NASA Engineers: Tiny, Foldable Spacecraft Designs Are The Future

Future spaceships that humans use to explore other solar systems might be able to fold up and fit into a tiny space, since NASA engineers are exploring foldable designs that could be used on spacecraft today. Smaller and lighter equipment is easier and less costly to launch, making it a more viable option. This strategy has a root in origami, the paper-folding art that has its roots in Japan. "Origami can seem deceptively simple, hiding complex math within its creases," NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said in a statement. "Besides aesthetic beauty, it addresses a persistent problem faced by JPL engineers: How do you pack the greatest amount of spacecraft into the smallest volume possible?"