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The Lunar Workshops Newsletter Fall 20144th International LunarCubes Workshop a
Huge Success
The 4th International LunarCubes Workshop, held in Sunnyvale, California on October 7-10th, 2014, brought together some of the foremost scientists, engineers, and business people working on developing game-changing CubeSats to explore the Cislunar environment. The various sessions at the four-day event drew people from across the country, all inspired to make their mark in the New Space era.
More than just relaying information about efforts to blaze a trail into the Lunar frontier, the event served to provide a collaborative opportunity for New Space pioneers to network and come together in an effort to to develop Lunar exploration concepts and technologies. The Workshop was an enormous success, forging new professional relationships and reinforcing old ones.The event saw representatives from no fewer than four NASA centers; these included Goddard Space Flight Center, SETI, Kennedy Space Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Also attending were experts from organizations within the aerospace industry and academia. Some of the more notable of these attendees included representatives from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Astrobotic, The George Washington University, Moog, Inc., and Made In Space.
Some 32 sessions encompassed the workshop, which detailed topics ranging from thermal and imaging technologies – to “Mini-Moon” orbiting Lagrange orbiting observatories. These presentations can be accessed here.
Friday’s presentations included a special nod to New Space Entrepreneurs with an emphasis on the necessity and importance of collaborating for success. Sean Casey, from the Silicon Valley Space Center was instrumental in assisting Flexure Engineering in making crucial contacts with New Space entrepreneurs in the Silicon Valley and we thank him for his support of our conference.
Our next LunarCubes workshop will be in October 2015. Contact [email protected] for further information
Photo Credit: Bonnie Dubrow
Keynotes WOW 4th International LunarCubes Workshop
The 4th International Workshop on LunarCubes, held in Sunnyvale, California, featured a distinguished group of keynote speakers whose varied expertise in space exploration shed light on information and ideas across several distinct facets of the field.
“Affordable Commercial Lunar Delivery Service" was the topic addressed by Dan Hendrickson of Astrobotic, a logistics company that delivers packages into space for companies, governments, and universities. Their goal is to deliver affordable space robotic products, services, and missions in the commercial space market in order to herald a new era of space exploration, science, space tourism, resource utilization and mining. Hendrickson discussed the progress of Astrobotic, as they are also in the running for the Google Lunar X Prize.
Mike Grace of Deep Space Industries, a commercial space operation, mining, and manufacturing firm, presented the talk "Smaller, Faster, Cheaper." DSI is committed to finding and exploring asteroids so that their resources, like water, iron, gold and platinum, may be gained and utilized. DSI’s intention is "producing water, propellant, and building materials to serve markets in space."
On Wednesday evening, Russell Cox, CEO of Flexure Engineering and the Select Investor discussed the Lunar Initiatives, a series of seven strategies created to promote both Lunar and deep space exploration. The Initiatives include hosting Lunar workshops, encouraging artwork, building LunarCubes, and generally working to accelerate human progress toward space while spearheading the Lunar Renaissance.
Shahin Farshchi of venture capital firm Lux Capital, primarily invests in emerging technologies in the physical and life sciences. Shahin’s keynote presentation was aptly titled "New Capital for New Space." As the space exploration industry changes and advances, the funds needed to move forward will change, as will the methods needed to raise them. Lux Capital works to "[help] entrepreneurs turn breakthroughs into world-changing companies.“
“Creating New World" was presented by Jason Dunn of Made in Space, a company that focuses on both on- and off-world 3-D printing. The company recently launched their Made in Space printer, which is the first 3-D printer in space. Dunn discussed the future of space exploration as it pertains to 3-D printing, and how it can be used to build parts, tools, and even whole structures in space, on demand and where needed.
Please see a related article on Jason Dunn’s presentation entitled “Destructive Technology Drives Space Exploration” elsewhere in this newsletter.
