NASA is funding 13 ambitious projects that could potentially lead to space missions, ranging from signs of life on Mars to exploring a nearby exoplanet with swarming spacecraft.
The projects are part of the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NAIC) program, which supports innovative ideas that go beyond the agency's near-term plans.
One project aims to send minuscule spacecraft powered by light-sails to a nearby star using lasers, while another project aims to fly the first fixed-wing vehicle on Mars.