JHU Applied Physics Laboratory (APL)

03/12/2026

Integration and testing for NASA's Dragonfly mission is officially underway at Johns Hopkins APL.

Teams have begun assembling the car-sized, nuclear-powered rotorcraft lander that will explore Saturn’s moon Titan. Early work includes power and functional testing of key systems such as Dragonfly’s Integrated Electronics Module – the spacecraft’s “brain” that manages command and data handling, guidance and navigation, and communications.

Integration and testing — the activities involved in assembling the Dragonfly rotorcraft lander and testing it for the rigors of launch and extreme conditions of space — is officially underway in Johns Hopkins APL clean rooms and control rooms.

03/12/2026

Built for a two-year prime mission, the twin Van Allen Probes operated for nearly seven years in one of the harshest radiation environments in space: the Van Allen radiation belts.

The spacecraft not only survived but thrived, delivering discoveries that transformed our understanding of Earth’s radiation environment and space weather. The mission stands as a testament to the engineering innovation and scientific leadership that made extended operations in such an extreme environment possible.

Learn more: https://jhuapl.link/vap-a

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Editor's Note: NASA updated this article on Wednesday, March 11, to reflect confirmation of Van Allen Probe A's re-entry.

03/11/2026

The work focuses on improving consistency and ensuring parts perform predictably in mission-critical applications, no matter where or how they are produced.

APL is developing a comprehensive suite of capabilities to ensure that additively manufactured parts can perform predictably in mission-critical applications — no matter where, when, or on what machines they’re manufactured.

03/11/2026

Researchers at Johns Hopkins APL are advancing robotic perception using artificial intelligence to help autonomous agents understand unstructured environments and plan tasks more like humans.

The work could support warfighters and first responders operating in complex or dangerous environments.

Johns Hopkins APL researchers are advancing robotic perception by using artificial intelligence to equip autonomous agents with the capacity to make sense of unstructured environments — and make plans just like humans.

03/10/2026

03/10/2026

An interdisciplinary team at Johns Hopkins APL has created a new artificial intelligence-driven system that dramatically speeds up microcapsule experimentation — tiny particles used to release materials at exactly the right moment. The Lab’s new approach uses AI as a “co-investigator,” which cuts manual experimentation time by more than 80%, helping scientists develop next-generation materials faster and more reliably.

An interdisciplinary APL team created ATLAS, an artificial intelligence co-investigator that automates testing, learning, and synthesis for microcapsules, which has decreased human labor required per experiment by more than 80% and advances APL progress in microcapsule development and automated expe...

03/10/2026

Celebrating 84 years of impact at Johns Hopkins APL.

Created in 1942 to solve critical challenges during World War II, today APL continues to tackle complex research, engineering, and analytical problems facing our nation. Our scientists, engineers, and analysts serve as trusted advisers and technical experts to the government, ensuring the reliability of complex technologies that safeguard national security and advance the frontiers of space. https://www.jhuapl.edu/

03/06/2026

03/04/2026

As defense operations become more distributed and expeditionary, the ability to produce mission-essential parts at sea is increasingly important. To address this challenge, Naval Sea Systems Command has created a partnership between Johns Hopkins APL and GKN Aerospace to develop a platform that simulates shipboard motion for additive manufacturing.

Johns Hopkins APL and GKN Aerospace are partnering to develop a system that simulates shipboard motion for metal 3D printing at sea — advancing the Navy’s ability to produce critical parts on demand. Building on APL’s success aboard the USS Bataan, this effort aims to enable motion-aware manuf...

03/04/2026

A slice of exploration. OTD in 2007 while en route to Pluto, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft captured this look at Jupiter's moon Ganymede silhouetted against the planet's crescent.

Today, our Juno mission orbits Jupiter, and Europa Clipper is on its way: science.nasa.gov/jupiter/exploration

03/04/2026

For nearly a decade, Johns Hopkins APL and Blue Canyon Technologies have partnered to deliver agile, reliable space solutions for government sponsors, enabling faster and more cost-effective missions across civil and national security sectors.

For nearly a decade, Johns Hopkins APL and Blue Canyon Technologies have collaborated on agile, reliable space solutions for government sponsors, enabling faster and more cost-effective space missions across civil space and national security sectors.

03/02/2026

How do you keep materials effective when temperatures are regularly subzero? By exploring materials that don't fight the cold, but instead stem from it.

Johns Hopkins APL researchers are exploring the unique properties of ice-affecting biomolecules in our planet's coldest regions – technology that could give our nation a critical edge in emerging domains.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins APL, inspired by biomolecules found in cold-tolerant organisms, are developing novel materials that can control ice formation. Their breakthroughs could lead to new technologies for the U.S. military, from advanced materials for construction to medical treatments that ca...