NASA working on building rail tracks on Moon, sending humans and cargo to Mars
Representational image of astronauts setting up railway lines in the space.
In hopes of turning science fiction into reality, NASA has been funding projects which seem far from reality, but if completed can take mankind's achievements in space to new heights.
Speaking about such ambitious projects, even the space agency's representativeJohn Nelson calls them "science fiction-like concepts".
Although there is no guarantee of them materialising,projects like the lunar rail system may become part of an aerospace mission someday.
What are these 'ambitious' projects of NASA?
These 'ambitious' projects include a fluid-based telescope, a transit system to transfer humans and cargo to Mars and a lunar railway system.
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These projects are part of NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) programme that has been set aside to be funded for continuous research.
In all, there are six projects and each of them has completed the initial NIAC phase. Moving into Phase II, the conceptual studies will get more than $600,000 for continuing their research in the next two years.
No guarantee of success
These projects are still in the exploratory stage and there isno guarantee ofsuccess. However, the projects have been moving on the intended path fora future aerospace mission if they reach the final NIAC phase.
NIAC programme executive at NASA headquarters in Washington John Nelson said, "Our NIAC fellows never cease to amaze and inspire, and this class definitely gives NASA a lot to think about in terms of what's possible in the future."
To advance this space research, a fundamental requirement isever-larger telescopedevelopment.
According to NASA's Edward Balaban, it does not appear economically viable to scale current space telescope technologies to aperture sizes beyond 10 metres.
"Thus, there is a need for cost-effective solutions to scale space telescopes to larger sizes," he said.
What do these projects promise?
TheFLUTE projectgives a potential solutionfor creating space observatories which have a large aperture or unsegmented liquid primary mirrors.
Such liquid primary mirrors get formed in space with the use of fluidic shaping in microgravity, said Balaban.
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The scientists have already demonstratedthis concept in laboratoriesamid neutral buoyancy environments, aboard the International Space Station and during parabolic microgravity flights.
Meanwhile, another project of NASA is the Pulsed Plasma Rocket entailingelectric spacecraft propulsion. As of now, no technology allows the shifting of humans and cargoefficiently and rapidly through the vast distances of space.
(With inputs from agencies)