#LUNAR # #SETTLEMENT Exploring the Earth’s eighth continent The Moon has long captured the collective consciousness of humankind. Orbiting the Earth some 384,400km away, we learnt to gaze up to the Moon as a symbol of everything that might one day be possible. That day is finally here; organisations from across the world are developing options for space exploration, with Moon colonization a logical first step…

The Moon has hovered above the Earth for some 4.5 in particular, spiked in 2009 with the discovery of water billion years, in sight but out of reach until relatively by the Moon Minerology Mapper (M3) on the Indian recently. Between the mid-1960s and mid-1970s, 65 Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-1. Moon landings were recorded, and in July 1969, It had long been suspected that water would eventually humankind first set foot on the Moon with the Apollo 11 be found on the Moon, and these findings backed up mission. However, manned Moon landing missions the belief that water would be located not only in ended in 1976, and we haven’t been back since. minerals, but scattered throughout the surface, and, Globally, interest in space exploration never waned, potentially, in blocks or sheets of ice beneath the surface. but landing on the Moon opened a lot of eyes to the Later in 2009, NASA announced that its LCROSS mission possibilities of space beyond the Moon. Suddenly, had discovered large quantities of water ice on the Moon people were talking about exploring and Venus in around the LCROSS impact site at Cabeus. Other a very real way, and extremely expensive missions to substances, including hydrocarbons, methane and the Moon with (at the time) limited benefits made further ammonia, were also found at the site. manned lunar exploration unfavourable. “The Moon is en vogue once more, with private Unmanned lunar missions have continued over the companies, and national space agencies all turning their decades since, with Japan, China, India, the European attention to the Moon,” Kate Arkless Gray, Head of Space Agency (ESA) and NASA all continuing lunar Communications at NewSpace company PTScientists, research. The first commercial mission to the Moon was told NewSpace International. “We’ve seen the industry accomplished in 2014 by the Manfred Memorial Moon focus shift from Mars back to the Moon, and many Mission (4M), led by LuxSpace, wherein a Chinese people realise that the Moon is the ideal test-bed for Chang’e 5-T1 test spacecraft completed a Moon flyby. missions further into the system. The (now defunct) Of course, a lot has changed since the 1970s. Google lunar XPRIZE was the catalyst for a number of Technology has come on in leaps and bounds, and new space start-ups to form, and even though the original developments have once again peaked interest in the prize pot is no longer on offer, many of those companies possibilities of the Moon. Interest in lunar colonization, – including ours – have continued with their work. We really believe that the time has come for commercial and public organisations to work together on lunar missions, and we’re really excited to be part of making this vision a reality.”

Is lunar colonization even possible? Dreams of living on the Moon are nothing new. While we successfully landed on the Moon almost 50 years ago, we’ve never been ready to consider colonization before. In this era of NewSpace exploration, of entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos, lunar colonization may now actually be within grasp. PTScientists certainly believe in the future of lunar landings, telling NewSpace International: “At PTScientists we prefer to talk about ‘settlement’ rather than ‘colonisation,’ which comes with some rather negative connotations,” noted Kate Arkless Gray of PTScientists. “It is undoubtedly possible, given the right time and investment in technology; the question is whether it is something that we desire? It makes a lot of sense for us to test our technologies, communications, habitats etc on the Moon, but once we get to the point of settling, I think we’ll already be looking further into space, and reaching for our next goal – be that Mars, or somewhere else.” But why the Moon? Space is a big place, larger than most of us can possibly

16 NewSpace International - July 2018 www.newspaceinternational.com #LUNAR #MOON #IISC comprehend, so it’s only natural that we would consider Of course, it’s not all smooth sailing. Colonization colonizing something we regard as ‘safe’ and ‘local,’ a brings with it a whole host of challenges, whether we’re planetary body we can actually see from Earth with the talking about the Moon, Mars, or beyond. Establishing naked eye. There are also certain advantages that result the first ever off-world colony will be an immense test from the Moon’s close proximity to Earth that would of humankind, and will include challenges unique to the make it beneficial for colonization: Moon itself:

