Robert Sugg’s Post

🌍🚀 Researchers from Japan have unveiled the world’s first wooden satellite, LignoSat, aiming to address the growing problem of space debris and promote greener space exploration. 🌿🛰️ With numerous spacecraft launches on the horizon, the environmental impacts of space pollution are still unknown. LignoSat is designed to help mitigate this issue. At the end of its life, it will plunge into the atmosphere and incinerate completely, releasing only water vapor and carbon dioxide. Plus, wood's property of not blocking radio waves makes it ideal for enclosing antennas. LignoSat has been handed over to the JAXA: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and will be transferred to the International Space Station in September, with an orbital launch planned for November. #SpaceInnovation #Sustainability #SpaceDebris #GreenerSpaceExploration #JAXA #SpaceTech #EnvironmentalImpact https://lnkd.in/dbbXNgni

New Post: From Houston to the Moon: Johnson’s Thermal Vacuum Chamber Tests Lunar Solar Technology  - https://lnkd.in/eCm4TV9j designing technology that can survive on the Moon for up to a decade, providing a continuous energy supply. NASA selected three companies to develop such systems, aimed at providing a power source at the Moon’s South Pole for Artemis missions.  Three companies were awarded contracts in 2022 with plans to test their self-sustaining solar …

Lunar resource extraction is important for the future of space exploration, as materials from the Moon could help reduce costs for missions. SoftServe is developing the Lunar Robotic Excavator to mine the Moon’s surface. Using advanced simulations, L-REX tests ways to efficiently extract key resources, making future lunar and Mars missions more possible. 

New Post: From Houston to the Moon: Johnson’s Thermal Vacuum Chamber Tests Lunar Solar Technology  - https://lnkd.in/ez2jbXCV designing technology that can survive on the Moon for up to a decade, providing a continuous energy supply. NASA selected three companies to develop such systems, aimed at providing a power source at the Moon’s South Pole for Artemis missions.  Three companies were awarded contracts in 2022 with plans to test their self-sustaining solar …

New Post: From Houston to the Moon: Johnson’s Thermal Vacuum Chamber Tests Lunar Solar Technology  - https://lnkd.in/ez2jbXCV designing technology that can survive on the Moon for up to a decade, providing a continuous energy supply. NASA selected three companies to develop such systems, aimed at providing a power source at the Moon’s South Pole for Artemis missions.  Three companies were awarded contracts in 2022 with plans to test their self-sustaining solar …

China: Researchers move to assess viability of laser-delivered, wireless power transmission from lunar orbiters to supply spacecraft during long night on the moon's surface "LWPT uses laser beams to transmit power wirelessly from orbiting satellites to surface receivers, converting light into electricity. The researchers recommend the development of key technologies, followed by on-orbit testing." "As well as providing power during lunar nighttimes, LWPT could also support spacecraft operations in permanently shadowed craters, thought to hold water-ice, which can be used to make propellant or water or oxygen for astronauts." https://lnkd.in/g2_cTQsP #china #spacetechnology #chinatech #moonmission #spacetech

#China to #beam #power from #orbital #lasers down to the #Moon surface #China started exploring the possibilities of using #orbital #lasers to #beam #power down to the #Moon surface. < https://lnkd.in/g2_cTQsP > This isn't new at all as an experimental concept. it has been explored already by European Space Agency - ESA, and by NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the early 1990's < https://lnkd.in/dzJQJkAs > and again in the early 2000's. < https://lnkd.in/dSD_8n5B > Then in 2023, #NASA published its research on "Power Beaming From Lunar Orbit to Small Lunar Science Assets. " < https://lnkd.in/dCAeUxZP > And in early 2024, #NASA and JAXA: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency reported their successful joint-experiment to bounce laser beams between the #Moon surface and lunar orbit. < https://lnkd.in/daG_HBq8 > #NASA’s #LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) twice transmitted a laser pulse to a cookie-sized retroreflector aboard #JAXA’s #SLIM lander on the #Moon and received a return signal. As LRO passed 44 miles above SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) during two successive orbits on May 24, 2024, it pinged the lander with its laser altimeter instrument as it had done eight times before. On these two attempts, the signal bounced back to LRO’s detector, even though SLIM wasn't in an ideal position since it had tipped over. It will be interesting to see how #China tackles this challenge, one of the much needed solutions to power the #Moon surface, especially during the 2-weeks long lunar night.

JSC tests lunar solar technology in thermal vacuum chamber, Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 21, 2024 Designing technology to endure the Moon's harsh environment for up to a decade is a critical task for NASA's Artemis missions. To meet this challenge, three companies have been selected to develop self-sustaining solar array systems that will supply continuous energy at the lunar South Pole. In 2022, NASA awarded contracts to these companies to create and test their designs at Johnson Spac, : Los Angeles CA (SPX)

