--- title: "Wild Idea: Use Railguns to Extract Resources From the Moon" description: "Leonard David, author and space journalist, argues we could potentially use electromagnetic railguns to launch payloads from the lunar surface." date: "2019-06-06" modified: "2019-06-06" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/wild-idea-railguns-resources-moon" categories: - "Astronomy" - "Moon" - "Space" tags: - "hypersonic railgun" - "moon" - "railgun" - "the digest" --- # Wild Idea: Use Railguns to Extract Resources From the Moon ![]() *\Image: NASA/Victor Tangermann\* ## Lunar Railguns The concept of a railgun, a device that propels projectiles to incredible speeds using electromagnetic energy, has been around for [over a century](). And the U.S. Navy [has been hard at work]() trying to turn the idea into a real-world, long-range weapon — but space journalist Leonard David points to a far more futuristic idea in a [new piece]() for *Space.com*: that we could use railguns to launch stuff off the surface of the Moon into space. ## Mass Drivers The idea has been around at least since the 1960s. Even visionary [Gerard O'Neill]() proposed using electromagnetic railguns to launch payloads from the Moon, as David points out. O'Neill, with help from MIT, came up with a [520 foot "mass driver concept"]() that could launch material successfully. And as we become increasingly focused on settling on — or even mining — the Moon, getting resources off the surface will be a major challenge. ## Moonshot At this stage, the idea is still, yes, a moonshot. The Navy isn't the only one trying to make the electromagnetic railgun a reality and ready for combat — China and Russia have also [tested devices]() that are [powerful enough]() to blow away heavily armored foes. But developing a railgun suited for space is still many years out. **READ MORE:** [Could US Navy's Railgun Help Tap Moon's Resources?]() \[*Space.com*\] **More on railguns:** *[Dasvidaniya! Russia Successfully Tests New Weapon That Can Blow Away Any Type of Armor]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()