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Is the only thing that’s keeping you from leaving Earth and its gazillion problems behind to move to Mars the commute time? Worry not, <keyword id="19935155" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NASA" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="NASA" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="NASA">NASA</keyword>’s got you. NASA has set its sights on six mind-blowing tech concepts that seem ripped straight from science fiction. These visionary ideas, chosen for further development by the <keyword id="21564291" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NIAC" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="NIAC" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="NIAC">NIAC</keyword> (NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts) program, could revolutionise space exploration as we know it. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="A telescope made of liquid" comment="subhead" text="A telescope made of liquid">A telescope made of liquid</cmsannotation> The FLUTE, or Fluidic Telescope, project proposes a massive space observatory that uses special fluids to create its shape, allowing for a much larger viewing area than ever before. This could unlock secrets of distant galaxies and even Earth-like exoplanets. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Need a quicker ride to Mars?" comment="subhead" text="Need a quicker ride to Mars?">Need a quicker ride to Mars?</cmsannotation> The <keyword id="21564286" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pulsed-Plasma-Rocket" source="keywords">Pulsed Plasma Rocket</keyword> might be the answer. This innovative engine uses powerful fission-generated packets of plasma to propel spacecraft, potentially slashing travel times between Earth and other planets. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Mega constellation of satellites" comment="subhead" text="Mega constellation of satellites">Mega constellation of satellites</cmsannotation> The GO-LoW (Great Observatory for Long Wavelengths) project envisions a network of thousands of tiny satellites working together as one giant radio telescope. This could revolutionise our understanding of the early universe and alien worlds. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Solar power gets an upgrade" comment="subhead" text="Solar power gets an upgrade">Solar power gets an upgrade</cmsannotation> The <keyword id="21564288" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Radioisotope-Thermoradiative-Cell" source="keywords">Radioisotope Thermoradiative Cell</keyword> offers a new, potentially more efficient way to power spacecraft. This could be a game-changer for smaller missions venturing far from the sun's rays, like probes exploring the outer reaches of our solar system or rovers scouting the icy moons of Jupiter or Saturn. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Picture a lunar railway!" comment="subhead" text="Picture a lunar railway!">Picture a lunar railway!</cmsannotation> The FLOAT (Flexible Levitation on a Track) project proposes a futuristic transportation system on the Moon. Imagine cargo gliding effortlessly across a track, supporting the construction and daily operations of future lunar bases. This efficient and reliable transport system could ferry supplies and materials around the lunar surface, paving the way for a sustainable human presence on the Moon. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="ScienceCraft takes sails to a whole new level" comment="subhead" text="ScienceCraft takes sails to a whole new level"><keyword id="21564290" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ScienceCraft" source="keywords">ScienceCraft</keyword> takes sails to a whole new level</cmsannotation> Imagine a solar sail unfurling not just to capture the sun's energy for propulsion, but also to gather invaluable scientific data as it journeys past distant objects! This concept involves embedding tiny, quantum dot-based sensors into a solar sail, transforming it into a giant space imager. This lightweight design could send powerful scientific observatories across the solar system at a fraction of the cost. Overall, NASA's vision for the future is looking brighter than ever. John Nelson, who oversees the NIAC program, is impressed by the latest round of futuristic ideas. He sees them as a springboard for groundbreaking discoveries in the years to come. With continued development, these concepts could transform space travel, scientific discovery, and our understanding of the cosmos.

