Mastodawn

Phil Stooke Feb 7, 2025

Luna 9 was followed by the orbiters Luna 10, Luna 11 and Luna 12. Luna 10 was the first spacecraft to orbit any body beyond Earth. Luna 11 was intended to take pictures of the surface (again on a film camera) but it failed (its orientation could not be controlled). The descriptions of the missions at NSSDCA fill in the details:

Luna 10:
https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1966-027A

Luna 11:
https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1966-078A

They returned data on radiation, lunar gravity and composition. Tomorrow: Luna 12. #moon #Luna10

Minoru Saba Apr 23, 2024

"Northrop Grumman has been selected by DARPA to further develop the concept of building a moon-based railroad network as part of the broader 10-year Lunar Architecture (LunA-10) Capability Study"
https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-to-develop-concept-for-lunar-railroad
#LunarRailroad #LunA10 #DARPA

Northrop Grumman to Develop Concept for Lunar Railroad

REDONDO BEACH, Calif. – March 19, 2024 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been selected by DARPA to further develop the concept of building a moon-based railroad network as part of the broader 10-year Lunar Architecture (LunA-10) Capability...

Northrop Grumman Newsroom

Hari Tulsidas Aug 31, 2023

DARPA, the US military's research agency, is studying the feasibility of building a lunar base with 10 technologies, such as robotics, 3D printing, and nuclear power. The project, called LUNA-10, aims to create a sustainable and secure infrastructure on the moon that could support scientific and commercial activities. The project could also affect national security and space exploration as the moon becomes a strategic and contested domain. #LUNA10 #moon #DARPA https://www.space.com/darpa-study-luna-10-moon-tech-infrastructure?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=HariTulsidas%2Fmagazine%2FMind+and+Matter