United Space Structures

NEW CAVES DISCOVERED ON THE MOON Proud to share that my student interns Daniel Sikes and Jesus Luna are reporting today, at the 56th Lunar & Planetary Science Conference #LPSC2025 in Houston (The Woodlands), TX, the discovery of new pits / caves on the Moon inside two high southern latitude impact craters on the lunar nearside, Rutherfurd (https://t.ly/ajE1-) and Zucchius (https://t.ly/7acoR), respectively. Daniel is a senior in Physical Geography at The University of Kansas and recent intern in the Mars Institute Global Research Internship Program (MI-GRIP) who just got accepted into the PhD program at Rice University in the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences. Jesus is a second-year student in Air Maintenance Technology / Mechanical Engineering at Mt. San Antonio College and recent intern in the National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) internship program at the SETI Institute. Congrats to both of them! Mars Institute, SETI Institute, Kepler Space University, NASA Ames Research Center, NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Space Society

"NASA and the Italian Space Agency made history on March 3 when the Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE) became the first technology demonstration to acquire and track Earth-based navigation signals on the moon's surface. The LuGRE payload's success in lunar orbit and on the surface indicates that signals from the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) can be received and tracked at the moon. These results mean NASA's Artemis missions, or other exploration missions, could benefit from these signals to accurately and autonomously determine their position, velocity, and time. This represents a steppingstone to advanced?navigation?systems and services for the moon and Mars." #gps #moon #lunar

https://lnkd.in/e-bebtK5

Are Superconducting Magnets the Future of Space Propulsion? Source: IEEE Spectrum https://search.app/AyNd

"Blue Ghost?aced its touchdown try early this morning (March 2), becoming just the second private spacecraft ever to soft-land on?the moon. The lander hauled 10 science experiments to the lunar surface for NASA, which was understandably happy with today's result.?The first photos from the probe?showed Earth shining overhead. "We're on the moon!" Nicky Fox, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said during the landing webcast. "I'm sorry — I'm just so excited right now."" # #lunarlanding

#thehighfrontier

#lunarrobots

"NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) has launched a challenge that could change the course of everything we know as space exploration and, in the process, fill the pockets of some lucky people with a generous sum of 3 million dollars!! What are they looking for? They are looking for scientists, engineers and the general public, that’s all they need! The challenge? A lunar mission they have called ‘Luna Recycle’, in which they are looking for ideas to develop a more efficient system for waste management on the lunar surface?seeks to develop an efficient system for waste management on the lunar surface. It is not just a logistical problem, but a need to ensure that future missions to the Moon are not compromised by the remains of these missions. Do you want to know more? We will tell you below!" #lunarrecycling

DARPA Advances In-Orbit Space Construction with NOM4D Program A Major Leap Toward Autonomous Space Manufacturing The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has officially entered the testing phase of its NOM4D (Novel Orbital and Moon Manufacturing, Materials, and Mass-efficient Design) program, marking a significant step toward building large-scale structures in space. This transition from lab-based experiments to small-scale orbital demonstrations signals a breakthrough in autonomous space construction. The NOM4D initiative, launched in 2022, is designed to overcome one of the biggest limitations in space infrastructure development—the size and weight constraints of rocket cargo fairings. Instead of launching pre-assembled or pre-folded structures, the program aims to: ? Stow lightweight raw materials aboard rockets. ? Assemble structures in space using autonomous robotic systems. ? Construct larger, more efficient orbital platforms, beyond what current launch systems allow. A New Era of Space Expansion The NOM4D program is part of a broader shift in space technology, paving the way for: ? Frequent orbital launches and lunar missions by 2030. ? On-orbit refueling capabilities to extend spacecraft missions. ? Autonomous robots assembling space stations and other critical infrastructure. This could radically reduce the cost and complexity of sending large structures into orbit, enabling more ambitious space missions, larger satellites, and permanent deep-space habitats. Why This Matters With private industry and government agencies accelerating space development, in-orbit construction could revolutionize: ? Military and defense applications, allowing for rapid deployment of space assets. ? Commercial space stations, supporting research, manufacturing, and tourism. ? Lunar and Mars colonization, where raw materials could be extracted and assembled into habitable structures. The Future of Space Infrastructure By transitioning to real-world testing, DARPA is bringing us closer to a future where spacecraft, satellites, and even space habitats are built and expanded directly in orbit. The NOM4D program represents a critical step toward making large-scale space manufacturing a reality—one that could reshape how humanity builds in space for decades to come.