Sun, Nov 20, 2022
Of Landings and Landers
ispace has announced the imminent launch of its Mission 1 (M1) lunar lander—part of the HAKUTO-R lunar exploration program.
The mission will depart Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on or about 28 November 2022.
M1 is a technology demonstration by which ispace seeks to validate its lander’s design, as well as the company’s business model—which consists primarily of providing reliable lunar transportation and data services.
Data and experience gleaned during the M1 mission will be applied to the design and operation of equipment germane to M2, which is presently in its developmental stage and slated for a 2024 launch. M2, in turn, will shape 2025’s Mission 3 (M3)—which will contribute a mature lander design and operational protocols to NASA’s Artemis Program under the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.
M1’s primary landing site is the moon’s Atlas Crater, located at 47.5°N, 44.4°E, on the southeastern outer edge of Mare Frigoris (“Sea of Cold”). Site selection criteria included solar-illumination duration, communication visibility from the Earth, and the surrounding area’s compatibility with the M1 mission’s technical and scientific objectives.
The primary site is backed by multiple contingency sites to which the lander may divert in the event of malfunction or the manifestation of unforeseen variables during transit. Alternative landing sites include Lacus Somniorum, Sinus Iridium, and Oceanus Procellarum. Lunar touchdown is currently expected to occur in the latter part of April 2023.
ispace founder and CEO Takeshi Hakamada states: “Our first mission will lay the groundwork for unleashing the moon’s potential and transforming it into a robust and vibrant economic system. We look forward to contributing to NASA’s Artemis program as a commercial lunar transportation service and pioneering the development of future industries and connecting the Earth to the Moon and beyond.”
More News
Very High Frequency The frequency band between 30 and 300 MHz. Portions of this band, 108 to 118 MHz, are used for certain NAVAIDs; 118 to 136 MHz are used for civil air/ground voi>[...]
Aero Linx: Aviation Suppliers Association Established February 25, 1993, the Aviation Suppliers Association (ASA), based in Washington, D.C., is a not-for-profit association, repre>[...]
Have A Story That NEEDS To Be Featured On Aero-News? Here’s How To Submit A Story To Our Team Some of the greatest new stories ANN has ever covered have been submitted by our>[...]
From 2021 (YouTube Version): Colorado Campus Offers aVariety Of Aerospace Entertainment And Education Wings over the Rockies Exploration of Flight is the second location for the Wi>[...]
Also: Paramotor Champ's, Electric Ultralight, ICON BK Update, Burt Rutan at Oshkosh! The Popular Rotorcraft Association is reaching out for help in rebuilding their private runway >[...]