These NASA-Funded Projects Could Change The Future Of Space And Technology In 2023
NASA has announced the visionary projects shortlisted for the 2023 batch of its Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, which supports ideas that aim to transform space travel and related projects in the near future. The space agency has selected a total of 14 entries during the first phase of its 2023 NIAC fellowship, which bestows a grant worth $175,000 for each project.
Among them is the Lunar South Pole Oxygen Pipeline (L-SPoP), the brainchild of Peter Curreri from Houston-based Lunar Resources. The idea is to build an oxygen pipeline on the moon’s south pole. The initial proposal is to build a pipeline that runs for about three miles, transporting the valuable gas from an extraction site to a storage region like a lunar base. Meanwhile, a cool concept from the University of Florida, called Bimodal NTP/NEP with a Wave Rotor Topping Cycle, is working on a propulsion tech that could move astronauts from Earth to Mars in just 45 days, according to NASA.
That is joined by another project titled “Biomineralization-Enabled Self-Growing Building Blocks for Habitat Outfitting on Mars.” The core premise is that instead of shipping prefabricated building material from Earth to Mars, scientists can use fungi and bacteria to produce biominerals and biopolymers on the Red Planet’s surface by binding together the Martian regolith. “These self-growing building blocks can later be assembled into various structures, such as floors, walls, partitions, and furniture,” the project overview on NASA’s website explains.
These NASA-Funded Projects Could Change The Future Of Space And Technology In 2023
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