Category Archives: Advanced Technology

Friday / 19 February 2016

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Rocket Lab Secures Another Multi-Launch Contract After Moon Express

Rocket Lab ME

Rocket Lab To Launch 2 Moon Express Missions In 2017, With A 3rd To Be Scheduled, And Possibility To Purchase 4th & 5th; Spire Satellite Company With Offices In Singapore, UK, USA, Recently Contracted 12 Launches With Rocket Lab To Begin 2016-17; Rocket Lab Also Won US$6.9M Contract With NASA; Electron Small Launch Vehicle Under Development, Planning 1st Test Launch Mid-2016 & Constructing 2 Launch Sites In New Zealand, Mahia Peninsula Site To Be Operational Q1 2016

Pictured: (TL) Peter Platzer of Spire; (BL) Bob Richards of Moon Express; (BR) Peter Beck of Rocket Lab.

Credit: Rocket Lab, NASA, Moon Express, Expert File / Peter Beck

Friday / 12 February 2016

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Luna 9 Inspires Giant Leaps For Future
Moon Landings

Luna 9

NewSpace Companies, Universities, Space Agencies Developing Breakthrough Technologies For Moon, Planetary, NEO Missions As 50th Anniversary Of Luna 9 – 1st Soft Moon Landing Is Observed This Week; Mission Trajectory, Sensors, Deceleration Technologies, Imaging / Instruments, Propellants Proven By Past Missions Being Improved Upon; Morpheus / Landers Using ALHAT, Moon Express Lander To Be A ‘Hopper’, SpaceX & Blue Origin Reusable Rockets Soft Landing On Earth, ESA Philae & Huygens Probes Significant For Landing On & Relaying 1st Ever Images Of Uncharted Areas

Credit: NASA, CAS, CNSA, JPL, ESA

Friday / 22 January 2016

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Rocket Reusability Significant For Cislunar Space Development

Moon Rocket, Mining

Paul Spudis Article In Air & Space Notes Advancement Of Reusable Craft Capable Of Soft Landing, As Demonstrated By SpaceX & Blue Origin, Directly Relevant For Permanent Return To Moon & Supporting Missions To Mars / Solar System; Would Require Automated Landers & Reusable Propulsion Systems Utilizing Propellants Manufactured On Moon (Cryogenic Liquid O2, H, Methane); Inevitable Frequent Moon Missions & Cheaper Access To Space Bolsters Need To Define Lunar Property Rights

Credit: P. Spudis, NASA, EADS Astrium

New Year / Holiday Edition
Fri / 18 Dec 2015 – Mon / 4 Jan 2016

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New Earthrise Photo From Moon Reaffirms Human Achievements & Prompts Next Steps Looking, Heading Into Milky Way Galaxy

12192015_2Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Continues To Gather Invaluable Data Solidifying Human Quest To Explore & Discover More About Earth, Moon, Solar System, Galaxy & Beyond; Photo Pays Tribute To Image Taken During Apollo 8 In Lunar Orbit On 24 Dec 1968 By Astronaut Anders; Composite Of Images Taken With LRO High-Resolution Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) In B&W Along With Wide Angle Camera (WAC) In Color ~134km Above Moon Farside Compton Crater While Traveling 1,600 Meters Per Second (Relative To The Lunar Surface); LRO Scheduled To Continue Through 2017; After Decades Of Viewing Earth From Moon, Next Inspiration Should Come From The Galaxy And Our Future Among The Stars

Pictured: Apollo 8 Crew (L-R) James A. Lovell Jr., command module pilot; William A. Anders, lunar module pilot; and Frank Borman, commander.

Credit: NASA

Thursday / 17 December 2015

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ESA ESTEC Moon 2020 Symposium Discusses Human Mission Possibilities With 3D Printing & Britain First ESA Astronaut Tim Peake At ISS

12172015Monolite Founder Enrico Dini (L) Discusses Challenges, Successes & Next Steps In 3D Printing Intended For The Lunar Surface To Develop A Moon Village; 3D Printing With Regolith Has Addressed Key Component To Avoid Freezing; Heating Regolith With Microwave Technology Is Currently Being Studied; Dini States That Technological Advancements Are Also Underway To Create Large Building Blocks (Pre-Cast) For Construction With Flexible Molds Using Lunar Regolith Agglomerate Polyurethane Foam; FAA Endorses Moon Village Concept Expressing An Interest In Supporting A Commercial Role; ESA Astronaut Tim Peake (R) Enters First Week At ISS Conducting Experiments That Could Aid Future Human Moon / Mars Missions

Credit: ESA, D-Shape, Foster + Partners, NASA

Wednesday / 16 December 2015

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China Chang’e-4 Readying For Moon Far Side Mission 2020, Relay Satellite 2018

