Friday / 1 July 2022

China and India Working on Spacecraft Technology for Crewed and Automated Moon Exploration

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) prototyping new hydrolox rocket engine for lunar version of ‘New-Generation Manned Launch Vehicle’ / Long March 5DY, with component check, fault detection and ignition tests achieved; Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) advancing Chandrayaan-3 redesign, improving lander legs, sensors and propulsion system, with ongoing testing at ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri; China aiming for human Moon landings within 2020’s decade, India 2nd robotic landing attempt likely to occur NET 2023

Credits: CNSA, ISRO

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 29 April – 2 May 2022

ISRO Proceeding Carefully with Chandrayaan-3 Moon Landing, Plans International LUPEX Mission

Chandrayaan-3 flight hardware on display in new documentary Space on Wheels, also featuring 74 other domestic spacecraft; Vessel currently undergoing analysis of propulsion and other systems in Mahendragiri; Officially set for August launch, ISRO Chair S Somanath tells TOI “The list of tests is long and we do not want to compromise on anything. It is unlikely that we launch Chandrayaan-3 this year”; Lunar Polar Exploration Mission to follow NET 2024, with JAXA (rover) and ESA (instrument suite) participation; ISRO cooperating with 60 nations per 2021-22 Department of Space Annual Report

Credits: ISRO

Friday / 1 April 2022

ISRO Chandrayaan-3 Moon Mission Will Be Supported by ESA Global Deep Space Communication Network

On track for Q3 landing near Moon South Pole (70.9°S), Chandrayaan-3 may be the first India space mission to take advantage of ESA-operated 35-m (Australia, Argentina, Spain) and 15-m (French Guiana) Estrack antennae as well as 32-m commercial Goonhilly in England, all coordinated by 24/7/365 European Space Operations Centre (Germany); Aditya-L1 solar observatory and Gaganyaan human spaceflight will also utilize Estrack ground stations, as has CNSA during Chang’e mission sequence; In-kind use of ISRO ground stations will be available for future ESA deep space activities

 

Credits: ISRO, ESA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 March 2022

2022 Global Effort to Launch Lunar Orbiters and Landers Advances with SLS Mega Moon Rocket Leading the Way

SLS stacked with Orion Crew Capsule on KSC Launch Pad 39B awaiting Wet Dress Rehearsal, with NET May launch to orbit Moon; Rocket Lab Capstone rectilinear halo orbit pathfinder to launch between 3-15 May; Dubai Week reports Roscosmos and ISRO on track for August launch to Boguslavsky crater (Luna-25) and summer launch to a plain between Manzinus C and Simpelius N craters (Chandrayaan-3); ispace HAKUTO-R (NET Oct), Astrobotic Peregrine (NET Nov) landers to be powered by Agile Space Industries thrusters

 

Credits: NASA, Purdue, DARPA

Friday / 4 February 2022

India to Launch Chandryaan-3 Lander / Rover in August to Explore Moon South Pole Region

ISRO intends to launch Chandryaan-3 via GSLV Mk 3 NET August, soft-landing near originally planned Chandryaan-2 site; Area is within southern lunar highlands ~160km from Boguslawsky crater, preferred landing site of Roscosmos Luna-25 aiming for 23 July launch, and ~350km from South Pole-Aitken basin, an area currently being investigated by CNSA Yutu-2 rover from Chang’e-4 mission with sample return planned for Chang’e-6 NET 2024; Spectral analysis from Chandrayaan-1 orbiter indicates site is rich in iron (4.2%), magnesium (5.4%), calcium (10%) and titanium (0.3%)

 

Credits: ISRO

Thursday / 12 August 2021

Molecular Water on Moon Surface Confirmed by Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter

Researchers with Indian Institute of Remote Sensing and U.R. Rao Satellite Centre, divisions of ISRO, confirm presence of lunar water H2O) in Current Science paper; Previous measurements taken during Chandrayaan-1 with Moon Mineralogy Mapper definitively prove existence of Hydroxyl (HO) but unable to differentiate from water; Imaging Infrared Spectrometer, with spectral range 0.8–5.0 μm in circular 100-km orbit since Sep 2019, provides clear evidence of H2O, varying by region with concentration in upper latitudes

Credits: ISRO, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 19-22 Feb 2021

NASA Acting Chief Of Staff Emphasizes Climate Change, Space Diplomacy, Artemis Moon Return, ISS, Mars, Diversity

Bhavya Lal, Formerly Of Science And Technology Policy Institute, Articulates NASA Priorities Going Forward Under Biden / Harris Administration In Wide-Ranging Comments Reported By Times Of India; Environmental Study Utilizing Earth Observation Is Top Initiative, With Lal Citing Climate Change As “Existential Threat” Affecting Human Health And Expressing High Hopes For US$1.5B NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar In 2022; Multilateral International Engagement With “Adversaries” In Addition To “Traditional Partners” To Be Advanced; Significance Of Artemis / First Women On Moon, Mars Sample Return, ISS Continuity And STEM Inclusiveness Also Indicated

Credits: NASA, Dynetics

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 25-28 Sep 2020

Asia Lunar Exploration: Ongoing And Near Future

ISRO Second Soft Landing Attempt Slated For Early 2021 (Chandrayaan-3), During Which 350-kg Capacity Lander Technology Will Be Validated For Collaborative LUPEX Mission With Japan NET 2023; JAXA To Contribute H3 Launch Vehicle / Rover And Precision Landing Technology Trialed During 2022 SLIM; Meanwhile On Lunar Near / Far Sides CSNA Craft Continue Observations – CE-3 Operational ~7 Years, Returning Astronomical Observations / Data From Mare Imbrium; CE-4 Lander And Rover Hibernate On Far Side, Anticipate Reactivation For 23rd Lunar Day (644 Earth Days) On 8 Oct, Yutu-2 Has Traversed 547.17 m; CE-5 Sample Return LM-5 Launch Expected From Wenchang SLC On Hainan 24 Nov

 

Credits: CNSA, JAXA, ISRO

Friday / 7 Aug 2020

India Chandrayaan-3 Progresses While LRO Gives Hope That Pragyan Rover Survived Crash

ISRO Chair K Sivan (R) States Agency Analyzing Data After Space Enthusiast Compares NASA LRO Chandrayaan-2 Images Taken Nov 2019 & Jan 2020 Finding Possibility That Pragyan Rover May Be Intact And Rolled Out After 6 Sep 2019 Impact Near 70°S; Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter With 8 Payloads Continues Operations & Will Contribute To ~US$86M Chandrayaan-3 Mission Launching Q2 2021; VSSC Director S Somanath Confirms Plans For Chandrayaan-4 And Beyond; Partnership With JAXA May Produce 2024 Lunar Polar Exploration Mission Of South Pole Lander + Rover

Credits: NASA, LRO, ISRO, Shanmuga Subramanian via Twitter

Friday / 24 July 2020

ISRO Releasing Chandrayaan-2 Data Globally In October, Preparing Chandrayaan-3 For 2021 Launch

Chand-2 Orbiter 8 Payloads Performing Nominally In 100-km Lunar Polar Orbit, Now >1 Year Into Mission As Of 22 July; ISRO Planning To Share Internationally: Highest-Res 3D Moon Map, Science Data Sets On Surface Water-Ice And Minerals / Metals, Argon-40, Exosphere, Solar X-rays; ISRO Chair K. Sivan States Chand-2 Mission “Has Achieved 98% Of Its Objectives”; Chand-3 Lander + Rover Estimated Cost ~US$91.2M, Will Utilize Chand-2 Orbiter, Launch To Moon South Pole Region 1st Half 2021

Credits: ISRO