Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 14-17 April 2023

JAXA Now Targeting SLIM Moon Lander Launch NET August Amid H3 Upper Stage Failure Investigation

While Japan eagerly awaits first commercial Moon landing with ispace (T-12 days),  SLIM timeline pushed back to at least August pending results of inquiry into unsuccessful inaugural launch of JAXA / Mitsubishi H3 during which the hydrogen-fueled upper stage, similar to H-2A second stage which is to carry SLIM to TLI and XRISM space observatory to GEO, failed to ignite; SLIM is to demonstrate precision landing within ~100 m of Marius Hills Hole and is first in a series of planned landings in support of Artemis, per statements given by JAXA Institute of Space and Astronautical Science Deputy Director Masaki Fujimoto

Credits: JAXA

Tuesday / 14 March 2023

LEAG Holding Town Hall Periphery Event at 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference

Interdisciplinary Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG), tasked with advising NASA HEOMD, SMD and NAC, to host hybrid Town Hall 16 March from 12:00-13:00 CDT at Houston-area convention center / online with Microsoft Teams; Presentations include Continuous Lunar Orbital Capabilities Specific Action Team Final Report from Paul Lucey (Hawai’i Institute of Geophysics & Planetology), Lunar Exploration and Science Orbiter from Michael Amato (NASA Exploration Science Strategy Integration Office), Joining The Moon And Mars Communities To A Common Goal by Clive Neal (University of Notre Dame) with Q&A to follow

Pictured (L-R):Amy Fagan, Erica Jawin, Paul Lucey, Michael Amato, Joel Kearns, Clive Neal; Credits: NASA, LinkedIn, Twitter / @NMNH, SSERVI, LPSC, LEAG, ND

Tuesday / 18 Oct 2022

Moon Village Association and Beyond Earth Institute Advance Lunar Sustainability and Habitation

MVA Global Expert Group on Sustainable Lunar Activities (GEGSLA) meeting for 21st time on 19 October to formulate recommendations on sustainable governmental and independent Moon exploration best practices to be presented to United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space; Meeting will conclude ‘Consensus Phase’, with ‘Harmonization Phase’ to follow for next 2 meetings (16 Nov, 21 Dec); Beyond Earth Institute also promotes guidelines for political, economic and environomental sustainability in paper Toward A Cislunar Ecosystem With Human Presence: The Underpinning For Permanent Lunar Communities

Credits: MVA, BEI

Friday / 26 Aug 2022

Space Frontier Foundation (SFF) NewSpace 2022 Awards Ceremony is Opportunity to Advance Lunar Initiatives

Cofounder Rick Tumlinson with Chair Kim Macharia to preside over SFF-organized NewSpace awards ceremony 26 August in Seattle, home to Boeing engineering team behind SLS, launching Artemis 1 to Moon NET 29 Aug; Next generation of space entrepreneurs will set sights to Moon as destination and platform for deep space, asteroid, Mars and Beyond ventures with Artemis-era synergy

Credits: SFF, NASA, Twitter, SPC / ILOA

Wednesday / 27 July 2022

Galaxy Forum Southeast Asia (GFSEA), Singapore Considers Lunar Commercial Communications, Pan Asia Astro Cooperation

GFSEA engaging regional astronomical / astronautical space leaders in dialogue at iconic ArtScience Museum 27 July on 3 themes: Considerations for Southeast Asia Space Agency (SEASA), Asia Astronomy Organization (AAO) modeled on European Southern Observatories, and Lunar Commercial Communications (LCC) – expanding commercial communications by 1,240x; Moderated by Singapore Space and Technology Limited President Jon Hung, LCC panel includes International Lunar Observatory Association Hawaii Director Steve Durst, Qosmosys CEO Francois Dubrulle, Transcelestial Technologies Engineer Jan Smisek; ILOA ILO-X precursor NET 22 Dec 2022, ILO-1 flagship NET 2024 missions for astronomy, observations and communications from the Moon

Credits: ILOA, NASA, CSYS, Twitter, Linkedin

International Moon Day Edition
Wednesday / 20 July 2022

International Space / Moon Day Honors Past Achievements, Challenges Artemis Generation to Continue Exploration

