Category Archives: Advanced Technology

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 15-18 August 2014

Posted on by

Bigelow Aerospace Advancing Towards Goal Of Lunar Base

BigelowAstronauts0814

Preparations Underway To Launch BEAM Module To ISS In 2015, First Step Towards Independent Space Stations & Lunar Bases; Robert Bigelow (L) Believes Company Will Be Ready To Land Functional Lunar Bases On Surface Of Moon In 10 Years; ‘Lunar Depot Ares’ Would Have 990 Cubic Meters Of Habitable Space, House 12-18 Astronauts; Plan Hinges On Success Of Its Space Habitats, Lunar Property Rights Recognition, Interest From Private Companies / Nations; Bigelow Aerospace Intends To Form Sizable Astronaut Corps, Already Hired 2 Former Shuttle Astronauts, Plans To Have 4 More On Team By End 2014

Pictured: Bigelow Astronauts Kenneth Ham (R) & George Zamka

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace, NASA

Friday / 15 August 2014

Posted on by

Moon / Small Body Spacecraft Initiatives Supported By NASA

NASA Mooncraft Intiatives

Scarab Lunar Rover Being Developed By Robotics Institute Of Carnegie Mellon University To Explore Dark Polar Craters At Moon South Pole; Powered By 100-Watt Fuel Cell Created Under NASA Game Changing Development Program, Rover Can Collect 1m Core Samples For Water & Gas Analysis; Marco Pavone Of Stanford University Awarded US$500K Through NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Program To Continue Developing Hopping / Tumbling Craft With 3 Internal Flywheels Capable Of Exploring Small Bodies – Similar Technologies Could Be Applied To Future Mooncraft

Image Credit: NASA, Carnegie Mellon University

Thursday / 14 August 2014

Posted on by

University Students Advancing Moon Lander Rocket Design

PurdueMorpheus0814

Purdue University Student Team Designing & Testing Components Of New Rocket Engine For NASA Project Morpheus; Students Of Professor William Anderson (BR) Focused On Engine Thrust Chamber Design & Developed System To Liquefy Methane From Gas, Both Essential Elements To Facilitating High-Performance / Lightweight  Rocket Engine Needed For Moon Landings; Team Now Working To Optimize Cooling Approach For Chamber Walls, Temperatures Inside Chamber Can Reach 2600°C

Image Credit: Purdue University, NASA

Thursday / 7 August 2014

Posted on by

China Lunar Program May Develop Lunar Mining Potential

ChinaHelium3_0814

Sole Country Operating On Lunar Surface May Be Eyeing Lucrative Moon Mining Operation; Chief Scientist Of China Lunar Exploration Program Ziyuan Ouyang Notes Lunar Helium-3 Could ‘Solve Humanity’s Energy Demand For Around 10,000 Years At Least’; He-3 Estimated At 13 Parts Per Billion By Weight In Lunar Regolith, Or ~1,100,000 Tonnes Total; Estimates On Potential Economic Value Of The He-3 Gas Is US$3B / Tonne, Estimated Cost For Fusion Development & Starting Lunar Operations ~US$20B Over 2 Decades; China Has Expressed Interest, Has Not Outlined Concrete Plans To Mine Moon For He-3

Image Credit: Moon Society, cyberphysics.com

Friday / 1 August 2014

Posted on by

Potential Landing Sites & Tests For
China Chang’e-4 Mission

Chang'e-4

China Lunar Exploration Program Chief Scientist Prof Ziyuan Ouyang Previews Possible Challenging & Pioneering Objectives For Chang’e-4 Moon Lander / Rover Mission: Could Land At Moon South Pole Region And / Or Mountain Top Peak Of Eternal Light Offering ~90% Illumination Year Round, Stable ~213K (-60°C) Temperatures, Plethora Of Science Benefits; Could Also Launch From Moon Surface To Different Moon Region – Or Directly To Mars, Reminiscent Of Chang’e-2 Orbiter Exploring L2, Asteroid 4179 Toutatis & Deep Space After Moon Mission

