Comments on: ESA invites private companies to build lunar satellites for communications and navigation https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/esa-invites-private-companies-to-build-lunar-satellites-for-communications-and-navigation/ Tue, 28 Feb 2023 20:49:38 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Ray Van Dune https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/esa-invites-private-companies-to-build-lunar-satellites-for-communications-and-navigation/#comment-1397917 Tue, 28 Feb 2023 20:49:38 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=92935#comment-1397917 Well, this may be relvant:
What time is it on moon? Europe pushing for lunar time zone

https://apnews.com/article/moon-time-zone-space-2b0124415c14755e08a58e1b5ed5362a

]]> By: Ray Van Dune https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/esa-invites-private-companies-to-build-lunar-satellites-for-communications-and-navigation/#comment-1397845 Tue, 28 Feb 2023 18:15:16 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=92935#comment-1397845 I do not understand by what authority NASA is apparently delegating management leadership of Lunar communications development to ESA, allowing ESA to subcontract to “European and Canadian” companies.

Isn’t this potentially an artificial market constraint that could be detrimental to access to the marketplace for US firms? Or put another way, a market advantage to non-US firms?

Seems all based on the use of an ESA service module on the Artemis missions. Did the conceptual design resemble a huge wooden horse, by any chance? Anybody run this by Gwynn Shotwell?

]]>