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At a joint press conference in Tokyo with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on May 27 2019, collaboration in the space sector, including moon exploration, between Japan and the United States was mentioned by U.S. President Donald Trump. According to his statement, Japan will join missions to send U.S. astronauts to space, the Moon, and Mars in the near future. Japan will also contribute to the international gateway program, led by NASA, to develop manned landers from lunar orbit.
As noted by the State Department fact sheet, “Japanese astronauts will strive to join American astronauts on the moon and destinations beyond.” Cooperation between the USA and Japan was also expected to be agreed upon.
NASA officially announced partnership with six U.S. companies aiming to develop 10 “tipping point” technologies with the potential to greatly benefit the commercial space economy and future NASA space initiatives, such as lunar lander and deep space rocket engine technologies.
The U.S. companies chosen by NASA for collaboration in the space exploration sector are: Blue Origin, L.L.C. (Kent, Washington), Space Systems/Loral, L.L.C. (SSL) (Palo Alto, California), United Launch Alliance, L.L.C. (ULA) (Centennial, Colorado), Frontier Aerospace Corporation (Simi Valley, California), Paragon Space Development Corporation (Tucson, Arizona), and Astrobotic Technology, Inc. (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania).
The strategic technology focus areas are to Enable Efficient and Safe Transportation Into and Through Space, Expand Utilization of Space, and Increase Access to Planetary Surfaces.
2020-2021 will see the USA return to the surface of the moon for the first time since the 1970s. Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines and Orbit Beyond companies were chosen by the U.S. space agency to deliver 23 payloads of equipment to the moon as part of the new Artemis program.
These companies have developed their own lunar landers for the upcoming crewed moon missions. The latter are expected to build the international Gateway station in lunar orbit and bring astronauts to the Moon by 2024. They will live and work on the Lunar Surface whilst creating moon surface infrastructure.
The successful launch of the 3.85-ton Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft marked the beginning of the Indian orbiter and lunar surface mission. The lunar orbiter will carry out an unprecedented soft landing of a lander and rover near the south pole of the Moon.
The aim of this mission is to collect scientific data on lunar mineralogy and geology, water, seismic activity, as well as thermal characteristics and composition. The success of this mission would place India in 4th position among the countries that have thus far achieved a lunar landing, the first three being the USA, former Soviet Union and China.
The Northrop Grumman Corporation was awarded a subcontract by Made in Space (MIS) to support NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). The latter is expected to demonstrate NASA-funded autonomous robotic manufacturing and assembly platform, Archinaut, on its flight mission. Initially awarded in 2016, the Archinaut technology development program has now entered its second phase.
Archinaut’s maiden flight and first mission will demonstrate the near-term opportunities and benefits for the small satellite industry. Satellite power systems manufactured in earth orbit will host high-energy payloads previously reserved for larger platforms. This solution will reduce the launch mass and cost and significantly lower the entry barrier for new space companies, bringing revolutionary changes to satellite design.