As NASA aims to land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024, the agency is looking to the US universities for lunar-focused research to bring about advancements in onsite resource utilisation and sustainable power solutions.&nbsp;

The US space agency on Monday said that it has selected six project proposals under its first-ever Lunar Surface Technology Research (LuSTR) solicitation.&nbsp;

"Our inaugural LuSTR opportunity targeted two technology areas within NASA's Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative that are essential to the agency's Artemis programme, which will land the first woman and next man on the Moon," Walt Engelund, Deputy Associate Administrator for programmes in NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) said in a statement.&nbsp;

"The systems developed by the US universities could make future exploration more accessible, robust, and exciting."&nbsp;

Through LuSTR, NASA selected three university-led proposals to research innovative ways to identify resources, like water, on the Moon, and inventive designs for extraction and utilisation equipment.&nbsp;

The University of Texas in El Paso will research an advanced thermal mining approach that could release, trap, and transport water vapour found on the Moon, NASA said.&nbsp;

Washington University in St Louis will build a rover-mounted drill to quantify the 3D distribution of water at the Moon's South Pole.&nbsp;

Michigan Technological University in Houghton will adapt a heated percussive cone penetrometer, an engineering instrument regularly used on Earth, to characterise the strength of lunar soil, or regolith.&nbsp;

Understanding a lunar region's regolith strength could inform methods of excavating water and building structures using local materials.&nbsp;

Complementing this research, three other university teams will mature next-generation energy storage and power distribution technologies.&nbsp;

The projects could help power in-situ resource utilisation operations and other robust infrastructure on the Moon.&nbsp;

The University of California in Santa Barbara will research wireless power transfer feasibility from a base station to multiple distant assets on the Moon.&nbsp;

Vanderbilt University in Nashville will look into using silicon carbide power components for lunar surface applications.&nbsp;

The Ohio State University in Columbus will explore flexible energy distribution between multiple, different power grids, that may use solar, radioisotope, and battery sources, that could be deployed on the lunar surface to support the Artemis programme, NASA said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

As NASA aims to land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024, the agency is looking to the US universities for lunar-focused research to bring about advancements in onsite resource utilisation and sustainable power solutions.

As NASA aims to land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024, the agency is looking to the US universities for lunar-focused research to bring about advancements in onsite resource utilisation and sustainable power solutions. The US space agency on Monday said that it has selected six project proposals under its first-ever Lunar Surface Technology Research (LuSTR) solicitation. "Our inaugural LuSTR opportunity targeted two technology areas within NASA's Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative that are essential to the agency's Artemis programme, which will land the first woman and next man on the Moon," Walt Engelund, Deputy Associate Administrator for programmes in NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) said in a statement. "The systems developed by the US universities could make future exploration more accessible, robust, and exciting." Through LuSTR, NASA selected three university-led proposals to research innovative ways to identify resources, like water, on the Moon, and inventive designs for extraction and utilisation equipment. The University of Texas in El Paso will research an advanced thermal mining approach that could release, trap, and transport water vapour found on the Moon, NASA said. Washington University in St Louis will build a rover-mounted drill to quantify the 3D distribution of water at the Moon's South Pole. Michigan Technological University in Houghton will adapt a heated percussive cone penetrometer, an engineering instrument regularly used on Earth, to characterise the strength of lunar soil, or regolith. Understanding a lunar region's regolith strength could inform methods of excavating water and building structures using local materials. Complementing this research, three other university teams will mature next-generation energy storage and power distribution technologies. The projects could help power in-situ resource utilisation operations and other robust infrastructure on the Moon. The University of California in Santa Barbara will research wireless power transfer feasibility from a base station to multiple distant assets on the Moon. Vanderbilt University in Nashville will look into using silicon carbide power components for lunar surface applications. The Ohio State University in Columbus will explore flexible energy distribution between multiple, different power grids, that may use solar, radioisotope, and battery sources, that could be deployed on the lunar surface to support the Artemis programme, NASA said. (With inputs from agencies)

US varsities to develop lunar power tech for NASA 

Chinese President <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/opinion-china-is-giving-xi-jinping-unprecedented-power-34422">Xi Jinping</a> dropped in on surprised diners at a small Beijing restaurant and chatted with deliverymen on Friday on an apparently unscripted visit ahead of next week's Lunar New Year holiday.

