Author Archives: LED Editor

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 13-16 June 2014

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LEAG & SSERVI Conferences Highlight Scientific Value Of Lunar Exploration

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1st Announcement Of 2014 Annual Meeting Of LEAG, 22-24 Oct In Maryland USA; Call For Abstracts Expected 24 June; 2 Main Focus Areas: Lunar Volatiles & The Global Exploration Roadmap (GER); SSERVI Releases Agenda For 1st Annual NASA Exploration Science Forum, 21-23 July At Ames RC, California USA; Event Also Includes Discussion Of GER, To Integrate Priority Science Objectives Into NASA / International Exploration Plans; Pictured: LEAG Program Chair Samuel Lawrence

Image Credit: LEAG, NASA

Friday / 13 June 2014

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SpaceMETA Becomes 3rd GLXP Team To Announce Official Launch Agreement

SpaceMETA

Brazil-Based SpaceMETA Signs MoU With Alcantara Cyclone Space Co To Deliver ‘Solitaire’ Payload To Orbit For Subsequent Translunar Orbit Injection; Cyclone Family Has 222 Successful Launches, Developing 3-Stage Cyclone 4 With Goal Of ~US$50M Launch Cost; Astrobotic & Barcelona Moon Announced Launches Earlier; Founder Of SpaceMETA Sergio Cabral Cavalcanti – Presenter At Inaugural 2013 Galaxy Forum Brazil – Wants To Create Ambitious Starting Point From Which Future Generations Can Expand

Image Credit: SpaceMETA, GLXP, ACS

Thursday / 12 June 2014

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Lunar Swirls May Hold Key To Facilitate Human Deep Space Travel

LunarSwirlDeflector

Natural ‘Radiation Shelters’ On Moon Provide Clues About Surviving Solar Storms / Cosmic Radiation In Deep Space; Study Examined How Small Magnetic Fields On Lunar Surface Are Effective, Despite Their Low-Density, In Preventing High-Energy Particles From Striking Moon; Data Shows Previous Studies Have Overestimated Strength Of Magnetic Field Required To Keep Astronauts Safe, Suggests More Plausible Design For Spacecraft Mini-Magnetosphere Deflector Shields; Researchers Estimate 0.5kg Of Xenon Gas May Be Sufficient To Protect Crew For 6 Months In Deep Space

Image Credit: NASA

Wednesday / 11 June 2014

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Russia Moon Ambitions: New Rocket, Cooperation With China

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Federal Space Agency Chief Oleg Ostapenko Says Russia Intends To Develop Super-Heavy Booster Capable Of Lifting 80-85 Tonnes To LEO To Support Aspirations For Human Moon Missions In 2020s, Current Soyuz Launch Vehicle Can Only Launch 7 Tonnes To LEO; Russia In Talks With China About Stepping Up Space Collaborations Including Orbital Space Station, Moonbase; Talks Come As Russia Pulls Away From Space Cooperation With USA & EU In Response To Sanctions

Image Credit: Moon Base Alpha, Russian Federation Ministry Of Defense

Tuesday / 10 June 2014

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Moon Express Featured At IdeaCity 2014

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NewSpace Company Moon Express President Andy Aldrin & CEO Bob Richards Featured Presenters At Canada’s Premier Meeting Of The Minds: IdeaCity 2014, 18-20 June, Toronto; Limited To 600 Attendees, The Event Brings Together 50 Uniquely Distinguished Intellectuals & Adventurers To Air New Concepts And Create ‘An Incubator For Inspiration’; All-Access Pass CAD$3500 + HST; Moon Express Is Currently Developing A Series Of Missions To The Lunar Surface Beginning With Its 2015 Attempt To Win The GLXP

Image Credit: ideacityonline.com

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 6-9 June 2014

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LRO Has More Work To Do After 5 Productive Years

LROsymphony

With A Generous Reserve Of Fuel And 7 Instruments Performing “Like A Finely Tuned Symphony” LRO Still A Valuable Tool For Planetary Science / Exploration; Preliminary Goals For Proposed 2nd Extended Mission Include: Evaluate Nature Of Thermophysical Differences Between Permanently Shaded Regions & Rest Of Moon, Complete Mapping (0.5-2m / Pixel) Of Non-Polar Regions, Continue Longitudinal Studies Of Changes On Moon (Impact Cratering Rate, etc), Increase Scientific Productivity Of Future Lunar Surface Missions; Pictured R-L: LRO Project Scientist Richard Vondrak & Project Manager Craig Tooley

Image Credit: NASA

Friday / 6 June 2014

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Ken Murphy Cislunar Cinema Inventory

Cislunar Cinema

President At The Moon Society & Space Finance Group Holdings LLC, Ken Murphy (BR) Details 87 Films From 1902-2013 Focused On Cislunar Space; Parts 1 & 2 Put Films Into Context Based On Era (Space Age, Post-Apollo…) & Generation (Baby Boomers, Gen X…) With Analysis Of Past, Present, Future Trends; Planned 2015 GLXP Video Streaming From Moon Surface May Be Most Valuable / Catalytic Lunar Film Of 21st Century; Moon Needs More Advocates For Its Own ‘Mars One Reality Show‘

Image Credit: GLXP, G. Pal, S. Kubrick, J. Lancett, S. Fenegan, Moonandback Media

Thursday / 5 June 2014

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Japan Government Affirms Plan For Exploration Of Moon & Mars

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Science & Technology Ministry Of Japan Submits Space Exploration Plan Focusing On Robotic Exploration & Long-Term Settlement Of Moon, Contribution To International Human Missions To Mars; Next Step Is SELENE-2 Lander / Rover Mission ~2018; Original Primary Mission Landing Site Was South Pole Eternal Light Region, Now Also Considering Equatorial Sites Of Scientific Interest; Follow-On SELENE-X Advanced Robotics Mission Will Demonstrate Technologies To Support Outpost Development  

Image Credit: JAXA

Wednesday / 4 June 2014

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Next Humans At Moon Likely Space Tourists

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Russia Aerospace Company RSC Energia CEO Vitaly Lopota (BR) Confirms Plan To Send 2 Space Tourists To Circle The Moon In 2017 Or 2018 Via Modified Soyuz, “We Can Do This”; Virginia-Based Partner Space Adventures (SA) Describes Mission As Bold Return To Deep Space Exploration, SA President Tom Shelley Confirms That 2 People Have Already Committed To Purchase The US$150M Seats, Company Has Yet To Disclose Identity Of The First Lunar Tourists

Image Credit: RSC Energia, Space Adventures

Tuesday / 3 June 2014

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PISCES Extending Hawai`i Apollo Moon Mission Contributions To 21st Century

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Hawaii Island Moon-Like Environments Being Utilized By PISCES To Test Moon / Mars-Bound Vehicles & Technologies; New State Resolution Initiating Project To Develop Basaltic ‘Lunar Concrete’, Installation Of A Test ‘Lunar Sidewalk’ Set For Aug; 2nd Initiative Involves Construction-Scale 3D Printing Using Basalt, PISCES & NASA Plan To 3D Print A Landing Pad, Curved Wall, Dome Shelter; Aloha State Was Important Contributor To Apollo Moon Missions – As Depicted In Recently Released Photos – Astronaut Training, Communication Relays, Recovery Of Returning Moonworkers  

Image Credit: PISCES, NASA