Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Program

The Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Project (BPP) was a research project funded by NASA from 1996 to 2002 to study various proposals for revolutionary methods of spacecraft propulsion that would require breakthroughs in physics before they could be realized.[1][2] The project ended in 2002, when the Advanced Space Transportation Program was reorganized and all speculative research (less than Technology readiness level 3) was cancelled.[2] During its six years of operational funding, this program received a total investment of $1.2 million.

The Breakthrough Propulsion Physics project addressed a selection of "incremental and affordable" research questions towards the overall goal of propellantless propulsion, hyperfast travel, and breakthrough propulsion methods.[3] It selected and funded five external projects, two in-house tasks and one minor grant.[2] At the end of the project, conclusions into fourteen topics, including these funded projects, were summarized by program manager Marc G. Millis.[1] Of these, six research avenues were found to be nonviable, four were identified as opportunities for continued research, and four remain unresolved.[1][3]

  1. ^ a b c Millis, Mark G. (Dec 1, 2005). "Assessing Potential Propulsion Breakthroughs" (PDF). Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1065: 441–461. Bibcode:2005NYASA1065..441M. doi:10.1196/annals.1370.023. hdl:2060/20060000022. PMID 16510425. S2CID 41358855. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Davis, Eric W.; Gilster, Paul A. (2009). "Recent History of Breakthrough Propulsion Studies". In Millis, Marc G. (ed.). Frontiers of propulsion science. Reston, Va.: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. ISBN 9781615830770.
  3. ^ a b Millis, Mark G. (2004). "Prospects for Breakthrough Propulsion From Physics" (PDF). Retrieved 8 February 2018. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)