NASA Funds Space Pharmacy and Asteroid-Pulverizing Tech

NASA has awarded Phase II grants to six research teams under its Innovative Advanced Concepts program, including a plan to destroy Earth-threatening asteroids by pulverizing them and relying on Earth's atmosphere as a shield, a concept for a lunar observatory made with local lunar resources, a project to develop nearly silent electroaerodynamic thrusters for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, and a space pharmacy that would allow astronauts to produce their own medicines using bacteria during spaceflight missions. The grants reflect NASA's interest in exploring Earth, protecting the planet from incoming threats, and looking after astronauts' health in space.