Short Takes – 6-18-25 – Space Geek Edition

Venturi Space announces European lunar rover design. SpaceNews.com article. Pull quote: “One approach to develop the rover could be a public private partnership, similar to what NASA is pursuing with the LTV program where companies will pay a portion of its costs. He said he mentioned this to Josef Aschbacher, ESA director general, and Daniel Neuenschwander, the agency’s director of human and robotic exploration, and got a positive reception. “It will be easier for them to decide to go forward on this.””

Honda’s hopper suddenly makes the Japanese carmaker a serious player in rocketry. ArsTechnica.com article. Pull quote: “The company suggested in its press release Tuesday that a Honda-built rocket might launch Earth observation satellites to monitor global warming and extreme weather, and satellite constellations for wide-area communications. Specifically, the company noted the importance of satellite communications to enabling connected features in cars, airplanes, and other Honda products.”

China's next-gen astronaut capsule for moon missions aces crucial pad-abort test. Space.com article. Pull quote: “With just the Mengzhou spacecraft on the pad (no rocket), the solid rocket escape engines on the capsule's abort tower fired for approximately 20 seconds, according to CMSEO. At altitude, Mengzhou's escape tower was jettisoned, and a trio of parachutes guided the spacecraft safely back to the desert surface, touching down with an airbag cushion at 12:32 p.m. BJT (12:32 a.m. EDT; 0432 GMT). CMSEO called the test "a complete success."”