Tolga Ors’ Post

#NASA is gearing up for a commercial robotic flight to the #Moon under the agency’s #CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign. Intuitive Machines will launch its Nova-C lander on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission will carry six #NASA #payloads targeted for the South Polar region: 1) LN-1 (Lunar Node 1 Navigation Demonstrator) A small, CubeSat-sized flight hardware experiment that integrates navigation and communication functionality for #autonomous #navigation to support future #surface and #orbital #operations. Principal investigator: Dr. Evan Anzalone, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center 2) LRA (Laser Retroreflector Array) A collection of eight retroreflectors that enable #precision #laser #ranging, which is a measurement of the distance between an orbiting or landing spacecraft to the reflector on the lander. LRA is a passive optical instrument and will function as a permanent #location #marker on the Moon for decades to come. Principal investigator: Dr. Xiaoli Sun, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center 3) NDL (Navigation Doppler Lidar for Precise Velocity and Range Sensing) A Lidar-based (Light Detection and Ranging) descent and landing sensor. This instrument operates on the same principles of radar but uses pulses from a laser emitted through three optical telescopes. NDL will #measure #vehicle #velocity (speed and direction) and #altitude (distance to surface) with #high #precision during #descent to #touchdown. Principal investigator: Dr. Farzin Amzajerdian, NASA’s Langley Research Center 4) RFMG (Radio Frequency Mass Gauge) A rocket propellant gauge used to #measure the amount of #spacecraft #propellant in a low-gravity space environment. Using sensor technology, RFMG will measure the amount, or mass, of cryogenic propellants in Nova-C’s tanks, providing data that can help predict propellant usage on future missions. Principal investigator: Dr. Greg Zimmerli, NASA’s Glenn Research Center 5) ROLSES (Radio-wave Observations at the Lunar Surface of the Photoelectron Sheath) Four antennas and a low-frequency #radio #receiver #system designed to #study the dynamic #radio #energy #environment near the #lunar #surface and determine how natural and human-generated activity near the surface interacts with science investigations. It will also detect #radio #emissions from the #Sun, #Jupiter, and #Earth, as well as dust impacting the surface of the Moon. Principal investigator: Dr. Nat Gopalswamy, NASA Goddard 6) SCALPSS (Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies) A suite of four cameras to capture stereo and still images of the #dust #plume created by the lander’s #engine as it begins its #descent to the #lunar #surface until after the engine shuts off. Principal investigator: Michelle Munk, NASA Langley

🛰️ Delays in NISAR launch due to antenna modifications! Modifications to the large deployable antenna of the joint US-Indian radar spacecraft, #NISAR, will push its launch to the second half of the year. The addition of a reflective coating to protect the spacecraft’s reflector from high temperatures during flight necessitates shipping the antenna to a facility in California for the application process. 🚀 While initially projected for a spring launch, NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced a new launch date will be determined by the end of April. This setback reflects the complexity of space missions and the attention to detail required for success. NISAR, a collaboration between NASA and ISRO - Indian Space Research Organization, represents a significant partnership in Earth science, with advanced radar imaging capabilities to support various scientific needs. Despite the delay, the mission holds promise for groundbreaking research, including monitoring surface deformation and changes on Earth. 🌌 At SPHERICAL, we recognise the challenges of space exploration and applaud efforts like NISAR that push the boundaries of scientific discovery. As we continue to develop innovative solutions in the satellite industry, we remain committed to supporting missions that advance our understanding of the universe. ------------------------- #SpaceIndustry #Satellites #NewSpace #SpaceTechnology https://lnkd.in/eAABvVYe

✨ 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝗡𝗔𝗦𝗔’𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝟭! ✨ Imagine a piece of technology built over 50 years ago, now sitting 15 billion miles away from Earth – that’s NASA’s Voyager 1. Recently, this spacecraft, our farthest explorer in space, broke its silence after experiencing communication issues. And how was this 47-year-old hardware fixed? Wirelessly, from Earth! This isn't just a story about a fix; it's a testament to the power of human foresight, engineering, and ingenuity. Decades ago, NASA scientists designed Voyager 1 with built-in resilience, allowing for fault tolerance and rerouting capabilities that are still relevant today. This level of forward-thinking, to plan for potential malfunctions in the depths of space, is truly awe-inspiring. Here's to celebrating the brilliance of the engineers, scientists, and dreamers who made this mission possible. Voyager 1’s journey is a reminder that with ingenuity and vision, our potential has no bounds. 🌌🚀 https://lnkd.in/et_-cN8b #Innovation #NASA #SpaceExploration #Voyager1 #HumanIngenuity #STEM #ForwardThinking

