If the idea of building a train on the moon sounds like something out of a science fiction novel, you wouldn’t be alone.
But the moon train is actually ordinary one of six “science fiction-like concepts” to receive new funding from NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts program.
Flexible Levitation on a Track, or FLOAT, plans to use floating magnetic robots to transport up to 100 tons of material on the moon’s surface every day.
According to the team behind the Scalextric-like project, this would provide a reliable and autonomous way to move raw materials mined on the moon.
Project leader Dr. Ethan Schaler, a robotics engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, says, “A sustainable, long-life robotic transportation system will be critical to the daily operations of a sustainable lunar base in the 2030s.”
NASA wants to build a railway on the moon using floating robots to transport materials along a flexible track (artist’s image, photo). This track would contain components to magnetically lift and push the robots using electromagnetic propulsion
In a NASA blog postDr. Schaler writes, “We want to build the first lunar railway system, which will provide reliable, autonomous, and efficient freight transportation on the moon.”
Unlike a railway on Earth, this lunar transportation network wouldn’t use the fixed rails you might be familiar with.
Dr. Schaler and his team propose creating stretches of flexible track that can be ‘unrolled’ directly onto the lunar surface.
These are designed to reduce construction time because, if the moon base changes, these tracks can simply be rolled up and moved elsewhere.
The actual moving will be done by a series of ‘non-powered magnetic robots’ that float over the surface of the track.
NASA announced that the lunar railway project would receive $600,000 to (£487,764) in new funding alongside five other ‘science fiction-like concepts’ (file photo)
The track itself will then generate electromagnetic thrust to propel the robots to their destination.
This is the same principle behind magnetic trains on Earth, which use strong electromagnetic fields to propel unpowered carriages along tracks.
As with a floating Scalextric track, it is the rails that provide the power and not the vehicle itself.
Dr. Schaler claims that each robot can carry loads of different shapes and sizes at a speed of approximately 1.61 km/h.
Unlike robots with wheels or legs, these floating carts will prevent the tracks from wearing out in the dusty lunar environment.
Like a Scalextric track (pictured), the lunar railway’s powered rails would propel non-powered vehicles along a fixed route. The vehicles can travel at approximately 1.61 km/h
While the idea of lunar bases may seem far-fetched for now, the reality of life on the moon is becoming an increasingly pressing issue.
As part of the Artemis missions, NASA will explore and eventually land on the moon’s south pole, which is believed to hold ice in its craters.
Although NASA has postponed the date of its crewed moon landing, the space agency still has ambitions to establish a human presence on our lunar satellite.
Jim Free, NASA’s associate administrator for exploration systems development, recently told reporters that the space agency would likely build more than one base camp as part of the Artemis landings.
Ultimately, NASA and other rival space agencies in Russia and China will all try to establish permanent settlements on the moon.
However, due to the harsh conditions on the moon’s surface, mining and transporting materials may not be a safe job for human astronauts.
In the NASA blog post, Dr. Schaler explained that FLOAT “will operate autonomously in the dusty, inhospitable lunar environment.”
The system could be used to transport regolith mined on site or to transport material to and from landing sites or other outposts.
NASA is preparing to establish a more permanent presence on the moon including the signing of the Artemis Accords (pictured), which guide the principles of space exploration and cooperation among nations
FLOAT is just one of six futuristic ideas selected for phase two funding from NIAC, NASA’s “innovative advanced concepts” program.
These projects range from liquid telescopes to plasma-powered rockets that could take humans to Mars in just two months.
Each project will now receive $600,000 to (£487,764) in new funding to further develop their technology.
Dr. Shcaler says his team will use this funding to create a miniature set of tracks and robots for further testing.
If projects are selected to advance to the next phase, they may even be considered for a future NASA mission.
John Nelson, NIAC Program Director, said: “These diverse, science fiction-like concepts represent an exciting class of Phase II studies.
“Our NIAC fellows continue to amaze and inspire, and this course will certainly give NASA a lot of food for thought about what’s possible in the future.”