Latest news with #LunarGateway
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Danish Aerospace Company to build prototype of exercise equipment for the Moon and eventually Mars
COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT Odense, May 28, 2025 Company Announcement no. 61 – 28.05.2025 Danish Aerospace Company to build prototype of exercise equipment for the Moon and eventually MarsDanish Aerospace Company A/SCVR no.: 12424248 Danish Aerospace Company A/S (DAC), Odense, has today signed a contract with the European Space Agency ESA to develop and build a prototype of a new exercise device that can be used on the Lunar Gateway space station orbiting the Moon and eventually for human missions to Mars. The six-month contract entails the development of a prototype of exercise technology to meet the standards of Lunar Gateway. The new prototype will also include a new form of exercise - jumping - to help strengthen the astronauts' bones, muscles, and cardiovascular system while they are in space. The Gateway Exercise Equipment study contract runs for approximately 6 months and has a total value for DAC of approximately EUR 580,000. (DKK 4.3 million). The contract does not change the company's previously announced expectations for 2025. The Lunar Gateway is a new space station that NASA, ESA, Japan and Canada have agreed to develop. NASA's current plans envision launch and beginning initial operations of the Lunar Gateway in about 2028. The Gateway will orbit the Moon, where it will be visited by astronauts for 30 to 90 days at a time. This represents a big step forward for DAC, and the first time the company is seriously looking at moving further into space with its exercise equipment, after having supplied ESA and NASA with exercise- and medical monitoring equipment for more than three decades for the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS) programs. Amentum Clean Energy from England will participate in the project as a subcontractor. Over the next six months, DAC's sophisticated exercise technology will be refined further so the new exercise device can meet the unique requirements of the Lunar Gateway. The new prototype will also include a new form of exercise - jumping - to help strengthen the astronauts' bones, muscles, and cardiovascular system while they are in space. Amentum Clean Energy's contribution to the prototype study involves development of a vibration damping system that ensures vibrations from the astronauts' exercise do not propagate to the Lunar Gateway space station and disrupt systems and other research on board. "We are extremely proud that ESA has chosen Danish Aerospace Company to develop a prototype of the exercise equipment for the Lunar Gateway. This shows our extensive experience in this area, but it also offers a lot of exciting new challenges. The exercise equipment must be even more reliable than before, because it is much further away from home. For example, the electronics in the equipment must be able to withstand the much higher background radiation so far from Earth and still function, and the HALO module, where the astronauts will exercise, is much smaller than the modules on the ISS; so the exercise device we develop must be optimized even more. We are very much looking forward to contributing to this fascinating new area", says Thomas A. E. Andersen, CEO, DAC. The Gateway Exercise Equipment study contract runs for approximately 6 months and has a total value for DAC of approximately EUR 580,000. (DKK 4.3 million). For further information, please contact: Danish Aerospace Company A/S:CEO Thomas A.E. AndersenCell: +45 40 29 41 62 Certified Adviser:Baker Tilly Corporate Finance P/S Poul Bundgaards Vej 1, Valby Tel.: +45 33 45 10 00 About Danish Aerospace Company A/S: Danish Aerospace Company (DAC) is a high-tech company operating in the area of advanced medical instrumentation and other engineering fields primarily within space applications. Our products are based on many years of specialized research and development. These consist of developing, integrating, and applying new as well as established medical technologies to the challenges of functioning and remaining reliable in space. These products and services bring the potential of space research and experience from space operations down to Earth for the benefit of all mankind. Danish Aerospace Company employs engineers and technicians who deliver full engineering, production and technical services for our customers. We specialize in customer specific design, development, manufacturing, certification, maintenance, testing, and operations. The company has developed five generations of respiratory equipment for spaceflight, ergometers for astronauts, countermeasures, adapted several commercial medical equipment for spaceflight and has participated in the development of the minus eighty-degree Celsius freezers. The Company's quality system is certified in obligation to BS EN ISO 9001:2015, BS EN 9100:2018 technical equivalent to AS9100D that is the acknowledged standard in the area. Note: This is a translation of the corresponding Company Announcement in Danish. In case of discrepancies between the Danish wording and the English translation, the Danish wording prevails. in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Danish Aerospace Company to build prototype of exercise equipment for the Moon and eventually Mars
COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT Odense, May 28, 2025 Company Announcement no. 61 – 28.05.2025 Danish Aerospace Company to build prototype of exercise equipment for the Moon and eventually MarsDanish Aerospace Company A/SCVR no.: 12424248 Danish Aerospace Company A/S (DAC), Odense, has today signed a contract with the European Space Agency ESA to develop and build a prototype of a new exercise device that can be used on the Lunar Gateway space station orbiting the Moon and eventually for human missions to Mars. The six-month contract entails the development of a prototype of exercise technology to meet the standards of Lunar Gateway. The new prototype will also include a new form of exercise - jumping - to help strengthen the astronauts' bones, muscles, and cardiovascular system while they are in space. The Gateway Exercise Equipment study contract runs for approximately 6 months and has a total value for DAC of approximately EUR 580,000. (DKK 4.3 million). The contract does not change the company's previously announced expectations for 2025. The Lunar Gateway is a new space station that NASA, ESA, Japan and Canada have agreed to develop. NASA's current plans envision launch and beginning initial operations of the Lunar Gateway in about 2028. The Gateway will orbit the Moon, where it will be visited by astronauts for 30 to 90 days at a time. This represents a big step forward for DAC, and the first time the company is seriously looking at moving further into space with its exercise equipment, after having supplied ESA and NASA with exercise- and medical monitoring equipment for more than three decades for the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS) programs. Amentum Clean Energy from England will participate in the project as a subcontractor. Over the next six months, DAC's sophisticated exercise technology will be refined further so the new exercise device can meet the unique requirements of the Lunar Gateway. The new prototype will also include a new form of exercise - jumping - to help strengthen the astronauts' bones, muscles, and cardiovascular system while they are in space. Amentum Clean Energy's contribution to the prototype study involves development of a vibration damping system that ensures vibrations from the astronauts' exercise do not propagate to the Lunar Gateway space station and disrupt systems and other research on board. "We are extremely proud that ESA has chosen Danish Aerospace Company to develop a prototype of the exercise equipment for the Lunar Gateway. This shows our extensive experience in this area, but it also offers a lot of exciting new challenges. The exercise equipment must be even more reliable than before, because it is much further away from home. For example, the electronics in the equipment must be able to withstand the much higher background radiation so far from Earth and still function, and the HALO module, where the astronauts will exercise, is much smaller than the modules on the ISS; so the exercise device we develop must be optimized even more. We are very much looking forward to contributing to this fascinating new area", says Thomas A. E. Andersen, CEO, DAC. The Gateway Exercise Equipment study contract runs for approximately 6 months and has a total value for DAC of approximately EUR 580,000. (DKK 4.3 million). For further information, please contact: Danish Aerospace Company A/S:CEO Thomas A.E. AndersenCell: +45 40 29 41 62 Certified Adviser:Baker Tilly Corporate Finance P/S Poul Bundgaards Vej 1, Valby Tel.: +45 33 45 10 00 About Danish Aerospace Company A/S: Danish Aerospace Company (DAC) is a high-tech company operating in the area of advanced medical instrumentation and other engineering fields primarily within space applications. Our products are based on many years of specialized research and development. These consist of developing, integrating, and applying new as well as established medical technologies to the challenges of functioning and remaining reliable in space. These products and services bring the potential of space research and experience from space operations down to Earth for the benefit of all mankind. Danish Aerospace Company employs engineers and technicians who deliver full engineering, production and technical services for our customers. We specialize in customer specific design, development, manufacturing, certification, maintenance, testing, and operations. The company has developed five generations of respiratory equipment for spaceflight, ergometers for astronauts, countermeasures, adapted several commercial medical equipment for spaceflight and has participated in the development of the minus eighty-degree Celsius freezers. The Company's quality system is certified in obligation to BS EN ISO 9001:2015, BS EN 9100:2018 technical equivalent to AS9100D that is the acknowledged standard in the area. Note: This is a translation of the corresponding Company Announcement in Danish. In case of discrepancies between the Danish wording and the English translation, the Danish wording prevails.
