Category Archives: Astrobotic

Friday / 27 Oct 2023

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Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines on Dual Track to Return USA to Moon

Working under first 2 CLPS contracts awarded in 31 May 2019, Astrobotic of Pittsburgh PA and Intuitive Machines of Houston TX now in countdown mode to Moon launch; Astrobotic awaiting ULA readiness to ship Peregrine lander to KSC as Vulcan Centaur being prepped for NET 24 Dec launch on inaugural Certification-1; Intuitive Machines reportedly also aiming for similar time frame launch of Nova-C lander; Peregrine to take 30-day route to mid-latitude Gruithuisen Domes at ~36°N, whereas Nova-C taking more direct 5-7 day transfer via SpaceX F9 to Malapert A near MSP at ~80°S

Credits: ULA, SpaceX, Astrobotic, IM

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 29 Sep – 2 Oct 2023

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USA Enterprises Eager to Lead Return to Moon Surface, Make History with First Commercial Landings

Intuitive Machines, Astrobotic, Firefly, Draper, and ispace USA are working towards first United States Moon landings in over 50 years, with IM and Astrobotic aiming for launches before EOY; NASA financing IM-1 approximately US$116M and Peregrine Mission 1 $79.5; IM-1 carrying LN-1 navigation instrument, NDL Doppler lidar, SCALPSS plume cameras, and Laser Retroreflector Array produced by GSFC for NASA; Commercial customers include Columbia Sportswear, Embry–Riddle, Lunaprise, Jeff Koons, Lonestar Data Holdings; NASA / UC-Boulder and independent International Lunar Observatory Association to send Astronomy from the Moon precursors ROLSES and ILO-X

Pictured: Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus, Astrobotic CEO John Thornton; Credits: IM, Astrobotic, Linkedin

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 August 2023

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As Luna-25 and Chandrayaan-3 Position for Moon South Pole Region Landings, Will USA Accelerate Moon Return?

India Chandrayaan-3 Lander Module in 113 x 157 km lunar orbit as ISRO controllers prepare for final deorbiting burn on 19 Aug, 20:30 UTC ahead of planned 23 Aug 12:17 UTC landing, while Propulsion Module performing spectroscopic observation of Earth from Moon orbit; Russia Luna-25 in 100-km lunar orbit following 243 and 76-sec maneuvers on route and a 40-sec orbital correction with landing NET 21 Aug planned; USA commercial lunar landers working under NASA CLPS contracts may launch soon; Intuitive Machines targeting 15 Nov launch of Nova-C / IM-1 mission, followed by IM-2 and IM-3 asap; Astrobotic Peregrine Mission One may still launch in 2023

 

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 11-14 August 2023

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As World Space Powers Converge on Moon, USA May Find Inspiration to Resume Lunar Exploration Promptly

While China continues to operate Chang’E-3 from IAU-designated landing site Guang Han Gong and Chang’E-4 in South Pole–Aitken basin; India and Russia on way to Moon South Pole region (~70°S) with Chandrayaan-3 & Luna-25 landers; USA works toward first soft landing in 50+ years (Apollo 17) via private CLPS providers; Astrobotic awaiting Vulcan Centaur readiness, which ULA CEO says is on track for Q4 2023 launch – Peregrine to fly solo, as Project Kuiper opts to for proven Atlas V; Intuitive Machines preparing IM-1,2,3 and holding Q2 earnings call on 14 Aug

Friday / 11 Aug 2023

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Russia Luna-25 on Route to Moon South Pole

The first Russia lunar lander mission in 47 years has begun 5-day lunar transfer following Soyuz 2.1b launch / TLI firing powered by Fregat-M upper stage; Prime landing site planned near Boguslawsky crater (69.545°S, 43.544°E) expected to be reached between 20-22 Aug (UTC), perhaps arriving slightly before ISRO Chandrayaan-3, currently in 174 km x 1437 km lunar orbit, to MSP region; With China operating for ~10 years on Moon and Russia and India on the way, NASA CLPS landers race to resume USA activity on lunar surface

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 16-19 June 2023

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India and Russia Accelerating Quest to Pioneer Moon South Pole

