Northrop Grumman announced Tuesday that the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has selected the company to further develop its lunar rail network initiative.
DARPA is a U.S. Department of Defense agency responsible for research and development of advanced technologies. DARPA was the powerhouse behind many of the technologies that helped bring humans to the moon during the Apollo program. This includes the Saturn V, the rocket used to launch the Apollo program.
The lunar railway envisioned by DARPA could be used to shuttle people, supplies and resources to and from different parts of the moon, contributing to the rapid growth of the space economy that the United States is betting on. DARPA selected Northrop Grumman for the lunar railway as part of an extensive 10-year lunar structure (LunA-10) capability study to develop a “lunar economy.''
“This investment in significant development research will keep our technology at the forefront of next-generation solutions. Our proven experience in integrating complex systems and commercialized autonomous services will help us achieve sustainable We continue to create lasting change in the global space ecosystem,” Chris Adams, Northrop Grumman vice president and general manager of Strategic Space Systems, said in a press statement. .
Northrop Grumman will now have a series of responsibilities to take on with the new research. First, we need to define the interfaces and resources needed to build a rail network on the moon. Next, you need to create a list of foreseeable costs, technical and logistical risks.
Thereafter, the company plans to identify conceptual designs and architectural prototypes, demonstrations, and analyzes for a fully operational lunar rail system. In addition, we will explore concepts for building and operating systems using robotics, including grading and foundation preparation, track placement and alignment, bonding and finishing, inspection, maintenance and repair.
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Date first uploaded: March 20, 2024 15:24 IST