Category Archives: Human Moon Missions

Tuesday / 23 April 2024

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NASA Reportedly Considering Major Change to Mission Design of US$93B Artemis Program

Artemis 3 could be modified to test Orion-Starship docking and habitability in LEO or perform Gateway rendezvous in lunar orbit rather than a full-fledged human surface landing as originally envisioned, per Ars Technica report citing anonymous sources; ‘NASA continues to work toward… Artemis III test flight to land astronauts near the lunar South Pole in September of 2026’ per official response; Hardware challenges include Orion heat shield modification, spacesuit and lander development; Operational complexity including first in-space cryogenic refueling likely also contributing to reassessment

 
Credits: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 12-15 Apr 2024

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Japan Astronauts to Join 2 Artemis Lunar Surface Missions, Perhaps Becoming First Non-Americans on Moon

Building on prior agreements under which a Japan Astronaut will join a Gateway mission in lunar orbit (JAXA is to provide life support and power for I-Hab module and deliver supplies via HTV-XG spacecraft), USA and Japan are increasing lunar cooperation to include 2 opportunities for JAXA crewmembers to join Artemis Moon landings; In exchange Japan is to provide pressurized lunar rover designed to accommodate 2 astronauts for MSP sojourns up to 30 days on Artemis mission 7 and beyond over 10 year nominal lifespan

Pictured: (Clockwise) USA President Joe Biden, Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Japan Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Masahito Moriyama, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson
Credits: JAXA, NASA

Tuesday / 9 April 2024

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NASA Tasked with Development of Lunar Time Standard NLT 31 Dec 2026

As Moon mission cadence continues to grow, and in recognition of gravity-induced spacetime dilation resulting in 58.7-μs offset from Earth, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is directing NASA (with Commerce, Defense, State, Transportation departments) to define and implement time reference frames for non-Earth celestial bodies, beginning with Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) in support of Moon surface and cislunar activity; Elements to be considered by National Cislunar Science & Technology sub-Interagency Working Group (NASA + National Space Council) include: Traceability to UTC, Accuracy for PNT, Resilience when out of Earth contact, and Scalability for bodies beyond Earth-Moon system

Pictured: OSTP Director Arati Prabhakar; Credits: NASA, T. Pyle/Caltech/MIT/LIGO Lab

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 29 Mar – 1 Apr 2024

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First Instruments Slated for Deployment on Lunar Surface by Artemis 3 Crew Announced

3 science payloads are approved to continue development targeting NET 2026 Artemis 3 human landing (final manifest will be fixed later): Lunar Environment Monitoring Station (LEMS), Lunar Effects on Agricultural Flora (LEAF), Lunar Dielectric Analyzer (LDA); Trio of instruments are intended to contribute to 3 of 7 objectives articulated in Artemis III Science Definition Team Report; LEMS (University of Maryland) seismometer to record MSP quakes; LEAF (Space Lab Technologies) will study germination and growth of Brassica rapa, Wolffia, Arabidopsis thaliana varieties; LDA (University of Tokyo) to measure regolith electrical fields / variance with temperature

Credits: NASA / JPL, UMBC, Quest Thermal, Space Lab Technologies

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 22-25 March 2024

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Strong Focus on Malapert Mountain at 2024 LPSC Reflects Growing Interest in Strategic Lunar Area

Numerous researchers have converged to analyze the structure, content and relative advantages of landing human and robotic mission on Malapert Massif as highlighted by studies presented at the 55th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference held in The Woodlands, Texas; Geological EVA Science Among Impact Craters and Permanently Shadowed Regions Near a Summit Ridge on Malapert Massif proposes 3 EVA traverses emanating from 85.964°S, 357.681°E landing site to collect samples from 50-35K regolith; High Resolution Geomorphic Map provides detailed crater morphology / PSR locations; Hazard Mapping of the Southern Lunar Surface: Candidate Artemis Landing Site notes maximum average temp of 193.3K / minimum 46.4K

Pictured: Malapert Massif Sun visibility (L) Malapert Massif Earth visibility (R)
Credits: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University; Bourque, M. et al. (2024) LPSC 55 Abs #2493; Iqbal, W. et al. (2024) LPSC 55 Abs #1009; Kring, D. et al (2024) LPSC 55 Abs #2078

