University of Edinburgh Researchers Brian P. Murphy and Richard E. Cannon Recognized for Proposal to Expand Planetary Defense to Humanity's New Frontiers
SAN FRANCISCO, June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- B612 Foundation announced the recipient of the annual Schweickart Prize. This year's honor goes to a proposal calling for planetary defense to extend beyond Earth's surface, encompassing the rapidly expanding network of critical infrastructure throughout cislunar space. The Prize, a program of B612, recognizes original student proposals seeking to advance humanity's understanding of and preparedness for asteroid impacts.
"Rusty Schweickart taught us that planetary defense is ultimately an act of stewardship," said Danica Remy, President of B612 and co-founder of Asteroid Day. "This year's winning proposal challenges us to think beyond protecting life and assets on the surface of the Earth and to consider how we safeguard the infrastructure and communities humanity will depend on throughout the Earth-Moon system. It is exactly the kind of bold, forward-looking thinking the Schweickart Prize was created to encourage."
"As human activity and vital interests rapidly expand into regions beyond the protective shield of our atmosphere, the number of passing objects capable of causing serious damage to both life and critical infrastructure increases dramatically. Our Schweickart Prize winners this year have called for a comprehensive and systematic examination of this emerging reality," said Rusty Schweickart, Apollo 9 astronaut and co-founder emeritus of B612 Foundation.
The winning proposal, Untold Threats: A Worldwide Call to Defend New Frontiers, was developed by Brian P. Murphy and Richard E. Cannon of the University of Edinburgh. Their work highlights emerging threats posed by meteoroid storms, ejecta from asteroid deflection and mining operations, lunar impacts, and other hazards that could jeopardize the rapidly expanding ecosystem of satellites, communications systems, lunar infrastructure, and future space-based industries.
The proposal calls for establishing an International Commission on Space Infrastructure Resilience (ICSIR) to investigate these risks and develop recommendations for the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Ultimately, the authors envision creating a permanent international coordinating body, termed WARDEN (Warning-network for Asset Resilience from Dusts, Ejecta, and NEOs), to complement existing planetary defense organizations and coordinate the protection of humanity's assets beyond Earth.
"As civilization becomes increasingly dependent on infrastructure in Earth orbit and cislunar space, we believe planetary defense must evolve accordingly," said Brian Murphy, who co-authored the proposal with Richard Cannon. "Our work seeks to ensure that humanity's future expansion into space remains safe, sustainable, and resilient. We are deeply honored to receive the Schweickart Prize and hope this proposal sparks broader international conversations about protecting these new frontiers."
The winning proposal will be presented publicly today, June 23, via a live online event open to the press and the public, where the authors will share their work. Registration is available at schweickartprize.org.
Honorable Mentions: B612 also extends its recognition to the other proposals that demonstrated merit and innovative thinking in addressing critical aspects of planetary defense. This year's honorable mentions include:
Like Streaks Passing in the Night: A Novel One-Tracklet Earth Impactor Detection Pipeline for LSST, Ian Chow (University of Washington)
The Incremental Benefits of Eccentric Collisions in Asteroid Kinetic Deflection Missions, Kinthong Lee (Tsinghua University)
Project Pathfinder, Finn McGeever, James Beioley, Jack Campbell, Yogesh Andiyappan, Sergio Sanoja Hernandez, Pau Costa Aura (Cranfield University)
The official presentation of the physical museum-quality prize and the $10,000 award will take place at a public ceremony at Lowell Observatory on June 27, coinciding with Asteroid Day Arizona activities. Rusty Schweickart, joined by fellow astronauts Nicole Stott, Dr. Ed Lu, Steve Smith, and Anousheh Ansari, science communicator Scott Manley, and Amanda Bosh, executive director of Lowell Observatory, will present the prize in person.
The public is invited to join the celebration and participate in Asteroid Day activities taking place throughout the weekend at Lowell Observatory and Meteor Crater.
The School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh will organize a celebration event later this year to recognize the award and the team.
Further details on the winning proposal can be found at SchweickartPrize.org. Event information for Asteroid Day Arizona is available at asteroiddayaz.com.
About the Schweickart Prize: The Schweickart Prize, a program of B612, is an annual award that fosters a new generation of leaders in planetary defense and encourages ideas to help protect Earth from potential asteroid impacts. The prize is named after Russell "Rusty" Schweickart, Apollo 9 astronaut, co-founder of the Association of Space Explorers, and co-founder of B612. The Prize is co-chaired by Randy Schweickart and Rusty B. Schweickart. For more information, visit Schweickartprize.org. The founding sponsors who have funded the Schweickart Prize program include Anousheh Ansari, Barringer Crater Company, Future Ventures, Geoffrey Notkin, Jurvetson Family Foundation, Meteor Crater Enterprises, Randy Schweickart and Michelle Heng, and Rusty B. Schweickart and Joanne Keys.
About B612 Foundation: A United States-based nonprofit, founded in 2002, develops tools and technologies to understand, map, and navigate our solar system and protect our planet from asteroid impacts through its Asteroid Institute program and supporting educational programs, including Asteroid Day and the Schweickart Prize. Founding Circle and Asteroid Circle members, as well as individual donors from 46 countries, support the work financially. For more information, visit B612foundation.org or follow on social: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Bluesky.
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B612 Foundation Announces 2026 Winner of the Schweickart Prize
Powered by Avinox with full suspension co-developed with FOX, Amflow's new touring e-bike takes the brand beyond traditional eMTBs
SHENZHEN, China, June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Amflow, the innovation-driven bike brand that pursues the ultimate fusion of technology and mechanics, today announces its first all-terrain, touring e-bike - the Amflow TL Carbon, powered by Avinox. The company's first venture outside the traditional eMTB category, the Amflow TL Carbon is an SUV e-bike fully equipped for all rides, from adventurous climbs to your daily commute.