Arabian Business
21-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
EXCLUSIVE: UAE to deliver Lunar Gateway Airlock, astronaut to join Artemis Mission by 2030
The United Arab Emirates will provide the airlock module for NASA's Lunar Gateway – a Moon-orbiting space station central to future Artemis missions – and send an Emirati astronaut to join the mission in 2030. Speaking to Arabian Business on the sidelines of the inaugural GITEX EUROPE in Berlin, Hazza Al Mansouri, the UAE's first astronaut, said that the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) will develop the Gateway's Crew and Science Airlock in collaboration with NASA – the country's most significant hardware contribution to space exploration to date. 'We are part of the Gateway programme. With our partnership with NASA and the international partners, we're going to build the airlock,' said Al Mansouri. 'The UAE will deliver the airlock to NASA in 2030, and at that time, we expect to launch an astronaut as part of that mission.' The Lunar Gateway is a small, crewed space station that will orbit the Moon and support long-term lunar exploration under NASA's Artemis programme. It will act as a staging point for astronauts travelling to and from the lunar surface and, in the future, possibly Mars. The airlock will be a crucial component, enabling astronauts to conduct spacewalks and science experiments outside the station. The UAE's contribution was formalised in last year through a landmark deal between the UAE Space Agency and NASA. The pact also grants a future Emirati astronaut a seat on an Artemis mission – a first for any Arab nation. Nora Al Matrooshi, the first Arab woman selected as an astronaut, also emphasised the increasing scope of the UAE's space ambitions during GITEX EUROPE. 'Whether it's a mission to the ISS, the Moon, or Mars, the UAE astronauts are being trained and will be ready,' she told Arabian Business. Both astronauts highlighted how MBRSC is increasingly deploying artificial intelligence to analyse satellite imagery – supporting everything from urban planning and agriculture to disaster response in regions around the world. Their presence in Berlin underscores the growing global footprint of the UAE's space and tech sectors. GITEX, Dubai's flagship technology exhibition, has now launched its European edition after expansions into Africa and Asia. 'Taking GITEX all around the world makes it easier to reach more people,' said Al Matrooshi. 'The UAE is the future. [It] is the hub for AI – and now, our impact is going global.'
Broadcast Pro
13-05-2025
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
NASA 2026 budget proposal: The impact on prospects for space exploration
These historic budget cuts mark a turning point for US space ambitions, targeting Artemis programmes plagued by unsustainable cost overruns. By Shaw, Senior Consultant at Novaspace, specialising in space policy and exploration. The White Houses proposed discretionary budget for fiscal year 2026 includes some of the steepest cuts to NASA in recent memory targeting the backbone of its Moon-bound ambitions under the Artemis programme; a downside scenario that was predicted by Novaspaces most recent edition of the Prospects for Space Exploration report, released in May. This article highlights the implications of the proposed budget cuts on international partners and the future of the Artemis programme. The End of SLS, Orion, and Gateway At the heart of the budget proposal is the phased cancellation of three key components of the Artemis Programme: the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, the Orion crew capsule, and the Lunar Gateway, a planned space station orbiting the Moon. All three would be phased out as early as 2026 after three flights. The administration argues that these legacy systems, specifically SLS and Orion, could be replaced by more cost-efficient commercial alternatives. But experts warn that the transition wont happen overnight. As no commercial alternatives are expected to be operational and certified [in time for the fourth flight], significant delays to the Artemis program timeline are unavoidable, cautions the Novaspace report. Delays to said timeline would likely hand China a critical first-mover advantage in lunar science, resources, and geopolitical symbolism, directly contradicting the Administrations urgent goal of returning to the Moon before China. The Lunar Gateway Terminated Meanwhile, the proposed cancellation of the Lunar Gateway could shake the foundations of international collaboration in space. While the stations technical utility has long been debatedwith the Novaspace report foreseeing the Gateway as the most probable element to be cancelledits diplomatic role is far from questionable. Agencies from Europe, Japan, the UAE, and Canada have already invested heavily, with agreements tied to hardware contributions like the European Service Module, cargo spacecraft, airlocks, and robotic arms. Should Gateway be scrapped, those partners may be left stranded mid-development, forced to freeze or abandon billions in investments. It could also erode trust in U.S.