San Antonio is set to become a key player in NASA’s plans to build a permanent base on the moon. Three local organizations – Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), Astroport Space Technologies, and the WEX Foundation – are collaborating to convert 180 acres of farmland on the West Side into a testing site that resembles the lunar surface.
The National Lunar Research Center Initiative
The project, known as the National Lunar Research Center (NLRC) initiative, aims to provide a unique testing environment for companies to test their equipment and construction materials before sending them to the moon. The site will be large enough to lay out a full haul road, allowing companies to run construction equipment and rovers through long-duration testing at full scale.
The NLRC will also serve as a place to test the effects of lunar regolith on construction materials and equipment. Lunar regolith is a mixture of rock, glass, and dust that coats the moon’s surface and can be hazardous to equipment.
A Local Pipeline to the Moon
The WEX Foundation, which aims to promote STEM education and create a local pipeline to jobs in the aerospace industry, will play a crucial role in the project. The foundation will work to promote STEM education and create a local workforce pipeline to the aerospace industry, starting with K-12 education and curriculum development.
San Antonio is home to over 46,000 professionals working in aerospace and defense, making it an ideal location for the NLRC. The project is currently unfunded, but the trio will pursue funding from the Texas Space Commission and NASA.
Original reporting: San Antonio Report — read the source article.
