Technologies
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A general technique in simulation of physical systems modeled by partial differential equations is through the use of the so-called grid-based methodology. In such techniques, the required physical quantities of interest are computed only at the nodes of a spatial grid and the state of the system is updated at regular discrete time intervals. However, computer simulations of many important complex physical systems have reached a barrier as existing techniques are ill equipped to deal with the multi-physics, multi-scale nature of such systems. Accordingly, we are developing new simulation techniques to address the emerging modeling requirements of today's world. Our technology development has already enabled new advances in propulsion, space physics among others, and can be cast into two classes: (i) time-driven simulations, and (ii) discrete-event simulations.
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To overcome today's space transportation challenges - routine economical access to space and short trip times throughout the solar system - new propulsion systems need to be conceived and developed. The technologies in use today are both expensive and slow. The cost of launching payloads from the Earth is very high ($44,000 / kg) and consumes about one third of NASA's annual budget. Equally problematical is the slow speed of chemical thrusters (5 km/s) that poses a major obstacle to exploration of the solar system. As space colonization gets closer to reality, the need for a transportation system on these unique environments also becomes more critical. Clearly the advent of a general-purpose transportation system that simultaneously addresses such diverse transportation needs would be highly desirable. We have conceived several concepts that are in phase I feasibility study. One such concept uses the electric field in the solar wind to power the spacecraft.
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Data mining is sorting through data to identify patterns and establish relationships. Advances in technology has led to an unprecedented ability to collect and store data. Data comes in a variety of forms and formats such as textual content of web pages on the internet, or the radio waves from distant galaxies. As a result, we now live in a data-centric world and the ability to extract useful information from data has never been more critical. We are working on developing technologies in image/data preparation, intelligent agents and use of discrete event methodology to derive dependencies and evolutionary rules.
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