Governor Neil Abercrombie Signs Bill Authorizing Creation Of Research Park On Mauna Kea For Private Businesses & International Space Programs To Develop / Test Technologies Needed To Facilitate Human Habitation Of Moon; Pacific International Space Center For Exploration Systems (PISCES) Will Oversee The Project; Target Technologies Include Oxygen / Water / Rocket Fuel Manufacturing, Waste Management, Food Growth
Image Credit: PISCES
ESA / NASA Collaborating On Project To Confirm Effectiveness Of Laser Communication From Moon To Earth & Back; New Optical Terminal Flying On LADEE (NET 2013) Will Transmit Over 600MB / Second To 3 Ground Stations By Beam Of Infrared Light At 1550nm Wavelength; Optical Laser Communication Could Reduce Mass Of On-Board Receiving / Transmitting Equipment & Provide Significantly Faster Data Rates Than Traditional Radio Frequencies
Image Credit: NASA
Autonomous Navigation, Ultra-Fast Graphical Processing Units Among Technologies GLXP Team Part-Time Scientists Hope To Advance With Lunar Mission NET 2014; Landing Vehicle & ‘Asimov’ Rover To Touch Down Near Apollo 17 Site; Autonomous Navigation System Developed In Tandem With German Aerospace Center Uses Stereo Camera To Generate 2.5-Dimensional Model Of Surroundings
Image Credit: cnet.com, Part-Time Scientists
University Of New South Wales Professor Leonhard Bernold Outlines How Earth Mining Systems Will Not Be Adequate On Moon Due To Dust, Lower Gravitational Acceleration (1.6m/s² vs 9.8m/s²), Minimal Atmosphere / Water, Etc; Proposes Using Suction Extraction With Pneumatic Transportation For Lunar Mining; System Uses Airflow To Transport Material By Venturi Process Through Glass Pipes Manufactured Through ISRU & Joined In-Situ
Image Credit: nextbigfuture.com, amazon.com, nova.org
66 Undergraduate & Graduate School Teams From Around The World Will Compete In 3rd Annual NASA Lunabotics Competition 21-27 May At Kennedy Space Center; Teams WIll Have 10 Minutes To Maneuver Through Obstacle Course Of Lunar Regolith Simulant, Collect As Much Regolith As Possible; NASA Awarding Bonus Points For Autonomous Robots; Lunar Mining / ISRU Critical For Development Of Lunar Outpost
Image Credit: NASA, tuscaloosanews.com
Peter Kokh & Al Anzaldua Call For Union / Cooperation From Proponents Of Moon, Mars & Asteroid Exploration; Antagonistic Attitude Between Groups Leads To Apathetic Public Support, Undependable Funding; Focus On Comprehensive, Integrated Missions & Technologies That Facilitate Reaching All 3 Destinations, Enabled By Private Sector / Government Partnerships
Image Credit: NASA, visions2200.com, dailygalaxy.com
Students Of USC School Of Architecture Graduate Course ‘Moon Studio’ To Present Final Projects To Expert Panel Of Faculty, Agency & Industry Professionals On Wed 9 May; Presentations Display Students’ Conceptual Design Synthesis Skills In Creating Innovative Architecture For Lunar Settlement; Pictured (L-R): USC Professors Carlson, Khoshnevis, Leach & Thangavelu
Image Credit: USC, PARAsite
Hawaii Lawmakers Expected To Pass 2 Bills This Week Advancing Importance Of State In Emerging NewSpace Age; 1st Bill Will Establish Hawaii Spaceport Initiative, Capitalize On Projected BillionUS$ Industry; 2nd Bill Will Support Construction Of International Lunar Research Park On Hawaii Island; ILRP Will Help Design / Develop Human Moon Settlement Within 10 Years
Image Credit: hawaii.gov, UHH, Aerospace Hawaii
Image Credit: NASA
Autonomous Landing Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) System Under Development At NASA Will Enable Safe Landings In Locations Apollo Never Could Have Gone; Terrain Relative Navigation System Utilizes 3 Sensors (Optical, Lidar, Laser Altimeter) & Stored Data To Determine Lander Position & Velocity; Hazard Detection System Generates DEM With 10-cm Resolution
Image Credit: Uchusen Company, Naviblog
Uchusen Company, University Of Southampton & DeltaCAT Ltd., Present ‘Hopper Alpha’ Demonstrator; Team Went From Blank Paper To Core Physical & Electronics Framework Ready For Gimbal/Thruster, Firing & Hovering Phase, In Under 1 Calendar Year; Managing Director Mandali Khalesi: Project Is Initial Step Towards Agile Spacecraft Development Required In New Century; Could Be Utilized For Lunar Or NEO Missions