Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 26 Feb – 1 Mar 2021

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Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) Passes Review, Enters Final Design Phase

NASA Moon Rover VIPER Meets Risk, Cost And Schedule Constraints Of ‘Key Decision Point C’ Internal Assessment, Clearing Way For Operational Planning And Construction; 1.5×1.5×2.5m, 430kg Vehicle To Be Built At JSC With Instrument Input From KSC / Honeybee Robotics, Managed From Ames Research Center, Is To Land Late 2023 Via Astrobotic Griffin In MSP Region For ~100 Day Mission During Which 1-Meter TRIDENT Drill And 3 Spectrometers Will Be Controlled With Little Lag From Earth Through X Band / Deep Space Network As Volatile-Seeking Mission Traverses 20km

Credits: NASA

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 / 23 Feb 2021

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LRO Equipped To Continue Producing Useful Science With Flight Software Update

As LRO Nears 12th Full Year Of Moon Observation, NASA Goddard Engineering Safety Center And Naval Postgraduate School Collaboration Fast Maneuvering AKA ‘FastMan’ Ensures Tilting Ability, Vital For Light / Shadow Measurement For 3D Modeling Of PSRs – Estimated At 40,000 km2 Area, 60% Of Which Located In MSP Area Per LRO / SOFIA; Deactivated Miniature Inertial Measurement Unit Spatial Readings Replicated By Algorithm That Melds Star-Tracking Data With Image-Based Navigation (Based On Technique Pioneered For ISS Zero Propellant Maneuver) Allowing Repositioning 25% Faster Than Star-Tracking Alone

Pictured: Julie Halverson, Space Science Mission Operations Lead Systems Engineer NASA GSFC; Mark Karpenko, NPS Research Associate Professor; Credits: NASA, NPS, IEEE

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 19-22 Feb 2021

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NASA Acting Chief Of Staff Emphasizes Climate Change, Space Diplomacy, Artemis Moon Return, ISS, Mars, Diversity

Bhavya Lal, Formerly Of Science And Technology Policy Institute, Articulates NASA Priorities Going Forward Under Biden / Harris Administration In Wide-Ranging Comments Reported By Times Of India; Environmental Study Utilizing Earth Observation Is Top Initiative, With Lal Citing Climate Change As “Existential Threat” Affecting Human Health And Expressing High Hopes For US$1.5B NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar In 2022; Multilateral International Engagement With “Adversaries” In Addition To “Traditional Partners” To Be Advanced; Significance Of Artemis / First Women On Moon, Mars Sample Return, ISS Continuity And STEM Inclusiveness Also Indicated

Credits: NASA, Dynetics

Friday / 19 Feb 2021

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Bevy Of Lunar Meetings In USA, UK, SEA And Online Slated For The Week Ahead

AIAA Huntsville Presents Challenges And Benefits Of Excavation And Construction On The Moon 24 February, Jennifer Edmunson Of NASA MSFC To Speak On Extraction Of Volatiles From Regolith / PSRs, In-Situ Construction; 24-26 Feb International Association For The Study Of The Commons, Open Lunar Foundation, Others To Discuss Property Rights On Moon / Beyond From Arizona; LPI Of Houston Hosts Lunar Surface Science Workshop On Science Support For Crewed Artemis Missions 24-25 Feb; IOP Manchester Looks Back On Apollo And Its Impression Via Media 24 Feb; Pre-Global Space & Technology Convention Includes ILOA Hawai’i 3rd Lunar Commercial Communications Workshop In Hybrid Format From Singapore 25 Feb

Credits: AIAA, IOP, LPI, IASC, GSTC

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

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 12-15 Feb 2021

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NASA Office Of Inspector General Outlines Artemis Financials, Biden / Harris Administration Backs Program

US$85.7B Artemis Price 2012-2025 Represents < 30% Of Adjusted Apollo Budget, With $35.2B Already Allocated; Remaining $50.5B To Meet 2024 Goal Largely Needed For Human Landing Systems ($21.3B), Space Launch System ($10.9B) and Orion Spacecraft ($6.4B), NASA 2021 Fiscal Year Budget Stands At $23.3B Total; White House, 11 Senators Voice Support, Giving Boost To Multi-partisan Nature Of Program, Critical For Moving Appropriations Through Government; Vice President Typically Leads Administration On Space, Kamala Harris Yet To Opine

Credits: NASA, White House, OIG

Tuesday / 9 Feb 2021

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Lunar Manufacturing Capability To Be Advanced By Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency 

DARPA (Budget ~US3.5B) To Host Proposers Day Webcast 26 February, 13:00-16:00 (EST), Orienting Potential Applicants In Anticipation Of Broad Agency Announcement On Novel Orbital And Moon Manufacturing, Materials And Mass-Efficient Design Program; Initiative Seeks To Apply DARPA (Formerly ARPA, Founded In Response To Sputnik-1) Ethos Of “Explicitly Reaching For Transformational Change” To Lunar Surface And In-Space Construction; Three 18-Month Phases Will Focus On 1-MW Solar Array Materials / Design Proof Of Concept (Phase 1); 100m-Diameter RF Reflector (Phase 2); Long-Wave Infrared Telescope (Phase 3)

Credits: DARPA, Pictured: Acting Director Peter Highnam (L), Defense Sciences Office Program Manager Bill Carter (R)

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 5-8 Feb 2021

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ESA Doubles Orion Service Module Order As Artemis 1 Integration Approaches

3 Additional European Service Modules (ESM) Ordered From Airbus Of Germany (With Assistance From 10 European Countries) At Cost Of US$783M; Providing Artemis 4-6 Lunar Astronauts With: Propulsion Via 26.6kN Thrust Orbital Maneuvering System Engine (Orion Main Engine Debuting On ESM-6); Power Via 4 Solar Arrays Measuring 2m x 7m, Housing (3) 2mx2m PV Panels Each, Generating 11.2 kW; Life Support Sufficient To Maintain A 4-Member Crew For Up To 3 Weeks; Orion-1 Awaits Successful SLS Core Stage Hot Fire Test Week Of 21 Feb At Stennis, After Which Integration May Commence At KSC

Credits: NASA, Airbus

Friday / 5 Feb 2021

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Artemis Human Moon Landing Program Endorsed By White House, Legislators, NASA Acting Administrator

Political Consensus For NASA-led Return To Moon Emerging As White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki (C) Assures Press That Biden / Harris Administration Is Committed To Partnering With “Industry And International Partners To Send… Another Man And A Woman To The Moon” And That Congressional Support For Artemis Is “Broad And Bicameral”; Comments Come As 11 Senators Sign Letter Urging Executive Backing For Human Landing Systems – Key To Boots On Lunar Ground; NASA Leader Steve Jurczyk (R) Indicates Artemis 1 To Launch Q4; CLPS On Track To Support Human Missions

Credits: NASA, White House, Wikipedia