Friday / 18 Aug 2023

International Lunar Year Being Fostered by US State Department as DARPA Advances 10-Year Lunar Architecture

US Department of State, led by Secretary Antony Blinken and Acting Deputy Secretary Victoria Nuland, is hosting high level discussions on the launch of an International Lunar Year (ILY), modeled on International Geophysical Year (1957-58), International Space Year (1992), International Polar Year (2007-08); Called for in US National Cislunar Science & Technology Strategy, an ILY would coordinate international developments in Moon studies, specifically geophysical networks, heliophysics and far-side radio astronomy; 1 July 2027 — 31 Dec 2028 suggested by Bobby Braun of JHUAPL; DARPA offering ≤US$1M for commercial lunar service plans under LunA-10 program, winners to be announced at LSIC 10-11 Oct

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 5-8 Aug 2022

Danuri and Capstone on Course Towards Lunar Orbit as Artemis 1 and Landers Prepare to Follow

Summer around Moon well underway with KARI KPLO Danuri joining NASA Capstone (operated by Advanced Space) on fuel efficient ballistic lunar transfer trajectory; Danuri expected to reach Moon orbit by 16 Dec, Capstone to arrive 13 Nov; NASA Artemis 1 (SLS megarocket + Orion crew capsule) to take direct 4-day trans-lunar injection route, rollout to KSC pad 39B anticipated 19 Aug, nominal launch date set for 29 Aug; ispace Hakuto-R targets launch to Lacus Somniorum ‘Lake of Dreams’ in Nov; Astrobotic Peregrine working towards Q4 launch to Lacus Mortis ‘Lake of Death’

Pictured: KARI Director Lee Sang-ryool, Advanced Space Capstone Program Manager Tom Gardner; Credits: KARI, Advanced Space, APRSAF

 

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 5-8 Mar 2021

New Wave Of National Actors Announce Intentions To Reach Moon

Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter Launching In August 2022 To Map PSRs; Thailand Plans To Become 1st Space Faring Nation In SouthEast Asia With US$98M Program Launching 50-100kg Satellites By 2026, Culminating In Moon Orbit Mission By 2029, $100M Domestic Company mu Space Currently Developing Launch Capabilities; Turkey Plans Moon Landing By 2023 With SpaceCraft Developed By Contractor Delta V (Coinciding With National Centennial), Building Spaceport In Somalia; Israel Beresheet 2 Slated For 2024, As Is UAE Rashid Rover Mission; Space Commission Chairman / Astronaut Sultan bin Salman Al Saud Estimates Saudi Arabia Will Have Astronauts Trained For Moon Mission Within 2 Years

Credits: KARI, Turkish Space Agency, mu Space

Thursday / 9 January 2020

2020s: International Lunar Decade Commences With Artemis Leading Way

International Lunar Decade (ILD) Concept Long Championed By Space Advocates, Scientists And Entrepreneurs Relies On The Capability Of 6 Major Spacefaring Powers And Independent / Commercial Enterprises: USA, India, China, Russia, Europe, Japan; SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing, Lockheed, Others; 5 Planned Human Moon Landings In 2020s And 8 On 2030s Horizon To Be Initiated; Coordination Of These Efforts Within UN-Sanctioned ILD Body Can Accelerate Actualization Of Community And Individuals On Lunar Surface By Optimizing Economic And Policy Conditions; Moon Build-out Is Recognized As Essential Platform From Which Wider Solar System Can Be Reached

Credits: NASA, ESA

Friday / 12 August 2016

ILDWG Proposes G20 Leaders Discuss Financial Promise Of Developing Moon, Space Economy

ILDWG 2016

International Lunar Decade Working Group Urges Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) To Include Space Development At G20 Summit In Hamburg July 2017 As Innovative, Global Strategy For Building Sustainable, Long Term Future For Humanity; Moon Village Would Include More Nations, Surpass Financial Scope Of ISS; Cislunar Space Infrastructure Could Reduce Costs & Risks Of Operating In Space; Space-Based Resources, Asteroid Mining Would Create Hundreds Of Thousands Of Jobs, Drive Innovation & Discovery, Generate Tools For Earth Climate Change, Planetary Defense