12162015With Goal Of First Landing On Moon Far Side, CE-4 Communications Relay Satellite Being Prepared To Deploy In 2018 Via Long March 5 Rocket From Wenchang Satellite Launch Complex At Hainan Island; Satellite Will Serve As Communications Link Between Moon Far Side / Earth From L2; CE-4 Lander & Rover Slated For NET 2020 Launch & Will Have Low Frequency Radio Spectrometer For Astronomy; Chief Scientist Of China Lunar Exploration Program Ziyuan Ouyang States “Since Chang’e-3 Successfully Completed Its Mission We Have Had More Time To Explore A More Comprehensive Mission For Chang’e-4”

Credit: CNSA, CAST, CLEP, NASA

Tuesday / 15 December 2015

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China Chang’e-3 Spacecraft Enters Year 3 On Moon; Honorary Currency Celebrates China National Spaceflight

12152015Currently In Lunar Night 25 Chang’e-3 (CE-3) Expected To Awaken 21 Dec & Begin Lunar Day 26 Operations; First Long-Term Robotic Observatory Lunar-based Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT) On CE-3 Continues To Gather Images Of Galaxies / Binary Stars / Deep Space With Fewer Limitations Than Earth Due To The Thin Exosphere; Chinese Lunar Exploration Program Has 3 Phases: Orbiting CE-1 & CE-2 / Landing CE-2 & CE-4 (To Far Side NET 2018) / Sample Return CE-5 (Slated For 2017) & CE-6; China’s Central Bank Commemorates Chang’e-1 On Currency (Bill & Coin) 2015 Banknote Reads “Chinese Spaceflight Commemorative”

Credit: People’s Bank of China, CNSA, CAST, CLEP, NASA

Wednesday / 9 December 2015

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GLXP Confirms Moon Express, Rocket Lab 2017 Launch Contract; Possible ‘Test Flight’ In 2015

1292015Two 2017 Launches Scheduled For Moon Express (ME) Aboard The Electron Small Launch Vehicle (Still Under Development) By Rocket Lab; GLXP Senior Director Chanda Gonzalez Announced “We Are Extremely Proud To Officially Confirm Receipt And Verification Of Moon Express’ Launch Contract”; Rocket Lab Readying New Zealand Launch Complex After Which Test Flight Of Electron Vehicle Will Occur (Originally Planned For Dec 2015); ME CEO Bob Richards States “We Are Thrilled To Have Our Contract In Place With Rocket Lab” ME Chairman Naveen Jain Adds “Moon Express Is Building Disruptive Technologies…Like 3D Printing And Inexpensive Sensors To Collapse The Capital Needed To Access The Moon”

Pictured: Moon Express Inc Founders: Naveen Jain, Co-founder & Chairman, Bob Richards, Co-founder & CEO, Barney Pell, Co-founder & Vice Chairman

Credit: Moon Express, XPrize Foundation

Tuesday / 8 December 2015

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India Chandrayaan-1 Moon Weather Data Being Studied By Swedish Institute Of Space Physics (IRF)

1282015Lack Of Atmosphere & Global Magnetic Fields On Moon Reflect Some Solar Wind Back Into Space From Surface According To IRF Researcher Charles Lue; Measurements Taken By Chandrayaan-1 Sub-keV Atom Reflecting Analyzer (SARA) / Solar WInd Monitor (SWIM) Revealing Up To 10% Of Solar Wind Reflects Back Into Space; Lue States “This Knowledge Is Of Great Importance To The Lunar Space Environment” And Is Mapping Areas Where Solar Wind Is Most Prominent; Findings Could Be Utilized To Estimate How Much Water Is On Lunar Surface

Credit: Charles Lue, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 4-7 December 2015

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Sustainable Revitalization Strategies For Lunar Exploration To Be Discussed At “Moon 2020-2030”

1252015Moon 2020-2030 Symposium On Human & Robotic Exploration Being Held At ESTEC Noordwijk, The Netherlands 15-16 Dec Will Examine & Build Upon Approaches And Innovations For Lunar Missions; Symposium “Will Be A Key Step In Advancing The International Approach For Lunar Exploration Together With Key Players From Agencies, Academia, And Industry”; Objectives Invite Contributions In Multiple Areas Including: Operational Human Roles, Opportunities Of Lunar Exploration For Society, Planned Missions & Capabilities; Opening Plenary Session By ESA Head Of Propulsion And Aerothermodynamics Division Giorgio Saccoccia To Discuss Exploration Technology Roadmaps In Support Of Moon Initiatives & Technology Prioritization

Credit: ESA, Foster + Partners