[NASA Dips Into Futuristic AR Tech To Build Powerful Roman Space Telescope] Engineers at NASA are turning to augmented reality (AR) to build spacecraft more efficiently and with greater accuracy. The Roman Space Telescope team has already started applying the technology while working on the next-gen observatory — its next major eye on the sky after the James Webb Space Telescope's massive success. Roman is currently being assembled at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the agency said AR has already saved days' worth of work. Tasks that would typically require multiple engineers and technicians were also able to be completed with way less effort. With augmented reality headsets and advanced measuring techniques, the NASA team has been able to project digital models of the telescope’s components into the real world. This allows them to align parts with an accuracy down to thousandths of an inch and identify potential interference before any manual assembly takes place. "We've been able to place sensors, mounting interfaces, and other spacecraft hardware in 3D space faster and more accurately than previous techniques," said Ron Glenn, a NASA Goddard engineer, in a press release. This could be a game changer as constructing a spacecraft is no easy feat. These structures must be lightweight, yet capable of withstanding extreme conditions; they must contain numerous complex systems, yet have components that snap together seamlessly. Procuring this type of machine requires extensive theorizing, rigorous testing, and, often, quite a bit of money. It even introduces significant complexity during manufacturing — consider how a slight aberration on one of the Hubble Space Telescope's mirrors before it launched in 1990 led NASA to create an entire mission that required astronauts to fix it in Earth orbit. Furthermore, the virtual nature of augmented reality also means information is readily available to anyone linked into the AR. For instance, an engineer can quickly reference important information on the spot, from big-picture structural guidelines all the way down to torque specifications for individual bolts — all accessible via different hand gestures. There is also the added benefit that remote engineers can provide input virtually from wherever they are. But the benefits go beyond just time saving, with Glenn emphasizing that AR has allowed the team to achieve more than they initially expected. Source: https://lnkd.in/eCZiixYc #galaxyaerosgh #space #spaceexploration #SpaceNews

A simple concept for free space optical communication between an Earth base station and a deep space spacecraft. A little bit more difficult between two spacecrafts in space.

With pieces of qualified hardware already ready to launch, NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration has canceled the OSAM-1 Mission. The cancellation of any space mission is always disheartening, even when done for the right reasons. Questions immediately come to our minds, “What will happen to the hardware?” and more importantly, “What will happen to the people?” OSAM-1’s primary mission was demonstrating on-orbit servicing of spacecraft. Secondly, it was designed for an array of secondary payloads which would showcase the potential of construction and manufacturing in outer space. Thirdly, like all missions that give us new problems to solve, it had the goal of developing and preserving engineering talent. In a previous role, I was part of a team designing hardware slated for the OSAM-1 Mission. The time on the project helped shape my early career, and propelled my knowledge of space engineering forward. The hardware our team built is ready for launch, but now I do not know if it will ever see outer space. While the primary and secondary objectives of OSAM-1 will not be met, I know it accomplished the third. The hardware/firmware/software may not fly when missions are canceled; but, the knowledge gained by those who built them remains. That final goal of all space missions is the most important, and the most enduring. Personally, I know the OSAM-1 Mission gave me the opportunity to learn, to be mentored, and to face design failures head on. Missions can be canceled, budgets redistributed, but the skills learned cannot be taken back. Long after launch, and long after the final transmission from orbit, the legacy of all space missions are the lessons learned along the way. To all those affected by the OSAM-1 cancellation, I wish you a soft landing and a good start to your next endeavour. Our efforts have not been wasted, our work has not been lost. The next missions we all work on will be that much better for everything we’ve learned. One out of three objectives achieved. Keep up the good work everyone, on whatever we do next. #NASA #space #spaceindustry #spaceexploration #spacetechnology #lessonslearned #leadership #thoughtleadership #lessons #learning #future #technology https://lnkd.in/eSWBcfCJ

