Through the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, NASA nurtures visionary yet credible concepts that could one day “change the…

Peter CabauyCity Labs, Inc. The NIAC Phase I study confirmed the feasibility of nuclear-micropowered probes (NMPs) using tritium betavoltaic power…

Christine HartzellUniversity of Maryland, College Park The proposed investigation will address key technological challenges associated with a previously funded NIAC…

Alvaro Romero-CalvoGeorgia Tech Research Corporation The reliable and efficient operation of spacecraft life support systems is challenged in microgravity by…

James BickfordCharles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. The Thin-Film Nuclear Engine Rocket (TFINER) is a novel space propulsion technology that enables…

Igor BargatinUniversity of Pennsylvania We propose to use the photophoretic levitation and propulsion mechanism to create no-moving-parts flying vehicles that…

Aaswath Pattabhi RamanUniversity of California, Los Angeles Exploration of Mars has captivated the public in recent decades with high-profile robotic…

Benjamin HockmanNASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory The goal of this effort is to develop a robust and affordable mission architecture that…

One of the keys to a sustainable human presence on distant worlds is using local, or in-situ, resources which includes…