Category Archives: Advanced Technology

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 May 2018

Posted on by

Chang’e-4 Relay To Attempt Detection Of Radio Signals From Cosmic Dark Ages

China To Launch Long March 4C / Chang’e-4 Relay From Xichang 20 May, Precursor For November Moon South Pole Lander; Loft 2 Microsatellites To Lunar Orbit For Low Frequency Radio Astronomy & Interferometry, And Relay Satellite (Queqiao) To L2 Which Carries Netherlands-China Low Frequency Explorer (NCLE) Pathfinder; NCLE Scheduled To Unspool Three 2-meter Antennas March 2019, Detect Radio Signals Pre-First Stars, Study Solar Flares & Jupiter Aurora; NCLE PI Heino Falcke Advocates For Radio Astronomy From Moon

Credits: CNSA, NASA, Radboud University, ASTRON Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy

Friday / 11 May 2018

Posted on by

Moon Village Association (MVA) Building Global Network For Lunar Development Approach

MVA Advancing Various Aspects Of Moon Village Research With 10 Working Groups Including Architecture, Human Factors, Markets / Economy, Data Harmonization – Toward 2018 Annual International MV Workshop Set For 4-5 November In Los Angeles, Following The Inaugural Meeting In Strasbourg; Inclusive Platform, Comprised Of ~150 Members And Institutions In 34 Countries, Envisions Government Programs & Projects, Diverse Array Of Commercial Ventures, Science / Academic Organizations Implementing Sustainable Return To The Moon & Multi World Civilization; MVA President Giuseppe Reibaldi To Keynote At ILOA Galaxy Forum Hainan 4-7 December

Credits: MVA

Wednesday / 9 May 2018

Posted on by

 Spacetide Conference In Tokyo Propels Private Space Industry

3rd Spacetide Foundation Conference On 10 May At Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall To Draw Over 500 Attendees; Focus On Space Tech Advancement, Growth Impact For Non-Space Industry, Commercial Support, Moon Exploration & Economy, Japan Space Vision 2030 Goals & Lunar Property Rights / Resource Ownership; 29 Panelists, 8 Venture Pitches, 3 Featured Presentations To Include (L-R) Spacetide Founder Masayasu Ishida, JAXA Astronaut Koichi Wakata, ispace CEO Takeshi Hakamada, Space Frontier Foundation Chairman Jeff Feige 

Credits: Spacetide, ispace, JAXA, ISPCS, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 4-7 May 2018

Posted on by

ILOA / Galaxy Forum 10 Years On

International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA) Board Of Directors Meeting 25 May During ISDC In Los Angeles Will Consider 4 Lunar Mission Update Including Project Partners Moon Express & Canadensys, Human Moon Mission, First Women On The Moon Initiative – Highlighted In 2018 Application For IAF 3G Diversity Award, Astronomy From The Moon Major Advancements At Events: NVM2, 232nd AAS, 30th IAU GA, Galaxy Forum Europe – Vienna In Aug, Galaxy Forum Hainan 4-7 Dec China, Galaxy Forum Japan Feb 2019 TBD; ILOA Strategic MMoU Principal Operating Partnership Gaining Momentum Toward Feb 2019 Southeast Asia Benefactors Reception In Singapore

Credits: ILOA, GF, SPC, NASA, Canadensys, ME, ESA, CNSA, ISRO

Friday / 4 May 2018

Posted on by

Commercial Lunar Payload Services To Build Upon Successes Of Lunar CATALYST, Commercial Resupply / Crew Programs

New NASA Program Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) To Award Contracts To Private Enterprises For Delivering Science And Tech Demonstration Payloads To Moon Surface; Industry Day Being Held At NASA HQ In Washington DC 8 May To Discuss Draft Request For Proposals; Companies Such As Moon Express, Astrobotic, Masten, Past GLXP Contenders Already Developing Lunar Landers In Prime Position To Accelerate USA Return To Moon, Support Space Policy Directive 1; Blue Origin With Vision Of ‘A Trillion People Living & Working In Space’ Planning New Armstrong Rocket, Blue Moon System For 4,500-kg Cargo Deliveries

Credits: Moon Express, Astrobotic, Masten Space Systems, Blue Origin, Bigelow Aerospace

Wednesday / 2 May 2018

Posted on by

 LunarCubes Workshop Focuses On EM-1 ‘Lucky 13’, Awarded SmallSat Studies, Interactive Design Challenges

