Photo Credit: NASA, Ethan Schaler
The new space economy may be arriving sooner than you think. NASA has detailed plans to put levitating, magnetic robot trains on the moon. The railroad would help transport cargo or mined resources between spacecraft and bases across lunar surfaces. Called FLOAT— Flexible Levitation on a Track aims to be running by the 2030s. The system’s ultimate goal is to support human exploration and aid initiatives like NASA’s Moon to Mars plan. In an official press release, Ethan Schaler of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab explained, “Its network of tracks can be rolled-up/reconfigured over time to match evolving lunar base mission requirements.”
In related news, tech defense giant Northrop Grumman Corporation has been selected by DARPA (an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense) to develop a future moon-based railroad network. As an official partner, Northrop will expand plans through the Lunar Architecture (LunA-10) Capability Study, a 10-year research project. Chris Adams, vice president and general manager of strategic space systems at Northrop Grumman is confident in the establishment of a lunar railway, stating; “With our proven experience in the integration of complex systems and commercialized autonomous services, we will continue to create lasting change for a sustainable space ecosystem.” Clearly, commercial flights to the moon are not yet common. But according to Northrop’s press release, the development of a future railway on the moon would help transport humans in addition to “supplies and resources for commercial ventures… contributing to a space economy for the United States and international partners.” Get more data via NASA’s announcement or North Grumman Corporation’s site here.