• The Moon is the closest celestial body to the • Due to the Moon’s rotation, each moon day is 28.5 Earth, and the most well-explored to date; as days long, and temperatures reach about 100°C; such, we have a great deal of data on the Moon’s each Moon night, meanwhile, sees temperatures climate, environment, make-up, and seasonal drop to around “178°C. A colony would require a changes, which would greatly benefit planning structure to withstand these temperature for a colony. changes. There are, however, areas around the • The proximity of the Moon makes it the most poles which receive near-constant sunlight; such cost-effective site for a first attempt at off- areas could be used to build a solar power grid. world colonization for fuel and power costs. • The moon is very low in certain vital elements • The (relatively) short transit time between the including nitrogen, carbon and hydrogen. Such Moon and the Earth enables faster resupply elements would need to be imported, probably missions, quicker evacuation, and more flexibility. at great cost, to support life and industrial • A lunar base would be an ideal space exploration processes, and then diligently recycled. outpost; the lower gravity results in a lower • Gravity, at one sixth of that experienced on Earth, required escape velocity for launch vehicles, and may not be strong enough to prevent detrimental thus less propellent is required. human health effects in the medium and long • Communications would be near real-time, since terms. We already know that to experience the communication delay between the Earth and weightlessness over month-long periods causes the Moon is less than three seconds. deterioration of physiological systems, including • Unlike other celestial bodies, the Earth is in clear loss of bone and muscle mass, and a depressed visible sight of the Moon; psychologists have immune system. asserted that this ‘closeness’ would be beneficial • The Moon’s atmosphere is quite insubstantial, to the settlers’ peace of mind. leaving the surface exposed to marked amounts

of interplanetary radiation. Proton exposure from ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○ solar wind, health threats from cosmic rays, and solar flares, are all significant challenges for The Moon gives us an opportunity human settlement. The insubstantial atmosphere also reduces protection from meteors. to test our skills and resources, • Moon dust, an abrasive glassy material formed from micrometeorites, is abundant, sticking to practice in-situ resource utilisation everything; damage to equipment is a very real threat. The moon dust is also ionized, which can and get used to living on another cause respiratory problems if inhaled. • The long lunar days and nights, extreme celestial body, while still being a temperature variation, solar flares, nitrogen-poor soil and lack of insects for pollination is also a

‘safe-distance’ from home problem for growing crops. Plants would need ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○ to be grown in sealed containers and providing electric lighting to compensate for the lunar days PTScientists’ Kate Arkless Gray elaborated further: “It’s and nights would be problematic in terms of a simple matter of its proximity to Earth, which makes energy consumption. everything so much easier. In an emergency, we could • Political and national interests in colonization be back on Earth in a number of days, whereas for Mars could prove tricky, and long-term negotiation is you’re talking months. That’s what makes it the ideal vital for the future of any potential colony. testing ground – we can send additional supplies or • Finally, mental health challenges would also be bring people back if something were to go wrong, but key to success. Living inside a sealed colony, far with a settlement on Mars or further afield you’d have away from many family and friends, in such to be prepared to survive for much longer without different conditions to Earth, would render a contact from Earth. Telemedicine becomes an issue the significant challenge for most people. further away from Earth you are – you couldn’t have a surgeon operating remotely on you if you were on Mars Meanwhile, addressing the challenges of lunar because the delay is just too big!” She continued: “The colonization, the International Institute of Space Moon gives us an opportunity to test our skills and Commerce (IISC), an open source think tank on the resources, practice in-situ resource utilisation and get economics and commerce of space, brought together used to living on another celestial body, while still being 20 of the world’s leading thinkers on and a ‘safe-distance’ from home. It’s bit like camping in the asked if a commercial settlement on the Moon would back garden as a child – you could get used to living in be possible. They found that a private settlement on the a tent, but if you really needed something you could Moon is surprisingly feasible, and even cost-effective, always run back into the house to get it!” and offers the best chance of success for a return to

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the Moon – and by definition, settlement beyond. The All the signs point to the idea that yes, we may well executive summary of the Lunar Economic Action Plan be ready to embark on the first off-world colonization. (LEAP) study can be viewed at https://bit.ly/2r7Kgj2. Indeed, it seems like anyone who is anyone is getting in The study suggests that technology is not the issue, on the action… but rather economics. By leveraging the strengths of private industry and private capital, via the use of Public NASA embarks on variety of lunar missions Private Partnerships (PPPs) and Mega Funds, the NASA has a huge history of lunar exploration, including provision of public science and exploration of the Moon landing the first man on the Moon in 1969. Today, the can be both enhanced and ensured. organisation continues to forge ahead with equally “Engineers and mission designers have long known ambitious plans. that the Moon would be the best outpost from Earth In December 2017, President Donald Trump gave from which we could access the cosmos,” said Rob NASA new direction, instructing the organisation to work Alexander, IISC Executive Director. “The argument ‘we’ve with international and commercial partners to refocus been there before’ is not a good enough reason to justify exploration efforts on the Moon, with the eventual goal ignoring the Moon in our society’s exploration and of going to Mars and beyond: “The directive I am signing development. The LEAP is intended to further justify this today will refocus America’s space program on human strategy economically, as well as outlining the policy exploration and discovery. It marks a first step in needs that we should follow for the benefit of our returning American astronauts to the Moon for the first expanding, beyond just a global economy. We’re time since 1972, for long-term exploration and use. This pleased that the world’s major governments are starting time, we will not only plant our flag and leave our to take notice, and we should be seeing the benefits footprints - we will establish a foundation for an eventual within the next 10 years.” mission to Mars, and perhaps someday, worlds beyond.” “Any return to the Moon would take advantage of NASA has since announced the following objectives both new technologies and the new economics of the for lunar exploration: space age. The LEAP was created to examine this possibility,” added IISC Board Member Chris Stott. “What • Establish a long-term presence in the vicinity of is exciting is that we have the technology for a and on the Moon, realizing science and human settlement on the Moon, that is not an issue. We can exploration advancement, while also enabling make this happen. What needs to be considered is the other national and commercial goals. economics, the business plan, and the regulatory issues • Conduct the un-crewed SLS/ first flight in that would arise. But all this is solvable.” 2020 to the lunar vicinity.