UN-Declared International Moon Day (20 July) commemorating Armstrong / Aldrin first human landing on another world, fostered by Moon Village Association President Giuseppe Reibaldi and others, will be inaugurated in Huntsville AL and 39 Global Events in 24 countries / 6 continents; Robotic landings anticipated in 2022 include ispace Mission 1, Astrobotic Peregrine Mission One, Intuitive Machines IM-1; Orbiters NASA Artemis 1, KARI Danuri / NASA Capstone on route preparing for 3rd trajectory correction maneuver; Artemis 3 human Moon return NLT 4 July 2026

Credits: MVA, ESA, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 13-16 May 2022

20 July International Moon Day Group (IMD-G) Seeking Event Participation, Logo Submissions

IMD-G, a division of Moon Village Association, is soliciting global event organizers who wish to celebrate UN-declared International Moon Day on 20 July with theme Lunar Exploration Coordination & Sustainability; Moon observing parties, astronaut speaking engagements, lunar cultural webinars, entrepreneur contests and Moon movie parties are suggested and may be livestreamed on IMD YouTube channel on 20 July 2022 – proposals due 1 June; International Moon Day also running Logo Competition with €1000 prize, entries due 31 May

Pictured: IMD-G members (L-R) Nasr Al-Sahhaf, Austeja Jurjonaite, Ariann Duncan, Bernadette Detera; Credits: MVA, UN, XTEND;
 

Tuesday / 6 Apr 2021

IAF Global Space Exploration Conference 2021 To Mark Resumption Of In-Person International Space Conferences

St. Petersburg, Russia Is Host City Of International Astronautical Federation GLEX 2021 From 14–18 June, Coinciding With 60th Observance Of The First Human Spaceflight, Made By Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin In 1961; GLEX Is Intended As Forum To “Define Worldwide Efforts… For International Cooperation On Future Of Space Exploration” Per IAF President Pascale Ehrenfreund; Co-Chairs Sergei Krikalev And Christian Sallaberger To Present Robust Event Schedule Including Opening / Closing Socials, Plenary Program, Keynote Lectures And Technical Sessions; Discussion On Proposed International Lunar Research Station, “Open To All Interested Countries And International Partners”, Expected To Be Featured Prominently

Credits: IAF, Roscosmos

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 19-22 Mar 2021

Moon, Mars, And Worlds Beyond Considered At 52nd Lunar And Planetary Science Conference (LPSC)

Linking Generations Of Lunar Explorers From Apollo To Artemis, Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis Program Presents At LPSC On Work To Revisit Scientifically Relevant Regolith And Core Samples Collected Up To 50 Years Ago; Mars 2020 Project Scientist Ken Farley Reports “No Major Technical Issues” On Perseverance Rover (Imaged Above On Sol 28 [19 Mar Earth Date] 14:02:14) As Team Plans Route To Astrobiological Area Of Interest Within Ancient River Delta; Alan Stern Of Southwest Research Institute Offers Fermi Paradox Explanation – Abundant Life Could Be Sheltered Within Interior Water Ocean Worlds

Credits: LPSC, NASA, SwRI

Friday / 19 Feb 2021

Bevy Of Lunar Meetings In USA, UK, SEA And Online Slated For The Week Ahead

AIAA Huntsville Presents Challenges And Benefits Of Excavation And Construction On The Moon 24 February, Jennifer Edmunson Of NASA MSFC To Speak On Extraction Of Volatiles From Regolith / PSRs, In-Situ Construction; 24-26 Feb International Association For The Study Of The Commons, Open Lunar Foundation, Others To Discuss Property Rights On Moon / Beyond From Arizona; LPI Of Houston Hosts Lunar Surface Science Workshop On Science Support For Crewed Artemis Missions 24-25 Feb; IOP Manchester Looks Back On Apollo And Its Impression Via Media 24 Feb; Pre-Global Space & Technology Convention Includes ILOA Hawai’i 3rd Lunar Commercial Communications Workshop In Hybrid Format From Singapore 25 Feb

Credits: AIAA, IOP, LPI, IASC, GSTC