Train levitation on the Moon: NASA confirms and funds

A levitating robotic train on the Moon might seem utopian. However, NASA recently approved additional funding to study this concept.


The project, named "Flexible Levitation on a Track" (FLOAT), has entered phase two of NASA's "Innovative Advanced Concepts" (NIAC) program. This program aims to develop futuristic projects for space exploration. By the 2030s, FLOAT could enable the transport of materials on the lunar surface. According to NASA, this project could become a reality.

This system would offer reliable, autonomous, and efficient transportation of payloads on the Moon, explains Ethan Schaler, a robotics engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This transportation system will be essential for the daily operations of a permanent lunar base in the 2030s.

NASA's initial design for FLOAT envisions magnetic robots levitating on a three-layer film track. This will reduce wear caused by lunar dust. The carts mounted on these robots will move at about 1 mph (1.61 km/h) and can transport approximately 100 tons (90 tonnes) of material per day between the future lunar base and various sites.

NASA plans to send astronauts to the Moon as early as 2026 as part of the Artemis mission. The agency aims to establish a permanent lunar base to support future space exploration.