With all the talk about private companies in space, it’s easy to forget just how much groundbreaking research NASA is carrying out. It’s not all about space flight and telescopes, either. Some of the research aims to support other space operations — like a base on the moon, for instance.

To build a base on the moon, one of the first things you need is a payload transport system. If you’re bringing materials from Earth, you need to be able to transport them on site. For this, NASA envisions an autonomous, magnetic railway system. Based on current plans, the system could be available as soon as the 2030s.

A rail system on the Moon

A lunar railway system, a fluid-based telescope, and a solar sail with quantum sensors: these are just some of the projects being pursued as part of ‘NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts ‘(NIAC) program. The program aims to nurture and support visionary projects that can revolutionize space exploration. NASA has selected six concept studies for additional research and development, and one of them is FLOAT.

FLOAT, or Flexible Levitation on a Track, aims to use magnetic robots that levitate over a flexible film track. The project is led by Ethan Schaler from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

The film consists of a graphite layer that allows robots to float passively via diamagnetic levitation, a flex-circuit layer that creates electromagnetic thrust for controlled movement along the tracks, and an optional solar panel layer that produces power for the base station when exposed to sunlight.

Unlike robots that use wheels, legs, or tracks, FLOAT robots would have no moving parts and levitate above the track. Therefore, they would reduce abrasion and wear from lunar dust. This makes FLOAT significantly more efficient than conventional rail systems for lunar applications.

NASA’s getting serious about the moon base

FLOAT has two main applications: to transport payloads to and from the lunar base and to transport regolith (lunar soil and rocks) that the base would mine itself.

According to the envisioned project, individual robots will be able to transport payloads of up to 100 tons per day, at speeds of over 2 km/h (1.2 mph). For lunar setups this is an effective speed. It also won’t require much preparation to set up and could be basically rolled or moved depending on the mission requirements. Even in the rugged lunar environment, it should be robust enough for the base’s needs.

This flexibility and autonomy is particularly important for NASA, which is getting more and more serious about its lunar base, especially with the Artemis program.

Artemis will mark NASA’s return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo program ended in the 1970s. The ambitious initiative will not only return people to the moon, but also establish a sustainable presence there. In addition to scientific experiments, the base is expected to serve as a stepping stone for other missions in the solar system, particularly those aimed at Mars.

In the words of former NASA Administrator, Michael D. Griffin:

“The goal isn’t just scientific exploration. . . It’s also about extending the range of human habitat out from Earth into the solar system as we go forward in time. . . In the long run a single-planet species will not survive. . . If we humans want to survive for hundreds of thousands or millions of years, we must ultimately populate other planets.”

It’s still a ways off

The project has passed Phase 1 and will now move on to Phase 2, which is still a preliminary phase. NASA will fund it with $600,000. In this phase, researchers will study the impact of environmental factors (such as temperature, radiation, and soil contamination) on system performance and longevity.

At the end of this phase, the researchers aim to have a working prototype on Earth in conditions that simulate the moon. If everything goes according to plan, it should be good to go in around a decade.

Still, FLOAT is not the only NASA project granted this funding.

An interesting future ahead

The Fluidic Telescope (FLUTE) project, for instance, aims for an innovative approach to constructing large optical observatories in space. Led by Edward Balaban at NASA’s Ames Research Center, FLUTE aims to utilize fluidic shaping of ionic liquids to form large, adaptable optics. This technique allows for the creation of expansive and versatile telescopic lenses that can be adjusted or reshaped while in orbit, overcoming the limitations of traditional rigid materials.

Meanwhile, the ScienceCraft initiative, overseen by Mahmooda Sultana at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, introduces a novel application of Quantum Dot technology to space exploration. This project distributes Quantum dot-based sensors across the surface of a solar sail, converting the sail to an innovative imaging device.

Quantum dots are nanoscale semiconductor particles that can absorb and emit light at various frequencies, and their deployment across a solar sail allows the entire structure to function as a large, lightweight imager. This design leverages quantum physics to facilitate scientific measurements across vast distances. This would give us increased capability to conduct detailed observations without the need for heavy, traditional spacecraft equipment.

All in all, NASA’s futuristic projects are booming.

“These diverse, science fiction-like concepts represent a fantastic class of Phase II studies,” said John Nelson, NIAC program executive at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Our NIAC fellows never cease to amaze and inspire, and this class definitely gives NASA a lot to think about in terms of what’s possible in the future.”

You can read more about the six projects chosen for 2024 NIAC Phase II here.