Written by Håvard Grip, Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Chief Pilot at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

On the 91^st Martian day, or sol, of NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission, the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter performed its sixth flight. The flight was designed to expand the flight envelope and demonstrate aerial-imaging capabilities by taking stereo images of a region of interest to the west. Ingenuity was commanded to climb to an altitude of 33 feet (10 meters) before translating 492 feet (150 meters) to the southwest at a ground speed of 9 mph (4 meters per second). At that point, it was to translate 49 feet (15 meters) to the south while taking images toward the west, then fly another 164 feet (50 meters) northeast and land.

VOSTOCHNY COSMODROME, Russia (Arianespace PR) — Due to the replacement of one item of electrical equipment on the Soyuz launcher at the Vostochny Space Center, the Flight ST32 – initially scheduled for May 27 – is being postponed by 24h. The Soyuz launch vehicle and OneWeb satellites are in a stable and safe condition. The new targeted launch date for satellite is May 28, 2021: > 01:38 p.m., in Washington, […]

TOKYO, May 27, 2021 (ispace PR) – The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has signed a contract with Japan’s ispace, inc. (ispace), under which the latter will provide lunar payload delivery, operations, and data acquisition services.

SEOUL, South Korea (NASA PR) — The Republic of Korea has become the 10th country to sign the Artemis Accords, which establish a practical set of principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations participating in NASA’s 21st century lunar exploration plans. Minister of Science and ICT Lim Hyesook signed the Artemis Accords for the country during a ceremony held May 24 in Seoul. South Korea, whose official name is the Republic of Korea, joins Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, and the United States, and is the first nation to sign the Accords under the Biden Administration.

WASHINGTON (House Science Committee PR) – Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report, “NASA Lunar Programs: Significant Work Remains, Underscoring Challenges to Achieving Moon Landing in 2024”. The report was the result of an Appropriations request for GAO work on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) lunar programs. NASA has initiated eight programs as part of its goal of returning humans to the surface of the Moon […]

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., May 25, 2021 (CASIS PR) – SpaceX plans to launch its 22^nd Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission to the International Space Station (ISS) no earlier than June 3 at 1:29 p.m. EDT. This launch, contracted through NASA, will resupply the orbiting laboratory with critical research and supplies for the Expedition 65 crew that is presently in orbit. On this mission, the ISS U.S. National Laboratory is sponsoring more than a dozen payloads from diverse disciplines—all aiming to bring value to our nation and drive a robust and sustainable market in low Earth orbit.

CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE BASE, Fla. (SpaceX PR) — On Wednesday, May 26 at 2:59 p.m. EDT, SpaceX launched 60 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This was the second launch and landing of this Falcon 9 first stage booster, which previously launched the Sentinel-6A mission.

Canadian Space Agency Backgrounder

As many countries prepare for humanity’s return to the Moon, there is great potential for Canadian entrepreneurs and scientists to advance lunar science and technology, and be part of the highly competitive global supply chain to the Moon.

Today’s announcement highlights the Government of Canada’s latest support for Canada’s space industries and new opportunities to prepare Canadian entrepreneurs and scientists to take part in lunar exploration.

Demonstrating Canadian technology on or around the Moon

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is funding Canadian companies – through the Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP) – to launch and demonstrate technology payloads on or around the Moon.

Government of Canada’s Space Strategy supports the future of space exploration, space science and technology and jobs.

LONGUEUIL, Que., May 26, 2021 – As we plan for humanity’s return to the Moon, there is great potential for Canadian entrepreneurs and scientists to advance lunar science and technology. Canadians will play an important role in the highly competitive and innovative global supply chain of the expanding new space economy.

That is why, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry today announced investments of $3 million in technology initiatives for lunar exploration through the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).

DENVER (Lockheed Martin/General Motors PR) – Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] and General Motors Co. [NYSE: GM] are teaming up to develop the next generation of lunar vehicles to transport astronauts on the surface of the Moon, fundamentally evolving and expanding humanity’s deep-space exploration footprint.

BREMEN, Germany, May 25, 2021 (OHB Systems PR) — OHB System AG, a subsidiary of the space and technology group OHB SE, and Thales Alenia Space, the main contractor for the program, have taken another step towards realizing the ESPRIT module (European System Providing Refueling, Infrastructure and Telecommunications ) for the Lunar Orbital Platform Gateway. As part of a subcontract, OHB will be responsible for the pressureless structure and the thermal system of the ESPRIT module until it is ready for flight. As an international premiere, OHB will also develop a system for refueling the electric drive system of the Lunar Gateway with xenon. The subcontract is worth EUR 58 million.

• Contract placed with Innovative Solutions in Space (ISISPACE) to build and support Kleos’ Polar Patrol Mission with an additional cluster of four satellites (KSF2), scheduled to launch at the end of 2021 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9.
• ISISPACE to provide a turn-key solution from satellite design and build through to launch and early orbit phase support.
• ISISPACE contract includes optional addendum for a further three clusters of four satellites.
• Polar Vigilance Mission cluster (KSF1), expected to be delivered to the launch site week commencing 31st May.

LUXEMBOURG (Kleos Space PR) — Kleos Space S.A (ASX:KSS, Frankfurt:KS1), a space-powered Radio Frequency Reconnaissance data-as-a-service (DaaS) company, has signed a contract with Innovative Solutions in Space B.V. (ISISPACE) to build and support its third satellite cluster of four satellites, the Polar Patrol Mission (KSF2), scheduled to launch at the end of 2021 onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9.