Vol 45, Week 28

NASA & COMMERCIAL PARTNERS

• Fire on the Moon combustion experiment, recently detailed by astronaut Butch Wilmore, is expected to be among the payloads aboard Astrobotic’s Griffin-1 mission launching in late 2026.
• NASA’s CAPSTONE spacecraft concluded a successful extended mission testing lunar technologies, serving as a cost-effective testbed for autonomous navigation and deep-space communications.
• Blue Origin states it is developing seven Blue Moon lunar landers while reconstructing launch pad, and seeking to raise US$10 billion at a $130 billion pre-money valuation.
• Ars Technica reports on Artemis III progress: mobile launcher 90% of damage fixed, boosters being prepped for stacking, ‘spacer’ to arrive by December.

GLOBAL REPORTS

• China successfully launched Long March 10b and tested sea-based booster recovery system.
• Canadian astronaut, and first non-American to visit the Moon, Jeremy Hansen announces his retirement from CSA-ASC.
• ISRO preparing for next Launch Vehicle Mark-3 flight, conducts successful flight acceptance test of CE-20 cryogenic engine; also tested main parachute system for the Gaganyaan crew module.
• ispace contracted SpaceX to deliver up to 500 kg to the lunar surface NET 2020 for US$50M; will begin offering rideshare services to customers.

BEYOND EARTH

• JAXA’s Hayabusa 2 performed flyby of asteroid Torifune on July 5 and transmitted detailed images. 
• Juno mission, having gone through threatens of defunding, just surpassed its 10th year in Jupiter’s orbit (July 4).
• Milky Way Galaxy may be larger, more massive than previously believed.