Author Archives: LED Editor

Weekend Edition / 24-26 March 2012

Posted on by

USA Lunar Orbiters Imaging Future / Past Landing Sites

Image Credit: NASA

2 4-Camera Color Video Systems Of GRAIL MoonKAM Begin Generating Video Views Of Moon Surface From Low Lunar Orbit; Thousands Of Students Have Opportunity To Capture Video / Images, Study Lunar Features & Learn About Past / Future Landing Sites; LRO Recently Provided Clearest View Yet Of Famous Apollo 11 Landing Site; Image (R) Snapped From 24-Km Altitude Displays Footprints, Lunar Module, Seismic Experiment, Lunar Ranging Reflector

Friday / 23 March 2012

Posted on by

GLXP Teams JURBAN & Phoenicia Collaborating

Image Credit: GLXP, Team Phoenicia

Team JURBAN Selects Rocket Engines Developed By Team Phoenicia For Their Lunar Lander; Single 526-Second Burn Of 2 Z150 Rocket Engines (R) Will Slow JURBAN Airbag Landing System From 5760kph To Gentle 96.5kph Landing; Teams Working On Mutual Data & Hardware Exchange Partnership; Pictured: JURBAN Technical Manager Blaze Sanders

Thursday / 22 March 2012

Posted on by

GRAIL Mission Extended To December

Image Credit: NASA

US$496M Mission Extended 6 Months Allowing Scientists To Complete More Definitive Map Of Lunar Gravity Field From Lower Orbit; Twin Crafts Will Orbit Average Of 22.5km Above Moon During 2nd 3-Month Mapping Cycle, Sep-Dec; Mission Was Intended To End In June Before Lunar Eclipse, Mission Planners Now Hope To Crash Probes Into Lunar Surface In December, Ideally In LRO Field Of View 

Wednesday / 21 March 2012

Posted on by

USA Human Moon Mission Plans

Image Credit: NASA, AP

Exploration Roadmap Documentation Indicates NASA Still Has Plans To Send Astronauts To Lunar Surface; Latest Con Ops Document Refers To Lunar Surface Sortie (LSS) Mission, Crew Of 4, 19-Day Mission With 7 Days On Moon; Viable In Early 2020s With Renewed Development Of Lander Vehicle (L), Political Support; Neil DeGrasse Tyson Continues Call For Increased NASA Funding, #Penny4NASA Campaign 

Tuesday / 20 March 2012

Posted on by

LRO 1000 Days In Lunar Orbit

Image Credit: NASA, bu.edu

LRO Reaches 1000 Days In Orbit & NASA Releases 2 New LRO Videos Providing Tour Of Interesting Locations On Moon, Evolutionary History; Lead Scientist Harlan Spence (L), UNH Researchers Use LRO CRaTER Instrument To Quantify Levels Of Radiation On Lunar Surface From GCR Bombardment That Can Create Complex Carbon Chains From Water Ice, Process Also Causes Regolith To Darken Over Time

Weekend Edition / 17-19 March 2012

Posted on by

Japan Testing Moon Robots

Image Credit: JAXA, mainichinews.jp, kyodonews.jp

JAXA Conducts Tests Of 8 Prototype Moon Exploration Robots At Lunar-like Nakatajima Sand Dunes In Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture; Made By Various Research Institutions Including Tohoku University, Osaka University, & Tokyu Construction, Which Are Competing In JAXA Lunar Robotics Challenge; Winning Designs Will Become Part Of Next Generation Japan Lunar Exploratory Equipment

Friday / 16 March 2012

Posted on by

 Gingrich 2012 & Lunar Property Rights

Image Credit: Lunar Embassy, slashgear.com

Will Gingrich 2012 Advocacy For Space / Lunar Exploration Affect Lunar Real Estate Sales?; Lunar Embassy CEO Dennis Hope Has Sold Property Rights To Over 600M Moon Acres For US$21.50 Each; Hope Calls Gingrich Lunar Plans “Illegal”; Lunar Embassy Cites 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty As Legal Basis For Business, Treaty Forbids Governments From Owning Resources Beyond Earth, Does Not Mention Rights Of Individuals

Thursday / 15 March 2012

Posted on by

 

Image Credit: CLEP, china.org.cn

China Chang’e-3 Lunar Lander Enters Flight Model Phase From Prototype Phase, Manufacturing Of Flight Model Entity Has Begun; 2013 Probe Will Carry Lunar Rover & Instruments To Conduct Land Surveys, Living Conditions Assessment, Astrophysical Observations; China Congressional Deputy Hu Hao Says Chang’e-2 Exceeded Mission Goals Laying Solid Foundation For Landing Of Its Successor

Wednesday / 14 March 2012

Posted on by

Nuclear Power On Moon

Image Credit: LPI, NASA

43rd Lunar & Planetary Science Conference (19-23 March) To Be Held At The Woodlands TX In Conjunction With Nuclear & Emerging Technologies Meeting (21-23 March) To Acknowledge 50 Years Of Nuclear-Powered Space & Lunar Crafts; RTGs / RHUs Used In Apollo Seismic Stations / Lunkhod Rovers; Small Fission Power System With Stirling Engine Could Power Future Lunar Base    

Tuesday / 13 March 2013

Posted on by

Goodyear Perfecting Moon Tires

Image Credit: Goodyear

Goodyear ‘Spring Tire’ May Contribute To Broad Lunar Exploration, Development Of Moon; Airless Tire Utilizes 800 Load Bearing Springs Contouring To Any Surface Providing Maximum Traction To Carry Heavy Vehicles Long Distances; Will Not Degrade On Moon Like Traditional Rubber Pneumatic Tires; Now On Display At 2012 Geneva International Motor Show