In Today’s Deep Space Extra… The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has formalized its agreement with NASA for the future human exploration of the Moon. China’s Chang’e 5 lunar sample return mission delivers with a landing in Mongolia. The White House issues a sixth space prime directive outlining the development of space nuclear power and propulsion systems to support human exploration of the Moon and Mars.
Human Space Exploration
Canadian astronaut to fly on first crewed Artemis mission
SpaceNews.com (12/16): NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) announced an Artemis agreement on Wednesday that includes a CSA astronaut on the Artemis 2 test flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion crew capsule around the Moon on a multi-week mission. Canada plans to provide a third-generation robot arm for the lunar orbiting Gateway. In addition, another Canadian astronaut will fly on a second Artemis mission after Artemis 3, which will return humans to the surface of the Moon.
Space Science
China brings Moon rocks to Earth, and a new era of competition to space
New York Times via Money Control (12/16): China’s Chang’e 5 lunar sample return mission returned to Earth on Wednesday, touching down under parachute in a remote corner of Mongolia to deliver the first material gathered from the surface of the Moon in 44 years. The mission lander spent December 1-3 on the Moon’s surface at the Ocean of Storms, following a November 23 launch.
China to share portion of lunar samples with scientists from other countries
CGTN of China (12/17): China will share lunar samples returned to Earth on Wednesday from the Chang’e 5 mission, Wu Yanhua, deputy head of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), told a news briefing. However, he also noted that U.S. congressional legislation from 2012 places some restrictions on joint space activity between the two countries.
Surprise! First peek inside Mars reveals a crust with cake-like layers
Nature News (12/16): NASA’s Mars Insight Lander touched down on the Red Planet’s Elysium Planitia region in November 2018, the first ever mission designed to study the Martian crust, mantle and core. So far, the lander’s instrument suite has revealed a crust composed of layers made of different types of rock.
NASA postpones review of near Earth asteroid detection mission
SpaceNews.com (12/16): In a decision that took many in the planetary science community by surprise, NASA announced it will postpone the next Key Decision Point (KDP) review for the Near Earth Objects (NEO) Surveyor program until Spring of 2021 in order to assess potential Covid-19 pandemic impacts and life cycle costs. The NEO Surveyor mission will employ a near infrared space telescope to search for a monitor Near Earth Objects (NEO) that could pose an impact threat to the Earth.
Other News
White House releases Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion Policy Directive
Spacepolicyonline.com (12/17): The Trump Administration issued Space Policy Directive-6 (SPD-6) on Wednesday. This sixth policy directive calls for the future development of space nuclear power and propulsion technologies in cooperation between NASA and the Departments of Defense (DoD) and Energy. One goal of the policy is to provide NASA a nuclear fuel source and eventual lunar power system for the Moon that could be scaled up to support the future human exploration of Mars.
NASA adds Blue Origin’s upcoming New Glenn rocket to its launch services catalog
Coalition Members in the News – Northrop Grumman, United Launch Alliance
GeekWire.com (12/16): NASA on Wednesday enlisted Blue Origin for launch services using the company’s New Glenn rocket, a heavy lift rocket that is manufactured in Florida and scheduled to launch for the first time in 2021. It joins a list of launch services options that include the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas 5, Northrop Grumman’s Antares and SpaceX’s Falcon 9.
Russia has launched an anti-satellite missile test, US Space Command says
Space.com (12/16): The U.S. Space Command is claiming that Russia is attempting to weaponize space with the launch Wednesday of an anti-satellite test, a direct ascent missile capable of destroying small satellites in low Earth orbit. The launch from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome was the third of its kind this year.