Artist’s rendering PTScientists’ Lunar Quattro (ALQ) on the moon NewSpace International - July 2018 www.newspaceinternational.com 18 Image: PTScientists #LUNAR #MOON #NASA

• Conduct a crewed flight around the Moon in 2023. • Establish a human-tended lunar orbiting platform for crews to visit from Earth, to transit to and from the lunar surface, and to depart to and return from Mars. • Develop the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway that, at a minimum: o Emplaces a power-propulsion (communications) element around the Moon by 2022. The development of this first strategic element will incorporate innovative procurement and partnering strategies, capitalize on US commercial communication satellite capabilities, demonstrate high power solar electric propulsion technology, and provide the critical functionality for the rest of the cislunar orbital platform. o Performs science and technology Artist’s rendering of Orion spacecraft activities, for example, lunar sample return Image: NASA and the operation of lunar robotic and in- space systems. • Orchestrate a lunar robotics campaign with a focus on growing a commercial base of partnerships and activity that can support US science, technology and exploration objectives. o Support a small commercial lander initiative with an initial strategic presence on the Moon no later than 2020. o Develop a mid-to-large scale lander initiative working toward human-rated lander. This initiative will focus on enabling commercial and international partnerships. o Support an early science and technology initiative that includes lunar CubeSats, a Virtual Lunar Institute and other activities. • Further enable and nurture entrepreneurial and commercial market forces that will define long- term human exploration and exploitation of the lunar surface. Crater Daedalus, situated on the far side of the • Aggressively characterize lunar resources so that moon, as seen from Apollo 11 in lunar orbit their potential future exploitation can be Photo: NASA addressed.

The Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway The Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway, which NASA plans to develop with US industry and International (ISS) partners, is part of the fiscal year 2019 budget proposal. Construction is expected to start in the 2020s. The platform will consist of a power and propulsion element and habitation, logistics and airlock capabilities. While specific technical and mission capabilities and partnership opportunities are under consideration, NASA plans to launch elements of the gateway on its Space Launch System (SLS) or commercial for assembly in space. The power and propulsion element will be the initial component of the gateway and is targeted to launch in 2022. Using advanced high-power solar electric propulsion, the element will maintain the gateway’s position and can move it between lunar orbits over its lifetime to maximize operations. In addition, the power and propulsion element will provide high-rate and Artist’s rendering of SLS reliable communications for the gateway including space-to-Earth and space-to-lunar uplinks and Image: NASA

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downlinks, spacecraft-to-spacecraft crosslinks, and beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO) carrying crew or cargo to support for spacewalk communications. Finally, it can the Moon and beyond. It will produce 8.8 million pounds also accommodate an optical communications of thrust during lift-off and ascent to loft a vehicle demonstration – using lasers to transfer large data weighing nearly six million pounds to orbit. Propelled packages at faster rates than traditional radio frequency by a pair of five segment boosters and four RS-25 systems. As part of NASA’s public-private partnership engines, the rocket will reach the period of greatest (PPP) work under Next Space Technologies for atmospheric force within 90 seconds. After jettisoning Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP), five companies – the boosters, service module panels, and launch abort Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK, Sierra Nevada system, the core stage engines will shut down and the Corporation’s Space Systems, and Space Systems/Loral core stage will separate from the spacecraft. - are completing four-month studies on affordable ways As the spacecraft makes an orbit of Earth, it will

