NASA’s new fleet of distant research ideas includes projects that could one day return samples from Saturn’s moon Titan, Allow astronauts to experience artificial gravity in space or send data to planets returning to Earth.
The agency announced the latest recipients under NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Program, which examines early stage ideas for the discovery of the universe. While many of these projects may be decades from launch, NASA and related groups may use some ideas in future programs.
This year’s round provides up to $ 125,000 to recipients in the first phase for initial research. Those who meet their requirements can apply for a second phase grant after nine months. The program typically provides $ 500,000 for Phase II recipients and 2 2 million for Phase III.
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Jason Derleth, NIAC’s program executive, said the number of new participants in the program is higher this year. Statement from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). “Apart from the two researchers selected for the award in the first phase, it will be the first time to receive a NIAC grant, in which NASA’s early-stage opportunities will showcase the involvement of new creative thinkers from across the country.”
NIAC was founded in 2011 after a pioneering program called the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts.
Below is a complete list of 2021 Phase 1 recipients; Brief descriptions are taken directly from each project Individual experiment pages On the NIAC website.
Regolith Adaptive Modification System (RAMS) to support early extraterrestrial planetary landings (and Operation): Sarabjit Banerjee of the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station project will study selective reinforcement and fusing of lunar surface materials.
Exploration of Uranus by SCator: Sustained Chipset / Cubset Activity by Transmitted Electromagnetic Radiation: Sigrid Close of the Stanford University project will study the ability to transmit power to a parent spacecraft and remotely manipulate a small probe spacecraft via a laser transmitter.
Ablative arc mining for in-situ resource utilization: The University of Texas Amelia Grigg, El Paso project will store ka extva and water in parallel with as many other local materials as possible. Using an electric arc the surface material is made of free ionized particles which can be grouped by mass and transported to the respective collector by electromagnetic fields.
Kilometer-Scale Space Structures from a La La: Zachary of the Carnegie Mellon University project has addressed the challenge of generating artificial gravity near Manchester 1G. [Earth’s gravity] For astronauts, a kilometer-scale structure is required. It will benefit from recent advances in mechanical metamaterials to design lightweight deployable structures with unprecedented expansion ratios.
Paddles: passively extended dipole array for lunar noise: Patrick McGray of JPL’s project will include a series of different types of droppoles, extending the effective resolution of a variable satellite by allowing variable frequencies and dep depths, by combining unique combinations and short duplexes into larger ones.
Autonomous robotic demonstrator for deep drilling (ARD3): Queen Morley of Planet Enterprise’s project will test an autonomous drilling system that will be used Strength-type rover As an exercise rig. The drilling strategy does not depend on cables; Instead, self-contained robots automatically drive the borehole up and down. These robots are called “borbots”.
Compact, ultrasonic ject by intersector and ultra power density radioisotope battery Enable interceptor and sample return: Christopher Morrison Ultrasafe Nuclear Corp. – The space project will study a compact radioisotope-electric-propulsion spacecraft design powered by a novel rechargeable nuclear battery. The spacecraft, powered by this technology, will be able to capture an extrasolar object object, collect samples and return to Earth within a period of 10 years.
Atomic Planner Power for Lightweight Exploration (Apple): Joseph Nemnick Low Mass of The Aerospace Corp will study architecture capable of deep deep solar system missions on fast transit space platforms. The vehicle integrates long life, peak power enabled, recharge and modular power system with sole sail propulsion.
Return of the Titan sample using in-situ propellants: Steven Olson of the NASA Glenn Research Center project will explore the proposed Titan sample return mission using in-situ volatile propellants available on its surface.
Richbot: A small robot for large mobile manipulation tasks in a Martian cave environment: Marco Pavo of the Stanford University project will test a long-term crawling and anchoring robot that revives an extended boom for mobile manipulation, deployed on planetary bodies to explore and sample difficult terrain, with the main focus. Mars Research.
Farview – A Situ-produced Lunar Far Side Radio Observatory: Ronald Polyden of Lunar Resources, Inc.’s project will be an end-to-end system-level study of how to build a very large low frequency radio observatory “Farwich” on a lunar eclipse using lunar regolith materials.
Float – Flexible levitation on one track: Ethan Sceller of JPL’s project will study the first lunar railway system, which will provide reliable, autonomous and efficient payload transport to the moon. It employs unpowered magnetic robots that wrap around a three-level flexible film track.
Swim – Sensitivity with independent micro-swimmers: JPL’s project Ethan Schuler will dramatically expand the capabilities of the Europa subsurface access access-class sea-use robotic missions and significantly increase their chances of finding habitation, biomarkers or evidence of life.
Creating soil for space habitat by seeding asteroids with fungi: Jane Shevatsov of Trans Astronautica Corp. project to build carbon-rich land Asteroids Materials, using fungi to physically break down a substance and chemically degrade toxic substances.
Light Bender: Charles Taylor of the NASA Langley Research Center project will use the Casegreen Telescope Optics as the primary means of capturing, focusing, and concentrating sunlight. Another key innovation is that many end users use fresnel lenses to collect this light for distribution, at a distance of one kilometer (0.6 miles) or more, without damage.
Solar System Pony Express: JPL’s Joshua Wonder Hook project will study a global, multi-spectral, high-resolution planetary surveyor, supported by regular visits to the Bicycle Satellite Network to obtain patriarchs of data for Earth transport.
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