Friday / 9 September 2016

India GSLV Mk 2, May Take Chandrayaan-2 To New Frontier Moon South Pole, Performs 3rd Successful Flight

gslv-chandrayaan2

During 1-2 Sep Meetings With ILOA, Former ISRO Chair Prof UR Rao (L) Confirms Likelihood That Chandrayaan-2 Is Destined To Open Moon South Pole / Malapert Mountain New Frontier, Launching 1st Half 2018 With Lander, Rover, Orbiter; GSLV Mk 2 With Indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage Proving Its Reliability With 8 Sep 16:50 Launch, Boosting India Capability / Launch Independence; 3 Future Flights Planned: SAARC Satellite End 2016 / Beginning 2017, GSAT-9 Satellite May 2017, Chandrayaan-2 Moon Mission Early / 1st Half 2018; GSLV Mk 3 Expected To Carry Human Missions

Also Pictured: ISRO Chairman Aluru Seelin Kiran Kumar

Credit: ILOA, ISRO

Friday / 26 August 2016

Humans To Moon: Beyond National Efforts, International And Commercial Entity Could Accelerate 21st Century Advancements

International Moon Efforts

USA 2017 Administration Could Support New Effort To Reclaim Greatest Achievement In History With SLS 2021-23; China Long March 9 Expected Completion 2025, Proposes Human Moon Missions 2031-2036; India GSLV Mk. 3 Might Launch Crews To Space ~2021; Russia Hopes For Human Lunar Orbit 2027, Surface Mission 2029 If Funding Remains Consistent; Japan Working On Robotic SLIM Mission; ESA Proposes Moon Village; Independent Astrobotic, Moon Express, ILOA Missions And / Or Formation Of International Entity Could Increase Momentum Toward Ultimate Goal Of Lunar Exploration, Science, Resources For Earth

Credit: NASA, ESA, CNSA, ISRO, JAXA

Friday / 19 August 2016

ESA Invites 2,200 EU Citizens From 22 Member States For ‘Debate On Space’

ESA EU Citizen Debate 2016

First Major Event For European Union Public To Learn About, Voice Opinions On ESA Space Program Priorities 10 September; Topics Covered Will Include ESA Director Jan Woerner Moon Village, Human Spaceflight, Planetary Missions, Science, Exploration, Earth Observation, Telecommunication; Engaging Initiative Could Benefit USA, Other Countries To Catalyze Further Support Of Space Programs And Solidify Moon, Mars, Beyond Path For Human Space Settlement / Exploration

Credit: ESA, Euronews, D. Ducros

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 12-15 Aug 2016

Women In Space, Women To The Moon

Women Astronauts (46)

60 Women Have Been To Space (46 From USA Pictured) Out Of 549 Total Space Travelers, And Only 12 Men Have Walked On The Moon; 21st Century Leaders From America And Other Nations Could Send Women And Men To The Moon – And Beyond – With A Focus On International / Global Cooperation, Science, Technology, Economic Benefits And Long-Term Survival Of Humanity; Apollo 11 First Steps On Another World 50th Observation Fast Approaching, Reclaiming Human Presence On Moon Would Be Inspiring, Rewarding

Credit: NASA, SPC

Friday / 12 August 2016

ILDWG Proposes G20 Leaders Discuss Financial Promise Of Developing Moon, Space Economy

ILDWG 2016

International Lunar Decade Working Group Urges Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) To Include Space Development At G20 Summit In Hamburg July 2017 As Innovative, Global Strategy For Building Sustainable, Long Term Future For Humanity; Moon Village Would Include More Nations, Surpass Financial Scope Of ISS; Cislunar Space Infrastructure Could Reduce Costs & Risks Of Operating In Space; Space-Based Resources, Asteroid Mining Would Create Hundreds Of Thousands Of Jobs, Drive Innovation & Discovery, Generate Tools For Earth Climate Change, Planetary Defense