to develop the power and propulsion element. deploy solar arrays and the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Stage (ICPS) will give Orion the push needed to leave Earth’s orbit and travel toward the Moon. From there, Orion will separate from the ICPS, which will deploy The Moon is en vogue once more, several small satellites to perform experiments and technology demonstrations. with private companies, and As Orion continues to the Moon, it will be propelled by a service module provided by the ESA, which will national space agencies all turning supply the spacecraft’s main propulsion system and power (as well as house air and water for astronauts on

their attention to the Moon future missions). To talk with mission control in Houston, ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Orion will switch from NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Habitation capabilities launching in 2023 will further Satellites system to the Deep Space Network. The trip enhance NASA’s abilities for science, exploration, and to the Moon will take several days, during which time partner use. Crew aboard the gateway will be able to engineers will evaluate the spacecraft’s systems and, live and work in deep space for up to 30-60 days at a as needed, correct its trajectory. Orion will fly about 62 time and participate in a variety of deep space miles above the surface of the Moon and use the Moon’s exploration and commercial activities in the vicinity of gravitational force to propel itself into a new deep the Moon, including possible missions to the lunar retrograde orbit about 40,000 miles from the Moon. It surface. NASA also wants to leverage the gateway for will stay in that orbit for around six days to collect data scientific investigations near and on the Moon, and and allow mission controllers to assess the performance anticipates that the gateway will support the technology of the spacecraft. maturation and development of operating concepts For its return trip to Earth, Orion will do another close needed for missions beyond the Earth and Moon flyby that takes it within about 60 miles of the Moon’s system. surface, and it will use another precisely-timed engine Adding an airlock to the gateway in the future would firing of the European-provided service module in enable crew to conduct spacewalks, enable science conjunction with the Moon’s gravity to accelerate back activities and accommodate docking of future elements. toward Earth. Following a precision splashdown within NASA is also planning to launch at least one logistics eyesight of the recovery ship off the coast of Baja, module to the gateway, which will enable cargo California, Orion will be brought back home for further resupply deliveries, additional scientific research and study. technology demonstrations and commercial use. With this first exploration mission due for launch in Following the commercial model that NASA June 2020, NASA is leading the next steps of human pioneered for ISS resupply, the agency plans to resupply exploration into deep space where astronauts will build the gateway through commercial cargo missions. and test the systems near the Moon required for lunar Visiting cargo spacecraft could remotely dock to the surface missions and exploration to other destinations gateway between crewed missions. farther from Earth, including Mars. The SLS rocket will evolve from an initial configuration capable of sending A world-first launch system more than 26 metric tons to the Moon, to a final Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1) will be the first integrated configuration that can send at least 45 metric tons. The unmanned test of NASA’s deep space exploration second flight will take crew on a different trajectory systems: The SLS rocket, the Orion spacecraft, and the using a powerful exploration upper stage and test ground systems at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Orion’s critical systems with humans aboard. Together, Canaveral. Orion will launch on the ‘most powerful rocket Orion, SLS and the ground systems at Kennedy will be in the world’ and fly farther than any spacecraft built for able to meet the most challenging crew and cargo humans has ever flown. It will travel 280,000 miles from mission needs in deep space. Earth over the course of the approximately three-week mission and will stay in space longer than any ship for Commercial Lunar Payload Services astronauts has without docking to a space station. In April 2018, NASA released a draft Request for “This is a mission that truly will do what hasn’t been Proposals for Commercial Lunar Payload Services done and learn what isn’t known,” said Mike Sarafin, EM- (CLPS) to further expand efforts to support development 1 Mission Manager at NASA. “It will blaze a trail that and partnership opportunities on the Moon. NASA people will follow on the next Orion flight, pushing the intends to award multiple contracts for these services edges of the envelope to prepare for that mission.” throughout the next decade, with contract missions to The SLS rocket has been designed for missions the lunar surface expected to begin as early as 2019,

