Category Archives: Lunar Flyby

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 29 July – 1 Aug 2022

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Summer Around Moon Continues with Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter Launching 4 Aug

NASA Capstone performing nominally on voyage to Moon with trajectory correction maneuver 3 expected to be performed by Advanced Space in early September, reach NRHO NET 13 Nov; KPLO Danuri targeting 4 Aug launch on SpaceX F9 from KSC; NASA Artemis 1 prepping for 29 Aug launch to DRO; Autumn landers include ispace Hakuto-R carrying UAE Rashid rover on track for Nov launch to Lacus Somniorum (37.56°N, 30.8°E) with US$37M cash infusion from consortium of Japan banks; Astrobotic Peregrine and Intuitive Machines Nova-C CLPS landers racing to land on Moon before EOY

Credits: NASA, KARI, IM, Astrobotic, Lockheed Martin

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 22-25 July 2022

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International Teams Prepare for Summer Around the Moon, Autumn on Lunar Surface

KARI KPLO / Danuri launching on SpaceX F9 to Moon orbit 2 Aug from KSC, arrival at 100-km lunar orbit expected 1 Jan 2023; NASA mega rocket SLS / Orion crew capsule Artemis 1 mission targeting 29 Aug, 2 Sep or 5 Sep for launch to 100-km Moon flyby / 61,155-km Distant Retrograde Orbit; ispace Hakuto-R Mission 1 aiming for November launch, Astrobotic striving to launch Peregrine lander within Q4, Intuitive Machines Nova-C may launch Dec 2022 or Jan 2023; Roscosmos Luna-25 and ISRO Chandrayaan-3 likely delayed to 2023

Credits: KARI, NASA, ispace

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 25-28 March 2022

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2022 Moon Missions Update

≥9 robotic expeditions to Luna are set to occur before years end: Artemis 1 EGS team performing Engineering Tests ahead of 1 April start of WDR with final countdown sequence 3 April at KSC pad 39B, launching to Moon orbit NET June; 2 additional orbiters from NASA (CAPSTONE) and KARI (KPLO) being prepped for 3-15 May and NET Aug launch time frame, S. Korea also plans lander NET 2030 per President Moon Jae-in statement; National flagship missions from India (Chandrayaan-3, NET Aug), Russia (Luna-25, NET July) and Japan (SLIM, NET Q4) aiming for Moon surface, as are 2 USA commercial missions (Intuitive Machines NET June, Astrobotic NET Nov) and 1 Japan commercial mission (ispace, NET Oct)

 

Credits: NASA, Draper, Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines, Orbit Beyond

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 25-28 Feb 2022

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Flagship Boeing SLS and SpaceX Starship Race to Achieve Deep Space Ascendency as Global Fleet Preps for 2022 Moon Missions

NASA planning Artemis I wet dress rehearsal NET March, inaugural flight of US$17B Space Launch System within 3 defined windows: 7-21 May, 6-16 June, 29 June – 12 July; Human Moon flyby Artemis II NET May 2024; Starship (SN20 / BN4) undergoing engine reconfiguration, now with 33 Raptor 2 engine specification on Super Heavy; Initial SLS variant Block 1 anticipated to make ~ 4000t thrust, BN4 ~ 7500t, Saturn V by comparison made ~ 3500t; Roscosmos, ISRO, KARI, JAXA, ispace, Intuitive Machines, Astrobotic also striving for 2022 Moon exploration

Credits: NASA, SpaceX

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 3-6 March 2017

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SpaceX And NASA May Return Humans To Moon Before 50th Apollo 11 Observation

Elon Musk Announces Ambitious Plans To Send 2 Commercial Tourists On 1-Week Circumlunar Trip Late 2018 In Crew Dragon Capsule Via Falcon Heavy Rocket; NASA, Originally Planning Uncrewed Circumlunar SLS / Orion EM-1 Flight 30 Sep 2018, Is Being Requested To Study Feasibility Of Redesigning Mission To Include Astronauts; U.S. President Trump States “American Footprints On Distant Worlds Are Not Too Big A Dream”; USA Could Claim First Human Return To Moon & First Woman To Moon With Energetic Timeline

