Magnetic Levitation Moon Railway Concept Being Studied For Feasibility
Transport Of Cargo, Raw Materials And People Across The Lunar Landscape Will Be Vital Aspect Of Moon Base Build-out Logistics In Coming Years, Necessitating Efficient Ground Transport; Flexible Levitation On A Track (FLOAT) Has Received Phase 1 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Funding For 9 Month, Up To US$125K Preliminary Study; Principal Investigator Ethan Schaler Of JPL Projects FLOAT System Capacity >100,000kg With Energy Requirement <40kW Over Multiple-Kilometer Scale Via Deployable Graphite / Flexible Circuit Track Utilizing Diamagnetic Force; Moon Rail Proposed In Early 20th Century By Lunar Visionaries
Credits: NASA, Ethan Schaler
NASA Moon Rover VIPER Meets Risk, Cost And Schedule Constraints Of ‘Key Decision Point C’ Internal Assessment, Clearing Way For Operational Planning And Construction; 1.5×1.5×2.5m, 430kg Vehicle To Be Built At JSC With Instrument Input From KSC / Honeybee Robotics, Managed From Ames Research Center, Is To Land Late 2023 Via Astrobotic Griffin In MSP Region For ~100 Day Mission During Which 1-Meter TRIDENT Drill And 3 Spectrometers Will Be Controlled With Little Lag From Earth Through X Band / Deep Space Network As Volatile-Seeking Mission Traverses 20km
LRO Data Indicates ~10-20% Of PSRs Sufficiently Cool (<110 K) To Allow Ice Formation Are Depressions Casting 1-cm – 1-km Shadows, Widely Dispersed Across Moon Polar Regions (>80° Latitude); Inclusion Of “Mini Cold Traps” In Study By UC Boulder / PSI Researchers Suggests Total Possible Lunar Ice Containing Area Is ~40,000 km2 (23,000 km2 Within <20° Moon South Pole, 17,000 km2 Within <20° Moon North Pole); Total PSRs Comprise Just 0.15% Of Total Surface Area; Relatively Small Cold Traps May Offer More Favorable Mission Parameters Than Large Craters
