Category Archives: Advanced Technology

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 31 May – 3 June 2013

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Japan Lunar Aspirations Highlighted At International Space Symposium

JapanMoon0613

29th International Symposium On Space Technology & Science In Nagoya Japan 2-9 June; Features 3 Sessions On ‘Missions To The Moon’; Sho Sasaki (Inset) Of NAOJ To Present ‘Sciences Of Human Exploration Of Lunar Polar Regions’; Mitsubishi Electric Corp To Present On Lunar Transfer Vehicle Proposal; JAXA Planing Selene-2 Lunar Lander NET 2018 As A Precursor / Technology Demonstrator For Human Moon Exploration

Image Credit: JAXA, ISTS, NAOJ

Friday / 31 May 2013

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Golden Spike Moon Lander Design Concepts Advancing

GSC SP Lunar Lander

Golden Spike Company Conducts Design Reviews In Denver CO With ULA, Paragon, Masten, ILOA, SwRI, Zero Point Frontiers & SpaceX For Human Lunar Lander Systems Studies; Team Considering Benefits Of Human South Pole Landing; Follow Up Lander Study Expected Later This Year, Aug-Sep

Image Credit: GSC, B. Campbell

Friday / 24 May 2013

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4th Lunabotics Mining Competition Advances Innovative Technologies

4th Lunabotics

700+ Students From 50 Universities & 8 Countries Showcase Student-Built Lunar Excavator Robots (Lunabots) In LunArena At KSC Visitor Complex On May 20-24; Teams Must Mine 10kg Of Moon Regolith Simulant In 10 Mins, Consider Lunabot Weight, Dust Resistance, Use Of Bandwidth; Robert Mueller (B) Lead Senior Tech Of RASSOR Says Competition Is Significant Since It Can Help Get Humans Closer To Living Off Resources Which Already Exist In Space

Image Credit: NASA

Thursday / 16 May 2013

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Chang’e-3 To Undergo Last Major Testing Before Launch

Chang'e-3 Update May 2013

China Chang’e-3 Moon Lander / Rover Being Prepared For 40 Days Of Thermal Testing; Will Be Tested Together, Then Separately & Exposed To Moon-Like Temperatures Of About -200°C To 150°C In Vacuum Thermal Simulation Tester At China Aerospace Science & Technology Corp. In Beijing; CNSA States Launch To Moon Sinus Iridum “Bay of Rainbows” Still Set For Q3-4 2013

Image Credit: China Space News

Tuesday / 14 May 2013

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Morpheus 1.5B Ready For Flight Test Program

Morpheus II

Morpheus 1.5 Bravo Moon Robotic Lander With Engine Capable Of 22,000 Newtons Of Thrust Is Now Ready For Flight Test Program At JSC; Completed 50-Second Static Hot Fire Of Main Engine With Thrust Vector Control Demonstration; Will Perform Dynamic Tethered Flights Soon In Preparation For Summer 2013 Return To KSC; 70 Vehicle Upgrades Include Advanced Engine Performance Capabilities, Increased Structural Margins, Mitigated Launch Vibroacoustic Environments

Image Credit: Kris Kehea, NASA

Thursday / 9 May 2013

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Golden Spike Co. Lunar Lander Concepts Advancing

Golden Spike

Northrop Grumman Confirms GSC Human Moon Lander Concepts; Evaluated 180 Lander Cases, Established Propulsion Requirements For Lunar Orbit Loiter, Descent / Ascent, Rendezvous; Also Proposes New Concept Called ‘Pumpkin’ Consisting Of Low-Mass Ascent Stage, Minimalistic Pressurized Ascent Pod With Surface Habitat & Storable Propellants Packaged In 5-m Diameter Payload Launch Envelope

Image Credit: Northrop Grumman, GSC, NASA

Wednesday / 8 May 2013

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SLS To Utilize Apollo Test Stand In Preparation For Moon Flight

SLSlaunchPrep0513

B-2 Stand At NASA Stennis Space Center Being Renovated In Preparation For 2016 SLS Engine Propellant Fill / Drain Tests & Hot Fire Tests; Site Was Previously Used To Validate Saturn Engines Before They Were Used For Apollo Human Moon Missions; First Test Flight Of SLS Will Send Orion MPCV On Uncrewed Trip Around Moon In 2017, First Crewed Flight Slated For 2021

Image Credit: NASA

Tuesday / 7 May 2013

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Lunar Concrete Example Of Technology Match “Spin Up” Concept

SpinUp

Peter Kokh, In April 2013 Edition Of Moon Miners’ Manifesto, Notes PISCES Efforts To Develop Sustainable Basalt Concrete On Hawai`i Island As Example Of “Spin Up” Technology Development: Identifying Profitable Terrestrial Applications For Technologies Needed In Space / Moon To Spur Advancement Of Human Off-World Capabilities; MMM Seeking Ideas For Similar Technology Matches That Could Be Advanced By Private Enterprise

Image Credit: NASA, Moon Society, PISCES

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 3-6 May 2013

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Lunar Mining Robot Prototype Advancing

RASSOR0513

Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot (RASSOR) Being Developed / Tested At NASA KSC; Team Estimates Robot Would Need To Work For 5 Years, 16 Hours Per Day To Mine Enough Regolith To Produce Useable Water / Oxygen From Extraction Device On The RASSOR Mission Lander; Current Prototype Is .75m Tall With Mining Drums Extended Above Body; Prototype Version 2 To Begin Testing 2014; Final Version Expected To Weigh About 45kg

Image Credit: NASA

Friday / 3 May 2013

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More Details On NASA-Bigelow Moon Base Study

NASA-Bigelow
David Weaver (L), NASA Associate Administrator, Says Agency To Conduct Unfunded ‘Initial Planning Phase’ Study With Bigelow Aerospace To Develop Moon Outpost Design, But Has No Human Moon Mission Plans; Bigelow (R) Says Company Has Been Developing Rudimentary Moon Base Plans For Years, Initial Study Will Take 100 Days, Already Planning For 2nd Phase 120-Day Study, Possibly With NASA Funding

Image Credit: NASA, Isaac Hernandez