SpaceWeek Edition
Fri-Mon / 16-19 July 2021

Moon South Pole Malapert Mt. Next Goal for Space Billionaire Pioneers, Russia?

Critical to reclaim July 20 Apollo 11 Multi World Species existence is establishment of human base / operating center – likely at Moon South Pole, and most intriguingly perhaps is Malapert Mountain; 5-km peak (86°S, 0°) offers near-continuous line-of-sight for Earth observations and communications, ~85% illumination, more moderate thermal environment, shadowed cold-traps, shielded flank for radio astronomy; While Roscosmos Luna-25 aims for Boguslawsky 1 Oct, SpaceX plans Human lunar lander, Blue Origin Blue Moon cargo deliveries – unique real estate of Malapert high-ground for commerce, ISRU, observation, science, education should be utilized

Credits: Virtual Moon, NASA, GSFC, SpaceX, Blue Origin, Roscosmos, Lockheed Martin, ILOA

Friday / 25 June 2021

USA To Become 2nd Nation To Conduct Science On Moon Far Side Surface

First USA Attempt At Robotic Far Side Soft Landing Is Set To Be Conducted Via Commercial Lunar Payload Services Provider In 2024 As Part Of PRISM Series; Lunar Interior Temperature and Materials Suite (LITMS) Seeks Greater Understanding Of Lunar Maria, Source Of Volcanic Basalt Features Often Anthropomorphized In World Culture; LITMS PI Robert Grimm Of Southwest Research Institute Explains In Press Release That Heat Transfer / Electrical Conductivity Readings From 3m Depth Will Be Compared To Near-Side Apollo Missions To Unravel The Origin Of ‘The Man In The Moon’

Credits: NASA, SwRI, A Trip To The Moon, Lockheed Martin

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 11-14 June 2021

3 NASA Lunar Science Payloads Slated For 2024 Commercial Delivery To Moon

Payloads And Research Investigations On The Surface Of The Moon (PRISM) Selections Include 2 Far Side Deployments To Schrödinger Crater (75.0°S, 132.4°E): Farside Seismic Suite (FSS), Containing Very Broadband Seismometer And Short Period Sensor, Investigating Subsurface Structure / Tectonics Over Several Lunar Days / Nights With Internal Thermal Regulation; Lunar Interior Temperature And Materials Suite (LITMS) To Study Internal Heat Transfer; Nearside Payload Lunar Vertex Lander / Rover To Measure Lunar Swirl Reiner Gamma (7.5°N 59.0°W) Via Magnetometer; CLPS Transport Provider(s) TBD

Credits: NASA, PTScientists

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 29 Jan – 1 Feb 2021

52nd Lunar And Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) Goes Online March 15-19 In Year Of Historic USA Moon Return

Universities Space Research Association In Collaboration With Lunar And Planetary Institute (Now Led By Lisa Gaddis) Preparing A Robust Meeting For 2021; LPSC Typically Draws 2,000+ Academic Submissions, Which Will Be Available For Early Review 5 February, Oral Presentations Available 8 March; Sessions Planned On Lunar Remote Sensing, Lunar Magnetism, Crater Formation, Lunar Weathering, Endogenous Lunar Volatiles, Physicochemical Moon Evolution; Plenary Presentations Include NASA HQ Briefing, Mars, New Millennium Lunar Science; Special Session On New Results From Special Apollo Samples / Preparing For Artemis

Credits: LPI, USRA, NASA

Tuesday / 19 Jan 2021

‘Lunar Resources’ Enterprise Details Plans To Support Artemis Buildout And AFTM

Space Manufacturing Forays Largely Focusing On Thin Layer Additive Processes, Taking Advantage Of Vacuum In LEO And In-Situ Oxygen Refining From Mineral Oxides Abundant In Lunar Maria / Highlands; Lunar Resources Principals Alex Ignatiev (R) and Ronald Polidan (L) Aim To Marry These Initiatives On Lunar Surface, With 3 Major Infrastructure Planks: Magma, Whereby Molten Regolith Electrolysis Produces Raw Building Material; FarView, Construction Of Far Side Low-Frequency Radio Observatory, Championed By Jack Burns; And 1MW, Powering Settlement With ~450kW Within 1 Year, 1 Mega-Watt By 2030

