Hugh Pickens writes writes "With Nasa scaling back its manned
space programs, the idea of a manned trip to the stars may sound
audacious, but the 100 Year Starship (100YSS) study is an effort
seeded by DARPA to develop a viable and sustainable model for
persistent, long-term, private-sector investment into the myriad
of disciplines needed to make long-distance space travel
practicable and feasible. The goal is not to have the government
fund the actual building of spacecraft destined for the stars,
but rather to create a foundation that can last 100 years in
order to help foster the research needed for interstellar
travel. Now DARPA has provided $500,000 in seed money to help
jumpstart the effort and chosen Mae Jemison, the first African-
American woman to go into space, to lead 100YSS. Jemison, who is
also a physician and engineer, left NASA in 1993 after a six-
year stint in which she served as science mission specialist
aboard space shuttle Endeavour, becoming the first black woman
to fly in space. Since lea