Author Archives: LED Editor

Friday / 28 February 2014

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GRAIL, LADEE Enhancing Lunar Science

GRAIL & LADEE

LPI Seminar 28 Feb By Jeff Andrews-Hanna From Colorado School Of Mines ‘The Early Magmatic & Tectonic History Of The Moon As Revealed By GRAIL’ Highlights Linear Gravity Anomalies Caused By Ancient Igneous Intrusions, Later Formations Of Circular & Arcuate Dikes; Largest Magmatic-Tectonic Structure Revealed Is ~2500 km In Diameter, Encompasses Procellarum Region On Nearside; LADEE With ~100 Science Days Complete, Providing Data On Dust & Atmosphere Variations, Images Of Moon & Stars

Image Credit: NASA, Colorado School of Mines, Science/AAAS

Thursday / 27 February 2014

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GLXP Teams Seek To Overcome Fundraising Challenge

LionPushUps

Penn State Lunar Lion Team Completes First Of A Series Of ‘Crowdfunding Waves’ After Raising US$133,768 (33% Of Stated Goal); Team Secured Over 800 Donations, Offering Gifts Such As Engraved Messages On Lander; Team Intends To Step Up Efforts To “Get The Word Out” With Fundraising Events Across USA; Israel Team SpaceIL Reports US$21M Of $36M Goal Already Raised Through Donations From Corporations, Universities, Philanthropists In Israel & USA; Business Development Manager Daniel Saat Says Team Is Among Top 3 Contenders

Image Credit: Penn State Lunar Lion, SpaceIL

Wednesday / 26 February 2014

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Lunar Laser Reflector Deterioration Explained

ApacheAPOLLO

Apache Point Observatory Lunar Laser-Ranging Operation (APOLLO) Research Team Led By Thomas Murphy Of UCSD Working To Identify Why Scientists Receiving Only 1 Tenth Of Expected Data From Apollo & Lunokhod Reflectors; Each Laser Shot Sends 100 Quadrillion Photons Toward Moon, Currently Researchers Detect ~1 Return Photon Per Shot; Original Hypothesis Was Dust Layer On Reflectors; Research Shows Cause Of Problem Is Distortion Of Optics Due To Solar Heat; Additional Laser Reflectors Would Be Valuable Payloads On Future Moon Landers

Image Credit: NASA, UCSD, Apache Point Observatory

Tuesday / 25 February 2014

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Chang’e-3 Enters 3rd Lunar Night

Hainan&Chang'e-3

China Moon Lander Enters Hibernation With All Systems Functioning Nominally On Morning Of 23 Feb; Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope & Extreme Ultraviolet Camera Continued To Gather Valuable Data During 3rd Lunar Day; Yutu Rover Sends Back New Photo Of Lander (R) Proving It Is Still Alive; New China Launch Site In Hainan Advancing With Completion Of Long March 7 & 5 Launch Platforms; Site Will Be Used For Launch Of Chang’e-5 Lunar Sample Return Mission (NET 2017)

Image Credit: CNSA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 21-24 February 2014

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LRO Going Strong, Potential To Observe
LADEE Impact In April LRO Update

LRO In 30 x 200km Orbit With Periapsis Over Moon South Pole, Traveling At 1.6km/s; Captures Precise Images Of Icarus & Hayn Craters (TL & BL), Chang’e-3 Landing Site (TR), LADEE (BR); Operating Nominally 4 Years 8 Months Into Mission With 16 Data Sets Released; Mission Data Intended To Enable A Human Return To Moon; May Observe LADEE Lunar Impact Scheduled 21 April; LRO 2014 Lunar Workshop For Educators Will Be Held 14-18 July In Greenbelt MD

Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

Friday / 21 February 2014

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Canada In Space, And On The Moon?

Canada on Moon

New Canada Space Policy Framework 7 February Details Government Commitments To Space Exploration, Commercialization, R&D, International Partnerships; Canada Invited To Provide Rover & Drill For NASA 2018 Lunar Resource Prospector Mission; Moon Exploration & Mining Offer Potential Of Billion Dollar Industry / Technology Development / Inspiration; New Promising Canada Enterprise Advancing Canada Space Interests

Image Credit: CSA, NASA

Thursday / 20 February 2014

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GLXP Milestone Prize Contenders Announced

GLXP-Milestone-prizes0214

9-Member Independent Judging Panel Selects Teams To Compete For 3 Terrestrial Milestone Prizes: US$1M Landing System Prize – Astrobotic (AT), Moon Express (ME), Team Indus; $500K Mobility Subsystem Prize – AT, ME, Hakuto, Part-Time-Scientists (PTS); $250K Imaging Subsystem Prize – AT, ME, PTS, Team Indus; Teams Have Until Sep 2014 To Complete Prize Requirements; Many Experts Believe GLXP Unattainable By 2015 Time Limit, Though Teams Remain Confident

Image Credit: GLXP, Moon Express

Wednesday / 19 February 2014

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Bigelow Trailblazing Path For Commercial Lunar Development

BigelowGold0214

Bigelow Aerospace Request To FAA Office Of Commercial Space Transportation Is Attempt To Start Discussion On Space / Lunar Property Rights Says Director Of DC Operations Mike Gold; Company Seeking Organic Zone Of Operation Around Future Lunar Habitat In Which No Other USA Entities Would Be Able To Enter; Robert Bigelow Says Moon Mining More Sensible Than Asteroid Harvesting; Commends NASA For Moving From COTS Model To SAA / BAA Customer Model To Support Commercial Space

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace

Tuesday / 18 February 2014

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GLXP: True Contenders Emerging

GLXPcontenders0214

Moon Express & Other GLXP Favorites Await Announcement Of Terrestrial Milestone Prizes Finalists, Expected Later This Week, Should Help Reveal Real Contenders; Contest Now Down To 18 Teams From Original Field Of 30; Astrobotic Receives Contract To Deliver ASTROSCALE Lunar Dream Time Capsule To Moon Surface On Its Oct 2015 Mission; 1 Week Left For Lunar Lion Crowdfunding Campaign

Image Credit: Astrobotic Technology, Moon Express

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 14-17 February 2014

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LADEE Sends Back First Lunar Images, Continues Analysis Of Dust Environment

LADEE0214

LADEE Star Tracker Instrument Captures Images Of Northwestern Hemisphere Of Moon (L) While Traveling At 96kpm; US$280-Million Mission Attempting To Answer Long-Standing Mystery Of Pre-Sunrise Glow Above Lunar Horizon Observed By Apollo Moonworkers; LADEE Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration Deemed Great Success By NASA & MIT Engineers; Probe Scheduled To Crash Into Lunar Surface On 21 Apr, Will Analyze Dust Samples Right Until Impact

Image Credit: NASA