not the tool, it is not the platform, and it not the language. MBSE is Systems Engineering that caught on to using digital tools much like Mechanical Engineering (CAD) and Electrical Engineering (ETAP)...however it got caught up in itself by becoming encompassed by the tools they use. This isn't a shaming post; far from it. What I am striving to do is bring back what it means to be a Systems Engineer back into our modeling practices. Bring back the importance of systems thinking and critical thinking, bring back asking "why"...especially before we open the modeling tool to get to work, and...with absolute emphasis on this...bring back communication. Our jobs as Systems Engineers isn't necessarily to know everything, but to know everyone. We need to understand our stakeholders and understand all of their requirements...not just the system requirements. We must be asking these questions and doing our due diligence first before we even start thinking of what kinds of SysML elements we might be using. I can tell you that I have an Excel file, almost 20mb in size (and growing), on brainstorming and organizing my thoughts on my current program before I even open Cameo. Consider it a whiteboard session for myself but I truly advise you all to get your thoughts in order and to speak to people before you go and model. The biggest battle we face in MBSE is getting that buy-in from leadership/management on how effective we are and the value that modeling brings. Though, if we lack those communication skills and don't network within our stakeholders, we will continue to face that resistance. We must grow that trust, form the necessary bonds between your teams, and, with those "soft skills" you'll find that your MBSE approaches are more welcomed. I leave with a quote from the #incose SEBoK - "Systems thinking is concerned with understanding or intervening in problem situations, based on the principles and concepts of the systems paradigm (https://lnkd.in/e9NsQs2M)". The keyword I want to highlight there is "problem". If we don't understand the problem, if we don't care to ask qualifying questions, and if we don't organize these thoughts effectively then the model is just another collection of pretty pictures.

229

74 Comments

🆕 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗜𝗧 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 📡 A review article for the Special Issue #Radar for Space Observation: Systems, Methods and Applications" is out❗️ 🔍 Michael MacDonald, Mohamed Abouzahra and Justin S. review over 60 years of radar history and groundbreaking technology development at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. 🛰 This review focuses on space observation: from early research on satellite tracking and planetary radar to present capabilities for centimeter-resolution imaging of resident space objects and future plans to extend this to geosynchronous range. 👀 Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eNF2vStB 👉 Full Special Issue here: https://lnkd.in/eZ9WtRPK This Special Issue of Remote Sensing MDPI is open for submissions 📅 #spaceobservation #SpaceSituationalAwareness #radarsystems #remotesensing #sustainability

17

Another very cool podcast on Inversion, this time on The Orbital Mechanics podcast. I have been listening to The Orbital Mechanics since college, so it is pretty so fun to hear the work I am doing being discussed on the show! There’s also a great elevator pitch for Inversion that should help answer the questions people often ask, including: “What does Inversion do?” “Who is the customer base?” “How is that possible?” Minute 21:53 is where Inversion comes on. Some of my personal favorite moments are: 38:00, when the Recovery Team is discussed. 43:40, when Justin talks about recovery operations. 48:10 when Justin recounts a drop test that didn’t exactly go as planned… Enjoy!

12

Have (updated) thoughts about what the FCC should do on orbital debris/space sustainability? Let them know!

14

Looking for a conference to share your work on power technology development for use in extreme space environments? Consider AIAA SciTech 2025. Abstracts are due soon (May 24th)! Advanced Power for Extreme Space Exploration: As we explore further beyond Earth, power systems will be pushed to extreme conditions and challenged more and more to enable new mission locations and extend mission durations. From the surface of Venus, the permanently shadowed craters on the moon, the moons of the outer planets, and beyond, unique solutions will be needed to generate, store, transmit, and manage and control power. This year at AIAA SciTech 2025, we plan to bring together researchers working to address the challenges that will be faced in these extreme environments, helping to ensure future mission success.   Topics Areas Include: Power Systems and Architectures: overall power systems and architectures for small and large spacecraft, as well as surface power architectures Power Conversion, Switching and Transfer: power electronics, particularly the areas of power switching and conversion, and power transfer technologies such as tethers and power beaming or wireless power transfer Power Sources: current power source technologies, and development of advanced technologies including photovoltaics (cells and arrays), radioisotope and fission power sources (including conversion technologies and new heat sources) Energy Storage: energy storage for primary power and rechargeable systems for load leveling/peak power/eclipse requirements Power Systems, Sub-Systems and Components for Operation in Extreme Environments: wide temperature operation, high radiation tolerance, very long life and high-g systems Advanced/Novel Power Concepts   Note: When submitting your abstract in the AIAA SciTech system, please select “Other Topics in Aerospace Power Systems” to be properly assigned to this area.   aiaa.org/SciTech

