Category Archives: Moonbase

Friday / 26 Feb 2021

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2 Lunar Cave Exploration SysNova Study Concepts To Be Developed By ESA Concurrent Design Facility

ESA Believes Lava Tube ‘Skylight’ Openings May Offer Valuable Science, Resource And Habitation Opportunities; 5 Studies Based On 3 Mission Scenarios (Surface Evaluation, Probe Lowering And Autonomous Rover) Considered – Winning Ideas From University Of Würzburg And University Of Oviedo-led Team Both Focused On Probing Entrance Of 65x90x40m Marius Hill Cavity – Daedalus Spherical LIDAR / Stereo Camera With Internal Locomotion And Crane Robot Rover Swarm Deployer With Wireless Power / Communications; Mission Concepts To Be Integrated With 2027 European Large Logistics Lander Under Development And Proposed Moonlight Cislunar Constellation

 Credits: ESA, University of Würzburg, University of Oviedo, University of Vigo, Alén Space

Tuesday / 16 Feb 2021

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Russia Moon Exploration Reboot Starts With Luna-25, Continues With Permanent Crewed Base


Russian Academy Of Sciences Council For Space Resolution Urges “Separate Lunar Subprogram” Be Formulated Within First Half Of 2021 Ahead Of Luna-25 Nominal Launch Date 1 Oct, With Goals Of Crewed Mission To Moon By 2030 And Permanent Base Of Operations Established By 2035, Reports State Media; Central Research Institute of Machine-Building, R&D Arm Of Roscosmos, Plans Initial Stage Of Base Construction 2032-3035; Soyuz / Progress / Sea Launch Contractor Energia Rocket And Space Corporation Envisions 3-7 Module, 2-4 Crew Russian Orbital Service Station After 2024

Credits: Roscosmos, VK

Friday / 29 Jan 2021

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Selection Underway For Artemis Moon Base Site: Within 6° Of South Pole, Access To Sunlight, Water, Flat Area / Elevation

Moon South Pole Human Landing And 3 CLPS 2022-23 Mission Site Locations Being Narrowed Down – Which Will Significantly Impact Lunar Base Plans; Using Data From LRO, International Missions & VR Simulations, Experts Search For Optimal Site Perhaps Near ‘Peak Of Eternal Light’ Illuminating Areas For >200 Earth Days, On Crater Ridge To Allow Travel Into PSRs (Reaching -248° Celsius) For Ancient Ice Deposits Or Near Micro Cold Traps, Flat Surface To Establish Base Camp ~1km Away, Achieve Science Goals Including Quiet Platform For Radio Observation; Of Strong Interest Are Malapert, Shackleton, De Gerlache, Leibnitz

Credits: LPI, NASA, ILOA Hawai’i

Friday / 2 Oct 2020

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‘Watts On The Moon’ Contestants Conceptualize Lunar Power Management Solutions

Latest NASA Centennial Challenge Phase 1 Runs 25 Sep To 25 March 2021; Seeks Original, Innovative Plans To Store / Distribute Thermal And Electrical Energy From Hypothetical 10kW Power Plant Located Outside Of Permanently Shadowed Region (PSR) To Resource Extraction Worksites: Regolith And Water Collectors Inside PSR, Oxygen Plant In Lit Region; Competition Offers Up To US$500K For First Phase – $100K Per Each Of 3 Mission Areas With 4 Prizes Of $50K For Runners-Up; $4.5M Prize Purse For Second Phase Starting June 2021

Credits: NASA, ESA

Friday / 4 Sep 2020

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Expected RFP For Robust Nuclear Power On Moon By 2027

NASA Advisory Council Technology, Innovation, And Engineering Committee At Sep 1 Meeting Signals Intention To Issue Request By Early Oct For Proposal To Build 10-Kilowatt Fission Reactor, Spacenews Reports; System To Support Human Activity Level Of Energy Demand In Excess Of Currently Deployed Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators Which Power Deep Space Probes / Rovers; Funding Bill In House Of Representative Also To Appropriate US$110M For Spacecraft Nuclear Propulsion Development; NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate Administrator Jim Reuter Planning For $1.1B Or $1.58B Total Science Funds