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 15-18 March 2024

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Artemis Human Return to the Moon Progressing as CLPS Robotic Exploration Continues

NASA plan to achieve crewed lunar landing in 21st century, perhaps NLT 4 July 2026, advanced by SpaceX Starship IFT-3 achieving 106km altitude, 5,750 km/h velocity and cryogenic propellant transfer tech demo before breaking up 65km above Indian Ocean – booster landing and successful atmospheric reentry are goals for IFT 4; Lockheed Martin / Airbus Orion spacecraft undergoing 8 months of testing at Neil Armstrong Test Facility; Blue Origin projecting NET 2025 launch of Blue Moon MK1, which does not require in-space refueling; Intuitive Machines preparing to carry 3 JPL CADRE rovers and US$41.6M µNova hopper to Reiner Gamma Q4 2024; Astrobotic anticipating schedule challenge for Griffin mission to deliver VIPER to Nobile Crater currently set for 2024

Credits: SpaceX, NASA / JPL-Caltech / Jordan Salkin

Friday / 1 March 2024

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SpaceX and NASA Preparing Starship for In-Space Docking Ahead of Possible Mid-March IFT-3

10-day dynamic testing of 200+ scenarios conducted at NASA JSC will assist mission planners in validating computer modelling of spacecraft docking, crucial to operations for Artemis 3 human landing and subsequent missions slated to transfer crew and supplies between Starship HLS, Orion capsule and Lunar Gateway under US$4.04B contracts; SpaceX is reportedly working towards 3rd attempt at orbital launch NET mid-March from Starbase TX to 100-km NE of Kaua’i HI, pending 17 corrective actions required by FAA following Orbital Flight Test-2 mishap investigation, conditions IFT-3 launch license

Credits: NASA, SpaceX

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 9-12 Feb 2024

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Next Class of Artemis Astronaut Candidates Set to Graduate

10 USA NASA and 2 UAE Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center classmates determined to work on Moon and Mars will be awarded astronaut wings at JSC 5 March; Ceremony for candidates Nichole Ayers (Colorado), Marcos Berríos (Puerto Rico), Christina Birch (Arizona), Deniz Burnham (Alaska), Luke Delaney (Florida), Jack Hathaway (Connecticut), Anil Menon (Minnesota), Christopher Williams (Maryland), Jessica Wittner (California) and Nora Al Matrooshi & Mohammed Al Mulla of UAE to be broadcast on NASA TV / NASA+ starting 10:30 EST followed by live Q&A at 11:45

Credits: NASA

New Year / Holiday Edition
Fri-Tues/ 22 Dec 2023 – 2 Jan 2024

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Japan Lander Near Moon Orbit as USA CLPS Providers and CNSA Ready Early 2024 Lunar Launches

SLIM set to perform LOI maneuver 25 Dec ahead of 20 Jan 100-m precision landing attempt near Shioli crater as JAXA engages global public with enhanced project website and amateur radio band transmissions to / from onboard LEV rover; Astrobotic Peregrine, now integrated within payload fairing atop the first fully stacked ULA Vulcan Centaur rocket, has 4-day launch window opening 02:18 EST on 8 Jan and anticipated landing 23 Feb on Sinus Viscositatis; Intuitive Machines Nova-C now targeting mid-Feb launch on SpaceX F9 due to weather / launchpad congestion with landing near Malapert A crater in the MSP region after ~7 days transit; CNSA Queqiao-2 communications relay to launch NET March 2024 followed by Chang’E-6 farside sample return NET May 2024, continuing 10+ years of China lunar surface exploration

Credits: JAXA, Intuitive Machines, IM, Astrobotic

Friday / 22 Dec 2023

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Artemis 2 Astronauts Train for Moon Flyby as VP Harris Announces International Astronaut to Join Landing Mission

While Artemis 2 NASA crewmembers Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen (CSA-ASC) undergo emergency preparedness exercises at JSC and build public excitement for the first human mission to the Moon in 51+ years with White House press event, Vice President Kamala Harris makes firm commitment to include an international astronaut on future Artemis 3+ surface mission at 20 Dec National Space Council meeting attended by representatives of the 33-nation Artemis Accords coalition; Europe, Japan, or India are likely nations from which as-yet-unannounced crewmember will originate

Credits: NASA