The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is working with Northrop Grumman to flesh out a concept for a moon-based railroad network. The envisioned lunar railroad network could transport humans, supplies, and resources for commercial ventures across the lunar surface. Northrop is focusing on identifying interfaces, resources, funding, and logistical risks to build such a network, as part of DARPA’s Lunar Architecture Capability Study (LunA-10).
Northrop was selected by DARPA to explore concepts for a future lunar economy by 2035. The study focuses on power generation, moon mining, resource utilization, navigation, and mobility. These studies align with recent programs by DARPA and the Air Force Research Laboratory to explore logistics and satellite sensing in a lunar environment.
The Space Force’s interest in cislunar operations around the moon is growing, with plans to create a Space Futures Command to validate forward-looking concepts. Lt. Gen. Shawn Bratton emphasized understanding the military benefits of operations in the cislunar environment. Space Futures Command will focus on gathering data to demonstrate the military utility of cislunar operations to Gen. Chance Saltzman and Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall.
