2020s Multi World Civilization: The Moon, Global Revolutions, Egalitarian Considerations
USA, Canada, China, India, Russia, Japan Commercial / National Efforts Towards Projecting Human Action To Moon Surface Are To Occur 2021; Crewed 2020s Landings Including First Woman On The Moon, Will Expand Sphere Of Female Activity Nearly 1,000,000,000X; Social / Moral / Legal Structure In Process Of Formation With Varied Approaches To Central Question Of Ownership – Viewed As Birthright Of Every Earth Inhabitant, A Land Share Arrangement Between ~8B Humans Allocating 9,383,748,198 Lunar Acres With Deference To ‘Right To Roam’ Of Antiquity And In Spirit Of Homesteading, Ensuring Access To Resources / Habitat, Would Be Equitable, Inclusive
Credits: NASA, CNSA, UN
Open Lunar Foundation Of Silicon Valley, Through ‘Purpose Trust’ Breaking Ground, Intends To Buy Moon Regolith From Multiple Sources, Experiment With Various Management Strategies; Privately Funded Group Cites 2015 USA, 2017 Luxembourg, 2020 UAE Space Legislation Interpreting Commercialization Of Extraterrestrial Resources As In Accordance With 1967 Outer Space Treaty; Trust Fashioned Along ‘Steward-Ownership’ Model; Transaction Between Private Parties Will Establish Norms / Framework For Earth-Moon Commerce; IM R&D VP Timothy Crain Says Initial Agreements Are “Building Blocks For Future Trade In The Solar System”
Chang’e-5 / Phase 3 Of CLEP Achieves Successful Transport Of 2kg Surface Regolith + 0.5kg Subsurface (1.8m Depth) From Oceanus Procellarum To Inner Mongolia Via High Speed Skip Retry; Recovered From Remote Tundra By Team Outfitted With 4kg Exoskeleton Suits, Providing 10% Strength Assist, And Joined By Curious Rabbit; First Samples Procured Since 170g From Luna 24 To Be Followed By Commercial / National Robotic And Human Efforts; International Collaboration On Analysis Invited, Chang’e-6/7/8 And Phase 4 Lunar Research Base Build-Out To Commence, Per Deputy Commander Wu Yanhua
A Leader Of SEA Astronomy With 2.4-m TNO Operated By NARIT And An Emerging Actor In Earth Observation With THEOS-1 And NAPA Cubesats Operated By GISTDA And RTAF, Thailand Is Broadening Space Aspirations To Lunar Orbit; Minister of Higher Education Anek Laothamatas (L) States At Chulalongkorn University Press Conference Moon Mission “Will Forever Change The Whole Perspective Of Thai People”; Announcement Comes On Heels Of Space Policy Committee Convened By Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon (R), Where National Space Act Calling For Fostering Of Indigenous Space / Launch Industry Drafted
Automated Additive Manufacturing Processes Pioneered By Commercial Launch Providers Such As Rocketlab Now Being Validated For NASA Use On Future Landers By Long-Life Additive Manufacturing Assembly Program; High-Strength Alloy Combustion Chamber / Rocket Nozzle 280 Seconds Of 3315° C Ignition Data Spread Over 10 Days / 23 Tests Being Analyzed At MSFC In Huntsville AL For Durability, Efficiency In Comparison To Conventional Subtractive Machining Techniques; Industry Moving Towards Fully 3D Printed Rockets With Relativity Space Of LA CA Striving For 2021 Terran 1 Launch
Priorities And Advantageous Conditions For Science During NASA Human Landing Officially Planned For 2024 Include Moon As Stable / Quiet Platform For Farside Long Wavelength Radio Observation, With Special Attention On 21-cm “Dark Ages” Spectrum From Dawn Of Universe; Position Just Outside Earth Magnetosphere Conducive To Heliophysical Investigations On Electrodynamic Interactions With Surrounding Plasma Fields; Low Seismicity Ideal For Interferometer-Based Study Of Relatively / Gravitational Waves And Calibration; 60 Earth-Radii Distance 4x Shorter Than L1 Point Used For Long-Term Climate Observation; Lunar Cataclysm Hypothesis May Be Validated Via South Pole-Aitken Basin Sample Return If Dated 4.1Ga / Younger
Independent Organization SpaceIL, In Partnership With Israel Aerospace Industries And Israeli Space Agency, Plans Beresheet 2 Augmented Repeat Of 2019 Moon Landing Attempt – The Most Successful NGO Effort To Date, Winning US$1M Google Lunar X Prize Moonshot Award; New Mission To Occur First Half Of 2024, Will Include Orbiter With 2+ Year Lifespan And 2 Science Landers Weighing 118kg/ea; Expected ~$100M Cost; ISA Leader Izhar Shay Tells Times Of Israel That UAE, Which Plans 2024 Lunar Rover Rashid, Is Among “Seven Countries From Five Continents” Who Have Expressed Interest In Collaboration
Systems Of Moon Excavation Are Focus Of Break The Ice Lunar Challenge, A Centennial Challenge Directed By KSC And MSFC With US$500k Phase 1 Funds, $4.5M Allocated To Phase 2; NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase 3 Sponsored R&D Led By William ‘Red’ Whittaker On 15-kg / 1-Lunar Day Lifespan PitRanger Mini Rover Designed To Create HD Images Of Lava Tube Interiors Via Aggregation; With Intentions Of Stimulating Cislunar Economy, Masten, Lunar Outpost, ispace Europe & Japan Win Bids To Transport / Sell Moon Samples
Oxygen, Key Element For Sustaining Human Life And Powerful Source Of Propulsion Fuel, May Be Refined From Moon Regolith Using ISRU Version Of Electrolysis Process Currently Employed In Earth Mining; ESA Contracted Rotherham-Based Metalysis To Develop Method Tailored For Lunar Surface; Composition Of Regolith Estimated 45% Oxygen By Weight; Process Requires 950°C Molten Salt Bath; Iron, Titanium Extraction Byproducts Useful For 3D Printed Construction; ESA Materials Engineer Advenit Makaya, Project Lead, Indicates Extraction Technology Demonstration Is Oxygen Plant Precursor
Thought Leaders At Center For Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian, King’s College London And Missouri University Of Science & Technology