OrbitalHub

NASA dicit:

Fifty years ago, Apollo 10 launched from Cape Kennedy on May 18, 1969. The Apollo 10 mission encompassed all aspects of an actual crewed lunar landing, except the landing. It was the first flight of a complete, crewed Apollo spacecraft to operate around the Moon.

The crew members were Commander Thomas Stafford, Command Module Pilot John Young and Lunar Module Pilot Eugene Cernan. Objectives included a scheduled eight-hour lunar orbit of the separated lunar module, or LM, and descent to about nine miles off the moon’s surface before ascending for rendezvous and docking with the command and service module, or CSM, in about a 70-mile circular lunar orbit. Pertinent data to be gathered in this landing rehearsal dealt with the lunar potential, or gravitational effect, to refine the Earth-based crewed spaceflight network tracking techniques, and to check out LM programmed trajectories and radar, and lunar flight control systems. Twelve television transmissions to Earth were planned. All mission objectives were achieved.

Video Credit: NASA

NASA dicit:

NASA’s Orion, Space Launch System (SLS), and Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) programs are continuing work on one of the most complex and sophisticated space systems ever built. Across America and in Europe, teams are developing and building the spacecraft, rocket, and infrastructure necessary to send humans to deep space destinations including the surface of the Moon and beyond.

Some major recent milestones include: Orion – Crew Module Uprighting System Test at Atlantic Beach, North Carolina; European Service Module Solar Array Expanded; Fit Check in the Super Guppy Aircraft; Ascent Abort-2 Launch Abort System Stacking and Integration at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida; Launch Abort System Attitude Control Motor Test in Elkton, Maryland. SLS – Liquid Oxygen Tank and Forward Skirt join at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Liquid Hydrogen Tank Structural Test Article Unload from Pegasus Barge at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama; RS-25 Engine Testing at Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; Core Stage-1 Engine Section and Boat Tail Completed and Mated at Michoud. EGS – at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center: Core Stage Intertank Umbilical Swing Testing; Launch Pad 39B Upgrades; Crawler Engine Maintenance.

Video Credit: NASA Johnson

Wikipedia dicit:

The Blue Origin Blue Moon is a robotic space cargo carrier and lander for making cargo deliveries to the Moon. Designed and operated by Blue Origin for use on the Blue Moon mission aimed for 2024, Blue Moon derives from the vertical landing technology used in Blue Origin’s New Shepard sub-orbital rocket.

The lander is planned to be capable of delivering 4,500 kg (9,900 lb) to the surface of the Moon. The cargo vehicle could also be used to support NASA activities in cis-lunar space, or transport payloads of ice from Shackleton Crater to support space activities. The first projected mission for the craft would be a 2024 lunar south pole landing. It is proposed that a series of landings could be used to deliver the infrastructure for a Moon base.

Blue Origin began development work on the lander in 2016, publicly disclosed the project in 2017, and unveiled a mock up of the Blue Moon lander in May 2019.

Video Credit: Blue Origin

NASA dicit:

The unpiloted SpaceX Dragon cargo craft arrived at the International Space Station May 6, two days after launch atop a Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Expedition 59 Flight Engineers David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency and Nick Hague of NASA used the Canadian-built Canadarm2 robotic arm to capture Dragon before turning the operation over to robotic ground controllers who maneuvered Dragon for its installation to the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module where it was bolted into place for a month-long stay. Dragon is delivering almost three tons of supplies and scientific experiments to the orbital outpost.

Video Credit: NASA

Northrop Grumman dicit:

Northrop Grumman’s vision for the next step toward human space missions to Mars employs our flight-proven Cygnus advanced maneuvering spacecraft as a human habitat in cislunar space, the region between the Moon and Earth. In the early 2020s we would launch the initial habitat on NASA’s SLS rocket. Featuring a modular design, the habitat would serve both as a destination for crewed missions and as an unmanned testbed to prove-out the technologies needed for long-duration human space missions. The habitat is also envisioned as a base for lunar missions by international partners or commercial ventures. With additional habitation and propulsion modules, the habitat could be outfitted for a Mars pathfinder mission.

Video Credit: Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman has made significant progress in developing its new satellite life extension service. The innovative technology, a first in the industry, gives satellite operators the capability to extend the life of a healthy satellite. Northrop Grumman remains on track to introduce its in-orbit satellite servicing system with the Mission Extension Vehicle-1 (MEV-1).

Video Credit: NASA Goddard