Author Archives: LED Editor

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 5-8 September 2014

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International Observe The Moon Night,
Last Super Moon Of 2014

InOMN 2014

The 5th Annual International Observe The Moon Night Takes Place Saturday 6 September While Earth’s Closest Celestial Neighbor Is In Waxing Gibbous Phase Enhancing Visibility Of Lunar Craters; Over 300 Events Registered Worldwide To Promote Science, Education, Awareness Of Moon Exploration & Benefits, Current Moon Missions (Pictured) / Potential & Planned Missions Including GLXP, ILO-1, Golden Spike, LunarCubes; Moon At Perigee (357,986 km) Sunday 7 Sep & Full Harvest / SuperMoon Monday 8 Sep

Image Credit: InOMN, LROC, NASA, CNSA, CCTV

Friday / 5 September 2014

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Planetary Senior Review Panel Gives Green Light To LRO Extended Mission

LROseniorReview0914

Evaluating Proposed New Science & Previous Productivity LRO Received Grade Of Very Good / Good From NASA Planetary Senior Review Panel Chaired By Clive Neal; Panel Suggested Descoping Some LRO Instruments: Mini-RF Operations To End, CRaTER Instrument May Continue With Cost-Sharing With Helio / Astrophysics Programs; After Accepting Descoping Proposal LRO Grade Raised To Very Good / Excellent; 2nd 2-Year LRO Extended Science Mission Will Characterize Changes In Lunar Surface, Interior & Exosphere; LRO Expected 2015 Operations Cost Was US$8.1M Pre-Descoping

Image Credit: NASA

Thursday / 4 September 2014

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GLXP Teams Take Small Steps,
Develop Big Goals

090414

German-Based Team Part-Time Scientists Test The 3 Imaging Systems Of Its ‘Asimov’ Rover At German Research Center For AI Simulated Lunar Environment In Bremen; Japan-Based Team Hakuto Long-Term Goal Is To Develop Space Resources Which Facilitate Human Habitation Of Moon / Space Says Rover Development Lead Kazuya Yoshida (TL) Of Tohoku University; The Man Who Sold The Moon New Novella By Cory Doctorow (BR) About A GLXP-Type NewSpace Moon Mission, Attempts To Reignite Interest In Developing Enterprising Lunar Exploration Ideas

Image Credit: GLXP, Boing Boing

Wednesday / 3 September 2014

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MoonBots Winners Headed To Hawai`i

MoonBots0914

Incredibots From Columbus, Ohio Win 2014 MoonBots Challenge; Team Wins Trip To Pacific International Space Center For Exploration Systems (PISCES), Hawaii Island To Test Its Robot On Slopes Of Mauna Kea; Over 300 Teams From 24 Countries Participated In Contest, 25 Finalists Built & Programmed LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot & Tested It In Their Own Lunar Landscape; 1st Runner-Up From Barcelona, Spain, 2nd Runner-Up From Rotterdam, Netherlands; Contest Sponsored By GLXP & GeekDad

Image Credit: GLXP, GeekDad

Tuesday / 2 September 2014

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Vision For Space Access May Be Difference In Tight Hawai`i Governor Race

HAwaiiSpaceAcessGov914

Pacific Space Access Could Become A Key Issue As Hawai’i Gubernatorial Race Heats Up; Sen David Ige (D), Duke Aiona (R), Mufi Hannemann (I) All Could Benefit From Supporting Pioneering Initiative To Develop Hawaii-Based Sea Launching Enterprise, Which Would Bring Economic And Scientific Opportunities To Islands; With NASA Missions LRO & Mars Opportunity Rover Receiving Funding For Extended Missions, Hawaii Island Role As Analog Test Site For Robotic / Human Planetary Missions Should Continue To Advance

Image Credit: PISCES, Sea Launch, KHON2

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 29 Aug – 1 Sep 2014

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Pacific Space Access: Opportunity For State Of Hawai`i / Gubernatorial Candidates

