The NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program nurtures visionary ideas that could transform future NASA missions with the creation of breakthroughs— radically better or entirely new aerospace concepts — while engaging America's innovators and entrepreneurs as partners in the journey. NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) nurtures new ideas in space technology.
In my last post, I discussed plans to use native materials and additives from Earth to create bricks that could be used to construct habitats on the Moon and Mars. There are a number of different ideas for the construction of habitats on the Moon.
One of the many challenges of constructing buildings in space is that it will require cost-effective building materials generated on site. It would be prohibitively expensive to be launching bricks and mortar into space.
Hall thrusters are a form of electronic propulsion known as ion thrusters being developed for satellites and spacecraft. Ion thrusters work by accelerating ionized particles of gas like xenon using a magnetic field. They have conventionally been used to adjust the orbit of satellites in Earth orbit.
I have posted several times about the problems of increasing space debris in Earth orbit. There are multiple private space companies currently working on a variety of systems to clear space debris from Earth orbit.
Part 2 of 2 Parts (Please read Part 1 first)
Part 1 of 2 Parts
In 2022, fans of space exploration witnessed the long-awaited first test flight of NASA’s lunar Space Launch System rocket. This year could see even more action at the launch pad as a bunch of new rockets make their debut.
Space junk is a very real problem. It might seem implausible that the space around the Earth is actually getting too cluttered with junk, but, nonetheless, it is true. There are thousands of tons of old spacecraft, defunct satellites, and bits and pieces of manmade trash orbiting our planet. That material poses a some very real risks to future missions.
I have posted about rotating detonation propulsion systems before. There has been ongoing research that needs an update. Explosions get more energy out of a given amount of fuel than simple combustion. However, your engine must be able to withstand the stress. NASA believes that the rotating detonation engine (RDE) could be the future of deep space missions.
Multiple uncrewed lunar landings are planned for the next twelve months. They are spurred by a renewed effort in the U.S. to return humans to the lunar surface later this decade. Both private space companies and national agencies are set to make the two hundred- and forty-thousand-mile voyage to our celestial neighbor. They will test landing capabilities, look for usable water ice, and more.
