Tuesday / 28 July 2020

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Nuclear Power R&D Sought From USA Private Sector To Support Sustainable Moon-Mars Settlements

Dept Of Energy (DoE) Solicits Ideas For Off-Earth Fission Surface Power System Which Will Be Evaluated By Idaho National Lab & NASA; 2-Phase Plan Could See 10-kW Artemis Test Reactor, Flight System + Lander On Moon 2026; Operating Without Need For Water Cooling Is Major Advantage Of Micro-Reactors; Power Source Independent Of Sun To Survive Lunar Night & Establish Deep-Space Settlements Is Vital; ‘Kilopower‘ Reactor In Development With DoE Since 2012; After Nuclear Fusion & Lunar Mining Are Established, Helium-3 Utilization Could Be Next

Pictured: Idaho National Lab at bottom right; Credits: NASA, Pat Rawlings, Office of Enterprise Assessments, US DoE

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 24-27 July 2020

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Leaders Unveil Positions On Human Moon Missions While International Robotic Fleet Depart For Mars

As UAE / Japan, China, USA Launch Inspirational Interplanetary Expeditions, Domestic Political Dynamics Closely Monitored By Space, Lunar Community — Artemis Moon Program At Critical Stage Of Development, Needing Multipartisan Support; Scott Pace (L) Of National Space Council Releases Strategy Document ‘A New Era For Deep Space Exploration And Development’ In Which Primary Nature Of SPD-1 Emphasized, As Is Enterprise, Adequate Funding, R&D, Infrastructure; DNC Party Platform Also Expresses Support For Human Moon Landing, ISS, NOAA; John Logsdon Of GWU Credited With Influencing Emerging Consensus On Vital Nature Of Moon Activity, Habitation

Credits: Blue Origin, SpaceX, Dynetics, NSC, GWU; Also Pictured: Sen. Kamala Harris

Friday / 24 July 2020

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ISRO Releasing Chandrayaan-2 Data Globally In October, Preparing Chandrayaan-3 For 2021 Launch

Chand-2 Orbiter 8 Payloads Performing Nominally In 100-km Lunar Polar Orbit, Now >1 Year Into Mission As Of 22 July; ISRO Planning To Share Internationally: Highest-Res 3D Moon Map, Science Data Sets On Surface Water-Ice And Minerals / Metals, Argon-40, Exosphere, Solar X-rays; ISRO Chair K. Sivan States Chand-2 Mission “Has Achieved 98% Of Its Objectives”; Chand-3 Lander + Rover Estimated Cost ~US$91.2M, Will Utilize Chand-2 Orbiter, Launch To Moon South Pole Region 1st Half 2021

Credits: ISRO

Tuesday / 21 July 2020

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Gender Equality, Human Flourishing Are Driving Forces In Artemis Moon Return

First Woman / Next Man To Set Foot On Moon Are Among Current NASA Astronaut Corps Who Have Worked On ISS —  A Requirement That 9 Women Now Meet, 7 Other Female Astronauts Including Zena Cardman Of VA May Fly Before 2024; Per Administrator Bridenstine, A “Transformational”, “Incredible” Event “For Young Women… All Across The World”; Uplifting Motivation Will Expand Woman Sphere Of Influence / Domain, A Necessary Condition For Equality; Increasing Humanity Area Of Habitat Will Mitigate Terrestrial Carrying Capacity Issues In Progressive, Inspiring Manner

Credits: NASA, SPC, ILOA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 17-20 July 2020

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Humanity Strives Toward Achievement Of Multi-World Habitation

As UAE/JAXA, China, USA Prepare Vessels Destined For Mars Orbit, Atmosphere And Surface, Chang’e -4 Lander And Yutu-2 Rover Continue Pioneering Geophysical / Astronomical Observation And Traversment Of Lunar Farside Surface, Citizens Of Earth Pause To Reflect On Incredible Accomplishments Of The First Space Era; Apollo 11 Moon Landing Commemorated For 51st Time On Moonday, July 20 As Space Exploration Day; Inscription “We Came In Peace For All” On Mare Tranquillitatis Landing Site Remains Poignant Moral Guidance, As Does Antarctica Treaty Model Allowing Only Peaceful Military Presence

