NIAC 2021 - FLOAT

 Niethen Shaler FLOAT Flexible Levitation on a Track

jpl.nasa.gov

Notes by Paul Fischer

The first lunar railway system to move 200k kg per day that can be rolled directly onto a path or track to complete repetitive tasks

These have other added benefits

The challenge is how to process autonomous, in an inhospitable environment, transport

The innovation in FLOAT is to devise a very simple robot that permanently levitate over a track, we take advantage of graphite’s diamagnetic capabilities and are able to deliver over 33 kg/m^2 payload to a surface on the moon, directional control also possible

Collaborators at SRI developed microscale robots and FLOAT is responsible to upscale this millimeter approach up to meters

We are refining our estimates, experiments of small-scale models

The primary architectural mission we are focused on

A robust ice water mining operation

These provide fuels and basic supplies 

Requirement to produce 3,000 kg of regulate per day

The transportation options are a low-cost …

Most lunar parts and regulars. Autonomous driving and float tracks creat well defined routes 

Performance estimates

For benchmarking the overall float system

The thickness of the graphite in the track, the payload, and the height

System design

We are also considering one, three track configurations as well as two and three parallel track configurations

We are also proposing a modular track design, such as junctions and curves in the track, each with their own power mechanics.

To allow us to use multi-white junctions and curves.

A multi-white system to design to work in reverse and allow us to work in the concept of deployment

Ongoing float performance estimates and experiments

Limited by both robot and track geometry, we better conform to non-planarity of the track, efficacy of the track curvature and debriclearning

Q: Seeing a centimeter scale model of this?

FLOAT and the original DM3 technology, but it means that the robots cannot carry a heavy payload if deployed on earth, but this can work well on lower gravity