A train on the Moon? NASA’s new space tech includes lunar railways, Martian rockets and more

<ul class="summary-list"><li>NASA aims to send astronauts to Mars by the 2030s. But with current technology, the journey will be years long.</li><li>That's why NASA invested in a new type of rocket that could shorten the trip to just 2 months.</li></ul>NASA has invested $725,000 in a new rocket system that could solve one of the major obstacles standing in our way of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-havent-we-been-to-mars-yet-2024-5">sending humans to Mars</a>: travel time.With current technology, a round-trip to the red planet would take almost two years. For astronauts, spending that much time in spaceflight comes with big health risks.They'd be exposed to high levels of solar and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/high-energy-radiation-hotspot-space-puzzles-astronomers-2024-1">cosmic radiation</a>, the harmful effects of zero-gravity, and a long period of isolation.Space radiation is arguably the biggest threat. Astronauts who spend just six months in space are exposed to roughly the same amount of radiation as 1,000 chest X-rays, and this puts them at risk for cancer, nervous system damage, bone loss, and heart disease, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nasa.gov/technology/tech-transfer-spinoffs/nasa-funded-space-radiation-research-fights-cancer-on-earth">according</a> to NASA.The best way to reduce radiation exposure and other harmful health effects is to shorten the length of the trip, Troy Howe, president of Howe Industries, told Business Insider. That's why he's teamed up with NASA to develop the Pulsed Plasma Rocket (PPR): a new rocket system that could shorten a round-trip to Mars to just two months.This technology "holds the potential to revolutionize space exploration," NASA wrote in a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/niac/niac-studies/pulsed-plasma-rocket-ppr-shielded-fast-transits-for-humans-to-mars/">statement</a>, and could one day take humans even further than Mars.<h2 id="18475c81-b726-408b-9110-d9b28cd633bf">How a rocket could get us to Mars and back in 2 months</h2><div type="image" title="An illustration of the Pulsed Plasma Rocket coasting through space with Earth in the distance" height="1297" width="2310" msid="111671056" hostid="261" sizebytes="118998"></div>The PPR is a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-astronauts-speak-out-boeing-starliner-spaceship-issues-space-station-2024-7">propulsion system</a> that uses pulses of superheated plasma to generate a lot of thrust very efficiently. It's currently in phase two of development, funded by the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program.This phase two study is scheduled to begin this month, and is focused on optimizing the engine design, performing proof-of-concept experiments, and designing a PPR-powered, shielded spaceship for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/space-elevator-pros-cons-japan-design-revolutionize-space-travel-2024-5">human missions to Mars</a>.The big advantage of the PPR is that it can make a spacecraft go really, really fast. It has both a high thrust and high specific impulse. Specific impulse is how quickly a rocket engine generates thrust, and thrust is the force that moves the spacecraft along.The PPR generates 10,000 newtons of thrust at a specific impulse of 5,000 seconds. That means a PPR-equipped spacecraft carrying four to six passengers could travel roughly 100,000 miles per hour, Howe told BI over email.<div type="image" title="mars human exploration" height="5144" width="10224" msid="111671054" hostid="261" sizebytes="2755434"></div>A spacecraft flying that fast would eventually have to slow down to reach its destination. Howe said the company has accounted for the additional energy and propellant this would require to land on Mars.Even after phase two is complete, it will still be about a couple of decades before the PPR is ready to blast astronauts off to the red planet. But once it's available for spaceflight, Howe hopes that this technology will significantly expand the range of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-artemis-accords-deep-space-exploration-moon-mars-asteroids-comets-2020-10">human space exploration</a>, perhaps even aiding missions to Pluto one day."You can pretty much achieve anything you want in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-solar-system-mozart-einstein-37-000-serial-killers-2023-12">solar system</a> once we get this technology running in 20 years," he said.

