DJ: Miniaturization brings along quite a few limitations: small
payloads and data storage, and much less power available. Why
pursue miniaturization when designing a spacecraft? Mason Peck:
In fact, I would disagree with the word–and the concept
of–miniaturization. It implies that the goal is to shrink an
existing space-system architecture or technology here. Instead,
the goals are the following: - Start from the bottom and work
up, i.e. from the level of fundamental technologies, and find
out how little it might take to create a space system. If we
start by focusing on a mission and consider the problem from the
top down, or if we merely try to implement an existing solution
at a smaller scale, we miss out on lots of opportunities for
innovation. - Without prejudice, ask how we explore at this
small scale? Specifically, how does a very tiny spacecraft
exploit the physics of the solar system to navigate, reorient,
scavenge power, and the other housekeeping tasks that are
fundamental to space exploration. - An