Archive for September, 2024
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September 28th, 2024
This image was taken by the Left Navigation Camera (NavCam) aboard NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity, and captures the bright stones of the “Sheep Creek” target — just above the rover wheel – which strongly resemble elemental sulfur blocks identified earlier in the traverse. This image was taken on Sol 4314, September 24, 2024.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover at Gale crater continues onward in its wheeled survey of its surroundings.
Amelie Roberts, a Ph.D. candidate at Imperial College London, reports that the robot is navigating rugged, unforgiving Martian terrain.
Curiosity Right B Navigation Camera image taken on Sol 4317, September 27, 2024.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Roberts said that this landscape challenge was recently underscored by Curiosity’s recent attempt to reach the “Sheep Creek” target.
“We had aimed for small, distant bright rocks, but from 50 meters away (about 164 feet), the limited resolution of our images made it difficult to fine-tune navigation. After an ambitious drive, the rover came agonizingly close — stopping just short of these small bright rocks,” Roberts points out.
Curiosity Mast Camera Right image acquired on Sol 4316, September 26, 2024.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Just out of reach
The rocks, with their distinctive rounded and pitted “weathering” pattern, “strongly resemble elemental sulfur blocks that we’ve encountered before. Frustratingly, although the target rocks were right under the front wheel and clearly visible in our navigation cameras, they remained just out of reach of the rover’s arm,” Roberts notes.
Curiosity Left B Navigation Camera photo taken on Sol 4316, September 26, 2024.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
While the rover’s arm couldn’t quite reach the bright stones of Sheep Creek, Roberts adds, “we didn’t let that stop us and planned to use other onboard instruments to help us analyze the composition, textures, and context before we move to our next position.”
Curiosity Front Hazard Avoidance Left B Camera image taken on Sol 4316, September 26, 2024.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Promising stones
To find out the composition of the stones of Sheep Creek, the robot’s Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) observed two promising stones named “Arch Rock” and “Ash Mountain.”
“We’re hoping to see if they have any evidence of elemental sulfur as their appearance suggests,” Roberts explains. “For a closer look at the texture, we will take high-resolution, color images with Mastcam. We also want to look at an interesting transition between light-colored and dark-colored bedrock nearby, which we will cover with more high-resolution, colored images. This transition could give us clues about where the unusual white rocks of Sheep Creek came from and how they formed.”
Curiosity Right B Navigation Camera image taken on Sol 4317, September 27, 2024.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Intriguing white patches
Researchers had their eyes on another bright rock in the area, named “Beryl Lake.”
It had an interesting bright-toned crusty appearance and as investigators could reach it with the rover arm, the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) was used to see its composition and if it had any traces of sulfur.
Curiosity Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) photo produced on Sol 4312 September 22, 2024.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
“We took a closer look with our rover hand lens (MAHLI) at a rock called “Aster Lake,” which had intriguing white patches that might be similar to the stones of Sheep Creek,” Roberts reports. “Ultimately, our science goal this plan was to collect data on whether these bright-toned stones had evidence of elemental sulfur and increase our understanding on how they formed.”
Weekend “bump”
Next, the rover was slated to be carefully repositioned to move closer to these interesting targets — a maneuver called a “bump” — so that next plan, set to occur over the weekend, “we’ll be able to get up close and personal with the white stones of Sheep Creek,” says Roberts.
Curiosity Mast Camera (Mastcam) Left image taken on Sol 4312, September 22, 2024.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
While the rover waits for the weekend plan, Curiosity was set to do “untargeted” science after the drive. This includes using an automated tool called Autonomous Exploration for Gathering Increased Science (AEGIS) – a software suite that permits the robot to autonomously detect and prioritize targets — and zaps them with the ChemCam laser.
“Plus, it’s a good time to record some observations of the modern Martian environment, so we’ll make the most of the time to measure dust levels, take movies that will hopefully capture some dust devils, and look at clouds — if any — in the Martian sky,” Roberts concludes. “We’re looking forward to the weekend plan to hopefully get another chance to do some contact science on targets that may be rich in sulfur!”
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Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
China has strutted out its Moon-landing spacesuit, unveiling its design in a ceremony Saturday in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality.
A technician put the suit through its paces, showcasing various movements and gestures, including climbing the rungs of a ladder.
Image credit: CCTV/CMS/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Image credit: CCTV/CMS/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Image credit: CCTV/CMS/Inside Outer Space screengrab
The Feitian EVA suit is tagged as China’s first indigenous spacesuit. Feitian means “flying in the sky,” is the name of a legendary Buddhist goddess.
