How NASA is trying to regain American primacy in lunar exploration
Two American companies will launch unmanned spacecraft to the Earth's natural satellite with an interval of several decades. This will happen at the start of next year from different sites of the Space Center. Kennedy. Such events have not happened since NASA's Apollo program half a century ago. But unlike it, this is not a national-federal project, but the first private project called Artemis.
The lunar boom has begun
It is not yet known which operator will reach the surface of the planet first. According to preliminary data, the Pittsburgh corporation Astrobotic will launch its own Peregrine spacecraft on January 8 with a Vulcan launch vehicle from the United Launch Alliance joint venture (Boeing + Lockheed Martin), which is scheduled to land on the Moon on February 23. In turn, a module developed by Intuitive Machines will take off into the sky in February with a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle and arrive on the Moon a week after launch. The second launch was originally scheduled for January 12, but was postponed by SpaceX due to unfavorable climatic conditions expected during this period at Cape Canaveral in Florida. All this makes up the so-called commercial lunar activities program, which started 5 years ago.
The lunar boom began when recently a number of countries, one after another, sent research expeditions to the Moon. For example, the Japanese, who launched their robot module on September 7 of this year, expect it to land on January 19. This will make the Land of the Rising Sun the fifth member of the “moon club” 4 months after India. It is no secret that when conducting a largely risky experiment, emergency situations sometimes arise. Therefore, several accidents occurred. At the end of the year, the Japanese iSpace lost its landing module during the lunar landing, and the Russian Federation also failed to land the descent module.
For some time now, China has been exploring the cislunar space with enviable regularity. Suffice it to recall the satellites launched into lunar orbit in 2007 and 2010. In 2013, Chang'e safely reached the surface of the planet, after which China became the third lunar power after the USA and the USSR (Russia). However, the Celestial Empire did not stop there, distinguishing itself in 2019, when its space envoy, to the envy of everyone, softly landed on the far side of the Moon. Finally, in 2020, he delivered soil samples to Earth, which became another milestone in the history of lunar exploration.
NASA is losing its monopoly on space
The ambitious, comprehensive Artemis program ultimately envisions landing astronauts on the Moon around 2025 or later. Americans are cautious on this issue. After the successful flyby of the Moon in November 2022 by the unmanned multi-purpose spacecraft Orion, a similar mission with a crew on board is planned. Initially, the flight was planned for the end of next year, but due to additional tests, the timing will most likely be adjusted. The space agency will present the final updated schedule after the New Year.
As a dress rehearsal, NASA is planning to organize a series of automatic landings. The most interesting product in this sense is the first robotic rover specifically designed for lunar conditions, which will be sent on the Astrobotic module. A functional actuator, codenamed VIPER (similar to a compact forklift), will be equipped with a drilling unit to search for ground ice near the pole.
For our part, we will add that the future lies precisely in the robotic exploration of the Moon (the mentioned landing of astronauts is intended primarily to establish the image of arrogant Americans). And in fairness, we note: the pioneers in this direction are precisely the Soviet scientists who explored the Moon using Lunokhod-1 and Lunokhod-2 in 1970-1973. Retired head of NASA's scientific division for the implementation of modern projects, Thomas Zurbuchen, knows what he is talking about:
This is a unique means of enabling exploration of the lunar surface without human intervention and conducting experiments using methods that were hitherto unknown.
The principle of space commercialization, which has been intensively implemented recently by the leading space powers, according to Mr. Zurbuchen, “needs a more detailed justification”:
Space is a strategic area where I would allow business only as a last resort. There are too many secret nuances.
He who doesn't take risks never goes to the moon
Be that as it may, having two companies striving for the same goal creates a spirit of competition. Intuitive Machines CEO Stephen Altemus confirmed the readiness of his brainchild:
The device has been brought up to standard and is functioning normally. Testing carried out; Additionally, extensive dynamic testing has been completed to ensure it performs as advertised. And now we responsibly declare: we have figured out the problems by studying how the product behaves in a given situation.
Astrobotic CEO John Thornton recently publicly admitted that he believes the risk percentage is too high:
We took on a super difficult task. And because of the uncertainty, I will experience trepidation and horror at every stage of the experiment. Overnight we can lose the billions invested, but the main goal of the plan - the creation of sustainable commercial traffic between the Earth and the Moon - pushes us towards the feat. There is too much at stake, and the future of the industry depends on the success of the upcoming flight. If we fail, the program will be cancelled.
The fact is that this will be the debut of the Vulcan launch vehicle, and Peregrine costs $79,5 million.
Thus, the Americans admit: their return to the Moon is a difficult mission, but entrepreneurs must be involved in this matter. They summarized the experience of previous mistakes, including those of others. Let us remind you that Washington has not previously been involved in the implementation of lunar business projects from scratch and on a turnkey basis. And the emergence of private space companies of a wide profile in the United States is a serious challenge to China in the field of prospects for exploring the Universe.
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