NASA’s NIAC program has launched a new project, FLOAT, that will revolutionize transportation on the Moon. Led by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the project uses “paramagnetic lifting” technology to hover robots on magnetic rails, allowing them to transport up to 100 tons of cargo daily. The rail system created by FLOAT will extract regolith, the soil layer on the Moon’s surface, and transport it to astronauts or lunar bases for use. The robots operate without a power supply, minimizing abrasion from lunar dust with their 3-layer tracks and speed of 1.6 km/h thanks to “diamagnetic lift” technology.
John Nelson, director of the NIAC program, is excited about the diverse and innovative projects in phase II studies. He believes that these projects provide NASA with valuable insights into future possibilities for space exploration. The FLOAT project represents a cutting-edge solution to transportation challenges on the Moon, with the potential to revolutionize how materials are moved in space environments. With its ability to transport large amounts of cargo efficiently and reliably in harsh conditions, FLOAT is a significant step towards establishing a permanent human presence on the lunar surface.