Thursday / 20 June 2013

Posted on June 19, 2013 by LED Editor

Lunar Orbiter Data Shedding Light On Lunar Science

Australia Scientists Led By Will Featherstone (R) Use GRAIL Data To Identify 280 Lunar Craters Never Before Mapped, Create Ultra-High Resolution Gravity Map Of Moon; Andrew Jordan (L) & University Of New Hampshire Team Utilize LRO Data To Explain How Galactic Cosmic Rays Penetrate Lunar Regolith & Transform Water Ice Into Molecular Hydrogen; Explanation Could Account For 10-100% Of Molecular Hydrogen Discovered By LAMP Instrument

Image Credit: NASA, University Of New Hampshire, Curtin University of Technology

Wednesday / 19 June 2013

Posted on June 18, 2013 by LED Editor

Neil Armstrong To Be Remembered

Memorial Service For 1st Person To Establish Humanity As Multi-World Species To Be Held At NASA Johnson Space Center In Houston TX On 20 June, 10:00 CDT; Fellow Apollo 11 Astronauts Buzz Aldrin & Michael Collins, Along With JSC Director Ellen Ochoa, Family Members & Long-Time Associates Will Pay Tribute To Neil Armstrong; Memorial Service Takes Place Exactly One Month Before 44th Anniversary Of Historic Moon Landing; Armstrong Died Aug 2012 At Age 82

Image Credit: NASA

Tuesday / 18 June 2013

Posted on June 17, 2013 by LED Editor

International – Commercial Partnering For Moon Exploration

ILDC - Buzz

International Lunar Development Corp. Proposed By Buzz Aldrin To Facilitate Unified International, Commercial & Academic Partnerships To Advance Moon Exploration & Settlement; China, India, Russia, Japan, Europe, USA, NewSpace Companies Such As Bigelow, Shackleton Energy, Golden Spike Urged To Implement Step-By-Step Space Plan; Humans Need To Become Multi-World Species For Long-Term Survival, Will & Should Settle On Moon Long Before Mars, Europa, Etc

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace, PISCES, Shackleton Energy Co., GSC

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 14-17 June 2013

Posted on June 14, 2013 by LED Editor

Google Lunar X PRIZE Update: Barcelona Moon, Summit 2014

LED-6-14-2013

Barcelona Moon Team Developing Baseline Plan For Mission Build, Integration, Launch Logistics; Lander Module Structure To Be Built In Spain, Sent To China For Propulsion System Integration, Back to Spain For Electronics Integration & AIT Campaign, Again To China For Assembly On Top Of Long March 2C-CTS2 For Launch NET June 2014; Penn State Lunar Lion Team Bid To Host 2014 Summit At University Park, Pennsylvania, USA Bolstered By Support From Senator Pat Toomey

Image Credit: BMT, Penn State Lunar Lion

Friday / 14 June 2013

Posted on June 13, 2013 by LED Editor

From Hawai`i To The Moon To Deep Space

Buzz Aldrin, PISCES

Moonwalker Buzz Aldrin (L) Says Geography / Geology Of Big Island, Hawaii Is Excellent Analog / Testing Ground For Permanent Moon Base; He Encourages Learning In Hawaii, Settlement Of Moon, Then Mars & Beyond; Also Supports PISCES Technology Development For Robotic & Human Missions Beyond LEO – Rob Kelso (R) Exec Director Featured On The Space Show 21 June; ISDAC-USIS Workshop On 22 June In Colorado Continues Discussion Of ‘Moon Permanent Base Headed By Buzz Aldrin’

Image Credit: Getty Images, IAF, ESA/Foster, WHT/A.Pacheco

Thursday / 13 June 2013

Posted on June 12, 2013 by LED Editor

ILOA – China Collaborate On Moon Telescope Observations

ILOA, China NAOC

ILO-X 180 X 70mm Telescope Built For ILOA Of Hawaii USA By Moon Express Launching To Moon 2015; Will Observe Galaxies, Stars, Planets, Moon, Earth; ILOA MoU With National Astronomical Observatories of China Enables Exchange Of ILO-X Observing Time With Lunar Telescope On Chang’e-3 Launching Late 2013; Also Collaborating With Golden Spike Co For Human Moon Missions (2018-2020); Learn More At Galaxy Forum China 22 Sep ‘Human Moon Missions: Giant Steps Into The Galaxy’

Image Credit: ILOA, NAOC

Wednesday / 12 June 2013

Posted on June 11, 2013 by LED Editor

CRaTER Reveals Plastics Provide Lightweight Radiation Shielding

Researchers At University of New Hampshire & SwRI Report That Data From LRO’s CRaTER Validates Computer Models Which Indicate Lightweight Materials Offer Superior Shielding From Radiation; Lead Author Cary Zeitlin Of SwRI Calls Plastics “Pound-For-Pound More Effective For Shielding Against Cosmic Radiation Than Aluminum”; These Lower Mass Alternatives Open The Door To Deep Space Missions & A Permanent Human Presence On The Surface Of The Moon

Image Credit: NASA, SwRI, UNH

Tuesday / 11 June 2013

Posted on June 10, 2013 by LED Editor

USA Moon Missions: Discussions Continue

Lunar Support

Cis-Lunar Development & Human Moon Mission Support Heard At Recent USA House Science, Space & Technology’s Subcommittee Meeting; (Pictured From Left To Right) Lamar Smith (R-TX) & Donna Edwards (D-MD) Say Moon Missions Prepare Us For Mars; Paul Spudis (LPI) Claims Human Moon Missions Can Provide Valuable Research On Space Objects, Material & Energy Resources; Steven Squyres (Cornell) Says Cis-Lunar Space Should Be Developed Next, Regardless Of Asteroid Retrieval Mission Feasibility

Image Credit: NASA, P. Spudis

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 7-10 June 2013

Posted on June 7, 2013 by LED Editor

Morpheus & Mighty Eagle Moon Landers Undergo Advanced Testing

Mighty Eagle, Morpheus

Morpheus Vertical Takeoff & Landing Vehicle Performs Successful 74-Second Tethered Test Flight At JSC In Houston, TX; Next Test Within 1 Week; Mighty Eagle Moon Lander Prototype Undergoing Heat Shield Inspections & System Leak Checks At MSFC In Huntsville, AL; Flight Tests Planned For July To Include Optical Hazard Avoidance – About 200 Tons Of Dirt Will Simulate Lunar Landing Situation, Vehicle To Demonstrate Ability To Detect Hazards