Space News thread

[harrybarracuda]

Related to bits falling off. In this case the japanese Moon lander. JAXA finally released their analysis of the failure. At an altitude of 50m the lander lost the nozzle of one of their 2 main engines.

I did highlight that in post #3941. And you can even see it in the picture.

Has it survived being cooked?

[harrybarracuda]

Iran on Saturday dismissed European countries’ condemnation of its launch of the Sorayya satellite, saying peaceful technological advancement in the aerospace field was the country’s legitimate right."

That would be almost believable if they weren't a war-mongering, sabre-rattling bunch of shit stirrers.

[Edmond]

a war-mongering, sabre-rattling bunch of shit stirrers.

America, right?

[harrybarracuda]

America, right?

Isn't one hoohoo enough?

[Takeovers]

The japanese lander SLIM survided. It began receiving sunlight and started science opoerations. It now can probably work until the sun goes down. Will it wake up next lunar day? Again, probably not, but who knows.

[harrybarracuda]

I love how they keep gloriously glossing over the fact that it's upside down.

The successful re-establishment of contact with SLIM is a testament to JAXA's innovative vision-based "pinpoint" landing technology, which is expected to play a crucial role in future lunar explorations,

However, their releases are somewhat strange:

SLIM was not designed to withstand the peak heat of the lunar day, which reaches as high as 200 C.

but

The spacecraft was not designed to withstand the extreme conditions of a lunar night

They really did this on the cheap, eh?

[Edmond]

It now can probably work until the sun goes down. Will it wake up next lunar day?

Pray for The Land of The Rising Sun.

[Simon43]

...
I love how they keep gloriously glossing over the fact that it's upside down.

Pah! Details, details........

What I would like to know is what 'dick' design team decided that only one face of the moon-lander (the top) would have solar panels. It's 'normal' practice for space-probes/satellites (at least it was when I was designing them), that do not have external (unfolded) solar panels - to place the solar panels on as many sides of the object as is possible, so as to minimise the risk of the panels being obscured by the satellite/space-probe being .... er ... upsidedown!

[Takeovers]

JAXA has a history of probes failing at some point yet they manage to improvise and still get a lot of science out of them. Sure, not failing to begin with would be much better.

Surviving the lunar night is hard, very hard without a nuclear battery. It mostly requires an RTG, that provides not only power but also a lot of heat. Especially with a small lander like this. Less hard with a big lander.

BTW, NASA Ingenuity helicopter failing at over 60 flights is not a failure, it is a smashing success. They had 5 or 6 flights planned but they would have been happy to have a proof of context if they got 2 flights.

[harrybarracuda]

JAXA has a history of probes failing at some point yet they manage to improvise and still get a lot of science out of them. Sure, not failing to begin with would be much better.

Surviving the lunar night is hard, very hard without a nuclear battery. It mostly requires an RTG, that provides not only power but also a lot of heat. Especially with a small lander like this. Less hard with a big lander.

BTW, NASA Ingenuity helicopter failing at over 60 flights is not a failure, it is a smashing success. They had 5 or 6 flights planned but they would have been happy to have a proof of context if they got 2 flights.

I don't think anyone would call Ingenuity a failure.

For at start it's always landed the right way up.

[Simon43]

...

BTW, NASA Ingenuity helicopter failing at over 60 flights is not a failure, it is a smashing success. They had 5 or 6 flights planned but they would have been happy to have a proof of context if they got 2 flights.

Did you read what NASA had to say about why Ingenuity had a hard landing which damaged the rotor blade?

"It's sort of been invincible until this moment, when we flew into this completely bland terrain where you just have nothing to really hold on to," said Håvard Grip, Ingenuity Mars Helicopter pilot emeritus, also of JPL"

So basically because the terrain was flat and boring, the Ingenuity guidance system threw its toys out of the pram and killed itself by crashing....

Duh! Ingenuity has been a highly-successful project. But again I would ask what 'dick' designed a guidance system that can't handle flat terrain?

When I was designing satellite antenna AZ/EL control systems for Envisat (yawn...), I wrote the controlling software to take into account every crazy and unbelievable scenario, such as the control computer ordering the antenna to spin from 0 deg AZ to 180 deg AZ in 1 second. A totally-impossible scenario of course. Unfortunately, another design team on a different project didn't allow for fcukwit software commands like that and the satellite failed in a miserable fashion some months later when the command computer told the antenna motor "Hey! can you please spin 180 degrees in 1 second?" and said antenna was destroyed!

[Takeovers]

Did you read what NASA had to say about why Ingenuity had a hard landing which damaged the rotor blade?

You understand that Ingenuity was a small experimental system with very limited scope and very limited capability? Not a flagship mission with almost unlimited resources and capability?

[Salsa dancer]

[harrybarracuda]

You understand that Ingenuity was a small experimental system with very limited scope and very limited capability? Not a flagship mission with almost unlimited resources and capability?

Ingenuity has to go down as one of those legendary successes like Voyager I and II, which were expected to last five years.

[Simon43]

You understand that Ingenuity was a small experimental system with very limited scope and very limited capability? Not a flagship mission with almost unlimited resources and capability?

