Author Archives: LED Editor

Wednesday / 4 July 2018

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NASA Soliciting Bids On Lunar Orbiting Platform-Gateway Space Station Aiming For 2022 Operation

Procurement Request From NASA Is Asking USA Industry For Proposals On “Spaceflight Demonstration Of A Power And Propulsion Element”, Which Could Be Used As The 1st Element Of The Gateway Space Station — Proposals Due November; NASA Expects The New Station To Cost US$2.7B; Matt Siegler (Bottom) Of Planetary Science Institute Says Gateway Is Too Far From Moon And Is Really A Symbol For USA Leadership In Space; NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (Top) Stresses: “We Are Going To The Surface Of The Moon. The Gateway Does Not Compete With This”

Credits: NASA, PSI

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 29 June – 2 July 2018

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Chandrayaan-2 Lunar South Pole Mission To Target Water, Possibly He-3

GSLV Mk II Launch NET Oct / Nov Of 3,290-kg Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter, Lander, 6-Wheel Rover, Will Research Topography, Mineralogy, Exosphere, Prospects For Ice-Water Utilization, Consider Future Helium-3 Extraction; Rover To Operate In Semi-Autonomous Mode For 2 Weeks; ISRO Chairman K. Sivan States India Plans To Be A Leader In Space Resource Utilization, Aims To Put India Crew On Moon

Credits: ISRO, NASA

Friday / 29 June 2018

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Buzz Aldrin Vision For Human SpaceFlight Institute, Lunar Gateway, Global / China Space Collaboration

Iconic Astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin Launching Houston-Based Human SpaceFlight Institute To Pioneer Research For Future Human Space Systems / Missions, Host Workshops & Internships – Will Announce High-Level Strategic Partners Oct 2018; Aldrin Advocates For Return To Moon Surface, Sees Lunar Gateway As Major Opportunity To Work With China, Advance Fuel / Power Tech, Build Deep Space Infrastructures Or Multiple Gateways To Reach Mars & Beyond; Inspiring Announcements Anticipated For 49th And 50th Observation Of Apollo 11 On 20 July

Credits: NASA, Buzz Aldrin via Twitter

Wednesday / 27 June 2018

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Astrophysics Enabled At The Moon Being Discussed During NASA Exploration Science Forum At NASA Ames

Fifth Annual NASA Exploration Science Forum Is Being Held 26-28 June, Organized By Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, Featuring Discussions About Moon, Near-Earth Asteroids, And Moons Of Mars, Etc; Dr. Jordan Mirocha (Top) From UCLA Chairs Wednesday Afternoon Session On “Astrophysics Enabled At The Moon”: Prof. Jack Burns (L) Presents Science On Lunar Far Side Facilitated By Lunar Orbiting Platform-Gateway Including Low Frequency Radio Array, And Alexander Hegedus (R) From University Of Michigan Talks On Radio Interferometers On Lunar Surface

Credits: NASA, UCLA, University of Colorado, University of Michigan

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 22-25 June 2018

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LRO Mission Enters 10th Year Orbiting Moon

On 23 June Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Embarks On 10th Year, Mission Goals Include Temporarily Going Off Nadir (Straight-On Imaging) Fall 2018 To Utilize Camera Stereo, Oblique Imaging; Inertial Measurement Unit Currently Powered Down To Reserve Power For Critical Events, Lunar Eclipses; In Lunar Eccentric Polar Mapping Orbit (20-km Altitude South Pole, 165-km North Pole) With 7 Instruments Providing High Resolution 3D Moon Mapping, Regolith & Radiation Observations, Data May Assist In Future South Pole And Far Side Lunar Landings

Credits: NASA

Friday / 22 June 2018

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Next Rocket Lab Flight Success Would Boost Ambitions For Lunar Missions

