SpaceIL lunar lander mission - 2019 |
SpaceIL lunar lander mission - 2019 |
Sep 13 2018, 06:21 AM
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Solar System Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 10164 Joined: 5-April 05 From: Canada Member No.: 227 |
I'm setting this up in preparation for the launch of SpaceIL's lunar mission, probably early next year. They have arranged a rideshare with Spaceflight Industries on a Falcon 9 launch early in 2019. Earlier they were saying launch in December, land on the Moon in February, so now I assume the landing might be delayed until March. This mission was originally going to be part of the Google Lunar X Prize, but that of course is now gone. It might be rekindled with a different sponsor (though I doubt it).
SpaceIL is the first of the GLXP teams to actually make it to a launch. For what it's worth, I expect Astrobotic to fly as well, and I think Team Indus and PTScientists may also get off the ground. I'm hearing things about Moon Express which cause me to doubt its chances. More on landing sites shortly. Phil -------------------- ... because the Solar System ain't gonna map itself.
Also to be found posting similar content on https://mastodon.social/@PhilStooke Maps for download (free PD: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm...Cartography.pdf NOTE: everything created by me which I post on UMSF is considered to be in the public domain (NOT CC, public domain) |
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Apr 15 2019, 03:44 AM
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Solar System Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 10164 Joined: 5-April 05 From: Canada Member No.: 227 |
"https://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/bd34il/hi_my_name_is_ben_nathaniel_i_work_on_the_team_of/"
Reddit has this 'ask me anything' with a spaceIL team member. Among other things it confirms that the Hypatia image was taken 4 hours before the landing attempt (2 orbits earlier). I suspect that the Lacus Mortis image was taken on that orbit or the next. I don't think it can be from the descent, so I don't think a path can be mapped from the image location to the landing site. The time of image release is not indicative of when it was taken. The Reddit does say that there is another image not yet released, possibly from the actual descent. It also appears that there is some magnetometer data taken and probably on the ground. Phil -------------------- ... because the Solar System ain't gonna map itself.
Also to be found posting similar content on https://mastodon.social/@PhilStooke Maps for download (free PD: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm...Cartography.pdf NOTE: everything created by me which I post on UMSF is considered to be in the public domain (NOT CC, public domain) |
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Apr 15 2019, 06:50 AM
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#3
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Member Group: Members Posts: 123 Joined: 3-September 12 From: Almeria, SE Spain Member No.: 6632 |
Just two questions:
Was the (final) orbit perfectly polar, meaning inclination 90°? Or somewhat less? And: Was the spacecraft flying south->north or north->south when at the near side? I haven't read anything about this until now... Thorsten |
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Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 22nd May 2024 - 03:43 AM |
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