Category Archives: NewSpace

Friday / 28 Oct 2022

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Quantum Space Announces October 2024 Mission QS-1 to Earth-Moon-Lagrange Points 1 and 2 with Cislunar Superhighway Ambitions

NewSpace enterprise Quantum Space working toward self-funded launch of 400-kg satellite to collect space situational awareness data in cislunar space over 3-year mission; Main visible imager payload will be provided by GEOST, spacecraft bus to be built by Blue Canyon which will carry commercial customer payloads; Co-founded by Kam Ghaffarin (L), who also is Founder of IBX, Executive Chair at X-energy, Intuitive Machines & Axiom Space; QS-1 to utilize commercial deep space ground stations, modular cislunar communication / servicing waystations to follow

Also Pictured: Quantum Space CEO Steve Jurczyk, CTO Ben Reed;
Credits: NASA, X-Energy, IAF, Quantum Space
 

Friday / 30 Sep 2022

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Japan Spacecraft at Forefront of Lunar Return with ispace Lander, Cubesat Rideshares on Artemis 1

ispace HAKUTO-R mission reportedly targeting 9-15 November launch to Lacus Somniorum (Lake of Dreams) via SpaceX Falcon 9; ispace lander to deliver Rashid rover and collect regolith for sale to NASA under precedent-setting US$5,000 contract in accordance with Outer Space Treaty 1967; JAXA 6U CubeSats OMOTENASHI (Hospitality) and EQUULEUS to deploy from Artemis 1 Orion Stage Adapter, perform critical trajectory maneuvers to pathfind Earth-Moon L2 libration orbit and achieve semi-hard (~30 m/s) landing; OMOTENASHI retrorocket / airbag surface delivery system may serve as low-cost model for future Moon surface payloads

Pictured: (L-R) ispace CFO Jumpei Nozaki, ispace CEO Takeshi Hakamada, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Business Operations Casey Swails, ispace EU Director Julien-Alexandre Lamamy; Credits: NASA, JAXA, ispace

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 23-26 Sep 2022

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International Assortment of Robotic Landers Preparing for Launch to Lunar Surface

ispace Hakuto-R reportedly set to launch on SpaceX F9 during 9–15 Nov window, carrying UAE Rashid 1 rover to Moon on 3-month low-energy trajectory; Astrobotic holding to Q4 Peregrine launch amid USSF statement that BE-4 successfully demonstrated full engine performance, raising hopes for timely integration with ULA Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle; Intuitive Machines aiming for Q1 2023 Nova-C launch via SpaceX F9; ISRO Chandrayaan-3 to launch on GSLV NET Feb 2023; JAXA SLIM targeting March 2023 for launch on H-IIA

Credits: JAXA, IM, Astrobotic, ISRO, ispace

Tuesday / 20 Sep 2022

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Moon South Pole is Target for Increasing Number of International Robotic and Human Missions 2023-28

CLPS provider Intuitive Machines to redirect IM-1 mission NET Q1 2023 from mid-latitude to MSP at NASA request, IM-2 already slated for Shackleton Connecting Ridge (89.5°S); ISRO Chandrayaan-3 targeting 71°S NET Feb 2023; Roscosmos Luna-25 aiming for 70°S NET 2023; Astrobotic to deliver VIPER rover to 85°S NET Nov 2024; CNSA Chang’E-7 to land near (L-R) Shackleton (90°S), Nobile (85°S) or Haworth (87°S) craters NET 2026; Artemis 3 to target 1 of 13 regions within 6° of MSP via SpaceX HLS; 6.25-day Polar Sortie Mission and 33-day Polar Excursion Mission on 2nd HLS to be awarded May 2023, launch NET 2028

Credits: NASA, IM

Friday / 16 Sep 2022

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Capstone Team Working “Around the Clock” to Restore Spacecraft to Nominal Operational State

Advanced Space, Terran Orbital, and NASA focused on correcting anomalous behavior of ~US$30M Capstone, currently deemed stable, on trajectory to achieve lunar Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit and in communication with Deep Space Network, however still tumbling in safe mode after losing attitude control and comms in event associated with 8 Sep Trajectory Correction Maneuver 3; Sufficient solar power being generated to heat 8-thruster hydrazine propulsion system built by Stellar Exploration; Recovery operation may be possible, utilizing thrusters if 5° C thermal stability is achieved for 12 hours

