Author Archives: LED Editor

Friday / 13 May 2022

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Nature Editors Urge Funding of USA-Led Artemis Program to Lead Worldwide Lunar Effort

US$93B expected cost of Artemis program through 2025 planned human landing is justified both by scientific goals (investigation of water ice & Earth-Moon system formation) and to be ‘a ray of light in dark times’ for humanity; Nature also reports NASA has ‘knowledge, stability and standing’ to manage 19-nation Artemis coalition, and will be issuing RFP for Artemis-3 geoscience soon; 2022 missions / payloads from Russia, Japan, South Korea, India, UAE possible; Open University planetary scientist Mahesh Anand tells Nature ‘This is just the beginning’

Credits: NASA

Tuesday / 10 May 2022

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SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell Predicts Human Mars Landing Within 2020s, Moon Landings Sooner

As SpaceX awaits final FAA Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Boca Chica launch, now due May 31, and NASA mega Moon rocket SLS inaugural Artemis 1 flight delayed until NET August due to obstructed helium check valve / hydrogen leak discovered during 1st WDR attempt, Gwynne Shotwell is steadfast in assessment that human landings on Mars “Will be in this decade”, adding “People on the Moon, sooner”; Accelerated timeline is 10+ years ahead of official NASA plan of Mars landings NET 2040, per Administrator Nelson statement in May

Credits: SpaceX, ESA, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 6-9 May 2022

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Analog Astronaut Conference Meets at Biosphere 2 as SIRIUS-21 Long Duration Simulation Ongoing

Preparatory ‘analog’ space missions, vital to understanding effects of long-term Moon habitation on human physiology / psychology, also advance techniques and technologies applicable to terrestrial stewardship as expressed by 2nd Analog Astronaut Conference themed “Learning from Space to Improve Earth and Humanity”; Gathering May 6-8 at UArizona Biosphere 2 features virtual keynote by (L-R) ‘Overview Effect’ writer Frank White, talks by professional Astronaut Nicole Stott, private Astronaut Sian Proctor, Grant Anderson (Paragon), Barbara Belvisi (Interstellar Lab); Meanwhile 6 international participants (TL) continue SIRIUS-21 in Moscow (3 Russia, 2 USA, 1 UAE); 240-day experiment runs until July

Credits: UArizona, RAS, Twitter, Analog Astronaut Conference

Friday / 6 May 2022

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Canada Celebrates Space / Moon with AstroFest in Montreal While Parliament Advances Cislunar Law

Astronaut David Saint-Jacques to speak on future of Canada Moon exploration activities as first Artemis program partner at Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium, part of Space For Life Museum in Montreal 7 May; Canada to contribute Canadarm3 to Lunar Gateway, send Astronaut on Artemis 2 Moon orbit mission NET 2024; Lawmakers in Ottawa include language extending Canada legal jurisdiction to / from Gateway and lunar surface for both Canada citizenry and those of ‘Partner States’ in House of Commons bill

Credits: CSA-ASC, Ecosystem, Space For Life

Tuesday / 3 May 2022

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Planetary Science Decadal Survey Delineates Artemis-Era Moon Mission Priorities

NASEM report Origins, Worlds, and Life: Decadal Strategy for Planetary Science and Astrobiology 2023-2032 outlines plan to advance foundational Solar System understanding, including major initiatives on lunar surface: US$1.5B sample return Endurance-A, delivered by CLPS, would collect up to 100kg of regolith from 12 sites within South Pole-Aitken Basin spread over 2,000km to be retrieved by Artemis Astronauts vs $2.4B automated Endurance-R, which would return just 2.2kg; Either option would be powered by 245-W RTG and weigh 570kg; $903M Lunar Geophysical Network planned to operate 6+ years from 4 sites

Credits: NASEM / David Hinkle

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 29 April – 2 May 2022

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ISRO Proceeding Carefully with Chandrayaan-3 Moon Landing, Plans International LUPEX Mission

Chandrayaan-3 flight hardware on display in new documentary Space on Wheels, also featuring 74 other domestic spacecraft; Vessel currently undergoing analysis of propulsion and other systems in Mahendragiri; Officially set for August launch, ISRO Chair S Somanath tells TOI “The list of tests is long and we do not want to compromise on anything. It is unlikely that we launch Chandrayaan-3 this year”; Lunar Polar Exploration Mission to follow NET 2024, with JAXA (rover) and ESA (instrument suite) participation; ISRO cooperating with 60 nations per 2021-22 Department of Space Annual Report

Credits: ISRO

Friday / 29 April 2022

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NASA Working to Leverage Latest Commercial LIDAR Tech for Human-Carried Lunar Mapping System

Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville AL, partnering with Torch Technologies under NASA Early Career Initiative to develop Kinematic Navigation and Cartography Knapsack (KNaCK) device for Moon topography and live-action recording; KNaCK being designed for human use during Artemis landings, taking form as 18-kg backpack utilizing 4D (height, length, width, velocity) frequency modulated continuous wave lidar (FMCW) sensors capable of cm-level precision, supplied by Aeva of Mountain View CA

Credits: NASA, Torch Technologies, Aeva

Tuesday / 26 April 2022

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Japan Enterprises to Offer First Lunar Lander and Rover Insurance for Moon Missions

Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance will indemnify HAKUTO-R lander mission sequence beginning NET Q4 2022 for ispace under newly signed MoU, with The Nikkei reporting an expected US$80M coverage level will cost lander companies $8M; Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance offering financial liability protection for mobile payloads that may suffer damage in-transit / on lunar surface with first customer Dymon of Tokyo, whose 498-g lunar rover YAOKI (touted as “world’s smallest lunar rover”) is slated for late 2022 mission with Astrobotic

Credits: ispace, Dymon, MSI, TMN

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 22-25 April 2022

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2022 Moon Missions Preview: CAPSTONE Could Lead Way on 3 May

Launch window opening 3 May for CAPSTONE orbiter still on schedule; Artemis-1 SLS / Orion / 10 CubeSat launch now likely July-August; Intuitive Machines Nova-C cradle (built by Caldwell Group) to transport lunar lander to KSC arrives in Houston for testing / launch windows for IM-1 & IM-2 announced ‘soon’; Astrobotic Peregrine flight model to have solar panels, fuel tanks, engines installed – launch late 2022; Luna-25 ‘later this year’; Japan ispace lander end of 2022 via SpaceX, SLIM pushed to March 2023; Korea Pathfinder 1 August Launch; ISRO Somanath puts doubt on Chandrayaan-3 launch in 2022

Credits: Advanced Space / Jason Johnson, IM, Astrobotic, ispace, ISRO

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 15-18 April 2022

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MSP High Ground on Malapert Mountain, Leibniz Plateau Offer Strategic Advantages for Lunar Base Buildout

With Artemis 3 crewed landings planned for 2025-2026 including First Woman / Person of Color on the Moon, landing / EVA sites are being considered by space agencies and independent ventures with special focus on elevated surrounds of Shackleton Crater, presumed initial area of exploration for Artemis Era Astronauts; The 2 highest peaks in the region – Malapert Mountain and Leibniz Beta, with ~ 5 and 6km respective elevations, allow combinations of Earth visibility, illumination, and line of sight to ongoing human and robotic activity at Shackleton as initial settlement occurs

 

Credits: LPI