Category Archives: International Cooperation

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 5-8 Feb 2021

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ESA Doubles Orion Service Module Order As Artemis 1 Integration Approaches

3 Additional European Service Modules (ESM) Ordered From Airbus Of Germany (With Assistance From 10 European Countries) At Cost Of US$783M; Providing Artemis 4-6 Lunar Astronauts With: Propulsion Via 26.6kN Thrust Orbital Maneuvering System Engine (Orion Main Engine Debuting On ESM-6); Power Via 4 Solar Arrays Measuring 2m x 7m, Housing (3) 2mx2m PV Panels Each, Generating 11.2 kW; Life Support Sufficient To Maintain A 4-Member Crew For Up To 3 Weeks; Orion-1 Awaits Successful SLS Core Stage Hot Fire Test Week Of 21 Feb At Stennis, After Which Integration May Commence At KSC

Credits: NASA, Airbus

Friday / 11 Dec 2020

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SpaceIL Of Israel Sets Sights On 2024 Attempt At Moon Landings And Orbiter

Independent Organization SpaceIL, In Partnership With Israel Aerospace Industries And Israeli Space Agency, Plans Beresheet 2 Augmented Repeat Of 2019 Moon Landing Attempt – The Most Successful NGO Effort To Date, Winning US$1M Google Lunar X Prize Moonshot Award; New Mission To Occur First Half Of 2024, Will Include Orbiter With 2+ Year Lifespan And 2 Science Landers Weighing 118kg/ea; Expected ~$100M Cost; ISA Leader Izhar Shay Tells Times Of Israel That UAE, Which Plans 2024 Lunar Rover Rashid, Is Among “Seven Countries From Five Continents” Who Have Expressed Interest In Collaboration

 

Credits: SpaceIL, IAI, ISA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 20-23 Nov 2020

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Artemis Coalition And International Lunar Efforts Show Steady Progression

SLS Rocket, Central To Achieving USA Space Policy Directive 1 / Human Moon Landings, To Conduct Fueled Rehearsal Test Of Core Stage NET 7 Dec, Hot Fire NET 21 Dec; NASA Expanding CLPS Program, Releasing RFP For Payloads And Research Investigations On The Surface Of The Moon (PRISM), Lunar Science Slated For Late 2023 / Early 2024 Delivery; Zhongguo / China To Attempt First Lunar Sample Return In 44+ Years On 23 Nov (21:00 UTC); ESA Ground Stations Providing Support For Chang’e-5 Month-Long Mission Also To Assist In Artemis Series

 

Credits: NASA, ESA, CNSA

Tuesday / 29 Sep 2020

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United Arab Emirates Announces Lunar Mission And Other Space Goals

UAE Vice President / Ruler Of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid (L) Declares 10-Year (2021-2031) Plan Of National Space Program Just Over 1 Year After First UAE Citizen Reached Space / ISS; US$6B Plan Includes Emirates Moon Exploration Project – A 2024 Lunar Mission “With National Competencies”, Astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri (R) And Reserve Candidate Sultan Al Neyadi Are Currently Students At JSC NASA Astronaut Candidate Training Program, With Another Pair From UAE Also To Join 2021 Class – Indicating Possible Artemis Ambitions; Earth Observation And Mars Hope Probe Also Emphasized

Credits: Dubai Media Office, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Twitter, JAXA

Tuesday / 11 Aug 2020

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Lunar Laser Ranging  (LLR) Techniques Advance With First 2-Way Infrared Signals Between NASA LRO + Grasse Station

Goddard Space Flight Center And University Côte d’Azur Collaboration Results In First Infrared Photons (~200 Out Of Tens Of Thousands) Received Back From LRO Reflector (15 × 18 × 5 cm, Traveling ~1.6 km Per Second); LRO Array And Other LLR Important For Understanding Lunar Dust / Degradation Of Apollo & Lunokhod Surface Reflectors, Refining Lunar Distance & Orientation, ‘With Implications For Both Lunar Interior Properties And For Astrophysics And Fundamental Physics’; New LLR Opportunities To Come From Future Commercial And Human Moon Landings

Pictured: Researchers from this collaboration; Credits: GSFC, NASA, Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, IRD, Géoazur, CNRS-INSU, CNES, ANR, MIT EAPS, et al

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 26-29 June 2020

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Moon-Earth Interglobal Solutions For Covid-19 Global Challenge As Confirmed Cases Pass 10,000,000

Astronomy From The Moon Explores And Engages Electromagnetic Spectrum Energies, Wavelengths; UltraViolet UVC Growing Widespread Applications And Acceptance; Gamma Ray, X-Ray, Microwaves Also Generate Varied Medical Uses; USA, PRC, India, Europe, Japan, Russia / International Moon Enterprise And Effort Through Artemis, Chang’e, Chandrayaan, Selene, Luna Programs – Most Likely To Provide Yet Unknown Knowledge, Discoveries And Answers For Humankind Most Pressing Global Need; Covid-19 Earth Observation Dashboard Created By NASA, ESA, JAXA Tracks Changes In Human-Activity Emissions, Could Be Guide For Multi World Species Sustainability

Credits: JAXA, ESA, NASA

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

Friday / 6 March 2020

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JAXA Joins ISRO For Joint Polar Exploration Mission And Seeks University Input On Lunar Resources 

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Creates Preliminary Project Team For Joint JAXA-India Space Research Organization Lunar Polar Exploration Mission In Early 2020s; JAXA-Developed Smart Lander For Investigation Of Moon (SLIM) Technology Will Enable Precision Landing On Lunar Pole; Mission Will Search For Water And Other Resources; JAXA Seeks Input From Universities And Institutes On In-situ Resource Utilization; Focus Will Be On Water Resources And Construction Of Lunar Propellant Plant

Credits: JAXA

Tuesday / 3 March 2020

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  Galaxy Forum Southeast Asia 2020 In Chiang Mai Leading Towards SEA Regional Presence On Moon

International Lunar Observatory Association And National Astronomical Research Institute Of Thailand Hosts Galaxy Forum Southeast Asia 2020 With Theme Of Astronomy From The Moon At Princess Sirindhorn AstroPark In Chiang Mai – Support Base For Largest Thailand Observatory At Doi Inthanon; Opening Remarks Will Be Given By Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chaki Sirindhorn, Known As “Princess Of Astronomy” For Her Contributions; Southeast Asia Could Become One Of First Regions To Conduct Astronomy From The Moon Via Potential Principal Operating Partnership Constructs

Credits: Princess Sirindhorn AstroPark, ILOA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 17-20 Jan 2020

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Canada Space Program Accelerates With LEAP Program And Participation In Lunar Efforts

Veteran Canada Astronaut And Former ISS Commander Chris Hadfield (L) Emphasizes International Cooperation, Says Moon Is Next Logical Step With ‘Eternal Power’ Available At Lunar Poles; Cosmologist Renee Hlozek Contributes To Discussions About The Universe; Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP) Will Award Contracts Up To US$2M To Qualifying Canada Companies; Minister Of Innovation, Science, And Economic Development Navdeep Bains (R) Says Canada Will Maintain Lead In Robotics And Space-Related Fields

Credits: CSA-ASC; Moon Express Canada