Author Archives: LED Editor

Thursday / 19 February 2015

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South Korea Unveils Moon Rover

SKoreaRover0215

Korea Institute Of Science & Technology Displays Moon Rover Destined For Lunar Landing In 2020; Rover Is 50cm Wide, 70cm Long, 25cm High, Weighs 20kg (China Yutu Moon Rover Is 120kg); Project Elevated As National Objective By President Park Geun-Hye; Mission – Which Also Includes A Moon Orbiter – Expected To Cost ~US$630M; 2 Separate Launches Of Korea Space Launch Vehicle-2 Will Boost The Orbiter & Lander

Image Credit: Korea Institute Of Science & Technology, Korea.net

Wednesday / 18 February 2015

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McMurdo On Moon Conference:
Analog For Moon Settlement

McMurdoMoon0215

Space Horizons 2015: McMurdo On The Moon Conference On 18-19 February At Brown University, Providence RI; Experts In Planetary Science & Antarctica Research Come Together To Examine How Antarctica Facilities Can Be Utilized As A Fully Operational Model For Sustainable Human Exploration Of Moon & Mars; Speakers Include (L-R) Pete Worden Of NASA Ames, Marco Lisi Of ESA, David Marchant Of Boston University & James Head Of Brown University; Event Will Feature 3D CAVE Tour Of Moon; Between 1,000-4,500 Researchers Live & Work In Antarctica At Any Given Time

Image Credit: Space Horizons, NASA, ESA, Boston University, Brown University

 

 

Tuesday / 17 February 2015

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China Advancing Preparations For Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission

Chang'eLM5

Next Generation Heavy-Lift Rocket, Long March-5, Engines Pass Successful Ground Test According To SASTIND; First Test Flight Planned For 2016; Booster Able To Lift 25 Metric Tons To LEO, 14 To GTO, Key Element For Lunar Sample Return Mission Chang’e-5; Service Module Of Chang’e-5 T1 Mission Currently In Orbit Around Moon, Still Providing China Lunar Exploration Program With Opportunities To Prepare For Sample Return Including Recent Experiment To Test Orbital Operational Capabilities

Image Credit: CNSA, CCTV

 

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 13-16 February 2015

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LRO Team Meets In Arizona As Orbiter Continues Providing Valuable Data

LRO0215update$

22nd LRO Project Science Working Group At Arizona State University This Week To Outline Research Priorities & Opportunities; NASA GSFC Recently Granted 2-Year Contract Extension To ASU For Management Of LRO / LROC Science & Flight Operations, Data Processing & Analysis; New Contract Goes Until 15 Mar 2017; No Operational Funds Were Requested For 2016 LRO Operations By Obama Administration; LRO Costs ~US$12.4M / Year; Strong Senior Review Rating, Support In Congress Indicate LRO Will Continue To Provide Valuable Data In Coming Years

Image Credit: NASA, ASU

Friday / 13 February 2015

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GLXP Team Indus “We Will Definitely
Land On The Moon”

India Team indus

India Team Indus Describes Support Received From Various ISRO Branches, Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs, General Public; Team Estimates It Will Need To Secure US$35M To Complete Lunar Lander ‘HHK1’ & Rover, And Launch To Moon On PSLV; Core Team Of 9 Plus 31 Other Young Engineers Continues To Overcome Technological / Financial Challenges, Inspire STEM Education, Encourage Technology Startups & Advance Space Exploration Activities In India; Hosting Reddit “Ask Me Anything”
On 14 Feb 11:00-12:30 IST

Image Credit: GLXP, Team Indus, NASA

Thursday / 12 February 2015

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April Workshop To Highlight Near-Term Lunar Surface Mission Opportunities

LSA5_0215

Abstract Deadlines Due Friday 13 February For 5th International Workshop On Lunar Surface Applications; Event – Scheduled For 14-17 April 2015 In Cocoa Beach FL – Will Provide Overview Of Moon Mission Development & Plans Of The 3 Commercial Enterprises Supported By NASA Lunar Catalyst Lander Program, & Opportunities For Science & Commercial Activities On Moon; To Include Additional Presentations About Lunar Polar ISRU & Upcoming NASA Resource Prospector Mission

Image Credit: lunarworkshops.com, NASA, Moon Express

Wednesday / 11 February 2015

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Lunar Elevator May Facilitate
Moon Mining Industry

LunarElevatorL50215

Oregon L5 Society Hosting /Streaming Meeting ‘Mining The Moon With A Lunar Elevator’ On 19 Feb At Pearson Air Museum In Vancouver, Washington; Proponents Claim Lunar Elevator Can Be Built For US$800M With Available & Inexpensive Materials Like M5, Zylon, Dyneema; Proposal Envisions Near Side Elevator Anchored To Lunar Equator At Sinus Medii, Orbital Center Of Mass Of System To Be Situated At Earth-Moon L1 Or L2 (50,000 Km) From Moon Surface; Elevator Would Substantially Reduce Cost Of Lunar Surface Missions, Could Potentially Pay For Itself In Single Payload Cycle

Image Credit: The Technion, arcadiastreet.com, Oregon L5 Society

Tuesday / 10 February 2015

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Lunar Sample Research Requests Due This Week

CuratorLunarSample

110,000 Individually Cataloged Samples Totaling 382 Kg Of Lunar Material Returned By Apollo Lunar Surface Exploration Are Currently Preserved At NASA Johnson Space Center; Curation & Analysis Planning Team For Extraterrestrial Materials (CAPTUM) Is Accepting Research Proposals / Lunar Sample Requests For Spring 2015 CAPTEM Meeting Until Friday, 13 Feb Deadline; Samples Can Be Used For Planetary Science Studies Or Engineering & Resource Utilization Studies

Image Credit: NASA

 

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 6-9 February 2015

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China, Argentina Collaborating On Lunar Tracking Station

ArgChina0215

Argentina President Cristina Kirchner & China President Xi Jinping Sign Agreement Handing Control Of Tracking Station To China Authorities; Station Is Located In Neuquen, Argentina On 200 Hectare Parcel; China Leasing The Station For 50 Years, Station & Staff Ruled By Chinese Law; Space Antenna Expected To Begin Operations This Month, Will Be Used To Monitor & Receive Data For China Lunar Exploration Missions

Image Credit: CNSA, ferfal.blogspot.com

Friday / 6 February 2015

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LRO Finds Most Lunar Hydrogen On Slopes Facing Moon South Pole

LRO Hydrogen

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Finds 23 Parts-Per-Million-By-Weight More Hydrogen On Crater Slopes In Southern Hemisphere (Starting Between 50-60° S Latitude) That Face Lunar South Pole Than On Equator-Facing Slopes Possibly Due To Lack Of Sunlight / Evaporation; LRO In 30 X 180-Km Altitude Orbit Passing Over Lunar South Pole With 21st Data Set Release Upcoming, Not Yet Funded For 2016 According To NASA Budget; Team Including Timothy McClanahan Of GSFC To Determine If N Hemisphere Has Same Pattern, & Effects Of Lunar Day / Night Cycle

Image Credit: NASA, Institute for Space Research, GSFC