Ribbons have always been an important element in the design of Chinese spacesuits. The overall design of the Moon-landing suit is inspired by the traditional Chinese armor, underscoring the suit’s rugged and resolute appearance.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Multi-use suit
“The Feitian extra-vehicular activity suit is designed for use in low Earth orbit, where astronauts float in a microgravity environment,” said Zhang Wanxin, director of the Spacesuit Engineering Office and deputy chief designer of the Astronaut System at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
“Therefore, we chose the ribbon element to convey a sense of free flow,” Zhang told China Central Television (CCTV). “The Moon-landing suit is designed for lunar explorations such as walking and working on the Moon surface, so we would also like to convey a strong-willed and unswerving feeling, which we integrated organically into the suit’s design.”
Following the suit demonstration, Yang Liwei, deputy chief designer of China’s manned space program and China’s first astronaut, together with the technician, launched a public name the Moon-landing suit. This campaign will close at 24:00 on October 31, 2024.
Suit features
Experts on China’s first-ever lunar spacesuit provided additional details on the garment that features light weight and high flexibility to protect astronauts from the Moon’s harsh conditions.
According to CCTV, the suit has several attributes:
- a comprehensively protective fabric that shields against the harsh thermal environment and lunar dust
- a panoramic glare-proof visor for improved vision
- two cameras on the sides of the helmet for video recording
- a multi-functional control console on the chest that streamlines operations for greater efficiency.
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Wang Chunhui, deputy chief designer of astronauts training systems at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Changes in posture
In contrast to China’s current extravehicular spacesuit version, “the new one is mainly designed to be lightweight, catering to the demands of activities in a low-gravity environment, with configurations that allow for squatting and bending with ease,” CCTV reports.
According to Wang Chunhui, deputy chief designer of astronauts training systems at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center, the suit’s fit must remain unaffected by changes in posture to accommodate the various positions required on the Moon.
“The suit allows for more actions. So in various postures, the fitness shouldn’t be affected after a posture change. Therefore it requires a better fit on human body,” Wang told CCTV, adding that the suit is more like regular clothes compared with other extravehicular spacesuits.
Wu Zhiqiang is deputy chief designer, astronauts training systems at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Complex environmental factors
Wu Zhiqiang is deputy chief designer, astronauts training systems at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.
“Different from performing low-Earth orbit missions, astronauts will be exposed to a naturally harsh lunar environment when carrying out lunar-surface extravehicular activities,” Wu said.
“Complex environmental factors such as high vacuum and low gravity, dust and Moon soil, complex surface topography, high and low temperatures, strong radiation will have a big impact on the work and protection of astronauts,” Wu told CCTV.
Better ergonomic support
“Considering that they are working under one-sixth gravity, in order to reduce the metabolic load of the human body, it is a must to greatly reduce the suit’s weight,” said Wu.
“As astronauts will walk on the lunar surface and carry out scientific research activities, the spacesuits must have better ergonomic support capabilities, and be smaller and more integrated. And the comprehensive protection capability of lunar-landing boots must also be greatly improved,” he said.
Go to this video clip of the unveiling ceremony at:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/bht4oJsE1bKfPf1D/
Also, go to SegerYU posting at:
https://x.com/i/status/1839840815243288951
Image credit: CCTV/CMS/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Image credit: NASA
The increased amount of space hardware flying through cislunar space and at the moon is being viewed as a space debris worry. Even one fragmentation event can have calamitous and far-reaching consequences, which drives the need for appropriate debris characterization tools.
That’s the view of two university researchers who caution that space domain awareness is lacking at a time when cislunar activity is intensifying. Orbital debris that now encircles the Earth has primarily been generated through collisions, propellant tank explosions, detonation of batteries, or due to the deterioration of aging or damaged spacecraft, among other causes.
New study tackles the Circular Restricted Three Body Problem (CR3BP) and the problem of populating cislunar space with debris fragments.
Image credit: Clark/Frueh/Purdue University
Studies indicate that breakup events in the cislunar domain can carry fragments well beyond their original orbits, even as far as Earth. What’s needed is better appraisal of the behavior of cislunar clutter.
For more details, go to my new SpaceNews story – “University researchers flag cislunar space debris concerns” – at:
https://spacenews.com/university-researchers-flag-cislunar-space-debris-concerns/
Image credit: DLR/ESA
To help shape Europe’s Moon exploration plans, a new lunar analogue facility has been established.
LUNA is operated jointly by the European Space Agency and the German Aerospace Agency (Deutsche Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, DLR).