Yes, writing a subroutine into the controlling software that gracefully handles a "I see no rocks" scenario shouldn't cost either a lot of money or time in the design lab. Still, easy to criticise after the event, but I'd trust a German (think Dornier) design team to cover off all possibilities, rather than a US team

[DrWilly]

Yes, writing a subroutine into the controlling software that gracefully handles a "I see no rocks" scenario shouldn't cost either a lot of money or time in the design lab.

It’s really not as simple as that. But feel free to keep telling us how smart you are!

[Simon43]

It’s really not as simple as that. But feel free to keep telling us how smart you are!

Having worked in the space sector for many years, AND writing software to control various aspects of payload control systems, I beg to differ.

But keep demonstrating to us all how much of a tool you are.....

[DrWilly]

[DrWilly]

feel free to keep telling us how smart you are!

Having worked in the space sector for many years, AND writing software to control various aspects of payload control systems,.....

called it.

[harrybarracuda]

Having worked in the space sector for many years, AND writing software to control various aspects of payload control systems, I beg to differ.

But keep demonstrating to us all how much of a tool you are.....

You and your pesky facts.

[misskit]

Japan launches debris removal spacecraft to tackle space junk

Japan has successfully launched a spacecraft designed to inspect and potentially remove man-made space debris from around the Earth, said a statement from Astroscale Japan on Monday.


The Active Debris Removal has been launched by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J). As per an AFP news agency report, it will rendezvous with and examine a Japanese H2A rocket remnant that has been in space for 15 years. The H2A rocket body, about the size of a bus, was launched by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in 2009. Its precise location and orbital position are not known.

Launched from New Zealand, the ADRAS-J spacecraft has already made contact and is ready to begin operations, said project manager Eijiro Atarashi in a statement.


Using observation data from Earth, the estimated location of the H2A rocket body will be determined, and ADRAS-J will approach it "from a safe distance" to gather images and assess its condition and movements.


Selected by JAXA for its debris removal programme, ADRAS-J, as per Astroscale is the first spacecraft of its kind, which aims to remove large debris of Japanese origin in collaboration with private companies.


Space debris


As per the European Space Agency (ESA) estimates, there are around one million pieces of debris larger than a centimetre in orbit. These pieces of debris, which are big enough to "disable a spacecraft" pose a big threat.

The build-up of space debris, including used satellites and rocket parts, has been a growing concern since the space age began. Proposed solutions include using lasers to push debris into new orbits and Astroscale's space "tow-truck," which employs a magnet to collect and move out-of-service satellites.


The ADRAS-J mission follows Japan's successful launch of its new flagship H3 rocket on Saturday, after years of delays and previous failed attempts. Additionally, Japan achieved a successful, albeit slightly off-kilter, unmanned probe landing on the Moon last month, making it the fifth country to accomplish a "soft" lunar landing.

Japan launches debris removal spacecraft to tackle space junk - Science News

[misskit]

Martians Wanted: NASA Opens Call for Simulated Yearlong Mars Mission


NASA is seeking applicants to participate in its next simulated one-year Mars surface mission to help inform the agency’s plans for human exploration of the Red Planet. The second of three planned ground-based missions called CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) is scheduled to kick off in spring 2025.

Each CHAPEA mission involves a four-person volunteer crew living and working inside a 1,700-square-foot, 3D-printed habitat based at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The habitat, called the Mars Dune Alpha, simulates the challenges of a mission on Mars, including resource limitations, equipment failures, communication delays, and other environmental stressors. Crew tasks include simulated spacewalks, robotic operations, habitat maintenance, exercise, and crop growth.

NASA is looking for healthy, motivated U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are non-smokers, 30-55 years old, and proficient in English for effective communication between crewmates and mission control. Applicants should have a strong desire for unique, rewarding adventures and interest in contributing to NASA’s work to prepare for the first human journey to Mars.

The deadline for applicants is Tuesday, April 2.

CHAPEA 2

Crew selection will follow additional standard NASA criteria for astronaut candidate applicants. A master’s degree in a STEM field such as engineering, mathematics, or biological, physical or computer science from an accredited institution with at least two years of professional STEM experience or a minimum of one thousand hours piloting an aircraft is required. Candidates who have completed two years of work toward a doctoral program in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, completed a medical degree, or a test pilot program will also be considered. With four years of professional experience, applicants who have completed military officer training or a bachelor of science degree in a STEM field may be considered.

Compensation for participating in the mission is available. More information will be provided during the candidate screening process.

As NASA works to establish a long-term presence for scientific discovery and exploration on the Moon through the Artemis campaign, CHAPEA missions provide important scientific data to validate systems and develop solutions for future missions to the Red Planet. With the first CHAPEA crew more than halfway through their yearlong mission, NASA is using research gained through the simulated missions to help inform crew health and performance support during Mars expeditions.

Under NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all.

For more about CHAPEA, visit:

CHAPEA - NASA

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/ma...-mars-mission/

[Takeovers]

The Intuitive Machines Lunar lander will attempt to land on the Moon on Feb. 22. I wish the company good luck.

