00:00NASA is currently planning its next big mission to the moon, with the Artemis 3 manned mission
00:08set to touch down in 2026. The whole thing will be a jumping off point to Mars, with astronauts
00:14expected to set up a lunar base for that purpose. Now, NASA has just announced plans for this,
00:19what is essentially a mini railway system to help them ferry supplies around the moon.
00:23They're calling it float, or flexible levitation on a track, and it has been selected by the
00:28Space Agency for additional funding. It's all part of NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts Program
00:33Phase 2, and the levitating railway is set to receive an additional $600,000 for development.
00:39According to its developers, the system will provide reliable, autonomous, and efficient
00:43payload transport on the moon, using magnetic robots that literally float over the track,
00:48and move supplies wherever they're needed. Researchers say the robots will need to be
00:52able to move upwards of 220,000 pounds of lunar regolith and other supplies daily,
00:56all while consuming less than 40 kilowatts of power, a tall order. However, float isn't the
01:01only project which has received more funding for research. Other projects include a pulse plasma
01:06rocket, which its developers say could substantially reduce travel times around the solar system.
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