In an ambitious step toward outer space colonization, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has shown interest in a revolutionary concept: establishing a rail system on the moon. This idea, reminiscent of the rail expansion that transformed the American West in the late 19th century, aims to spearhead a new era of economic development beyond Earth.
According to a report in Space.com, aerospace leader Northrop Grumman has stepped forward with a proposal for this “lunar railroad,” a concept that promises to facilitate the transport of humans, supplies, and resources across the lunar surface.
This initiative could serve as the backbone for commercial ventures and a burgeoning space economy involving the United States and its international allies. As part of DARPA’s LunA-10 project, Northrop Grumman, alongside 13 other selected companies including SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, is set to explore the feasibility and logistics of this grand vision.
DARPA’s LunA-10 Capability Study is not just another moonshot. Launched in December as a part of a 10-year vision, it seeks to extend humanity’s economic reach into the vastness of deep space. Michael Nayak, program manager at DARPA’s Strategic Technology Office, emphasizes the imminent paradigm shift in lunar economic activities. By fostering innovative solutions like a multi-purpose wireless power station, the initiative aims to fast-track the development of technologies critical for sustained lunar presence and commercial exploitation.
The financial framework for these pioneering studies remains under wraps, with DARPA hinting at an “Other Transaction award” ceiling of $1 million. The outcomes of these studies will be unveiled at the upcoming Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium Spring Meeting, setting the stage for a mid-year report release that could herald a new chapter in lunar, and potentially interplanetary, colonization, the report said.
According to timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Source of photos: internet
