The Pentagon's research agency DARPA is sponsoring a competition for the best idea for facilitating interstellar travel. This is a call for papers submitting ideas. The hope is that around the year 2111 the project may get off the ground. They want to start early. The prize for the best idea is $500,000 US. The entire budget for the program is $1M.
The picture above is of the Nautilus (what else would you call it?), the idea submitted by NASA. See http://www.news.com.au/technology/sci-tech/nasa-dares-to-dream-with-new-spacecraft-the-nautilus-x-mmsev/story-fn5fsgyc-1226006485082 for more details about their idea.
DARPA even has a new website www.100yss.org/ as a public interface for this competition:
A symposium? They are serious!
I am 100% in favor of such programs and think this is a great and forward thinking initiative.+1 for DARPA.
But I wonder - have the Republicans Heard About This?
As you may heard about the budget problems in the US. The US government is cutting back everywhere. I can hear it now, "The Pentagon is doing what? How much money are they spending? For this?...."
I bet Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) hasn't heard about this. Here is my prediction of what the scene will be like when someone finally tells him about this evil Democratic party backed program:
Picture 1: Oh! That is a funny one! You had me going there for a minute!
Picture 2: Wait! You are kidding - aren't you?
Picture 3: The Pentagon isn't going to spend that kind of money for something that doesn't kill people! Not on my watch!
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I really do take the US budget crisis seriously. But we need to continue funding things that help us plan for a better future. Even if that future is 100 or more years away.
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