NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program Archives

Actively steerable Femtosat constellations 0
- NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program, NIAC Studies, Research and Technology Mission Directorate, SCIENCE, Science / Health, Science Mission Directorate, scientists, Space, Space Communications & Navigation Program, Space Launch System (SLS), Space Telescope, space-x-ipo, SpaceX
- July 22, 2026
Miguel RubensteinNorthwestern University, Chicago We propose a mission to use ~10,000 actively steerable femtosats to map the ring composition, atmospheric composition and density, and distribution of Saturn’s magnetic field. Conducting in situ studies of Saturn’s rings with a single flagship mission, such as Cassini, would carry an unacceptably high risk of mission failure due to
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Photophoretic tracers 0
- NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program, NIAC Studies, Research and Technology Mission Directorate, SCIENCE, Science / Health, Science Mission Directorate, scientists, Space, Space Communications & Navigation Program, Space Launch System (SLS), Space Technology Mission Directorate, Space Telescope, space-x-ipo, SpaceX
- July 22, 2026
Benjamin SchäferRare Technologies, Inc. We propose a new approach for atmospheric sensing at altitudes of 30 to 100 km using photophoretically levitating tracers. These lightweight structures take advantage of sunlight to remain suspended for up to months at controlled altitudes and can be tracked remotely using lidar or satellite radar. Unlike natural sprays, these tracers
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Robotically Assembled Electromagnetic Metamaterials 0
- NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program, NIAC Studies, Research and Technology Mission Directorate, SCIENCE, Science / Health, Science Mission Directorate, scientists, Space, Space Communications & Navigation Program, Space Launch System (SLS), Space Telescope, space-x-ipo, SpaceX
- July 21, 2026
David BlacksmithDuke University The growing population of space vehicles and satellites motivates increasingly powerful technologies for space situational awareness (SSA). While the US Space Surveillance Network (SSN) can monitor objects up to approximately four inches in size using, for example, the latest space fence upgrade, associated requirements limit implementation to ground-based tracking of objects in
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Pablo Sobron SanchezSETI Institute This proposal explores a new class of survey spacecraft that maps minerals from orbit using Raman spectroscopy during high-speed flybys, without landing, sample return, or prolonged dwell. If feasible, this concept would allow NASA to evaluate ice and ilmenite on the Moon, mineral content on asteroids, and volatile minerals on the

Precision astrometry 0

Pablo StankusBrookhaven Scientific Associates The scientific objective is to enable a new method to observe gravitational waves at low frequencies, based on the GW astrometric signature: gravitational waves passing through the Earth will cause a (very small) coordinated apparent movement of all celestial objects. Our innovation is to implement a new approach for precision astrometry