NASA Moon Orbiter Awaiting New Launch Window as CLPS Providers Race to Achieve Moon Landings
While CAPSTONE is fueled and integrated with Photon spacecraft bus within Electron fairing at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on Māhia NZ, new mission schedule is pending per NASA PAO; When launched Capstone to travel 1,549,798km from Earth before settling into NRHO; Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines working to land by EOY; Image of BE-4 flight engine shared by ULA CEO raises hopes for Vulcan Centaur readiness but 2022 integration / launch of Peregrine doubtful; IM welcomes Lunar Flashlight cubesat as co-payload on Falcon 9 launch nominally set for 22 Dec
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory Scientist Laura Kerber Advocates ‘Moon Diver’ Mission For Exploring Lava Tubes, Continuing Campaign At 50th Lunar And Planetary Science Conference; First Goal Will Be Mysterious Pit In Sea Of Tranquility Location Of Apollo 11; Two-Wheeled ‘Axel’ Rover Would Descend 40-meter Pit Walls And Rappel Another 70 Meters Into Unexplored Space; Lunar Lava Tubes Will Be Potential Natural Shelters For Storage And Habitation; Moon Diver Would Launch In Mid-2020s Timeframe When USA Plans Human Landings At South Pole
China Establishes Science Teams For Chang’e-4 Lunar Mission; Four Research Groups Devoted To Data Processing, Geological Background, Lunar Surface Morphology, And Low-Frequency Radio Environment; Launch Of Chang’e-4 Planned For 8 December, To Land In Von Karman Crater At 47° South Latitude On Lunar Farside 30-31 Dec; India Chandrayaan-2 Launch Moved To 31 Jan, Planned As First Landing In South Polar Region At 70° South Latitude; Chandrayaan-2 Sensors Being Tested In Aircraft Flying Over Analog Site: “Science City” Of Challakere In Karnataka State Hosts ISRO Research Center
