Thursday / 23 June 2016

Multiple Human Moon Missions Evolving As Major National / International Goals

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Astronaut Tim Peake Has New Focus On Lunar Missions As ESA Plans To Establish A Cislunar ‘Deep Space Habitat’ For Lunar Surface & Solar System Exploration; Dave Parker Of ESA Human Spaceflight Cites Upcoming Discussions At Ministerial Conference In Lucerne, Switzerland In December; China Manned Space Program Deputy Chief Zhang Yulin Recently Proclaimed The Goal Of ‘Crewed Lunar Exploration’, With Analysts Predicting This Could Be Achieved As Soon As 2020s; Russia Plans To Permanently Station 12 Cosmonauts On Lunar Surface, Starting With 2-4 People By 2030

Credit: ESA, Roscosmos, CNSA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 17-20 June 2016

‘Moon First’ Is Only Viable Route To Mars & Beyond

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Lunar Luminary Clive R. Neal, Professor Of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences At University Of Notre Dame, Argues Human Return To Moon Surface Is Crucial To Future Of Space Exploration In June 2016 Issue Of Scientific American; Human Moon Missions Provide Experience In Off-World Living & Opportunity To Utilize Rich Resources, Most Notably Water Ice Which Can Be Split Into Oxygen & Hydrogen Via Electrolysis To Power Fuel Cells And Feed Rocket Motors; Emphasis On Sustainability And Return On Investment Via Commercial Services Integration

Credit: ESA, NASA, University of Notre Dame

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 20-23 May 2016

Bigelow Closer To Realizing Lunar Habitats, BEAM Expansion At ISS Planned Next Thursday

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Robert Bigelow Goal Of Human Habitats On Moon, In Cislunar & Deep Space Remains Primary Focus For Company In Its 18th Year; As US$17.8M, 16-Meter3 Volume Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) Will Be Tested At ISS Over Next 2 Years, Bigelow Will Be Working To Fabricate & Test 2 Habitats For Deployment In 2020; Hoping Lunar Habitats & Tourism Accelerate Deep Space Exploration, And Customers Could Be Flown To & Access 1/3 Of 330-Meter3 Habitat For $60M A Year

Credit: Bigelow Aerospace, NASA

Friday / 20 May 2016

Human Missions To Moon, Mars Will Happen States Astronaut Alexander Gerst

Gerst ISS, Moon, Mars

To Be 1st German ISS Commander, Astronaut Gerst Says Society Needs To Be Ready / Decide On Human Missions To Other Celestial Bodies Beyond The ISS, And “We Are Ready To Go, Basically”; Acknowledges Great Value Of ISS Research, Resource Conservation, Human Space Studies Toward Establishing Moon & Mars Missions And Outposts; ISS Funding Through 2024 Still Being Decided By Europe, Which Has Proposed A Moon Village As Next Logical Step, Before Mars, Asteroids

Credit: ESA, Orbiter Forum / Carmen Felix, NASA

Friday / 6 May 2016

Two Conferences Supporting Moon, Mars, & Asteroids Investigate Opportunities

Two ConferencesStimulating Renewed Support In Moon / Space Activities Two Conferences Moving Into Year 8 Scheduled To Address: Lunar Exploration & Enterprise, Solar System, Near Earth Asteroids; 7-9 June Golden Colorado School Of Mines To Host  SRR, PTMSS & LPI With PISCES Rob Kelso Discussing ISRU Construction – Lunar Launch/Landing Pad; Ames Research Center Holding Annual Lunar & Small Bodies Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2016) In Mountain View California 19 July; NASA SSERVI Topics To Include Missions & Human Exploration

Credit: SRR, PTMSS, LPI, NASA, SSERVI, PISCES

Friday / 29 April 2016

Value Of The Moon Considered by Paul Spudis in New Book

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Planetary Geologist Dr. Paul D. Spudis At Lunar And Planetary Institute (LPI) Continues Leading Advocacy For Moon Exploration, Development; The 272-Page Illustrated Hardcover Highlights Moon Enabling Science, Commerce, Security, Human Solar System Expansion; Plan Outlines Base At Lunar Pole, In Situ Water-Ice Utilization, Regions Of Near-Continuous Sunlight, Teleoperated-Robtic Infrastructure Development Prior To Crew Missions; US$88B Cost Estimate For Human Lunar Outpost Capability

Credit: LPI, Smithsonian Books.