THE ULTIMATE REUSABLE HEAT SHIELD FOR MARS: MATECH’s 5000F C/ZrOC TPS offers the ultimate in reusability. While LEO returns don't require 5000F capabilities, this ability guarantees 3000F performance for hundreds of safe missions. Reusability is the key to mission affordability. For more ambitious missions, Lunar return and Mars return, MATECH C/ZrOC is absolutely imperative! According to a very recent press release [1] and article in CompositesWorld [2] by Grace Nehls, Sierra Space has selected a layer of C/SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) on top of light-weight and highly insulative silica-based tiles, modelled after Space Shuttle tiles. For the lower heat flux of LEO return, this may be a viable heat shield solution. As Damond Benningfield wrote for the Smithsonian Magazine, for LEO return, “the tiles exposed to reentry temperatures of up to 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit [3].” Benningfield also stated “Tiles are too brittle to attach to the orbiter directly.” This underscores two inherent challenges to the very light-weight and highly porous silica-based Space Shuttle heat shield tiles. They are not high temperature capable enough for Lunar or Mars return, and they are also fragile and weak. For more aggressive mission requirements, such as Mars return, envisioned by SpaceX, what worked for the Space Shuttle simply won’t work. Consider the fact that the reentry velocities for LEO return are much lower than Lunar and Mars return [4, 5]. “The atmospheric entry interface velocity upon return from the Moon is approximately 11.1 km/s (36,500 ft/s; 40,100 km/h; 24,900 mph) whereas the more common spacecraft return velocity from low Earth orbit (LEO) is approximately 7.8 km/s (25,649 ft/s; 28,000 km/h; 17,000 mph) [5, 6].” Mars return velocity is much higher at 12.5 km/sec (41,104 ft/s; 44,800 km/h; 27,200 mph). To date, no reusable non-ablative heat shield has ever been demonstrated for either Lunar or Mars return. Yet, this is EXACTLY what Elon Musk is seeking. In his tweet of November 19, 2024, Elon Musk wrote “The biggest technology challenge remaining for Starship is a fully & immediately reusable heat shield. Being able to land the ship, refill propellant & launch right away with no refurbishment or laborious inspection. That is the acid test [7].” He’s absolutely right. MATECH has the solution for Starship. In the figure below, under identical conditions and a surface temperature of nearly 5000F, C/SiC CMC is compared to MATECH C/ZrOC CMC. The difference in ablation is dramatic [8]. Under very extreme heat flux conditions at AFRL’s LHMEL facility, the ablation rate of fully dense C/SiC is 100 times higher than MATECH C/ZrOC. This is exactly what Starship needs. MATECH’s C/ZrOC can be artfully combined with existing materials to produce a composite structure that is extremely high temperature capable, reusable, mechanically tough, light weight, and highly insulative, thereby meeting all of Starship’s Lunar and Mars return requirements.

SPACE, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: REFUELING IN SPACE (....SOURCE?) #propellants #cryogen #spacemining #deepspace #readines #novelformoffuel #spacecraftlifeextension #newkindoffuel #fossilfueldilemma #climatecrisis #science #chemistry #physics #biology #materialscience #observation #analysis #nasa #spacex #esa #jpl #asa #foundations #advancements #research A fundamental question arises: Are we adequately prepared to provide a novel form of fuel, extracted and refined specifically for the propulsion of spacefaring aids such as spacecraft, including planet-hopping vehicles? This constraint might seem trivial because fossil fuels and other sources of energy systems that could be found, processed, and used are vital to power the entities internal to Earth. It would be ideal to research and find new sources external to Earth to power apparatus (i.e., spacecraft). However, finding new sources to meet the need, i.e. propellant-cryogen, is crucial. "Space Resources and Mining: Current Objectives, Plans, and Missions" [Sanders, 2018] On Earth, the demand for fuel to facilitate human mobility and transportation, particularly through aiding mechanisms such as automobiles, continues to rise steadily. However, experts express concerns over the finite nature of fossil fuels, underscoring the imperative of exploring alternative energy systems to meet these escalating demands. One proposed solution involves the establishment of space refueling stations in Earth's orbit or beyond. This development holds significant intrigue on multiple fronts. The identification, extraction, and utilisation of space resources serve as a crucial link between the motivations and methods of space exploration, highlighted in both NASA's Journey to Mars and the Global Exploration Roadmap, aiming to enable affordable and sustainable human exploration beyond Earth's orbit while fostering new commercial ventures and enhancing terrestrial economies and quality of life [Sanders, 2018]. Are we ready to supply a new type of fuel for spacecraft to be used in space travel, considering the growing demand and finite (state) nature of fossil fuels? Reference: - Sanders, G. (2018). Space Resources and Mining: Current Objectives, Plans, and Missions. [online] Available at: https://lnkd.in/grXCT4My [Accessed 28 April 2020]. - Kleinhenz, Julie, Sanders, Gerald (Jerry), (2023). Space Mining is Coming: Implications for Space Exploration and Terrestrial Mining. [online] Available at: https://lnkd.in/gabTkAEC [Accessed 28 April 2020]. - Clark, S., (2020). NASA selects proposals to demonstrate in-space refueling and propellant depot tech – Spaceflight Now. [online] Available at: https://lnkd.in/g_4hKN56 [Accessed 28 April 2020]. - Mersmann, Katy, (2018). NASA to Launch New Refueling Mission, Helping Spacecraft Live Longer and Journey Farther - NASA. [online] Available at: https://lnkd.in/gvp9Hw9f [Accessed 28 April 2024].