-led space initiatives, pushing countries to look elsewhere perhaps opening new doors. If confidence in Artemis continues to falter, international space agencies may seize this moment to take on greater leadership rolesinitiating missions and partnerships once thought unfeasible without U.S. backing. Greater collaboration with other countries could also be a result India, for example, has plans for its own lunar station by 2040. As Novaspace notes, such a shift could reshape the dynamics of international space cooperation in space exploration. A Future Still in Flux Of course, its important to remember this proposal isnt set in stone. Congress will have the final word. But the sheer scale of the suggested cuts makes one thing clear: a substantial boost to NASAs space exploration budget in FY2026 is unlikely. In fact, the forecasted NASA space exploration budget for 2026 under previous conditions stood at over $17bn these proposed cuts would slash that budget to approximately $15bn according to Novaspaces estimations. This uncertainty alone casts a long shadow over Artemisand over NASAs broader ambitions for space exploration. Conclusion: A Historic Retrenchment with Global Consequences These historic budget cuts mark a turning point for US space ambitions, targeting Artemis programmes plagued by unsustainable cost overruns. As Novaspace foresaw, SLS, Orion, and Gateway are now primary casualtiesdisrupting the Artemis timeline and undermining the Administrations goal of beating China to the Moon. The repercussions extend beyond technical delays, potentially fracturing international trust and reshaping the global landscape of space exploration. Artemis now faces its most uncertain future yet.
The National
02-05-2025
- Business
- The National
White House proposes Nasa cuts that would end Lunar Gateway project
US President Donald Trump on Friday unveiled the White House's budget proposal, which includes major cuts to Nasa that would eliminate the Lunar Gateway project. The international project, which includes contributions from the UAE, aims to put a space station in orbit around the Moon by 2027, with the station acting as a base for astronauts looking to descend to the lunar surface as well as a launch pad for eventual missions to Mars. The White House said the proposed budget 'terminates multiple unaffordable missions and reduces lower priority research, resulting in a leaner Science programme that reflects a commitment to fiscal responsibility'. Gateway is singled out as one of these 'unaffordable' programmes. The White House's budget proposal is not binding and has been sent to Congress, which does not have to incorporate it into its plans. But the budget does signal the priorities for the Trump administration over the next year. Overall, the budget proposes a 25 per cent cut to Nasa, from about $25 billion to $18.8 billion. The Gateway project would be used to support future Space Launch System and Orion programmes, but the budget proposal suggests phasing out the 'grossly expensive and delayed' SLS rocket and the Orion capsule after three flights. The two projects have been decades in development, and critics say their slow progress does not warrant their high price tags. In January last year, Nasa and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre announced the UAE would be providing the Crew and Science Airlock module for Gateway. The European, Canadian and Japanese space agencies are also developing components for habitation, power and propulsion. While Gateway is an international project, a withdrawal of US support is likely to have a significant impact. Despite the proposed cuts, the US is still focused on 'beating China back to the Moon and putting the first human on Mars'. 'By allocating over $7 billion for lunar exploration and introducing $1 billion in new investments for Mars-focused programmes, the Budget ensures that America's human space exploration efforts remain unparalleled, innovative and efficient,' the proposal said. It is unclear how the Trump administration will achieve these goals given the cuts to Nasa, but it could turn to private space exploration companies, such as Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin. The stated goal of Mr Musk's SpaceX is the establishment of an habitable station on Mars.
