BLUE MOON 19 August 2024 (Luxembourg)

 

Liquid water on Mars

 

There are scientific indications that there is likely to be water in the Martian crust,

though unfortunately at a depth of 10 to 20 km below the surface of the planet.

Link to: BBC article by Victoria Gill

Taking car-sized nuclear reactors to the moon

 

Both "The Artemis Base Camp" and its rival,

"The International Lunar Research Station",

will quite possibly rely on miniature nuclear reactors

to supply themselves with an adequate power source.

Sue Nelson has produced a very thorough outline article

on this specific subject for the BBC.

Link to: "The nuclear reactors that could power bases on the moon."

Japanese touchdown on the Moon

 

JAXA's smart lander with its lunar surface robot SORA-Q

has successfully landed on the Moon.

Link to: "japantimes.co.jp"

25th January 2024 update: "Nose landing!"

Link to: bbc.com/news/science

ESA prospecting for a European private space freighter service

 

   Following NASA's successful co-operation with American commercial operators

ESA are now adopting a similar approach to space freighter services

by further encouraging related European private ventures.

Link to: BBC - Europe to develop commercial space capsule

Chandrayaan-3: a job well done !

India's lander Vikram and its rover Pragyan

have successfully reached the ground in the southern polar region of the moon.

Link to: NYtimes "What to know about India's next chapter in space" 

(https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/08/23/science/india-moon-landing-chandrayaan-3)

Off to the giant moons, by Jove!

 Could Ganymede, Callisto or Europa

one day, in the distant future,

become our so-called "Planet B" ?

A one-way trip there takes about 8 years,

but in the very long run it might perhaps be worth it.

Link to: Natural History Museum