It sounds like science fiction, but building an enormous tower several kilometers high on the lunar surface may be the best way to harness solar energy for long-term lunar exploration. Such towers would raise solar panels above obstructing geological features on the lunar surface, and expand the surface area available for power generation. Source: https://phys.org/news/2021-03-power-lunar-base-tower-concrete.html…
Category: Space Exploration
One giant step: Moon race hots up
As Russia and China sign a deal for a shared lunar space station, we look at the new race to the Moon with Nokia even working with NASA to give it a 4G network. Source: https://phys.org/news/2021-03-giant-moon-hots.html…
France conducts first military drills in space
France has begun its first military exercises in space to test its ability to defend its satellites, in a sign of the growing competition between world powers in Earth’s orbit. Source: https://phys.org/news/2021-03-france-military-drills-space.html…
Engineers propose solar-powered lunar ark as ‘modern global insurance policy’
University of Arizona researcher Jekan Thanga is taking scientific inspiration from an unlikely source: the biblical tale of Noah’s Ark. Rather than two of every animal, however, his solar-powered ark on the moon would store cryogenically frozen seed, spore, sperm and egg samples from 6.7 million Earth species. Source: https://phys.org/news/2021-03-solar-powered-lunar-ark-modern-global.html…
New study highlights first infection of human cells during spaceflight
Astronauts face many challenges to their health, due to the exceptional conditions of spaceflight. Among these are a variety of infectious microbes that can attack their suppressed immune systems. Source: https://phys.org/news/2021-03-highlights-infection-human-cells-spaceflight.html…
Planetary pact: China and Russia to launch lunar space station
Russia and China unveiled plans Tuesday for a joint lunar space station, as Moscow seeks to recapture the glory of its space pioneering days of Soviet times, and Beijing gears up its own extraterrestrial ambitions. Source: https://phys.org/news/2021-03-russia-china-joint-lunar-space.html…
Russia and China plan joint lunar space station
Russia and China agreed Tuesday to build a lunar space station, as Moscow seeks to modernise its extraterrestrial might and catch up with the United States in the space race. Source: https://phys.org/news/2021-03-russia-china-joint-lunar-space.html…
An astronaut’s guide to out-of-Earth manufacturing
mprovising new stuff from the stuff you have is part of an astronaut’s job description—think Apollo 13’s crew refitting CO2 filters to save their own lives, or stranded Mark Watney in The Martian, feeding himself on the Red Planet. Now plans are underway to manufacture items in orbit, and ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst argues this could make a big difference to…
NASA’s new Mars rover hits dusty red road, 1st trip 21 feet
NASA’s newest Mars rover hit the dusty red road this week, putting 21 feet on the odometer in its first test drive. Source: https://phys.org/news/2021-03-nasa-mars-rover-dusty-red.html…
Engineering marvel: Sixth mirror cast for Giant Magellan Telescope
The Giant Magellan Telescope announces fabrication of the sixth of seven of the world’s largest monolithic mirrors. These mirrors will allow astronomers to see farther into the universe with more detail than any other optical telescope before. The sixth 8.4-meter (27.5 feet) mirror—about two stories high when standing on edge—is being fabricated at the University of Arizona’s Richard F. Caris Mirror…