Moog

Moog has designed and manufactured components and systems for satellites and launch vehicles for more than 60 years. Moog continues to make significant investment in propulsion facilities, metal additive manufacturing, avionics, and innovative in-space delivery systems

Created: 2020-01-18

Updated: 2023-12-28

Company - Moog

Founded
Country: 1951; USA

Funding: Yes, ?

Website: https://www.moog.com/markets/space.html

Social

Product/Service - Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV), SL-OMV

Classification: In-Space Transportation

Category: Space Tug
In-Space Logistics

Fields: In-Space Transportation
Transport Service (In-Space)
Transport Service (LEO-GEO)

Status: Development

First launch: 2024

The Moog Small Launch Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (SL-OMV) is a propulsive tug for secondary payload deployment focused on Venture Class Launch Vehicles (VCLV).

Based on the Moog NSSL Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA) ring, the OMV is designed to launch on NSSL-class launch vehicles (Atlas V, Delta IV, Falcon 9) while supporting up to 1500 kg of secondary payloads with a variety of standard separation systems.

SL-OMV FEATURES

What's Next for the SL-OMV

Mk II
Enhanced Mk I for longer life, hosted payloads, and on-orbit sentinel. FEATURES:

Mk III
Chemical Transfer Stage. FEATURES:

Mk IV
Electric Propulsion Transfer Stage. FEATURES:

Publications and news:

Status Comment / Notes

The development and first flight SL-OMV is funded jointly by Moog and the United Kingdom Satellite & Launch Program (UKSLP) and is scheduled for launch in 2023 from a new launch site from SaxaVord in the Shetland Islands off the coast of Scotland.

Link

Product/Service

Classification: Surface Spacecraft

Category: Space Mining
Space Resources
Lunar Excavator

Fields: Lunar Excavator
Moon

Status: Concept

First launch: Not announced

In 2022, the Moog team developed a robotic lunar excavator concept based on NASA’s targets for size, scale, and duration of a potential mission. The goal was to dig the icy regolith out of the ground and bring it to a site where the volatiles can be extracted, all while operating in an extremely cold environment. Turning the icy mixture into water was a separate challenge.

While the technology relates to Moog’s heritage in space and new ventures into construction, there are unique challenges associated with Break the Ice Lunar Challenge. “Temperatures can reach -233 Celsius (-387 Fahrenheit), and the vehicle must operate in those temperatures. The surface is extremely cold, and the loss of heat due to conduction and radiation is a concern” says Hilbert. Another element to consider is excavating in a low gravity environment that makes it very difficult to dig, which must balance with mass and energy efficiency to be able to transport the regolith.

Using simulated regolith derived from a concrete mix specified by NASA, the team created and tested a prototype excavator at Moog facilities in Elma, NY. The concept vehicle uses a translating auger that penetrates the regolith, lifts it into the vehicle, and transports it to the processing site. On the lunar surface, the system would employ solar panels both on the vehicles and at the processing site to provide power to the vehicle batteries.

“Moog’s concept for an Automated Regolith Excavation system is designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the lunar surface. Cold temperatures, low gravity, and lunar dust contamination are some of the primary challenges we’re going to face,” explains Hilbert.

The Moog system is designed to excavate and transport thousands of pounds of icy regolith for long distances while also being mass and energy efficient.

The Moog team submitted a white paper outlining the technical details to NASA’s Break the Ice Challenge Phase 2, Level 1. In December 2022, NASA announced Moog as one of 15 winning teams.
Before lunar rovers are sent to excavate icy regolith, NASA will conduct resource mapping on the Moon’s South Pool using its Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER). Equipped with Moog radiation-hardened avionics hardware, including the main computer and power management source for the rover, VIPER will land on the lunar surface at the end of 2024 for a 100-day mission. VIPER will help determine whether in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) such as water extraction may eventually enable long-term human lunar habitation. NASA’s VIPER will give us a much better idea of what the conditions are like and what form the icy regolith is in,” says Hilbert.

Following the VIPER mission, the next ISRU milestone is NASA’s Artemis 3 mission, which will land a crew by the lunar South Pole at the earliest in 2025. Moog’s space products play a critical role during every stage of the Artemis missions, from liftoff to landing.

After winning NASA’s Break the Ice Challenge Phase 2, Level 1, the Moog team is excited to continue their involvement in lunar exploration.

Status Comment / Notes

Created: 2023-09-04

Updated: 2023-09-27

Link

Sources

Most sources should be linked in the texts and headings as revealed by mouse-over, but here are they listed for visibility.

[1] https://www.moog.com/markets/space.html

[2] ttp://mstl.atl.calpoly.edu/~workshop/archive/2020/Spring/5%20-%20Launch/ChristopherLoghry.pdf

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