Alex Cureton-Griffiths of Space Gambit offered his unique contribution with his Friday presentation called "Hacking Humanity to the Stars: Makers and the Radical Democratization of Space." Space Gambit provides and encourages grassroots support of space-related research and development, and Cureton-Griffiths discussed how the do-it-yourself "maker“ ethic can make things happen in this arena.
Each of these six knowledgeable speakers contributed to the greater discussion of where humanity is going next, how to take us there sooner, and how to do it better. The deepest thanks goes to our keynotes for sharing their insights with us at LunarCubes. Now we are tasked with lining up more great speakers for our upcoming April workshop: The 5th International Workshop on Lunar Surface Applications in Cocoa Beach, Florida
Image Credit: NASA
www.lunarworkshops.com
Disruptive Technology Drives Space Exploration
A disruptive technology is one that displaces an established technology, thus shaking up the industry. This term can also refer to a ground-breaking product that creates a completely new industry. Recent disruptive technologies that are very familiar to most people include smartphones, computers, laptops, email, and cloud technology.
Disruptive technologies can and should play a huge part in the exploration and settlement of space, according to Jason Dunn, of Made in Space.
Addressing the invention of his 3-D gravity independent printer, which is currently on the International Space Station, Jason noted that his 3-D printer will change the way we do things in space, as many products can now be easily created in space. As recently as 2010, 3- D printers were a fledgling industry; Makerbot was a wooden box. Made in Space spent considerable time and effort convincing NASA that 3-D manufacturing in space could happen soon by adapting commercial printers to operate in zero gravity. Today, the Made In Space ground station can email a digital file to the ISS printer and have it delivered the same day or the next day in space. This is a direct portal to the space station, which now can not only produce things in space, but can also scan and send back files.CubeSats also show great promise in terms of disrupting space exploration. Not so long ago, CubeSats were a class project to learn systems engineering. Students would spend a year designing and building a CubeSat that would never fly. In 2008 for example, the student-run Earth Rise Space Foundation became the first (and only) student-run team to register for the Google Lunar X PRIZE.
They were not even thinking of using 1-3 U CubeSats…more like 10 U CubeSats at that point. Times have changed in a few short years…it is entirely possible, according to Jason, that a CubeSat based project could win the Google X Prize.
In 2012, the first CubeSats were launched off the ISS. After that feat, NanoRacks had orders for 120 more CubeSats within 6 months. This launch created a huge paradigm shift; imagine the disruption when a CubeSat can be manufactured AND launched in space! The point is that CubeSat technology can replace a lot of existing technology due to their small size, affordability, and low level of risk.
New horizons for CubeSats include Lunar prospecting. Every crater should be investigated for resources such as platinum, water, and sunlight so that future explorers would know where these available resources are located. CubeSats can also be successfully used to build a Lunar GPS network. This network could tell us where to land on the Moon and be used to navigate a successful landing.
Jason suggests that the building of a Lunar GPS network and crater assessment inventory can be done relatively soon, probably within the next eight years. These CubeSat projects are vitally necessary before man can have a sustained, permanent settlement on the Moon with a supply chain that can be used as a transporter to Mars.
Other projects must also be undertaken to successfully explore space. The challenge is to remember that technology is our tool but we must also think boldly and do big things…disrupting as necessary to make space settlement a reality.
Photo Credit: NASA
Central Florida CubeSat Community Update The Central Florida Small Satellite Community (CFLSSC) continues to grow and gain momentum. New members come from businesses, educational institutions and business development organizations in Central Florida who believe that small satellites offer big opportunities in space exploration.
Members of CFLSSC are working together to submit a proposal for NASA’s 2014 CubeSat Launch Initiative. We are currently considering 5 ideas. Authors come from the commercial sector (Space Coast Intelligent Solutions – goscis.com), NASA KSC, University of Central Florida and a member of the Florida Space Development Council. Other members of the Community have agreed to contribute expertise and instruments and a professor at Florida Tech has offered the use of their test facilities. We’ve decided to focus our efforts and resources on one proposal so are currently narrowing our choices. Some possibilities are too complex for us to develop sufficiently before the November 26 submittal deadline and will be revisited for future opportunities.
