In Today’s Deep Space Extra… The moon emerges once again as a potential destination for international explorers.
Human Deep Space Exploration
An international outpost near the Moon gets closer to reality
Planetary Society (11/3): NASA and its International Space Station partners in Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada have discussed possible cooperation in the development of a lunar orbiting outpost in the 2020s using the agency’s Orion and Space Launch System hardware. The small space station like lunar outpost would demonstrate technologies for a future human expedition to Mars.
Europe wants a happy little village on the Moon. The U.S. may go along
Ars Technica (11/3): The European Space Agency’s post International Space Station lunar village proposal, a settlement located at the moon’s south pole and open to commercial as well as international partners has the attention of advisers to both major U.S. presidential contenders despite President Obama’s recent recommitment to reaching the Martian surface with human explorers without returning to the moon. The matter will likely be an early topic for the next U.S. presidential administration.
Navy prepares for recovering NASA’s Orion Capsule
CBS8.com, of San Diego (11/3): Off San Diego, the U.S. Navy has joined with NASA in preparing for the future Pacific Ocean recovery of the space agency’s Orion crew exploration capsule. The next test launch of Orion, Exploration Mission-1, will send an unmanned capsule lofted atop a Space Launch System rocket on a journey around the moon and back to Earth for re-entry and an ocean splashdown. EM-1 is planned for late 2018. Piloted Orion missions are to follow.
Space Science
NASA investigating possible link between Juno and Intelsat thruster problems
Space News (11/3): In October, NASA’s Juno mission to the giant planet Jupiter experienced a problem with the helium pressurization valves in its propulsion system. The difficulties emerged as Juno was preparing to reduce its orbital period. In a session Nov. 1 with NASA’s Lunar Exploration Analysis Group, NASA’s director of planetary sciences said the valve problem may be related to another experienced by an Intelsat communications satellite with similar components. The difficulty has not prevented Juno from making passes over Jupiter’s cloud tops. They are just not as frequent as desired.
Planetary Resources strikes $28 million pact with Luxembourg for asteroid mining
Geek Wire (11/3): Planetary Resources, of Redmond, Wash., has joined forces with Luxembourg to back an asteroid mining initiative. The deal means a $28 million investment in the U.S. start up.
Low Earth Orbit
China launches Long March 5, one of the world’s most powerful rockets
Spaceflightnow.com (11/3): China successfully launched its most powerful rocket yet, the Long March 5, which has lift capacity comparable to the U.S. Delta IV Heavy. Long March 5 operations open the door to future space station assembly and planetary science missions. The liftoff was delayed nearly three hours to resolve concerns with a liquid oxygen venting system and rocket engine temperatures.
China sends satellite, upper stage craft into orbit
Xinhuanet of China (11/3): China’s inaugural Long March 5 launch places a prototype geostationary satellite and its upper transfer stage into orbit.
Commercial to Low Earth Orbit
NASA said to opt for Atlas V rocket to ease short-term concerns over Space Station supplies
Wall Street Journal (11/4): Orbital ATK’s next NASA contracted re-supply mission to the International Space Station will lift off on a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., in February or March, according to the Journal report. The move comes after Orbital’s recovery from an October 2014 launch failure of the company’s Antares rocket. The Antares resumed Orbital Cygnus re-supply missions to the station in October using a new rocket engine. The Atlas, however, can boost more cargo during the period in which a second NASA space station commercial cargo launch services company, SpaceX, is recovering from a Sept. 1 launch pad failure at Cape Canaveral.
Midland Reporter Telegram (11/3): Sierra Nevada announced Thursday its selection of the Midland International Air & Space Port to serve as the primary landing site for the NASA contracted re-supply missions it will launch to the International Space Station. Sierra Nevada, along with Orbital ATK and SpaceX, is to begin cargo deliveries by 2020 under a new NASA agreement. In Midland, city officials are hopeful the deal will lead to new economic development. Sierra’s Dream Chaser is a reusable lifting body designed to make automated landings on runways stretching to 8,000 feet.
Poland, China to jointly build satellites, boost space cooperation
Space News (11/3): Poland and China pen a satellite launch agreement.
Launch abort engines for Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner undergo testing
Spaceflight Insider (11/2): Test firing of the Aerojet Rocketdyne engines in California’s Mojave Desert are helping to prepare Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner for NASA contracted missions that will transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station.