NASA is investing in a rocket that could get humans to Mars and back in 2 months — and travel at 100,000 mph

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US and China are in a race to develop the most advanced submarines. </li><li>Chinese researchers say they have made a breakthrough in laser propulsion technology that could one day be used on submarines and missiles.</li></ul>Submarines have long been known as the silent hunters of the deep, lurking undetected under the surface.But as sonar systems have improved, minimizing sound on all on board components has become crucial to avoiding detection — not least the mechanical noises of propellers, generators, and nuclear reactor coolant systems that help propel submarines forward.A team of engineers at China's Harbin University claim to have taken a step forward in developing technology that could make submarines almost silent and ultrafast, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3259875/chinese-scientists-close-laser-propulsion-superfast-silent-submarines">South China Morning Post</a> reported.Rather than relying on nuclear or battery power, the scientists say they have found a way to use lasers to propel submarines — known as underwater laser propulsion.Theoretically, submarines could be coated in a web of minuscule optical fibers that emit laser pulses, the scientists wrote in the journal <a target="_blank" href=" https://m.researching.cn/articles/OJe5f22f467839a111">Acta Optica Sinica</a>.The small laser pulses emitted by the fibers would vaporize seawater and generate <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/image-first-supermassive-black-hole-spews-jets-of-plasma-2023-4">plasma</a>, the substance created when gas is heated.In turn, the plasma would expand, creating a detonation wave that would act as an opposite force to the submarine, propelling it forward.<div type="image" title="Lasers submarines propulsion" height="373" width="1049" msid="109665819" hostid="261" sizebytes="15166"></div>A large number of high-powered laser beams positioned around the submarine at various angles could produce nearly 70,000 newtons of thrust and would drive it forward at speeds almost as fast as a commercial jet, according to SCMP.Ge Yang, the leading researcher on the project, said the technology could also be used on underwater missiles or torpedoes, "significantly increasing the underwater range," the outlet reported.<h2>Stealth and speed</h2>The team of scientists say this process would deliver not just speed but enhanced stealth as well.Using lasers may also induce a process known as "supercavitation" — a coating of bubbles forms around an object in water, reducing drag resistance and making it travel faster.This technology has already been used in Russian Shkval torpedoes since the 1970s, using rocket exhaust rather than laser power.<div type="image" title="Submarine shooting missile" height="3001" width="4000" msid="109665821" hostid="261" sizebytes="57048"></div>But Professor Andrew Higgins, who leads a team at McGill University developing laser propulsion technology for space travel, doesn't believe that lasers could be powerful enough to induce this "bubble" effect around torpedos, let alone submarines."Cavitation can be induced on the front of the torpedo by a spike or forward-facing rocket exhaust. I am doubtful a torpedo can carry enough of a power supply to power a laser that would continuously perform this operation," he told Business Insider.And for a laser to produce enough thrust to propel an entire submarine?"I am even more skeptical," Higgins said. "The average overall thrust is low and the jet power cannot exceed the power supply of the laser.""Even with the high efficiencies of today's lasers, this approach would never be as efficient as a propeller, so there is no net propulsive gain."As the SCMP notes, Japanese researchers first proposed this sort of laser propulsion methodology 20 years ago, but for decades the technology has only been able to produce thrust powers of one-millionth of a newton thrust.Controlling the direction of the plasma detonation wave to steer the submarine is another issue.The Chinese researchers say the unique design of the microcavities in the optical fibers has increased the efficiency of thrust and channels the direction of force, according to SCMP.<div type="image" title="Advanced space transportation concepts, such as antimatter, laser propulsion, solar sails and fusion-driven vehicles as shown in this artist's concept could lead to human exploration of the Solar System and beyond." height="1680" width="2100" msid="109665823" hostid="261" sizebytes="65900"></div>However, they admit there are many challenges to overcome before the technology can be applied to submarines.Higgins says they also avoid a key issue in their claim that the technology would reduce noise — cavitation is an "acoustic dead giveaway.""It would not be feasible or desirable to propel a nuclear submarine in this way.""For nuclear submarines, acoustic stealth is the entire purpose, and great effort is expended in avoiding cavitation."<h2>Race to advance military capabilities</h2>While laser propulsion technologies for submarines remain in the theoretical stage for now, the US is locked in a race with China to develop advanced military capabilities.Harbin University, where the researchers are based, is a hub of Chinese military development and is listed as "very high risk/top secret" in Australia's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aspi.org.au/report/china-defence-universities-tracker">China Defense Universities Tracker</a>.According to the tracker, 52% of the university's total research budget was spent on defense research in 2018.China currently operates 60 submarines, compared to the 67 operated by the US. But while US numbers are stagnating, China's submarine count is expected to rise to 80 by 2035.China's navy is numerically the largest in the world, but analysts say it is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-shrinking-china-biggest-fleet-shipbuilding-taiwan-2024-4">not as technologically advanced</a> and lacks experience compared to the US.