14

DARPA is developing a groundbreaking "quantum laser" that uses entangled photons to create a highly concentrated beam capable of operating effectively in adverse weather conditions, such as thick fog, it says. This quantum photonic-dimer laser, supported by a $1 million grant, leverages quantum entanglement to bind light particles together, significantly enhancing the laser's precision and range. This innovative technology holds promise for advanced military applications, including enhanced surveillance and secure communications, by maintaining signal integrity over greater distances and through challenging environments. The quantum photonic-dimer laser operates by pairing photons through quantum entanglement, creating photonic dimers that behave as a single entity. This entanglement helps preserve the phase information of photons despite atmospheric disturbances, boosting the laser's stability and energy efficiency. Researchers believe this technology could also advance fields like quantum computing and telecommunications, leading to faster and more secure data transmission. This development represents just the beginning of exploiting quantum entanglement for practical, high-impact applications. For more information, you can read the full article below 👇🏼 #quantum #laser #engineering #science #physics #defence #pewpew https://lnkd.in/eHgrXZtZ

8

So Silicon Valley (my old stamping ground!) is getting into battlefiedl UAV/Drones with a vengeance! Suspect we might see more of this type of UAV technology/invention coming from the Bay Area? "UAV/Drones have changed war. Small, cheap, and deadly robots buzz in the skies high above the world’s battlefields, taking pictures and dropping explosives. They’re hard to counter. ZeroMark, a defense startup based in the United States, thinks it has a solution. It wants to turn the rifles of frontline soldiers into “handheld Iron Domes.” "The idea is simple: Make it easier to shoot a drone out of the sky with a bullet. The problem is that drones are fast and maneuverable, making them hard for even a skilled marksman to hit. ZeroMark’s system would add aim assistance to existing rifles, ostensibly helping soldiers put a bullet in just the right place." “We’re mostly a software company,” ZeroMark CEO Joel Anderson tells WIRED. He says that the way it works is by placing a sensor on the rail mount at the front of a rifle, the same place you might put a scope. The sensor interacts with an actuator either in the stock or the foregrip of the rifle that makes adjustments to the soldier’s aim while they’re pointing the rifle at a target." "A soldier beset by a drone would point their rifle at the target, turn on the system, and let the actuators solidify their aim before pulling the trigger. “So there’s a machine perception, computer vision component. We use lidar and electro-optical sensors to detect drones, classify them, and determine what they’re doing,” Anderson says. “The part that is ballistics is actually quite trivial … It’s numerical regression, it’s ballistic physics.” "According to Anderson, ZeroMarks’ system is able to do things a human can’t. “For them to be able to calculate things like the bullet drop and trajectory and windage … It’s a very difficult thing to do for a person, but for a computer, it’s pretty easy,” he says. “And so we predetermined where the shot needs to land so that when they pull the trigger, it’s going to have a high likelihood of intersecting the path of the drone.” #uavdronetechnology #uavdronedefense #militaryuavdrones https://lnkd.in/ekYHNq9V

2

Introducing the Germany Funded Chinese Defense Research Tracker A tool designed to monitor and provide transparency regarding research activities funded by Germany with Chinese defense institutions. Interestingly the first paper caught my eye, "Multiscale coupling simulation of surface catalytic effect on hypersonic aerothermodynamic environment". Funding hypersonic technology research jointly by Germany and a Chinese defense institution could obviously raise concerns about the potential for shared advancements in aerothermodynamic environments, including surface catalysis effects and heat transfer mechanisms, which may contribute to the development of advanced hypersonic capabilities with military applications, potentially impacting global strategic balances. #china #germany #research #science #policy #grants #government #funding #joint #collaborations #military #defense #intelligence #hypersonic #weapons https://lnkd.in/gvaHeEaM

