Theregister
8 months agoOMG science
NASA funds 13 futuristic technologies for space missions
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. [ more ]