Such relaxed interactions between senior politicians and the public are uncommon in a country where even leaders' birthdays or family backgrounds are often closely held secrets.

Leaders generally use the time around the festival to make carefully choreographed, well pre-arranged inspection trips around the country where they flag important policy initiatives or areas of concern for the year ahead.

Xi last year visited villagers in a poor southwestern part of China, to press home his campaign against poverty.

On Friday, state television showed Xi walking into the restaurant in a southern district of Beijing known for its traditional alleyways and courtyards, asking how much the food was and how long the owners had been in the city.

As diners stood up to take pictures, Xi told them not to stop eating on his account.

"I'm just passing through," he said.

As he chatted at a separate location with deliverymen, who speed around Beijing delivering packages on motor-bikes, passersby could be seen in the background walking right behind him, or in one case cycling by.

"Are you not able to go home for the Spring Festival?" he asked one of the deliverymen.

Still, Xi was almost certainly accompanied by his security detail throughout, even if they were not directly shown in the television footage.

In another much more obviously scripted part of the day, he visited policemen and made dumplings with residents in a courtyard dwelling.

While Xi has cultivated a man-of-the-people image and is genuinely popular with many Chinese for his war on corruption, he has only rarely had such relaxed interactions since assuming office six years ago.

In 2014, Xi shocked Beijing residents by visiting courtyard homes and chatting with passersby near a shopping street during one of the city's notorious smoggy days, drawing praise from social media users for his unusual public diplomacy.

The week-long holiday, starting on the eve of the new year, on Monday, is the most important in the Chinese calendar, when millions of people travel home, many for the only time in the year.

Chinese President Xi Jinping dropped in on surprised diners at a small Beijing restaurant and chatted with deliverymen on Friday on an apparently unscripted visit ahead of next week's Lunar New Year holiday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping dropped in on surprised diners at a small Beijing restaurant and chatted with deliverymen on Friday on an apparently unscripted visit ahead of next week's Lunar New Year holiday. Such relaxed interactions between senior politicians and the public are uncommon in a country where even leaders' birthdays or family backgrounds are often closely held secrets. Leaders generally use the time around the festival to make carefully choreographed, well pre-arranged inspection trips around the country where they flag important policy initiatives or areas of concern for the year ahead. Xi last year visited villagers in a poor southwestern part of China, to press home his campaign against poverty. On Friday, state television showed Xi walking into the restaurant in a southern district of Beijing known for its traditional alleyways and courtyards, asking how much the food was and how long the owners had been in the city. As diners stood up to take pictures, Xi told them not to stop eating on his account. "I'm just passing through," he said. As he chatted at a separate location with deliverymen, who speed around Beijing delivering packages on motor-bikes, passersby could be seen in the background walking right behind him, or in one case cycling by. "Are you not able to go home for the Spring Festival?" he asked one of the deliverymen. Still, Xi was almost certainly accompanied by his security detail throughout, even if they were not directly shown in the television footage. In another much more obviously scripted part of the day, he visited policemen and made dumplings with residents in a courtyard dwelling. While Xi has cultivated a man-of-the-people image and is genuinely popular with many Chinese for his war on corruption, he has only rarely had such relaxed interactions since assuming office six years ago. In 2014, Xi shocked Beijing residents by visiting courtyard homes and chatting with passersby near a shopping street during one of the city's notorious smoggy days, drawing praise from social media users for his unusual public diplomacy. The week-long holiday, starting on the eve of the new year, on Monday, is the most important in the Chinese calendar, when millions of people travel home, many for the only time in the year.