Credit: ILDWG, ESA, NSS, NASA, ISDC, SFF, 5FM, Researchgate, G20

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 22-25 July 2016

Women On The Moon:
Expanding American / Global Enterprise

2017 Women on the Moon LED

Whichever Political Party Advances The New 2017 USA Administration Could Recognize A Prime Imperative & Plan To Reclaim A Great Accomplishment — Human Presence On The Moon; Many Willing And Able Women Would Eagerly Step Up To The Challenges Of Breaking This Very High Glass Ceiling; Recent Remarks By Eileen Collins Urge Policy Makers To Facilitate America Regaining Leadership In Space Exploration, Especially By Returning To Luna-First Priorities; Suni Williams Is Helping Lead Progress Toward US Commercial Crew Capabilities; Jessica Meir Is Emerging From The ESA CAVES Mission, Looking For The Next Challenge

Credit: SPC / ILOA, RNC webcast, NASA, LRO

Friday / 22 July 2016

UAE Satellite Maneuver Pays Tribute To Humankind’s Greatest Achievement

Moon 47th International

UAE Dubai-Sat-2 Earth Observation Satellite Turns Face & Captures Images Of Moon To Mark Achievement Of 1st Human Moon Landing, Inspire Future Space Scientists; Salem Al Marri Of Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre Notes Apollo As “A Pinnacle Of Engineering Development & Exploration” And Hopes To “See People On Mars & Other Celestial Bodies”; Nations Including China, India, Japan, Russia, S. Korea & ESA Are Focusing On Moon Missions And Outposts; U.S. Has The Technologies & Could Catalyze Space Race With Prioritization

Credit: Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, Dubai Eye Radio, NASA

Thursday / 21 July 2016

Space Studies Institute Celebrates SpaceDay 2016 With Free Release Of “The High Frontier”

LED-7-20-16

SSI Newsletter Summer 2016 Includes Kindle Edition Of Gerard K. O’Neill Space Classic “The High Frontier – Human Colonies in Space” Free Until July 23 With Preface By Kathy Sullivan, Original Don Davis Illustrations, Pat Rawlings Cover Art; 99% Invisible Podcast By Roman Mars Has Producer Katie Mingle Talk With SSI Co-Founder Tasha O’Neill, Freeman Dyson & Author Patrick McCray For Episode Home On LaGrange; Raising Funds Toward SSI G-Lab Initiative To Test Real Impact Of Reduced Gravity On Generations Of Vertebrates (Several Million US$) And For SSI Exotic Propulsion Initiative (US$42,000)

Credit: SSI, P. Rawlings

Wednesday / 13 July 2016

Surrey Satellite & Goonhilly Earth Station Team Up For Lunar Pathfinder Mission By 2019-2020

LED-7-12-16

UK Space Age Heavyweights Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) & Goonhilly Earth Station (GES) Announce Partnership To Provide Low Cost, High Value System To Transport Payloads To Moon Orbit (£0.8-1.5M/kg), Provide Communications Links Back To Earth (Via Mothership X-band Link To 32-meter GHY-6 Dish In Cornwall, UK); Pilot Phase Activity Underway With ESA; Ultimate Aim To Support Solar System Network; SSTL Executive Chairman Sir Martin Sweeting Wants To Help Lunar Explorers Be Able To “Focus On The Science And Business Aspects Of Their Missions”

Credit: SSTL, GES

Friday / 8 July 2016

Rocket Lab Electron Rocket May Launch Late Summer, Qualifies Rutherford Engine For Flight

Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab Planning Maiden Electron Rocket Launch Within A Couple Months From Wairoa, New Zealand Followed By Launches From New Site At Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula (39° S, 177° E) Which Is Close To Completion; CEO Peter Beck Notes Mahia Can Offer “Widest Range Of Orbital Azimuths Of Any Launch Site Globally”; Electron Is 10,000kg, 16-meters Tall, Able To Carry 150kg To 500-km Sun-Synchronous Orbit For Less Than US$5M; HQ In Los Angeles, Company Working With Moon Express For 2017 Launch To Moon & Potentially 3 Other Launches, And Up To 12 Missions For Spire Satellites

Credit: Rocket Lab, Google, Moon Express