The inauguration of LUNA took place today in Cologne, Germany and features a 700-square-meter area that replicates the Moon’s surface. To make it lunar-like meant using 900 tons of basalt-derived volcanic grains and rocks, processed to create a material known as “regolith simulant.”
External view of LUNA with the main entrance and external lunar module (VR rendering).
Image credit: ESA/DLR
The unique facility is located next to ESA’s European Astronaut Center and will be used to prepare astronauts, scientists, engineers and mission experts for living and working on the Moon.
Key attributes
LUNA’s role as “Moon on Earth” will also involve robotics as well as artificial intelligence, helping to hone the tools needed for projected on-the-spot utilization of local lunar resources.
Image credit: DLR/ESA
Key attributes of LUNA is a deep floor area that can allow for drilling and sampling up to three meters below the surface, enabling research on regolith including frozen lunar soil. A Sun simulator mimics the day and night cycles on the Moon, including the challenging lighting conditions found at lunar polar regions.
Lava tubes too!
LUNA also offers a simulated lava tube, mimicking a subsurface shelter to thwart micrometeorites or habitats that provide nearly constant temperatures. Additionally, lava tubes could host ice deposits and provide access to the underlying bedrock.
Image credit: VR rendering/ESA/DLR
The presence of lava tubes on the Moon has been inferred based on observed collapsed features and supported by radar measurements.
Mission simulations
Advanced control rooms are linked in real-time to mission control centers in Germany and worldwide. In the future, the analogue facility will also be connected to the Lunar Gateway, or even the Moon itself for seamless mission simulations.
According to an ESA/DLR statement, additional features will soon be implemented such as a gravity offloading system to simulate the Moon’s one-sixth of Earth gravity and an adjustable ramp for testing mobility on lunar slopes.
“LUNA is designed as an open hub, available to space agencies, academia, researchers, space industry, start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises from all over the world,” the statement notes.
Meld the passion of a leading astrobiologist with the weighty nature of trying to grasp for answers to two key questions: Are we alone in the universe? How did life on Earth begin in the first place?
“The missions are telling us that the stuff we’re made of is not an accident. It’s almost common out there,” explains Nathalie Cabrol, Director of the Carl Sagan Center at the SETI Institute.
Cabrol’s book, The Secret Life of the Universe: An Astrobiologist’s Search for the Origins and Frontiers of Life (Scribner/Simon & Schuster), recently released, offers an insightful, and reflective view of the search for life – a mind-stretching quest not only looking “out there” but also right here on our home planet.
The observer and the observation
Perhaps part of the challenge is that humankind is both the observer and the observation, Cabrol explains. That is, we are life trying to understand itself and its origin.
“We are reminded that the universe is both an enigmatic puzzle and a profound mirror reflecting out own existence,” Cabrol writes.
Nathalie Cabrol is a French American explorer and the director of the Carl Sagan Center for Research at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California. In an exclusive interview, Space.com discussed with her the new book and the professional odyssey that she has embarked upon.
To read my new Space.com interview with the renowned astrobiologist, go to – “‘We are close:’ SETI astrobiologist Nathalie Cabrol on the search for life” – at:
https://www.space.com/seti-nathalie-cabrol-the-secret-life-of-the-universe
Image credit: Felix Schöfbänker
New image of China’s secret space plane shows delta-wing design
https://www.space.com/china-space-plane-image-delta-wing-design
Image credit: CGTN/CNSA/Inside Outer Space screengrab
China is pressing forward on a major space drive into deep space, highlighted on Monday by Chinese President Xi Jinping asking personnel in China’s space industry to continue to work hard and accelerate progress in space endeavors.
Xi met with space scientists and engineers Monday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, meeting and greeting those that participated in the research and development of the far side lunar landing mission, the Chang’e-6 snag, grab, and return to Earth Moon endeavor.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Research station update
Meanwhile, Wu Weiren, chief designer of China’s Lunar Exploration Program told China Central Television (CCTV) that agreements with over 10 countries and nearly 30 international research institutions, have been inked to put in place an International Lunar Research Station, the ILRS.
“We hope to work with 500 foreign scientific research institutions and 5,000 foreign scientific research personnel to build our International Lunar Research Station,” Wu told CCTV.
China’s Chang’e-8 lunar lander, a bridge build to the International Lunar Research Station.
