Completing Tests Of David Clark Co. Z-1 Space Suit Prototype With Bearings For Mobility; Will Give Astronauts More Flexibility To Hop Over Lunar / Martian Soil; Increased Radiation Protection For Longer Spacewalks; Port In Back Allows Easy Entry / Exit, Bypasses Need For Airlock; Z-2 And Z-3 Revisions To Follow; NASA Plans To Make Z-3 Ready For Use By 2017
Image Credit: NASA, DCC
Peter Kokh Speculates On Plausibility Of Telepresence Tours Of Moon In Moon Miners’ Manifesto Nov 2012 Issue #260; Predicts Telepresence Technology Could Advance Through Private Enterprise Investment; By 2019 ‘Moon Telepresence Booths’ Could Allow Public To Experience Working On Moon; Would Increase Interest / Support Of Lunar Exploration, Technology Could Also Be Used In Science / Exploration
Image Credit: NASA, Moon Society, howstuffworks.com
KSC Physicist John Lane Working On Project To Track Lunar Dust / Protect Apollo Sites From Future Moon Landers; Lane Used Terrestrial Rain Drops As Analog To Calibrate Laser Sensor, Consequently Discovered System Could Improve Rainfall Measurements / Weather Forecasting; NASA Considering Placing Laser Sensor On GLXP Team Lander To Help Formulate Restrictions For Future Landers Concerning Safe Distance From Apollo Sites
Image Credit: NASA, Popular Mechanics
Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration (LLCD) Set For Next Aug As Payload On NASA LADEE Spacecraft; Optical Communications Via High-Bandwidth Laser Light Allow For More Data Transmission For Same Power As Radio; LLCD Mission Manager Donald Cornwell Says They Hope To Demonstrate 622 mbps From Moon, Compared To 100 mbps Ka-Band Radio Communications Utilized By LRO
Image Credit: NASA, LinkedIn
Researchers At Washington State University Have Demonstrated How Lunar Regolith Could Be Used As Raw Material For 3D Printers; Team Led By Prof Amit Bandyopadhyay Used A High-Powered Laser To Liquefy & 3D Print Simple Objects Out Of Lunar Regolith Simulant Material Provided By NASA; Resulting Material Was Glassy & Brittle, Researchers Suggest Additive Manufacturing Will Likely Be Needed For Printing More Advanced Materials On Moon
Image Credit: Washington State University, NASA
China National Space Administration Announced “Definitive” Plans To Launch Chang’e-3 In 2013; Model On Display At ‘Airshow China 2012’; Li Dong Deputy Director Of China Aerospace Science And Technology Corp. Says Lunar Chang’e-3 Is Key Step In China’s Deep Space Exploration; 3rd Phase Requires Ascent Vehicle, Return Module, More; Chang’e-3 Would Reduce Google Lunar X-Prize By US$5M If Successful
Image Credit: CNSA, CASC, China.org, Xinhua
LiftPort Group With Kickstarter US$110K Relaunching “Tethered Towers”; Robot Reached 1.6-km Altitude In 2006 Demonstration; 2013 Study To Refine Technical Details; Aiming For Lunar Space Elevator By 2020, Reducing Lunar Missions To 1/10th Of Current Cost; Charles Radley Formerly Of Moon Society Says Elevator Can Be Built Today For US$800M And Capable Of “Infinite” 100-kg Payloads To / From Moon
Image Credit: LiftPort Group
India Aiming For 2015 Human Spaceflight Program; Human Moon Mission Proposed By Indian Space Research Organisation For 2020; Chandrayaan-2 Lunar Orbiter, Lander, Rover Mission Delayed To At Least 2014; Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) Rocket Proven Success Of Chandrayaan-1 / Moon Impact Probe Will Be Used For India Mars Satellite Mission Planned Launch Nov 2013
Image Credit: ISRO, IITK
Japan Lunar Orbiter Kaguya / SELENE Data Reveals Low-Calcium Pyroxene Mineral In ‘Ocean Of Storms’ On Moon; Ryosuke Nakamura From National Institute Of Advanced Industrial Science And Technology Says This Suggests Giant Impact Caused 29,000-km Wide Magma Sea; Future Japan Missions Hope To Confirm With SELENE-2 Rover Launch In Mid 2010s / SELENE-X Advanced Lander / Human Lunar Outpost In 2020s
Image Credit: JAXA, NIAIST
China Robotic Lunar Lander Mission Chang’e-3 Passes Thermal Dynamic Trials, Testing Key Mechanical Performance Of The Lander Prior To Trial Run Of Propulsion System; New Superconducting Receiver Developed By 16th Research Institute, China Electronic Corporation Installed In New Deep Space Monitor And Ground Control Station; Receiver Expected To Also Support Future Mars Mission
Image Credit: CNSA, CLEP