Category Archives: Starship

Friday / 9 January 2026

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Artemis Human Landings Anticipated with Preparatory FLIP, then FLEX Rovers

Launching NET July 2026 via 63,800kg-capacity Falcon Heavy, under NASA-CLPS US$322M award, Astrobotic Griffin-1 lander with 625kg capacity targets Nobile Crater, ~85°S, 53°E; primary payload Venturi Astrolab 500kg FLIP rover testing hyper-deformable tires, telerobotic mobility, thermal resilience, dust mitigation for larger FLEX vehicle; ~1,000kg-capacity FLEX launches in HLS lander NET 2027 on 200,000kg-capacity Starship Super-Heavy; FLIP rover is critical pathfinder for sustainable lunar infrastructure, carrying Interlune instrument seeking H3 / water ice, as well as 40-micron-thin nickel disks with millions of images of human endeavors, and Space Age Publishing Company weekly Space Calendar and Moon Messages

Image Credits: Astrobotic, Astrolab, Arch Mission Foundation

4-7 July 2025
USA Holiday Weekend Edition

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International Lunar Observatory Association ILO-1 Flagship Mission to Fly on Astrolab FLEX Rover to Moon South Pole NET 2026

ILOA Hawai’i will have instruments for Milky Way Center observation and commercial 2-way communications mounted on light bar of Astrolab FLEX rover, targeted to launch on Starship NET Dec 2026 and land at 1 of 9 possible Artemis landing sites near Moon South Pole; aim is for at least 1 year of operations for ILO-1 payload to fulfill long-term astronomy, science and exploration goals, as well as provide commercial lunar broadcasting for Space Age Publishing Company / Space Calendar, and others

Credits: Astrolab, SpaceX, Smithsonian