Category Archives: Lunar Manufacturing

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 17-20 Feb 2023

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Companies Race to Develop and Deploy ISRU Techniques to Extract Building Materials and Oxygen on Moon

Blue Origin is latest entrant in effort to establish manufacturing processes for lunar buildout with Blue Alchemist molten regolith electrolysis extraction of Fe, Al, Si / PV cell & wire printing; Lunar Resources of Houston TX plans FarView Observatory construction via molten oxide electrolysis and is conducting 9-month NIAC feasibility study of MSP pipeline to deliver oxygen gas byproduct; ESA working to develop molten salt electrolysis with Metalysis of UK; Helios of Israel working with Eta Space of Florida on similar system; CO School of Mines to gather lunar prospectors 6-9 June at Lunar Resources Roundtable in Golden

Credits: Blue Origin, NASA, Lunar Resources, Helios, Metalysis

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 21-24 Jan 2022

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Lunar Resources Inc to Develop and Construct Flight-ready Lunar Resource Extraction Reactor NLT 2024

Houston, TX-based Lunar Resources Inc receives 9th SBIR award (US$1M), bringing total NSF-supported funding to $3M+ for space initiatives including ISRU on Moon; Reactor for resource extraction is to utilize 1,600°C Molten Regolith Electrolysis process to separate metals (Al, Fe, Mg, Si) and oxygen, main constituents of lunar regolith; Habitat construction, oxygen for breathing / propulsion, and power generation via silicon photovoltaic cells are use cases for ISRU; CEO Elliot Carol tells Ars Technica, “Resource extraction is necessary for the United States to create a permanent presence on the Moon”

Credits: Lunar Resources, NASA, Paul Spudis

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 9-12 July 2021

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Moon Society Advancing Multi World Civilization: Property Rights and Lunar Acreage

Led by President Michael Mealling (R) with Support from President Emeritus Peter Kokh (C) and Vice President James Burk (L), The Moon Society Grew out of Artemis Project, Now Hosts Physical ‘Outposts’ in CA, AZ, WI, MO, TN, WA, TX and Virtual Mare Cognitum (Sea of Knowledge) Collaborating on Slack Workspace Platform with Goal of Lunar Settlement; Moon Miners’ Manifesto Published 1986-2019, Work Being Carried on by Luna City Press with Outbound Newsletter and Lunarpedia; Moon Base Design Contest Awards SGAC Team First Place for Domi Inter Astra (At Home Among the Stars) with Focus on ‘Polycentric’ Governance / Ownership Principles, Blockchain Intellectual Property Protections in Addition to Technical Life Support

Credits: The Moon Society, Space Generation Advisory Council Team, The Futurist Foundation

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 26-29 Mar 2021

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American Institute Of Aeronautics And Astronautics Hosts 3rd International Space Architecture Gathering On March 27

The Los Angeles-Las Vegas Section Of AIAA To Bring Space Architects From Around World Together (Virtually) This Saturday, With 19 Experts Speaking On Structure Design In Space And On / Around Other Worlds Such As Moon And Mars And Applicability Of Such Designs In Meeting Terrestrial Needs; Forum Will Feature An Opening Welcome From AIAA Executive Director (T) Dan Dumbacher, Moderation / Keynote From (B) Madhu Thangavelu Of USC And Talks From Professional And Academic Space Builders From Australia, Austria, California, Denmark, Florida, Hawaii, Italy, New York, North Dakota And Texas.

Imaged: Centennial Challenge Winner for a 3D-Printed Habitat, Mars Ice House
Credits: NASA, USC, AIAA

Friday / 19 Feb 2021

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Bevy Of Lunar Meetings In USA, UK, SEA And Online Slated For The Week Ahead

AIAA Huntsville Presents Challenges And Benefits Of Excavation And Construction On The Moon 24 February, Jennifer Edmunson Of NASA MSFC To Speak On Extraction Of Volatiles From Regolith / PSRs, In-Situ Construction; 24-26 Feb International Association For The Study Of The Commons, Open Lunar Foundation, Others To Discuss Property Rights On Moon / Beyond From Arizona; LPI Of Houston Hosts Lunar Surface Science Workshop On Science Support For Crewed Artemis Missions 24-25 Feb; IOP Manchester Looks Back On Apollo And Its Impression Via Media 24 Feb; Pre-Global Space & Technology Convention Includes ILOA Hawai’i 3rd Lunar Commercial Communications Workshop In Hybrid Format From Singapore 25 Feb

Credits: AIAA, IOP, LPI, IASC, GSTC

Tuesday / 9 Feb 2021

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Lunar Manufacturing Capability To Be Advanced By Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency 

DARPA (Budget ~US3.5B) To Host Proposers Day Webcast 26 February, 13:00-16:00 (EST), Orienting Potential Applicants In Anticipation Of Broad Agency Announcement On Novel Orbital And Moon Manufacturing, Materials And Mass-Efficient Design Program; Initiative Seeks To Apply DARPA (Formerly ARPA, Founded In Response To Sputnik-1) Ethos Of “Explicitly Reaching For Transformational Change” To Lunar Surface And In-Space Construction; Three 18-Month Phases Will Focus On 1-MW Solar Array Materials / Design Proof Of Concept (Phase 1); 100m-Diameter RF Reflector (Phase 2); Long-Wave Infrared Telescope (Phase 3)

Credits: DARPA, Pictured: Acting Director Peter Highnam (L), Defense Sciences Office Program Manager Bill Carter (R)