Category Archives: Lunar Landers

Wednesday / 13 Mar 2019

Posted on by

Administrator Of NASA Jim Bridenstine Declares: Commercial Delivery Missions To The Moon [To Begin] As Early As This Year

 The First CLPS Mission Could Occur As Soon As October 2019; NASA May Begin Preparing The Surface Of The Moon For Human Landing As Early As 2020; Proposals For Human-Rated Landers Due 25 March; Would Be Supported By ‘Funding’; Bridenstine Characterizes FY2020 NASA Budget Proposal Of US$21B As One Of The Strongest On Record – $363M To Support Commercial Development Of A Large Lunar Lander To Carry Cargo And Then Astronauts To The Surface Of The Moon

Credits: NASA/Joel Kowsky

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 1-4 Mar 2019

Posted on by

SpaceIL Beresheet Makes Successful Orbit Change, On Course For Mare Serenitatis

SpaceIL Beresheet, First Privately-Funded Lunar Lander, Completes Orbital Maneuver; Previous Attempt On 25 February Unsuccessful Due To Unexpected Computer Reset; Apogee Raised From 69,400 To 131,000 km; Beresheet Also Deals With Malfunction In Star Tracker, Will Attempt Landing 11 Apr; Mare Serenitatis Landing Site Is At Aprroximately 33° N, 17° E Between Sites Of Apollo 15 And 17; Beresheet Expected To Operate 2-3 Days On Moon; 585-kg Lander Contains 30 Million Page Time Capsule To Remain On Lunar Surface

Credits: SpaceIL, Flash90

Friday / 1 Mar 2019

Posted on by

Canada Is Going To The Moon, Says Trudeau

PM Justin Trudeau Announces ‘Canada Is Going To The Moon,’ Shares Announcement With Canada Astronaut David Saint-Jacques On International Space Station; US $2B Investment Includes $150M For Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program; Partnership With NASA Follows Lobbying By #DontLetGoCanada Group; Maxar Technologies MDA, Builder Of ISS Robotic Arm, Will Contribute Canadarm 3 For Lunar Orbit And Design Lunar Rover; Moon Express Has MoU With Canada Space Agency For Lunar Payload Delivery; Canadensys Developing Energy, Thermal And Telescope Technology For Lunar Surface

Credits: ASC-CSA, Canadian Press

Tuesday / 26 Feb 2019

Posted on by

Lunar Scientific Payloads For Commercial Moon Landings Being Selected, Developed By NASA

 12 Demonstration Scientific Payloads Selected To Be Carried By Commercial Landers As Early As End Of 2019; Experiments Will Be Developed By NASA Facilities Including Ames Research Center And Johnson Space Center; Outside Proposals For Lunar Surface Instrument And Technology Payloads Have Due Date Of 27 February: Nine Companies Selected As Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Will Compete To Provide Delivery; NASA Plans Regular Landings Leading To Human Moon Missions By 2020s

Credits: NASA, Moon Express, Lockheed Martin

Friday / 22 Feb 2019

Posted on by

2019 Could See 4 International Moon Landers, Most Attempts Since 1970s

SpaceIL Beresheet “Genesis” May Become First Privately-Funded Lander To Reach Moon Surface ~11 Apr Depending On Falcon 9 Launch Set 21 Feb 20:45 ET; India Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter, Lander, Rover Launch On GSLV Mk 2 Scheduled Last Week Of March For 14-Day Journey To Manzinus / Simpelius Craters; Chang’e-4 Lander / Rover Operating On Far Side Since 3 Jan, And China Could Send Chang’e-5 Sample Return By End Of 2019 If Long March 5 Launch ~July Succeeds

Credits: SpaceIL, ISRO, CNSA, CLEP, NAOC, CAS, CCTV

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 15-18 Feb 2019

Posted on by

USA And Partners Hope For 2019 Lunar Landing, Will Announce New Payloads And Commercial Contracts

Next Week NASA Will Announce 12 Science Payloads, Already Developed, For Commercial Lunar Service Providers; Commercial Partners Have 25 Mar Due Date To Submit Proposals For Transfer, Descent, And Ascent Vehicles Of Human Lunar Landing System With Selection In May; Award Of Up To US $9M In Contracts Expected By July Observation Of Apollo 11; Thomas Zurbuchen Of Science Directorate Hopes For USA Lunar Landing In 2019, Potentially Joining China Spacecraft Active On Surface 

Credits: NASA

Friday / 15 Feb 2019

Posted on by

GSTC 2019 In Singapore Gathers 200+ Satellite, Launcher, Lunar Enterprises

SSTA Global Space & Technology Convention With Almost 700 Delegates From 30 Nations Meet 14-15 February At St. Regis Singapore; Some Of The Attending Companies Advancing Lunar Missions Include ILOA Hosting SEA Benefactors’ Reception / Developing ILO-1 To Moon South Pole, Astroscale Planning Lunar Dream Capsule For Astrobotic Lander, SSTL Working On Lunar Communications Platform, Moon Express Offering Lunar Transportation Services, Canadensys Developing Lunar-Tolerant Tech, Spaceflight Broker Of 1st Private Lunar Rideshare Mission

Credits: SSTA, SSTL, Goonhilly, ESA, ILOA, Astroscale

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 8-11 Feb 2019

Posted on by

Europe Enterprises Pursue Lunar Initiatives

European Space Agency Aims For Moon Village; ESA Astronaut Center (EAC) In Cologne Building 10,000 Square Meter ‘Luna’ Analog Site, Partners With Architecture Students For Moon Base Concept With Inflatable Modules; Airbus Sponsors ‘Moon Race’ Competition For New Technologies; Germany PTScientists Plan Lander For Taurus-Littrow Site Of Apollo 17; ArianeSpace And PTScientists Are Contracted By ESA To Study Mission For Mining Lunar Resources; David Parker, ESA Director Of Human And Robotic Exploration, States ‘The Moon Is A History Museum And We’ve Only Visited The Gift Shop’

Credits: ESA, PTScientists

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 25-28 Jan 2019

Posted on by

Canada Public, Private Organizations Expand International Lunar Exploration Initiatives

Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Is Major Partner On Lunar Projects, Operates Fleet Of 11 Rover Prototypes; Maxar Technologies MDA Will Design Lunar Rover Via CSA MoU; Moon Express Canada Has MoU With CSA And 7 Other Canadian Organizations For Lunar Payload Delivery;  Canadensys Develops Energy Storage, Thermal And Telescope Technology For Moon; Canadian Lunar Research Network Partners With NASA SSERVI; #DontLetGoCanada, A Consortium Of Space Interest Groups, Advocates For Expanded Canada Role In Future Lunar Missions

Credits: CSA, Moon Express

Friday / 25 Jan 2019

Posted on by

Europe Funds Studies On Lunar Mining, Astronaut EVAs, Lunar Gravity Effects

ESA Signs 1-Year Lunar Regolith Feasibility Study Contract With Arianespace To Launch “Ariane 64” Vehicle With PTScientists Lunar Lander By 2025 To Search For Oxygen, Water, Helium-3 To Produce Fuel; Pangaea-X Test Campaign In Lanzarote Spain Advancing Lunar EVA Simulations, Communications, Tools, Science Protocols; ESA-DLR-NASA Collaborate On Moon 1/6th Gravity Study To Understand Physiological Impact Of Living, Working On Moon

Credits: ESA, PTScientists, Ariane Group