Credits: NASA, Advanced Space

Friday / 26 Aug 2022

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Space Frontier Foundation (SFF) NewSpace 2022 Awards Ceremony is Opportunity to Advance Lunar Initiatives

Cofounder Rick Tumlinson with Chair Kim Macharia to preside over SFF-organized NewSpace awards ceremony 26 August in Seattle, home to Boeing engineering team behind SLS, launching Artemis 1 to Moon NET 29 Aug; Next generation of space entrepreneurs will set sights to Moon as destination and platform for deep space, asteroid, Mars and Beyond ventures with Artemis-era synergy

Credits: SFF, NASA, Twitter, SPC / ILOA

Wednesday / 24 Aug 2022

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Several Lunar Businesses to Participate During NewSpace 2022 Conference in Seattle

Space Frontier Foundation continues annual NewSpace series with 49 speakers including dynamic Moon businesses & ventures: Gateway Habitation and Logistics Outpost contractor Paragon Space CEO (L-R) Grant Anderson; Xcraft interplanetary / lunar orbital vehicle builder Xplore of Seattle WA COO Lisa Rich; Breaking Ground trust lunar regolith contracted customer Orbit Fab CEO Daniel Faber; Ardoride spacecraft builder Momentus CTO Rob Schwarz (launching to Moon orbit NET 2024 with Qosmosys); Blue Origin, continuing to advance Blue Moon lander and lunar-hardened technology, will be represented by private Astronaut / keynote speaker Audrey Powers

Credits: SFF, Northrop Grumman

Tuesday / 16 Aug 2022

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CAPSTONE Team Celebrates 2022 Mission of the Year Award for Cislunar Orbital Pathfinder

AIAA Small Spacecraft Technical Committee honors Capstone at 36th SmallSat Conference in Utah; Partners on the <US$30M mission include Advanced Space / PI Bradley Cheetham, providing overall project management, Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System (set to interface with LRO) and Ballistic Lunar Transfer / Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit trajectories; Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems (founded by Jordi Puig-Suari of Cal Poly, co-inventor of the CubeSat standard) and parent company Terran Orbital, who designed, built and operate 25kg, 12U Capstone; Stellar Exploration, manufacturer of hydrazine propulsion system; Launch provider Rocket Lab

Credits: AIAA SmSTC, 2022 SmallSat Conference, Advanced Space, Terran Orbital, Rocket Lab, Stellar exploration

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 5-8 Aug 2022

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Danuri and Capstone on Course Towards Lunar Orbit as Artemis 1 and Landers Prepare to Follow

Summer around Moon well underway with KARI KPLO Danuri joining NASA Capstone (operated by Advanced Space) on fuel efficient ballistic lunar transfer trajectory; Danuri expected to reach Moon orbit by 16 Dec, Capstone to arrive 13 Nov; NASA Artemis 1 (SLS megarocket + Orion crew capsule) to take direct 4-day trans-lunar injection route, rollout to KSC pad 39B anticipated 19 Aug, nominal launch date set for 29 Aug; ispace Hakuto-R targets launch to Lacus Somniorum ‘Lake of Dreams’ in Nov; Astrobotic Peregrine working towards Q4 launch to Lacus Mortis ‘Lake of Death’

Pictured: KARI Director Lee Sang-ryool, Advanced Space Capstone Program Manager Tom Gardner; Credits: KARI, Advanced Space, APRSAF

 

Friday / 5 Aug 2022

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Astronomy from the Moon Presented at 31st IAU General Assembly in Busan, S. Korea

International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA) to speak on the resumption of astrophysical investigation from the surface of Moon during Division A (Fundamental Astronomy) talk at 14:40 KST, just hours after Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter Danuri set to launch at 8:08 KST; IM-1 carrying ILO-X to Moon NET Jan 2023 along with co-payload Radio Wave Observations at the Lunar Surface of the photoElectron Sheath (ROLSES); Future AFTM includes ILO-1 (NET 2024), LuSEE (2025), DAPPER, FARSIDE, Lunar Crater Radio Telescope

Credits: IAU, ILOA, NASA