Artemis 1 and Orion mega-rocket made lift-off.

The NASA:n Moon mission Artemis lifts off from Kennedy space center. And the mission has been successful. The Artemis capsule might look like Apollo, but it's far more advanced. Life support, artificial intelligence, and other things are state-of-art technology. And return to the Moon begins.

But we know that one purpose of Artemis is to test the Orion mega-rocket. The Orion heavy lift vehicle is a very capable system. For raising heavy cargo to the orbiter. The mega-rocket can raise also satellites and small space shuttles to the orbiter. And that makes it a very interesting tool even without the Artemis capsule. 

The X-37B sets a new mission record. It spent 908 days in space. 

Pentagon's X-37B robot shuttle made a record. It just spent 908 days in space. And that Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) is one of the systems that can cooperate with Orion and other super-heavy systems. The reusable artificial intelligence-controlled shuttles can make many missions like acting as remote-controlled laboratories, space weapon platforms, or space-borne intelligence planes. 

The laboratory mission can mean many things. It can mean testing power-supply technology. Or it can mean an internally installed laboratory where is made biological or structural tests. Or it is possible to put a telescope in the cargo bay. Because the owner of the X-37B is Pentagon, the main focus of that system is the military. The Orion can also launch X-37B to the moon orbit mission or even to the asteroid belt. 

In normal cases term "space weapon" doesn't always mean fractional orbital bombardment systems. Most of those weapons are developed to use against other satellites. Microwave radar is one of those weapons. If the solar panels load capacitors and then the system gives high-power microwave bursts against navigation or some other satellite. That thing can destroy the electronics of that satellite. 

https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/trends/story/nasas-new-moon-rocket-artemis-blasts-off-50-yrs-after-end-of-apollo-programme-353058-2022-11-16

https://www.thevigilantenews.com.au/news/pentagons-mystery-space-drone-sets-record-the-x-37b-spacecraft-has-touched-down-in-florida-after-spending-908-days-in-orbit/

https://designandinnovationtales.blogspot.com/

   

 The moonbase plays a big role in the solar system colonization.

Moonbase is the thing that might not look so impressive as Mars or Jupiter bases. But in moonbase, the researchers can find out how to make structures in space conditions. The moonbase is the perfect place for making social and other types of tests for long-term flights. If something goes wrong the mission must abort immediately. There is possible to test life-support and other systems.

Moon station is also possible to use for testing systems like computers, independent operating robots, and AI. And other things that will be trusted and easy to operate. If something goes wrong on the Moon. that thing is far easier to fix than if something goes wrong on Mars. 

And on the moon returning to Earth is easier than from Mars or the asteroid belt. The moonbase is also offering a safe place for loading and starting the nuclear reactors for nuclear-powered rockets. When some nuclear-powered NERVA or ion rocket starts near-Earth. And if something goes wrong. There is the possibility that radioactive debris will fall to the Earth. 

So if the starting of those engines will happen at the Moon orbiter the radioactive debris will fall to the ground. The moon is also offering a shield against the EMP-pulses that are forming if the Orion-type of system where the small nuclear bombs will push the craft to the outer solar system. The ion rockets can also cause problems for satellites if the high-energetic ions will impact them. 

The thing is that electrostatic and microwave-based systems where the propellant is vaporized by using microwaves and them shoot back by using magnetic accelerators are one of the most capable systems. The ion engine requires vaporized material like iron steam but also other ions would be useful. 

The problem is how to vaporize the iron or silicone? One version is to use a hybrid system where the material is vaporized by using microwaves. And then it will ionize. Then the system will drive those ions backward by using the magnetic track. 

Things like water jet rocket engines are rocket engines. Which are using water or hydrogen as the propellant. The idea of those systems is to replace nuclear reactor what is used in NERVA engines by using something that is not so radioactive. That thing makes the microwave engine a useful tool. 

Liquid hydrogen or water will pump into the nozzle. And microwaves are vaporizing it. The full benefit of those systems will get if the liquid gas has a low vaporizing point. The microwaves can use to expand the propellant as well fire or nuclear engines are making. The moonbase is ideal for testing that kind of system. 

https://scitechdaily.com/off-earth-manufacturing-using-local-resources-to-build-a-new-home-on-another-world/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EmDrive

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NERVA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Orion_(nuclear_propulsion)

Image: https://scitechdaily.com/images/Future-Moon-Base-1536x864.jpg

https://thoughtsaboutsuperpositions.blogspot.com/