ANU Media's Warramunga Scientific Monitoring Supports Global Research

Sometimes the most important work happens far from headlines. ANU Media’s story on Warramunga reveals how quiet scientific monitoring in Australia supports earthquake research, atmospheric science, and nuclear-test detection worldwide. Reliable imagery and geospatial intelligence help bring visibility to even the most remote places—strengthening insight where it matters most. Aerial imagery:

NASA and the Department of Energy signed an agreement in February to deploy a lunar surface reactor by 2030. That is four years from now. Here is what that timeline actually requires. A permanent base needs continuous power through a 14 day lunar night. The leading solution is nuclear fission. The target reactor produces 40 kilowatts, enough to run 33 households. Getting it to the Moon, activating it, and proving it works takes time the 2030 schedule does not visibly account for. You cannot commission the power system and open the base in the same year. ISRU needs to be running before humans arrive to stockpile oxygen and water. ISRU needs power to run. The reactor needs to land and activate before ISRU starts. Each step has a hard dependency on the one before it. None of this means the work is not worth doing. The February agreement is genuinely good news for the field. But four years is not enough time to solve dependencies that have never been solved before. #LunarInfrastructure #SpaceTech #DeepTech #Lunabers

Some impressive announcements made on China’s national space programme over the next 15 years. Lunar outpost & manned lunar missions Mars Sample Return (with a strengthened committment) Neptune Orbiter Asteroid & Comet exploration Planetary Defence Nuclear propulsion Solar Farm Mega-constellations Space Traffic Management Space tourism Reusable heavy launchers Impressive stuff. Worth a read

Reusable rockets, connectivity constellations, asteroid exploration and utilization, Mars samples, nuclear propulsion, and other space-relevant innovations were discussed in Beijing at this year's Two Sessions For China in Space -> https://lnkd.in/eHaNBwtJ

Nuclear surface power will be the primary power source for a Moon base and Lockheed Martin has been working hard to research and develop its evolution. This technology will shape the future of space exploration during the #Artemis era as we journey to the Moon and on to Mars. As a key enabler of America’s leadership in space power and a thriving economy at the Moon, nuclear power will support habitats, rovers and in-situ resource utilization plants through the lunar night (or 14 Earth nights)!   Learn more about Lockheed Martin’s leading role in this technology here: https://lnkd.in/gy9DApmj

Fission Surface Power is a core element of lunar infrastructure and will enable a sustainable surface presence. It’s been so much fun to study this technology and envision how this will transform future missions to the Moon!

Here is your recap of the top news this week in #5things - CDP and #Google.org Google launch an Al-powered platform for cities to analyse climate risk | The Commonwealth Secretariat and Prince Albert I of #Monaco Foundation launch a partnership to accelerate ocean conservation in Asia and the Pacific | ISRO and European Space Agency - ESA sign an agreement to enhance collaboration on Earth Observation missions and scientific studies | Rolls-Royce, Equilibrium assess production of sustainable aviation fuel with nuclear energy | Sustain Labs Paris announces the Spring 2026 cohort of the SLP Climate Leadership Certificate Programme https://lnkd.in/dgws_wTe Read more here: https://lnkd.in/drCQFMeT

NASA has completed the first major tests of a full-scale nuclear rocket reactor core in decades, using over 100 “cold-flow” trials that simulated how hydrogen propellant would move through a nuclear-powered engine without radioactive fuel. These tests at the Marshall Space Flight Center demonstrated stable fluid flow and generated important data for future designs, marking a key milestone toward developing nuclear thermal propulsion that could make deep-space missions faster and more efficient potentially cutting travel time to destinations like Mars and enabling more ambitious exploration beyond the solar system. #tech #technology

🚀 Exciting news from the space sector! Deep Space Energy is making waves with its innovative use of americium-241, a form of nuclear waste, to power satellites and lunar rovers through Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs). Unlike the traditional plutonium-238, americium-241 offers a significant efficiency boost - it's five times more effective! This not only aids in weight reduction but also utilises a more accessible source from European power plants. Their technology has diverse applications across the defence and space sectors, ensuring resilience for high-value military reconnaissance satellites and supporting extended lunar missions. Deep Space Energy recently secured €350K in a pre-seed round and €580K in public contracts and grants, showcasing strong backing from the European Space Agency, NATO DIANA, and the Latvian government. This groundbreaking innovation could revolutionise energy production on the Moon by drastically reducing costs per kilowatt-hour and paving the way for increased lunar operations. 🌌 Stay updated with the latest in tech and space advancements: follow our LinkedIn page (Electus Recruitment) for more exciting news and job opportunities! #SpaceInnovation #CleanEnergy #SatelliteTechnology https://lnkd.in/eY64jUGB

'The coming decade will test not only our ability to operate through the lunar night, but our capacity to build a durable human presence beyond Earth.' NASA plans to establish the first elements of a permanent Moon base by 2030. From nuclear reactors to lava tubes and lunar south pole ice - here’s how it could actually happen ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/efW3ugBM