Category Archives: Cislunar Space Development

Tuesday / 2 June 2020

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Europe Takes Steps Toward Robotic Moon Landings, Solicits Input

ESA Director General Jan Wörner Asks For Ideas On How To Utilize European Large Logistics Lander (EL3) In Development By European Exploration Envelope Programme, Part Of International HERACLES System In Which JAXA Contributes Lunar Descent Element, CSA/ASC Contributes Rover; Concepts Currently Under Consideration Per Wörner Include Astrophysical Observation, Cave/PSR Exploration, Cargo Supply, Human Support; EL3 Is Planned To Be Used Frequently For Global Lunar Build-out In Coming Decade, With 1.5-ton Capacity Launched Via Ariane 64; Ideas Submitted By 3 July To Be Considered

Credits: ESA, NASA, Arianespace

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 29 May – 1 June 2020

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 Asteroid Day TV Hosts Globally Accessible Video Content Over Next Month

In Celebration Of 6th Asteroid Day Luxembourg-Based Asteroid Foundation To Share Media From BBC, ESA, ESO, TED, Discovery And Others June 1 – July 4 Featuring 24-hour Live Broadcast On 30 June, Official Asteroid Day By UN Resolution; Asteroids Capture Interest Not Only For Scientific Knowledge And Planetary Security, But Also For Resource Extraction Which Could Fund Exploration; Lunar Outpost May Provide Superior Vantage Point For NEO Detection, Which Founders (L-R) Danica Remy, Rusty Schweickart, Brian May, Grigorij Richters Hope To Increase To 100,000/Year, ‘100X’ Petition Signed By 50,000+ Including 125+ Astronauts

Credits: Asteroid Day, NASA, ESO

Thursday / 28 May 2020

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Lunar Surface Science Workshop Carries On Virtually With Artemis Brainstorming

Interdisciplinary Science Exchange On Crew Conducted Moon Science Moves Online May 28-29, Originally Planned For April 28–30 In Denver; Sponsored By NASA Science Mission, Human Exploration And Operations Mission, And Space Technology Mission Directorates; Conference Seeks To Integrate Science Prerogatives Within Artemis Human Landings Starting In 2024; Primary Theme Of EVA Instrument Deployment Concepts Of Operation With Secondary Focus On EVA-Compatible Scientific Instrument Development; International Presenters Include James Carpenter Of ESA, (L-R) Masaki Fujimoto Of JAXA, Caroline-Emmanuelle Morisset Of CSA And Niki Werkheiser Of NASA

Credits: NASA, LPI, USRA, JAXA

Friday / 22 May 2020

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Small Student-Built Robotic Rover ‘Iris’ May Be First Ever From USA To Explore Moon

Carnegie Mellon University Developed Lunar Rover Iris, Named For 2 Onboard Video Cameras, Having Passed NASA Design Review Is Now Being Modified And Readied For Payload Integration On Peregrine Lander For July 2021 Launch; William ‘Red’ Whittaker, Professor Of CMU Robotics Institute And Astrobotic Founder Leads Team; R&D Funded By US$125,000 NASA Small Business Innovation Research Award; At ~ 2kg, Small / Inexpensive ‘CubeRover’ Class Planetary Surface Probes Reportedly To Be Marketed By Astrobotic For Future Missions

Credits: CMU, NASA, ASTROBOTIC

Tuesday / 12 May 2020

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Artemis Moon Technology Development / Education Supported By US$2.4M Funding

Artemis Student Challenges, A NASA Space Grant And STEM Engagement Initiative, Awards University Of California, San Diego And University Of Washington, Seattle Approximately $500K Each To Develop Lander, Exploration And Habitat Competitions; University Of Hawaii, Honolulu And University Of Colorado, Boulder Also Granted $500K Each From Artemis Core Technologies Awards For Development Of Orbital Cubesats And Lunasats To Be Deployed On Surface Of Moon In 2024 Via Great Lunar Expedition For Everyone Rideshare; University of Alabama, Huntsville And University Of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Receive $200K Each Through Artemis Teaching And Resource Availability

Credits: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 8-11 May 2020

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Roscosmos Contractor Signals Luna Program Readiness For 5 Moon Missions

