Philip Lubin
University of California
Phase II Overview
The NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program focuses research on futuristic but technically credible concepts that could one day “change the possible” in aerospace.
Description
We propose a system that will allow us to take a significant step towards interstellar exploration using directed energy propulsion combined with wafer scale spacecraft. One of NASA’s goals and one of humanity’s grand challenges is to explore other planetary systems by remote sensing, sending probes, and eventually life to explore. This is a long standing and difficult to implement dream. The technological challenges are formidable. A step in this direction is to send small probes that will supplement the current long range remote sensing done by orbital telescopes.
