SpaceWeek Edition
Fri-Mon / 16-19 July 2021

Moon South Pole Malapert Mt. Next Goal for Space Billionaire Pioneers, Russia?

Critical to reclaim July 20 Apollo 11 Multi World Species existence is establishment of human base / operating center – likely at Moon South Pole, and most intriguingly perhaps is Malapert Mountain; 5-km peak (86°S, 0°) offers near-continuous line-of-sight for Earth observations and communications, ~85% illumination, more moderate thermal environment, shadowed cold-traps, shielded flank for radio astronomy; While Roscosmos Luna-25 aims for Boguslawsky 1 Oct, SpaceX plans Human lunar lander, Blue Origin Blue Moon cargo deliveries – unique real estate of Malapert high-ground for commerce, ISRU, observation, science, education should be utilized

Credits: Virtual Moon, NASA, GSFC, SpaceX, Blue Origin, Roscosmos, Lockheed Martin, ILOA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 9-12 July 2021

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

Friday / 9 July 2021

Moon Society Advancing Multi World Civilization

2021 Lunar Development Conference 9-10 July To Be Streamed Live And Recorded / Uploaded To YouTube; Moon Society Celebrates 21 Years Advocating For Human Moon Settlement And ISRU With Motto Ad Luna! (To The Moon!); Artemis Project Plan For Commercial Moonbase Establishment (Not To Be Confused With NASA-led Artemis Program) Created By Lunar Resources Company, Acquired By Moon Society; Discussions Feature (T-B) Pete Worden Of Breakthrough Initiatives, Space Policy Expert Namrata Goswami, Space Educator Andy Aldrin, NSS President Michelle Hanlon, MVA North America Coordinator Madhu Thangavelu

Credits: The Moon Society, NASA, Twitter, Moon Express

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 2-5 July 2021

Is The Moon Next Goal For Space Billionaires?

Momentous July Days For Private Space Travel Forthcoming, As Virgin Galactic And Blue Origin Founders Richard Branson And Jeff Bezos Plan To Personally Launch To Space 11 July And 20 July, Respectively, Raising Question Of Next Horizons: While Elon Musk Of SpaceX Has Focused On Mars Habitation, Bezos Plans Massive Rotating Artificial Structures In The Vein Of Gerard O’Neill, Branson Intent On Terrestrial Point-To-Point Space Travel, Establishment Of Human Settlement On Earth’s Moon Is Increasingly Recognized As “Critical Next Step” In Transformation To Multi-World Species Status; SpaceX Only Company To Declare Private Crewed Lunar Mission, 2023 ‘DearMoon’ Financed By Japan Fashion Billionaire Yusaku Maezawa

Credits: SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 June 2021

Russia And China Solicit Global Partnership On International Lunar Research Station

Collaboration On Lunar Surface Missions 2021-25 Offered To World Space Community By ILRS Partners China And Russia, With Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin Telling State Media TASS “We Are Actively Negotiating With Many Participants”, Specifically ESA; ISRO Also Being Courted; Proposals Of Cooperation Opportunity Include Space Mission, Space System, Subsystem, Equipment, Ground & Application; Data Sharing / Analysis Available For CE-4, CE-6, Luna-25, Luna-27; Engineering And Mission Planning Coordination Possible For CE-7, CE-8, Luna-26, Luna-28; International / Independent Cooperation Could Accelerate Human Moon Landings This Decade

Credits: CNSA, Roscosmos

Thursday / 18 June 2021

China-Russia Joint Working Group Developing International Lunar Research Station Plan

Wu Yanhua Of CNSA And Sergey Saveliev Of Roscosmos Present Guide For Partnership v1.0 At GLEX 2021 In St Petersburg, Russia; 3 Development Phases (Reconnaissance, Construction, Utilization) Encompassing 5-Facility Station (Cis-Lunar Transportation In Space + Long-Term Support, Transport And Operation, Science, And Ground Support & Application On Surface), With 8 Science Objectives (Lunar Geology, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, ISRU, Astronomy / Earth Observation From Moon, Cis-Lunar Space); Limited Collaboration Opportunities For Chang’e 7-8 And Luna 25-28, With Broader Participation In ILRS Missions 1-5 Between 2031-35

Credits: CNSA, Roscosmos, SCIO

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 21-24 May 2021

Solar Weather Patterns May Imperil Human Moon Landings If Artemis Schedule Slips

University Of Reading (UK) Study Applies Statistical Analysis To 150 Years Of Solar Weather Data; Findings Suggest Extreme Coronal Mass Ejections, Deleterious To Human Health And Technology, May Be More Probable In Later Half Of Odd-Numbered 11-Year Solar Cycles (With Opposite Trend During Even), Possibly Due To Concurrent Solar Geomagnetic Reversals; Cycle 25 Runs From Approximately 2019-30, Artemis Human Moon Missions In Possible Jeopardy 2026-30 Unless Nominal Surface Exposure Radiation Levels Of 60 µSv/h Can Be Maintained With Shielding Measures

Credits: NASA

Friday / 26 Mar 2021

Lunar Vertical Solar Array Technology Moving Towards Realization With 5 Contractors On Project

Game Changing Development, A NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate Initiative, Is Providing 5 Space Technology Companies (Astrobotic, ATK Space Systems, Honeybee Robotics, Lockheed Martin, Space Systems Loral) With 1-Year Base Contracts Worth Up To $700K/ea For Design Of Autonomously Deployable, Relocatable 9.75m Vertical Photovoltaic Panels; 2 Companies Are To Be Selected For Prototype Construction / Testing Contracts Valued Up To $7.5M/ea And Eventual Deployment Near Moon South Pole, Creating Artificial “Points Of Eternal Light”, Ensuring “Continuous Power For Artemis Lunar Habitats And Operations” Per Chuck Taylor, Project Lead At Langley

Credits: NASA, MIT / Allegra Boverman

Friday / 26 Feb 2021

2 Lunar Cave Exploration SysNova Study Concepts To Be Developed By ESA Concurrent Design Facility

ESA Believes Lava Tube ‘Skylight’ Openings May Offer Valuable Science, Resource And Habitation Opportunities; 5 Studies Based On 3 Mission Scenarios (Surface Evaluation, Probe Lowering And Autonomous Rover) Considered – Winning Ideas From University Of Würzburg And University Of Oviedo-led Team Both Focused On Probing Entrance Of 65x90x40m Marius Hill Cavity – Daedalus Spherical LIDAR / Stereo Camera With Internal Locomotion And Crane Robot Rover Swarm Deployer With Wireless Power / Communications; Mission Concepts To Be Integrated With 2027 European Large Logistics Lander Under Development And Proposed Moonlight Cislunar Constellation

 Credits: ESA, University of Würzburg, University of Oviedo, University of Vigo, Alén Space

Tuesday / 16 Feb 2021

Russia Moon Exploration Reboot Starts With Luna-25, Continues With Permanent Crewed Base


Russian Academy Of Sciences Council For Space Resolution Urges “Separate Lunar Subprogram” Be Formulated Within First Half Of 2021 Ahead Of Luna-25 Nominal Launch Date 1 Oct, With Goals Of Crewed Mission To Moon By 2030 And Permanent Base Of Operations Established By 2035, Reports State Media; Central Research Institute of Machine-Building, R&D Arm Of Roscosmos, Plans Initial Stage Of Base Construction 2032-3035; Soyuz / Progress / Sea Launch Contractor Energia Rocket And Space Corporation Envisions 3-7 Module, 2-4 Crew Russian Orbital Service Station After 2024

Credits: Roscosmos, VK