New Year / Holiday Edition
Fri / 18 Dec 2015 – Mon / 4 Jan 2016

New Earthrise Photo From Moon Reaffirms Human Achievements & Prompts Next Steps Looking, Heading Into Milky Way Galaxy

12192015_2Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Continues To Gather Invaluable Data Solidifying Human Quest To Explore & Discover More About Earth, Moon, Solar System, Galaxy & Beyond; Photo Pays Tribute To Image Taken During Apollo 8 In Lunar Orbit On 24 Dec 1968 By Astronaut Anders; Composite Of Images Taken With LRO High-Resolution Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) In B&W Along With Wide Angle Camera (WAC) In Color ~134km Above Moon Farside Compton Crater While Traveling 1,600 Meters Per Second (Relative To The Lunar Surface); LRO Scheduled To Continue Through 2017; After Decades Of Viewing Earth From Moon, Next Inspiration Should Come From The Galaxy And Our Future Among The Stars

Pictured: Apollo 8 Crew (L-R) James A. Lovell Jr., command module pilot; William A. Anders, lunar module pilot; and Frank Borman, commander.

Credit: NASA

Thursday / 17 December 2015

ESA ESTEC Moon 2020 Symposium Discusses Human Mission Possibilities With 3D Printing & Britain First ESA Astronaut Tim Peake At ISS

12172015Monolite Founder Enrico Dini (L) Discusses Challenges, Successes & Next Steps In 3D Printing Intended For The Lunar Surface To Develop A Moon Village; 3D Printing With Regolith Has Addressed Key Component To Avoid Freezing; Heating Regolith With Microwave Technology Is Currently Being Studied; Dini States That Technological Advancements Are Also Underway To Create Large Building Blocks (Pre-Cast) For Construction With Flexible Molds Using Lunar Regolith Agglomerate Polyurethane Foam; FAA Endorses Moon Village Concept Expressing An Interest In Supporting A Commercial Role; ESA Astronaut Tim Peake (R) Enters First Week At ISS Conducting Experiments That Could Aid Future Human Moon / Mars Missions

Credit: ESA, D-Shape, Foster + Partners, NASA

Tuesday / 15 December 2015

China Chang’e-3 Spacecraft Enters Year 3 On Moon; Honorary Currency Celebrates China National Spaceflight

12152015Currently In Lunar Night 25 Chang’e-3 (CE-3) Expected To Awaken 21 Dec & Begin Lunar Day 26 Operations; First Long-Term Robotic Observatory Lunar-based Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT) On CE-3 Continues To Gather Images Of Galaxies / Binary Stars / Deep Space With Fewer Limitations Than Earth Due To The Thin Exosphere; Chinese Lunar Exploration Program Has 3 Phases: Orbiting CE-1 & CE-2 / Landing CE-2 & CE-4 (To Far Side NET 2018) / Sample Return CE-5 (Slated For 2017) & CE-6; China’s Central Bank Commemorates Chang’e-1 On Currency (Bill & Coin) 2015 Banknote Reads “Chinese Spaceflight Commemorative”

Credit: People’s Bank of China, CNSA, CAST, CLEP, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 4-7 December 2015

Sustainable Revitalization Strategies For Lunar Exploration To Be Discussed At “Moon 2020-2030”

1252015Moon 2020-2030 Symposium On Human & Robotic Exploration Being Held At ESTEC Noordwijk, The Netherlands 15-16 Dec Will Examine & Build Upon Approaches And Innovations For Lunar Missions; Symposium “Will Be A Key Step In Advancing The International Approach For Lunar Exploration Together With Key Players From Agencies, Academia, And Industry”; Objectives Invite Contributions In Multiple Areas Including: Operational Human Roles, Opportunities Of Lunar Exploration For Society, Planned Missions & Capabilities; Opening Plenary Session By ESA Head Of Propulsion And Aerothermodynamics Division Giorgio Saccoccia To Discuss Exploration Technology Roadmaps In Support Of Moon Initiatives & Technology Prioritization

Credit: ESA, Foster + Partners