The project is part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign. The companies involved in this program are free to do their own lander designs, NASA provides some funding. The lander carries payloads from a number of providers, the company designing and operating the lander does not itself provide payloads. Aim of the program is to have low cost landers that are available for landing payloads on the Moon. As failures by Japan (partly failure) and India and other recent attempts show, it is not easy, especially for small companies involved in CLPS.

Landers so far used hypergols as propellant. Thats liquids that are liquid at room temperature and ignite by themselves when mixed in the rocket engine. That's the most robust and simle design, already used in the ancient Voyager probes and so far in all lunar landers, including the LEM, that carried astronauts to the Moon. Robust and simple but not very efficient. Also they are quite poisonous which makes safe handling difficult. Intuitive Machines takes another approach, using cryogenic propellants liquid oxygen and liquid methane. Much more efficient but hard to handle, keeping them cold enough during the voyage to the Moon. The lander launched on Falcon 9. The launch infrastructure had to be modified to allow fueling the payload inside the fairing shortly before launch, already vertical at the pad. Also something that to my knowledge has never been done.

IM-1 | Intuitive Machines


A photo taken and sent back to Earth by the lander. My present desktop background.

NASA Artemis Science, First Intuitive Machines Flight Head to Moon - NASA

A suite of NASA science instruments and technology demonstrations is on the way to our nearest celestial neighbor for the benefit of humanity. Through this flight to the Moon, they will provide insights into the lunar surface environment and test technologies for future landers and Artemis astronauts.


At 1:05 a.m. EST on Thursday, Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At approximately 1:53 a.m., the lander deployed from the Falcon 9 second stage. Teams confirmed it made communications contact with the company’s mission operations center in Houston. The spacecraft is stable and receiving solar power.


These deliveries are part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign, which includes new solar system science to better understand planetary processes and evolution, search for evidence of water and other resources, and support long-term human exploration.


“NASA scientific instruments are on their way to the Moon – a giant leap for humanity as we prepare to return to the lunar surface for the first time in more than half a century,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “These daring Moon deliveries will not only conduct new science at the Moon, but they are supporting a growing commercial space economy while showing the strength of American technology and innovation. We have so much to learn through CLPS flights that will help us shape the future of human exploration for the Artemis Generation.”


While enroute to the Moon, NASA instruments will measure the quantity of cryogenic engine fuel as it is used, and during descent toward the lunar surface, they will collect data on plume-surface interactions and test precision landing technologies.


Once on the Moon, NASA instruments will focus on investigating space weather/lunar surface interactions and radio astronomy. The Nova-C lander also will carry retroreflectors contributing to a network of location markers on the Moon for communication and navigation for future autonomous navigation technologies.


NASA science aboard the lander includes:


Lunar Node 1 Navigation Demonstrator: A small, CubeSat-sized experiment that will demonstrate autonomous navigation that could be used by future landers, surface infrastructure, and astronauts, digitally confirming their positions on the Moon relative to other spacecraft, ground stations, or rovers on the move.


Laser Retroreflector Array: A collection of eight retroreflectors that enable precision laser ranging, which is a measurement of the distance between the orbiting or landing spacecraft to the reflector on the lander. The array is a passive optical instrument and will function as a permanent location marker on the Moon for decades to come.


Navigation Doppler Lidar for Precise Velocity and Range Sensing: A Lidar-based (Light Detection and Ranging) guidance system for descent and landing. This instrument operates on the same principles of radar but uses pulses from a laser emitted through three optical telescopes. It will measure speed, direction, and altitude with high precision during descent and touchdown.


Radio Frequency Mass Gauge: A technology demonstration that measures the amount of propellant in spacecraft tanks in a low-gravity space environment. Using sensor technology, the gauge will measure the amount of cryogenic propellant in Nova-C’s fuel and oxidizer tanks, providing data that could help predict fuel usage on future missions.
Radio-wave Observations at the Lunar Surface of the Photoelectron Sheath: The instrument will observe the Moon’s surface environment in radio frequencies, to determine how natural and human-generated activity near the surface interacts with and could interfere with science conducted there.


Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies: A suite of four tiny cameras to capture imagery showing how the Moon’s surface changes from interactions with the spacecraft’s engine plume during and after descent.
Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C-class lunar lander, named Odysseus, is scheduled to land on the Moon’s South Pole region near the lunar feature known as Malapert A on Thursday, Feb. 22. This relatively flat and safe region is within the otherwise heavily cratered southern highlands on the side of the Moon visible from Earth. Landing near Malapert A will also help mission planners understand how to communicate and send data back to Earth from a location where Earth is low on the lunar horizon.


The NASA science aboard will spend approximately seven days gathering valuable scientific data about Earth’s nearest neighbor, helping pave the way for the first woman and first person of color to explore the Moon under Artemis.

[aging one]

but I'd trust a German (think Dornier) design team to cover off all possibilities, rather than a US team

Jesus, give me a break. The Germans? What did they have to do with getting Ingenuity up there and thriving for many many more missions than was ever intended.

[malmomike77]

Well let's just say Operation Paperclip.