If the idea of building a train on the moon sounds like a plot out of a science fiction novel, you're not the only one holding that idea.
But the moon train is really just one of six "sci-fi concepts" that have received new funding from NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program.
The project, called Flexible Levitationon a Track (FLOAT), plans to use a magnetic levitation robot to transport up to 100 tons of material per day on the lunar surface.
According to the team at this similar Scalextric project, this will provide a reliable and autonomous way to transport resources mined on the Moon.
"A durable, long-lived robotic transportation system will be critical to the day-to-day operations of a sustainable lunar base in the 2030s," said Dr. Ethan Schaler, a robotics engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and project leader. ”
In a NASA blog post, Dr. Schaler wrote, "We want to build the first lunar rail system to provide reliable, autonomous, and efficient transportation of payloads on the moon." ”
Unlike railroads on Earth, this lunar transportation network doesn't use fixed tracks that you're familiar with.
Dr. Schaler and his team proposed to create a segment of flexible orbit that could be "laid" directly on the lunar surface.
The purpose of such a design is to shorten the construction time, because if the lunar base changes, these orbits can simply be rolled up and moved elsewhere.
The actual transport will be done by a series of "unpowered maglev robots" that will levitate above the track surface.
The orbit itself will generate an electromagnetic thrust that will propel the robot towards its destination.
This is the same principle as the maglev train on Earth, which uses a strong electromagnetic field to propel an unpowered carriage along the track.
Similar to the suspended Scalextric track, it is the track itself, not the launch vehicle, that provides power.
According to Dr. Schaler, each robot will be able to carry loads of all shapes and sizes at speeds of 1 mile per hour (1.61 km/h).
Unlike robots with wheels or legs, these hovering carts will avoid wearing out the tracks in a dusty lunar environment.
While the current idea of establishing a base on the moon may sound far-fetched, the reality of living on the moon is becoming an increasingly pressing issue.
As part of the Artemis program, NASA will explore and eventually land near the moon's south pole, where craters are believed to contain ice.
Although NASA has postponed the date of a manned landing on the moon, the space agency still intends to establish a human presence on our lunar satellite.
Jim Free, NASA's deputy administrator for the development of exploration systems, recently told reporters that the space agency could build multiple bases for the Artemis moon landing.
Eventually, NASA and other rival space agencies, such as Russia and China, may try to establish permanent settlements on the moon.
However, due to the harsh environment on the lunar surface, mining and transporting materials may not be suitable for human astronauts to complete.
In a NASA blog post, Dr. Schaler explained that FLOAT will operate autonomously in a "dusty, harsh lunar environment."
The system can be used to transport lunar soil excavated at the site or to transport material to a landing site or other outpost.
FLOAT is just one of six future concepts selected for Phase 2 funding in NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program.
The projects range from fluid telescopes to rockets using plasma propulsion that could send humans to Mars in as little as two months.
Each project now receives US$600,000 (£487,764) in new funding to further develop their technology.
Dr Schaler said his team will use the funds to create a scaled-down version of the track and robot for further testing.
If any projects are selected to move to the next stage, they may even be considered for future NASA missions.
John Nelson, NIAC Program Executive, said, "These diverse, sci-fi-like concepts represent a fantastic category of Phase 2 research. Our NIAC fellows are always amazed and inspired, and this category really gives NASA a lot to think about what the future could be. ”