Category Archives: Lunar Landers

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 20-23 Sep 2019

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China-Russia To Cooperate On Chang’e-7 And Luna-26

Roscosmos Head Dmitry Rogozin (L) And Zhang Keqiang Of CNSA (R) Sign Cooperation Agreement In Saint Petersburg; Zhongguo Planning Chang’e-5 Sample Return And Chang’e-6 Mission To South Pole On Long March 5 Booster; Russia Planning Luna-25 Landing In South Pole Region In 2021; Luna-26 Orbiter To Cooperate With Chang’e-7 In 2023-24; Russia Hoping For Lunar Sample Return In 2028; Both Nations Will Open Joint Data Center For Lunar And Deep Space Research

Credits: Roscosmos, IAF, NAOC

Tuesday / 17 Sep 2019

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Masten Space Systems Testing Technology For Future Lunar Landers

Masten Space Systems Testing Lunar Surface Navigation System On Xodiac Rocket In Mojave, California; System Developed By Draper Aerospace Will Provide Real-Time Mapping Of Lunar Surface With Images Laid Over Satellite Maps; NASA Safe Precise Landing Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) Project Seeks To Improve Upon The Primitive Apollo Landing Computers; Terrain Navigation Systems Will Aid Future Human Lunar Landings Starting In 2024; Founder Dave Masten Developing XL-1 Lander To Carry 100-kg Payload To Lunar Surface

Credits: Masten Space Systems

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 16-19 August 2019

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Orion Tests Propulsion System; NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Managing Artemis Lunar Lander

European-Built Orion Service Module Completes Critical 12-Minute Firing Of Propulsion System At White Sands, New Mexico, Simulating Insertion Into Lunar Orbit And Return Trajectory To Earth; NASA Administrator Bridenstine With Members Of Congress Announce Marshall Space Flight Center Will Manage Artemis Lunar Lander With Large Portion Of Work At Johnson Space Center In Houston; Lisa Watson-Morgan Will Manage Lander Program; Orion Environmental Tests Will Be Conducted At Glenn Research Center

Credits: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 2-5 August 2019

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China Advancing International Collaboration With Chang’e-6 While Longjiang-2 Fulfills Its Mission

47-kg Micro Lunar Orbiter Longjiang-2 Makes Controlled Impact On Lunar Surface After 437 Days In Orbit Around Moon, Launched 20 May 2018 With Queqiao Communications Relay Satellite As Part Of Chang’e-4 Far Side Exploration; International Support From Japan, Germany And The Netherlands On Development; Payload Included Saudi Made Optical Camera; CNSA Offers 20 Kg Payload Space To Domestic and International Partners On Planned Chang’e-6 Sample Return Mission – Deadline To Apply Is 31 Aug 2019

Credits: CNSA / CLEP, NASA Scientific Visualization Studio

Friday / 2 Aug 2019

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New USA Commercial Lunar Lander Provider Contracts Could Be Awarded Before Oct 2019

As Announced By NASA Solicitation 80JSC019R0013, New Contracts For Lunar Landers Capable Of Delivering >10kg Payloads To Lunar Surface By 31 Dec 2023 Planned To Be Awarded To Begin 15 Oct 2019 And Possibly Extend Through 28 Nov 2028; RFP Responses Due By 29 Aug 2019; Urgency To Support Artemis Human Moon South Pole Landing By 2024, This Opportunity Will Add New Contractor(s) To Existing CLPS Contracts Which Are Now Held By Astrobotic ($79.5M) And Intuitive Machines ($77.2M), After Orbit Beyond Withdraws From Its $97M Contract

Credits: International Lunar Observatory Association, Astrobotic, Moon Express

Tuesday / 9 July 2019

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Zhongguo / China Chang’e-5 To Test Artificial Intelligence And Technologies For Lunar Base 

Chang’e-5 Planned For Launch By End Of 2019, Will Be Aided By Artificial Intelligence In The Complicated Rendezvous And Docking Required For Lunar Sample Return; First Chief Scientist Ouyang Ziyuan Claims Technological Breakthroughs In 12 Phases Of Mission; Payload Of 8.2 Tons Planned For Launch By Long March 5 From Wenchang Space Launch Center On Hainan Island, To Include Shovel-Type Sampler And Drilling Sampler; Chang’e-5 Will Test Technologies For Lunar Base

Credits: CNSA, CAS, NAOC

Friday / 24 May 2019

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Funding Moon, Mars & Beyond: 0.1% Annual Increase Of USA National Budget Through 2024

NASA Budget Remains <1% Since 1993; Agency Is Tasked With Landing The First Woman On The Moon In 2024 & Developing Sustainable Return To Moon Architecture; Request Of ‘Additional’ US$1.6B Dubbed As ‘Down Payment’ For Artemis Program By Administrator Bridenstine; Current Allotment Of ~0.5% Federal Budget Gaining 0.1% Per Year Would Give NASA 1% By 2024 – Which Would Align Visionary Ambitions With True Commitment, Real Support

Credits: Office of Management and Budget, Chart by Andrew Witherspoon / Axios with additions by SPC, NASA

Friday / 17 May 2019

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Luna Firma Update From Chang’e-4, Beresheet, Future Chandrayaan-2

Zhongguo Chang’e-4 Is In Sleep Mode For Fifth Lunar Night; Yutu-2 Rover May Confirm First Signs Of Moon’s Hidden Mantle In South Pole-Aitken Basin; NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Finds Beresheet Crash Site, Will Search For Signs Of Laser Retroreflector; SpaceIL To Build Beresheet-2 With Private Funding And Technical Help From NASA; India Chandrayaan-2 Scheduled For Launch To South Polar Region NET 9 Jul, Will Carry Another NASA-Built Retroreflector For Measuring Earth-Moon Distance

Credits: NASA, ISRO, CNSA

Tuesday / 7 May 2019

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Chandrayaan-2 Planned For July Launch To Moon South Pole Region 

Indian Space Research Organization Chief K Sivan States Chandrayaan-2 To Launch Between 9 July And 16 July For Landing 6 Sep; Will Be Carried By Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III; First Mission To South Polar Region Will Land Between Manzinus C And Simpelius N Craters At 70° S Latitude; Times Of India Newspaper Reports That Only Orbiter Is Ready For Flight; Vikram Lander And Pragyan Rover Are Testing At Lunar Terrain Facility In Byalalu

Credits: ISRO, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 3-6 May 2019

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Apollo 10 ‘Snoopy’ Ascent Stage May Be Future Target Of Rendezvous

50th Observation Of Apollo 10 Launch Is 18 May; UK Astronomers Assisted By Former Apollo Flight Controllers Find Lunar Module ‘Snoopy’ In Space; Ascent Stage Named For ‘Peanuts’ Beagle Remains In Orbit After Descending To 14.4 km From Surface And Returning In 1969; Surviving Mission Commander Tom Stafford Recalls Having No Idea Where Module Went; Nick Howes Of Royal Astronomical Society Thinks The Unique Historic Crewed Spacecraft Is Future Target For Rendezvous Mission

Credits: NASA, Charles Schulz Museum