Four members of the Open Lunar team travelled to Sydney, Australia, this week for the International Astronautical Congress (IAC). We are proud to present multiple areas of research, host a lunar policy simulation, meet with space agencies and commercial companies, and sign several high-impact MOUs. More details on these outcomes will follow in our next newsletter. In the meantime, please enjoy these brief updates from our IAC events so far!

 

 

 

Open Lunar partnered with the Secure World Foundation, Foresight Institute, Dark Matter Labs, and Climate Cartographics to host Between the Craters, a lunar governance simulation. Over 35 participants joined the scenario, set on the lunar South Pole in 2038. Designed and facilitated by Open Lunar’s Samuel Jardine, the game explored the challenges of information sharing and decision-making in a low-trust lunar environment.

 

 

 

This week, Open Lunar officially launched the Lunar Ledger with its first commercial partners. ispace, Astrolab, and Firefly have all committed as early adopters, pledging to share mission information openly. The launch event celebrated their groundbreaking leadership in lunar stewardship through information sharing. Highlights included a panel discussion, formal MOU signings, and a live demonstration of the Lunar Ledger tool. 

 

 

 

As we seek to explore new approaches to governance, coordination, sustainability, and social institutions in space, we must learn from what is already out there. This Fellowship brings together research on space technology, science, strategic ecosystem analysis, and policy frameworks, translating early ideas into actionable concepts. Read about our 2026 research priorities here.

 

Fellows work closely with our core team to advance Open Lunar’s mission—building a cooperative and sustainable lunar future. Applications are due by October 10. Learn more about the 2026 Fellowships and apply at our website!

 

 

As the world marches to the Moon’s south pole, India aims to bring samples from there with ISRO’s upcoming Chandrayaan 4 mission. If successful, it will join the latest set of the world’s lunar samples brought by China via Chang’e missions.

 

In April, China announced the first set of international researchers whose proposals were selected to study Chang’e 5’s unique lunar samples. These researchers are from universities or institutes in the UK, Japan, France, Germany, Pakistan, and even the US (through efforts outside of NASA). Unfortunately, ISRO, its affiliated institutions or even non-government-funded Indian institutes did not participate in these sample research proposals. Sure, India and China aren’t on friendly terms but there are no legal blockers preventing any Indian institute from studying Chang’e samples. When India and China have economic and industrial relations, why should science be excluded?

 

Indian scientists have already studied Apollo and Luna samples, and even asteroid ones. As such, Indian researchers stand to benefit from publishing research on the geologically young Chang’e 5 samples. Doing so would also naturally open windows for the national scientific community to access Chang’e 6 samples in the future, which are even more diverse and valuable.

 

Even more crucially, going through the logistical process of proposing Chang’e sample studies and then getting & storing them would provide India with a good programmatic sense of what it would also need to do for sharing Chandrayaan 4 samples. This experience would span an obviously indirect yet nuanced sense of China’s storage facilities, initial characterization and cataloging of samples, their transport systems, and so on. Compared to the older and expensive Apollo sample curation system, the scale and scope of China’s planetary sample facilities are not only modern but in reach for India to take inspiration from.

 

While geopolitical hesitation may keep this prospect a dream, it’s worth noting that China did formally welcome India this year to collaborate on Moon missions and the Sino-led ILRS Moonbase project. The invitation came from none other than Wu Weiren, the Chief Designer of China’s extremely successful lunar exploration program.

 

Indian scientists applying for Chang’e sample studies can enable the next big step: a planetary sample exchange, a mechanism known to work very well in the past and present worldwide—such as the recent US-Japan asteroid sample swap. With Chandrayaan 4 lunar samples in hand, ISRO could initiate a sample exchange program with China and the US, swapping Chang’e and Artemis samples respectively for the uniquely impactful Chandrayaan 4 Moon materials. All three nations will benefit scientifically while India also gets improved geopolitical leverage and China further improves its international relations. A win-win for all, and for humanity.

 

 

 

 

Introducing the culmination of the Designated Lunar Activity Areas research fellowship: a field guide designed to bring clarity and structure to the next era of lunar operations. This guide explores real-world scenarios at high-interest lunar sites, applying a novel three-ring safety area framework with a special focus on nuclear FSP integration. It offers actionable tools and policy insights for safe, collaborative exploration and resource management. Whether you’re planning missions or shaping policy, this is an essential reference for navigating the compounding complexities of lunar activity. Click below to read or download the guide!

 

 

 

Register for Open Lunar’s virtual Designated Lunar Areas Showcase taking place on Tuesday, October 28th. Open Lunar Fellow Christine Tiballi will present their work on a framework for lunar area designation and coordination. See how stewardship, a coordinated operational framework, and lunar scenarios fuse to chart a sustainable path for the Moon.

 

 

During SF Space Week, Open Lunar Fellows Ashley Kosak and Philip Linden will be hosting an event on October 9 to spur discussion on their Timekeeping work. Hear from a panel of leaders at the forefront of orbital and lunar innovation as they unpack overlooked yet critical challenges.

 

Whether you’re a founder, investor, or just space-curious, you’ll leave with fresh perspectives and big ideas.

The Lunar Policy Platform, with grant support from the Open Lunar Foundation, has published final versions of two important publications in recent weeks. The first, Lunar Information Sharing 101, is a unique blueprint presenting common ground on core elements, guiding principles, and streamlined practices: why share, what to include, where, how, and when. Second, the Guide to Lunar Science and Ethics, serves as a reference guide mapping scientific, cultural, and ethical interests in the Moon, and assessing their implications towards principles and practices for a balanced approach.

 

We're thrilled to spotlight one of our supporters: The Institute!

At the start of this year, Open Lunar received a grant from the Institute to advance the Lunar Ledger—our initiative to build a transparent, shared digital record of lunar activities that fosters cooperation, accountability, and sustainable governance on the Moon.

 

A heartfelt thank you to all of our donors and supporters who make Open Lunar’s mission possible. 

 

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