Payload
• Elizabeth Howell
MDA Space plans to adapt technology developed for Canadarm3, the robotic arm intended for NASA’s Gateway lunar-orbit station, for operations on the Moon’s surface after NASA put Gateway plans on hold. The shift preserves a role for the technology in lunar exploration despite changes to the station program.
NASA
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MDA Space plans to adapt technology developed for Canadarm3, the robotic arm intended for NASA’s Gateway lunar-orbit station, for operations on the Moon’s surface after NASA put Gateway plans on hold. The shift preserves a role for the technology in lunar exploration despite changes to the station program.
Katalyst Space is recovering control of its spacecraft after encountering problems with the vehicle. The spacecraft was developed to boost the orbit of NASA’s Swift observatory, making the company’s recovery effort central to the planned servicing mission’s prospects.
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NASA’s latest Artemis updates span commercial robotic lunar landers, technology demonstrations for future surface habitats, and hardware development for the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft. The agency’s progress report provides a cross-program view of preparations for Artemis III and subsequent missions to the Moon.
NASA and the European Space Agency are defining the infrastructure needed to support a sustainable lunar base, while Northrop Grumman and the Canadian Space Agency are adapting work from NASA’s planned Gateway station for future lunar-base applications.
The private LINK spacecraft, launched last month on a mission to save a NASA space telescope, has itself encountered trouble. Engineering teams report progress as they work to recover the spacecraft, adding a second layer of operational risk to an already complex in-space rescue effort.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has completed initial tests of a lightweight radar antenna for the planned SkyFall mission, which would deploy three small helicopters on Mars. The ground-penetrating system is designed to search for subsurface frozen water while enabling airborne exploration of the Red Planet.
NASA has freed up enough power from Voyager 2’s dwindling supply to keep one of the 48-year-old probe’s remaining science instruments operating for another year. The successful, risky “Big Bang” maneuver may offer a path to prolong Voyager 1’s scientific mission as its power reserves decline.
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