All articles tagged with #lunar landers
NASA’s Artemis 3 core stage is standing vertical inside the Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building, awaiting engine and upper-stage integration for a late‑2027 launch. The mission will stay in Earth orbit to test Orion and one or both lunar landers (Starship and/or Blue Moon) with crewed lunar touchdowns potentially coming on Artemis 4 in 2028 if the landers are ready.
NASA has paused the planned lunar Gateway space station to focus on surface infrastructure for a sustained Moon presence under Artemis, repurposing Gateway hardware for landers, rovers and habitats. The move aims to accelerate crewed lunar missions with a higher launch cadence and a three‑phase plan to a long‑term Moon base (~$20B), with Artemis II slated for early April, Artemis III targeting 2027 and Artemis IV around 2028, and no Gateway rendezvous for the near-term, though NASA says Gateway could be revisited in the future.
Blue Origin is pausing its New Shepard suborbital space-tourism program for two years to redirect resources toward lunar ambitions, including the New Glenn rocket and lunar lander development, in line with NASA's Artemis goals; the program has flown 98 people and launched 200+ payloads since 2015, but profitability concerns and a shift in strategy toward lunar capabilities drove the move.
Researchers have developed the world's first monostable tetrahedron, a shape that always lands on the same side, which could improve lunar lander designs by enabling them to self-right after falling over, addressing a long-standing mathematical and engineering challenge.
NASA's science division faces a quandary as it seeks to send experiments and payloads to the Moon within a limited budget. With the resurgence of interest in lunar exploration and the emergence of the commercial space industry, NASA is considering incentivizing private companies to develop small lunar landers. This approach presents risks due to the technical challenges of landing on the Moon and the need to accept potential failures, but it offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional, expensive missions.
NASA has developed Laser Retroreflective Arrays (LRAs) as a simple yet effective technology to accurately locate lunar landers. These lightweight and inexpensive devices will be attached to US company landers as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Service initiative, with plans to be included on the Intuitive Machines Nova-C lunar lander. LRAs work by reflecting laser light back to its source from any angle, similar to reflective strips on road signs, and are designed to enhance the precision of locating landers on the Moon.
Blue Origin and SpaceX, the two companies with NASA contracts to develop crewed lunar landers, are also beginning work on cargo versions of their spacecraft. NASA has exercised options in Human Landing System awards made to both companies to begin initial design and development work of versions of their landers that can carry large amounts of cargo to the lunar surface. The cargo landers are expected to have high commonality with the human landing systems already in work, with the preliminary design requirements including delivering 12 to 15 metric tons to the lunar surface. The earliest the cargo landers would be used is projected for no earlier than the early 2030s.
In 2024, NASA plans to launch Artemis II to confirm the spacecraft's systems with crew aboard in deep space, while several lunar landers, including Peregrine and Griffin, are set to touch down on the moon. The European Space Agency will launch the Hera spacecraft to return to an asteroid system, and NASA aims to launch the Europa Clipper mission to examine Jupiter's moon Europa for signs of life. Additionally, Boeing plans to launch the first crewed test flight of its Starliner spacecraft, and SpaceX seeks a successful test flight for its Starship spacecraft after experiencing two failed tests in 2023.
The space industry is expected to see significant advancements in 2024. SpaceX will continue testing its Starship, aiming for an orbital flight. Several private companies, including Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines, will attempt lunar landings, potentially making history. Startups will demonstrate advanced satellite operations, such as rendezvous and proximity operations and in-space manufacturing. Additionally, there will be rocket testing from newer entrants like Blue Origin's New Glenn and Rocket Lab's Neutron, as well as updates from Stoke Space and Relativity.
NASA's Artemis program aims to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon, requiring the delivery of large payloads. SpaceX and Blue Origin have been awarded contracts to develop crewed lunar landers, but both face the challenge of launching landers that are too heavy due to the required propellant. To solve this, both companies plan to refuel their landers in space. Blue Origin's plan involves launching additional rockets to rendezvous with the lander and refuel it at the Lunar Gateway. SpaceX's plan involves launching tanker versions of their spacecraft to dock with the lander and transfer propellant. However, the technology for in-orbit propellant transfer is unproven and requires further development. The success of these refueling operations is crucial for the Artemis program's timeline and the return of astronauts to the Moon.
Intuitive Machines and Astrobotic are preparing for their first lunar lander missions as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Intuitive Machines showcased its IM-1 lunar lander, which is set to launch in mid-November, while Astrobotic's Peregrine lander is scheduled for a December launch. Both companies are aiming to successfully land on the Moon and deliver payloads for NASA. The CLPS program embraces a "shots on goal" philosophy, acknowledging that not every mission will be successful but that the lower costs of these missions make the risk worthwhile.
Agile Space Industries has raised $13m in a seed funding round led by Caruso Ventures, with participation from Lockheed Martin Ventures, Greater Colorado Venture Fund, CORI Innovation Fund and Greenline Ventures. The Colorado-based company plans to use the funds to expand its metal additive manufacturing and chemical propulsion testing infrastructure, as well as accelerate product development activities. Agile is supplying thrusters for robotic lunar landers being built by Astrobotic Technology and Japan’s ispace, and has established diversification between national security, civil and commercial space with some great opportunities for recurring business.
NASA has selected Blue Origin, a space exploration company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, to build the lunar landers that will carry astronauts to the moon by 2024. The contract is worth $2.9 billion and is part of NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon. Blue Origin will work with other companies, including Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, to develop the lunar landers.