science

Lunar CATALYST

Lunar CATALYST is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Lunar CATALYST rather than just read about it. In short: The Lunar CATALYST (Lunar Cargo Transportation and Landing by Soft Touchdown) initiative was a NASA effort to encourage the development of robotic lunar landers that could be integrated with United States commercial launch capabilities to deliver payloads to the lunar surface. In 2014 NASA selected three companies for Space Act Agreement partnerships and in 2019 all three were selected for the follow-on Commercial L…

Key takeaways

Lunar CATALYST belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Lunar CATALYST to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Lunar CATALYST from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Lunar CATALYST (Lunar Cargo Transportation and Landing by Soft Touchdown) initiative was a NASA effort to encourage the development of robotic lunar landers that could be integrated with United States commercial launch capabilities to deliver payloads to the lunar surface. In 2014 NASA selected three companies for Space Act Agreement partnerships and in 2019 all three were selected for the follow-on Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. NASA has published that it and other space agencies have plans to launch almost two dozen robotic missions in the next decade (starting 2017) that commercial lunar transportation capabilities may be able to bid for.

Initiative overview Lunar CATALYST is operated under the Advanced Exploration Systems Division of NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. The three companies: Astrobotic Technology, Masten Space Systems and Moon Express are being offered SAA but will not be receiving any funds. They will negotiate with the space agency for a partnership to exchange technical expertise and help promote the private space sector. On November 1, 2016 NASA issued a Request for Information (RFI) about possible small lunar surface payloads that can be delivered to the Moon's surface in the 2017-2020 time-frame using U.S. commercial lunar cargo transportation service providers. Of particular interest were payloads that address NASA's strategic objectives including filling one or more of NASA's lunar exploration Strategic Knowledge Gaps (SKGs). On May 1, 2017 NASA issued an additional RFI to obtain more Information for Lunar landing services in the decade starting 2018. Responses to be within 30 days. NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) was considering using commercial launches able to fulfill its objectives by sending experiments, instruments, or other payloads to the lunar surface. Detailed information was issued as a business opportunity. As of November 2017 NASA reports that during the first 3 years the CATALYST partners, working with NASA engineers, have advanced their lander and mission designs through end-to-end mission simulations and subsystems tests, as well as engine hot-fire tests and tethered flight demonstrations. All 3 companies have incorporated NASA's Core Flight System software into their machines. As of May 2018 NASA has issued a Request for Proposals for Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) to deliver payloads to the Moon. NASA several contracts for CLPS services will be awarded during the next decade. Missions to the lunar surface expected to begin in 2019. As well as the small Lunar CATALYST landers, NASA hopes to develop two medium-sized lunar landers under a project called Lunar Surface Transportation Capability. At least one of which has a payload of 1,100 pound (500 kilogram).

Companies NASA aims to build on its partnerships with the U.S. commercial space industry that are developing new spacecraft and rockets capable of delivering cargo and crew to low Earth orbit. Recognizing United States industry's interest in reaching and exploring the Moon, the Agency has competitively selected three partners to spur commercial cargo transportation capabilities to the surface of the Moon. The hope is commercial robotic lunar lander capabilities will address emerging demand by private customers who wish to conduct activities on the Moon and could also enable new science and exploration missions of interest to the larger scientific and academic communities. The Lunar CATALYST initiative signed three no-funds-exchanged Space Act Agreement (SAA) partnerships with U.S. private sector entities. In October 2017 NASA extended the SAA with the companies for 2 additional years. The updated agreements contain new milestones, permitting progress to be monitored. In May 2019, all three of the Lunar CATALYST companies were selected for the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program to deliver science and technology payloads.

Astrobotic Technology

Astrobotic Technologies of Pittsburgh, Pa. is believed to have bid the 260 kg payload Griffin Lander. Astrobotics has signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA containing 20 Milestones supporting two demonstration missions, the second of which has enhanced navigation and hazard avoidance performance, ending in July 2017. As of July 2015 Astrobotic has developed a preliminary version of its flight software for precision guidance. Testing in simulation validated the Griffin lander's ability to autonomously guide itself to a precise touchdown near the Lacus Mortis pit.As of November 2015 an end-to-end mission simulation has been completed. The CDR (Critical Design Review) is expected in June 2016. In December 2016 Astrobotic slipped their estimated launch date to 2019 and separated from the Google Lunar X Prize. In July 2017 Astrobotic announced that it would be sending a Peregrine Lunar Lander with 35 kg of customer payload to the Moon. The spacecraft will be launched on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) launch vehicle in 2019. On September 26, 2017 Astrobotic signed a 2-year extension to its SAA with NASA. As of September 2017 the Peregrine Lunar Lander has partially completed Milestone 9: Main engine and Reaction Control System (RCS) hot fire tests. There are 10 milestones to go. In February 2018 Astrobotic estimated that their Peregrine Lunar Lander would be launched on its first mission to the Moon in 2020. On November 29, 2018 Astrobotic was awarded a Commercial Lunar Payload Services contract by NASA, which makes it eligible to bid on delivering science and technology payloads to the Moon for NASA.

Masten Space Systems

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Lunar CATALYST

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Lunar CATALYST claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Lunar CATALYST before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Lunar CATALYST ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Lunar CATALYST

In research: Lunar CATALYST appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Lunar CATALYST in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Lunar CATALYST is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Missions to the Moon, NASA programs, Private spaceflight, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Lunar CATALYST outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Lunar CATALYST in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Lunar CATALYST means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Lunar CATALYST out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lunar CATALYST in simple terms?

Why does Lunar CATALYST matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Lunar CATALYST?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Lunar CATALYST.