Engineering news
Make sure to check the Professional Engineering news feed for our roundups of last year’s biggest stories in aerospace, energy, rail and other sectors. For now, though, look ahead at the year to come, and five of the most significant breakthroughs that we could see in 2023.
UK space launches to take off
The UK space sector has been buzzing with anticipation for years, following the announcement of plans to launch spacecraft from British soil. Those plans are now set to reach fruition, after Virgin Orbit received licences to launch its Cosmic Girl 747 with attached LauncherOne rocket – and nine onboard satellites – late last year. A launch from Spaceport Cornwall in Newquay is expected in January, according to the BBC.
The Virgin Orbit launch will just be the start of what could be a huge year for the UK’s space launch capacity, with Scottish vertical-launch rocket firms Orbex and Skyrora both previously announcing plans to launch in 2023.
Neuralink targets human trials
Following tests in monkeys and other animals, Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface venture Neuralink could take its biggest step yet towards real-world applications with its first human clinical trials in 2023. In December, Musk said the firm had sought approval from the Food and Drug Administration to begin trials, and that it expected to implant its first device within six months.
If successful, the company claims the interface could help restore mobility for paralysed people by controlling prosthetic limbs, or even return some vision for people who have lost their sight.
Any human trials are likely to attract controversy, however. In December, it was reported that the company faces a federal inquiry after killing 1,500 animals during testing.
Airlander 10 production programme planned
2022 was a big year for Bedford company Hybrid Air Vehicles, which aims to revolutionise low-carbon aviation with its giant hybrid airships. In June, it secured an order for a small fleet of Airlander 10 vehicles from Spanish airline Air Nostrum Group, and in November it announced a collaboration with partners in Scotland to explore the use of the aircraft for passenger transport and freight in the Highlands and Islands.
This year will see the launch of the Airlander 10 production programme, according to CEO Tom Grundy. Details have not yet been announced, but Grundy said the firm is working with partners in South Yorkshire and with potential financial partners to deliver the programme.
First eVTOLs to reach customers
2023 could be a “pivotal” year for eVTOLs (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft) according to IEEE Spectrum, with US firm Opener reportedly readying itself to make its first deliveries to customers, a first for any eVTOL manufacturer. The company’s single-seat aircraft are much smaller than other ‘flying taxis’ in development around the world, but it could nonetheless be a significant step for the much-hyped sector.
Dogger Bank to start operating
Having started in 2010, the project behind the world’s largest offshore wind farm is finally nearing fruition. Dogger Bank A, the first 1.2GW section of the giant North Sea farm, is set to start exporting power in 2023.
The first phase will use massive General Electric Haliade X turbines, each capable of generating 13MW of electricity. If you placed one of the turbines in London, writes Durham University professor Simon Hogg in The Conversation, “it would be the third-tallest structure in the city, taller than One Canada Square in Canary Wharf and just 50 metres shorter than the Shard. Each of its three blades would be longer than Big Ben’s clock tower is tall. And Dogger Bank will eventually have nearly 300 of these giants.”
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