🌌 Breaking news from Deep Space! 🚀 In a remarkable leap forward for interplanetary communication, NASA's Psyche mission, along with its Deep Space Optical Communications (#DSOC) experiment, has achieved a groundbreaking milestone. DSOC, originally conceived as a technology demonstration aboard #MissionToPsyche, has exceeded all expectations. Starting with sending pre-loaded test data, including cat videos, it has now advanced to transmitting actual spacecraft telemetry. This is a big step forward toward the operational utilisation of laser communications for deep space missions. Congratulations to our NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory colleagues for this remarkable achievement! We are excited to witness this historic milestone and eagerly anticipates to participate in the DSOC demonstration in 2025. #ESA is participating in the DSOC demonstration to enhance European expertise both within and outside of the Agency. "Fibre optic technology on Earth has enabled incredible data transfer speeds for applications like the internet," says Clemens Heese, the Head of the Optical Technologies section at #ESOC. “However, data transfer with spacecraft at interplanetary distances is still limited to the use of radio waves.” This involvement will enable future European solar system missions to consider using deep space optical communication and will boost European industrial capacity in the vital future technology sector of single-photon quantum optical communication. Read the full article about ESA's participation to the DSOC experiment: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eSnEKJV8 https://lnkd.in/eB4vvvGE

NASA Goddard to Build Quake Detector for Artemis III Moon Landing NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, will build a moonquake detector for astronauts to deploy on the Moon in 2026 during the Artemis III mission, which will return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years. NASA selected the instrument, the Lunar Environment Monitoring Station (LEMS) as one of the first three potential payloads for Artemis III. LEMS is a compact, autonomous seismometer designed to carry out continuous, long-term monitoring of ground motion from moonquakes in the region around the lunar South Pole. The data LEMS gathers will help scientists study the Moon’s internal structure and could help refine our understanding of how the Moon formed. Learn More: https://lnkd.in/gaSTVpps Explore LEMS Instrument: https://lnkd.in/gjKiTBDR #SpaceEducation #SpaceExploration #LunarExploration #moonquakes

NASA has canceled a multibillion-dollar project to demonstrate satellite servicing technologies that had suffered extensive delays and cost overruns. In a brief statement March 1, NASA announced it was ending the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (OSAM) 1 mission. OSAM-1 was being developed to refuel the Landsat 7 spacecraft and then perform the in-orbit assembly of a Ka-band satellite antenna. NASA said it was canceling OSAM-1 “due to continued technical, cost, and schedule challenges, and a broader community evolution away from refueling unprepared spacecraft, which has led to a lack of a committed partner.” The agency said that, after formal congressional notifications of its decision, it would start the process for an orderly shutdown, which would include transferring hardware and “pursuing potential partnerships or alternative hardware uses.” NASA said it would also review how to mitigate the impact of the cancellation on the workforce at the Goddard Space Flight Center, which was leading OSAM-1. NASA spokesperson Jimi Russell said there are approximately 450 NASA employees and contractors working on OSAM-1, and that NASA “is committed to supporting project workforce per plan through fiscal year 2024.” OSAM-1 started about a decade ago as Restore-L, with the goal of launching as soon as 2020 to refuel Landsat 7. The mission was renamed OSAM-1 in 2020 with the addition of payloads to perform in-space assembly and manufacturing activities. https://lnkd.in/dy77zsz2

Our teams at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory continually amaze me by proving what’s possible when we #DareMightyThingsTogether. With so much happening on Lab, I wanted to shine a spotlight on a few exciting mission updates. First, we are beyond thrilled that after five long months, we're receiving engineering data from Voyager 1 again! Our teams have been diagnosing a thorny problem in the spacecraft—which launched nearly 47 years ago and is now beyond the edge of our solar system. This is a HUGE victory as they continue work to return Voyager 1 to normal operations and attempt to get science data back. More on the team's troubleshooting efforts here: https://lnkd.in/gtpy-V65 Another NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration mission, CloudSat, recently ended its operations after nearly two decades of collecting first-of-a-kind data on clouds, which has informed thousands of research papers and led to scientific discoveries about clouds’ effects on global warming. Thanks to the persistence and creativity of the CloudSat team, the spacecraft far exceeded its original 22-month mission timeline and all expectations. You can read more about the mission and team’s legacy here: https://lnkd.in/g5zXcPUv And, we have yet another historic milestone to report from the Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment riding aboard #MissionToPsyche. The tech demo transmitted a copy of Psyche’s engineering data from over 140 million miles away—setting a new distance record (1.5x the distance between the Earth and Sun!) and proving it’s capable of interfacing with the mission’s comms systems. More on the DSOC team’s latest achievement and its implications for future missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond: https://lnkd.in/gYTdgmFu  This is the kind of magic our teams make at JPL every single day!!