Chinese scientists want to use lasers to power ultrafast, stealthy submarines. A laser expert says there's a major flaw in their plan.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Valerii Zaluzhny, in an article in The Economist, described obstacles encountered by Ukraine.</li><li>Russian minefields, which stretch back for more than 12 miles, have been a major challenge, he said.</li></ul>The commander in chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces believes that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mine-clearing-equipment-given-to-ukraine-is-ineffective-commander-says-2023-7?r=US&amp;IR=T">Western supplies of mine-clearing equipment</a> are "insufficient" in the face of Russia's formidable minefields.<a href="https://archive.ph/wNzUa#selection-1041.26-1041.447" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In an article for The Economist, </a>Valerii Zaluzhny, the so-called "Iron General," said Ukraine's war with Russia had become one of "'positional' warfare of static and attritional fighting, as in the First World War."He went on to describe the equipment Ukrainian forces will need to achieve a breakthrough, saying that Ukraine didn't <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mine-clearing-equipment-given-to-ukraine-is-ineffective-commander-says-2023-7?r=US&amp;IR=T">have sufficient mine-clearing equipment. </a>"Even Western supplies, such as Norwegian mine-clearing tanks and rocket-powered mine-clearing devices, have proved insufficient given the scale of Russian minefields, which stretch back 20km (12 miles) in places," Zaluzhny <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraines-iron-general-needs-more-airpower-shatter-russias-lines-2023-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">wrote</a>."When we do breach minefields, Russia quickly replenishes them by firing new mines from a distance."Zaluzhny described the new kinds of technology that could help Ukraine break through the minefields protecting Russian positions in east and south Ukraine."We need radar-like sensors that use invisible pulses of light to detect mines in the ground and smoke-projection systems to conceal the activities of our de-mining units," he said."We can use jet engines from decommissioned aircraft, water cannons or cluster munitions to breach mine barriers without digging into the ground. New types of tunnel excavators, such as a robot which uses plasma torches to bore tunnels, can also help."Ukraine launched its much-anticipated counteroffensive to drive Russian forces from east and south Ukraine in the summer.But Ukraine's military encountered Russian forces dug into heavily fortified positions protected by miles of minefields, and has not made a conclusive breakthrough. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mine-clearing-equipment-given-to-ukraine-is-ineffective-commander-says-2023-7?r=US&amp;IR=T">In July, Ukrainian military officials told The Washington Post</a> that Western-supplied de-mining equipment was slow, noisy, and could easily be destroyed by Russian forces. At the time, a Ukrainian official told the Post that it had only received around 15% of the specialist de-mining equipment it had requested from Western allies. A US official responded that it would provide all the equipment requested, but there were problems providing it on the scale requested in a timely way.

Ukraine's 'Iron General' says Western supplies of mine-clearing equipment are 'insufficient' to achieve a breakthrough against Russia

