Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Graphic depiction of Mars Aerial and Ground Global Intelligent Explorer (MAGGIE) Image credit:
Ge-Cheng Zha

Be it returning samples from the surface of Venus to propelling a swarm of tiny spacecraft to Proxima Centauri – there’s a big high-tech future out there, big enough to think about never-done-before types of exploration.

Graphic depiction of Sample Return from the Surface of Venus.
Image credit: Geoffrey Landis

The NIAC (NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts) program fosters pioneering ideas by funding early-stage technology concept studies for future consideration and potential commercialization.

Never short on wild ideas, NASA has selected the 2024 Phase I awardees for its NIAC program.

Graphic depiction of a lunar long-baseline optical imaging interferometer: Artemis-enabled Stellar Imager (AeSI).
Image credit: Kenneth Carpenter

NIAC-funding can help transform future agency missions. From proposals to explore low Earth orbit to the stars, the 13 concepts chosen stem from companies and institutions across the United States.

For more information on the newly-selected awardees, go to:

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/funding-future-tech-nasa-names-2024-innovative-concept-studies/