Category Archives: NewSpace

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 25-28 May 2018

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ISDC 2018 Holding 2 Full Sessions On Moon Development

National Space Society Hosts 37th International Space Development Conference (ISDC) And ~300 Speakers In Los Angeles 24-27 May With Theme “Space Travel: Putting People Into Space”; Thursday Session And Dedicated Entire Saturday Moon Exploration Symposium Co-chaired By (L-R) Madhu Thangavelu & John Mankins Will Feature Clive Neal, Bernard Foing, Henk Rogers, Steve Durst, Kate Arkless Gray And 20 Others On Topics Including International Moon Village, Lunar Economics & Markets, Astronomy From Moon, Lunar Settlement, Commercial Space, Landers, Habitats, Future Directions

Credits: NSS, NASA, ESA, Moon Village Association, University of Notre Dame, ILOA

Wednesday / 9 May 2018

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 Spacetide Conference In Tokyo Propels Private Space Industry

3rd Spacetide Foundation Conference On 10 May At Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall To Draw Over 500 Attendees; Focus On Space Tech Advancement, Growth Impact For Non-Space Industry, Commercial Support, Moon Exploration & Economy, Japan Space Vision 2030 Goals & Lunar Property Rights / Resource Ownership; 29 Panelists, 8 Venture Pitches, 3 Featured Presentations To Include (L-R) Spacetide Founder Masayasu Ishida, JAXA Astronaut Koichi Wakata, ispace CEO Takeshi Hakamada, Space Frontier Foundation Chairman Jeff Feige 

Credits: Spacetide, ispace, JAXA, ISPCS, NASA

Friday / 4 May 2018

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Commercial Lunar Payload Services To Build Upon Successes Of Lunar CATALYST, Commercial Resupply / Crew Programs

New NASA Program Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) To Award Contracts To Private Enterprises For Delivering Science And Tech Demonstration Payloads To Moon Surface; Industry Day Being Held At NASA HQ In Washington DC 8 May To Discuss Draft Request For Proposals; Companies Such As Moon Express, Astrobotic, Masten, Past GLXP Contenders Already Developing Lunar Landers In Prime Position To Accelerate USA Return To Moon, Support Space Policy Directive 1; Blue Origin With Vision Of ‘A Trillion People Living & Working In Space’ Planning New Armstrong Rocket, Blue Moon System For 4,500-kg Cargo Deliveries

Credits: Moon Express, Astrobotic, Masten Space Systems, Blue Origin, Bigelow Aerospace

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 6-9 Apr 2018

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ILOA Announces Galaxy Forum Hainan 2018: China, Themed International Human Moon Missions, And Astronomy From The Moon

Registration Now Open For 4-7 December 2018 Galaxy Forum Hainan Being Held At Hilton Wenchang On Hainan Island, China’s Southernmost Province; Featured Speakers Include Dr. Andy Aldrin, Prof. Ziyuan Ouyang, Astronaut Soyeon Yi, ILOA Director Steve Durst, Dr. Maohai Huang, Dr. David Schrunk, Dr. Chris Sallaberger; Participation Will Come From Global Commercial, International, National Representatives; Sponsors / Supporters Are International Lunar Observatory Association, Chinese Society Of Astronautics, National Astronomical Observatories Of China, International Astronautical Federation, Canadian Space Agency

Credits: ILOA, SPC, CSA, NAOC, IAF, CSA-ASC

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 30 Mar – 2 Apr 2018

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Major Spacefaring Powers Discuss Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway, Collaboration With China

The 2nd Symposium ‘Return To The Moon: A Partnership Of Government, Academia & Industry’ Hosted By USRA, GWU And SPI, Enhances Plans For International / Commercial Cooperation To Land Humans On Moon, Build Permanent Presence In Cislunar Space; 12th Man On Moon (L) Harrison Schmitt Says China Is Geopolitical Imperative; Robert Lightfoot Of NASA States USA Looking To Engage Academia & Industry In International Effort To Explore Space, Vital To Utilize Moon As Step Toward Mars; Space Policy White Paper By D. Holland & J. Burns Includes Analysis Of USA Mixed Comments On Becoming ‘Leading’ Space Power And ‘True International Collaboration’, As Well As Unfocused Exploration Priorities / Goals

Credits: Boeing Co., NASA

Friday / 23 Mar 2018

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Japan Funds Space Start-Ups And Considers Lunar Land Ownership Laws, India Researching Lunar Habitats

