NASAHackSpace 21 September 2011

Using Earth’s Oceans to Create Extraterrestrial Swimming Robots
Think about this: “There are proposed missions wherein spacecraft would be sent to Titan and place a vehicle on hydrocarbon lakes which they would then explore in a fashion similar to Wave Glider. Other concepts would send cryobots to tunnel through the icy crust of Europa, Enceladus, and other worlds and then explore the oceans that may exist beneath the surface. It is not at all surprising that former astronaut Ed Lu has joined Liquid Robotics to work on this project. NASA knows a lot about rovers and landers – but not a lot about sailing or diving vessels. Imagine what NASA could learn about operating vehicles that swim on alien worlds if they were to participate in this project.”
Avatar Theme Parks: An Opportunity for NASA?
Think about this: “Perhaps NASA could become a partner in this Avatar theme park effort effort and provide astrobiology advisors to this new venture so as to allow visitors to understand what it would take to find Pandora (a habitable moon circling a gas giant planet that circles another star), travel to it, and then explore the alien ecosystem that thrives on such a world. By coincidence the DARPA 100 Year Starship Conference is being held in Orlando in 2 weeks. Alas, NASA PAO is downplaying NASA’s participation in this conference.”
Crowdsourcing Molecular Genetics Problems
Think about this: “Several Space Shuttle Middeck experiments used gene chips to see which genes were turned on and off during exposure to microgravity. These experiments are rather straightforward to do and can be done on the ISS. Why not take this data and put it online in a fashion similar Foldit and allow crowd sourced assistance to look into what these gene changes mean and how tissues and organisms respond? FYI DARPA, NSF, and Microsoft supported this Foldit research project.”
Clean Water in Space – and on Earth
Think about this: “There are a myriad of applications on Earth for technologies such as this. Clean, safe, drinking water is an issue for over a billion people. Imagine a cheap version of this technology applied to water quality issues in developing and third world nations.”
Keith’s note: This is a preview of things to come from NASA Watch’s new twin sibling, the soon-to-be relaunched – and enhanced – NASAHackSpace. Working motto: “This is not a NASA Website. You do not need permission to explore space. Fix NASA’s stuff – or just do it yourself.”