In NASA’s new project, robots will hover on the Moon’s rails thanks to “paramagnetic lifting” technology, transporting 100 tons of material every day.
NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program selects six projects that would establish a permanent human presence on the lunar surface for funding and further development. These projects have completed phase I of the NIAC program, showing their promise, and entered phase II, IFL Science reported on May 7.
Among these projects is FLOAT, a project led by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to build a rail system with magnetic robots that transport goods. FLOAT could become operational within the next decade, expected to provide reliable, automated and efficient transportation solutions. The system helps move tons of regolith (soil layer on the Moon’s surface). In the future, this land can be exploited to extract many different types of materials for use by astronauts or lunar bases.
The rail system can transport 100 tons of goods per day. Image: Ethan Schaller/NASA
Ethan Schaler, a NASA robotics engineer, is leading the project and estimates the system can transport 100 tons of cargo per day. “FLOAT will operate autonomously in the dusty, harsh lunar environment. Site preparation will be simple and the rail network can be rolled or changed over time to suit requirements.” the increasing demand of the lunar base development mission,” he said.
Magnetic robots that do not require power supply will operate on a 3-layer track to push the tray at a speed of about 1.6 km/h. They have no moving parts and hover above the rails thanks to “diamagnetic lift” technology to minimize abrasion from lunar dust, unlike traditional lunar robots that often have wheels or legs.
“These diverse and sci-fi-like projects represent an amazing group of phase II studies. We never cease to be surprised and inspired. The new group of studies certainly brings gives NASA a lot to think about about what might happen in the future,” John Nelson, NIAC program director, shared.