Author Archives: LED Editor

Friday / 30 Aug 2019

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Moon-To-Lagrange Point Space Elevator Concept Deemed Feasible By Cambridge, Columbia Researchers

Dubbed ‘Spaceline’, Elevator Would Rely On Gravity Well 326,000 km Above Earth Surface To Maintain Rigidity Rather Than Centrifugal Force As In Conventional Space Elevator Concepts; Research Authors Emily Sandford (T) and Zephyr Penoyre Describe Mathematical And Physical Conditions As ‘Eminently Plausible’ For Construction Using Present Technology; Suggestion Of Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene Fiber Construction Material With 3600 MPa Tensile Strength Considering Cost And Manufacturing Scalability Constraints Of Exotics; Fuel Cost To Reach Lunar Surface Would Be Reduced By 2/3, Study Estimates; Paper Is To Be Submitted To IAA Journal Acta Astronautica

Credits: NASA, Cambridge University, Columbia University

Tuesday / 27 Aug 2019

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BIG Challenge Seeks Ideas For Permanently-Shadowed Regions Of Lunar South Pole

NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate Is Sponsoring Breakthrough, Innovative & Game-Changing Idea Challenge; BIG Seeks Capabilities To Study Dark Permanently Shadowed Regions Of Moon; Craters And Caves In Lunar Polar Regions Have Remained Hidden For Billions Of Years; Proposals May Include Collecting Lunar Regolith, Transporting And Storing Water; Competition Is Open To Space Grant-Affiliated Universities; Separately ESA Open Space Innovation Platform Is Seeking Ideas For Detecting, Mapping And Exploring Permanently Shadowed Lunar Caves

Credits: NASA, JAXA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 23-26 August 2019

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Chandrayaan-2 In Lunar Orbit Prepares For Landing And Chandrayaan-3 Joint Lunar Mission

India Chandrayaan-2 Photographs Moon From 4,212 km x 118 km Orbital Ellipse, Will Perform Another Orbit Change 28 Aug; 1,470-kg Vikram Lander And 27-kg Pragyan Rover Scheduled To Land 7 Sep Near Manzinus C And Simpelius N Craters At 70° S Latitude; Project Director M Vanitha (L) And Mission Director Ritu Kridhal (R) Expect To Operate 14 Days On Surface; ISRO In Talks With JAXA Planning Chandrayaan-3 Joint Lunar Polar Exploration Mission In 2023

Credits: ISRO

Friday / 23 Aug 2019

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Planetary Scientists Support NASA Budget Request For Lunar Discovery And Exploration Program

76 Lunar And Planetary Science Community Members Sign Letter Supporting Lunar Discovery And Exploration Program Along With An Increased NASA FY2020 Budget Request; Scientists Point Out That Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Program Provides Opportunities For Science Payloads; Signers Of Letter Include (L To R) Clive Neal Of Notre Dame University, Jeffrey Taylor From University Of Hawai’i, Jack Burns From University Of Colorado, Carle Pieters Of Brown University, Astronaut Harrison Schmitt, And Bob Richards Of Moon Express

Credits: Moon Express, Notre Dame University, University of Hawaii

Tuesday / 20 Aug 2019

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National Space Council Faces NASA And Private Options For Reaching Moon

USA National Space Council Chaired By VP Mike Pence Meets 20 August At National Air And Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center, Venue Where Pence In 2017 Has Already Committed To Lunar Return; Former House Speaker And Free Enterprise Advocate Newt Gingrich Proposes US$2B Prize To First USA Company To Land Humans On Moon; SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell Claims They Can Land On Moon With Starship By 2023; Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Is Also In Competition

Credits: SpaceX, NASA, Blue Origin

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 16-19 August 2019

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Orion Tests Propulsion System; NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Managing Artemis Lunar Lander

European-Built Orion Service Module Completes Critical 12-Minute Firing Of Propulsion System At White Sands, New Mexico, Simulating Insertion Into Lunar Orbit And Return Trajectory To Earth; NASA Administrator Bridenstine With Members Of Congress Announce Marshall Space Flight Center Will Manage Artemis Lunar Lander With Large Portion Of Work At Johnson Space Center In Houston; Lisa Watson-Morgan Will Manage Lander Program; Orion Environmental Tests Will Be Conducted At Glenn Research Center

Credits: NASA

Friday / 16 Aug 2019

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Japan Lunar Surface Society Plans Pressurized Rover And Future Lunar Activities

JAXA, Toyota And Mitsubishi Are Joining In A Lunar Surface Society In September To Study Sustainable Lunar Activities; Toyota Is Teamed With JAXA To Study Pressurized Lunar Rover For Crew Of 2-4; Fuel Cells Would Give 6-Wheeled Rover 10,000-km Range; JAXA, Led By Hiroshi Yamakawa, Hoping To Send Rover To Moon In 2029; Avatar X, A Partnership Between JAXA And All Nippon Airways, Building Futuristic Lunar Robotics Center On Island Of Kyushu

Credits: JAXA, Cloud Architects, Avatar X

Tuesday / 13 Aug 2019

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LEAG Meeting In Washington DC To Analyze Lunar Exploration Issues – Abstracts Due 14 Aug

Lunar Exploration Analysis Group To Hold Annual Meeting 28-30 Oct At Washington DC Hilton; LEAG Aids NASA On Issues Related To Lunar Exploration; Executive Committee Includes Clive Neal (L) Of University Of Notre Dame, Louise Prockter Of Lunar & Planetary Institute, And Noah Petro (R) Of Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Team; Due Date For Poster Presentations Is 14 Aug; Meeting Is Supported By NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) In A Worldwide Collaboration

Credits: Hilton, Notre Dame, LPI, NASA, LEAG

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 9-12 August 2019

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Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Announces Lunar Surface Autonomous Science Payloads (LSASP) R&D Request For Proposal

6 Contracts Are Being Offered By Public Works And Government Services Canada (PWGSC) To Study And Develop Technology Beneficial To Future CSA Lunar Missions; Concept Studies May Be Funded Up To CAD$200K, Research Including Technology Development May Be Funded Up To CAD$700K (US$526K); Duration Of Contracts Are Up To 18 Months, Deadline Is 27 Sep @ 14:00 EDT; RFP Scope Of Work States, “Polar Destinations, In Particular, The Far Side South Pole Destination Are The Most Likely Destinations Of Interest And The Primary Targets”

Credits: NASA, CSA/ASC, Moon Express Canada

Friday / 9 Aug 2019

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Chang’e-4 And Yutu-2 Rover Complete Eighth Lunar Day

Zhongguo Chang’e-4 Completes Eighth Day On Lunar Farside; Yutu-2 Rover Completes 271 Meters Travel, 33.13 Meters During Lunar Day 8, Expected To Wake For Day 9 Activities On 24 Aug; Rover Will Continue West From Von Karman Carter Landing Site In South Pole-Aitken Basin At 45.5° South Latitude; Netherlands-China Low Frequency Explorer Aboard Queqiao Orbiter Will Soon Begin Radio Astronomy Observations In Frequency Range From 1 To 80 MHz

Credits: CNSA, NCLE, Phil Stooke