NASA astronauts have been testing an elevator concept (replica of the elevator system on a much smaller scale) for the lunar lander that will bring people back to the surface of the moon, the portal pointed out this week Space.com.
The Starship HLS (Human Landing System) spacecraft will transport two astronauts to the surface of the Moon from the Orion crew module. The vessel will also serve as a dwelling for the crew during the planned one-week stay on the Moon and will then take them back to Orion.
Since the Starship module is 50 meters tall and the crew quarters are located near the top of the spacecraft, the HLS will need a basket elevator to transport the crew and supplies down to the surface, the website notes Universe Today.
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Astronauts Nicole Mann and Doug Wheelock tested a model of the landing system elevator before Christmas. The pair were dressed in spacesuits to test the limitations of moving and working on the moon. The tested elevator model consists of a functional basket and a control interface.
“The test allowed astronauts to interact with the elevator system design and served as a functional demonstration of the hardware while providing an opportunity to obtain valuable feedback from the crew,” NASA said in declaration.
Postpone to 2027?
NASA wants to return a man to the moon after more than 50 years as part of the Artemis program. At the end of last year, it successfully completed the Artemis I mission, when the unmanned Orion module flew around the moon and returned to Earth.
The next Artemis II mission will repeat these steps with a crew, and the Artemis III mission plans to send two astronauts to the surface of the Moon.
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The flight is tentatively scheduled for December 2025, but may be delayed until 2027. According to Space.com, this is due to problems with the development and construction of SpaceX’s HLS, whose Starship recently exploded on its second test flight, but also with the spacesuits being developed by Axiom Space .
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2023-12-29 12:06:19
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