Credits: Lunar Resources, ISDC

Friday / 6 Nov 2020

Canada Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program Announces New Opportunities, US$2.5M Awards

Canadian Space Agency LEAP Offering Capability Demonstration Funds From US$115M / 5-year Allocation; Projects Intended To Display Canada-Produced Technology Useful To International Artemis Partnership; $1.9M Already Granted To Canadensys Aerospace Of Ontario For Development And Deployment Of 360° Panoramic Lunar Surface Imager, $644,000 Awarded To NGC Aerospace For GNSS-style Moon Network Which Will Aid Precision Landing, Both Are Expected To Launch NLT April 2024; Upcoming LEAP Cycles 3 And 4 (Due 26 Feb And 27 Aug 2021, Respectively) Are To Distribute Up To $3.1M/Each

Pictured: CSA President Lisa Campbell; Credits: CSA, CSYS, NGC, NASA

Tuesday / 20 Oct 2020

Lunar Human Science Objectives & Artemis Accords Jurisprudence Are Subjects Of 22 Oct Meetings

Artemis III Science Definition Team To Present Findings Of Report On 2024 Human Moon Mission Priorities Including Planetary Processes, Lunar Volatiles, Earth-Moon Impact History, Risks, Astronomical / Solar Record And ‘Observing Universe And Local Space Environment From Unique Location’ At LPI  Virtual Town Hall 12:00-14:00 EDT; Space Court Foundation Holds Meeting On Coming Space Law Realities, Moderated By (T-B) Daniel Porras Of SWF, Featuring Cassandra Steer Of ANU InSpace, Mike Gold Of NASA International / Interagency Relations At Online Event Starting 13:00 EDT

Credits: NASA, LPI, Space Court Foundation

Tuesday / 6 Oct 2020

USA To Explore Radio Astronomy From The Moon Starting 2021

Intent On Gathering Data Relevant To Primordial Cosmology, Future Lunar-Based Astronomy Missions Were Presented By CU Boulder Professor Jack Burns At LEAG 2020: ROLSES, Set To Land On Moon In Oct 2021 As Part Of CLPS Carrier Intuitive Machines Nova-C Science Payload, Will Monitor 10 kHz – 10 MHz Spectrum With Antennae At 1 & 2 m Above Lunar Surface, Testing Response; LuSEE In 2024 Will Measure Electromagnetic Fields On Farside; DAPPER Orbiter Aims For 2025 And 10-km Diameter FARSIDE In Planning Stages Would Have Major SETI Potential

Credits: CU, NASA, JPL, ESO, Jack Burns

Tuesday / 29 Sep 2020

United Arab Emirates Announces Lunar Mission And Other Space Goals

UAE Vice President / Ruler Of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid (L) Declares 10-Year (2021-2031) Plan Of National Space Program Just Over 1 Year After First UAE Citizen Reached Space / ISS; US$6B Plan Includes Emirates Moon Exploration Project – A 2024 Lunar Mission “With National Competencies”, Astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri (R) And Reserve Candidate Sultan Al Neyadi Are Currently Students At JSC NASA Astronaut Candidate Training Program, With Another Pair From UAE Also To Join 2021 Class – Indicating Possible Artemis Ambitions; Earth Observation And Mars Hope Probe Also Emphasized

Credits: Dubai Media Office, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Twitter, JAXA

Friday / 25 Sep 2020

Cis-Lunar Exploration, Science, Security Are Focus Of NASA – USSF MoU

New Agreement Signed Sep 21 Supersedes Prior MoU Between USAF / NASA; Document Notes Realm Of USA Space Activity In Process Of Expansion From Geostationary (35,785 km) To Cis-Lunar (437,741 km), Increasing ‘Space Domain Awareness’ Mandate 1000x; Rationale For Cooperation Based On Mutual Planetary Defense Objectives Such As Meeting Goal Of Detection / Characterization Of 90% Of All NEOs <8,046,720 km From Earth By End Of 2020 Through e.g. Shared Use Of USSF Space Surveillance Telescope; Areas Of Cooperation Identified Include Communications, Navigation, Manufacture, Logistics, Recruitment, Launch Support, Search / Rescue

Credits: NASA, USSF