Printable spacecraft may flutter down on alien worlds
April 27, 2012
This artist's conception illustrates Kepler-22b, a planet known to comfortably circle in the habitable zone of a sun-like star (credit: NASA/Ames/JPL-Caltech)
The onslaught of ultra-tiny technology is giving rise to the idea of “printable spacecraft” consisting of electronic circuits, power generation, sensing, fluid handling, propulsion, telecommunications and mobility subsystems — all integrated onto a single substrate, Leonard David at Innovation News Daily reports.
The project, if successful, could allow scientists to one day pepper other worlds with atmospheric “flutterflyers” as well as “flutterlanders” — devices the size of postage stamps or confetti that reach a surface imbued with sensor smarts.
Research on the notion of printable spacecraft is being scoped out under the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program — one of many novel space initiatives detailed late last month at a NIAC symposium in Pasadena, Calif.
“Flat-sheet spacecraft” with printed chemical sensors can be deployed high above a target world and flutter to the surface like a leaf, eliminating the need for large and complex landing systems. The spacecraft would see a low-G impact at touchdown.
Balloons sent to drift in far-off planetary atmospheres could sport a veneer of printable electronics. Similarly, solar sails could carry printed spacecraft subsystems emblazoned across their large, outstretched sails.
NIAC announced Wednesday April 25 that it is seeking proposals to continue cutting-edge studies for which it has supported the first phase. — Ed.
Comments (8)
by Jonathan Cole
We could test these by spreading a billion of them across the Greenland ice sheet and collecting real time temp and movement data.
by melajara
Congrats for yet another form of pollution. Or are they also biodegradable?
by melajara
In the mean time NASA is testing it’s J-2X engine.
It means NO PROGRESS in propulsion technology for more than 40 years!!!
Will we have to wait for the singularity to propel real progress in that crucial matter?
by flyonawall
The ‘fluttercraft’ may already be here. Ultra hi-tech right under our noses. The further we proceed down the tech path, the more it starts to look like we are already someone/something else’s “visionary advanced tech.”
by mindreleaser
I was thinking this too, then thought “Nay, they wouldn’t provide seeds (xenonucleic acids, RNA, whatever) that would take 4 billion years to blossom.” Only evolution would do this.
by Anonymous
Wow. And all we have to do is figure out how to get the darn things to another planet – along with all of the raw materials needed to “print” the things or the autonomous robotic miners, smelters, etc. needed to produce the raw materials to be used in the printing process. Hopefully the things will be a bit more autonomous than Spirit and Opportunity on Mars.
I just wonder if we can get that done before the temperature rises 6C. Maybe we should solve that problem first.
by KS
We are 7 billion on this planet. Surely we can multitask…
I find it incredibly inane when people reply to tech news with things like “oh they should focus on solving X and Y problems first”, where x and y are in completely unrelated areas of research, or not even areas of research.
by flyonawall
Well said!