Future News and Views - Going for the Moon with Artemis 1 and Stowaway Science with Cubesats and 'Moonikins', Black Hole Speaks eerily, Voyager celebrates its 45th year in space.

Listen Now to Future News and Views 8.23.2022

It’s getting close now, the launching of NASA’s biggest effort in years, the Artemis 1 mission, which, after a hiatus of 50 years, will take us humans back to the moon. Like the James Webb Space Telescope, it’s way over budget and timelessly late, it nevertheless will finally launch in a few days from Cape Canaveral, if all goes well.  Much of the main mission will be discussed on mainstream media, but what caught our attention, are the secondary payloads of Artemis, the ten or so tiny Cubesat satellites that will be launched into space along the way to the moon, each with its own mission. The NEA Scout, for example, will unfurl its solar sail and head out in search of Near Earth Asteroids, and the Japanese Cubesat, OMOTENASHI, will attempt to land on the moon with the help on onboard thrusters and a giant airbag! The Italian Cubesat, ArgoMoon, will hover near the mothership and document the launch of it’s fellow Cubesats, before heading out into deep space to study the earth and the effects of deep radiation on it’s hardened technology. There is something for everyone on this mission, enjoy!