. 24/7 Space News .
SPACE TRAVEL
NASA invests in 2D spacecraft, reprogrammable microorganisms
by Staff Writers
Washington DC (SPX) Apr 12, 2016


File image.

NASA has selected 13 proposals through NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC), a program that invests in transformative architectures through the development of pioneering technologies.

Among the selected are: a concept for reprogramming microorganisms that could use the Martian environment to recycle and print electronics; a two-dimensional spacecraft with ultra-thin subsystems that may wrap around space debris to enable de-orbiting; and a method of computational imaging that leverages extrasolar intensity fluctuations to detect "echoes" from planets and other structures orbiting a distant star.

NIAC Phase I awards are valued at approximately $100,000 for nine months, to support initial definition and analysis of their concepts. If these basic feasibility studies are successful, awardees can apply for Phase II awards, valued up to $500,000 for two additional years of concept development.

"The latest NIAC selections include a number of concepts for planetary and robotic exploration," said Steve Jurczyk, NASA's associate administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate in Washington. "NASA continues to value early stage concept studies for our future missions."

The 2016 portfolio of Phase I concepts cover a wide range of innovations selected for their potential to revolutionize future aerospace missions. Such breakthroughs hold the promise of accelerating NASA's progress toward its goals of exploration beyond low-Earth orbit, missions to an asteroid and Mars, and other priority areas in all of NASA's mission directorates. NIAC partners with forward-thinking scientists, engineers, and citizen inventors from across the nation to help maintain America's leadership in air and space.

The 2016 Phase I concepts are:

+ Light Weight Multifunctional Planetary Probe for Extreme Environment Exploration and Locomotion, Javid Bayandor, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg

+ Venus Interior Probe Using In-situ Power and Propulsion (VIP-INSPR), Ratnakumar Bugga, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California

+ Project RAMA: Reconstituting Asteroids into Mechanical Automata, Jason Dunn, Made In Space, Inc. in Moffett Field, California

+ Molecular Composition Analysis of Distant Targets, Gary Hughes, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

+ Brane Craft, Siegfried Janson, The Aerospace Corporation in Los Angeles

+ Stellar Echo Imaging of Exoplanets, Chris Mann, Nanohmics, Inc. in Austin, Texas

+ Mars Molniya Orbit Atmospheric Resource Mining, Robert Mueller, NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida

+ Journey to the Center of Icy Moons, Masahiro Ono, JPL

+ E-Glider: Active Electrostatic Flight for Airless Body Exploration, Marco Quadrelli, JPL

+ Urban bio-mining meets printable electronics: end-to-end at destination biological recycling and reprinting, Lynn Rothschild, NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California

+ Automaton Rover for Extreme Environments, Jonathan Sauder, JPL

+ Fusion-Enabled Pluto Orbiter and Lander, Stephanie Thomas, Princeton Satellite Systems, Inc. in Plainsboro Township, New Jersey

+ NIMPH - Nano Icy Moons Propellant Harvester, Michael VanWoerkom, ExoTerra Resource, LLC of Littleton, Colorado

"The 2016 NIAC Phase I competition was fierce, as usual. All of the final candidates were outstanding, and limiting the choice to what fit in our budget was difficult," said Jason Derleth, NIAC program executive. "We hope each new study will push boundaries and explore new approaches - that's what makes NIAC unique."

NIAC is funded by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, which innovates, develops, tests, and flies hardware for use in NASA's future missions. For more information and a complete list of the selected proposals, and additional information about NIAC, visit here.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Space Technology at NASA
Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
SPACE TRAVEL
New DNA/RNA Tool to Diagnose, Treat Diseases
Greenbelt MD (SPX) Mar 30, 2016
If NASA is going to send astronauts on years-long missions, the agency will need new and better tools to monitor whether the men and women are healthy along the way. One company has developed a tool that could make comprehensive diagnostics at long distances a reality for NASA - and it has big potential to advance medicine on Earth, too. Currently, Earth-based researchers keep track of thi ... read more


SPACE TRAVEL
The Moon thought to play a major role in maintaining Earth's magnetic field

Moon Mission: A Blueprint for the Red Planet

The Lunar Race That Isn't

Earth's moon wandered off axis billions of years ago

SPACE TRAVEL
Help keep heat on Mars Express through data mining

Ancient Mars bombardment likely enhanced life-supporting habitat

Opportunity's Devilish View from on High

Mars Longevity Champion Launched 15 Years Ago

SPACE TRAVEL
Spanish port becomes global 'smart city' laboratory

Silicon Beach: LA tech hub where the sun always shines

New DNA/RNA Tool to Diagnose, Treat Diseases

ASU to develop the next generation science education courseware for NASA

SPACE TRAVEL
China launches SJ-10 retrievable space science probe

Has Tiangong 1 gone rogue

China's 1st space lab Tiangong-1 ends data service

China's aim to explore Mars

SPACE TRAVEL
Russian cargo ship docks successfully with space station

Russia launches cargo ship to space station

Cargo ship reaches space station on resupply run

Unmanned Cygnus cargo ship launches to ISS on resupply run: NASA

SPACE TRAVEL
Orbital ATK receives NASA order for rockets

NASA Progresses Toward SpaceX Resupply Mission to Space Station

SpaceX lands rocket on water platform for first time

SpaceX to launch first cargo since 2015 accident

SPACE TRAVEL
Searching for Far Out and Wandering Worlds

ALMA's most detailed image of a protoplanetary disc

Planet formation in Earth-like orbit around a young star

NASA's Spitzer Maps Climate Patterns on a Super-Earth

SPACE TRAVEL
'Self-healing' plastic could mean better bandages, tougher phone cases

Ruthenium nanoframes open the doors to better catalysts

Artificial molecules

Record-breaking steel could be used for body armor, shields for satellites









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.