103

12 Comments

so America is about to see DJI banned. Countering CCP Drones Act, also known as H.R. 2864 This will affect millions of Americans. Everyone pretty much that has ever used a drone, microphone, gimbal, 360 cameras, power station for marketing or sales materials in business, the entire housing industry if you ever had drone or 360 camera shots of a property for sale, recreational pilots everywhere including most likely 90% or more of the 107 certified drone operators. And it won’t stop there.. Autel will be next, then any other drone items made in China… If you have any cares at all about those items please help stop this foolish bill. please visit this website and write your representatives. Our government shouldn’t be used to target manufacturers. They should be used to setup laws to be followed for the best interests of all Americans not just Skydio and there bought and paid for government officials.

2

1 Comment

Advancing Autonomous Space Exploration: Next-Generation Mars Network PNT and Autonomy   As we set our sights on long-term exploration of Mars, the development of robust Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems becomes crucial. This work builds upon previous NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory efforts that developed models and simulation capabilities to assess PNT capabilities of the next-gen Mars relay. Researchers explored various orbits and constellation approaches, including hybrid architectures (low-altitude repeaters with high-altitude 'trunk-line' orbiters) and monolithic constellations.   Currently, autonomous behavior is implemented using a brute-force approach - the prevailing AI paradigm. This method scripts autonomy by considering every system element and evaluating all possible failure modes, effects, and operational situations. However, as system complexity increases, the number of cases to consider grows exponentially. This leads to missed scenarios and unpredicted system failures.   The NASA Platform for Autonomous Systems (NPAS) introduces a new paradigm to address these shortcomings. NPAS employs on-board decision making using a "Digital Twin" - a complete description of the application that duplicates the system's topology, behavior, and functionality. By applying first principles and other models, NPAS can analyze, draw conclusions, and make decisions about the system's state, failure modes, and actions required to complete the mission while mitigating anomalies.   This approach enables navigation derived from links between spacecraft, creating opportunities for autonomous navigation with increased accuracy and fault tolerance. It's particularly beneficial for power-limited spacecraft and helps reduce the load on the Deep Space Network (DSN) relay satellites.   NPAS technology is a crucial enabler for Artemis and Mars missions, which demand reusable and evolutionary autonomous capabilities. Importantly, this technology has potential far beyond space exploration. As billions continue to be invested in the brute-force, big-data AI paradigm - which may never result in truly safe autonomy - NPAS offers a promising alternative with numerous Earth-based applications, such as truly autonomous vehicles.   Image Source: NASA/SCaN’s Next Generation Mars telecommunication architecture to enable long-term human exploration. Source: Reinhart et al. (2017).   #SpaceAutonomy #MarsExploration #DigitalTwin #DeepSpaceNavigation #FutureOfAI #AutonomousSystems  #NavigationTechnology #RoboticsInSpace

33

3 Comments

I am not a current drone pilot, but I've become increasingly interested in it since the start of the Ukraine war. The Senate is holding a vote on the NDAA today and this is part of that bill. “Countering CCP Drones Act” (HR 2864) could pass and ban the only high quality drone sold to the US consumer market. I've been learning about types of drones, transmitters, headsets, builds and mods. It started as watching FPV (First person view) flights, moved to product reviews and then build videos. That's my level of knowledge. In that time, I've found that DJI is the premier (by a lot) commercial and consumer drone maker in the world. They are the entry for most recreational drone pilots. This all started here before the US recognized that the PRC is positioning themselves as an adversary, and DJI built a relatively benign to positive reputation. That is solid now and the lack of viable competitors is certainly a factor. They also have decent social media capabilities. So their customer base is standing up for them. People love flying their drones, and don't want to give it up! That's totally understandable too. The difficulty here is that drone piloting is a critical, yet unrecognized skill. Ukranian pilots have shown just how powerful this skill can be. It is also a way for young people to make money. There are entire industries rising from various aspects of drone piloting. DJI is a legitimate threat due to their CCP ties, the sending of data back to China, to include high res images of areas where the drones fly and data it accesses through the phone app. But we need a US or at least a friendly company to step in to supplant DJI for consumer use, not only commercial. And then there's the FAA and its unfriendly attitude towards drones, but that's a rant for another day...

