Tuesday / 27 Sep 2022

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ESA to Send 2 Astronauts to Lunar Gateway, 1 to Moon Surface with NASA / Artemis Program by End of NLT 2029

Joint Statement on Lunar Cooperation Activities, signed by ESA Director Aschbacher / NASA Administrator Nelson, outlines Europe contributions – Service Module for Orion, I-HAB and ESPRIT modules for Gateway; At least 3 seats for ESA Astronauts secured in exchange: 2 Astronauts on orbital missions, likely Artemis 4 (NET 2027) & Artemis 5 (NET 2028), 1 on later surface mission TBD; Candidates for Europe Moon Astronauts include Samantha Cristoforetti (IT), Thomas Pesquet (FR), Tim Peake (UK), Alexander Gerst (DE), Matthias Maurer (DE), Luca Parmitano (IT) and Andreas Mogensen (DK)

Pictured (L-R): ESA Director Josef Aschbacher, NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson; Credits: ESA, NASA, Twitter

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 23-26 Sep 2022

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International Assortment of Robotic Landers Preparing for Launch to Lunar Surface

ispace Hakuto-R reportedly set to launch on SpaceX F9 during 9–15 Nov window, carrying UAE Rashid 1 rover to Moon on 3-month low-energy trajectory; Astrobotic holding to Q4 Peregrine launch amid USSF statement that BE-4 successfully demonstrated full engine performance, raising hopes for timely integration with ULA Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle; Intuitive Machines aiming for Q1 2023 Nova-C launch via SpaceX F9; ISRO Chandrayaan-3 to launch on GSLV NET Feb 2023; JAXA SLIM targeting March 2023 for launch on H-IIA

Credits: JAXA, IM, Astrobotic, ISRO, ispace

Friday / 23 Sep 2022

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Artemis and Starship: Mega Rockets Intended for Human Moon Exploration Advance Towards Flight

NASA to update on cryogenic tanking test which saw 7% hydrogen leak from 20-cm seal largely mitigated by reducing fueling pressure at 23 Sep press briefing; Next launch opportunity 27 Sep pending weather & flight termination system battery waiver; Starship ‘Ship 24’ and Super Heavy ‘B7’ prototypes to undergo full stack WDR / hot fire testing at SpaceX Starbase in TX, from which possible October or likely November orbital test launch is to occur, with B7 splashing down in Gulf of Mexico and Ship 24 soft landing in Pacific 100-km NW of Kauaʻi

Credits: NASA, SpaceX

Tuesday / 20 Sep 2022

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Moon South Pole is Target for Increasing Number of International Robotic and Human Missions 2023-28

CLPS provider Intuitive Machines to redirect IM-1 mission NET Q1 2023 from mid-latitude to MSP at NASA request, IM-2 already slated for Shackleton Connecting Ridge (89.5°S); ISRO Chandrayaan-3 targeting 71°S NET Feb 2023; Roscosmos Luna-25 aiming for 70°S NET 2023; Astrobotic to deliver VIPER rover to 85°S NET Nov 2024; CNSA Chang’E-7 to land near (L-R) Shackleton (90°S), Nobile (85°S) or Haworth (87°S) craters NET 2026; Artemis 3 to target 1 of 13 regions within 6° of MSP via SpaceX HLS; 6.25-day Polar Sortie Mission and 33-day Polar Excursion Mission on 2nd HLS to be awarded May 2023, launch NET 2028

Credits: NASA, IM

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 16-19 Sep 2022

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IAC73 Gathers Lunar Exploration Community, Optimal Landing Sites Including 4,990-m Malapert Under Consideration

Engaging 6,500+ world space professionals, International Astronautical Congress 2022 in Paris will be site of numerous high-level discussions during first Moon Exploration session 19 Sep: (L-R) Tatsuaki Hashimoto of JAXA to update on Omotenashi 6U CubeSat / micro-lander, to be deployed by Artemis 1; Daniel Andrews of NASA to share news on VIPER launching NET 2024; Steve Durst of ILOA Hawaii to present 5 Moon Missions September 2022 Update and rally support for prime South Pole landing area with Malapert Mountain: Moon High Ground Point E Awaits Landers interactive presentation