Japan Government To Offer US$940M (100B Yen) To Space Start-Ups To Double The Scale Of $11B Space Industry In Japan By 2030s; Planning To Give Commercial Companies Up To $100,000 Each, Japan Also Considering Drafting Laws Similar To USA And Luxembourg For Ownership Of Space Materials & Property; India In Talks With Japan For Lunar Polar Exploration Through 2018 Meetings, Hopes For Mission Proposal By March 2019; India Junior Minister For Space Jitendra Singh Confirms ISRO R&D On Lunar ‘Igloo’ Habitats

Pictured (L-R): Japan Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India Junior Minister Jitendra Singh, ispace Founder Takeshi Hakamada; Credits: ISRO, JAXA, NASA

Wednesday / 14 Mar 2018

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Astrobotic Receives NASA Funding To Develop CubeRover For Moon Missions

NASA Awards Astrobotic 2-Year Contract Up To US$750,000 To Develop 2-kg CubeRover – To Be The Smallest Rover Ever On Lunar Surface – Able To Traverse 0.5 km Or More; For Various Applications Including Testing Dust Mitigation, Establishing Communication Infrastructure, Repairing Surface Assets; Intending To Be A Standard For Moon Industry As CubeSats Are For Orbit; Led By Principal Investigator Dr. Andrew Horchler (B) In Partnership With Carnegie Mellon University; Astrobotic Hopes To Fly 1st CubeRover On Its Peregrine Lunar Lander In 2020.

Credits: Astrobotic, CMU; Pictured: Astrobotic Chairman Red Whittaker

Friday / 9 Feb 2018

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Deep Space Gateway To The Moon South Pole:
5 Landing Sites Being Explored

International Space Exploration Coordination Group Developing Navigation Routes For 5-Year Campaign Of 5 Human Moon Landing Missions From Envisioned Deep Space Gateway Starting 2028 At Malapert Massif, Shackleton Crater, Schrödinger Basin, Antoniadi Crater, South Pole-Aitken Basin; NASA NexGen ELA Study In 2015 Indicates Human Lunar Return 5-7 Years For US$10B Thru Public-Private Collaboration; Commercial Space At National Space Council Meeting 2017 Confirms Statement Adding Committed Funding & Political Support Necessary – Next Meeting 21 Feb; Reusable Moon Lander For Crew & Robots Would Be Most Essential For Moon, Deep Space Exploration States Clive Neal (R)

Credits: Leonard David, Scientific American; Image Credit: NASA, ISECG, Notre Dame

Friday / 19 Jan 2018

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Blue Origin, Astrobotic and Moon Express Developing Lunar Landers

Blue Origin Near Seattle Designing “Blue Moon” Lander Capable Of Carrying 4,500 kg – Advanced Programs Manager A.C. Charania Says Aiming For 1st Mission In The Next Few Years; Astrobotic In Pittsburgh Developing “Peregrine” Lander Capable Of Delivering Up To 265 kg At US$1.2M/kg – 1st Moon Landing With 35-kg Payload Scheduled For 1st Half Of 2020; Moon Express At Cape Canaveral Planning To Launch “MX-1E” Landers With 10-20 kg Payloads, Including One With ILO-X Telescope & Possibly On Rocket Lab Electron From New Zealand For Google Lunar XPrize; Space.com Mike Wall Writes On Moon Rush

Pictured: Blue Origin Jeff Bezos & A.C. Charania, Astrobotic CEO John Thornton, ME CEO Bob Richards; Credits: Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos, A.C. Charania, Astrobotic, Moon Express, Bob Richards

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 12-15 Jan 2018

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Rocket Lab Second Test Launch Set For NET Jan 20, Could Determine GLXP Finale

Electron Second Test Flight ‘Still Testing’ Planned During 9-Day Launch Window Starting 20 January Could Be Significant Determiner In Google Lunar XPrize 31 March Deadline Further Extension Or GLXP End; Team Indus / ISRO PSLV Contract Cancelled Making It Virtually Impossible To Secure New Contract, Raise Funds, Integrate Lander & Launch Before Deadline; This Leaves Moon Express (Rocket Lab), Synergy Moon (Interorbital Untested Launch Vehicle Neptune), SpaceIL (SpaceX – Team Noted It Needed US$7.5M By 20 Dec 2017) And Team Hakuto (Working To Stay In Competition) To Attempt To Win US$20M Grand Prize

Pictured: Peter Beck, Rocket Lab CEO; Credits: Rocket Lab, Moon Express, GLXP