Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier in his X-1 research plane in 1947, and today, scientists at NASA are developing and testing new propulsion systems on the Hyper-X (or X-43) research plane to propel airplanes and spacecraft to hypersonic velocities (velocities greater than five times the speed of sound).
With the help of the famed Hubble Space Telescope, University of Alabama astronomers have continued to uncover some impressive findings, with groundbreaking discoveries being presented separately this year to the prestigious American Astronomical Association. From the discovery of two galaxies that collided millions of years ago, to a star-forming ring that resembles a race track in form and function, the continued work of UA’s researchers is creating new levels of understanding about the cosmos for scientists and lay people alike.