Category Archives: Advanced Technology

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 8-11 Dec 2017

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Rocket Lab Electron 2nd Test Ideal Launch Conditions Open Monday Local Time (Sunday USA)

Electron Rocket 2nd Test Launch Possible 14:30-18:30 Dec 11 In New Zealand (15:30-19:30 Sunday HST): Live Video Stream To Begin 12 Minutes Before Launch; 17m-Tall, 1.2m-Diameter Rocket Capable Of Taking 225kg To Orbit; This Test Carries 2 Weather-Monitoring Lemur-2 Satellites For Spire & 1 Earth-Imaging Dove Satellite For Planet Labs; Daily 4-Hour Launch Window Continues Until Dec 17; Success Prepares Rocket Lab For Moon Express Lunar Launch Contracted For Q1 2018

Pictured: Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck; Credits: Rocket Lab, Spire, Planet Labs, NASA

Thanksgiving Weekend Edition
Thu-Mon / 23-27 Nov 2017

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Lunar Interests / Plans Accelerate Globally

Moon Village Association / ESA Records Progress At ISU In Strasbourg, France; US National Space Council Working Scenarios For 3-7 Year Human Moon Return; India Early 2018 Chandrayaan-2 Moon South Pole Touchdown Could Startle Global Space Communities; China Expanding Astronomy From The Moon Activities With Chang’e-4 VLF Payloads And Technology; India-Japan Announce Lunar Sample Return Collaboration; Canada Space Agency LEAD Project To Support International HERACLES Moon South Pole Mission Concept; Prospective Candidates For ‘First Woman On The Moon’ Rising

 Credits: ESA/ Foster + Partners, WH.gov, ISRO, CAST, JAXA, SPC / ILOA, CSA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 3-6 Nov 2017

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American Lunar Updates: CATALYST, Next NASA Admin, HERA, Moon Express New Hire

Lunar Cargo Transportation And Landing by Soft Touchdown (CATALYST) Program To Spur Moon Commercial Cargo Transportation & Enable New Science / Exploration Being Extended 2 Years For Astrobotic, Masten Space Systems, Moon Express – Jason Crusan Of NASA States ‘Its Optimistic These Companies Could Deliver Payloads In 2018’; Nominee For Next NASA Admin Jim Bridenstine Testifies In Front Of Senate Committee, Awaiting Confirmation; JSC In Houston 4-Person 45-Day Spaceflight / Moon / Mars Mission Analog Campaign 4: Mission 3 Of Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) Ongoing Until Dec 4; Dr. Alain Berinstain Of Canada Joins Moon Express As VP Of Global Development

Credits: NASA, Moon Express, A. Berinstain, Astrobotic

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 27-30 Oct 2017

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India Chandrayaan-2 Pioneering
Moon South Pole

ISRO Confirms Q1 2018 Plan To Deploy Orbiter, Attempt Lunar South Pole Touchdown With Lander And Rover; Chandrayaan-2 Project Director Mylswamy Annadurai States Specific Landing Site Is Not Yet Determined, Total Mission Cost US$93M, Lift-off Mass 3,250 kg; First Mission Ever To New Frontier Moon South Pole And India 2nd Mission To Moon Could Prove To Be Game Changer For Lunar Base Build Out, Resource Prospecting, Science, Energy / Technology Advancements; Payloads On-board Lander Include Thermal Sensors For Temperature, And RAMBHA To Measure Near-Surface Plasma & Its Changes

Credits: ISRO, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 20-23 Oct 2017

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Human Return To Moon Advancing
With NSC And Commercial Ventures

USA National Space Council Declaring America Will Return To The Moon, Plans To Establish Users’ Advisory Group Composed Of Commercial Space Industry Leaders; Major Questions To FY19 Funding NASA Return To Moon: Where Will It Come From And Who Will It Involve – Commercial Or International Partners? At LEAG Return To The Moon Workshop, Moon Express, Astrobotic, Blue Origin & Masten Present Their Plans To Return To Moon, Opportunities For Government Collaboration; Bigelow & ULA Announce B330 Habitat For Low Lunar Orbit; As To ‘Why’ We Return To Moon – Expert Paul Spudis States “We Go To The Moon To Learn How To Live & Work Productively On Another World… Arrive, Survive, Thrive”

