NIACProgram
TFINER – Thin Film Isotope Nuclear Engine Rocket
TFINER – Thin Film Isotope Nuclear Engine Rocket The TFINER (Thin Film Isotope Nuclear Engine Rocket) is a novel space propulsion technology that enables aggressive space exploration by directly generating thrust from thin layers of energetic radioisotopes. The propulsion system can generate velocity changes of up to ~100 km/s using a few kilograms of fuel, […]
💻 Technology
Photophoretic Propulsion Enabling Mesosphere Exploration
Photophoretic Propulsion Enabling Mesosphere Exploration Photophoretic Propulsion Enabling Mesosphere Exploration (PPEMSE) is a NASA-funded concept that aims to explore Earth’s upper atmosphere using no-moving-parts flying vehicles. The concept utilizes photophoretic levitation and propulsion, which creates lift in structures that absorb light on the bottom yet stay cool on the top, maximizing payload capabilities. The proposed […]
🔬 Science
Breathing Beyond Earth: A Reliable Oxygen Production Architecture for Human Space Exploration
Breathing Beyond Earth: A Reliable Oxygen Production Architecture for Human Space Exploration Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a novel water-splitting architecture called Magnetohydrodynamic Oxygen Generation Assembly (MOGA) to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas bubbles in microgravity, avoiding complex multiphase flow management technologies. The MOGA system leverages contactless magnetohydrodynamic forces to achieve operational advantages such […]
💻 Technology
Addressing Key Challenges To Mapping Sub-cm Orbital Debris in LEO via Plasma Soliton Detection
Addressing Key Challenges To Mapping Sub-cm Orbital Debris in LEO via Plasma Soliton Detection Researchers are developing a new approach to detect sub-cm orbital debris in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) using plasma soliton detection, which could provide a breakthrough in space situational awareness. The proposed investigation aims to address two key technical challenges: developing an […]
💻 Technology