Artemis Moon Program

[FighterJock]

Bezos' Blue Origin loses NASA lawsuit over SpaceX $2.9 billion lunar lander contract

The U.S. Court of Federal Claims ruled against Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin in the company's lawsuit against NASA.

www.cnbc.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/1456311095761637384

View: https://twitter.com/JeffBezos/status/1456311095761637384

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4uivPpzCGo

Good news that Blue Origin has lost the appeal, now NASA can hopefully get back on track with Artemis 1 and get it launched next February.

 

[Rhinocrates]

Update on the rover situation. The article provides a handy overview, with links. The fact that things are still so tentative at this late stage suggest that there are a lot of reasons (such as the space suit issue) for the schedule slip. The BO lawsuit is only one of them, and a useful public excuse.

Northrop Grumman reveals plans for new astronaut moon buggy

Partners on the project include tiremaker Michelin.

www.space.com

 

[NMaude]

I hope that the BO lawsuit is dismissed with prejudice and BO then sanctioned for filing a meritless lawsuit.

 

[Grey Havoc]

NASA, Intuitive Machines announce landing site location for Lunar drill

Hampton VA (SPX) Nov 04, 2021 - In late 2022, NASA will send an ice-mining experiment attached to a robotic lander to the lunar South Pole on a ridge not far from Shackleton crater - a location engineers and scientists have assess

www.moondaily.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

NASA Seeks Ideas For a Nuclear Reactor On the Moon - Slashdot

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Phys.org: NASA and the nation's top federal nuclear research lab on Friday put out a request for proposals for a fission surface power system. NASA is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory to establish a...

science.slashdot.org

 

[Space Baron]

For my part is Artemis waste of money
it focus on construction of a "lunar gateway" that need billions dollars to build and launch and assembly what take too much time
Pull money away from R&D budget needed to build the Landers and needed equipment like new Spacesuits.

My proposal drop the "Lunar Gateway" and spend the money into Reusable lander (base like on Blue Origin "Blue Moon")
Drop the SLS and goes with Falcon Heavy Falcon 9 and New Glenn or Vulcan
and Starliner and crew Dragon to get crews to landers

The Reusable lander operate from low earth orbit and use aerobraking on return to LEO
are refuel by exchange of Propellant tanks in LEO
The Reusable lander use a Direct landing trajectory to arrive on Moon and back
if there a emergency the crew module could land on Earth with help of aerobraking heat shield and parachutes.

I understand your cost complaints for a Moon landing va Artemis Gateway.

Gateway does has a long term test bed value as module assembly for deep space missions and someday even Mars Flyby or Mars Orbit potential. I also have issues with all the current HLS proposals. They all have major flaws or dependencies, or will take a long time for flight readiness, and most are way overpriced.

 

[AN/AWW-14(V)]

Media registration is now open to capture imagery and video as NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft roll out of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida this winter for the first time. SLS and Orion will journey to Launch Pad 39B atop the crawler transporter-2 for a test in preparation for the agency’s Artemis I mission.

The exact date for the move is currently under review. Additional information on timing, as well as interview opportunities and NASA coverage for the final prelaunch test, known as a wet dress rehearsal, will be provided later. No onsite media support is planned during the test itself at this time.

During the rollout, media will have the opportunity to follow the journey from the iconic VAB to the pad from multiple locations. Experts from NASA and its partners will be available to answer questions during the beginning and end of rollout operations.

During the test, planned approximately a week after arriving at the pad, teams from Kennedy’s Exploration Ground Systems, as well as the primary contractor, Jacobs, will load the rocket with more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic, or supercold, propellants and the team will run through the launch countdown sequence, ending prior to engine ignition. Engineers also will demonstrate procedures to drain the propellants from the rocket. After the test, the rocket and spacecraft will return to the VAB for final checkouts before launch.

Accreditation for this activity is open to U.S. and international media. International media must apply by Sunday, Nov. 28. U.S. media must apply by Wednesday, Dec. 8.

NASA to Roll Out Mega Moon Rocket for First Time, Media Invited - NASA

Media registration is now open to capture imagery and video as NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft roll out of the Vehicle Assembly

www.nasa.gov

 

[FighterJock]

Media registration is now open to capture imagery and video as NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft roll out of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida this winter for the first time. SLS and Orion will journey to Launch Pad 39B atop the crawler transporter-2 for a test in preparation for the agency’s Artemis I mission.

