The SpaceX interstellar spacecraft prototype SN8 test was carried out in Boca Chica, Texas.
Tencent Technology News December 28, Elon Musk's space exploration technology company SpaceX, Jeff Bezos (Jeff Bezos) Bezos)’s space company Blue Origin and Huntsville, Alabama-based startup Dynetics, are waiting for NASA to make a major decision in early 2021 to select from three companies A family came to build a manned lunar lander. The three space companies
were selected in April this year, and they have already submitted their proposals in early December. After doing this, they are now waiting for NASA to make a final decision in February. NASA has stated that it may choose one or two of these designs. This is related to the future of the US Lunar Exploration and Return to the Moon "Artemis" (Artemis) program. The goal of the agency is to send humans to the moon again by 2024, even though Congress has not yet met NASA's budget request.
Teal Group space analyst Marco Cáceres, based in Fairfax, Virginia, said that the contract for the lunar manned lander may be awarded, but it is unclear about the lander. Will it be completed in a short time. Cáceres said: “The Artemis project was proposed in another era in our history, so I don’t believe it will happen. From a technical point of view, Dynetics’ proposal has its advantages, but NASA tends to Choose familiar partners for this type of space mission."
Blue Origin's design drawing of the lunar lander, with a manned capsule on the top of the descending stage
. SpaceX has signed many high-profile contracts with NASA, including the astronauts The "Commercial Astronaut Program" contract to the International Space Station, and Blue Origin used the company's New Shepard rocket to ship NASA hardware. Cáceres pointed out that Blue Origin has partnered with traditional space companies Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin to help develop the lander. Z2z
Blue Origin plans to develop a three-stage lander, which will be launched using its own New Glen rocket and the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan rocket. However, neither of these two rockets has been launched yet, and they are currently under development. SpaceX is developing the interplanetary spacecraft, which is a fully integrated lander, which is currently under development, but its prototype has completed a 12-kilometer test flight on December 9. Z2z
Dynetics’ lander will provide ascent and descent capabilities, and is also planned to be launched using Vulcan rockets. Dynetics is a technology and engineering company and a subsidiary of engineering company Leidos. Robert Wright, Dynetics' project manager, stated that all three proposed landers can be restarted on the moon, but Dynetics' landers are designed to be easily reusable around the moon multiple times.
Dynetics' concept map of the lunar manned lander, which depicts the barrel-shaped space capsule near the surface of the moon. Z2z
Wright said that Dynetics is the only lander that provides a horizontal space capsule instead of a vertical landing, which can be faster and easier Earth enters the lunar surface . Both SpaceX and Blue Origin’s landers require astronauts to descend from the top along a long ladder. Wright said: "Compared with the concepts demonstrated by other competitors, we are in a unique position closer to the surface of the moon." Z2z
has a horizontal capsule, which means that astronauts will have more space to put on spacesuits. , And add a dust barrier to prevent sandy lunar dust from entering the cabin. But the company's chief scientist Steve Squyres said that raising the space capsule above the ground is an advantage for the Blue Origin lander Blue Moon.
He said: "When you land on unprepared ground without a landing pad, some bad things may happen, such as the rocket thrusters will lift up sharp rocks. Another thing that may happen is, The engine may be damaged. "Therefore, he said, the Blue Moon lander will put the space capsule and the ascent engine on top, "not easy to cause injury." Wright of
Dynetics said the company's lander is still protecting the engine through its special design, including the barrel The bottom of the shaped space capsule extends below the engine to protect the engine from ground damage. SpaceX declined a request for comment. A NASA spokesperson said that as the contract award announcement approaches, NASA will not comment. (Tencent Technology Review/ Golden Deer)
