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www.us-tech.com


Tech-Op-ed Jan/Feb, 2024


SOUNDING OFF


By Michael Skinner Editor


Lunar Ambitions I


PUBLISHER’S NOTE


t’s been more than five decades since a human set foot on the moon. The last crew, those of the Apollo 17 mission, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean in December of 1972. Now, several com-


panies are attempting moon landings this year and NASA hopes to land people on the moon again in 2025. However, a disappointing start with Pittsburgh-based Astrobot-


ic’s recent attempt is curbing expectations. Peregrine Mission One, a part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, launched on January 8. A fault occurred shortly after the lander sep- arated from its host, a Vulcan Centaur rocket, which forced the mis- sion to a close. The fault was identified as a gradual propellant leak. In mid-February Houston’s Intuitive Machines plans to launch a


lander, carried into space by a SpaceX rocket. The company’s lander is six-legged and 14 feet tall, named Nova-C, and will aim for the moon’s south polar region. In the shadowed craters of the moon’s south pole lies, what sci-


entists believe to be, a massive quantity of frozen water. This could be used by future moonwalkers or settlements to drink and to create rocket fuel. It’s a difficult area for a lander to reach without crashing —


mountainous terrain with plenty of obstacles. In fact, it’s difficult enough it seems to successfully land anywhere on the moon as sever- al attempts in recent years have shown. Notable countries to have slammed landers into the moon include Russia, Japan, India, and Is- rael.


Intuitive Machine’s lander will carry several payloads for NASA,


including equipment for plume-surface interactions, space weather/lunar surface interactions, radio astronomy, precision land- ing technologies, and a communication and navigation node for fu- ture missions. A gathering of materials and equipment at the lunar south pole


will allow NASA to develop a base camp to support longer expeditions on the surface. Planned base camp elements include a lunar terrain vehicle, a habitable mobility platform (pressurized rover), a lunar foundation habitation module, and power systems. This step-by-step approach sets up NASA and its partners for long-term exploration of the moon and eventually for human exploration of Mars. Named after Apollo’s twin sister in Greek mythology, NASA’s


upcoming Artemis missions are designed to take humans back to the moon. One of the mission’s goals is to build a long-term presence on the moon by the end of the decade. According to NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine, “humanity


will explore regions of the moon never visited before, uniting people around the unknown, the never seen, and the once impossible.” r


By Jacob Fattal Publisher


New Year, Same Great Coverage


W


e are thrilled to publish this first issue of 2024, marking nearly 40 years of quality, high-tech electronics industry cov- erage. We are looking forward to a packed year of trade


shows and events, and with this issue we set our sights on the sprawling IME West in Anaheim, California. A combination of MD&M, ATX and others, the IME West show is sure to kick off a year of many happy (and profitable) returns. This year, prepare to see AI-assisted everything, from capital


equipment to consumer electronics. Expect to see generative AI take center stage across industry lines, offering a bright future for those who capitalize on it early. Also, we’ll likely see new positions open up for AI researchers and data scientists as well as a need for AI ethics experts. The medical device industry is booming, accounting for well over


300,000 jobs in the U.S. Digital technologies are a major force in transforming the medtech industry, powering advancements in care delivery, health management, intervention, administration, and clin- ical research. The trends are the same as in aerospace, automotive and con-


sumer electronics: using digital twins/simulations to rapidly model customer problems and iterate designs; applying seamless data inte- gration and AI to accelerate processes; and automating processes for efficient quality and compliance management. Another space to watch is the automotive industry, where there


a part of the high-tech industry and U.S. Tech will be there to cover the latest de- velopments every step of the way. r


is a clear and growing demand for electric vehicles (EVs). Bloomberg predicts that EVs will account for 10 percent of all new car sales by the end of the year, offering much opportunity for the electronics in- dustry. All-in all, it’s an exciting time to be


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