{"id":484761,"date":"2026-07-22T01:30:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T15:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=980788"},"modified":"2026-07-22T01:30:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T15:30:15","slug":"niac-2026-selections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=484761","title":{"rendered":"NIAC 2026 Selections"},"content":{"rendered":"
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2 min read<\/p>\n

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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A collage of artist concepts highlighting the novel approaches proposed by the 2026 NIAC awardees for possible future missions.<\/div>\n
NASA\/Left to Right: Keunhan Park, Michael Rubenstein, Austin\u00a0Phoenix, Benjamin Schafer, A.C. Charania, Gilly Elor, Pablo\u00a0Sobron, Marco Quadrelli, Daniel Drew, Saptarshi Bandyopadhyay, Jeff Nosanov, Anish Damodaran\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Phase I<\/h2>\n

Saptarshi<\/strong> Bandyopadhyay<\/strong>
Dimming the Sun (DimSun) Using Controllable Dust Cloud to Reduce Solar Insolation<\/a>
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory<\/em>
Pasadena, CA 91109-8001
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

David Bugby<\/strong>
Combinatory Architecture offering Neomobility, on-Venus Adaptability, and Survivability (CANVAS)<\/a>
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory<\/em>
Pasadena, CA 91109-8001
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

Anish<\/strong> Damodaran<\/strong>
PS21: Transforming Submillimeter Space Interferometry with Photonic Technologies<\/a>
University of Central Florida<\/em>
Orlando, FL \u00a032826-2933
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

Artur<\/strong><\/strong> Davoyan<\/strong>
Coilable Stacked Solar Sails for Very High delta-V Missions<\/a>
University of California<\/em>
Los Angeles, CA 90024-0001
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

A.C. Charania<\/strong>
EARENDIL: Extended Astronaut Radioisotope-EVA in Nighttime and Deep-space Icy Landscapes<\/a>
Zeno Power Systems, Inc.<\/em>
Washington, DC 20001-3701
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

Daniel<\/strong> Drew<\/strong>
Solid-state Propulsion for Autonomous Reconnaissance of Karst (SPARK)<\/a>
University of Hawaii<\/em>
Honolulu, HI 96822-2303
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

Gilly Elor<\/strong>
Power-over-Fiber to Enable a Lunar Underground eXplorer (LUX)<\/a>
Stone Aerospace, Inc.<\/em>
Del Valle, TX 78617-3017
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

Zhaoyan<\/strong> Liu<\/strong>
Quantum Wind Lidar Applications for Planetary and Earth Science Missions<\/a>
NASA Ames Research Center<\/em>
Moffett Field, CA 94034-0001
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

Jeff<\/strong> Nosanov<\/strong>
OBLIVIAN: Observing Black hole LIght Via Intensity cOrrelatioN<\/a>
Orbital Velocity, LLC<\/em>
Decatur, GA 30033-4151
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

Keunhan<\/strong> Park<\/strong>
Plasmon-Enhanced Radioisotope Thermophotovoltaic (PRTPV) Power Generation for Interstellar Missions<\/a>
University of Utah<\/em>
Salt Lake City 84112-1109
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

Austin<\/strong> Phoenix<\/strong>
ECLIPSE – Efficient variable Conductivity Lunar Insulator for Passive Surveyor Environmental Control<\/a>
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State<\/em>
University, Blacksburg, VA 24060-5605
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

Marco<\/strong> Quadrelli<\/strong>
PRAXIS: Planetary Rings Autonomous EXploration with In-situ Sampling<\/a>
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory<\/em>
Pasadena, CA 91109-8001
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

Michael<\/strong> Rubenstein<\/strong>
Actively Steerable Femtosat Constellations for In-situ Exploration of Saturn’s Rings, Atmosphere, and Magnetosphere<\/a>
Northwestern University<\/em>
Chicago Evanston, IL 60208-0001
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

Benjamin<\/strong> Schafer<\/strong>
Photophoretic Tracers for Near-Space Remote Sensing at 30-100 km Altitudes<\/a>
University of California<\/em>
Los Angeles, CA 90024-0001
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

David<\/strong>\u00a0Smith<\/strong>
Robotically Assembled Electromagnetic Metamaterials for Long-Range Space Situational Awareness<\/a>
Duke University<\/em>\u00a0
Durham, NC 27708-9976
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

Pablo<\/strong> Sobron<\/strong>
Interworld Slingshot Resource Surveys<\/a>
SETI Institute<\/em>
Mountain View, CA 94043-5203
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong> Stankus<\/strong>
Mapping Alien Continents: Achieving Optical VLBI for Exoplanet Imaging<\/a>
Brookhaven Science Associates<\/em>
Upton NY 11973-0001
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

Paul<\/strong> Stankus<\/strong>
Precision Astrometry Using Optically Independent Spacecraft for Graviational Wave Detection<\/a>
Brookhaven Science Associates <\/em>
Upton, NY 11973-0001
2026 Phase I<\/p>\n

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