Welcome to our engine room.
Welcome! Projects are the core of Open Lunar. Our projects become building blocks for the lunar governance ecosystem, spanning technical standards, policy and law, shared infrastructure and hardware.
We work with our network to design contributions that range from the creation of research papers to the development of new institutions, standards, proof of concept technologies and missions.
Scroll down to explore the world of Open Lunar!
How we support Lunar stewardship
Since 2018, Open Lunar has been investing in solutions that contribute to a peaceful Lunar presence. In 2023 we launched a new scalable and predictable approach that builds on this past work while making it easier to engage with.
Here's how it works
Ideas: We're always in the market for new ideas. These can come from anywhere. We wouldn't be called Open Lunar if they couldn't! Every June & July we engage our community in a selection process that filters all the ideas we've received down to 4-6 keepers. These ideas we call 'hunches'.
Hunches: We announce our Hunches in September and recruit fellows to develop them between September and November. Hunch fellowships run from January - August. We intend them to be about an 8 hours a week investment, and fellows are compensated for their time. Hunch fellowships must have an output, this is typically a research paper, but can also be a concept of operations, a business plan, a standard or a technical specification.
Initiatives: Some of our Hunches become Initiatives. Initiatives are Hunches that our community thinks have legs. This means that they can potentially attract enough support to run as independent entities at some point in the future. We also support Initiatives that we think have intrinsic value for our mission, even if independent support isn't yet feasible.
Our approach
We review all of our projects on an annual basis and we're always looking for partnerships that can help them grow. Whether you're an Academic institution, government, company, philanthropy or non-profit, reach out to us for a conversation!
We are building an Open Lunar future.
These are the projects we're currently working on within the Open Lunar network. Click on the boxes to learn more about how these projects are contributing to a peaceful Lunar presence.
Bright Moon - Creating a Global Registry of Lunar Activities
A Lunar Registry designed to encourage global multi-stakeholder participation and representation, based on consensus-building and inclusion, offers a tool to foster openness, trust, transparency, representation and social responsibility for all.
Lunar Policy Platform
Since the beginning of the space era, the Moon has been the benchmark against which measuring the best of humanity’s energies and skills. With over a hundred lunar missions planned by 2030, the ability to ensure a peaceful, safe, sustainable, and prosperous future on the Moon has become one of the top priorities for contemporary space law and policymaking.
Breaking Ground - A Lunar Resources Trust
Breaking Ground is a lunar resources trust that exists to steward and demonstrate formal and effective institutional management of lunar resources between different stakeholders.
Announcing Our 2024 Hunch Fellowships
In 2023 our network worked collaboratively to identify and then rank over 30 ideas! We narrowed the list to the ideas below. When we qualify an idea as ready for a fellowship, we call it a 'hunch'.
These Hunch fellowships will run January to August 2024 and applications are open now!
Special Zones for Lunar Activities: Open Lunar investigates the establishment of designated zones on the moon, mirroring Earth's special economic zones and nuclear test sites. These zones could inform discussions about lunar law, zone scenarios, and visual representation through maps and designs.
Landing Pads: As lunar infrastructure evolves, Open Lunar delves into the concept of cooperative landing pad infrastructures. Emphasis is on open-source modeling for cooperative business plans, inspired by the foundational work of experts in the field.
Community Review: Highlighting the lack of a standardized lunar payload review, Open Lunar is motivated to develop a transparent system, drawing parallels with ICANN and the FAA. This area delves into criteria, rating systems, and broad-based participation mechanisms.
Payload X: Marking a decade after the Low Cost Lunar Workshop, Open Lunar seeks to reassess lunar settlement challenges, considering technological advancements. The core interest lies in a gap analysis and the identification of payloads to bolster lunar development.
Power Standards: Power provisions on the moon capture Open Lunar's interest, particularly in the realm of standardization. The exploration encompasses standards such as ISPSIS and their implications for lunar governance, cooperation, and transparency.
Network Timekeeping Protocol: Recognizing the intricacies of space timekeeping, Open Lunar is keen on formulating a robust cislunar timekeeping protocol. This effort is built upon the pioneering work of specialists like Phillip Linden.
Registry of Accidents and Issues: With the lunar terrain posing myriad challenges, Open Lunar is drawn to the idea of a registry cataloging accidents and issues during lunar missions. This area seeks inspiration from the Federal Aviation Administration's data systems, evaluating the logistics and impact of such a registry on lunar missions.