The 3rd Rocket Lab Electron Flight And 1st Fully Commercial Mission “It’s Business Time” 2-Week Launch Window Opens 23 June In New Zealand From Launch Complex 1 At Mahia Peninsula With Daily Windows 12:30–16:30; Set To Carry 2 Spire CubeSats, 1 GeoOptics CICERO Satellite, IRVINE01 Educational Payload, NABEO Drag Sail Tech Demonstrator; Continued Success On Low-Cost US$5M System Is Encouraging For Launch Customers Such As Moon Express Which Was Originally Slated For 3 Launches For Its Lunar Missions With Option To Purchase 2 More

Pictured: Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck; Credits: Rocket Lab, Moon Express, NASA, HPS GmbH, Spire, Tyvak

Wednesday / 20 June 2018

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Observance Of Sally’s Ride Begs The Question: When Will The First Woman Walk On The Moon?

This Week Marks 35 Years Since Sally Ride Became The 1st American Woman In Space, Commemorated By New USA Forever Postage Stamp; After Shattering The Ultimate Glass Ceiling, Ride Said “Weightlessness Is A Great Equalizer”; Another Of The “Original Six” Women Astronauts, Anna Lee Fisher — 1st Mother In Space On STS-51 Discovery, Becomes The Godmother To Viking Latest Ocean Ship, Orion, Same Name As NASA Crew Ship That Could Take The 1st Women To The Moon

Credits: USPS, Viking Cruises, NASA, SPC

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 15-18 June 2018

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Chang’e-4 Relay Satellite Enters Intended Orbit, Prepares For Upcoming Mission

China Relay Satellite Queqiao Successfully Reaches Halo Orbit Around Earth-Moon Lagrange Point 2, Will Undergo Orbit Maintenance Every 7 Days, Equipped With NCLE Low-Frequency Pathfinder To Detect Cosmic Dark Ages Radio Signals, Will Act As Communication Relay For Chang’e-4 Lander & Rover Mission Planned Nov-Dec Launch To South Pole Aitken Basin / Von Kármán Crater; Microsatellite Longjiang-2 Operates In Lunar Orbit, Transmits Far Side Pictures Using Saudi Arabia Optical Camera; NAOC Prof Ping Jinsong Mentions Feasibility Of Flying Near-Future Low Cost Lunar Constellation

Credits: CNSA, CLEP, KASCST, NAOC, CAS, Planetary Society, NCLE, ASTRON

Friday / 15 June 2018

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AAS Advancing Galaxy Science, Human Equality, Astronomy From The Moon

21st Century Directions Apparent At American Astronomical Society 232nd Meeting In Denver CO With 5 Of 10 Plenaries On Galaxies, 5 Of 10 Presented By Women Astrophysicists, Supported By (L-R) Incoming AAS President Megan Donahue And Outgoing President Christine Jones; Pioneering Sessions On Low Radio Frequency Observations From Space And Moon Included Presentations By Heino Falcke, Robert MacDowell, Jack Burns, Joseph Lazio, Which Could Enable AAS Symposium In 12-24 Months On “Astronomy On, For and From The Moon”

Credits: ILOA, SPC, Steve Durst, AAS, NLSI, IAU, NASA, JPL, Radboud Univ., ISIS, ASTRON, Netherlands Space Office, et al

Wednesday / 13 June 2018

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NASA Requests Information On Availability Of Potential Lunar Payloads

NASA Issues Request For Information For Availability Of Existing Hardware That Could Fly To Lunar Surface With Little Development Necessary As Early As 2019: Engineering Models, Flight Spares, Modified Off-The-Shelf Instruments, Etc – Under Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Program; Responses Sought From USA Industry, Universities, Non-profit Organizations, Others – Due Wednesday 27 June 2018; Astrobotic Encourages Lunar Community To Submit Payload Details To Inform Near-Term NASA Lunar Payload Solicitations

Pictured: NASA Program Scientist Sarah Noble, Astrobotic VP Business Development Dan Hendrickson; Credits: NASA, Astrobotic