<ul class="summary-list"><li>India's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moon-cube-discovered-by-chinese-rover-is-just-a-rock-2022-1">moon rover</a> made its first scientific observation near the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-moon-landings-on-lunar-south-pole-crashed-2023-8">lunar south pole</a>.</li><li>The 57-pound rover is called Pragyaan — a Hindu name meaning one who possesses wisdom.</li></ul><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/watch-india-attempt-first-ever-moon-landing-2023-8">India made history</a> by becoming the first country to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-plans-send-humans-to-moon-celebrates-lunar-probe-success-2023-8">land successfully</a> near the lunar south pole. And its lunar rover wasted no time in rolling out to make its first scientific observations. On Tuesday, the Indian Space Research Organization announced on its website that the moon rover had <a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/LIBSResults.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> the presence of sulphur. And preliminary analyses also suggest the presence of aluminum, calcium, iron, chromium, and titanium. Suffice it to say, the rover's been busy. This adorable rover is called Pragyaan — a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/oppenheimer-famous-quote-become-death-destroyer-worlds-from-hindu-scripture-2023-7">Hindu</a> name meaning one who possesses greater knowledge and wisdom.Pragyaan weighs 57 pounds, about the size of a small German shepherd or bull terrier, and it's spending two weeks driving <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-moon-landings-on-lunar-south-pole-crashed-2023-8">where no robot or human has been before</a>.Pragyaan's science could be critical for learning how to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-scientists-discover-moons-hidden-water-stores-2020-10">mine moon water</a> — a goal every moon-minded nation is eyeing.The rover may be small and cute, but India's new moon mission "definitely puts them on the international stage as an emerging space power," Robert Braun, head of space exploration at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, told Insider.<h2>What will India's moon rover do next?</h2>It's equipped with a laser and an alpha-particle beam to help it study the composition of the lunar south pole region, which is of particular interest.<div type="image" title="Image of India's moon lander and rover in lab on Earth." height="483" width="725" msid="102996626" hostid="261"></div>The lunar south pole is thought to be the most <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/moon-south-pole-has-more-than-water-according-to-nasa-scientists/articleshow/70356565.cms">water-rich region on the moon</a>. That's critical since water ice could be mined to produce breathable oxygen for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-artemis-humans-to-live-moon-by-2030-says-official-2022-11">future crewed lunar bases</a>, as well as hydrogen and oxygen for rocket fuel that could propel <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/buzz-aldrin-moon-should-be-launch-pad-for-mars-2018-6">future missions to Mars</a> and beyond.The rover will also use its RAMBHA and ILSA payloads on board to study the lunar atmosphere as well as dig up samples for additional analysis of the surface's composition, per <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/chandrayaan-3-rover-will-leave-a-mark-of-india-on-moon-surface/articleshow/101765194.cms?from=mdr">Times of India</a>.But it was the rover's Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) instrument that ultimately made the first-ever measurements of the lunar south pole region's composition, ISRO reported. The laser fires intense pulses at the lunar surface, which generates an extremely hot plasma.That's where a trick of physics comes in handy: Each element on the periodic table emits a unique set of wavelengths of light. Scientists can study the light from the plasma to identify those wavelength sets and determine the chemical make-up of the stuff on the moon.<h2>A moment for the history books</h2>India is the fourth country — after Russia, the US, and China — to land on the moon."It's a huge achievement for the whole nation," Braun said. "Last time they got to the playoffs, if you will, and this time they won the Super Bowl.""Everyone in the space community is joining with the nation of India, and their talented engineers and scientists, and celebrating their success and this achievement," he added.Correction: August 28, 2023 — An earlier version of this article misstated Robert Braun's title. He is head of space exploration at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, not head of a Space Exploration Center there. This story has been updated. It was originally published on August 23, 2023.Editor's note September 1, 2023: This article has been updated to clarify that India's spacecraft landed in the lunar south pole region, not on the point of the lunar south pole.

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A train on the Moon? NASA’s new space tech includes lunar railways, Martian rockets and more

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NASA is investing in a rocket that could get humans to Mars and back in 2 months — and travel at 100,000 mph

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Chinese scientists want to use lasers to power ultrafast, stealthy submarines. A laser expert says there's a major flaw in their plan.

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Ukraine's 'Iron General' says Western supplies of mine-clearing equipment are 'insufficient' to achieve a breakthrough against Russia

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India's adorable, dog-sized moon rover did its first science on the moon by shooting powerful laser beams at the surface

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