The United States has announced ambitious plans to build a train on the Moon and implement an entire rail infrastructure in an effort to improve the transportation of supplies and personnel over the lunar terrain. This initiative is part of NASA’s upcoming missions to bring humans back to the lunar surface.
In the context of NASA’s NASA’s Artemis program program, which envisions a human return to the Moon between 2026 and 2027, the creation of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), which will serve as a home for astronauts on future missions, is being contemplated. To facilitate life and movement on the Moon, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) initiated a study in 2023 to evaluate constructions on the Moon and the technologies needed to make it possible.
Northrop Grumman, a leading U.S. aerospace firm, has been selected by DARPA to design the first lunar rail network, marking a step forward in space infrastructure.
LunA-10: the project to build a train on the Moon
The DARPA study, called LunA-10, sets a ten-year timeline for Northrop Grumman to develop the rail network that will link lunar facilities, facilitating the efficient movement of people and materials. This project will range from planning the necessary infrastructure to exploring methods of construction and maintenance using robotic technology .
Chris Adams, vice president of Northrop Grumman, stressed the importance of investment in research and development to lead in the implementation of advanced space solutions. Northrop Grumman’s expertise in integrating complex systems and autonomous services will be critical to the success of this project, which seeks to contribute to a sustainable space ecosystem.
Importantly, the LunA-10 study is intended to accelerate the development of technologies that will enable the transition from individual scientific investigations to integrated, scalable systems for lunar infrastructure. The goal is to minimize the impact on the lunar surface while providing commercial services for future explorers and users of the satellite.
As much as this lunar rail project symbolizes a technological breakthrough, it also raises a future where international collaboration and space commerce could flourish. As lunar missions become more common, the opportunities for companies and scientists from different countries to collaborate in the research and development of new space technologies could expand.
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Source: www.t13.cl
Photo: generated with AI
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