10

11 Comments

Words cannot express how proud I am of everyone involved with the incredible, paradigm-shifting feat of engineering that is #Starship. Surviving to make a soft water landing after having large chunks of your control surfaces melt away from the forces of hypersonic re-entry is the kind of thing that only really happens in movies. If it weren't streamed live through the #Starlink satellite constellation, I'd have a hard time believing it. By some miracle, I was able to contribute to this effort. It has been a blessing to be one of the responsible engineers for the camera system that is now providing footage of spaceflight in a way that we've never seen before. It's surreal for me to think back to the early stages of development when getting that first off-color, improperly-exposed, unfocused image from the sensor was such a massive milestone. Now, we're able to capture the visible spectrum resulting from the unique scenario where a grain silo-sized spacecraft barrels through Earth's upper atmosphere at mach 20. When it comes to memorable flights, this is certainly one for the books. And we're just getting started. There are so many exciting missions and milestones right around the corner which will continue to push the boundaries of what we're capable of doing. I can't wait!

173

6 Comments

Years ago, #systemsengineering was constrained by a significant lack of tools. Everything was done on paper, and there were no simulation capabilities. Fast forward to today, and we've swung to the opposite extreme. We now have an abundance of fantastic tools, but this too poses challenges. Often, these tools become an end rather than a means, offering superb capabilities that sometimes overshadow solid SE practices. It's common to see professionals diving into modeling without first mastering the fundamentals of good SE. But this is an exciting time. Imagine a future where the initial hype subsides, and we can harness these advanced tools to truly enhance good SE practices. The unprecedented capabilities at our fingertips promise a transformative era for systems engineering!

153

17 Comments

This was a fun deep dive. What is the cost savings (if any) of "going electric", depending on how much gas and electricity costs in your area, how many miles one drives, and the efficiency of the vehicles in consideration (MPG and MPGe [or kilowatt-hours used per mile])? When do electric vehicles make sense, from an economic perspective? https://lnkd.in/e2KKsrgW

6

5 Comments

What a great use for UAV/Drones! Checking on the health of the Giant Sequoia trees including the General Sherman Tree! Do you suspect that we are going to see more of this unique type of inspection? "In May, a collaborative effort by the US National Park Service, Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition, and other groups led to a pioneering health check-up for the General Sherman tree in Sequoia National Park. This monumental project marked the first time an industrial-grade drone was used to inspect the world’s largest known living tree." "Volunteers began by scaling the tree with ropes and using satellite imagery to assess its condition. However, the highlight of the inspection was the deployment of Freefly’s Astro Prime drone, a state-of-the-art, NDAA-compliant, and Blue UAS-approved platform. This drone performed a detailed examination of the tree, which stands at an impressive 275 feet and is over 2,200 years old." "The Astro Prime drone was equipped with various swappable payloads, including a Lidar scanner and an HD video camera. These tools allowed the team to quickly and safely inspect the tree for damage, particularly from a native bark beetle. This beetle has been a significant threat to trees in the area, exacerbated by climate change and extended drought conditions. #droneinspection #uavinspection #droneservices #uavservices https://lnkd.in/eD-pFi_u

1

Code — or at least the variety of “software” where a human specifies the exact order of computations — in 2024 is like the Dutch tulips of 1636. Natural language doesn’t specify a procedure; words (or art for that matter) trigger a set of feelings that, when strung together in a logical sequence of a given characteristic (I like to think each of these thought paths as a wire; and the bundle of wires (“rope”) is similar to consistent patterns of thought) it triggers “action” (e.g. computation, acceleration, heating, etc.). In short: I think humanity will (or should) consider a more efficient human/machine interface; one where the operator isn’t bound by the limits of the machine (e.g. what code it can compile or whatnot), but only by the limits of their creativity.

2