The exact date for the move is currently under review. Additional information on timing, as well as interview opportunities and NASA coverage for the final prelaunch test, known as a wet dress rehearsal, will be provided later. No onsite media support is planned during the test itself at this time.

During the rollout, media will have the opportunity to follow the journey from the iconic VAB to the pad from multiple locations. Experts from NASA and its partners will be available to answer questions during the beginning and end of rollout operations.

During the test, planned approximately a week after arriving at the pad, teams from Kennedy’s Exploration Ground Systems, as well as the primary contractor, Jacobs, will load the rocket with more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic, or supercold, propellants and the team will run through the launch countdown sequence, ending prior to engine ignition. Engineers also will demonstrate procedures to drain the propellants from the rocket. After the test, the rocket and spacecraft will return to the VAB for final checkouts before launch.

Accreditation for this activity is open to U.S. and international media. International media must apply by Sunday, Nov. 28. U.S. media must apply by Wednesday, Dec. 8.

NASA to Roll Out Mega Moon Rocket for First Time, Media Invited - NASA

Media registration is now open to capture imagery and video as NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft roll out of the Vehicle Assembly

www.nasa.gov

Good to see Artemis going though another important test to see how it will perform on launch day, February cannot come fast enough.

 

[NMaude]

Media registration is now open to capture imagery and video as NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft roll out of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida this winter for the first time. SLS and Orion will journey to Launch Pad 39B atop the crawler transporter-2 for a test in preparation for the agency’s Artemis I mission.

The exact date for the move is currently under review. Additional information on timing, as well as interview opportunities and NASA coverage for the final prelaunch test, known as a wet dress rehearsal, will be provided later. No onsite media support is planned during the test itself at this time.

During the rollout, media will have the opportunity to follow the journey from the iconic VAB to the pad from multiple locations. Experts from NASA and its partners will be available to answer questions during the beginning and end of rollout operations.

During the test, planned approximately a week after arriving at the pad, teams from Kennedy’s Exploration Ground Systems, as well as the primary contractor, Jacobs, will load the rocket with more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic, or supercold, propellants and the team will run through the launch countdown sequence, ending prior to engine ignition. Engineers also will demonstrate procedures to drain the propellants from the rocket. After the test, the rocket and spacecraft will return to the VAB for final checkouts before launch.

Accreditation for this activity is open to U.S. and international media. International media must apply by Sunday, Nov. 28. U.S. media must apply by Wednesday, Dec. 8.

NASA to Roll Out Mega Moon Rocket for First Time, Media Invited - NASA

Media registration is now open to capture imagery and video as NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft roll out of the Vehicle Assembly

www.nasa.gov

Good to see Artemis going though another important test to see how it will perform on launch day, February cannot come fast enough.

I'm looking forward to the day when it's rolled out to LC39 and goes through its dry and wet rehearsals.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Upcoming Moon missions spur the search for new spacesuits

Nasa has asked the private sector to design new spacesuits that can be used on the Moon.

www.bbc.com

 

[FighterJock]

Upcoming Moon missions spur the search for new spacesuits

Nasa has asked the private sector to design new spacesuits that can be used on the Moon.

www.bbc.com

It will be interesting to see what style of spacesuits NASA will select for the Artemis mission. Hopefully it will be a spacesuit that will be more durable than the Apollo era spacesuits.

 

[Rhinocrates]

Progress update on the GM-Lockheed rover. Autonomous capability, seats two plus cargo.

GM Design Moons The World With CG Video Of Lunar Rover Concept

A recent post on the GM Design Instagram page offers a possible glimpse at how the Lunar Terrain Vehicle project is progressing.

www.motor1.com

 

[TomcatViP]

And It got a blade!! At last, someone is thinking to what early humans would do on the moon beyond being on the meta verse

 

[Vahe Demirjian]

Is it reasonable to assume that more than a few NASA officials are considering giving the SLS an official name like Zeus or Hera, given that the Saturn rocket was named after a Greek/Roman deity?

 

[TomS]

Is it reasonable to assume that more than a few NASA officials are considering giving the SLS an official name like Zeus or Hera, given that the Saturn rocket was named after a Greek/Roman deity?

No.

