A computer in space is damaged, and there’s no one around to replace a part. A U.S. intelligence report proposed another idea: a computer that could try to repair itself using DNA, the material in cells that carries genetic information.
Instead of sending a computer in for repairs or replacing a component, this one might contain tiny parts made from the same material. The report imagined they could repair damage caused by use or radiation. But how would they know what was damaged, and what exactly would they do to fix it?
A Computer Made of Molecules
The report was written in 2010 for the U.S. Department of Defense’s intelligence agency. It surveyed computing concepts for space missions and automated systems.
One idea was to use DNA molecules to perform calculations. The report described how such molecules could connect to small machines and components that carry out simple computing operations. Rather than having a conventional chip do all the work, part of the computer would be made of molecules.
Tiny Parts That Repair Damage
The report imagined that tiny machines could repair small computer components damaged by use or space radiation. It described components and machines made of DNA, along with miniature repair mechanisms. The idea was that parts of the computer could help repair damage to other parts.
The report didn’t explain step by step how the machines would detect damage or fix it. It presented self-repair as a possible advantage of such computers: they might be especially durable, even if they weren’t the fastest computers.
An Idea for the Distant Future
According to the report’s forecast, useful DNA computers might not arrive until the distant future. They were intended to work alongside conventional computers, not replace them right away. For now, the report describes a possibility, not a computer that’s ready to fly into space.
What Remains Unknown
It’s unclear whether DNA computers could actually repair themselves in space, or how they would detect and fix damage in practice. The report notes that major practical challenges remain.
Perhaps one day, a computer in space won’t need a technician. It will try to repair itself.