Image credit: CNSA
Permanent shadow zone
In pointing to China’s upcoming Chang’e-7 lunar lander mission to the Moon’s south pole, Wu said that there’s need to leap into the permanent shadow zone to find direct evidence of water. “We will also launch Chang’e-8, the main purpose of which will be to investigate what resources are at the south pole of the Moon, and other resource development,” he said.
As far as the intent of the ILRS, this scientific research station will combine orbital and lunar surface stations, plus ground facilities, to carry out large scientific projects.
“This is being done so that work can continue for a long time with or without people at the Moon’s south pole,” Wu said. “It will facilitate scientific exploration and resource development.”
Artist’s view of International Lunar Research Station to be completed by 2035. Credit: CNSA
Four must-haves
Wu also pointed out that, for the International Lunar Research Station to work, there are four must-haves: tools, energy, communication and shelter.
“We’ve started to prepare the first bricks. We could use sunlight and draw on local resources. It’s possible with 3D printing that such bricks could be used to build walls, houses and roads,” Wu told CCTV. “We hope in the future, the lunar research station will be a hub that prepares us for more distant celestial bodies, such as for Mars exploration.”
By 2030, China is aiming to realize a crewed lunar landing. By 2035, the country has stated it wants to establish the core structure of an international lunar research base.
Image credit: CGTN/CNSA/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Documentary video
Meanwhile, in a related development, a documentary video – “Back to the Far Side” – has been released by the China Global Television Network (CGTN) and the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
This behind-the-scenes video captures the intense and sometimes emotional outcomes from drilling and scooping up far side samples during the Chang’e-6 lunar mission.
The Chinese engineering team spent more than a decade perfecting the Moon lander operations to accumulate the samples, later rocketed back to Earth.
How this feat was achieved can be seen in this clip taken from “Back to the Far Side.”
Video at:
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-09-21/A-gift-from-the-moon-1x4qPPm4DYY/p.html
Image credit: CGTN/CNSA/Inside Outer Space screengrab
A documentary video – “Back to the Far Side” – has been released by the China Global Television Network (CGTN) and the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
Image credit: CGTN/CNSA/Inside Outer Space screengrab
This behind-the-scenes video captures the intense and sometimes emotional outcomes from drilling and scooping up far side samples during the Chang’e-6 lunar mission.
The Chinese engineering team spent more than a decade perfecting the Moon lander operations to accumulate the samples, later rocketed back to Earth.
Image credit: CGTN/CNSA/Inside Outer Space screengrab
How this feat was achieved can be seen in this clip taken from “Back to the Far Side.”
Video at:
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-09-21/A-gift-from-the-moon-1x4qPPm4DYY/p.html
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Lunar collectibles from China’s Chang’e-6 far side Moon mission have been unveiled with geochemical researchers finding the returned-to-Earth samples markedly different from the samples retrieved by the Apollo missions and China’s earlier Chang’e-5 lunar sample mission.
The samples, weighing a total of 1,935.3 grams, were retrieved by Chang’e-6 in June this year, and spotlighted in a September 21 reveal, as reported by China Central Television (CCTV).
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Notable differences
“I have processed both separate samples from Chang’e-5 and 6,” said Liu Jianjun, researcher, National Astronomical Observatories. “We have observed notable differences in their physical properties. For example, when viewed under a microscope, the particles from Chang’e-6 show a bimodal distribution, whereas Chang’e-5’s particles present a single peak.”
Liu added that another difference is that during the selection process, “we found that there were noticeably fewer rock fragments in the Chang’e-5 sample, while Chang’e-6 contained more. We believe this is likely due to the impact crater near the Chang’e-6 landing site, which measures about 50 meters in diameter. It’s possible that ejecta from the crater was collected by Chang’e-6,” he told CCTV.
China’s Chang’e-6 lander/ascender in far side sampling scenery.
Image credit: CNSA/CLEP
“The overall petrochemical composition of the Chang’e-6 samples is quite different from Chang’e-5 samples,” Liu continued. “It’s a low titanium, low aluminum, low potassium basalt composition. There is almost no olivine in basalt from the Chang’e-6 samples, indicating that its rock genesis, material source, and chemical composition are quite different from that of the Chang’e-5 samples. It shows that the samples taken from the far side of the Moon are indeed very different from that from the near side.”
Mineralogical content
“In the breccia obtained by the Chang’e-6, we can find many small rock fragments that actually came from the non-lunar maria area, which is the highlands on the Moon, that is, the white or shiny part of the Moon that we see with the naked eye,” said Zhou Qin, researcher at the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who also serves as a deputy chief designer of ground application system of the Chang’e-6 mission.