Guber2014Hawaii814

Equatorial Sea-Launching Orbital Access From Remote Mid-Ocean Location Would Be Highly Valued For Commercial & Government Launch Demand, Offer Economic Opportunities To Aloha State, Advance Astro / Aerospace Industry – Already Burgeoning With Moon / Mars Analogue Sites, PISCES, Mauna Kea Astronomy, ILOA Headquarters; New State Leadership Could Advance Hawaii 21st Century Astro Leadership; ‘Next Giant Leap’ Lunar Conference In Hawaii, 9-13 Nov 2014 Will Feature Discussions On Next Steps For State Of Hawaii To Implement Strategies Supporting Sustainable Space Ventures

Pictured: Hawaii Gubernatorial Candidates (L-R): Duke Iona (R), Mufi Hannemann (I), David Ige (D)

 Image Credit: NASA, Sea Launch, khno2.com

Friday / 29 August 2014

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GLXP Teams: Moon Missions More Valuable Than Cash Prize

Penn State & Hakuto

Penn State Lunar Lion Aiming To Launch To Moon Dec 2015 Would Use US$20M Prize Money To Set Up Space Research Institute / Student Scholarships, Working On Integrating Propulsion & Control System Into Spacecraft – Recognize GLXP Isn’t Just An Investment To Make Money, But Make History; Japan Team Hakuto Stresses Lunar Skylights As Sites Of Potential Human Habitats (As Does Team Astrobotic), Hopes To Contribute To Human Understanding Of Moon, Working On Pair Of Rovers: 4-Wheeled 8kg Moonraker Would Lower 2-Wheeled 2kg Tetris Into Holes Using Tether

Image Credit: Penn State Lunar Lion, Team Hakuto

Thursday / 28 August 2014

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Mining Moon Viable Alternative To Exploiting Dwindling Terrestrial Resources

ArcticVmoon

Increasing Scarcity Of Resources On Earth & Potential Environmental Repercussions Could Significantly Drive Up Cost Of Energy / Critical Metals By At Least 10-20 Times In Next 20 Years; Rapidly Advancing Space Access / Exploration Technology, Initiatives Of Governments & Commercial Enterprises, Making Space Viable Venue To Access Plentiful Resources Through Space-Based Solar Power, Mining Moon & NEOs; Environmental Advocates Noting That Moon Mining May Be Preferable To Desecrating Arctic

Image Credit: Popular Mechanics, Greenpeace

Wednesday / 27 August 2014

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Russia Lunar Ambitions Could Limit ISS Support

RussiaBeyondISS0814

Russia Actions / Statements Indicate A Growing Seriousness About Finally Fulfilling Long-Standing Plans To Put Humans On Moon; Roscosmos Recent Budgetary Request For US$770M To Advance Robotic Moon Program Includes US$55M To Complete Technical Specifications For Human Lunar Base; Development Of Prospective Piloted Transport System (PPTS) (TR), Next Generation Russia Crew Capsule With 4-Person Capacity To Moon Orbit; Angara Rocket (BR) Emerging As Contender For PPTS Launches; Projected Launch Schedule Sees Lunar PPTS Launching in ~2024 – Last Year Of Current ISS Program

Image Credit: Roscosmos

Tuesday / 26 August 2014

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Chandrayaan-2 On Schedule For 2017 Launch

Chandrayaan2Annadurai

M Annadurai Of ISRO, Project Manager For Chandrayaan-1 and 2, Confirms India Still Planning To Launch Its 2nd Moon Mission In 2017; GSLV Rocket Expected To Boost Probe Into Earth-Parking Orbit Of 170km X 18,500km; Mission Includes Orbiter With Scientific Payloads To Confirm Presence Of Water / Resources & Lander That Will Soft Land Then Deploy Rover To Conduct Mineralogical & Elemental Analysis Of Surrounding Area With 2 Spectroscope Payloads; Next GSLV Launch Expected Later This Year After Successful Launch In Jan 2014

Image Credit: ISRO