Author Archives: LED Editor

Friday / 14 March 2014

Posted on by

Lunar CATALYST Proposals Due On Monday

LunarCatalystDdLn0314

Monday 17 March Is Deadline To Submit Business Plans For NASA Lunar CATALYST Program; Resulting Unfunded 3-Year NASA Space Act Agreements Will Provide Free Technical Expertise, Equipment & Facilities For Lunar Lander Development; Major Aerospace Firms Such As Boeing & Alliant Techsystems Have Indicated Interest; GLXP Teams Like Moon Express (ME) May Benefit From Program, ME Has Been Paying For Use Of Mighty Eagle Lander (L) & Has Paid ~US$550,000 To Study / Adapt NASA Common Spacecraft Bus At Ames

Image Credit: NASA, Moon Express

Thursday / 13 March 2014

Posted on by

Apollo Marketing Success: Lessons For Modern Human Space Endeavors

MarketingTheMoon

New Book By David Meerman Scott (L) & Richard Jurek (R) Examines How NASA Successfully Marketed Apollo Program; Authors Then Evaluate Applicable Lessons For 21st Century Space Exploration: NASA Needs Unified Theme / Powerful Story To Focus Highly Fractured Global Audience, Work With Contractors Such As SpaceX On Human Mission Marketing, Allow Contractors To Take PR Lead; Challenge For Commercial Space Entrepreneurs Is Identifying Demand, Not Marketing Strategy

Image Credit: marketingthemoon.com

Wednesday / 12 March 2014

Posted on by

5th Joint Meeting Of SRR / PTMSS In June

SRR0314

Space Resources Roundtable And The Planetary & Terrestrial Mining Sciences Symposium Release 2nd Announcement Of Their 5th Joint Meeting At Colorado School Of Mines (CSM) On 9-12 June; Held In Collaboration With The Lunar & Planetary Institute The Event Will Provide A Forum To Discuss Near & Long-Term Strategies For Taking Advantage Of Emerging Opportunities For Space / Lunar Resource Utilization Activities On Planned National & Private Missions; Pictured: Angel Abbud-Madrid Of CSM

Image Credit: CSM, NASA

Tuesday / 11 March 2014

Posted on by

Moon-Based Space Elevator Key To Mining ProfitsLED031014

LiftPort Group Of Seattle, WA Urges LSEI (Lunar Space Elevator Infrastructure) Placement For Soft-Landing Equipment / Human Transport; Advisor Charles Radley(L) Notes Lunar Elevator Tech Could Place Lunar Mining Costs On Par With Terrestrial For Some Commodities; Jerome Pearson(R), President Of Star, Inc., States Lunar Elevator Can Be Made Of Existing Composites / Moon Testing Would Not Endanger Satellites In Earth Orbit / In Place By 2025

Image Credit: LiftPort, ISDC, VK.com

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 7-10 Mar 2014

Posted on by

Pioneering Astronomy From The Moon:
CE3 On A New Frontier

LED-3-7-2014Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope Aboard China Chang’e-3 Moon Lander With All Systems Operating Nominally Is Conducting Various Astronomical Observations From Sinus Iridum / Mare Imbrium, 44.12°N 19.51°W; Latest Observations Of Variable Stars (≤Magnitude 12) Have Produced Good Data, Shown: Constellation Cygnus XZ Variable Star With Near Ultraviolet Optical Variable Amplitude Around 1.8 Magnitude; About 200 Square Degrees Of Sky Available To Telescope From Position On Top Of The Lander (Blue Arrow)

Image Credit: NAOC, CNSA

Friday / 7 March 2014

Posted on by

Japan Diverse Interests In Moon Missions

Japan Moon

Japan Scientists Preparing For 2nd SELenological and ENgineering Explorer (SELENE-2) Moon Mission Consisting Of Orbiter, Lander, Rover To Launch NET 2018; SELENE-3 Sample Return To Follow, Eventually Human Moon Missions & Outpost; Japan Team Hakuto Strong Contender For GLXP / Selected To Compete For Terrestrial Milestone Prizes; Commercial Interest & Advertising From Moon Highlighted By Japan Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Planning To Send ‘Pocari Sweat’ Sports Drink To Moon Surface On Astrobotic Lunar Lander

Image Credit: JAXA, GLXP, Hakuto

Thursday / 6 March 2014

Posted on by

China Moon Program Might Benefit From
Mid-Course Correction To South Pole

ChinaMoonSouthPole0314Ideal Time For Leaders Of China Lunar Exploration Program To Reconsider Future Chang’e Missions To Moon South Pole; Future Problems Similar To Yutu Rover Control Circuit Malfunction Might Be Mitigated By More Thermally Stable Polar Environment; Chang’e Chief Scientist Ye Peijian Says Chang’e-4 Mission Should Be “More Innovative And Meaningful,” Achieving 1st-Ever Polar Landing Would Be Just That; Russia, India, USA, Private Enterprises All Advancing South Pole Missions

Image Credit: NASA, cnsphoto

Wednesday / 5 March 2014

Posted on by

Russia Preparing For Robotic Moon Missions

russiaRobotMoon0314

Roscosmos Head Oleg Ostapenko Says Agency Boosting Efforts In Space Probe Development In Preparation For 3  Upcoming Moon Missions; 2016 Luna-25 Lander Destined For Moon South Pole, 2018 Orbiter, 2019 Polar Mission To Prospect For Water; Subsequent Missions Planned To Return Samples To Earth, Deploy Robotic Base On Moon

Image Credit: Roscosmos

Tuesday / 4 March 2014

Posted on by

Moon Exploration Advocates Look For Clear Vision In White House Budget Proposal

USAMoonAdvocacy0314

White House To Release Proposed USA Budget For Fiscal Year 2015 Today, Should Indicate Specific Space Initiatives To Be Pursued; Space Policy Institute Director Scott Pace Says There Is International Consensus Behind Human Space Operations In Cislunar Space As Next Step Beyond ISS; House Science Committee Chair Lamar Smith (Inset) Says NASA Asteroid Retrieval Mission Inspires Little Public & Scientific Support; Human Moon Missions Could Inspire Nation, Facilitate International Cooperation & Exploration Of Mars, Beyond

Image Credit: NASA, slate.com

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 28 Feb – 3 Mar 2014

Posted on by

Who Owns The Moon?
International Missions, Commercial Aspirations

MoonpropRights0214

Successful China Moon Mission Indicates Property Rights / Mining Claims Not Far Off Says Richard Holdaway (R) Of UK Rutherford Appleton Lab; Several Commercial Enterprises Also Making Business Cases For Moon Mining; Richard Bilder (L) Of University Of Wisconsin-Madison Says Process Of Setting Up Legal Regime Should Be Started Soon Before 1 or More Countries / Companies Have Special Stake / Interest; Holdaway Notes Nations Likely To Become Partners & Lunar Resources Will Further Space Exploration, Improve Life On Earth

Image Credit: NASA, CNSA, law.wisc.edu, stfc.ac.uk