Credit: ILDWG, ESA, NSS, NASA, ISDC, SFF, 5FM, Researchgate, G20

Wednesday / 11 November 2015

Lunar Power Utility Necessary For Commercial Lunar Enterprise

11112015Commercial & Sustainable Activity On Moon Surface Could Be Advanced By Lunar Power Utility (LPU) Construction According To Authors V. Beldavs, D. Dunlap, J. Crisafulli & B. Foing Of “The Lunar Electrical Power Utility”; Two Powersats (Developed For ~US$250M) In Lunar Orbit Could Beam Power To ISRU Rovers / Equipment, Providing 168 Kilowatts Of Generating Capacity; Anticipated Long-Term Demand For LPU May Reach Megawatt Levels Beyond 2030; International Lunar Decade To Kick Off 2017 Promoting Sustainable Space Economy, Commercial Space Development, Infrastructure & Financing

Credit: NASA/John Frassanito and Associates, Shimizu Corporation

Weekend Holiday Edition
Friday-Monday / 3-6 July 2015

Moon South Pole Landers 2017-19
Point To 2020s Human Lunar Decade

July 4 Edition, Moon South Pole

International Fleet Of South Pole Lunar Landers Developing From India (Chandrayaan-2, 2017), China (Chang’e-4 & -5, 2017), Japan (SLIM, 2019), Russia (Luna-25, 2019), Korea (2020), As Well As Independent Enterprises Moon Express, ILOA, Canadensys, Golden Spike Company & Shackleton Energy Company; American Flags On Moon Commemorated 4 July As Pioneering Individuals Look Forward To Earth / International Flags & Multi World Species Endeavors

Credit: NASA, JAXA, CNSA, IIT-Kanpur, ISRO, ILOA, ME

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 29 May – 1 June 2015

International Lunar Decade Initiative
Gaining Momentum

ILD0515

Initiative Of NSS, ILEWG, & FOTONIKA-LV Garnering Increased Attention After Being Featured At Several Conferences Including ISDC2015; ILD 2017-2029 Seeks To Foster International Collaboration Leading To Industrial Development Of Moon & Cislunar Space Enabling Self-Sustaining Space Economy; Next Step Is To Achieve Support Of COPUOS & UN General Assembly – 58th COPUOS Session 10-19 June In Vienna; Architects Of Initiative Seeking Aggregate 10-Year Investment Of US$150B From Main Spacefaring Powers

Image Credit: NASA, FOTONIKA-LV, cislunarnext.org

Thursday / 21 May 2015

ISDC 2015 Focusing On Breakthrough Technologies For Lunar / Space Exploration

ISDC2015

Over 1,000 Attendees Meeting At NSS International Space Development Conference In Toronto, Canada 20-24 May; Robert Richards Of Moon Express To Speak Today On ‘Breakthrough Technologies Shaping Our Future’; Friday To Feature Presentations On The International Lunar Decade By Dave Dunlop & Vid Beldavs, Plus A Keynote Presentation By Apollo 11 Moonwalker Buzz Aldrin; Lunar Workshop To Include Presentations On Lunar Surface Solar Power / Power Beaming, Supporting A Cislunar Econosphere, Mapping Lunar Lava Tubes

Image Credit: National Space Society, Canadian Space Commerce Association, Moon Express, LinkedIn

Friday / 17 April 2015

5th International Lunar Surface Applications Workshop Last Day

LSA5

Final Day Of LSA5 In Cocoa Beach FL Will Feature Russell Cox (L) Of Flexure Engineering On ‘The Lunar Initiatives’, David Dunlop (R) Of NSS On ‘International Lunar Decade’, & Presentations On The Business Of Being An Astropreneur; Other Lunar Leaders Include Bob Richards (Moon Express), Dan Hendrickson (Astrobotic), Jim Keravala (Shackleton Energy); Conference Advancing Collaborations, Ideas For Robotic Science / Resource Prospecting & Human Exploration / Settlement Missions; 5th LunarCubes Workshop To Be Held Oct 6-9 In San Jose CA; LSA5 Speech By Astronaut Cady Coleman & Panel Discussion Available

Image Credit: Flexure Engineering, NSS, Bigelow, Isaac Brekken/The New York Times/Redux/Eyevine