Author Archives: LED Editor

Friday / 17 January 2014

Posted on by

China First Astronomy Image From Moon

China Chang'e-3 Draco Imaging

Draco, The Dragon: Astronomical First Light On Moon Received Successfully By China Chang’e-3 Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT) From Sinus Iridum / Mare Imbrium 44.12°N 19.51°W; First Long-Term Observatory Deployed On Moon, LUT Has Aperture Of 150mm, Covers Wavelength Range Of 245-340 Nanometers, Detects Objects Down To 13 Magnitude Brightness; Management Team Prepared For At Least 1 Year Of Observations / Operations

Image Credit: Chinese Academy of Sciences, CC Multimedia

Thursday / 16 January 2014

Posted on by

GLXP Teams Advancing To Moon As Penultimate Year Of Competition Commences

GLXP0114Update

Penn State Lunar Lion  Team Becomes 4th Team To Announce Launch Contract – Q4 2015 Via Team Phoenicia LLC, Lion Now Listed 3rd On Unofficial Contest Leaderboard; Team SpaceIL Of Israel Announces Successful Development Of Probe Propulsion System, Produced By Israel Aircraft Industries; Team Puli Of Hungary Completes Successful Simulation Of Lunar Rover Mission  Including ‘Maunacast’ At PISCES Center In Hawaii 

Image Credit: GLXP

Wednesday / 15 January 2014

Posted on by

LRO CRaTER Instrument Making Music From Cosmic Rays

CRaTERmusic0114

CRaTER Instrument Aboard LRO Continuing To Characterize Global Lunar Radiation Environment & Its Biological Impact; CRaTER Website Converts Data From The 6 Instrument Detectors Into Music; Music Shifts From Major To Minor & Main Instrument Transitions Among 8 Options From Piano To Banjo As Cosmic Ray Count Increases; CRaTER Data Critical For Human Moon Mission / Lunar Base Construction Preparations

Image Credit: NASA, Business Insider

 

Tuesday / 14 January 2014

Posted on by

Chang’e-3 Lander & Yutu Rover Operational After Long, Cold Lunar Night

Chang'e-3Awake0114

China Moon Crafts Resuming Scientific Work After  Awakening From 2 Weeks Of Hibernation; Ground Penetrating Radar On Rover Expected To Gather New Information Related To Chemical Composition & Depth Of Lunar Soil, Aid Lunar Mining Preparations; Lunar Ultraviolet Telescopes Will Prove Value Of Moon-Based Observatories, Monitor Earth Plasmasphere, Observe Galaxies / Stars; Pictured (Inset): 1st Image Of Earth From Moon In 4 Decades

Image Credit: Chinese Academy Of Sciences

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon 10-13 January 2014

Posted on by

India Confirms Moon Lander Mission

Chandrayaan-2-0114

ISRO Chairman Radhakrishnan Confirms India Working To Conduct Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter / Lander / Rover Moon Mission In 2016; Mission Will Be Launched By GSLV & Include Indigenous Lander & Rover; Major Mission Objective Is To Demonstrate India Capability To Soft-Land On Lunar Surface; Orbiter Will Carry 5 Payloads, Lander / Rover Payloads Will Be Finalized Once Weight / Volume / Power Constraint Of Lander Confirmed

Image Credit: ISRO

Friday / 10 January 2014

Posted on by

Wanted: International Human Moon Mission By 2020

International Moon Mission

More Than 30 Heads Of Space Agencies Gather For IAA Summit On Space Exploration 9-10 Jan, Held In Conjunction With U.S. Department Of State International Space Exploration Forum; Will Highlight Importance / Benefits Of Global Public-Private Cooperation, Ways To Engage Emerging Countries; Moon Is 1st Logical Destination For Continued Discoveries, Refining Technologies & Sustaining Human Exploration Of Solar System & Beyond

Image Credit: ESA / Foster

Thursday / 9 January 2014

Posted on by

Veteran Canada Astronaut Calls For Cooperation With China Moon Program

HadfieldChinaMoonbase

Canada Astronaut Chris Hadfield, Veteran Of 3 Spaceflights, Says International Efforts To Return To Moon Should Include Collaboration With As Many Spacefaring Nations As Possible; Cooperation With China Especially Important For Exploration / Development Of Moon As “Next Natural Waypoint Out To Space;” China Lunar Exploration Program Officials Confirm They Are Working On Human Moon Landing, Preparation For Lunar Base Construction  

Image Credit: Lauren Crawford, engadget.com

Wednesday / 8 January 2014

Posted on by

Moon Ownership Questions / Implications Highlighted By London Art Exhibit

WhoOwnsMoonArt0114

Lunar Property Rights Debate Prominent Issue With Chang’e-3 / Yutu Heralding Start Of Permanent Lunar Surface Operations & GLXP Teams Confirming 2015 Launch Plans; 37.9 Million Square Km Of Surface Area, Vast Resources Position Moon As Attractive New Frontier For Individuals, Corporations, Nations; Group Of Artists Led By IAF ITACCUS Co-Chair Nicola Triscott (Inset) Opening ‘Republic Of The Moon‘ Exhibition In London To Spur Debate About Moon Ownership 

Image Credit: The Arts Catalyst, Bargehouse, nicolatriscott.org

Tuesday / 7 January 2014

Posted on by

Chang’e-3 & Yutu Rover Set To Resume Operations

RHU-Yutu0113

China Moon Lander & Rover To Awaken From 2-Week Lunar Night Hibernation ~8 Jan For 1st Full Lunar Day Of Operations; Solar Panels & Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator Using 238-Plutonium Dioxide Power Lander Instruments During Day, RTG Provides Heat During Night; Yutu Rover Powered By Solar Panels, Uses Radioisotope Heater Units & ‘Fold-Up’ Technique To Survive Cold Nights, Expected Operational Life Is Minimum 3 Months

Image Credit: China Space, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon 3-6 January 2014

Posted on by

India Launch May Reinvigorate Moon Program

IndiaonMoon0114

GSLV Rocket Is Essential For India Moon Plans; Successful Launch On Sunday 5 Jan (16:18 IST) Will Be Important Step In Refocussing Lunar Aspirations, Help Get Chandrayaan-2 Moon Lander / Rover Mission Back On Track; Top Indian Air Force (IAF) Officials Announce MoU Between ISRO & IAF To Work Out Parameters / Select Crew For India Human Moon Mission; ISRO Chairman Radhakrishnan Claims Report Is False

Image Credit: defense.pk, Pratik Joshi