Author Archives: LED Editor

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 22-25 August 2014

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LRO / CRaTER Continue To Uncover Mysteries Of Lunar Poles

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Solar Storms May Cause ‘Sparking’ In Permanently Shadowed Craters On Moon Poles Says Team Of Researchers From UNH & NASA Led By Andrew Jordan; Data From CRaTER Instrument Aboard LRO Indicates Solar Energetic Particles Build Up Electric Charges In Lunar Surface That Likely Disintegrate Regolith Into Distinct Minerals; Polar Craters Maintain Temperatures ~Minus 240 Degrees C, Known To Contain Water Ice; Team Now Investigating If Other LRO Instruments Can Detect Sparking

Image Credit: NASA, UNH

Friday / 22 August 2014

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CubeSat Technologies Advancing Toward Interplanetary Missions

Lunar SS Cubesats

CubeSat R&D Efforts For Moon, Mars, Solar System Missions Expected To Come To Fruition Soon With Initiatives Including Vermont Tech 10x10x30cm Mooncraft, JPL Dual Spacecraft INSPIRE (Interplanetary NanoSpacecraft Pathfinder In Relevant Environment), JPL Lunar Flashlight With 80m² Solar Sail; Greatest Benefit Is Low Cost To Produce & Launch With High Science Capabilities; Could Navigate Through Planetary Rings, Release PicoSats, Land On Surface; US$50K Vermont Lunar CubeSat Currently In LEO Testing Navigation Components For Moon Mission

Pictured: CubeSat Inventors Bob Twiggs (L) & Jordi Puig-Suari

Image Credit: NASA, JPL, ed-sat.com, Vermont Tech

Thursday / 21 August 2014

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Moon Mining Featured On Science Channel Premier

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GLXP Teams Moon Express & Astrobotic Featured In Premier Of ‘Man vs The Universe’ On Science Channel; Episode Entitled ‘Mining The Moon’ Relates How Private Enterprises Are Utilizing Efficient Low-Cost Designs & Youthful Ingenuity To Reassert USA Leadership In Moon Exploration; GLXP Winner Will Be Well Positioned To Develop Moon Mining Technology, Leading Edge Of Potential $Trillion Industry; Moon Express Confirms South Pole Moon As Ideal Destination

Image Credit: Moon Express, Science Channel, NASA

Wednesday / 20 August 2014

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Canada Space Agency Funding Moon Rover Development

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CSA Preparing To Fund 3 Rover Projects: ExCore Small Planetary Rover Platform – $600,000 CDN 1-Year Contract, Tender Closes 4 Sep; Lunar Polar Rover Night Survival Strategy To Develop Alternative Heat Sources To Protect Rover During Cold Night At Lunar Polar Region – $300,000 CDN 6-Month Contract, Tender Closes 18 Sep; Lunar Rover Drive-Train Prototype Platform, Develop Larger Prototype To Be Subjected To Rigorous Testing – $3.25M CDN 15-Month Contract, Tender Closes 29 Aug

Image Credit: CSA, NASA

Tuesday / 19 August 2014

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Stimulating Lunar Enterprise With Earth-Orbital Launch Platform

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Revisiting 1996 Proposal To Utilize Space Shuttle Columbia, With Its Extended-Duration Orbiter Modifications, As A Joint NASA / Private Sector Launch Platform For Rocket Stages Bearing Small Lunar Landers Which Would Then Deliver Teleoperated Micro-Robots; Current / Future Orbiter Vehicles Could Potentially Be Used For Such Purposes Helping To “Ignite A Billion Dollar, Sustained Enterprise On Moon” As Proposal Author Carey McCleskey Of NASA JSC Vehicle Engineering Directorate Originally Suggested

Image Credit: NASA, Eberhard Marx

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 15-18 August 2014

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Bigelow Aerospace Advancing Towards Goal Of Lunar Base

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Preparations Underway To Launch BEAM Module To ISS In 2015, First Step Towards Independent Space Stations & Lunar Bases; Robert Bigelow (L) Believes Company Will Be Ready To Land Functional Lunar Bases On Surface Of Moon In 10 Years; ‘Lunar Depot Ares’ Would Have 990 Cubic Meters Of Habitable Space, House 12-18 Astronauts; Plan Hinges On Success Of Its Space Habitats, Lunar Property Rights Recognition, Interest From Private Companies / Nations; Bigelow Aerospace Intends To Form Sizable Astronaut Corps, Already Hired 2 Former Shuttle Astronauts, Plans To Have 4 More On Team By End 2014

Pictured: Bigelow Astronauts Kenneth Ham (R) & George Zamka

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace, NASA

Friday / 15 August 2014

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Moon / Small Body Spacecraft Initiatives Supported By NASA

NASA Mooncraft Intiatives

Scarab Lunar Rover Being Developed By Robotics Institute Of Carnegie Mellon University To Explore Dark Polar Craters At Moon South Pole; Powered By 100-Watt Fuel Cell Created Under NASA Game Changing Development Program, Rover Can Collect 1m Core Samples For Water & Gas Analysis; Marco Pavone Of Stanford University Awarded US$500K Through NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Program To Continue Developing Hopping / Tumbling Craft With 3 Internal Flywheels Capable Of Exploring Small Bodies – Similar Technologies Could Be Applied To Future Mooncraft

Image Credit: NASA, Carnegie Mellon University

Thursday / 14 August 2014

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University Students Advancing Moon Lander Rocket Design

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Purdue University Student Team Designing & Testing Components Of New Rocket Engine For NASA Project Morpheus; Students Of Professor William Anderson (BR) Focused On Engine Thrust Chamber Design & Developed System To Liquefy Methane From Gas, Both Essential Elements To Facilitating High-Performance / Lightweight  Rocket Engine Needed For Moon Landings; Team Now Working To Optimize Cooling Approach For Chamber Walls, Temperatures Inside Chamber Can Reach 2600°C

Image Credit: Purdue University, NASA

Wednesday / 13 August 2014

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Shuttle Astronauts Advocate For Human Moon Missions

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Moon Is Ideal Location To Train & Develop Equipment / Procedures For Mars / Deep Space Missions Says Former Shuttle Astronauts Frank Culbertson (C) & Daniel Brandenstein (R); Astronaut Robert Crippen (CR) Says More Focus On International Cooperation Needed, Especially With China Moon Program; Acknowledged NASA Current Trend Of Risk Aversion, Urged Support For Orion Development: “This Is Our System To Get To The Moon”; Remarks Were Made During AIAA Space 2014 Forum In San Diego CA

Image Credit: AIAA, NASA, ESA

Tuesday / 12 August 2014

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Team Indus Partners With Lockheed Martin

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Bangalore India-Based GLXP Team Indus Contracts Lockheed Martin Space Systems Division To Aid Moon Mission Trajectory, Descent & Landing; 30-Member Team Will Launch Its Compact HHK1 Lander – With At Least 3 Rovers – Aboard India PSLV Rocket From Satish Dhawan Space Center In 2015; Mission Cost Expected To Be ~US$40M; Team Indus Collaborating With Indian Institute Of Astrophysics On Prototype Development; Team Expected To Receive US$1.25M Milestone Prize In Sep

Image Credit: GLXP, Lockheed Martin, IIA