Why should 2023 be known as the "Year of the Lunar Landers"?

 Let's be honest: who wants to follow a year like 2022 into the cosmos?

Content Witer : Zaid Qureshi Official

The new Space Age began with the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, a new super-sensitive observatory in the sky, and the first voyage of Artemis, NASA's moon-to-Mars campaign that will return astronauts to deep space.

However, the year 2023, dubbed "The Year of the Lunar Landers," promises to keep launch pads scorching hot. Several missions are laying the groundwork for NASA's Artemis mission and a future lunar economy. This is largely due to the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services Program, which was established in 2018 to solicit private sector participation in delivering cargo to the moon.

Here's a look at some of the upcoming space missions that will (hopefully) take off this year.

A word of advice: Think about these no-earlier-than dates. We'll quote Jim Free, NASA's associate administrator for exploration systems development, when it comes to rocket launches, which are frequently delayed for a variety of reasons: "Plan a week trip to Florida for vacation, and you might see a launch."

Mars lander to study moon dust and other topics: March 2023

Because our Moon mission necessitates more than just a lander, we've developed an entire lunar access programme, from mission control and spacecraft communication to payload integration and a lunar data network.; we're laying the groundwork for Intuitive Machines & other companies to get to the Moon. pic.twitter.com/tAJX9ydIr3

— Intuitive Machines (@Int_Machines) December 8, 2022

Intuitive Machines was chosen by NASA as a commercial partner to send a lander to Schroter's Valley, a region on the moon's nearside. During the IM-1 mission, the Nova-C lander will investigate how rocket exhaust and space weather affect the lunar surface. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the mission from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The spacecraft, a six-sided cylinder on six legs, will transport five NASA instruments as well as unrelated commercial cargo and will demonstrate advanced landing technology. Fun fact: The lander will stay warm in frigid space by wearing a coat, just like many people. Rather than reinventing the wheel, Intuitive Machines collaborated with Columbia Sportswear to use some of the insulation material from their clothing on the spacecraft.

Lander is preparing for a future ice-mining mission in January and March of 2023. 

Peregrine is on the move! Last photo of the spacecraft before it left. 

https://t.co/1JxfOsgifw pic.twitter.com/fNpqw2xtDH

— Astrobotic (@astrobotic) November 16, 2022

NASA contracted Astrobotic, another commercial partner, to deliver instruments and experiments to the lunar surface. The Peregrine-1 mission is set to launch in the first quarter of 2023 on a United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Peregrine is a forerunner to the lander Astrobotic will use to send NASA's VIPER rover to the moon to drill for ice. It will carry prototypes of instruments that NASA wants to test before the crucial, crewless water-hunting mission, which is scheduled for 2024. The boxy four-legged Peregrine will land on the "Lake of Death" region, a lava plain on the moon's nearside's northeastern limb.

SpaceX's Starship will make its first orbital spaceflight in 2023. 

SpaceX's Starship, which stands 400 feet tall and is made entirely of reusable stainless steel, could have roughly twice the launch power of NASA's mega moon rocket.

NASA intends to use the Starship, a super-heavy-class rocket and spaceship, to transport astronauts from its future lunar-orbiting base to the moon's surface. This is in addition to Elon Musk's vision of one day establishing a settlement on Mars using a fleet of Starships.

When will Musk unveil this monstrous machine for its first orbital spaceflight? In typical SpaceX fashion, the company is keeping the rest of us in the dark. Musk stated during a public event last February that it would happen before the end of 2022.

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Japan will launch its own spacecraft to the moon in April 2023.

【SLIM🛰️Smart Lander for Investigating Moon】
Aiming to demonstrate “landing where it is desire to land”, the project is now being studied and developed by the member of ISAS with researchers from universities and other organizations🌙
More info➡️https://t.co/3wwOaWOrvB#SLIM pic.twitter.com/1AXDUkM3jX

— JAXA Space Exploration Center (@jsec_jaxa_en) May 22, 2020

Not all of these crewless moon missions will launch from the Space Coast of Florida. The Japanese space agency, JAXA, will send its own lunar lander to demonstrate advanced precision landing with a small explorer.

The SLIM mission, which stands for Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, is a rideshare flight that carries a variety of payloads. It is expected to launch from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center.

 

India will have a second chance at the moon in June 2023.

Following the Chandrayaan-2 mission, in which the spacecraft crashed while attempting to land in 2019, India's space agency will attempt to send a lander and rover to the highlands of the moon's south pole once more.

The Indian Space Research Organization plans to use a similar rover to the one used in the previous failed mission during the next Chandrayaan-3 mission, scheduled for mid-2023, but with improvements to help it stick the landing. The mission will take off from a launch pad on Sriharikota, a barrier island in southeastern India, on an LVM 3 heavy-lift rocket.

 

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NASA moon rover delivery mission: June 2023

Later this year, contractor Intuitive Machines will be in charge of sending a NASA rover near the moon's south pole. This mission, known as IM-2 or Prime-1, is designed to land and test a drill and mass spectrometer, which detects the types of particles in a substance.

Another spacecraft, NASA's Lunar Trailblazer, will also join this flight, as is currently planned. The tiny satellite will orbit the moon in order to map the locations of lunar water. The mission will launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket no later than June.

FAQ

Qno.1- What are 5 facts about space?

1. The universe is thought to be 13.8 billion years old.
2. The universe contains billions of galaxies, each containing millions or billions of stars.
3. Deep space has a temperature of nearly absolute zero, which is about -273 degrees Celsius or -460 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. The German V-2 rocket, launched during World War II, was the first human-made object to reach space.
5. The International Space Station is a collaborative project between NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Russian Federal Space Agency. It has been occupied continuously by astronauts since 2000.

Qno.2- What do NASA stand for?

Ans: NASA is an acronym that stands for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It is a United States government agency in charge of the country's civilian space programme, as well as aeronautics and space research. NASA was founded in 1958 and has been at the forefront of space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research ever since. NASA's most notable accomplishments include the Apollo moon landing missions, the Hubble Space Telescope launch, and the development of the International Space Station.

Qnp.3- How long is 1 hour in space?

Ans: Time in space is measured in seconds, minutes, and hours, just like it is on Earth. A day in space lasts the same amount of time as a day on Earth, which is 24 hours. So one hour in space equals one hour on Earth. The only difference is that people in space may have a different perception of time due to the microgravity environment and other factors such as isolation, confinement, and high levels of stress. These factors can have an impact on an astronaut's sleep patterns and circadian rhythms, giving the impression that time is passing more slowly or quickly. This, however, is a subjective experience that has no bearing on the objective measurement of time.

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