20 NewSpace International - July 2018 www.newspaceinternational.com #LUNAR #MOON #ESA and with a company’s first delivery no later than the power system is ideal for the Moon, where power December 2021. generation from sunlight is difficult because lunar nights Among the objectives for the series of robotic are equivalent to 14 days on Earth. “Kilopower gives us commercial delivery missions in 2019 is the delivery of the ability to do much higher power missions, and to the instrumentation suite from the former Resource explore the shadowed craters of the Moon,” said Gibson. Prospector mission concept. “When we start sending astronauts for long stays on the “We conducted a thorough science and engineering Moon and to other planets, that’s going to require a new assessment of Resource Prospector and determined all class of power that we’ve never needed before.” four instruments are at a high technology readiness According to David Poston, the Chief Reactor level, are appropriate for science on the Moon, and will Designer at NNSA’s Los Alamos National Laboratory, the make flights on future Commercial Lunar Payload purpose of the recent experiment in Nevada was two- Services (CLPS) missions,” said Dennis Andrucyk, Deputy fold: To demonstrate that the system can create Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, at electricity with fission power, and to show the system is NASA. “These tools will provide important scientific data stable and safe no matter what environment it on various landing sites, and will help NASA better encounters. ”We threw everything we could at this understand the lunar environment.” reactor, in terms of nominal and off-normal operating The potential for each instrument varies with the scenarios and KRUSTY passed with flying colours,” said potential landing site, and most can be enhanced Poston. through mobility after landing. These projects include: The Kilopower team conducted the experiment in four phases. The first two phases, conducted without • Near Infrared Volatile Spectrometer Subsystem power, confirmed that each component of the system (NIRVSS) to monitor the Moon’s surface and behaved as expected. During the third phase, the team identify water and other volatiles. increased power to heat the core incrementally before • Neutron Spectrometer Subsystem (NSS) to moving on to the final phase. The experiment culminated search for hydrogen below the Moon’s surface. with a 28-hour, full-power test that simulated a mission, • A regolith and ice drill. including reactor startup, ramp to full power, steady • Water Analysis and Volatile Extraction (WAVE) operation and shutdown. Throughout the experiment, instrument to accept and heat samples to the team simulated power reduction, failed engines and quantify water and other volatiles extracted from failed heat pipes, showing that the system could below the surface. continue to operate and successfully handle multiple failures. “We put the system through its paces,” said NASA has also asked US industry how to best Gibson. “We understand the reactor very well, and this advance lander capabilities through its Lunar Surface test proved that the system works the way we designed Transport Capabilty request for information, which it to work. No matter what environment we expose it to, closed in April. NASA is assessing commercial interest the reactor performs very well.” in lander development to help mature plans for two The Kilopower project is developing mission upcoming landers built through PPPs. NASA will review concepts and performing additional risk reduction responses to the request for information and use the activities to prepare for a possible future flight information to develop a minimum 500kg lander, which demonstration. Such a demonstration could pave the is targeted to launch in 2022. The agency’s two mid-size way for future Kilopower systems that power human lander demonstration missions will help NASA outposts on the Moon and Mars, including missions that understand the requirements and systems needed for rely on in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) to produce local a human-class lander. The ongoing small payload propellants and other materials. delivery missions will provide important data on landing precision, long-term survivability, guidance and ESA eyes sustainable lunar exploration navigation for future landers. These landers will be Like NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) is keen capable of sample return, resource prospecting, not to miss the boat on lunar exploration. As well as its demonstrating use of in-space resources, and this will heavy involvement with the Lunar Orbital Platform- reduce the risk when building landers for humans. Gateway, the ESA is focusing heavily on sustainability and ISRU. Developing new power systems While we are more than able to return to the Moon In May, NASA and the Department of Energy’s National with today’s technology, it remains extremely expensive Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) successfully to do so. The ESA wants any return to the Moon to be demonstrated a new nuclear reactor power system, the sustainable and based on partnerships with international Kilopower Reactor Using Stirling Technology (KRUSTY), space agencies and industry. Instead of developing a that could enable long-duration crewed missions to the lander mission, the agency plans to purchase a ride on Moon, Mars and beyond. a commercial lander to deliver its research equipment Kilopower is a small, lightweight fission power to the surface of the Moon and utilise existing system capable of providing up to 10kW of electrical communications services to control its hardware. power continuously for at least 10 years. Four Kilopower The ESA is also looking to invest in ISRU projects in units would provide enough power to establish an the name of sustainability, namely the extraction of outpost. The prototype power system uses a solid, cast indigenous lunar materials into oxygen and water. Back uranium-235 reactor core. Passive sodium heat pipes in September 2017, the ESA invited service providers to transfer reactor heat to high-efficiency Stirling engines, take part in a one-year study to help shape its ISRU which convert the heat to electricity. Demonstration Mission. The agency aims to According to Marc Gibson, Lead Kilopower Engineer, demonstrate by 2025 that it is possible to produce water

