Friday / 26 June 2015

Lunar & Planetary Institute Hosting Dual Summer Intern Programs

2015 LPI Summer Intern Programs

 LPI 2015 Student Education Program ‘Exploration Science’ Running 26 May – 31 Jul Focusing On Orion EM-1 & EM-2 Moon Missions Planned For ~2018-2021 & Concepts For Human-Assisted Lunar Surface / Asteroid Sample Return Missions ~2028; Students In ‘Planetary Science’ Program 1 Jun – 7 Aug Working One-On-One With LPI Or Johnson Space Center Scientists On Cutting Edge Lunar & Planetary Research Projects; Experts Include (TL-R) Paul Spudis, Walter Kiefer, David Kring, Allan Treiman

Credit: LPI, NASA, SSERVI, CLSE, ISECG

Thursday / 25 June 2015

Team HAKUTO

Reveals Technology Developments

6252015 Japan Google Lunar XPrize Team HAKUTO Enters Agreement With Marubeni Information Systems For “Technological Assistance As Technology Partner”, Announcement Made At 26th Design Engineering & Manufacturing Solutions Expo 24-26 June; New Technology Includes 3D Printing & Scanning, Wheels Of Lunar Exploration Rover Shaped By Stratasys 3D Printer Have Heat Resistance & Adaptability To Harsh Temperatures In Space Environment

Credit: Lunar XPrize, Marubeni Information Systems

Wednesday / 24 June 2015

Harrison “Jack” Schmitt Participates At ISU Space Studies Program (SSP15)

6242015 NASA First Scientist-Astronaut Schmitt Has Busy Week At International Space University (ISU) Hosted By Ohio University; Recognized For His Apollo 17 Mission & Being The Second To Last Human To Step On The Moon His Work Continues On Lunar Exploration & Future Space Policy Issues; Advocate For Human Space Exploration & Author Of “Return To The Moon” Schmitt Describes Private Enterprise Approach & Business Proposition For Lunar Helium-3 Mining

Credit: NASA, IHMC

Tuesday / 23 June 2015

Chandrayaan-II Orbital Craft Module Structure Delivered By Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

6232015India Moon Mission & Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chandrayaan-II, Two Module Configuration Spacecraft (Orbiter & Lander) Orbital Bus Delivered To The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO); HAL Chairman T. Suvarna Raju States “The Orbiter Craft Module Structure Is A Three-Tonne Category Bus”; Chandrayaan-II Planning For Moon Launch In 2017 By Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-MkII)

Credit: ISRO, HAL

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 19-22 June 2015

Moon Missions Discussed At 2015 International Paris Air Show

6192015Russia Luna-25 Performing “Earth Trials” For Projected 2019 Landing At Moon South Pole To Study Moon Structure, Cosmic Ray Impact, Electromagnetic Radiation; Incoming ESA Director General (1 July), Johann-Dietrich Wörner (TR) Discussing  International Partnerships & States “One Of My Ideas Is To Go To The Moon, To The Far Side Of The Moon. To Have Robots And Humans Really Be Present There, On A Permanent Station…”

Credit: NASA, Roscosmos Press Service, EuroNews, International Paris Air Show

Friday / 19 June 2015

LADEE Data Indicate Permanent Asymmetrical Dust Cloud Around Moon LADEE

Moon May Have Permanent Cloud Layer Formed By High-Speed Comet Dust Particles On Eccentric Orbits According To University Of Colorado Study Of NASA LADEE Mission Which Recorded 140,000 Impacts Over 80 Days; Lead Author Mihaly Horányi States Moon May Have 120kg Of Dust In Atmosphere At Any Given Time, Other Bodies With Thin Atmosphere Expected To Have Same Phenomenon; Evidence Also Recorded From Apollo Astronaut Observations From Surface & Of Lunar Terminator

Credit: NASA, University of Colorado – Boulder

Thursday / 18 June 2015

Lunar Mission One Continues To Gain

United Nations Attention

6182015Privately Funded Lunar Mission One (LMO) Gaining International Space Mission Support For Moon South Pole 2024 Exploration; David Iron (B), Founder of Lunar Missions Trust & Lunar Missions Ltd Proposes Partnership Allowing Individual & Government Collaboration; Iron Recently Addressed Committee On The Peaceful Uses Of Outer Space (COPUOS) Administered By United Nations Office For Outer Space Affairs; Supported By Former Conservative Science Minister Ian Taylor (TR), & Astronomer Royal Lord Martin Rees (TL), LMO To Deepen Understandings Of Moon & Earth Origins

Credit: Lunar Mission One, David Iron, Ian Taylor, Martin Rees

Wednesday / 17 June 2015

Collaboration Continues / Russia, China Developing Agreements For Crewed Lunar Landing

6172015Uniform Technical Parameters Are Being Explored For Russia & China Future Collaboration To Execute Human Lunar Landings; Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin States That “Moscow Is Ready To Work Hand In Hand”; Russia Presents Model Of Luna-25 (Luna Glob Project) Lander During 2015 Le Bourget Air Show In Paris, France This Week; Luna-25 Launch Plans & Preparations Are Still Underway

Credit: NASA, CNSA, CCTV

Tuesday / 16 June 2015

Propulsion Expert Tim Pickens Expects

GLXP Launches 2017, 2018

61515

Tim Pickens Of Huntsville, Alabama, Chief Propulsion Engineer For Moon Express States That ME Is Operating In Cape Canaveral To Centralize Its Developments; While Pickens Mentions No Google Lunar X Prize Team Will Launch This Year, 2017 Or 2018 Is Expected; Pickens Currently Working On Propulsion System For Virgin Galactic SpaceShip Two; When Asked To Support Other Projects, Pickens Criteria Is That Involvement Has To Be Fun

Credit:  Moon Express, Tim Pickens, GLXP, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 12-15 June 2015

Apollo 11 Moonworker Advocates For U.S.-China Cooperation In Space

China US International Cooperation

Buzz Aldrin Writes Article Supporting U.S. Gov / NASA Engagement With China In Space Beginning With Sustained Human Presence At ISS / LEO, Multiple Moon Bases For All International & Commercial Uses As A Prelude For Mars / Deep Space Exploration, Multi World Species, Global Space Cooperation; China Chang’e-3 Craft Reach 18-Months Of Operations / Astronomy From Moon This Weekend, Country Is Developing Chang’e-4 & 5 Moon Missions, 2nd Generation Space Station For LEO

Credit: NASA, CNSA, CCTV, ESA, ATCM, Buzz Aldrin