Category Archives: Artemis Program

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 11-14 Sep 2020

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Who Owns The Moon?

Administrator Bridenstine Says In Order “To Stimulate And Normalize The Extraction And Sale Of Lunar Resources” NASA Will Pay US$15,000-$25,000 For In-Situ Collection / Cataloguing 50-500g Of Material; USA Moon Expert Clive Neal Declares Action A “Paradigm Shift”; Canada, Russia Leaders And Scholars Expressing Concerns, As Are Europe Officials, Moon Village Association; Asia Spacefaring Powers India, China, Japan Have Yet To Comment On Possible Egalitarian Considerations And Solutions; China Chang’e-5 Moon Sample Return Mission Late 2020 Readies Attempt To Mine Up To 2kg Of Regolith, Return To Earth, Long Before Any American Or Other Moon Lander Is Expected To Touch Down

Credits: NASA, UND /  Washington Post

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 4-7 Sep 2020

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4 Years Out From Human Moon Landing Goal, Artemis Tech Accelerates Development

SLS Core 8-Minute, 4-Engine Green-Run Test #5 Of 9 Planned NET Oct By Boeing At Stennis, Simulating Launch & Ascent; Recent 2-Minute SLS Booster Test Fire By Northrop In UT Provided 3.6M Pounds-Force, Simulating Lift Off & Flight, And Tested New Materials For Artemis 4 + Beyond; Orion Crew Capsule Moves Into Integration Phase As Major Final Certification Achieved, Will Be Shipped To KSC With SLS For Artemis 1 Launch NET Nov 2021; Artemis 2 + 3 Core Stages Under Production At Michoud

Credits: NASA, Northrop Grumman, Boeing

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 28-31 Aug 2020

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NASA Head Of Human Exploration And Operations Expresses Confidence On Meeting SPD-1 Human Moon Landing 2024

Kathy Leuders Gives Upbeat Assessment Of USA Space Program; Notes SLS Cost Is Now US$9.1B + $2.4B For Ground Support, Core Stage Evaluation Past Midpoint As Test 5/9 Underway At Stennis Space Center; Final Construction Of Orion Spacecraft Nears With Successful Pacific Recovery Trial, Installation Of 4 Solar Arrays, Currently Undergoing Thermal And Electromagnetic Endurance Tests In Preparation For Artemis II Human Lunar Orbit Mission; Operational Efficiencies Ensure NASA Is “Working At The Best Possible Pace”

Credits: Kim Shiflett, NASA, Northrop Grumman, ILOA

Tuesday / 25 Aug 2020

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2-Crew Artemis III South Pole Mission Lunar Science Ideas Solicited 

NASA Science Mission Directorate Planetary Science Division, Led By (L) Lori Glaze, Forming Science Definition Team To Prioritize Lunar Science To Be Conducted By Artemis III Crew At Undetermined Site Within 6 Degrees Of Moon South Pole; RFP For 2-Page White Paper For Human Moon Surface Science Ideas To Be Integrated With Aggregated Recommendations From Lunar Exploration Analysis Group / Decadal Survey Publications; NASA Planetary Scientist Sarah Noble Is Lead On Vetting Submissions Via USRA Portal, Due 17:00 CDT 8 September

Credits: NASA, Twitter

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 14-17 Aug 2020

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USA, China On Fast Track For Human Moon Missions Through Sustained Science, Exploration Programs

NASA LRO Surpasses 5 Years In Polar Mapping Orbit Collecting Data For Landings; Part Of Extensive Artemis SPD-1 To Achieve Humans At Moon South Pole (MSP) 2024, CLPS Program To See 1st Commercial Landings [Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines] Second Half Of 2021, Masten To MSP 2022, VIPER MSP 2023, PRIME-1 & 19D Contracts Upcoming; China / Zhongguo Chang’e-4 Operating On Farside, CE-5 Sample Return Launching 24 Nov, CE-6 Payloads Being Selected, CE-7 Collaboration With Russia Developing, CE-8 In 2027 May Be Final Robotic Landing Before Crew

Credits: NASA, CNSA, NAOC-CAS

Tuesday / 21 July 2020

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Gender Equality, Human Flourishing Are Driving Forces In Artemis Moon Return