Light and responsive with an ergonomic design
With a total bike weight as low as 22.6kg1, the Amflow TL is ideal for unlimited riding scenarios, including mountain trails, urban adventures and loaded touring. The agile, durable full-carbon frame weighs in at 2.9kg1, keeping the bike agile and maintaining a frame design focused on utility and comfortable handling for riders of all sizes and strengths.
Catering to the mountain trails and city streets alike, the exclusive full suspension system co-developed with FOX absorbs bumps in the road, stabilizes cargo on loaded rides, and rolls over roots and rocks. With 120mm of front travel and 105mm of rear travel1, the damping characteristics are matched to the bike's geometry, weight distribution, and load to deliver support and feedback, so that the rider feels more confident and less fatigued.
"FOX is proud to support the launch of the new AMFLOW TL platform with our suspension technology," said Adam Marriott, Senior Manager of Product Management at FOX. "The FOX AWL fork and FLOAT shock are optimized for the performance demands of the new Amflow TL platform, delivering a balanced combination of comfort, traction, and control. Designed to support the unique requirements of modern eSUV riding, the suspension package provides a capable and confidence-inspiring ride experience across a wide range of terrain"
To further support rider comfort and flexibility, the bike geometry offers:
- Adjustable head tube angle: the default 67° head tube angle can be slackened by 1 degree for descending confidence (with 29-inch wheels set-up)
- Various bike setup configurations, including full 27.5 (standard), mullet, reverse mullet, and full 29er, with both the front and rear wheels can be switched from 27.5-inch to 29-inch to match different terrain needs
- Low standover and seat-height, supporting easy mounting and dismounting
- Approximately 100% anti-squat performance, effectively reducing pedaling energy loss and making the ride more stable
The Amflow TL comes standard with front and rear mudguards, a rear rack, water bottle cage, pedals, headlight and taillight, with support for an optional front rack. Riders can also remove the racks and mudguards to transform the Amflow TL into a more traditional off-road mountain bike, meeting all the standards expected of a mountain bike, including the CAT-III Certification.
Built to carry
The Amflow TL Carbon can carry up to 200kg1 total weight, including the bike, front and rear rack loads, and the rider. The front rack can bear up to 20kg1, while the rear rack can handle up to 27kg1, making the bike a workhorse across ride types.
For long-distance touring, the bike's modular mounting design and MIK HD-compatible rear rack allows riders to add panniers and a bike trailer.
New from Avinox: 1280Wh capacity, four-battery charging, and SmoothShift Electronic Shifting
Equipped with the Avinox M2 motor, the Amflow TL Carbon offers 125N•m1 of maximum torque and 1100W1 of peak power output, offering powerful support for steep climbs or extended rides. The Avinox M2 maintains noise levels as low as 45dBA1 thanks to a compound planetary gearset with a helical gear design.
The bike comes standard with a removable 800Wh battery providing 172km of range1, and riders can purchase a 600Wh removable battery that delivers up to 124km of range1. The 800Wh and 600Wh batteries are swappable, and each can be paired with a 480Wh secondary battery - a brand new offering from Avinox that offers for up to 100km1 of extended range and up to 1280Wh of total capacity1. The frame's quick-release design enables one-handed battery removable for quick swaps, off-bike charging, and easy travel.
Avinox is also introducing a new charging hub for safe, multi-battery charging. Users can charge up to four batteries sequentially in one sitting, supporting longer range rides and offering flexibility.
Lastly, co-developed with Amflow and TRP, Avinox SmoothShift Electronic Shifting allows the drive unit to detect gear-shift signals and shift the cassette smoothly without needing the rider to pedal. When paired with an Avinox-specific chain, the system stays smooth and controlled under high torque. The torque is intelligently reduced during a gear shift to minimize shock and protect the chain. The Amflow TL is the first bike to feature this electronic drivetrain.
Smart Software with the Avinox Ride App
The Avinox Ride app offers a number of smart features to enhance every ride on the Amflow TL:
- Offline navigation: Supports third party route apps, displaying routes on the screen in real-time with turn guidance and alerts
- Apple® Find My tracking: Pair Amflow TL Carbon with Apple® Find My to check the bike's location and battery status, or activate its sound alert
- Smart heart rate control: The Amflow TL can pair with a Bluetooth heart rate monitor and users can set a target heart rate zone that determines how much pedal assist the bike provides.
- Osmo Camera connectivity: Connect a compatible Osmo camera and record with the wireless controller or from the control display
Presented at Eurobike 2026
The Amflow TL Carbon will debut at Eurobike 2026 in Frankfurt, Germany, starting Wednesday, June 24. Conference attendees will be among the first to see and test ride the Amflow TL Carbon.
Exhibition Details
Amflow Booth: Open Air F12, Booth A37
Location: Messe Frankfurt
Dates and Hours: June 24-27, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. local time
Availability
The Amflow TL Carbon is estimated to be available globally later this year.
For more information about the Amflow TL Carbon, please visit: https://www.amflowbikes.com/tl-carbon
1All data was tested in controlled conditions. Actual experience may vary. For more details, please refer to the product page on the official Amflow website.
About Amflow
Proudly born in 2023, Amflow is the creation of tech experts with a limitless passion for riding mountain bikes. The company strives to amaze with an unmatched combination of power, range, and performance, hidden in sleek electric bike bodies. Amflow's commitment to the e-bike industry is to make its e-bikes the go-to for all e-bike riders looking to turn any terrain into a wonderland of possibilities.
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Amflow launches the Amflow TL Carbon, an SUV e-bike fully loaded for all-terrain riding scenario
