Railroad

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Railroad is a commonly used transportation system on Earth, and it can be used on Mars as well. Iron as the main construction material is abundant on the Martian surface.

Compared with rovers a railroad system is rather inflexible, but it can have an advantage for frequently used ways. Especially for driverless material transport it can be a central part of the infrastructure.

Use cases

  • The way of a maintenance team for the solar panels
  • Transportation of material in mining tunnels
  • Connection between two settlements

Open issues

  • Can the railroad be built lighter because of the lower gravity, or is the inertia of the train the main parameter?
  • How much energy is needed under Martian conditions to produce 1 km railroad?