 

[publiusr]

CSX was supposed to be a temporary place holder for the railway that featured 'Chessie, the sleeping kitten.' But CSX stuck. L and N, Seaboard System, Family Lines were names of what went before. No one should name a rocket Nova...and Atlas should only be for balloon tank..that can't even support their own weight. Pufferfish would have been better. Now to call all toilets in space..."the Proxmire."

 

[FighterJock]

Is it reasonable to assume that more than a few NASA officials are considering giving the SLS an official name like Zeus or Hera, given that the Saturn rocket was named after a Greek/Roman deity?

I would think that the best idea for NASA concerning the naming of the SLS would be to hold a naming competition like what they did with Perseverance and pick the best one.

 

[Josh_TN]

Is it reasonable to assume that more than a few NASA officials are considering giving the SLS an official name like Zeus or Hera, given that the Saturn rocket was named after a Greek/Roman deity?

I would think that the best idea for NASA concerning the naming of the SLS would be to hold a naming competition like what they did with Perseverance and pick the best one.

That is also where Endeavor's name came from. It wasn't my particular essay, but I also submitted one for that name.

 

[Orionblamblam]

Is it reasonable to assume that more than a few NASA officials are considering giving the SLS an official name like Zeus or Hera, given that the Saturn rocket was named after a Greek/Roman deity?

I would think that the best idea for NASA concerning the naming of the SLS would be to hold a naming competition like what they did with Perseverance and pick the best one.

"The Rocket Formerly Known as Funded, Now Known as Museum Piece."

 

[Vahe Demirjian]

Is it reasonable to assume that more than a few NASA officials are considering giving the SLS an official name like Zeus or Hera, given that the Saturn rocket was named after a Greek/Roman deity?

I would think that the best idea for NASA concerning the naming of the SLS would be to hold a naming competition like what they did with Perseverance and pick the best one.

"The Rocket Formerly Known as Funded, Now Known as Museum Piece."

If the first SLS launch makes an unusually intense thunder-like sound on liftoff, then NASA will officially assign the name Zeus to the SLS.

 

[sferrin]

Is it reasonable to assume that more than a few NASA officials are considering giving the SLS an official name like Zeus or Hera, given that the Saturn rocket was named after a Greek/Roman deity?

I would think that the best idea for NASA concerning the naming of the SLS would be to hold a naming competition like what they did with Perseverance and pick the best one.

"The Rocket Formerly Known as Funded, Now Known as Museum Piece."

Senate Launch System.

 

[TomS]

Senate Launch System.

Only if they actually launch the Senate into space.

 

[aonestudio]

NASA Prepares SLS Moon Rockets for First Crewed Artemis Missions - NASA

As teams continue to prepare NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for its debut flight with the launch of Artemis I, NASA and its partners across the

www.nasa.gov

 

[publiusr]

Like any senator was ever at a drafting table

 

[Flyaway]

According to this NASA engineer, the SLS rollout to LC-39B is scheduled for Tuesday, February 15 (this would be a few days ahead of schedule).

https://twitter.com/x/status/1482725726197620742

View: https://twitter.com/YourFemaleEng/status/1482725726197620742

 

[Vahe Demirjian]

According to this NASA engineer, the SLS rollout to LC-39B is scheduled for Tuesday, February 15 (this would be a few days ahead of schedule).

https://twitter.com/x/status/1482725726197620742

View: https://twitter.com/YourFemaleEng/status/1482725726197620742

More info here:

EGS, Jacobs working to finish testing in time for Artemis 1 rollout in mid-February - NASASpaceFlight.com

NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) program and prime launch processing contractor Jacobs are performing final…

www.nasaspaceflight.com

 

[FighterJock]

According to this NASA engineer, the SLS rollout to LC-39B is scheduled for Tuesday, February 15 (this would be a few days ahead of schedule).

https://twitter.com/x/status/1482725726197620742

View: https://twitter.com/YourFemaleEng/status/1482725726197620742

More info here:

EGS, Jacobs working to finish testing in time for Artemis 1 rollout in mid-February - NASASpaceFlight.com

NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) program and prime launch processing contractor Jacobs are performing final…

www.nasaspaceflight.com

That is the rollout date been put into my diary, looking forward to seeing the SLS getting moved to the launchpad and being made ready for launch.