7th Annual LunarCubes Workshop 3-4 May In San Luis Obispo CA With 4 Major Design Challenges Include Effective Data Management, Lunar Transportation, CubeSat Paradigm Development Models, Beyond LEO Platform Concepts; Anticipates 30-40 Participants, 8 Presentations Covering Deep Space Concepts PRISM, PROVE, BOLAS, Other Missions From 19 Awarded Studies; NASA JPL CubeSat Development Lab Director Pamela Clark Is Technical Program Chair; 1st CubeSats To Deep Space (MarCO) Set To Launch 5 May To Mars, SLS EM-1 Dec 2019 To Moon Will Carry 13 CubeSats

Credits: NASA, CubeSat

Friday / 27 Apr 2018

Posted on by

China Planning Next Phase Of Astronomy From The Moon With Multipayload Launch May-June

Advanced Lunar Orbiter Queqiao “Bridge Of Magpies” Set To Launch May Or June To Earth-Moon Lagrange Point L2 To Support Chang’e-4 Lander / Rover Mission On Moon Far Side, South Pole / Aitken Basin NET November; Orbiter Launching Via Long March 4C With 2 Microsatellites DSLWP A1 and A2  (Longjiang 1 & 2) Weighing 45 kg Each, Intended For 200 x 9,000-km Lunar Orbit For Low Frequency (1-30 MHz) Radio Astronomy & Interferometry To Observe Energetic Phenomena From Celestial Sources; Will Take Advantage Of Lack Of Atmosphere, Moon Ability To Shield Radio Interference From Earth

Credits: Harbin Institute of Technology, CAST, CCTV / Framegrab, CAS, NAOC, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 30 Mar – 2 Apr 2018

Posted on by

Major Spacefaring Powers Discuss Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway, Collaboration With China

The 2nd Symposium ‘Return To The Moon: A Partnership Of Government, Academia & Industry’ Hosted By USRA, GWU And SPI, Enhances Plans For International / Commercial Cooperation To Land Humans On Moon, Build Permanent Presence In Cislunar Space; 12th Man On Moon (L) Harrison Schmitt Says China Is Geopolitical Imperative; Robert Lightfoot Of NASA States USA Looking To Engage Academia & Industry In International Effort To Explore Space, Vital To Utilize Moon As Step Toward Mars; Space Policy White Paper By D. Holland & J. Burns Includes Analysis Of USA Mixed Comments On Becoming ‘Leading’ Space Power And ‘True International Collaboration’, As Well As Unfocused Exploration Priorities / Goals

Credits: Boeing Co., NASA

Friday / 16 Mar 2018

Posted on by

Crater-Counting AI Algorithm Discovers ~7,000 Moon Craters, Advances Extraterrestrial Mapping Techniques

 Moon Crater Identification Project Led By Ari Silburt At Penn State University And Mohamad Ali-Dib At University Of Toronto Uses Algorithm To Find Craters >5-km Diameter, Leads To Discovery Of 6,883 New Craters In Only A Few Hours & Confirms Previously Known Craters With Very Few Errors; Lunar Craters Are Significant For Solar System Origin Clues, Establishing Areas Of Interest For Exploration, Science, Sample Return, Human Settlement; Artificial Intelligence Mapping Techniques For Big Data Could Be Used For Solar / Extrasolar Systems, Geologic / Other Observations

Credits: NASA, JPL, Caltech, Ari Silburt (L), Mohamad Ali-Dib (R), Univ. of Toronto, PSRD, David Trang, LROC WAC, et al

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 9-12 Mar 2018

Posted on by

China Signs MoU With Russia For Lunar Collaboration, Also In Talks With Japan

CNSA, Roscosmos Plan To Create Lunar Project Data Center, Collaborate On Russia Luna-Resurs 1 Launching 2022, China 2023 Mission To Moon South Pole; MoU Signing By Roscosmos Director Igor Komarov, CNSA Deputy Head Wu Yanhua In Tokyo 3 March For Cooperation In 6 Science, Tech, Exploration Areas; VP Of JAXA Mamoru Endo Meets To Discuss Japan-China Collaborations; CNSA Also Working On New-Gen Reusable Spacecraft With Ability To Carry 4-6 Astronauts To Chinese Space Station, Near Earth Asteroids, Mars; Eventual 20,000-Kg Version For Lunar Landings; Astronaut Wang Yaping Prepares To Work On China Space Station, Hopes To Land On Moon

Credits: Planetary Society, CNSA, Women Voice, CAST, CASC, CMSA