In Today’s Deep Space Extra… NASA is looking ahead to a return to the Moon as it marks the 49th anniversary on Friday of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. A new approach offers a sustained human presence in the lunar environs with commercial and international themes to prepare human explorers for Mars and other deep space destinations. China plans a mega rocket. NASA signs a cooperative agreement with the space agency of the UAE.
Human Space Exploration
NASA could have people living on the Moon in 8 years, and that’s just the beginning
Time (7/19): Friday, marks the 49th anniversary of the NASA’s Apollo 11 Moon landing by the late Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Working with commercial companies and international partners, the U.S. plans a return to the lunar surface. The strategy includes new hardware, most especially a human tended, Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway (LOP-G) slated to be assembled starting in the early 2020s. The plan and the capabilities the LOP-G offer will open new lunar landing sites for exploration and make it possible for astronauts to board a future Deep Space Transport for lengthy missions to Mars.
Popular Mechanics (7/17): A look back at the drama of NASA’s Apollo 11 mission, through the eyes of those who participated in the launch, the landing 49 years ago Friday and the return to Earth. Apollo 11 was commanded by the late Neil Armstrong and included Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins.
UAE Space Agency signs letter of intent with NASA
The Gulf Today (7/20): During this week’s Farnborough Air Show in Great Britain, NASA and the space agency of the United Arab Emirates signed a cooperative space agreement. As part of the agreement, the first Emirati astronaut could train and arrive at the International Astronaut in April 2019.
Space Science
Tiny satellite begins hunt for missing Milky-Way matter
Space.com (7/19): HaloSat, a small satellite launched July 13 from the International Space Station, has started a seven to 12 month mission to study the gas like matter surrounding the Milky Way Galaxy. The findings may help to explain “missing matter” in the universe, according to the mission’s University of Iowa principal investigator.
Hayabusa 2 finds large rocks scattered on asteroid Ryugu
Asahi Shimbun of Japan (7/20): Japan’s Hyabusa 2 asteroid sample return mission has found the surface of its space rock target, Ryugu, sprinkled with boulders, a sign the 900 meter long object was formed from fragments of larger planetary bodies, according to science team members.
Dazzling views show Saturn moon Titan’s surface like never before
Space.com (7/19): Titan, a moon of Saturn with astrobiological potential, yielded some striking, newly released images from the joint NASA, European and Italian space agency Cassini mission.
Other News
Printing the next generation of rocket engines
Coalition Member in the News – Aerojet Rocketdyne
Space News (7/19): Aerojet Rocketdyne has embraced additive, or 3-D manufacturing as a technology to hasten the production of advanced generations of its RL 10 upper stage rocket engine.
China’s super-sized space plans may involve help from Russia
Popular Science (7/19): China has plans to develop a super rocket, the Long March 9, for missions to establish a human base on the Moon and travel to Mars. The LM 9 is to rival NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), and it appears China will work with Russia on the development. A long term goal could seek to make the launch vehicle reusable.
China developing in-orbit satellite transport vehicle
Xinhuanet of China (7/19): China has developed a plan to extend the operations of out of fuel satellites. A second spacecraft with a robot arm would latch on to the descending out of fuel satellite and carry it to its intended altitude for further operations. The concept’s chief designer characterized the plan as simpler than attempting to refuel the original spacecraft.