Northrop Grumman Corporation has been selected by DARPA to further develop the concept of building a lunar railway network as part of a broader 10-year study of lunar architecture capabilities (Luna 10 project). The envisioned lunar railway network could transform the lunar surface, transporting people, materials and resources for commercial enterprises, and contributing to the space economy of the United States and its international partners.
The study being conducted by Northrop Grumman will:
- Identify the interfaces and resources needed to build a lunar railway network.
- Create a critical list of projected cost, technology, and logistics risks.
- Identify prototypes, conduct demonstrations, and analyse the concept and architecture of a fully operational lunar rail system.
- Explore concepts for building and operating the system using robotics, including grading and base preparation, track placement and alignment, docking and finishing, inspection, maintenance and repair.
“This investment in key developments allows our technology to remain at the forefront of next-generation solutions. With our proven expertise in integrating complex systems and commercialising autonomous services, we will continue to introduce long-term changes to a sustainable space ecosystem.”- Chris Adams, Vice President and General Manager, Strategic Space Systems at Northrop Grumman.
DARPA’s Luna-10 Opportunity Research Project aims to create new technology ideas that move from individual science projects to overall scalable systems that work together. The goal is to create an analytical framework for an integrated lunar infrastructure that minimises presence on the Moon and provides commercial services to future lunar users.
