Easy extraction of lunar water with Aqua Factorem

Philip Metzger of the University of Central Florida (UCF) has just been awarded a Phase I NIAC grant to investigate an innovative water harvesting process that will be cheaper then conventional methods.

“This simple architecture requires the minimum number of in-space elements, and notably does not require an in-space propellant depot, so it provides the lowest cost and lowest risk startup for a commercial operation. The study will also test the innovative Aqua Factorem process through laboratory experiments, and this will produce basic insights into the handling of lunar resources”

Revised 6 May 2020: UCF/Today has an update on this story.

An illustration of what the UCF developed process could look like on the moon. Credit: NASA and Jessica Woodward/UCF

Masten’s instant lunar landing pad

The Movave, CA company has just received a NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase I grant to develop an innovative method to mitigate damaged due to abrasion from high-velocity regolith ejected by lunar lander exhaust. Masten’s Flight Alumina Spray Technique (FAST) injects alumina particles into the rocket plume to create a coating over the regolith at the landing site.

FAST instant landing pad deployment during lunar landing. Source: Matthew Kuhns,
Masten Space Systems Inc

The High Frontier

Checkout the trailer for the upcoming documentary The High Frontier: The Untold Story of Gerard K. O’Neill which was shown for the first time yesterday on the live stream of Yuri’s Night annual celebration party. The trailer begins with an introduction by Rick Tumlinson at 2:57.

Executive order authorizes the commercial use of space resources

The document states that “Americans should have the right to engage in commercial exploration, recovery, and use of resources in outer space, consistent with applicable law. Outer space is a legally and physically unique domain of human activity, and the United States does not view it as a global commons. Accordingly, it shall be the policy of the United States to encourage international support for the public and private recovery and use of resources in outer space, consistent with applicable law”

New space solar power company down under

Solar Space Technologies (SST), a recently-formed Australian company, is planning the development of a solar power satellite (SPS) system to provide electricity for Australia. The new company is developing the technology for deployment of an SPS, ground receiver sites and associated infrastructure. SST’s system would generate a total capacity of at least 18 gigawatts for the Australian electricity market which could also potentially be exported to other countries. In less than a decade, SST proposes the creation of an Australia-US public/private partnership, with additional participation by Japan, Canada, New Zealand and others for development of the SPS. A downloadable Executive Summary Brochure is available from the company website.