Chinese scientists propose a magnetic launcher on the moon for cost-effective resource transport to Earth.
The magnetic levitation system, based on the hammer throw principle, would spin faster and launch the capsule toward Earth.
Leveraging the moon’s high vacuum and low gravity, it could eject payloads twice daily at about 10 percent of current transport costs, according to researchers from the Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering.
The researchers explained that the system’s technical readiness is relatively high. Since it only requires electricity and no propellant, it will be compact and simple to implement, they wrote in the journal Aerospace Shanghai.
They highlighted that the primary goal is to extract and return helium-3 to address Earth’s energy crisis. The project will also advance space mining technologies, heavy launch vehicles, and artificial intelligence, the South China Morning Post writes.
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