First Woman / Next Man To Set Foot On Moon Are Among Current NASA Astronaut Corps Who Have Worked On ISS —  A Requirement That 9 Women Now Meet, 7 Other Female Astronauts Including Zena Cardman Of VA May Fly Before 2024; Per Administrator Bridenstine, A “Transformational”, “Incredible” Event “For Young Women… All Across The World”; Uplifting Motivation Will Expand Woman Sphere Of Influence / Domain, A Necessary Condition For Equality; Increasing Humanity Area Of Habitat Will Mitigate Terrestrial Carrying Capacity Issues In Progressive, Inspiring Manner

Credits: NASA, SPC, ILOA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 17-20 July 2020

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Humanity Strives Toward Achievement Of Multi-World Habitation

As UAE/JAXA, China, USA Prepare Vessels Destined For Mars Orbit, Atmosphere And Surface, Chang’e -4 Lander And Yutu-2 Rover Continue Pioneering Geophysical / Astronomical Observation And Traversment Of Lunar Farside Surface, Citizens Of Earth Pause To Reflect On Incredible Accomplishments Of The First Space Era; Apollo 11 Moon Landing Commemorated For 51st Time On Moonday, July 20 As Space Exploration Day; Inscription “We Came In Peace For All” On Mare Tranquillitatis Landing Site Remains Poignant Moral Guidance, As Does Antarctica Treaty Model Allowing Only Peaceful Military Presence

Credits: CNSA, NASA, UAESA, Antarctic Treaty System

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 10-13 July 2020

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USA And Japan Sign Joint Exploration Declaration Of Intent On Artemis

NASA Administrator Bridenstine Signs JEDI With Koichi Hagiuda, Japan Minister Of Education, Culture, Sports, Science And Technology; Specific Commitments Yet To Be Formalized, JAXA Will Likely Collaborate On International Habitation Module, Energy And Gas Storage On Gateway; Also Will Contribute Mission Data From 2022 Smart Lander For Investigating Moon And Offer Next Generation Cargo Capacity Via Uncrewed HTV-X Powered By H3 Rocket In 2022; Crewed Rover Being Developed In Conjunction With Toyota Motor Company For 2029

Credits: NASA, JAXA, Toyota

Friday / 10 July 2020

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NASA Supports Advanced Lunar Resource Extraction / Exploration Technologies With ~US$17M

4 Enterprises Nurtured By Phase 1 & 2 SBIR/STTR Grants Chosen To Further Refine Technologies Deemed Vital For Artemis Mission Success: Informatic Health And Spacecraft Diagnostics Systems By Qualtech Systems (CT), Regolith Refining Machinery For ISRU By Pioneer Astronautics (CO), Protoinnovations (PA) Tasked With Rover Traction Control, Fibertek (VA) To Develop Cis-Lunar Laser Communication; Post-Phase 2 Awards Range $2.5M – $5M, Designed As Final Stage Of Incubation Prior To Commercialization; Administrator Bridenstine Seeks $25.2B Appropriation From Congress To Fund Agency

Credits: NASA, Qualtech , Pioneer Astronautics, Protoinnovations, Fibertek

Tuesday / 7 July 2020

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Artemis / Sustained Moon Habitation Advances Via Lunar Dust, Power, Sterilization Investigations

NASA Awards 312 Small Businesses ~US$125K For 409 Technology Proposals ($51M Total) Through Phase 1 Of Annual NASA SBIR & STTR Programs; 9 Funded Ideas Center On Regolith Dust Mitigation, Including Electrodynamic Shielding (Hedgefog Research), Wireless Communication (Astrobotic), <1 Micron Filtration (Mainstream Engineering Corporation); Opterus R&D Will Study Heavy Duty Lunar Solar Array Concept, Paragon Space To Work On Water Collection / Purification, CU Aerospace To Develop Plasma Anti-Microbial Device; Phase 2 Will Include ‘Multi-million’ Prototyping Contracts, Market Entry Support; 27% Of Awardees Women / Minority Owned

Credits: NASA, ESA, MEC, HR, Astrobotic, PSDC, ORD, CU Aerospace