In early October, members of the SPLITS (Small PayLoad Integrated Testing Services) team at NASA KSC made a trip to Melbourne to visit with three new members. CVG Strategy (cvgstrategy.com) arranged for us to tour two commercial environmental testing labs, Elements Material Technology (elements.com) and Advanced Compliance Solutions (acstestlab.com). These labs are equipped to test materials, instruments and other components for flight qualification and so offer commercial options to what’s available at NASA KSC.
Another new member is Starfighters (starfighters.net). The Starfighters team has a fleet of F-104s inside the fence at KSC. These planes have an envelope that can fly as high as 100,000 feet with speeds up to Mach 2.2. In addition they can also provide a flight pattern that offer 90 seconds of zero gravity flight. The plane has been used by NASA to train Astronauts for a long time and can be used to provide Space Flight Participant Training.
One of their goals is to launch CubeSats into Low-Earth Orbit.
If you need to test anything in preparation for qualifying for space flight, do consider contacting our newest CFLSSC members.
If you are interested in participating in our interactive, results-oriented collaborative community contact [email protected] or visit cflssc.us where you can sign up for our newsletter.
Bonnie Dubrow, CFLSSC spokesperson at LunarCubes
How Many Engineers Does It Take……?
…..to form a SIGs group??? Not even one, but engineers are welcome anyway! And scientists, business people and other individuals interested in exploring these important concepts in space exploration and development. Members of each group meet regularly online.
ILGY SIG (International Lunar Geophysical Year)
The 60th anniversary of the IGY (International Geophysical Year) will occur in 2017-2018 and has been dubbed the International Lunar Geophysical Year as a nod to the increased worldwide focus in space exploration.
Help us celebrate the International Lunar Geophysical Year in a big way as we build a global Lunar community around three international conferences to help promote coordinated activities on Earth and in space for the 60th anniversary of the IGY. Make connections in the international Lunar science and engineering communities in a monthly Go To Meeting.Contact: David Dunlop: [email protected]
Lunar Network SIG
Collaborate on the use of network architectures and technologies to explore and develop Cislunar space, including terrestrial, planetary surfaces, orbital, and interplanetary technologies. Our vision is an international, multi-platform, adaptable system-of-systems integrating assets from multiple stake-holders, increasing capability over time, and enabling the synthesis of mission capabilities from services provided by the network. What’s your vision? Join us online at our Weekly Hangout! Contact Abraham Vasant: [email protected]
SPACE SIG (Small Payload & Advanced Concepts for Exploration)
Scientists with ideas for high priority science investigations and engineers who are developing subsystems for next generation CubeSats join forces in our SPACE SIG with the goal to develop deep space CubeSat mission concepts.
Collaborative partnerships promote and respond to opportunities to develop and fly these missions. We identify and solve technical or political obstacles to develop an infrastructure in support of the exploration and exploitation of Cislunar space and beyond to truly open access to deep space as the new frontier. Monthly Meetings – 2nd Tues 4 p.m. ET on Go To Meeting. Contact Pamela Clark: [email protected] The 5th International Workshop on Lunar Surface Applications (LSA 5) will be held in Cocoa Beach, Florida from April 14 to 17th. and is poised to raise awareness about efforts of the four leading contenders under the US lead Lunar Lander program. This US effort may fly as many as 10 Lunar surface missions within the next decade.
LSA 5 workshop attendees will learn more about the latest technology, and the recent science and business plansthat will fuel the Lunar Renaissance and open the Lunar Frontier, as private companies push ahead to develop technology and demonstrate ever expanding capabilities with rapid development and private funding. LSA 5 will also have presentations about the cutting edge engineering and science of Lunar Polar ISRU, with an in depth look at NASA's Resource Prospector Mission to demonstrate Lunar ISRU technologies.
Those interested in entering abstracting should submit them by Feb. 16, 2014.
Interested in more information for LSA 5? Here you go.
