NASA has awarded $2.625 million in funding to 15 innovative space technology concepts that could revolutionize our exploration and understanding of the solar system. The NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program supports early-stage ideas from academics, innovators, and entrepreneurs.
The selected concepts include swimming robots for ocean exploration on other worlds, balloons for exploring Venus, black hole research, in-space manufacturing, and more. These projects could lead to significant advancements in space technology and potentially pave the way for future NASA missions or commercialization.
Some of the notable concepts include:
* Sensing with Independent Micro-swimmers (SWIM), which uses tiny robots packed with sensors to explore ocean worlds like Enceladus and Europa.
* Legged Exploration Across the Plume (LEAP), a novel robotic sampling concept designed to hop across Saturn’s ice-covered moon Enceladus.
* Lunar Glass Structure, which involves in-situ melting of lunar glass compounds to create large, spherical habitats.
The total value of the awards is up to $175,000 for each chosen concept, with the possibility of further funding in future phases. The NIAC program aims to invest in unique ideas that can drive innovation and support the nation’s aerospace economy.
These groundbreaking concepts demonstrate NASA’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration and technology.
Source: https://www.space.com/nasa-2025-niac-funded-studies