No ‘In-Person’ Component For LSF2013 Due To Government Travel Restrictions; Presentations Will Be Delivered Via Adobe Connect, Allowing For 500 Combined International & Domestic Logins; Format Change Influencing Other Related Events Such As ILOA 2013 Silicon Valley Board Meeting Now Reset For 24 July — 44th Anniversary Of Apollo 11 Mission End, Eve Of NewSpace 2013 Conference
Image Credit: NASA, Space Frontier Foundation, NASA
Series Of Tests Underway In Astrobotic Contract With NASA To Demonstrate Autonomous Landing System For Moon / Asteroids / Planets; Astrobotic Successfully Flew Sensor Package On Uncrewed Helicopter Operated By Pilot On Ground; Next Step Is To Land Helicopter Autonomously – Without GPS, Then Test System On Astrobotic Griffin Lander; Landing Sensor Uses 2 Cameras, Inertial Measurement Unit, & Scanning Laser
Image Credit: Astrobotic Technology, Inc.
2 Successful Americans Of India Origin Inspired By Dreams Of Going To Moon; US Astronaut Sunita Williams Says Her 1 Dream Yet To Come True Is To Go To Moon; Moon Express (ME) Chairman Naveen Jain Says Moon Will Play Vital Role In Future Of Earth’s Planetary Protection, Ideal Place To Study / Harvest Asteroids; First Task Of ME Is To Explore Moon Resource Hotspots With Robotic Explorers, Leading Way For 1st Permanent Human Outpost
Image Credit: NASA, Intelius
Igor Mitrofanov Of IKI Reveals Russia Moon Exploration Missions: 2015 Luna-Glob South Pole Lander To Analyze Regolith / Exosphere & Test Volatiles; 2016 Luna-Glob 100-km Altitude Polar Orbiter To Map Surface / Landing Sites; 2017 Luna-Resurs-1 South Pole Lander To Test Drilling System For Cryogenic Sampling; 2019 Luna-Resurs-2 Polar Sample Return Mission; 2020 Luna-Resurs-3 Rover To Study Surface & Store Subsurface Samples; Human Missions Could Follow
Image Credit: IKI, NASA, RSA
3 Years Of Ground-Based Monitoring Show Potential Volcanic Activity On Moon; Arlin Crotts (Inset) Of Columbia University Says Lunar Monitors In New York City & Chile Observed Instances Of Brightening On Lunar Surface In Aristarchus Plateau (R) & Other Areas Where Previous Lunar Orbiters Recorded Radon Outgassing; Research Led By Brown University Grad Student Deepak Dhingra Shows Lunar Impact Melt Not Always As Homogeneous As Previously Assumed
Image Credit: NASA, Columbia University, Brown University
Iran Lawyer Babak Shakouri Examines Space Law Issues Likely To Arise With The Advent Of Lunar / Space Settlements; Legal Framework Of Free Market Economic System With Positive Economic Exchange Rate With Earth, Recognition Of Private Property Ideal; Proposes Specialized Space Code Of Conduct To Cover Legal Topics Within Multinational Habitats; Should Administrative Legal Regimes Be Independent Or Earth-Based?
Image Credit: unl.edu, en.memory-alpha.org
Human Asteroid Landing Mission Proposed By USA President Obama May Take Place In Lunar Orbit; NASA Expected To Request US$100M In Next Budget To Begin Preparations For 10-Year (~2015-2025) US$2.65B-Robotic Mission To Capture 7-m Diameter, 500,000-kg Asteroid & Tow It To High Lunar Orbit; Spacecraft Would Employ Ion Thrusters, Deploy Massive Inflatable Bag To Envelop Asteroid
Image Credit: NASA
23 Teams Remaining In The Google Lunar X PRIZE Will Meet In Santiago, Chile For 4-Day Team Summit Beginning 2 April; Several Major Announcements Are Expected Involving Financing, Launch Agreements, Team Mergers, Etc.; Meeting Should Help Distinguish Contenders From Pretenders As Teams Need To Have Financing And Launch Agreements In Place To Complete Mission By End 2015 Deadline
Image Credit: GLXP
Joint Moon, Mars, Deep Space Missions & Increased Commercial Space Cooperation Agreement Reached By India Ambassador Nirupama Rao & NASA Administrator Bolden; NASA Joins ISRO For Oct 2013 Mangalyaan Mars Mission; Will Continue To Discuss Planetary Science, Policy Issues, New Opportunities For Collaboration; Annual Science & Tech Endowment Fund ~US$2-3M & National Defense Authorization Act Expected To Expedite Space Tech Trade, Promote Innovations
Image Credit: ISRO, NASA, theindiaexpert.com
Morpheus / ALHAT Team Building New Morpheus 1.5B & 1.5C Vehicles For Static Hot Fire & Dynamic Tethered Tests This Spring At NASA JSC, Project Will Then Return To Free-Flight Testing At KSC This Summer; Morpheus Had 26 Successful Test Flights Before Aug 2012 Crash Caused By Vibration Breaking Connection Of Navigation Instruments; New Craft Design Will Protect Against Shaking; Project Goal To Develop Craft Capable Of Autonomous Moon Landing
Image Credit: NASA