NASA is Looking for Help with its Upcoming Moon Mission

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Shackleton crater at the Moon’s south pole. (NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University)

With NASA planning to return to the Moon shortly as part of the Artemis mission, it is tying up loose end and figuring out what else it may need. It seems that one of the needed items is a better way to conduct its work at the lunar south pole. This comes down to two challenges, both of which have a payout to the winner.

Here’s NASA’s description of the two challenges:

Challenge 1: NASA is seeking an orienteering aid that will help the astronauts navigate on traverses away from the lunar lander and return back. While there were similar devices available to the Apollo astronauts, NASA is looking for new and unique solutions. Among other considerations, devices must be accurate, easy to use, able to be used on the moon’s surface by an astronaut wearing pressurized gloves. If your solution is one of the best, you could be eligible for a share of the $15,000 prize purse.

Challenge 2: NASA is looking for assistance in getting to and mapping the bottom of Shackleton Crater. The design must work in the extreme conditions of the lunar south pole and Shackleton Crater, map the crater, characterize and quantify what is in the crater, and send the data back to be used for future missions. If you can solve this challenge by describing your design concept in detail, you could be eligible for a share of the $30,000 prize purse.

You might wonder why NASA is only thinking of these needs now. I am hoping NASA has some less refined solutions and is only seeking for a better way.

If you have an idea or two, be sure to share it with NASA by November 25, 2024.

Good luck!

Space Quote: Maryland Delegation Wants NASA to Explain Canceling the OSAM-1 Mission

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Artist’s rendering of the OSAM-1 (bottom) docking with a satellite. (NASA)

“As members of the Maryland Delegation, we write to request information regarding NASA’s decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) mission on September 4, 2024. OSAM-1 is a space technology mission developed to demonstrate NASA’s capabilities to extend the lifespans of government-owned satellites and other satellites that were not originally built or intended to be serviced in space…On September 4, 2024, members of the Maryland delegation were notified of NASA’s intent to proceed with canceling the OSAM-1 mission. NASA officials cited feasibility of the 2026 launch plan, risk tolerance, lack of interest from potential partners per verbal communication, return on investment, and interest in expanding other Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) priorities. The Delegation wishes to note that return on investment and other STMD priorities are extraneous factors that Congress did not include in its direction. Furthermore, we have concerns regarding the Agency’s decision-making process.”

-Statement by Maryland Democratic Senators and Congress members in a September 16, 2024 letter to NASA regarding the status of the OSAM-1 mission. NASA explained on its website that it re-evaluated its earlier decision to cancel the mission and found it was still proper to cancel the mission, noting “factors that informed the decision were cost, schedule, and technical risk associated with the 2026 launch plan, the return on investment of flying OSAM-1 technology, uncertain technology infusion path to industry, and impacts on other NASA technology development efforts.” While these are serious reservations, the growing level of space debris in orbit is also a serious concern. Hopefully, NASA has a back-up plan if it does not move forward with this specific mission.

While We Were Watching Polaris Dawn, Just Another Day for the ISS

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The Russian Soyuz rocket launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstanon September 11 to bring the Expedition 72 crew to the ISS. (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

While all eyes were on the Polaris Dawn mission this week, the Russian Roscosmos Soyuz MS-26 was busy bringing a crew of three cosmonauts and one US astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS). Crewed and uncrewed launches to the ISS have been pretty routine for years, which is a good thing.

NASA reports that its astronaut Don Pettit, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, are now safely aboard the space station. Expedition 72 will officially start on Monday, September 23. Members of the Expedition 71 crew – NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson and cosmonauts Nikolai Chub and Oleg Kononenko – will be departing the station shortly.

Let’s remember that while the Polaris Dawn crew will be playing in space for about 5 days, these crews are in space for 6-12 months.

Pic of the Week: The First Commercial Spacewalk

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Image (Credit): SpaceX Polaris Dawn crew conducts first private spacewalk. (SpaceX/Polaris)

This week’s image shows the first commercial spacewalk as part of the Polaris Dawn mission launched into space earlier this week by SpaceX. All four crew members were exposed to space as part of the process earlier today, but only two exited the spacecraft. The spacecraft was between 118 to 435 miles above the Earth during the spacewalks.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson posted this comment to Twitter/X:

Congratulations @PolarisProgram and @SpaceX on the first commercial spacewalk in history!

Today’s success represents a giant leap forward for the commercial space industry and @NASA ‘s long-term goal to build a vibrant U.S. space economy.

Space Stories: Polaris Dawn Mission Starts, Report Blasts NASA, and Galaxies Are Larger Than We Thought

Posted on by onespaceman2000

Here are some recent stories of interest.

—NASA: “NASA to Test Telemedicine, Gather Essential Health Data with Polaris Dawn Crew“

NASA researchers will soon benefit from a suite of experiments flying aboard a new fully-commercial human spaceflight mission, strengthening future agency science as we venture to the Moon, Mars and beyond. The experiments are flying as part of the Polaris Dawn mission which launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket earlier today…“Each mission, whether the crew is comprised of commercial or NASA astronauts, provides a key opportunity to expand our knowledge about how spaceflight affects human health,” said Jancy McPhee, associate chief scientist for human research at NASA. “Information gathered from Polaris Dawn will give us critical insights to help NASA plan for deeper space travel to the Moon and Mars.”

—Flying Magazine: “Report to Congress: Shortsighted, Aging NASA Faces Uncertain Future“

A report published Tuesday raises serious questions about NASA’s ability to effectively function as the nation’s preeminent space agency. The 218-page document, assembled by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) at the behest of Congress, warns that NASA is prioritizing short-term missions and commercial contracts over the people and technology that make its out-of-this-world activities possible. Per the report, the space agency’s emphasis on near-term victories and overreliance on private contractors comes at the price of a strained budget, degraded infrastructure, and exodus of talented personnel.

—Astro3D: “Galaxies are Much, Much Bigger Than We Thought“

A shroud of gas stretches up to a million light years around every galaxy and is its first interaction with the wider Universe beyond. For the first time, scientists have photographed this halo of matter and examined it pixel by pixel. If this galaxy is typical, then the study, published today in Nature Astronomy, indicates that our galaxy is already interacting with its closest neighbour, Andromeda.