July 25, 2024 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
- Ispace announces completion of a European mini-rover set to fly on its Hakuto-R Resilience lunar lander
The mission is targeting a launch late this year on a Falcon 9. The landing location remains unclear.
- Thales-Alenia completes design review of a proposed lunar mobile habitation module
The artist’s rendering suggests this would be like a mini-RV for use on the Moon.
- China proposes its own proposed lunar module habitation module
The Chinese graphic looks less well thought out compared to Thales-Alenia’s design.
- China university proposes building a intelligent spherical robot for use on its space station
This is essentially a copycat of similar robots already flying on ISS.
- New rocket startup New Frontier Aerospace touts first tests of a small-scale prototype of the engine for its proposed point-to-point orbital spaceplane
Though I wish them well, to say we should remain skeptical of this company at this point is an understatement.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
- Ispace announces completion of a European mini-rover set to fly on its Hakuto-R Resilience lunar lander
The mission is targeting a launch late this year on a Falcon 9. The landing location remains unclear.
- Thales-Alenia completes design review of a proposed lunar mobile habitation module
The artist’s rendering suggests this would be like a mini-RV for use on the Moon.
- China proposes its own proposed lunar module habitation module
The Chinese graphic looks less well thought out compared to Thales-Alenia’s design.
- China university proposes building a intelligent spherical robot for use on its space station
This is essentially a copycat of similar robots already flying on ISS.
- New rocket startup New Frontier Aerospace touts first tests of a small-scale prototype of the engine for its proposed point-to-point orbital spaceplane
Though I wish them well, to say we should remain skeptical of this company at this point is an understatement.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Your Daily Aphorism
“Never trust a man whose uncle was eaten by cannibals.”
Falcon 9 back on track.
https://x.com/sciguyspace/status/1816599544181731605?s=46
Gary: I just posted this. If someone hears whether the FAA has issued a license, please comment.
“The Chinese graphic looks less well thought out compared to Thales-Alenia’s design.”
My takeaway is that NASA has defined what they want from Thales-Alenia’s design. They have a basic idea for the power needed, the living space available, and the space available for experiments and other desired uses of the module. Its wheels may be intended for transport from the landing site to the outpost/moon-base site. Although the word “module” implies multiple parts that will make up an eventual whole, the hatch on this design does not look so compatible with additional modules, but maybe they have an idea for some form of adaptor. This design review may have generated a few desired changes from the ideas shown in this rendering.
The Chinese rendering looks like they are currently in “me too!” mode, copying yet another idea but still have to figure out how to make it different enough so that the world thinks the Chinese are ahead of everyone else.