Category Archives: Lunar Landers

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 12-15 Aug 2022

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Commercial and National Moon Mission Cadence to Continue Through 2022, Increase in 2023

Artemis 1 launching to Moon orbit NET 29 Aug with 10 rideshare cubesats, NASA test dummy Commander Moonikin Campos, DLR / ISA torso radiation ‘phantoms’ Helga & Zohar, mascots Snoopy & Shaun the Sheep; Race to landings led by ispace, aiming for Nov launch, Astrobotic working to launch NET Dec, seeking to acquire Masten assets with US$4.5M bid; Intuitive Machines striving for Jan 2023 followed by ISRO Chandrayaan-3 NET Q1, JAXA SLIM NET March and Roscosmos Luna-25 NET September; Xplore of Redmond WA and Turkish Space Agency have also declared for uncrewed lunar orbit in 2023, SpaceX plans crewed dearMoon

Credits: Lockheed Martin, NASA, ispace, ESA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 5-8 Aug 2022

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Danuri and Capstone on Course Towards Lunar Orbit as Artemis 1 and Landers Prepare to Follow

Summer around Moon well underway with KARI KPLO Danuri joining NASA Capstone (operated by Advanced Space) on fuel efficient ballistic lunar transfer trajectory; Danuri expected to reach Moon orbit by 16 Dec, Capstone to arrive 13 Nov; NASA Artemis 1 (SLS megarocket + Orion crew capsule) to take direct 4-day trans-lunar injection route, rollout to KSC pad 39B anticipated 19 Aug, nominal launch date set for 29 Aug; ispace Hakuto-R targets launch to Lacus Somniorum ‘Lake of Dreams’ in Nov; Astrobotic Peregrine working towards Q4 launch to Lacus Mortis ‘Lake of Death’

Pictured: KARI Director Lee Sang-ryool, Advanced Space Capstone Program Manager Tom Gardner; Credits: KARI, Advanced Space, APRSAF

 

Friday / 5 Aug 2022

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Astronomy from the Moon Presented at 31st IAU General Assembly in Busan, S. Korea

International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA) to speak on the resumption of astrophysical investigation from the surface of Moon during Division A (Fundamental Astronomy) talk at 14:40 KST, just hours after Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter Danuri set to launch at 8:08 KST; IM-1 carrying ILO-X to Moon NET Jan 2023 along with co-payload Radio Wave Observations at the Lunar Surface of the photoElectron Sheath (ROLSES); Future AFTM includes ILO-1 (NET 2024), LuSEE (2025), DAPPER, FARSIDE, Lunar Crater Radio Telescope

Credits: IAU, ILOA, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 29 July – 1 Aug 2022

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Summer Around Moon Continues with Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter Launching 4 Aug

NASA Capstone performing nominally on voyage to Moon with trajectory correction maneuver 3 expected to be performed by Advanced Space in early September, reach NRHO NET 13 Nov; KPLO Danuri targeting 4 Aug launch on SpaceX F9 from KSC; NASA Artemis 1 prepping for 29 Aug launch to DRO; Autumn landers include ispace Hakuto-R carrying UAE Rashid rover on track for Nov launch to Lacus Somniorum (37.56°N, 30.8°E) with US$37M cash infusion from consortium of Japan banks; Astrobotic Peregrine and Intuitive Machines Nova-C CLPS landers racing to land on Moon before EOY

Credits: NASA, KARI, IM, Astrobotic, Lockheed Martin

Friday / 29 July 2022

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LRO Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment Analysis Shows Moon Pits Offer Habitable Thermal Profile

100m-diameter depression within Mare Tranquillitatis maintains baseline -43°C during ~14 Earth-day lunar night (vs -173°C surface average), 17°C during lunar day (vs 127°C) due to distinct cavity overhang, per study of DLRE data led by Tyler Horvath and David Paige of UCLA, Paul Hayne of CU Boulder; Moderate temperatures may enable extended human habitation, exploration; First surface-based thermal images to be obtained with Lunar Compact InfraRed Imaging System, expected to launch to MSP NET Nov 2023 on Masten Mission One

