MoonDAO Updates

MoonDAO Election Event

Don't forget! Elections are coming up quick for MoonDAO's second Executive Branch Leader position and this Thursday (August 8th @ 12:00 PST) we will have each candidate share their visions for the future of MoonDAO in our weekly townhall.

🔥 We have three great candidates for the second Executive Branch Leader: ManuelOlariu, Mitchie, and ryand2d. It will be up to the MoonDAO community to vote between them using the recently passed Ranked Choice Voting system to select our second Executive Branch Leader.

Have questions? Anyone can add questions for the candidates here. (Code: 15968)

We will ask the highest upvoted questions. We're looking forward to your questions!

Town Hall

Support the MoonDAO Makerspace

The MoonDAO makerspace at Vitalia is up for matching funding and support from Artizen. You can support this effort and improve visibility by taking a minute and voting for it. The MoonDAO Makerspace in Vitalia offers facilities for quick prototyping, education and cybernetic charity, and was supported by a seed grant from MoonDAO to purchase all the initial equipment ranging from 3D printers to an injection molder and more. Browse the MoonDAO Makerspace wiki.

MoonDAO Treasury Stats

Our treasury is governed by the community. Become a MoonDAO member to help shape our future.

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Bite-Sized Space News

Crew 9 Delays

NASA has delayed the launch of its Crew 9 mission to the International Space Station from August 18 to at least September 24, citing "operational flexibility" and ongoing evaluations of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. The delay allows more time to finalize return plans for the Boeing Crew Flight Test currently docked at the station and to address potential issues with the spacecraft's thrusters and flight software, which may require updates for an autonomous return.

Additionally, the change deconflicts with a Soyuz launch and preparations at other launch complexes. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson expressed confidence in the decision-making process, as NASA continues to assess the readiness of Starliner and determine the best course of action for its crew. The final decision on the mission details, including the number of astronauts aboard Crew 9, has not been made yet.

Axiom Space Crew-4

Axiom Space has announced the crew for its fourth commercial mission to the International Space Station (ISS), scheduled for October 2024. The Ax-4 mission will include former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson as commander, alongside pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India, Polish mission specialist Sławosz Uznański of the European Space Agency, and mission specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

This marks the first time a Polish astronaut will fly to space in over 40 years. The mission aims to further international collaboration, scientific research, technology demonstration, and space commercialization, reflecting Axiom Space's goal to broaden global access to space. The crew will spend up to 14 days on the ISS conducting various research activities, launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

VIPER Rover

The VIPER rover, a mission designed to locate water ice at the Moon's south pole, is currently in limbo despite being nearly ready for launch. NASA announced the cancellation of the mission due to budgetary concerns, despite ongoing commitments to fund the rover's transport to space. The decision has sparked a backlash, with commercial space companies proposing ways to save the project and a petition circulating in Congress with over 4,500 signatures urging its revival.

Intuitive Machines, among other private firms, has expressed interest in completing and launching VIPER. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic Technology, originally slated to deliver VIPER to the Moon, faces challenges due to this decision. Congressional intervention remains a possible outcome, with discussions ongoing to potentially reverse NASA's cancellation as the fiscal year end approaches.

Upcoming Launches

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 8-3 on Fri Aug 9, 2024 7:13 AM GMT-5 from SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA
• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 10-7 on Sat Aug 10, 2024 6:21 AM GMT-5 from LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA
• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) on Sun Aug 11, 2024 9:00 PM GMT-5 from SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB, California, USA