Pushing The Envelope 57
FWMiller sent us this gem: "Was cruising around NASA's pages and found this list of studies that have been funded by the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC). Interested in what might be coming down the pipe in the way of new propulsion and vehicle concepts? This page lists links to a few of 'em." I thought the one titled 'A Realistic Interstellar Explorer' was cool.
Server seems to be broken (Score:1)
Re:Really? What would you have said in 1903? (Score:2)
But look at what happened, the few (Orville and Wilbur) proved the many WRONG. And they got to have a cool ride on a very unsafe aircraft.
Re:This looks cool (Score:1)
--
Re:Here's to the dreamers! (Score:1)
What is this Flame bait? and how is this Flame Bait?
I am so confused.
Re:Intelligent Satellite Teams for Space Systems (Score:2)
--
Re:Really? What would you have said in 1903? (Score:1)
Re:well... (Score:1)
Derek
Re:Wonderfull! But what if©©© (Score:1)
Re:The real link (Score:1)
Re:well... (Score:1)
I haven't had a chance to read the article (the server is still /. ed), but what would they use to create the plasma toroid? Making plasma takes a lot of energy.
Roland
You ain't seen ``wild'' yet. (-: (Score:1)
Re:The real link (Score:1)
Re:The problem is different (Score:1)
Sounds like what Al Gore tried to do...
In 2 years instead of 20 years (Score:1)
All that cool stuff that NASA proposes is 20 years away. That's what NASA does. It captures the American fascination with gadgets and then gets Congress to fund our collective technology jones.
If you want to see what can be done in 2 years instead of 20, take a look at what we're doing at TGV Rockets [tgv-rockets.com]. When we're fully funded, our reusable, suborbital rockets will open the door to cheap access to space. I'm talking about $1000 per kilogram instead of the $20000 per kilogram you pay today.
G. Harry Stine wrote about Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) rockets taking us half way to anywere [amazon.com]. Making reusable, suborbital rockets first is the baby step we absolutely must take before we can achieve SSTO and then the stars.
Re:The more immediate future? (Score:1)
Re:This looks cool (Score:1)
--
Re:Not on the list... (Score:1)
Very cool (Score:2)
--
Waning or Pushing? (Score:1)
More than meets the eye (Score:5)
"Self-Transforming Robotic Planetary Explorers"
Autobots or Decepticons?
The more immediate future keeps changing (Score:2)
Right now Mars missions are difficult enough that they often go wrong -- but we're also doing them for a tiny fraction of what we were spending twenty years ago. We are basically keeping reliability constant (if not actually reducing it) and accepting the cost advantage.
Someday it will be only as difficult to mount an interstellar mission as it is now to send one to Mars; we'll only know that when the fact becomes apparent because of the ongoing feasibility studies.
---
The problem is different (Score:3)
Re:well... (Score:2)
Wonderfull! But what if... (Score:5)
2001: A Space OS
"Houston... we have a problem..."
"UNSS Gagarin, this is Houston. What is the nature of the problem?"
"Well... I know we are supposed to be on a mission to Proxima Centauri, but..."
"But what?"
"Well, our HalNT 9000 computer bluescreened just between the orbits of Neptune and Pluto."
"So... just reboot the damn thing and get back on the mission!"
"It's not that simple Houston. Our friend Astronaut Sam decided to fix it by loading Linux on the computer."
"WHAT?"
"Yeah. Everything is working fine now, but we're going to need someone down their to get us a device driver for the ship's dueterium fuel tanks... and the drive motors... and if you could get us drivers for the life support systems we would really appreciate it. The sooner the better on those life support systems."
"Oh... My... God..."
"Exactly. Dave forgot to check the Hardware Compatibility List before loading it up... I guess the ship's hardware is all proprietary. Needless to say, we have trapped Dave in the airlock. Want us to let him breathe vacuum?"
"Only if someone else has the root password."
"Oooo! Good point. Ummm, by the way, is the new 2.4 kernel out? We could sure use some help with these USB peripherals also."
"Okay Major Tom... you and your boys sit tight. We'll get our team down here working on a solution..."
Re:More than meets the eye (Score:1)
Re:The real link (Score:1)
Re:This looks cool (Score:1)
Take the hydrogen collected into the front of your rocket, feed it through a fusion reactor, then shoot the hot exhaust out the back end of the rocket...
