Ideas play an important role in science and technology, even when they do not have an immediately testable aspect, and writers have predicted satellites, spaceflight, moon landings, well before they were actually possible. Science fiction literature, artwork and films are full of descriptions of space technologies and systems — often just pure imagination, sometimes based on some semblance of fact. Early science fiction authors, artists, and illustrators described space concepts and spacecrafts based on the limited scientific and technical knowledge available at the time, whereas modern writers generally portray the same basic systems as are used in the real life space flight of today in their literature and art, even though artistic licence is often employed. Although early writings were usually wildly inaccurate in many areas, some of the prediction made did come to pass and some of the systems and technologies described have been subsequently successfully developed and used.

It is against this background that the European Space Agency (ESA) launched a specific initiative, the main objectives of which were to review the past and present science fiction literature, artwork and films in order to identify and assess innovative technologies, systems, devices, designs, configurations and concepts described therein which could be possibly developed further for space applications. The study resulted in some 250 innovative technologies and concepts mentioned in the science fiction genre being found and a preliminary assessment is currently being performed in order to identify whether any of these technologies might hold potential for a more-in-depth analysis leading to subsequent feasibility studies. The assessment is also examining the technologies described with a view to today's knowledge, techniques, technologies and materials, and what new technologies and knowledge might be required to make any of the identified science fiction concepts work.

The paper discusses the background and objectives of the study, the methodology and the results, as well as the next steps to be taken in order to capitalize on the huge amount of public and media interest generated in this unusual and advanced concept study.