NASA wants to build infrastructure for a lunar base in the coming years
NASA wants to build a train on the moon in case humans eventually settle there. The project, funded by the US space agency, aims to create the first floating lunar railway. NASA says this will be «crucial» for the operation of a lunar base in the 2030s.
If the idea of building a train on the moon seems like something straight out of a science fiction novel, you won't be alone, writes the Daily Mail. But in reality, the moon train is just one of six «sci-fi concepts» that will receive new funding under NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program.
Flexible Levitation on Rails ; plans to use levitating magnetic robots to transport up to 100 tons of materials across the lunar surface every day.
According to the team behind a project like Scalextric, this would provide a reliable and autonomous way to move resources mined on the Moon.
Project leader Dr. Ethan Schaler, a robotics engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, says: «A reliable, long-life robotic transport system will be critical to the day-to-day operations of a sustainable lunar base in the 2030s.»
In his blog, Dr. Ethan Schaler writes: «We want to build the first lunar rail system that will provide reliable, autonomous and efficient transport of payloads on the Moon.»
Unlike railways on Earth, this lunar transport network will not use the stationary rails you may be familiar with, notes the Daily Mail.
Dr. Schaler and his team propose creating flexible tracks that can be «unfolded» right on the surface of the Moon.
They are intended to reduce construction time, since if the location of the lunar base changes, these tracks can simply be rolled up and moved to another location.
The movement itself will be carried out by a group of “uncontrolled magnetic robots” that will hover above the surface of the track.
Then the track itself will generate electromagnetic thrust, which will lead the robots to their destination.
Magnetic levitation trains on Earth operate on the same principle, using strong electromagnetic fields to move uncontrolled cars along rails.
As with floating rails, it is the rails that provide propulsion, not the vehicle itself. , writes the Daily Mail.
Dr. Schaler claims that each robot will be able to transport loads of various shapes and sizes at a speed of about 1 mph (1.61 km/h).
Unlike robots with wheels or legs, these floating carts will avoid wear and tear on the tracks in the dusty lunar environment.
Although the idea of creating lunar bases may seem far-fetched at the moment, the reality of life on the Moon is becoming increasingly relevant, the Daily Mail emphasizes.
As part of the Artemis mission, NASA will conduct research and, will eventually land near the Moon's south pole, whose craters are believed to contain ice.
Even though NASA has pushed back the date for its crewed lunar landing, the space agency remains committed to ensuring a human presence on our lunar satellite.
Jim Free, NASA's associate administrator for exploration systems development, recently told reporters that the space agency will likely build more than one base camp as part of the Artemis landing.
Ultimately, NASA and other competing space agencies in Russia and China may try to establish permanent settlements on the Moon. However, due to the harsh conditions on the lunar surface, mining and transporting materials may not be safe work for human astronauts.
In a NASA blog, Dr. Shaler explained that FLOAT will «operate autonomously in dusty, inhospitable lunar environment.»
The system can be used to transport regolith mined in situ or to transport materials to and from landing sites.
According to the Daily Mail, the FLOAT project is just one of six futuristic ideas that have been selected for funding in the second phase of NIAC, NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program.
These projects range from liquid-fueled telescopes to rockets plasma fuel that could take humans to Mars in just two months.
Each project now receives $600,000 in new funding to further develop its technology.
Dr. Shkaler says his the team is using these funds to create a miniature set of tracks and robots for further testing.
If any projects are selected to move to the next stage, they may even be considered for a future NASA mission.
< John Nelson, NIAC program director, says, “These diverse, science-fiction-like concepts represent a fantastic class of second-stage research. Our people at NIAC never cease to amaze and inspire, and this activity definitely gives NASA something to think about about what's possible in the future."
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