Author Archives: LED Editor

Tuesday / 29 January 2013

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Consistent, Achievable Lunar Exploration Plan Emerging In Russia?

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After Years Of Grandiose Announcements / Contradictions & Mission Failures / Delays, Russia Seeking To Improve Space Industry Organizations, Reestablish Leading Space Power Status; Recently Announced Lunar Exploration Strategy Appears Realistic / Rational: 2015 Luna-Glob Orbiter, 2016 Scaled-Down Luna-Glob South Pole Lunar Lander, Luna-Resurs Research Rover With India ~2017, Human Moon Missions With New Russia Spacecraft By 2030

Image Credit: ROSCOSMOS, NASA

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 25-28 Jan 2013

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Golden Spike Company Business Plan

GSC

GSC CEO Alan Stern Provides More Clarity About Business Plan Of Ambitious Company In Recent AmericaSpace Interview; Corrects Misperception That GSC Focus Is Lunar Tourism: Primary Focus Of Business Is Flying Lunar Expeditions For Foreign Science & Space Agencies, Secondary Focus Is Corporations; Elaborates On How Company Will Achieve Relatively Affordable Missions By 2019-2020 

Image Credit: GSC, NASA, Planetary Society

Friday / 25 January 2013

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India-Russia Moon Mission Tentative

India-Russia

ISRO Physical Research Laboratory Director JN Goswami (T) Says India Is Working Toward Nov 2013 Mangalyaan Mars Mission, Chandrayaan-2 Is Still India-Russia Project – Only Delayed; Russia Wants To Test Lunar Lander / Rover System In 2015 Before Offering It To India; India Needs To Successfully Test GSLV Rocket At Least 2 Times; ISRO Chief K Radhakrishnan (B) Says Tests To Begin May 2013, Moon Will Be Station For Moving To Mars By 2030-2040

Image Credit: ISRO, AP/Aijaz Rahi, NASA, Scoutek Ltd

Thursday / 24 January 2013

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NASA Lunar Science Institute Seminar: Space Science From The Moon

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Brown University Professor Carle Pieters Will Join ‘The Moon As A Cornerstone To The Terrestrial Planets’ Team Of NLSI On 29 Jan To Overview Implications Of New Lunar Data & Discuss How It Is Leading To New Strategies For Human & Robotic Exploration; David Kring Of LPI Will Recap Successes Of NLSI In Achieving Research Goals, Assisting In NASA Robotic & Human Mission Scenario Development

Image Credit: NASA

Wednesday / 23 January 2013

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Buzz Promotes Space Travel For Everyone

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Famed Moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, Who Recently Celebrated 83rd Birthday (20 Jan), Still Active In Space Exploration Initiatives / Advocacy; Teaming Up With AXE To Send 22 Contest Winners To Space Aboard XCOR Lynx Spacecraft Operated By Tourism Firm Space Expedition Curacao; The Astronaut Who Spent 289.9 Hours In Space, Including 21.6 Hours On Lunar Surface Says “Space Travel For Everyone Is The Next Frontier In The Human Experience”

Image Credit: AXE, XCOR Aerospace

Tuesday / 22 January 2013

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Strong Lunar Exploration Advocacy From Canada

CanadaLovesMoon

Ottawa Citizen Editorial Commends Recent ESA – NASA Partnership Agreement For Orion / MPCV Lunar Exploration Missions, Elaborates On Importance & Benefits Of Human Solar System Exploration: Technology Advances, Potential For Poverty Eradication, Innate Human Need To Explore; Canada, With Expertise In Mining & Robotics, Is Set To Be Important Contributor To USA / Europe Exploration Goals 

Image Credit: CSA, NASA, NORCAT, Ottawa Citizen

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 18-21 Jan 2013

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Mona Lisa Used For LRO Laser Communication Test

MonaLisaLRO

Leonardo da Vinci Masterpiece Used For First-Ever One-Way Laser Communication At Planetary Distance; Black & White 152 X 200 Pixel Image, Beamed From NASA Goddard SFC To LRO LOLA Instrument 386,000km Away At Slow Rate Of 300 Bits / Second; Experiment Allowed For Calibration Of Atmospheric Distortion In Preparation For LLCD Experiment On LADEE; Laser Communication Holds Promise Of Bringing Live, HD Video Feeds From Jupiter & Beyond

Image Credit: NASA

Friday / 18 January 2013

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ESA / NASA To Cooperate On Human Moon, Deep Space Exploration

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Europe ATV Propulsion Hardware And Solar Arrays Will Make Up Large Part Of NASA Orion Service Module For EM-1 (NET 2017) 7-Day, Uncrewed Circumlunar Cruise & EM-2 (~2021); Agreement May Also Entail Participation Of ESA Astronaut In EM-2; Current Plan For EM-2 Is To Send 4 Crew Members To Orbit Moon For 3-4 Days; Academics, Engineers, Industry Arguing For More Ambitious Mission, Possibly To L2, 65,000km Beyond Lunar Far Side 

Image Credit: NASA, ESA

Thursday / 17 January 2013

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Lunar Patents As Incentive For Private Moon Development

ColumbusMoon

Columbus New World Expedition, With Use Of Private Financing & Federally Granted Trade Patent, Used As Model By Jonathan Goff To Demonstrate A Means To Stimulate Private Lunar Development; Goff Suggests Granting Of Lunar Patents May Be As Effective, And Less Complicated, As / Than Recognizing Lunar Property Rights; Private Company Could Get 10-15-Year Rights To Percentage Of All Commercial Lunar Ventures, Including ISRU, Tourism, Etc

Image Credit: nss.org, agefotostock.com

Wednesday / 16 January 2013

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Russia 2015 Moon Lander

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Roscosmos Head Vladimir Popovkin Says Russia Planning Luna-Glob Moon Lander Mission In 2015; Mission Will Be 1st From New US$1B Vostochny Cosmodrome In Far East Amur Region Of Russia; 1400-kg Spacecraft Will Place 500-kg Landing Module On South Pole Of Moon; Craft Will Carry Up To 25kg Of Scientific Equipment To Search For Water / Take Soil Samples, Yet Main Objective Of Mission Is To Achieve Landing On Another World / Moon

Image Credit: Roscosmos