Credits: CNSA, NASA, UAESA, Antarctic Treaty System

Friday / 17 July 2020

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NASA JPL Miniaturized Payload Concept Contest Advances Lunar Exploration Technology

Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative Awards US$160K Through ‘Honey I Shrunk The Payload’ Competition; Design Parameters Constrain Surface Probes To Mass Of 0.4kg, Physical Dimensions Of 100mm x 100mm x 50mm; 14 International Teams And Individuals Selected From 132 Entries; Team Sun Slicers Led By Phil Jobson Takes Lunar Environment Category 1st Place ($30K) For XRAY Spectrometer, Puli Space Technologies Led By (L-R) David Lucsanyi And Tibor Pacher Wins 1st In Resource Potential Category For Lunar Water Snooper ($30K); Crowdsourcing Platform HeroX, Created By Peter Diamandis, Utilized Throughout Contest

Credits: NASA, Puli Space Technologies, Team Sun Slicers, HeroX, Team Stardust, Monash Nova Rover Team

Tuesday / 14 July 2020

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China, Argentina, USA Student Teams Design Rovers To Be Raced On Moon

Intuitive Machines, Builder Of Nova-C Lander – Set To Be (October 2021) One Of The First Commercial Craft To Land On Moon – In Conjunction With Education / Media Enterprise Moon Mark Awards 3 International Efforts From 35 Entries Spanning 11 Nations US$1000 Prizes For Lunar Race Car Design Challenge; IM VP Trent Martin Says Program Intended “Specifically To Inspire The Next Generation” And With STEM Educations “They Might Eventually Change The World”; 6 Teams Will Begin Construction (January 2021) Of Racing Rovers Totaling 10kg Out Of 100-kg Lander Payload Capacity

Credits: Intuitive Machines, Moon Mark

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 10-13 July 2020

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USA And Japan Sign Joint Exploration Declaration Of Intent On Artemis

NASA Administrator Bridenstine Signs JEDI With Koichi Hagiuda, Japan Minister Of Education, Culture, Sports, Science And Technology; Specific Commitments Yet To Be Formalized, JAXA Will Likely Collaborate On International Habitation Module, Energy And Gas Storage On Gateway; Also Will Contribute Mission Data From 2022 Smart Lander For Investigating Moon And Offer Next Generation Cargo Capacity Via Uncrewed HTV-X Powered By H3 Rocket In 2022; Crewed Rover Being Developed In Conjunction With Toyota Motor Company For 2029

Credits: NASA, JAXA, Toyota

Friday / 10 July 2020

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NASA Supports Advanced Lunar Resource Extraction / Exploration Technologies With ~US$17M

4 Enterprises Nurtured By Phase 1 & 2 SBIR/STTR Grants Chosen To Further Refine Technologies Deemed Vital For Artemis Mission Success: Informatic Health And Spacecraft Diagnostics Systems By Qualtech Systems (CT), Regolith Refining Machinery For ISRU By Pioneer Astronautics (CO), Protoinnovations (PA) Tasked With Rover Traction Control, Fibertek (VA) To Develop Cis-Lunar Laser Communication; Post-Phase 2 Awards Range $2.5M – $5M, Designed As Final Stage Of Incubation Prior To Commercialization; Administrator Bridenstine Seeks $25.2B Appropriation From Congress To Fund Agency

Credits: NASA, Qualtech , Pioneer Astronautics, Protoinnovations, Fibertek

Tuesday / 7 July 2020

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Artemis / Sustained Moon Habitation Advances Via Lunar Dust, Power, Sterilization Investigations

NASA Awards 312 Small Businesses ~US$125K For 409 Technology Proposals ($51M Total) Through Phase 1 Of Annual NASA SBIR & STTR Programs; 9 Funded Ideas Center On Regolith Dust Mitigation, Including Electrodynamic Shielding (Hedgefog Research), Wireless Communication (Astrobotic), <1 Micron Filtration (Mainstream Engineering Corporation); Opterus R&D Will Study Heavy Duty Lunar Solar Array Concept, Paragon Space To Work On Water Collection / Purification, CU Aerospace To Develop Plasma Anti-Microbial Device; Phase 2 Will Include ‘Multi-million’ Prototyping Contracts, Market Entry Support; 27% Of Awardees Women / Minority Owned

Credits: NASA, ESA, MEC, HR, Astrobotic, PSDC, ORD, CU Aerospace