Re:Really? What would you have said in 1903? (Score:1)
.technomancer
Re:Really? (Score:2)
As to this being science fiction, well it can't rightly be fiction if it is under study RIGHT NOW, now can it? Besides, none of the projects listed are beyond our current understanding of physics and engineering. They arent on the lunatic fringe, they are only on the fringe of what what lies within the range of easy science and established expectations. The goals of the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (gasp! did you fail to realize the meaning of that? ADVANCED CONCEPTS, repeat 10 times times loud) are stated thus [usra.edu].
To quote:
While the NIAC seeks concepts which stretch the imagination, these concepts should be based on sound scientific principles. Now is your time to dream and stretch your imagination. The "Dreams" supported through the NIAC funding can be the framework for future NASA missions and programs. Advanced concept proposals should be aimed well beyond the evolution technical challenges that occupy current programs and set new, revolutionary directions in aeronautics and space. We are seeking advanced concepts, specifically systems and architectures, that are indeed "Grand" and revolutionary, and which will expand our vision of future possibilities.
Sheesh.
Derek
Pendulum Swinging (Score:1)
Reading the stuffs on NASA gets me into thinking along the line of the last
Looking at the effort by NASA, if we take a micro view, we can talk about "new propulsion" and stuffs like that, BUT, if we take the macro view, we'd see that it's the accumulation of the micro-stuffs like new propulsion systems that will propel us beyond the existing frontiers, and when that is reach, we will see that the pendulum swings back again, and there'd be many more new things to explore, and it'd be kinda like the "Columbus discover New Continent" thing all over again.
Ugh... the server crashed ! (Score:1)
All I get is a whole long list of java error messages !
I think there's a server crash somewhere !
Re:Intelligent Satellite Teams for Space Systems (Score:1)
Yes and no. If a nano satellite got whacked, it'd be disastrous for that satellite. But there are two things to consider:
It's a lot harder to hit a teeny satellite with a teeny grain of dust than it is to hit, for example, the ISS.
Nanosatellites would be sent up, not singly, but in their thousands (m/billions?). So if you lose one, or ten, or a hundred, it's no biggie.
/.ed again (Score:1)
DDoS...
So is this "plasmaware?" (Score:2)
Re:The real link (Score:1)
Re:well... (Score:1)
I was really intrigued by that one. Take a plasma toroid, superheat air by funnelling it through a "jet engine" encompassing the toroid, and blast the superheated air out the back. Instead of using burning jet fuel to heat the air, you are using the plasma toroid. No burning fossil fuels, no fuels to blow up in an accident, no emmisions to pollute the atmosphere. WAY cool stuff.
Derek
Re:Here's to the dreamers! (Score:1)
_________________________________
why dorothy, you killed her! (Score:1)
wow... (Score:1)
Sadly, all I'm reading is a really long lsit of...
Internal Servlet Error:
javax.servlet.ServletException: JZ006: Caught IOException: java.io.IOException: Broken pipe
at...
at...
at...
at...
(it goes on for a while)
At least I'm not in space. If I was in space and saw this, I'd probably mess myself.
"Commander, er, the life support system threw an exception and crashed spectacularily. It says here we have a broken pipe..."
----------
Re:Really? What would you have said in 1903? (Score:1)
That's friggin hilarious! (Score:1)
Re:Intelligent Satellite Teams for Space Systems (Score:1)
Re:Wow. Science fiction writers would be happy. (Score:1)
///Peter
-- "The sure-fire cure for seasickness is to sit under a tree." --Spike Milligan
Wow. Science fiction writers would be happy. (Score:2)
Intelligent Satellite Teams for Space Systems (Score:2)
Re:well... (Score:1)
The real link (Score:2)
------------
This looks cool (Score:1)
And what are the Bussard ramjets? IIRCWIPD all a Bussard collector is a assemblage that collects spaceborne hydrogen atoms.
But why call it a Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion? If it pushes limits of magnetic field limits?
Just my untrained programmer mind thinking, I'll go back to reading the OpenGL Blue Book.