ISRO Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander undergoing final integration with LVM-3 rocket at Satish Dhawan Space Centre and is slated for launch to Moon between 12 and 19 July followed by ~1 month cruise and landing at 69.37°S, 32.35°E with ≤ 2 m / sec final velocity touchdown; Roscosmos Luna-25 (47 years after Luna-24) is to follow NET 11 Aug launching from Vostochny Cosmodrome, with direct TLI route powered by Soyuz-2.1b with Fregat upper stage lasting only a few days until landing at 69.55°S, 43.54°E, just ~120km distant from Chandrayaan-3; Intuitive Machines Nova-C NET Q3, Astrobotic Griffin NET Nov 2024, NASA Artemis 3 NET Dec 2025, Chang’E-7 around 2026 also targeting MSP

Pictured: ISRO Chairman S. Somanath, Roscosmos Director Yury Borisov; Credits: ISRO, Roscosmos, Lavochkin
 

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 9-12 June 2023

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National Moon Missions Around World Making Final Preparations for Launch / Lunar Surface Landing Attempts

ULA Vulcan Centaur on track to launch Astrobotic Peregrine NET July following nominal static-fire test of BE-4 methalox first stage engines, upper stage anomaly investigation ongoing, flight qualification 98% done; ISRO targeting 1-week launch window starting 12 July for Chandrayaan-3; Roscosmos set to launch Luna-25 on 11 Aug; JAXA SLIM to launch NET September, with video updates to be released as completed lander is transferred JAXA Space Exploration Center (Sagamihara Campus) to Tanegashima Space Center; Intuitive Machines making significant testing progress, on track for 2023 Nova-C launch

Credits: Intuitive Machines, JAXA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 19-22 May 2023

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7 National and Independent / Commercial Lunar Landers Expected to Launch Within 1 Year

ISRO and Roscosmos targeting similar launch dates (NET 2nd week in July / 13 July respectively) and landing locations in Moon South Pole region (N / NE of Boguslavsky crater ~118km apart), for Chandrayaan-3 and Luna-25 landing missions, however Soyuz 2.1b will carry Luna-25 to direct TLI over a few days, whereas CY-3 will perform a series of Oberth raising maneuvers following LVM3 launch, resulting in ~1 month trip to orbital insertion; Astrobotic Peregrine, IM Nova-C, and JAXA SLIM striving for NET Q3 launch, IM-2 early 2024, Chang’E-6 NET May 2024

Credits: JAXA Lunar and Mars Exploration Logo Contest / Twitter @jsec_jaxa_jp

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 12-15 May 2023

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5 Efforts to Achieve Summer Moon Landings Underway

Chandrayaan-3 may lead ≤ 5 Moon landings during summer, with July launch via LVM 3 on track per anonymous ISRO source cited by Hindustan Times, contrary to Minister Singh statement; Roscosmos Luna-25 targeting 13 July launch to 69.55°S, 43.54°E landing site, just ~118 km away from nominal Chandrayaan-3 site at 69.37°S, 32.35°E; Intuitive Machines Nova-C now set for launchpad arrival “mid-to-late Q3” per CEO Steve Altemus; Astrobotic Peregrine launch prospects hinge on ULA Vulcan Centaur flight readiness, firing test planned for next week; JAXA SLIM is also awaiting investigation of H3 rocket failure with NET August launch

Credits: KARI, ISRO, Roscosmos, IM, Astrobotic, JAXA

Tuesday / 11 April 2023

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ULA Centaur V Anomaly May Further Delay Peregrine Launch, Deployment of Iris Rover

Explosion during pressurization of Vulcan Centaur upper stage at ULA testing facility within MSFC captured by Blue Origin camera monitoring adjacent test stand 29 March (as reported by Eric Berger of Ars Technica) could push certification flight scheduled to launch of Astrobotic Peregrine lunar lander and Kuipersat-1/2 from NET 4 May, pending investigation into incident; Peregrine to carry Iris lunar rover, built by CMU students, set to be the first robotic USA Moon rover, and 25 other payloads (11 NASA / 15 independent)

Credits: ULA, Twitter / @SciGuySpace, Astrobotic