In Videoconference With PM Putin, State-Owned Aerospace Company NPO Lavochkin Director Kolmykov States Luna-25 (Formerly Known As Luna-Glob) 1,750-kg Uncrewed Lander “In Assembly And First Trial Stages”, To Be Completed By March 2021, Launch To Boguslavsky Crater (72.9°S 43.3°E) On Soyuz-2-1b Fregat-M Expected 1 October 2021, Though Many Observers Skeptical; Lavochkin Is Also Manufacturer Of Upper Stage; 30-kg Payload On Luna-25 Consists Of 9 Instruments Including Mass-Spectrometer, Panoramic Imager, Laser Retroreflector; Luna-26-29 To See Large Rover And Sample Return

 

Credits: Roscosmos, Vladimir Kolmykov Via Twitter

Friday / 8 May 2020

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Moon Dialogs Research Salon Fosters Interdisciplinary Discussion On Lunar Development

Hosted By Secure World Foundation, ASU Interplanetary Initiative, Open Lunar Foundation And MIT Media Lab Space Exploration Initiative, Virtual Series Of Presentations And Conversations Regarding Human Moon Use; Inaugural Session On Lunar Resources, Martin Elvis (L-R) Of Harvard Spoke Of Key Geography: Peaks Of Eternal Light, Shackleton Crater, Malapert Mountain And Mare Moscoviense; Political Scientist Alanna Krolikowski Spoke On Organizational Matters; Discussions Led By Timiebi Aganaba-Jeanty Of ASU, Jessy Kate Schingler Of OLF, Ariel Ekblaw Of MIT And Christopher Johnson Of SWF, Past And Future Sessions Available

Credits: SWF, OLF, MIT, ASU, JAXA

Friday / 1 May 2020

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USA Declaration Of Intent To Mine Moon Generates Interest Among Earthbound Industry

Executive Order Signed 6 April Prompts Consideration Of Imminent Lunar In-Situ Resource Utilization And Recovery As CNSA Chang’e-5 Mission To Collect 2.2 kg Of Regolith Approaches; Terrestrial Mining Powers Such As Canada, Rich In Both Natural Resources And Human Expertise, Recipient Of World-Leading US$7.9B Annual Investment In Mineral Extraction, Will Play Vital Role In Adaptation Of Remote Mining Technology To Moon Conditions; CSA Distributes $150M Through Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP), Fostering Lunar Geology Science

Credits: TransAstra Corp, Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science, NASA, JPL, Caltech, GSFC, Roscosmos, SVS

Tuesday / 28 April 2020

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SpaceBit Aims To Land “Arachnid-Like” Asagumo Rover Built On Modular 6U CubeSat Chassis

SpaceBit Of UK Reportedly Creating Redundant Designs Amid Global Supply Chain Uncertainty, Allowing Independent Assembly Of 1-1.3 kg Rover In USA, UK, Japan; Spacebit Mission One Striving To Meet Q3 2021 Maiden Launch Of ULA Vulcan Centaur / Astrobotic Peregrine Lander; Partnered With Yuzhnoye Design Office, Ecuadorian Space Agency, Dereum Labs Of Mexico; Pavlo Tanasyuk Signs Agreement At 3rd MVA Workshop & Symposium With Japan Company Dymon To Image Asagumo On Lunar Surface, Spacebit To Reciprocate With Picture Of Yaoki Rover

Credits: Spacebit, Astrobotic, ULA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 24-27 Apr 2020

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NASA Seeks To Establish Roster Of Lunar Science Concepts For Payloads, Research Investigations On Surface Of Moon

PRISM Stage-1 RFI Outreach To Scientists Open 10 April – 11 May; Mission Ideas Generated Are To Be Catalogued By NASA For Potential Development In Collaboration With Commercial Partners; PRISM Stage-2 Expected Summer 2020 Will Influence Future Landing Sites; CLPS Awardees Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines, Masten Slated For 2021-2022 Payload Delivery To Moon Surface, Followed By JSC-Made VIPER In 2023 And Artemis III Human Landings in 2024 Via SLS, Orion And TBD Lander Assisted By Scaled-Down Gateway; Plans Call For Artemis Base Camp Near Lunar South Pole, Widely Considered Most Likely Area For Prospecting Success

Credits: NASA, SpaceX, Intuitive Machines