Category Archives: Astronomy from the Moon

Friday / 25 July 2014

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ILOA July Meeting Marks Mid-Point For SpaceWeek 2014 In Silicon Valley

ILOA BoD 2014-2015 SV CA

The International Lunar Observatory Association, Based In Hawai`i, Held Its 3rd Board Of Directors Meeting Of 2014 In Mountain View CA, 23 July The Day Before The Space Frontier Foundation NewSpace 2014 Conference & Immediately Following The NASA Solar System Exploration Science Forum; Anticipating A New Lunar / Culture Renaissance In The N Cal / San Francisco Bay Area Similar To That Of The 1960s & ‘70s, ILOA Expects Its 2015 Silicon Valley Board Meeting Again To Overview & Advance Its 4 Moon Missions & Its Galaxy Forum Program For 21st Century Education & Fundraising

Image Credit: ILOA, Canadesys Aerospace Corp., Moon Express Inc., Charles O’Rear

Thursday / 3 July 2014

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ILOA Partnering With Canadensys Aerospace Corp On ILO-1 Flagship Moon Mission

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International Lunar Observatory Association Of Hawai`i Contracts Canadensys Aerospace Corporation To Work On ILO-1 Moon South Pole Multifunctional Lander, Expected To Launch Later This Decade; Canada-Based Company Will Serve As Prime Contractor For ILO-1 Main Observation & Communications Payload; Collaborate On Galaxy Forum Canada 21st Century Education Program At 65th IAC In Toronto; Current Contract Focused On Refining ILO-1 Instrument Design & Program Definition In Light Of Recent International & Commercial Interest In Developing Lunar South Pole

Image Credit: Canadensys Aerospace Corporation, ILOA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 30 May-2 June 2014

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Chang’e-3 Lander / Yutu Rover Continue To Exceed Expectations

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China Moon Lander With Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope & Extreme Ultraviolet Camera Continue To Gather Scientific Data / Demonstrate Value Of Astronomy From The Moon, While Yutu Rover & Its Mechanical Problems Dominate International News Coverage Of Mission; Now In Lunar Night 6, Rover Has Exceeded Projected 3-Month Lifespan, Chang’e-3 Lander Also Expected To Exceed 1-Year Projected Lifespan; Chang’e-3 LUT International Partner ILOA (With SPC Affiliate) Has Produced An Estimated Lunar Day-Night Cycle For Chang’e-3 Mission

Image Credit: CNSA, silvercoinstory.com

Tuesday / 15 April 2014

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Lunar Eclipse Provides Challenges / Opportunities For Moon Craft

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Total Lunar Eclipse Visible In Western Hemisphere 15 Apr Between 07:06-08:24 UT, First Of Series Of 4 (Tetrad) In Next 18 Months; Celestial Geometry Will Challenge LRO Systems As Craft Will Pass Through Earth Shadow In 2 Consecutive Orbits; Eclipse Could Cause LADEE Propulsion Systems To Freeze, Yet Should Not Affect Scheduled ~21 Apr Impact; Chang’e-3 Lander Will Have Unique View Of Earth (TL) During Eclipse, Potential Opportunity To Study How Moon Cools While In Earth Shadow

Image Credit: NASA

Wednesday / 19 March 2014

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Andrew Aldrin To Pilot Moon Express, Inc. To Moon

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Moon Express Names Andrew Aldrin, Son Of Apollo 11 Pilot Buzz Aldrin, As President; Company Has Grown To Over 40 Employees Making It Largest Dedicated Staff Focused On Returning American Craft To Moon Surface; First Moon Mission (MX-1) Expected In 2015 To Compete For GLXP & To Deploy Precursor Instrument (ILO-X) Of Joint Venture Partner International Lunar Observatory Association; Dr Aldrin Has Previously Worked As Director Of Business Development And Advanced Systems For Both ULA & Boeing

Image Credit: Moon Express, Inc.

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 31 Jan – 3 Feb 2014

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Moon Astronomy Revolution

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Chang’e-3 LUT Operating Nominally, According To Jianyan Wei Of NAOC/CAS, After 2 Productive Lunar Days In Which It Observed 23 Stars Of Draco Constellation, Conducted Long-Duration Observation Of Variable Stars & Produced Mosaic Sky Survey; This Historic Precedent Of Viability Of & Opportunity For Astronomy From Lunar Surface Should Give Encouragement & Confidence To Global Astronomy, Space Exploration & NewSpace Communities Seeking To Advance Humanity As Multi World Species

Image Credit: NAOC/CAS, ILOA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 24-27 January 2014

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Chang’e-3 Producing Valuable Data On Moon

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China Moon-Based Telescope Carrying Out Continuous Observation In Near-Ultraviolet Spectrum, Already Captured Images Of 23 Astronomical Phenomena; Lunar Radar Acquiring Data In 2 Channels Exploring Structures 10m & 140m Below Lunar Surface, Identified 11 Chemical Elements In Regolith Including Magnesium, Aluminum, Titanium & Iron; Chang’e-3 Youth Team Receives Elite Youth Of China 2013 People Of Year Award

Image Credit: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Friday / 17 January 2014

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China First Astronomy Image From Moon

China Chang'e-3 Draco Imaging

Draco, The Dragon: Astronomical First Light On Moon Received Successfully By China Chang’e-3 Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT) From Sinus Iridum / Mare Imbrium 44.12°N 19.51°W; First Long-Term Observatory Deployed On Moon, LUT Has Aperture Of 150mm, Covers Wavelength Range Of 245-340 Nanometers, Detects Objects Down To 13 Magnitude Brightness; Management Team Prepared For At Least 1 Year Of Observations / Operations

Image Credit: Chinese Academy of Sciences, CC Multimedia

Tuesday / 14 January 2014

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Chang’e-3 Lander & Yutu Rover Operational After Long, Cold Lunar Night

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China Moon Crafts Resuming Scientific Work After  Awakening From 2 Weeks Of Hibernation; Ground Penetrating Radar On Rover Expected To Gather New Information Related To Chemical Composition & Depth Of Lunar Soil, Aid Lunar Mining Preparations; Lunar Ultraviolet Telescopes Will Prove Value Of Moon-Based Observatories, Monitor Earth Plasmasphere, Observe Galaxies / Stars; Pictured (Inset): 1st Image Of Earth From Moon In 4 Decades

Image Credit: Chinese Academy Of Sciences

Weekend Edition /
Fri-Mon 13-16 December 2013

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New Age For Humanity Dawning

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Chang’e-3 Successful Landing At Sinus Iridum “Bay Of Rainbows” 44°N 31°W On 14 December 2013 Points To New Epoch For Humanity As Permanent Operations On Moon Are Precursor To Multi World Species Reality; ILOA Milky Way Galaxy Image By Chang’e-3 UV Telescope May Impact 21st Century As EarthRise Photo By Apollo Shaped 20th

Image Credit: chinanews.com