Have you ever wondered . . .
When can we build something like the futuristic spacecraft shown above?
Have you ever wondered when we will be able to travel to distant stars as easily as in science fiction stories? NASA Glenn'sMarc Millis (pictured above), who has taken a break from Project Management for NASA's Breakthrough Propulsion Physics (BPP) Project to return to conducting research, offers this assessment of the prospects for achieving the propulsion breakthroughs that would enable such far-future visions of interstellar travel.
This web site focuses on the propulsion related issues, explaining the challenges of interstellar travel, existing propulsion ideas, and the possibilities emerging from scientific literature that may one day provide the desired breakthroughs. To simplify the presentation for the general public, analogies to familiar science fiction are used. This site is intended for public audiences, whereas researchers might want to check out the Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Project web site.
Before we begin to look the answers, we need to define the problem. Let's start by looking at just how big the challenge is and the radical breakthroughs that will be required.
A list of relevant books, articles, etc. with Marc's notes and comments.
In October 1995, Telarc International sampled sounds at 14 locations across NASA Glenn that served as the raw material to create "Symphonic Star Trek" -- a collection of the series' most memorable music and sound effects.
