Self - healing space suit , spider - inspired micro - probes , and a Venus lander that come with its own float courser may vocalize like classic sci - fi , but they are just some of the latest projects NASA has announced it will be funding for future space geographic expedition .
NASA ’s Innovative Advanced Concepts ( NIAC ) program is wholly consecrated to the most innovative , radical , and yes , mayhap " out there " , but – and here ’s the crux – credible mind that could radically transfer the elbow room we study space .
" NIAC is about croak to the edge of skill fiction , but not over , " read NIAC program executive Jason Derleth in astatement . " We are supporting high-pitched impact engineering science concepts that could alter how we search within the Solar System and beyond . "
In an announcement Wednesday , the agency revealed the 18 project that have been awarded a amount of $ 4.5 million in funding for the next form I and Phase II maturation rounds , that could be inching their path to world .
Among those conception is a“smart ” EVA spacesuit , for extravehicular activity ( imagine Matt Damon muck around around on Mars ) , which acts as a second skin and is self - healing . develop by Texas A&M University , it also incorporates soft - robotics technology to furnish support and help spaceman ’ mobility and dexterity as they move around on the surface of Mars .
For futureVenusmissions , one of the main difficulties to be address is how to keep a probe power in such anextreme environment . Venus may be do it as Earth ’s counterpart , but it is the hottest planet in the Solar System , a fiery diabolical reality with achoking toxic atmosphereand crushing pressure level on the surface .
NASA ’s own Jet propulsion Laboratory ( JPL ) has proposed a“dual vehicle”idea that sees a sender in the more forgiving upper atmosphere that would descend and light beam mightiness down to a receiver , a lander on the surface ( decked out in badly heat - resistant gear ) , to let it prolong time to explore in an environment humans ca n’t survive , before ascend back up to recharge .
Another approximation sees the deployment of thousands of lilliputian probes to study planetary atmospheres , inspire by the wayballooning spidersshoot silk into the air to catch flatus currents . Like the spiders , thesemicro - probeswould be at the clemency of the atmosphere , but a string loop would create drag to help control them as well as still electric charge so the probes can take measurements .
Solar surfboarding , mining the Moon ’s poles , andlightsailsare also idea that have been allow funding to be developed further . In full , 12 projects were take for Phase I , giving them $ 125,000 and nine calendar month to develop and refine their initial concepts . Six labor were choose for Phase II support , a grant of $ 500,000 each and two years to develop prototypes . Projects that stipulate for Phase III support will be annunciate in July . Despite this , some of these projects might never see the light of Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . And those that do wo n’t be for a while yet . But to see a possible glimpse of future missions is thrilling none the less .
