NDLI: Precursor missions to interstellar exploration

Content Provider	IEEE Xplore Digital Library
Author	Wallace, R.A.
Copyright Year	1999
Description	Author affiliation: Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Technol., Pasadena, CA, USA (Wallace, R.A.)
Abstract	This paper summarizes material developed over a three-month period by a JPL team of mission architects/analysts and advanced technology developers for presentation to NASA Headquarters in the summer of 1998. A preliminary mission roadmap is suggested that leads to the exploration of star systems within 40 Light years of our Solar System. The precursor missions include technology demonstrations as well as missions that return significant new knowledge about the space environment reached. Three propulsion technology candidates are selected on the basis of allowing eventual travel to the nearest star taking 10 years. One of the three propulsion technologies has a near term version applicable to early missions (prior to 2010)-the solar sail. Using early sail missions other critical supporting technologies can be developed that will later enable Interstellar travel. Example precursor missions are sail demonstration missions, including a solar storm warning mission demonstrating a simple sail, a solar polar imaging mission using an intermediate sail, and a 200-AU Heliosphere Explorer mission using an advanced solar sail. Missions later than these on the roadmap will require types of fusion propulsion, antimatter-matter annihilation propulsion, or enhancements to the sail technology to propel spacecraft to the stars in the relatively short trip times desired. The sail enhancement envisioned at this time uses an Earth-based laser in what is termed as a beamed-energy approach. Mission and technology strategy, science return, and potential mission spin-offs are described.
Starting Page	413
Ending Page	420
File Size	828683
Page Count	8
File Format	PDF
ISBN	0780354257
DOI	10.1109/AERO.1999.794348
Language	English
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Publisher Date	1999-03-07
Publisher Place	USA
Access Restriction	Subscribed
Rights Holder	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Subject Keyword	Space technology Propulsion NASA Solar system Space exploration Space missions Storms Space vehicles Laser fusion Laser theory
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

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