NASA today announced that the Mojave, CA company was chosen for a sortie in 2022 to suss out the Moon’s South Pole utilizing its XL-1 lander. The mission will analyze the composition of the lunar surface, test precision landing techniques and investigate the radiation environment. The contract includes end-to-end services for delivery of eight payloads and operation for at least 12 days.
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.
NASA’s vision for sustainable lunar development
The agency has just published a plan for a permanent return to the Moon as a proving ground for pushing on to Mars and beyond
MAXIM – Maximum Impact Moon Mission
The University of Southern California’s Department of Astronautical Engineering has just published the final report of Dr. Madhu Thangavelu’s, course ASTE 527 Space Concepts Studio, the theme of which features the MAXIM architecture proposed for NASA’s Artemis program for return of humans to the moon. Be sure and watch the recorded presentation of the report which features the classic video “Wanderers” with commentary written and narrated by Carl Sagan. The class is held each fall and has an archive of each year’s reports, an excellent repository of creative concepts for space development.
Partial Ownership of Space Resources for the New Space Economy
This paper introduces the concept of Partial Ownership of Outer Space Resources while not conflicting with the Outer Space Treaty. The system allows competition for resource utilization, while preventing monopolies through open ownership and preserving the incentives for investment, thus benefiting all participating nations.
The Space Resource Report: 2020
The Space Resource has released their compendium of major developments in space resources in 2019, with an eye toward monitoring progress through 2020 and beyond. The Team aims to cover advances in the science, business, and technology development that will pave the way for humanity’s expansion into space
Living off the “land” in space
Building blocks for governance of space resource activities
The Hague International Space Resources Governance Working Group announces adoption of the Building Blocks of an International Framework on Space Resource activities