Credits: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 24-27 July 2020

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Leaders Unveil Positions On Human Moon Missions While International Robotic Fleet Depart For Mars

As UAE / Japan, China, USA Launch Inspirational Interplanetary Expeditions, Domestic Political Dynamics Closely Monitored By Space, Lunar Community — Artemis Moon Program At Critical Stage Of Development, Needing Multipartisan Support; Scott Pace (L) Of National Space Council Releases Strategy Document ‘A New Era For Deep Space Exploration And Development’ In Which Primary Nature Of SPD-1 Emphasized, As Is Enterprise, Adequate Funding, R&D, Infrastructure; DNC Party Platform Also Expresses Support For Human Moon Landing, ISS, NOAA; John Logsdon Of GWU Credited With Influencing Emerging Consensus On Vital Nature Of Moon Activity, Habitation

Credits: Blue Origin, SpaceX, Dynetics, NSC, GWU; Also Pictured: Sen. Kamala Harris

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 3-6 Apr 2020

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USA Releases Path Toward Permanent Human Presence On Lunar Surface

NASA Plan For Sustained Lunar Exploration And Development Calls For Establishment Of Artemis Base Camp Via 3 Primary Mission Elements: Human Transport Lunar Terrain Vehicle, Mobile Habitat Platform Capable Of 45 Day Voyages, And Surface Habitat Suitable For 4-Member Crew; Administrator Bridenstine Says “Artemis Will Serve As Our North Star As We Continue To Work Toward Even Greater Exploration Of The Moon” And Commits To ‘Increasingly Longer’ Annual Human Missions Following Initial 7 Day Artemis III Landing Of First Woman And Next Man On Moon


Credits: ESA, NASA

 

Tuesday / 26 November 2019

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Roscosmos Looks To Lunar South Pole Telescopes For Asteroid Warning

Russia Plans To Operate Telescopes At A Lunar South Pole Base To Monitor Potentially Hazardous Earth-Approaching Asteroids And Comets; Roscosmos Preparing For Uncrewed Lunar Landing In 2021 And Possible Human Landing By 2030; Robot Systems Will Maintain South Pole Telescopes Along With Periodic Visits By Cosmonauts; Alexander Bloshenko (L) Of Roscosmos Discusses Mining Helium-3, But Only After Nuclear Fusion And Lunar Industries Are Both Well-Established; Roscosmos Head Dmitry Rogozin (R) Remains Open To Cooperation With China For Building Lunar Base

Credits: Roscosmos

Tuesday / 10 Sep 2019

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Silicon Valley Open Lunar Foundation Seeks Investment In Moon

Open Lunar Foundation Based In San Francisco Unveils Plans To Create Moon Settlement; Nonprofit Foundation Started With US$5M Investment By Venture Capitalist And SpaceX Board Member Steve Jurvetson (L); Supporters Include Former ISS Commander Chris Hadfield, Will Marshall And Robbie Shingler Of Planet Labs, Former Ames Research Center Director Pete Worden, And Engineer Jessy Kate Shingler; Foundation Estimates That Moon Landing Could Be Accomplished For Less Than $5B; COO Chelsea Robinson (R) Seeks To Take Best Of What Humanity Has To Offer And Take Step Off Earth

Credits: NASA, CSA, Open Lunar Foundation

Tuesday / 30 July 2019

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We Could Land On The Moon In Less Than Two Years, Says SpaceX CEO Elon Musk

In Wide-Ranging Interview July 12 With TIME Magazine, Musk, Founder Of The Only Launch Provider To Innovate Reusable Rockets, Makes Bold Statements On Moon Exploration And Settlement Timeline, Indicating That SpaceX Could Send Crewed Lunar Mission Within 4 Years, Uncrewed Within 2; Musk Emphasizes The Need For Permanent Antarctica-Style Science Base; Says ‘Overarching Philosophy’ Depends On Expanding Consciousness, Enlightenment, Sustainability, And ‘Making Life Multi-Planetary’

Credits: NASA, SpaceX