To infinity and beyond: EECS alum becomes spacecraft pilot
07/07/22 — A NASA astronaut since 2017, Warren Hoburg (M.S.’11, Ph.D.’13 EECS) will be piloting the spacecraft Dragon to the International Space Station
Aerospace
Berkeley students flip, float and experiment on zero-g flight
05/23/22 — Engineers put 3D printing technology to the test for possible use on future NASA space missions
Solar beats nuclear at many potential settlement sites on Mars
04/27/22 — The high efficiency, light weight and flexibility of the latest solar cell technology means photovoltaics could provide all the power needed for an extended mission to Mars, or even a permanent settlement there, according to a new analysis led by Berkeley engineers
Study of aqueous salt solutions deepens our understanding of icy planets’ oceans
04/26/22 — New findings may help determine the possibility of extraterrestrial life in our solar system
Flying buses in California skies?
04/18/22 — The CITRIS Aviation team is collaborating with Caltrans to lay the groundwork for air mobility in urban areas
New aerospace major launched
11/15/21 — To meet the growing demand for researchers in aviation, defense and space exploration, Berkeley Engineering has added a new aerospace engineering major.
Ion drive flight test points to radically different future for aviation
12/05/18 Forbes — Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have conducted a successful 8-second flight test of an aircraft with an ion drive propulsion system, a larger version of the same cutting-edge technology that Berkeley engineers are using to fly centimeter-scale microrobots.
A tiny step into the final frontier
10/15/18 Medium — Six undergrad engineers are developing "SpinorSats" - each less than 10 grams, about the size of an Apple Watch - that they hope will be the smallest maneuverable satellites in space.
Space mapping
06/02/18 — LeoLabs' radar technology tracks space debris and determines if it is hazardous to satellites or other spacecraft.
The HAB project: A platform for space research
04/30/18 — The student group Space Technologies at Cal is developing a balloon-based platform for near-space research. They recently launched a high-altitude balloon from Memorial Glade.
Drone pioneer Warren Hoburg named Innovator of the Year
12/20/17 R&D — Aerospace engineer and astronaut candidate Warren "Woody" Hoburg (M.S.'11, Ph.D.'13 EECS) has been named Innovator of the Year by R&D Magazine for his pioneering work creating the Jungle Hawk Owl extended-flight drone.
An interstellar journey
04/13/17 — A group of Berkeley students is developing the tools and technologies for humanity's next big step - exploring the deep reaches of space.
New NASA teams will make human Mars missions light and efficient
02/17/17 New Scientist — For a crewed mission into deep space, every piece of technology and equipment has to be better: lighter, stronger, multi-purpose. NASA just funded two new teams of researchers, one led by Berkeley bioengineering professor Adam Arkin, to work toward that goal.
Collegial airspace
12/09/16 — A fast-growing student group has taken to the skies, formalized unmanned aerial vehicle flying on campus and are set to launch an intercollegiate drone-racing league.
Making unmanned flight safe
05/01/16 — Responsible Robotics is creating new technologies that enable drone operators to easily comply with emerging Federal Aviation Administration regulations.
‘License plates’ for drones could hold rogue operators accountable
08/20/15 — Berkeley engineers from the Lightcense project are testing a kind of license plate for drones - a rectangular array of bright, multicolored LEDs attached to the underside of a craft - that they think could help make drone operators more accountable.
Vires Aero
05/01/15 — Vires Aeronautics is developing a new technology to make flight more efficient.
Synthetic biology could be big boost to interplanetary space travel
11/06/14 — Genetically engineered microbes could help make manned missions to Mars, the moon and other planets more practical, according to a new analysis by UC Berkeley bioengineers and NASA scientists.
Dreams of the world: Flight simulation of robotic birds
12/18/13 National Geographic — Cameron Rose, an EECS grad student whose research focuses on flapping-winged robots in flight, dreams of one day helping the field of robotics achieve "something even close to the level of maneuverability and control that animals possess," he told National Geographic. "I also dream to use my knowledge and passion for robotics to encourage other African American students to pursue similar paths."
Flying to the edge of darkness
11/22/13 — Adam Wright (B.S'05 ME) is building submarines that fly through water. He started his career at Hawkes Ocean Technologies as an unpaid intern before his freshman year of college. Early this year, he was named the company's president and CEO.