Credits: NASA, GSFC, Arizona State University, ESA

Wednesday / 27 July 2022

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Galaxy Forum Southeast Asia (GFSEA), Singapore Considers Lunar Commercial Communications, Pan Asia Astro Cooperation

GFSEA engaging regional astronomical / astronautical space leaders in dialogue at iconic ArtScience Museum 27 July on 3 themes: Considerations for Southeast Asia Space Agency (SEASA), Asia Astronomy Organization (AAO) modeled on European Southern Observatories, and Lunar Commercial Communications (LCC) – expanding commercial communications by 1,240x; Moderated by Singapore Space and Technology Limited President Jon Hung, LCC panel includes International Lunar Observatory Association Hawaii Director Steve Durst, Qosmosys CEO Francois Dubrulle, Transcelestial Technologies Engineer Jan Smisek; ILOA ILO-X precursor NET 22 Dec 2022, ILO-1 flagship NET 2024 missions for astronomy, observations and communications from the Moon

Credits: ILOA, NASA, CSYS, Twitter, Linkedin

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 22-25 July 2022

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International Teams Prepare for Summer Around the Moon, Autumn on Lunar Surface

KARI KPLO / Danuri launching on SpaceX F9 to Moon orbit 2 Aug from KSC, arrival at 100-km lunar orbit expected 1 Jan 2023; NASA mega rocket SLS / Orion crew capsule Artemis 1 mission targeting 29 Aug, 2 Sep or 5 Sep for launch to 100-km Moon flyby / 61,155-km Distant Retrograde Orbit; ispace Hakuto-R Mission 1 aiming for November launch, Astrobotic striving to launch Peregrine lander within Q4, Intuitive Machines Nova-C may launch Dec 2022 or Jan 2023; Roscosmos Luna-25 and ISRO Chandrayaan-3 likely delayed to 2023

Credits: KARI, NASA, ispace

Friday / 22 July 2022

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ispace Conducting Final Testing on HAKUTO-R Flight Model for November Launch Window

Operating in Japan, USA and Luxembourg, ispace may reach Moon surface within 2022 with Hakuto-R undergoing final thermal vacuum, vibration and function checks at IABG Space Centre near Munich Germany; Flight-ready Mission 1 lander expected to ship to KSC in Sep, launch via SpaceX F9 NET Nov carrying UAE MBRSC and JAXA rovers, flight computer and cameras from Canada enterprises Mission Control Space Services and Canadensys, NGK solid-state battery, engraved panels with supporter names

Credits: ispace

International Moon Day Edition
Wednesday / 20 July 2022

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International Space / Moon Day Honors Past Achievements, Challenges Artemis Generation to Continue Exploration

UN-Declared International Moon Day (20 July) commemorating Armstrong / Aldrin first human landing on another world, fostered by Moon Village Association President Giuseppe Reibaldi and others, will be inaugurated in Huntsville AL and 39 Global Events in 24 countries / 6 continents; Robotic landings anticipated in 2022 include ispace Mission 1, Astrobotic Peregrine Mission One, Intuitive Machines IM-1; Orbiters NASA Artemis 1, KARI Danuri / NASA Capstone on route preparing for 3rd trajectory correction maneuver; Artemis 3 human Moon return NLT 4 July 2026

Credits: MVA, ESA, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 15-18 July 2022

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International Moon Day Prelaunch: Space Community Observes Apollo 11 Flight on 16 July

53rd commemoration of Apollo 11 launch to Moon will be recognized at Houston Astros baseball game, with Astronaut Anne McClain (R) throwing first pitch, Jessica Meir (L) presenting 28,163-kph ‘fastball’ that flew on ISS; AIAA hosting Neil’s Day celebration of Apollo 11 / Viking Mars landing with online presentations from Space historian Christian Gelzer, Apollo Mission Controller Lawrence Kuznetz and others; Economist/YouGov poll shows strong USA support for human exploration of Moon / Mars, with majorities of both parties / men and plurality of women in favor

Credits: NASA