Credits: NASA, Bill Ingalls, Moon Express, SpaceX, Bigelow, Astrobotic

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 13-16 Oct 2017

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Busiest Year For Moon Landings Since 1970s:
2018 India And China Lunar Lander Plans

India Chandrayaan-2 Lander, Rover & Orbiter Expected To Launch To Moon Polar Region March 2018 On GSLV Mk 2; China Chang’e-3 Lander Still Operating On Moon Surface Could See CE-4 Orbiter May-Jun 2018, Followed By Lander / Rover In Oct To Far Side, And CE-5 Sample Return Mission To NW Near-Side Before End Of 2018; New Chapter In Commercial Space For India, GLXP Team Indus Carrying Japan Team Hakuto Planning To Launch On PSLV Early 2018 To Attempt Moon Landing; Enterprises Moon Express, Synergy Moon, SpaceIL Also Working To Win GLXP With Mission Completion Deadline Set Mar 31, 2018

Credits: ISRO, CNSA, NAOC, CAS, ME, GLXP, et al

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 6-9 Oct 2017

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U.S. National Space Council Plans For Human Return To Moon

Vice President Pence Declares America Will Work To Lead In Space By Sending Humans To Moon, Setting Up Lunar Base, Investing In Innovative Technologies, Partnering With International Interests And Enabling Human Expansion Across Solar System; Strong Emphasis Placed On Launching From American, USA Soil And Commercial Space; Experts From NASA, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Orbital ATK, SpaceX, Blue Origin, Sierra Nevada Say Humans Could Return To Moon Within 5 Years With Committed Funding & Political Support; 2017 Astronaut Class May Be Part Of Inspiring, Historical Mission To Send First Woman To The Moon “In Peace For All”

Credits: NASA, NSC, R. Markowitz, ESA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 22-25 Sep 2017

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LDSE 2017 Promoting Lunar And Deep Space Science, Technology, Planning, International Collaboration

The 3rd Beijing Lunar & Deep Space Exploration Conference With Chair Prof Ouyang Ziyuan Focusing On Major International Lunar Missions Including Chang’e Program Successes, China Upcoming Lunar Sample Return & Far Side Plans, India Chandrayaan-2, USA Orion / SLS, Deep Space Gateway, ESA Moon Village, JAXA SLIM, Commercial Moon Ventures, Human Moon Missions In 2020s; ESA-CNSA And Russia-CNSA Potential Agreements For Future Lunar Cooperation; Representatives Also Discussing Mars, Jupiter, Asteroids Exploration Before 2030

Credits: ILOA, CAS, CNSA, NASA, ESA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 8-11 Sep 2017

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Moon Surface Supercomputer
RFI Being Sought By NASA

Radiation Tolerant Computer Which Could Be Used In Short Duration Moon Surface Mission, Operate In Vacuum Of Space Under -40°C To +70°C Temperatures, Provide 128MB Of Data Storage & 128MB Memory NASA RFI Due Sep 13; Vital Communications Infrastructure Will Be Needed For Multi-Payload & Human Missions To Moon Surface (Potentially Early 2020s), Far Side Moon, Deep Space, Mars, Beyond; Current 1-Year Testing Of HPE Linux Supercomputer At ISS; LADEE 2013 Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration Proved Record-Breaking Downlink Speed 622Mbps / Error-Free Uplink Speed 20Mbps, Revolutionary Technology Was 50% Weight Of Comparable Radio-Based Terminal & Used 25% Less Power

Credits: NASA, GNC, LADEE, CNN, HPE, LLCD, ESA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 25-28 Aug 2017

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Colorado School Of Mines Announces Plans For First-Ever Space Mining Graduate Program In 2018

Resource Exploration, Extraction and Processing On Moon, Asteroids, Mars And Beyond Is Focus Of New Graduate Level Program To Be Offered In 2018 By Well-Known And Highly Respected Science And Engineering Institution In Golden, CO; First Course “Space Resources Fundamentals” Being Run As Pilot Program In Fall 2017; Director And Research Assoc. Prof. Angel Abbud-Madrid Says Objective Is To Prepare Next Generation Of Engineers To Responsibly Access Natural Resources Of Space Including Water, Gases, Minerals And Metals To Fuel Space Development; ISRU Will Conserve Resources On Earth And Make Space Exploration Safer And More Affordable

Credits: Mines, NASA