 

[TomcatViP]

Masten's Metal Oxidation Warming System (MOWS), NITE takes another approach to the warming problem by using metals and left over oxidizer from the landing craft's propulsion system, which are used to generate an exothermic chemical reaction to produce both heat and power through the lunar night. During the day, the system is shut down to prevent overheating.
According to Masten, NITE has the advantages of producing more heat than an equivalent battery system at 1,900 watt hours per kilogram, but is seven times lighter. It can warm landers and other craft or equipment for over a year with sufficient onboard oxidizer or oxygen from lunar water, but is about US$50 million dollars cheaper than RTGs and $10 million cheaper in terms of payload costs compared to batteries.

Innovative chemical heating system keeps lunar landers warm at night

With temperatures plunging to -232 °C (-387 °F), the lunar night is not a friendly place for electronics. Space technology company Masten has developed a new way to tackle this problem in the form of its Nighttime Integrated Thermal and Electricity (NITE) system, which uses chemical reactions to…

newatlas.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

Update on the above, a link on the Toyoya-JAXA 'Lunar Cruiser'

Japan's New 'Lunar Cruiser' Moon Rover Is Named After the Toyota Land Cruiser

Overlanding on the moon in a 6x6, hydrogen fuel cell-powered Toyota, anyone?

www.thedrive.com

A minor update via the above article:

Gitai Japan Inc., a venture contracted with Toyota, has developed a robotic arm for the Lunar Cruiser, designed to perform tasks such as inspection and maintenance. Its “grapple fixture” allows the arm’s end to be changed so it can work like different tools, scooping, lifting and sweeping.

 

[Flyaway]

Artemis 1 Launch date has officially slipped to NET April 2022.

Artemis I Update [dated Feb. 2]

NASA has updated the schedule to move the combined Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft out of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Pad 39B at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for testing to no earlier than March 2022.

NASA has added additional time to complete closeout activities inside the VAB prior to rolling the integrated rocket and spacecraft out for the first time. While the teams are not working any major issues, engineers continue work associated with final closeout tasks and flight termination system testing ahead of the wet dress rehearsal.

Teams are taking operations a step at a time to ensure the integrated system is ready to safely launch the Artemis I mission. NASA is reviewing launch opportunities in April and May.

 

[Flyaway]

Basic explanation for the delay:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1488921424609923073

View: https://mobile.twitter.com/genejm29/status/1488921424609923073

 

[Rhinocrates]

Apparently astronauts could be riding in wheelie bins on the moon.

Astrolab unveils Artemis lunar rover design

A California startup has developed and tested a prototype of a lunar rover that it plans to offer to NASA for use on future Artemis missions.

spacenews.com

Seriously tho' I'm pretty sceptical of the placement of the crew - they would surely need to have a clear view of the front wheels on uneven ground, but there's a huge blind spot if you extrapolate their line of sight.

 

[Grey Havoc]

There do seem to be cameras built in to the front of it though.

 

[Rhinocrates]

There do seem to be cameras built in to the front of it though.

I'm certain there are, especially for when it's being operated remotely. However cameras can break and the workload of manually driving via a screen combined with conventional vision presents an ergonomic problem. It seems an unnecessary and easily avoidable complication at best.

 

[starviking]

There do seem to be cameras built in to the front of it though.

I'm certain there are, especially for when it's being operated remotely. However cameras can break and the workload of manually driving via a screen combined with conventional vision presents an ergonomic problem. It seems an unnecessary and easily avoidable complication at best.

I seem to recall the lack of atmosphere and the drab colours on the moon make judging distance and contours difficult. The screen may be much more of an aid than appears, especially if it is augmented somehow.

 

[TsrJoe]

Hmm, im thinking a purely 'conceptual' design, probably nothing more than a student design project to fulfil one aspect of a brief (although I would have hoped students would have come up with something a little more elegant !) :/

 

[FighterJock]

Hmm, im thinking a purely 'conceptual' design, probably nothing more than a student design project to fulfil one aspect of a brief (although I would have hoped students would have come up with something a little more elegant !) :/

I have the same issue with the current rover design, I hope that it will be improved from the design that we have right now into something a lot better.

 

[edwest4]

No more excuses: NASA in line to get funding needed for Artemis plan

“A lot of people come to work every day that are working to get to 2025.”…

arstechnica.com

 

[aonestudio]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65clULCkKN0

 

[aonestudio]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfmC7IKEHxc