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back to Earth. Vodafone’s network expertise will be used to set up the Moon’s first 4G network, while partner Nokia, through Nokia Bell Labs, will create a space-grade Ultra Compact Network that will be the lightest ever developed - weighing less than 1kg. Vodafone testing indicates that the base station should be able to broadcast 4G using the 1800MHz band and send back the first-ever live HD video feed of the Moon’s surface, which will be broadcast to a global audience via a deep space link ALINA (back), AQL (front), and the PTScientists team that interconnects with the Image: PTScientists PTScientists server in the Mission Control Centre in Berlin. A 4G network is highly or oxygen on the Moon. The mission may also create energy efficient compared to analogue radio, which will the opportunity to deliver scientific payloads directly to be crucial to Mission to the Moon and is the first step to the lunar surface. Thus, more recently in May, ESA building communications infrastructure for future announced a Request for Information to identify missions. suppliers, service providers, partners and technical “This is a crucial first step for sustainable exploration solutions for: of the solar system,” said Böhme. “In order for humanity to leave the cradle of Earth, we need to develop • Technology demonstrations for ISRU; infrastructures beyond our home planet. With Mission • Lunar science payloads; and to the Moon we will establish and test the first elements • Commercial services for payload delivery of a dedicated communications network on the Moon. (including lander), lunar communications and The great thing about this LTE solution is that it saves operations. so much power, and the less energy we use sending data, the more we have to do science!” PTScientists targets first private Moon landing mission PTScientists wants to bring down the cost of lunar Developing ISRU technologies exploration and science to enable a greater range of In April, PTScientists was selected as one of the participants from across the globe. As well as partnering commercial companies taking part in ESA’s innovative with established entities to collaborate on new space study to develop potential lunar missions that could exploration projects, PTScientists is also developing its make use of resources found on the Moon. As part of own programme. ESA’s push towards ‘Space 4.0,’ where space is no longer 50 years after humans first stepped on the Moon, the sole preserve of government agencies, ESA has PTScientists plans to undertake the world’s first private selected six companies to work on potential mission mission to land on the Moon. Indeed, in the second half designs. of 2019, ‘Mission to the Moon,’ a robotic space The Lunar Mission Definition Study aims to find out exploration mission, will return to the landing site of whether ESA could conduct a Moon mission by utilising . lunar services, such as payloads and delivery to the “We aim to create an ‘Apollo moment’ for a new Moon, developed by commercial partners. These generation. PTScientists believe that space belongs to capabilities are already being developed by the private everyone and Mission to the Moon will make space sector and should be available to ESA by the mid-2020s. accessible for all to explore,” said PTScientists’ Founder ESA has a strong interest in testing and maturing lunar and CEO, Robert Böhme. “The original trust and support ISRU technologies to produce drinkable water or of Audi since 2015 and Vodafone since 2017 has been breathable oxygen in support of future sustainable critical to our success so far, and we are proud that more human Moon missions. The Lunar ISRU Demonstration iconic partners are joining us on our journey.” Mission Definition Study is a step towards this and will Launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Mission also help to foster commercial lunar services. to the Moon will see the Autonomous Landing and ESA hopes to realise a lunar mission that will test Navigation Module (ALINA) transport a pair of lunar technology designed to extract useful elements from rovers developed by Audi to the Moon, live broadcasting resources found on the Moon by 2025, with an industrial using chip technologies from Infineon, the first HD procurement budget below €250 million. In order to images from NASA’s Apollo 17 landing site and the realise the mission according to budget and schedule, Apollo 17 roving vehicle, last used in 1972. The Moon’s the entity plans to procure lunar service capabilities from first 4G LTE network, developed by Vodafone and the private sector for the ISRU payload delivery to the PTScientists, will communicate data from the Audi lunar Moon surface, for lunar communications, and operations. quattro rovers to ALINA, which will then transmit all data “Commercial partnerships are playing a growing role

