April 9th, 2020
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NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover is now carrying out Sol 2729 tasks. “Many of us on Earth are being especially diligent lately about washing our hands for at least 20 seconds after touching a new surface,” reports Scott Guzewich, an atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “On Mars, Curiosity is […]
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The NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program has unleashed a new volley of creative concepts, selecting study efforts that receive Phase I, Phase II and Phase III funding. A number of the just announced NIAC-funded initiatives focus on Moon exploration objectives. NIAC’s role is to nurture visionary ideas that could transform future NASA missions with […]
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover is now performing Sol 2728 tasks. Reports Kristen Bennett, a planetary geologist at USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona: In the last weekend plan the remainder of the “Edinburgh” drill sample was dumped, “which means that we are almost finished with activities in this drill location.” A recent two-sol plan […]
Shipment back to Earth by robotic means of bits and pieces from Mars remains an expensive and daunting task. Having our planet on the receiving end of Mars collectibles is deemed a “low risk” affair in terms of ecological and public safety – but that risk is not zero. Rocketing Martian flotsam could well […]
There is pressing need to protect the Moon’s farside, to keep pristine this unique real estate for scientific activities. Nonetheless, the quickening pace of lunar exploration by multiple nations and the up swell of entrepreneurial space groups eager to seek lunar lucre could well interfere and overtake this viewpoint. An International Academy of Astronautics […]
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover has just begun Sol 2727 operations. “Curiosity is still at the Edinburgh drill site as part of a mini campaign to sample the Greenheugh pediment,” reports Lauren Edgar, a planetary geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona. “We’re finishing drill-related analyses and activities, and the three-sol weekend plan […]
U.S. President Donald J. Trump is encouraging international support for the recovery and use of space resources, signing an Executive Order that directs the Secretary of State to lead a U.S. Government effort to develop joint statements, bilateral agreements, and multilateral instruments with like-minded foreign states to “enable safe and sustainable operations for the commercial […]
In a few days, the European Space Agency’s BepiColombo spacecraft is to conduct an Earth flyby before heading towards Venus – and in doing so the probe will scan the Moon using a unique instrument. Earth’s Moon will be observed for the first time in the thermal infrared and examined for its mineralogical composition using […]
Chinese researchers are working on a new system designed to prevent rocket boosters from falling unpredictably in areas with human activity. China Central Television (CCTV) reports that the first accurate landing of a Long March 3B booster was made possible with a parachute control system. The system was tested on March 9 […]
NASA has scripted a 21st Century plan for sustained human presence on the Moon. In a report to the National Space Council, NASA’s Artemis program sets the stage for a sustained lunar surface presence. To do this, the report calls for development of an Artemis Base Camp at the South Pole of the Moon. […]