-snip-
The Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion, M2P2, system provides a revolutionary means for spacecraft propulsion that can efficiently utilize the energy from solar plasma to accelerate payloads to much higher speeds than can be attained by present chemical (oxidizing) propulsion systems. The system utilizes an innovative configuration of existing technology based on well-established principles of plasma physics. It has the potential of providing low cost propulsion that could power an Interstellar Probe, as well as a manned mission to Mars. The M2P2 system utilizes low energy plasma to inflate a magnetic field beyond the typical scale lengths that can be supported by a standard solenoid magnetic field coil. In space, the inflated magnetic field can be used to reflect high-speed (400 - 1000 km/s) solar wind particles to attain unprecedented acceleration for power input of only a few kW, which can be achieved by solar electric units. Our initial estimates for a minimum system could provide a typical thrust of about 3 Newton continuous (0.6 MW of continuous power), with a specific impulse of 104 to 105 seconds) to produce an increase in speed of about 30 km/s in a period of 3 months. Proposed optimization could allow the development of a system that increases the acceleration level obtained with less expenditure of fuel. The optimized system could enable a mission that would leave the solar system.
-snip-
Really? (Score:1)
SHIELD: A Comprehensive Earth Protection System
Biologically Inspired Robot for Space Operations (Data?)
Self-Organized Navigation Control for Manned and Unmanned Vehicles in Space Colonies
Development of Self-Sustaining Mars Colonies Utilizing the North Polar Cap and the Martian Atmosphere (Really?)
Yeah... I think I will believe this when I see it. I suppose these must be some really long term studies.
The more immediate future? (Score:1)
I'm not criticising (long-range plans are a good thing), just curious.
My mom is not a Karma whore!
Re:The problem is different (Score:2)
When NASA was proposing to go to the moon and actually planning it, they instituted the second and perhaps one of the best examples of the triumph of Systems Engineering as a development tool. One of the interesting features of it was that inventions had to be put on the schedule and were critical to the timely success of the mission.
So they are old hands at planning for things like the sail.
Oh, the first instance of Systems Engineering? Nuclear-tipped ICBMs. It was invented for just that purpose.
Re:The more immediate future? (Score:1)
.technomancer
Re:well... (Score:3)
reminds me of that sci-fi story in which an expedition of cryo-suspended people wake up at their destination and find people already there because along the way they were passed by faster, more advanced ships.
Re:well... (Score:1)
--Kevin
Here's to the dreamers! (Score:4)
Topics include
Advanced Power - Advanced Propulsion - Aeronautics Platforms - Asteroid Detection - Astronomy - Biology - Communication - Earth Science Platforms - In-Situ Utilization - Planetary Colonization - Robotics - Satellite Teams - Software
I like this specific abstract in the software section:
Wow, what a project!Re:The more immediate future? (Score:1)
Not on the list... (Score:1)
Error: 500
Location: /studies/study_main.jsp
Internal Servlet Error:
javax.servlet.ServletException: JZ006: Caught IOException: java.io.IOException: Broken pipe at org.apache.jasper.runtime.PageContextImpl.handlePa geException(PageContextImpl.java:386)
at studies._0002fstudies_0002fstudy_0005fmain_0002ejs pstudy_0005fmain_jsp_0._jspService(_0002fstudies_0 002fstudy_0005fmain_0002ejspstudy_0005fmain_jsp_0. java:104)
at org.apache.jasper.runtime.HttpJspBase.service(Http JspBase.java:126)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet .java:853)
at org.apache.jasper.runtime.JspServlet$JspServletWra pper.service(JspServlet.java:174)
at org.apache.jasper.runtime.JspServlet.serviceJspFil e(JspServlet.java:261)
at org.apache.jasper.runtime.JspServlet.service(JspSe rvlet.java:369)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet .java:853)
at org.apache.tomcat.core.ServletWrapper.handleReques t(ServletWrapper.java:503)
at org.apache.tomcat.core.ContextManager.service(Cont extManager.java:559)
at org.apache.tomcat.service.connector.Ajp12Connectio nHandler.processConnection(Ajp12ConnectionHandler. java:156)
at org.apache.tomcat.service.TcpWorkerThread.run(Pool TcpEndpoint.java:366)
at org.apache.tomcat.util.ThreadPool$ControlRunnable. run(ThreadPool.java:411)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:484)