22 NewSpace International - July 2018 www.newspaceinternational.com #LUNAR #MOON #SSTL #ASTROBOTIC #GOONHILLY in the exciting ESA vision for space exploration” says currently working on its Smart Lander for Investigating David Parker, ESA Director of Human and Robotic Moon (SLIM project, a lunar lander which will essentially Exploration. “Actions underway already include new land wherever desired, rather than wherever is easy. The ways to increase the use of the ISS. In future, procuring most recent reports state that launch is planned for 2021. services from industry alongside international According to JAXA, the SLIM mission objectives are: cooperation could allow ESA to move faster in our planned exploration of the Moon.” • Demonstration of the accurate lunar landing techniques in a small explorer; and SSTL, Goonhilly and Astrobotic to support lunar • Acceleration of the study of the Moon and other exploration with roadmap planets using the lighter exploration system. In April, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), Goonhilly Earth Station (GES) and Astrobotic announced an Upon descent to the Moon, SLIM will recognize lunar agreement to collaborate on delivering a roadmap of craters by applying technology from facial recognition innovations that support organisations carrying out systems and will determine its current location from operations on and around the Moon. The agreement observation data collected by the Selenological and formalises a long-term close working relationship Engineering Explorer (SELENE) lunar orbiter mission. between the three organisations with the aim of SLIM aims to soft land within 100m of its target location. deploying leading edge in-space communication relay In other news, despite JAXA’s independent plans for services. lunar exploration, the organisation also reportedly plans Astrobotic will begin delivering a regular manifest of to team up with the Indian Space Research Organisation unmanned payload flights to the Moon starting in 2020. (ISRO) to explore the Moon’s polar regions for water. The Many of the companies, governments, universities, and Moon’s South pole is of particular interest since the other non-profit organisations operating payloads on craters are in permanent shadow and may hold large Astrobotic’s Peregrine Lander will need sophisticated reservoirs of ice. communication relay services to reach until-now “Both India and Japan have demonstration landings prohibitive destinations on the Moon, including the far on the moon coming up,” said Hiroki Furihata at JAXA. side. SSTL plans to service those needs with state-of- “The next step for both of us is true exploration. If we the-art data relay services. GES will receive SSTL’s data combine the strengths of both sides it can be a win- relay and transmit data back to payload customers on win.” Earth. JAXA’s SLIM programme received a boost late in 2017, “Working with SSTL and Goonhilly to provide our when its SELENE mission discovered a large cave payload customers with communication services measuring 50km long and 100m wide beneath the lunar anywhere on the lunar surface is perfectly aligned with surface, which could be turned into an exploration base our customer-centric approach,” said John Thornton, for astronauts. The cave is reportedly structurally sound CEO of Astrobotic. “SSTL is a proven spaceflight pioneer, and may contain ice or water deposits that could be used and we’re thrilled they’re choosing to partner with by human settlers. Astrobotic to help make their lunar plans a reality.” The cave is believed to be a lava tube created during “The complementary capabilities of Astrobotic, volcanic activity some 3.5 billion years ago. Such lava Goonhilly and SSTL allow us to provide a complete tubes have long been considered ideal candidate mission package that supports and enables a diversity locations for future lunar bases due to their stable of lunar endeavours, both for commerce and public thermal conditions and ability to protect people and sector initiatives,” commented Anita Bernie, Director of equipment from micrometeorites and cosmic radiation. Exploration Missions at SSTL. “The solutions resulting from this partnership will underpin the development of commercial as well space- agency operations on and around the moon,” said Ian Jones, CEO of GES. “We are confident that with our combined expertise, resour- ces, and vision, together we will perform a pivotal role in enabling organisations of all kinds to benefit from the opportunities in space and on the moon.”

JAXA plans solo and joint expeditions The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), like many others, is keen to Artist’s rendering of SLIM on the lunar surface expand its space exploration Image: JAXA achievements. The agency is

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China makes headway on far side of the Moon from the bombardment of charged particles from the China made a great leap in lunar exploration in May with Sun. Chang’e 4 will also deliver a student-designed the launch of the Queqiao relay satellite to the far side carrier containing potato seeds and silkworm eggs. of the Moon. The satellite is being prepared for University students and scientists will monitor the communication between the Earth and China’s Chang’e growth of the organisms, which will be housed inside a 4, which is set to attempt the first landing on the far side chamber and fed natural light and nutrients. of the Moon later this year. Chang’e 4 is expected to launch in November or One step closer to a hotel orbiting the Moon December 2018 and will attempt the first soft landing People have been talking about hotels on/orbiting the on the far side of the Moon in history. Direct moon since before humankind even set foot there communication between the landing site and Earth is almost 50 years ago; the Lunar Hilton has been in the impossible since it always faces away from Earth, thus planning stages since 1967 and is yet to further. the 400kg Queqiao satellite will relay data between Today, we’re finally at a stage where hotels on the Moon China’s rover and mission control. Queqiao is equipped or in orbit might be a possibility within our lifetime, as with a 4.2m antenna which will communicate with commercial heats up. Chang’e 4 over X-band and transmit data to Earth in S- is a serious contender in the band. space tourism sector in its own right. Founded in 1998, “There are plenty of successful missions with Bigelow Aerospace develops and manufactures successful landings on the near side of the moon, expandable space station modules, and is the only including Chang’e 3 in Mare Imbrium,” said Jun Huang company commercializing NASA expandable module from the Planetary Science Institute at the China technologies. Bigelow aims to create a modular set of University of Geosciences in a presentation at the Lunar space habitats for creating standalone or expanding and Planetary Science Conference in Texas. “This existing space stations. The inflatable modules are mission has lasted for nearly five years, and it increased expected to be more durable than rigid modules due to our knowledge about the moon greatly, however, we the use of Vectran, a material twice as strong as Kevlar, don’t have (until Chang’e 4) a mission dedicated to taking and because the flexible walls are theoretically more precision measurements of the far side of the moon.” likely to withstand micrometeoroid impacts better than The mission’s landing module will carry a low rigid walls. frequency radio spectrometer developed by Chinese Under the Genesis programme, Bigelow has scientists for astrophysics research. Meanwhile, a demonstrated the viability of expandable habitat neutron and dosimetry instrument developed by technology in space. , Bigelow’s first operational Germany will measure radiation level data that could spacecraft, was launched into orbit in 2006, while be useful in planning human exploration, study solar Genesis II was launched in 2007; both remain in orbit activity, and gauging the underground water content in today and observations are ongoing. Meanwhile, in 2012, the Von Karman crater, located in the Moon’s South NASA signed a US$17.8 million contract with Bigelow to Pole-Aitken basin. develop the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module Chang’e 4 will feature a ground-penetrating radar to (BEAM), which was attached to the ISS in 2016, where it study geologic layers under the landing site, and a visible remains today. and near-infrared spectrometer to gather data on soil Bigelow is currently developing the B330 standalone composition. A Swedish-developed instrument will commercial space station for operation in study the interaction between the solar wind and the (LEO), cislunar space and beyond. A single B330 is lunar surface, which is not shielded by an atmosphere comparable to one third of the current pressurized