Credits: SpaceX, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 24-27 June 2016

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Lunar CubeSats Queuing Up For Unique Boost Toward Moon

LED-6-24-16

13 CubeSats Hitching Ride To Translunar Space Aboard SLS EM-1 Test Flight 2018; Each No More Than 6 Units, 14 Kg; 10 Payloads Already Confirmed; 7 Selected By NASA Through NextSTEP (SkyFire, Lunar IceCube), Human Exploration & Ops Mission Directorate (NEA Scout, BioSentinel, Lunar Flashlight) And Science Mission Directorate (CuSP, LunaH-Map); 3 International; 3 TBD Pending Outcome Of CubeQuest Challenge; SLS Will Release Primary Payload Orion On Lunar Trajectory, Then 13 CubeSats To Deploy From Stage Adapter

Credit: NASA, Morehead State University

Friday / 24 April 2015

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Russia 2016-2025 Space Program Draft Outlines Human Moon Landing By 2029 Russia Moon

Russia Space Program Submission For 2016-2025 Due June 1, To Consist Of ~US$38B Proposal Including Human Circumlunar Flight 2025, Human Moon Landing 2029, Construction Of Super-Heavy Rocket (Modified Angara-A5 To Increase Payload Capacity By 12,000 Kg, First Test Launch 2021 & Launch To ISS 2024); Construction Of ~1,000 Sq Km Vostochny Cosmodrome First Launch Planned Dec 2015

Pictured L-R: Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, Russia President Vladimir Putin, Roscosmos Head Igor Komarov

Image Credit: Russian Ministry of Defence, Dmitry Rogozin, NASA, kremlin.ru

Tuesday / 10 March 2015

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New NASA Moon Rocket Advancing

ATKslsTest0315

ATK Is Set To Conduct First Full-Scale Qualification Static Motor Test For NASA Heavy-Lift Space Launch System Wednesday 11 March In Promontory UT; 2-Minute Test Will Burn 628,225kg Of Solid Propellant In The Two 54-Meter-Long Engines, Producing 1.6 Million Kg Of Force; Rocket – Along With Orion Crew Capsule – Will Be Critical For New Era Of USA Human Lunar / Solar System Exploration; First 2 Test Flights (2018 & 2021) Likely To Include Circumlunar Voyage

Image Credit: NASA, ATK

Thursday / 23 October 2014

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China Preparing To Launch Chang’e-5 Test Mission

Chang'e5TestP

1st Launch Of A Long March-3C/E Rocket Is Set To Boost The Next China Mission From Xichang Satellite Launch Center Sometime Between 24-26 Oct; Probe Will Test Earth Reentry Technologies / Capabilities Needed To Complete 2017 Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission (L); Based On Modified Chang’e-2 Probe Design, Carrying A Re-entry Capsule, The Probe Will Travel Around The Moon And Return To Earth At >40,230 km/hr Before Parachuting For Earth Landing; 8-Day Mission Will Also Carry Payload Developed By LuxSpace Of Luxembourg

Image Credit: CNSA, CLEP

Thursday / 16 October 2014

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China To Launch Reentry Test Orbiter
To Moon 23 October

Chang'e Test Orbiter, 4M OHB

Moon Orbiter To Test Reentry Technologies For 2017 Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission Set To Launch 23 Oct On Long March 3C/E From Xichang Satellite Launch Center; 14-Kg Manfred Memorial Moon Mission Designed By OHB To Measure Radiation & Transmit Radio Signals Is Attached To 3rd Stage Booster; Chang’e Capsule Carrying Cameras (Perhaps Other Science Instruments) Filled With Samples, To Separate From 3rd Stage 20 Mins After Launch, Closest Approach 28 Oct At 00:33 UT ~13,000 Km Altitude, Return To Earth Oct 31/Nov 1 At 11 Km/s, Parachute-Assist Landing

Image Credit: CASC, CNSA, CCTV, OHB, LuxSpace