‘Lunar Resources’ Enterprise Details Plans To Support Artemis Buildout And AFTM
Space Manufacturing Forays Largely Focusing On Thin Layer Additive Processes, Taking Advantage Of Vacuum In LEO And In-Situ Oxygen Refining From Mineral Oxides Abundant In Lunar Maria / Highlands; Lunar Resources Principals Alex Ignatiev (R) and Ronald Polidan (L) Aim To Marry These Initiatives On Lunar Surface, With 3 Major Infrastructure Planks: Magma, Whereby Molten Regolith Electrolysis Produces Raw Building Material; FarView, Construction Of Far Side Low-Frequency Radio Observatory, Championed By Jack Burns; And 1MW, Powering Settlement With ~450kW Within 1 Year, 1 Mega-Watt By 2030
Credits: Lunar Resources, ISDC
A Leader Of SEA Astronomy With 2.4-m TNO Operated By NARIT And An Emerging Actor In Earth Observation With THEOS-1 And NAPA Cubesats Operated By GISTDA And RTAF, Thailand Is Broadening Space Aspirations To Lunar Orbit; Minister of Higher Education Anek Laothamatas (L) States At Chulalongkorn University Press Conference Moon Mission “Will Forever Change The Whole Perspective Of Thai People”; Announcement Comes On Heels Of Space Policy Committee Convened By Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon (R), Where National Space Act Calling For Fostering Of Indigenous Space / Launch Industry Drafted
Automated Additive Manufacturing Processes Pioneered By Commercial Launch Providers Such As Rocketlab Now Being Validated For NASA Use On Future Landers By Long-Life Additive Manufacturing Assembly Program; High-Strength Alloy Combustion Chamber / Rocket Nozzle 280 Seconds Of 3315° C Ignition Data Spread Over 10 Days / 23 Tests Being Analyzed At MSFC In Huntsville AL For Durability, Efficiency In Comparison To Conventional Subtractive Machining Techniques; Industry Moving Towards Fully 3D Printed Rockets With Relativity Space Of LA CA Striving For 2021 Terran 1 Launch
Moon Exploration Company ispace, Fueled By US$125M+ Funding, Opens Location In Denver CO; 1st Generation Lander Hakuto-R Set For 2022 / 2023 Missions Has ~30-kg Payload Capacity, Design Of New Heavier Class Lander Meeting CLPS / Artemis Requirements To Be Overseen By USA Lander Program Director Kursten O’Neill (L) And CEO Kyle Acierno (R), Production To Be Contracted To General Atomics; ispace Has Grand Vision Of “One Earth-Moon Ecosystem” Actualized Through Mission Sequence In Which “Swarms Of Rovers” Facilitate Human Activity On Lunar Surface
Astrobotic, A Private NewSpace Enterprise With Carnegie Mellon Origins, Has New Home Located In Historic Manchester Neighborhood Of Pittsburgh; Renovation Of 4,366-m2 Former Post Office Reportedly 1/3 Complete, Containing Space For Fabrication, Laboratories, Administration; Further Construction To Include Drone / Rover Testing Areas; US$79.5M Peregrine Mission Launching July 2021 To Lacus Mortis Area (44.96°N, 25.62°E) Of Moon Will Be Controlled From 1016 North Lincoln Ave, As Will 2 Moon South Pole Missions: $5.6M MoonRanger Rover (Carried By XL-1 Masten Lander Dec 2022) And $199.5M Griffin (To Deliver VIPER 2023)
Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative, In Collaboration With Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory And Arizona State University Interplanetary Initiative, Hosts Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium 14 -15 Oct Online; NASA Administrator Bridenstine (L) To Give Keynote Address Wednesday At 11:45 EDT In Which Artemis 2024 Updates And Next Batch Of ‘Tipping Point’ Industry Partners For Development Of Sustainable Lunar Exploration Technology Are To Be Announced; Award Topics Include Cryogenic Fluid Management, Lunar Surface Power / Distribution And Propulsion; Private Partners Expected To Contribute ≥ 25% Of Program Costs