Artist’s rendering of Bigelow B330 inflatable space station Image: Bigelow Aerospace

24 NewSpace International - July 2018 www.newspaceinternational.com #LUNAR #MOON #MOONEXPRESS volume of the entire International Space Station. gears up for 2019 launch Bigelow Aerospace is developing two B330 Launched in 2010, Moon Express’s mission is to ‘redefine commercial space station habitats that will be ready for possible’ by returning to the Moon and unlocking its launch any time after 2020. Indeed, at the end of 2017, mysteries and resources for the benefit of humanity. Bigelow and (ULA) announced The company plans to offer commercial lunar robotic plans to launch a B330 module on ULA’s Vulcan launch transportation and data services with a long-term goal vehicle, placing it into low lunar orbit (LLO) by the end of mining the Moon for resources, including rare Earth of 2022 to serve as a lunar depot. elements. “We are excited to work with ULA on this lunar depot Moon Express was, notably, the first private company project. Our lunar depot plan is a strong complement to to receive Federal Aviation Administration approval for other plans intended to eventually put people on Mars. a commercial space mission beyond Earth’s orbit under It will provide NASA and America with an exciting and the requirements of the Outer Space Treaty. financially practical success opportunity that can be In July 2017, Moon Express and the International Lunar accomplished in the short term. This lunar depot could Observatory Association (ILOA) announced a be deployed easily by 2022 to support the nation’s re- collaboration for the delivery of the first International energized plans for returning to the Moon,” said Robert Lunar Observatory to the South Pole (ILO-1) of the Moon Bigelow, President of Bigelow Aerospace. “This in 2019. Moon Express has been contracted by ILOA to commercial lunar depot would provide anchorage for develop advanced landing technologies supporting the significant lunar business development in addition to mission. offering NASA and other governments the Moon as a The ILO-1 astrophysical observatory and research new exciting location to conduct long-term exploration station will be the world’s first instrument to image the and astronaut training.” Milky Way and to conduct international The B330 will launch to LEO on a Vulcan 562 astrophysical observations and communications from configuration rocket, the only commercial the lunar surface. in development today with sufficient performance and The ILO-1 will land on a ‘peak of eternal light’ at the a large enough payload fairing to carry the habitat. Once lunar South Pole by a Moon Express robotic explorer in orbit, Bigelow will outfit the habitat and demonstrate system. The primary landing site under analysis it is working properly. Once fully-operational, ULA’s is Malapert Mountain, a 5km tall peak in the Aitken Basin industry-unique distributed lift capability will be used region that is bathed in sunlight most of the time and to send the B330 to lunar orbit. Distributed lift will also has 24/7 direct line of sight to Earth as well as to utilize two more Vulcan ACES launches, each carrying Shackleton Crater for communications. Moon Express 35 tons of cryogenic propellant to LEO. In LEO, all the will utilize the mission to explore the Moon’s South Pole cryogenic propellant will be transferred to one of the for mineral resources and water. Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage (ACES). The now “The primary goal of the International Lunar full ACES would then rendezvous with the B330 and Observatory is to expand human understanding of the perform multiple manoeuvres to deliver the B330 to its Galaxy and Cosmos through observation and final position in LLO. communications from our Moon,” said ILOA Founder and This exciting new step towards creating a commercial Director, Steve Durst. space station is one step closer to creating the first hotel “We are extremely excited to work with Moon Express to orbit the Moon. However, launch capabilities have a to establish a presence on the Moon in 2019, the long way to go… 50th anniversary year of Apollo 11,” continued Durst.

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