Category Archives: South Pole Moon

Friday / 11 February 2022

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New Analysis of LCROSS Impact Plume Suggests Cometary Source of MSP Volatiles

Revised assessment of data collected by LCROSS and LAMP instrument aboard LRO during 2009 Centaur rocket impact focuses on elemental prevalence of hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur compared to carbon; Study authors from Southwest Research Institute, Johns Hopkins APL, Aix-Marseille University, UT San Antonio conclude comet origin best fits composition profile, that 1-3 m of regolith within Cabeus crater (84.9°S, 35.5°W) may predate latest volcanism (~1 Gya) and “returning humans to the Moon presents an unprecedented opportunity to determine the origin of volatiles stored in PSRs”

 

Credits: NASA

Tuesday / 8 February 2022

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Shadowy Lunar South Pole Conditions Being Replicated for NASA Training Regimen in Texas

NASA Johnson Space Center shares Astronaut training exercise “simulating a Moonwalk” within specially outfitted 23,000,000-liter diving tank (62m X 31m x 12m) of Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, located within Sonny Carter Training Facility near Ellington Field / Houston Spaceport; Light containment used to replicate low angle of Sun relative to horizon in polar Moon regions (same effect is likely cause of water accumulation in cold traps / PSRs); Conditions pose novel challenge to Artemis astronauts set to explore area starting NET 2025

 

Credits: NASA, ESA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 28-31 Jan 2022

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Official Agreements on International Lunar Research Station Anticipated as Artemis Coalition Grows to 15 Nations

Israel is latest signatory to USA-led Artemis Accords effort seeking to reestablish human presence on the Moon as SLS megarocket nears mid-Feb launchpad rollout at KSC; Russia and China set to formalize ILRS agreement per Russia diplomatic statements and China’s Space Program: A 2021 Perspective white paper outlining robotic and human mission goals including consideration of human lunar landings within 5 years, ILRS full operational status expected NLT 2035; 2024 Chang’e-7 Moon south pole lander / orbiter and Lunar-26 orbiter missions to be closely coordinated

Credits: CNSA, Roscosmos, NASA

Wednesday / 21 July 2021

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Blue Origin Strives for “Multi-Generation” Moon South Pole Settlement

With momentum of 107-km New Shepard SpaceDay private human mission over Kármán line with oldest / youngest spaceflight participants Wally Funk (82) and Oliver Daemen (18), Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos may focus on long-term vision including Blue Moon project / New Armstrong heavy lift rocket – while HLS award status to be determined by U.S. GAO by Aug 4, Bezos commands sufficient resources (US$200B+) to self-fund; MSP offers mix of sunlight (power) and shadowed regions (water) for liquid hydrogen fuel (powering BE-7 engines), regolith for O’Neill Cylinder construction

Credits: Blue Origin

SpaceWeek Edition
Fri-Mon / 16-19 July 2021

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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 Apr 2021

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Russia Aims For First Moon South Pole Landing 2021 Q4 With Long-Awaited Luna-25

Roscosmos Plans Landing Slightly North Of Boguslawsky Crater (69.55°S, 43.54°E) With Launch NET 1 Oct / 30 Oct Backup; 6 Onboard Instruments Seeking Data On 2 Science Topics: Investigation Of Polar Regolith Composition And Plasma & Dust In Exosphere Study; Lander Equipped With Lunar Robotic Arm, Designed To Excavate 20-30cm Depth, Move 1-2cm3 Sample To LASMA-LR Laser Mass Spectrometer For Analysis; ADRON-LR & LIS-TV-RPM To Measure Water Content Via Neutron Sensing / IR; ARIES-L & PML To Quantify Dust And Charge Particles In Exosphere; STS-L To Image Local Landscape; Sequence To Continue Through Decade With Crewed Mission By 2030

Credits: Roscosmos, NPO Lavochkin

Tuesday / 16 Feb 2021

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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

Friday / 29 Jan 2021

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Selection Underway For Artemis Moon Base Site: Within 6° Of South Pole, Access To Sunlight, Water, Flat Area / Elevation

Moon South Pole Human Landing And 3 CLPS 2022-23 Mission Site Locations Being Narrowed Down – Which Will Significantly Impact Lunar Base Plans; Using Data From LRO, International Missions & VR Simulations, Experts Search For Optimal Site Perhaps Near ‘Peak Of Eternal Light’ Illuminating Areas For >200 Earth Days, On Crater Ridge To Allow Travel Into PSRs (Reaching -248° Celsius) For Ancient Ice Deposits Or Near Micro Cold Traps, Flat Surface To Establish Base Camp ~1km Away, Achieve Science Goals Including Quiet Platform For Radio Observation; Of Strong Interest Are Malapert, Shackleton, De Gerlache, Leibnitz

Credits: LPI, NASA, ILOA Hawai’i

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 22-25 Jan 2021

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‘Engage With China Through UN, Retain Space Council’ Say Prominent USA Scholars And Commercial Space Figures

As Chang’e-5 Begins Extended Solar Observation Mission With Bearing Toward Sun-Earth L1 Point, Princeton Professor Emerita Anne-Marie Slaughter (L) Makes Studied Argument For Broadly Inclusive, Multilateral Lunar Resources Treaty With Global Stakeholders Including China / Zhongguo, Suggests Implementation Via COPUOS / UNOOSA To Avoid “Race To Bottom” Competition For Strategic South Pole Territory, Water Ice And Rare Earth Elements; Mandy Vaughn (R) President Virgin Orbit Subsidiary VOX Space Promotes National Space Council Continuity, Voicing Opinion At NewSpace New Mexico Event NSC Critical For Interagency Cohesion

Credits: New America, NASA, NSSA

Thanksgiving Weekend Edition
Wed-Mon / 25-30 Nov 2020

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Proactive Measures On Property Rights Needed To Achieve Harmonious Lunar Development

Thought Leaders At Center For Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian, King’s College London And Missouri University Of Science & Technology Urge Serious Consideration Of Finite Materials (Water, Helium, Iron) And Locations (Peaks Of Eternal Light, Cold Traps, Level Building Sites) On Moon; Artemis Accords And Outer Space Treaty Need To Be Enhanced With Clear Guiding Principles Such As Those Set Forth By Moon Village Association To Avoid “Diverse Actors Pursuing Incompatible Ends” Vying For Areas “Both Few And Small” With Unfavorable Outcomes

 

Credits: NASA, SETI