 

Credits: NASA, JAXA, ILOA

Friday / 16 Sep 2022

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Capstone Team Working “Around the Clock” to Restore Spacecraft to Nominal Operational State

Advanced Space, Terran Orbital, and NASA focused on correcting anomalous behavior of ~US$30M Capstone, currently deemed stable, on trajectory to achieve lunar Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit and in communication with Deep Space Network, however still tumbling in safe mode after losing attitude control and comms in event associated with 8 Sep Trajectory Correction Maneuver 3; Sufficient solar power being generated to heat 8-thruster hydrazine propulsion system built by Stellar Exploration; Recovery operation may be possible, utilizing thrusters if 5° C thermal stability is achieved for 12 hours

Credits: NASA, Advanced Space

Tuesday / 13 Sep 2022

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Chang’E Program Moving Forward, Water / Helium-3 Content Confirmed in Returned Samples, Agriculture on TSS

CNSA has state approval for phase 4 of Chang’E lunar program, consisting of CE-6 farside sample return (NET 2024), CE-7 MSP exploration with rover / hopper (NET 2024), and CE-8 ISRU study (NET 2027) after CE-5 1.731-kg lunar samples show ~170 ppm OH/H2O, per CAS Institute of Geochemistry infrared / ion mass spectroscopy analysis; Additional study by Beijing Research Institute of Uranium Geology discovers 10 μm crystal of new mineral Changesite–(Y) and reportedly determines concentration and outlines extraction of 3He; China students participating remotely in thale cress / rice study on Tiangong Space Station under “Growing Plants Together with Astronauts” program

Credits: China National Space Agency, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 9-12 Sep 2022

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2022/3 Moon Missions Approach as Capstone & Danuri Near Lunar Orbit, Artemis Team Working to Launch

NASA Capstone on route to 3,000 x 70,000-km near rectilinear halo orbit 13 Nov; Danuri not far behind on similar low-energy ballistic lunar transfer, to reach orbital insertion 16 Dec; Artemis 1 may launch 23 or 27 Sep if LH2 leak is remedied on launchpad, JAXA 6U Omotenashi semi-hard impactor is 1 of 10 CubeSat rideshares; ispace Nov launch of Hakuto-R / Rashid rover, also to 3-month low-energy trajectory, landing in equatorial Lacus Somniorum; Astrobotic Peregrine lander slated to launch before EOY; Intuitive Machines Nova-C lander striving for NET Jan 2023 launch; ISRO Chandrayaan 3 targeting Q1 2023; Roscosmos Luna-25 pushed to NET 2023; JAXA SLIM slated for NET March 2023

Credits: NASA, KARI, Advanced Space

Friday / 9 Sept 2022

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National Space Council, Chaired by VP Kamala Harris, Convening at Johnson Space Center

Modernization of “outdated” commercial space regulation to be discussed at 2nd Biden-Harris administration meeting of the National Space Council 9 Sep, in furtherance of United States Space Priorities Framework; VP Harris was on-site for 1st Artemis launch attempt at KSC 29 Aug, declaring the “return on an investment… being able to put human beings on the Moon where they can work and live — it’s going to be immense”, while assuring public “our commitment to the Artemis Program remains firm” via Twitter; NSC meeting to include tour of JSC facilities

Pictured: VP Harris, Astronauts Shannon Walker, Joe Acaba; Credits: NASA, White House

Labor Day Weekend Edition
Fri-Tues / 2-6 Sep 2022

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Artemis 1 Launch Now Set for Saturday 3 September with Next Window Opening on 5 Sep

With predicted weather conditions 60% favorable, leaky propellant lines replaced / retorqued and faulty RS-25 engine temperature sensor identified, NASA is “Go” for launch of flagship Artemis 1 (SLS + Orion); Engine bleed cooldown schedule modified 30-45 minutes earlier than originally planned; 2-hour launch window opens 14:17 at KSC, ~400k spectators expected to view historic launch nearby while space / Moon explorers around the world will witness launch on NASA Live and track 37-day mission with Artemis Real-time Orbit Website (AROW)

Pictured: SLS Chief Engineer John Blevins; Credits: NASA, @NASA_Orion