NASA is working on a new project that involves robots hovering on the Moon’s rails using paramagnetic lifting technology, with the goal of transporting 100 tons of material every day. The Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program from NASA has selected six projects that aim to establish a permanent human presence on the lunar surface, providing funding and further development for these projects. These projects have completed phase I of the NIAC program, showing great promise, and have now moved on to phase II.
One of the projects selected is FLOAT, led by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), aiming to create a rail system with magnetic robots for transporting goods on the Moon. This project is expected to be operational within the next decade, offering reliable, automated, and efficient transportation solutions. The rail system will help move tons of regolith from the Moon’s surface, which can be used to extract various materials for astronauts or lunar bases.
Ethan Schaler, a NASA robotics engineer, is leading the FLOAT project and estimates that the system can transport 100 tons of cargo per day. The magnetic robots will operate autonomously on a three-layer track, moving at a speed of around 1.6 km/h. These robots use diamagnetic lift technology to hover above the rails, reducing abrasion from lunar dust compared to traditional lunar robots with wheels or legs.
John Nelson, the NIAC program director, expressed excitement about the diverse and sci-fi-like projects under the phase II studies, providing NASA with plenty of ideas for future endeavors. These projects represent an exciting glimpse into what the future of lunar exploration and development might hold.