Category Archives: Astronomy from the Moon

Wednesday / 10 Jan 2018

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John Young, “Moon Worker”, Took Humankind’s First Star Photos From Luna

Commander John Young Traveled Twice To Moon On Apollo 10 & 16, Pioneer / Founder Of “Astronomy From The Moon” – April 1972, Imaged Earth & Stars Using Far-UV Spectroscope; Loved Moon’s Possibilities, Reminding Us That “Single-Planet Species Don’t Last”, That “The Moon Will Save Us”; Served As ILOA Director Emeritus Since Addressing The ILOA Founders Meeting In 2007; Awarded “Astronaut Of The Century” Memorial Plaque From ILOA In 2012; Ad Astra 2018 Jan 5

Credits: NASA, SPC

New Year 2018 Edition
Fri-Thur / 22 Dec 2017 – 4 Jan 2018

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2018 Could See Historic 1st Moon South Pole Landings, 1st Commercial Landings, While NASA LRO Continues FlagShip Mission

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter With 7 Instruments Providing Highest Resolution Data Ever At A Rate Of ~440 Gigabits Image Data Per Day – Is Now 8.5 Years Into Mission In Eccentric Polar Mapping Orbit (20-km Altitude South Pole, 165-km North Pole), Planned To Operate Through 2018 – Which May Be Most Favorable Year For Lunar Landings Since 1972; Chandrayaan 2 Moon South Pole Lander / Rover By India Set To Launch During Q1 2018; China Planning Chang’e-4 Far-Side Orbiter Launch May 2018, Followed By Far-Side South Pole Lander / Rover Oct 2018; Five Independent International Enterprises Look To Win Google Lunar XPrize, Aiming To Launch / Land On Moon Before 31 Mar 2018

Credits: NASA, LRO, ISRO, CNSA, SPC

Thursday / 14 Dec 2017

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Chang’e-3 Begins 5th Year On Moon Continuing LUT Astronomy While Chang’e-4 Prepares For 2018 Launches With VLF Antennas

Dec 14 Marks Full 4 Years Of Operating On Lunar Surface For Chang’e-3, Currently In 50th Lunar Night; China Plans To Launch Chang’e-4 Lander & Rover In Dec 2018 To Accomplish 1st Ever Lunar Far Side Mission, Likely In South-Pole Aitken Basin; Relay Satellite To Earth-Moon L2 To Be Launched First In June; Both Lander & Satellite To Carry 3 Orthogonal Low-Frequency Radio Spectrometer Antennas For Astronomical Measurements Below 30 MHz; Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission Now Manifested For NET 2018

Credits: SASTIND, Wen Wei Po, CNSA

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 / 17-20 Nov 2017

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ILOA Participating In Moon Village Association Workshop After Completing 10-Year Commemoration Of ILOA Organization

Moon Village Association 1st Workshop Being Hosted At ISU In Strasbourg, France 19-21 November Featuring ESA Director General Jan Woerner, Bernard Foing, Clive Neal, Experts From China, India, Japan, Russia, USA And Commercial Space Including International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA);  10-Year Successful Observation Of ILOA Founding Celebrated This November With International Directors From Southeast Asia, Europe, Canada, China, Japan – And Specific Proposal Of ILOA Collaboration With Newly-Formed International Moonbase Alliance Of Hawaii Could Add Another Dimension To Global Goal Of Moon Village Advancement

Credits: ILOA, ESA, ISU

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 / 11-14 Aug 2017

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ILOA Of Hawaii Advances Contracts With Moon Express And Canadensys For Moon South Pole Astronomy 2019

International Lunar Observatory Association ILO-1 Astrophysical Observatory To Image Milky Way Galaxy, Conduct Communications From Moon South Pole And Catalyze Lunar Base Build Out Progressing Through Newest Contract With Moon Express Of Cape Canaveral FL To Develop Advanced Landing Technologies For The Mission; ILOA Also Commits To Multi-Year Contract With Canadensys Aerospace Of Bolton, Ontario To Develop Robust Lunar Optics; Recent Headline “Moon Express Looks To Astronomy For Lunar Foothold” Written By Mark Carreau / Aviation Week Sums Up Both Companies’ Vision To Utilize Moon Platform, Advance Lunar Settlement, See First Women On The Moon

Credits: ILOA, ME, Canadensys, NASA, GSFC

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 2-5 June 2017

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ILOA Galaxy Forum China 2017 Precedes IAF Global Space Exploration Conference In Beijing

Astronomy From The Moon & International Human Moon Missions Focus Of 3-Hour 2-Part Program 5 June At BICC, On Eve Of GLEX 2017, Highlights Global Lunar Exploration Priorities; Organized By International Lunar Observatory Association Of Hawai`i; Part 1) Wang Jing Of NAOC On CE3 Lunar Ultra-Violet Telescope, Hakim Malasan Of ITB On Indonesia Future Astronomy, Steve Durst Of ILOA On Galaxy First Light Imaging; P2) Christian Lange Of CSA On Canadian Lunar Payloads & Technology, Guo Linli Of CAST On China Lunar Base Concept, Andrew Aldrin Of ShareSpace Foundation On USA / International Human Missions To The Moon

Credits: ILOA, NAOC, CNSA, CSA, ShareSpace, ESA, NASA

Friday / 10 June 2016

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Exploring The Galaxy From The Moon, Study Validates ‘Lunar Occultation Technique’

Lunar Occultation Tech

Richard Miller (L) From University Of Alabama – Huntsville & David Lawrence Of JHU/APL Using Data From Lunar Prospector Gamma Ray Spectrometer To Find Pattern Of Occultations Generated By Moon For Detecting & Characterizing Objects In Universe Whose Properties Change Over Time; Lunar Orbiter & Surface Missions Will Take Advantage Of Moon Unique Characteristics Including No Atmosphere, No Magnetosphere, Low Electromagnetic Interference From Earth, Well-Understood Radiation Background, Stable Platform, And Offer Cost Effective Way To Study Galaxy Without Diminishing Quality

Credit: Richard Miller, David Lawrence, UAH, JHU/APL, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 27-30 May 2016

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6 Current Moon Craft Operated Solely By China And NASA

China NASA 2016 Moon Craft

2017 Brings Hope For 1st Commercial Moon Missions, India Chandrayaan-2 & China Chang’e-5 Sample Return, While NASA LRO Continues Collecting Data On Lunar Poles, New Surface Features – Will Enter 8th Year At Moon 23 June, Data Release #26 Upcoming; NASA ARTEMIS 1 & 2 Studying Moon Plasma Wake & Solar Wind Interactions, To Enter 6th Year At Moon In July; China Chang’e-3 Lander & Yutu Rover At Guang Han Gong, 44.12°N 19.51°W To Celebrate Start Of 4th Year On Surface 14 Dec; Chang’e-5T1 Service Module Almost 17 Months In Orbit, Continues Observations / Tests For Future Landing Missions

Credit: NASA, GSFC, CNSA, CSA, NAOC, CCTV