Xi Jinping drops in on diners at Beijing restaurant, chats with deliverymen

A photograph taken on January 7 and released on Tuesday by China's National Space Administration showed seeds, carried by China's Chang'e-4 moon probe, sprouting on the far side of the moon.

The cotton seed sprouts became the first biological matter to grow on the moon and according to the probe's biological experiment payload's chief designer, was laying the foundation for a lunar base and long-term space exploration.

The Chang'e-4 lunar probe landed on January 3 and transmitted the first-ever "close range" image of the far side of the moon. China's National Space Administration applauded the launch as a first that "lifted the mysterious veil" of the far side of the moon and claimed it as a major achievement for the country's ambitious space program.

The tasks of the Chang'e-4 include astronomical observation, surveying the moon's terrain and mineral makeup and measuring the neutron radiation and neutral atoms to study the environment of its far side.

A photograph taken on January 7 and released on Tuesday by China's National Space Administration showed seeds, carried by China's Chang'e-4 moon probe, sprouting on the far side of the moon.

A photograph taken on January 7 and released on Tuesday by China's National Space Administration showed seeds, carried by China's Chang'e-4 moon probe, sprouting on the far side of the moon. The cotton seed sprouts became the first biological matter to grow on the moon and according to the probe's biological experiment payload's chief designer, was laying the foundation for a lunar base and long-term space exploration. The Chang'e-4 lunar probe landed on January 3 and transmitted the first-ever "close range" image of the far side of the moon. China's National Space Administration applauded the launch as a first that "lifted the mysterious veil" of the far side of the moon and claimed it as a major achievement for the country's ambitious space program. The tasks of the Chang'e-4 include astronomical observation, surveying the moon's terrain and mineral makeup and measuring the neutron radiation and neutral atoms to study the environment of its far side.

Seeds carried by China probe sprout on the moon

China's Chang'e-4 lunar rover releases new pictures from Moon

Jeff Bezos' space company is in the conceptual design phase of a large lunar lander that it says will provide reusable access to the moon's surface and its resources, Blue Origin said on Wednesday.

The lander is part of Blue Origin's broader mission of enabling a future in which millions of people live and work in space, the company said.

"The next logical step in this path is a return to the Moon," Blue Origin said in a statement. "To do this we need reusable access to the lunar surface and its resources."<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Anx6Xd_Zr6Y" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The company, founded by Amazon.com Inc Chief Executive Officer Bezos, has said it aims to land on the moon in about five years. The company offered no details on Wednesday about how it would move from the design phase to moon missions in this time frame.

Blue Origin is also developing its New Shepard rocket for short space tourism trips and a heavy-lift launch rocket called New Glenn for satellite launch contracts.

Blue's launch vehicles face strong competition from several other aerospace companies, including Elon Musk's SpaceX and Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic.

Jeff Bezos' space company is in the conceptual design phase of a large lunar lander that it says will provide reusable access to the moon's surface and its resources, Blue Origin said on Wednesday.

Jeff Bezos' space company is in the conceptual design phase of a large lunar lander that it says will provide reusable access to the moon's surface and its resources, Blue Origin said on Wednesday. The lander is part of Blue Origin's broader mission of enabling a future in which millions of people live and work in space, the company said. "The next logical step in this path is a return to the Moon," Blue Origin said in a statement. "To do this we need reusable access to the lunar surface and its resources." The company, founded by Amazon.com Inc Chief Executive Officer Bezos, has said it aims to land on the moon in about five years. The company offered no details on Wednesday about how it would move from the design phase to moon missions in this time frame. Blue Origin is also developing its New Shepard rocket for short space tourism trips and a heavy-lift launch rocket called New Glenn for satellite launch contracts. Blue's launch vehicles face strong competition from several other aerospace companies, including Elon Musk's SpaceX and Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic.

Jeff Bezos' space company designing large lunar lander

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