Category Archives: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 4-7 Sep 2020

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4 Years Out From Human Moon Landing Goal, Artemis Tech Accelerates Development

SLS Core 8-Minute, 4-Engine Green-Run Test #5 Of 9 Planned NET Oct By Boeing At Stennis, Simulating Launch & Ascent; Recent 2-Minute SLS Booster Test Fire By Northrop In UT Provided 3.6M Pounds-Force, Simulating Lift Off & Flight, And Tested New Materials For Artemis 4 + Beyond; Orion Crew Capsule Moves Into Integration Phase As Major Final Certification Achieved, Will Be Shipped To KSC With SLS For Artemis 1 Launch NET Nov 2021; Artemis 2 + 3 Core Stages Under Production At Michoud

Credits: NASA, Northrop Grumman, Boeing

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 28-31 Aug 2020

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NASA Head Of Human Exploration And Operations Expresses Confidence On Meeting SPD-1 Human Moon Landing 2024

Kathy Leuders Gives Upbeat Assessment Of USA Space Program; Notes SLS Cost Is Now US$9.1B + $2.4B For Ground Support, Core Stage Evaluation Past Midpoint As Test 5/9 Underway At Stennis Space Center; Final Construction Of Orion Spacecraft Nears With Successful Pacific Recovery Trial, Installation Of 4 Solar Arrays, Currently Undergoing Thermal And Electromagnetic Endurance Tests In Preparation For Artemis II Human Lunar Orbit Mission; Operational Efficiencies Ensure NASA Is “Working At The Best Possible Pace”

Credits: Kim Shiflett, NASA, Northrop Grumman, ILOA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 12-15 June 2020

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Artemis 2024 Moon Landings Have New Leader, Multi-Partisan Support Vital For Success

Kathryn Lueders (T), Now Leads Human Exploration And Operations Mission Directorate, Taking The Reins From Acting Administrator Ken Bowersox; Lueders Previously Served As Commercial Crew Manager, Successfully Reestablishing USA Space Access With Crew Dragon Endeavour Demo-2 Mission; At National Academies Online Meeting NSC Executive Secretary Scott Pace (B) Expresses Limited International Approach & Skepticism Of Ongoing Congressional Support At Requested US$22.8B Level, Necessary To Meet 2024 Goal – Approximately ½ Of 1% Of USA Annual Budget

 

Credits: NASA

Tuesday / 12 May 2020

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Artemis Moon Technology Development / Education Supported By US$2.4M Funding

Artemis Student Challenges, A NASA Space Grant And STEM Engagement Initiative, Awards University Of California, San Diego And University Of Washington, Seattle Approximately $500K Each To Develop Lander, Exploration And Habitat Competitions; University Of Hawaii, Honolulu And University Of Colorado, Boulder Also Granted $500K Each From Artemis Core Technologies Awards For Development Of Orbital Cubesats And Lunasats To Be Deployed On Surface Of Moon In 2024 Via Great Lunar Expedition For Everyone Rideshare; University of Alabama, Huntsville And University Of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Receive $200K Each Through Artemis Teaching And Resource Availability

Credits: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 1-4 May 2020

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Artemis And Chang’e: Two Mythological Women Lead Humanity Forward, Upward

China Chang’e Program Of 4 Successful Missions To Date, 1st To Land On Moon This Century & 1st On Lunar Far Side, Prepares For Sample Return CE-5 Dec 2020, Continues CE-4 Astrophysics From Surface & Communications From Cislunar Space, Could See 2-4 More Missions Before Human Landings; USA 21st Century Artemis Program Est. 2017 Extends Its Branches Through Multiple Infrastructure Contracts (SLS, Orion, CLPS, VIPER, PRISM) To Realize First Women And Next Men On Moon – At Unexplored Moon South Pole 2024

 

Credits: NASA, CNSA, NAOC-CAS, CLEP

Friday / 3 April 2020

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Lunar Landers On Track For 2021, First USA Surface Missions Since 1972

CLPS Awardees Astrobotic (US$79.5M) And Intuitive Machines ($77M) Report Lander Development Schedule On Track For July 2021 Launch, While Timeline For Only 3 Out Of 13 NASA Payloads Can Currently Be Confirmed; Winners Of NASA 19C Task Order To Polar Regions Late 2022 Expected To Be Announced Soon; Competitors For 19C Include IM, SpaceX, Moon Express, Blue Origin, Sierra Nevada, Lockheed Martin, and Firefly Which Is Working With Israel Aerospace Industries On Genesis Lander (85-kg Payload Capacity) – An Advanced Version Of Beresheet 

Credits: Firefly, Astrobotic, IM

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 27-30 Mar 2020

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CLPS Enterprises Test Hardware And Compete For Upcoming Contracts

14 NASA Commercial Lunar Services Providers Are Eligible For Contracts; TALOS Thrusters Intended For Astrobotic Peregrine Lander Successfully Complete 60 Hot-Fire Tests; Firefly Aerospace Plans Orbital Launch And Builds Genesis Lander With 85-Kg Payload; Intuitive Machines Along With Astrobotic Has Task Order To Land Payloads On Lunar Surface NET July 2021; Moon Express & Other CLPS Providers Vie For Task Orders 20A To Possibly Be Awarded By 31 May To Land Volatiles Investigation Polar Exploration Rover, And 19D Expected By 30 Sep


Credits: Astrobotic, Firefly Aerospace, Intuitive Machines, Moon Express

 

Friday / 27 March 2020

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Artemis Program Continues As Long-Term Stimulus In Current Crisis

Orion Spacecraft For Artemis 1 Arrives At KSC Despite Lockdown At NASA Centers; Virus Crisis Seen As Reason To Accelerate Not Delay Human Moon Landings; Economic Downturn Means USA Needs Lunar Return Now More Than Ever; Turning Back Would Add Thousands Of Moonworkers To Unemployment Rolls; Studies Show That Spaceflight Investment Has Positive Multiplier Effects On Economy; Sustained Lunar Program Would Be Long-Term Stimulus For Earth

Credits: NASA, ILOA, SPC, Lockheed Martin; Mark Whittington – The Hill

Weekend Equinox Edition
Fri-Mon / 20-23 Mar 2020

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Artemis Goal Of Human Lunar Landings May Be Aided By SpaceX

Orion Spacecraft For Artemis 1 Completes Testing At NASA Plum Brook Station And Moves To KSC; Orion And Space Launch System Production And Testing Temporarily Pause Due To Virus Cautions; SpaceX Prepares for Historic American Commercial Crew Launch In May; Moon Landings In 2024-25 Are Seen As Imperative For Future Human Survival; Though SpaceX CEO Musk Expresses Doubts About Reaching Mars, Opportunity Exists For SpaceX To Capitalize The Moon


Credits: SpaceX, NASA

Friday / 20 March 2020

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Global Positioning System Satellites To Aid Artemis Lunar Missions 

NASA Intends To Use Signals From 24+ Operational GPS Satellites In 20,000-Km Earth Orbit With Receivers On Moon; GSFC Developing Lunar GPS Receiver Based Upon NavCube System Being Tested On ISS; JPL Scientists Kar-Ming Cheung (L) And Charles Lee (R) Estimate That GPS Allows Lunar Navigation With 200-300 Meter Accuracy; Navigation Could Be Improved With Small Relay Satellite In High Lunar Orbit

Credits: NASA, JPL