Image Credit: NASA, news.cn, CNSA

Thursday / 31 July 2014

Posted on by

SLS Maiden Voyage To Deliver Cubesats To Moon

FlashlightSLS0714

11 Cubesats Will Be Delivered To Cislunar Space On First Uncrewed Mission Of SLS Rocket / Orion Capsule In Late 2017; 3 Missions Have Already Been Selected Including Lunar Flashlight; Led By Barbara Cohen Of NASA Marshall SFC; Mission Will Utilize 80m² Solar Sail To Navigate Into A Highly Elliptical Lunar Polar Orbit That Passes Near Moon South Pole, Solar Sail Will Then Be Redirected To Shine 50kW Of Sunlight Into Shaded Craters While On-Board Spectrometer Measures Surface Reflection & Composition; Data Will Identify Sites With Ample Volatiles Near Surface Ideal For More Expansive Lander / Rover / Human Missions

Image Credit: NASA, Rob Staehle

Wednesday / 30 July 2014

Posted on by

China Chang’e-5 On Schedule For 2017

Chang'e-5Wu0714

Development Of Chang’e-5 Lunar Sample Return Mission “Progressing Smoothly” Says China State Administration Of Science & Technology Industry Spokesperson Zhijian Wu (L); Mission Will Be 1st Of China Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP) Phase 3 (Return) Missions; Probe Will Collect Regolith From Lunar Surface & Scoop Samples From Depth Of 2m, Launch And Rendezvous With Orbiter For Earth Return; Plans For Chang’e-4 Still To Be Confirmed, South Pole Landing Possible Says Ziyuan Ouyang; CLEP Educational Exhibit Opens National Tour At Hong Kong Science Museum, Features ~20 Replicas, Models & Interactive Exhibits

Image Credit: CLEP, Hong Kong Science Museum

Thursday / 17 July 2014

Posted on by

Japan Advancing Plans For Moon Missions

JapanRobotMoon0714

JAXA Unveils Plans For Robotic Missions To Lunar Surface Commencing In 2019; Missions Will Conduct Research On Inner Structure Of Moon, Recover / Analyze Samples & Exploit Resources, While Establishing Technical Platform Capable Of Landing On Moon & Returning To Earth With Potential Applications For Other Celestial Bodies; Prominent Hi-Tech Industry & Impressive Space Exploration Resumé Could Position Japan As A Valuable Contributor In Collaborative International Strategy To Expand Human Presence Throughout Solar System

Image Credit: JAXA

Tuesday / 1 July 2014

Posted on by

Astrobotic Demonstrates Autonomous Moon Landing System

AASlanding0714

Astrobotic Teams With Masten Space Systems To Successfully Demonstrate Astrobotic Autolanding System (AAS); Xombie Suborbital Rocket Was Boosted To 250m, Simulated Lunar Trajectory, Achieved Soft Landing Intuitively Avoiding Simulated Moon Debris On Mojave Desert Landing Field; AAS Uses Only Cameras & Inertial Measurement Unit, Necessary For Environments Like Moon Where GPS Not Available; Astrobotic Chief Tech Guru Kevin Peterson Says System Can Track Craft Location To Within 3m

Image Credit: Astrobotic Technology Inc.

Wednesday / 18 June 2014

Posted on by

CubeSats To The Moon

LunarCubes0614

RFI Released By NASA To Gather Feedback / Gauge Interest In Deep Space CubeSat Centennial Challenge; 1st Challenge Will Award US$3M To Competitor Able To Meet Or Exceed Propulsion, Communication, Longevity Technical Objectives While In Lunar Orbit; 2nd Challenge Will Award Up To US$1.5M For CubeSat Demonstrations Beyond Lunar Orbit; Additional US$1M For Ground Qualification Competition Reviews; CubeSats Will Be Carried Into Trans-Lunar Trajectory On 1st Launch Of NASA SLS In 2018

Image Credit: NASA, pocketspacecraft.com