NASA has chosen several new experimental space technology concepts, according to the agency's blog post. NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) has chosen a total of 14 projects. However, not all will make it past the concept stage.
The Chosen Space Concepts
Fourteen research teams will be granted $175,000 each to help them further develop their concepts. The studies will help the space agency determine whether the futuristic ideas could set the stage for future space exploration and enable new missions.
The awardees will start with Phase I studies, which will last for around nine months. If successful, the team will earn more funds for a Phase II study.
One of the concepts that was chosen was the Titan hybrid boat-aircraft concept and lunar pipeline. The TitanAir concept is developed by the scientist Quinn Morley of Planet Enterprises.
The TitanAir can transform into a watercraft, allowing it to sail on Saturn's lakes of Titan. NASA is planning a Dragonfly mission to reach Saturn's moon titan, and TitanAir could take liquid samples of Titan's Earth-like rives, oceans, and lakes. If successful, this will help NASA gain insights into the moon.
Another concept is the pellet-beam propulsion concept by University of California, Los Angeles. It builds on existing light sail technology to transport heavy spacecraft and space cargo across the Solar System and into the interstellar space, according to Interesting Engineering.
The system uses a pellet beam of microscopic hypervelocity particles boosted by lasers to propel heavy loads. It can transport payloads to the outer Solar System in less than a year. Additionally, in three years, the system can travel distances 100 times than the Earth-Sun distance.
A proposed lunar pipeline for transporting extracted oxygen from the moon's ice supply is also on the table. It can be used for NASA's upcoming Artemis missions to transport oxygen to lunar habitats.
If successful, the concept can provide constant access to oxygen for lunar settlers and could cut costs that would otherwise be associated with transportation.
Also Read: NASA Funds 22 Awesome Space Exploration Ideas: Here's A Close Look At Them
Better Space Explorations
NASA's (NIAC) program helps fund and nurture creative, forward-looking proposals that could open the door to future space exploration. The program's goal is to spur innovation and the development of revolutionary concepts.
These concepts will help NASA create the needed tools to efficiently explore the Solar System. Additionally, they could bring us one step closer to one day colonizing other worlds.
The selected concepts come from a wide range of fields, including astronomy, space science, planetary science, human spaceflight, deep space propulsion and physics. The investments will help pave the way for future space exploration.
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