Far side scenery taken by Chang’e-6 lander/ascender.
Image credit: CNSA/CLEP
“These fragments were sputtered onto their area by impact and then cemented into rocks. And the proportion of this kind of rocks is significantly higher than that of the Chang’e-5 samples,” Zhou told CCTV.
“Comparing the images of basalt in the Chang’e-5 and Chang’e-6 samples, we’ve found out that the rock structures of these two are similar. But the further detailed study of the mineralogical content indicates that the olivine content of the Chang’e-6 samples is significantly lower compared to the Chang’e-5 samples,” said Zhou.
Glass fragments
According to Li Chunlai, deputy chief designer of the Chang’e-6 mission and researcher with the National Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: “The Chang’e-6 lunar samples contain a significant amount of white material, including feldspar minerals, which are more abundant than in the Chang’e-5 samples,” said “Additionally, there are significantly more glass fragments, contributing to a lighter overall appearance for the Chang’e-6 samples,” Li told CCTV.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
The team reports that Chang’e-6 soil samples have a lower density than previous samples, indicating a more porous and loosely structured composition. The plagioclase content of the Chang’e-6 samples is significantly higher than that of the Chang’e-5 samples, while their olivine content is significantly lower. The study has also revealed that the Chang’e-6 lithic fragment samples are primarily composed of basalt, breccia, agglutinate, glasses and leucocrate.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Separated and packaged
In a lunar sample laboratory, the surface samples have largely been separated and packaged, CCTV reports. Experts explained that the process of unsealing, dividing, and preparing the samples for experimentation took approximately two months.
“For the surface samples, we will separate any rock fragments larger than one millimeter. These larger samples may have originated from different locations, and their research methods differ from those used for powdered samples,” Li said. “The remaining powder samples, smaller than one millimeter, will be thoroughly mixed and packaged into 10-11 bottles, each containing approximately 150 grams.”
The Chang’e-6 sample container is shown being removed from the Chang’e-6 return capsule.
Image credit: Jin Liwang via SegerYU X posting.
Stuck to the sample bag
In contrast, the processing of the drilled samples is more complex and is expected to take an additional one to two months, CCTV notes. Researchers are currently handling the remaining samples in a nitrogen-filled unit.
“In terms of weight, the scooped samples make up the majority of the total 1935.3 grams, roughly 1610 grams, and the remaining is drilled samples,” said Li. He also pointed out that a significant portion of the drilled samples are stuck to the sample bag and cannot be removed, complicating the determination of their exact weight.
“The drilled samples account for less than 20 percent of the total and are all contained within a single sample bag. We need to divide them into 1.5-centimeter segments to represent different depths,” Li added. “This process, which involves separating over 100 individual samples, requires extreme care. So, we may still need another month or two to finish the pre-processing.”
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Two-day stay
The Chang’e-6 lunar landing and sampling craft was launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China’s Hainan Province on May 3, 2024, touching down on the far side of the Moon on June 2.
During the lander’s two-day stay, Chang’e-6 used a scoop and drill, collecting nearly 2 kilograms of lunar material.
On June 25, the Chang’e-6 returner segment of the mission brought back the samples to Earth, with a sample container parachuting into a pre-designated landing zone in north China.
A set of new CCTV videos showcases the Chang’e-6 sample reveal at:
Earth’s moon is viewed as a major construction site as roads, shelters, launch and landing pads are emplaced to sustain a permanent foothold on this celestial destination.
Image credit: Astroport Space Technologies
New research indicates that potential landing sites at the moon’s south pole for robotic landers and crewed Artemis missions are susceptible to quakes and landslides.
Science results published early this year point to a group of faults located in the moon’s south polar region, making use of data on moonquakes recorded by seismometers set up by Apollo moonwalkers over 50 years ago.
More power to you! LUNARSABER is a Honeybee Robotics concept selected by DARPA’s LunA-10 program. LUNARSABER utilizes onboard gimbaled lights to illuminate local terrain during lunar night.
Image credit: Honeybee Robotics
“The potential of strong seismic events from active thrust faults should be considered when preparing and locating permanent outposts and pose a possible hazard to future robotic and human exploration of the south polar region,” the research paper explains.
The installation of habitats, landing pads, equipment shelters, tall towers on the moon could be off to a shaky start, suggests Nerma Caluk, an intermediate designer and lunar specialist for Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, an architecture and structural engineering firm in San Francisco, California.
For more information, go to my new Space.com story – “Moonquakes could ‘pose a possible hazard’ to Artemis moon missions, study finds” — at:
