Category Archives: Cislunar Space Development

Friday / 14 August 2015

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LEAG Extends Abstract Due Date To 14 Aug, Team Preparing For 2015 Annual Meeting

LEAG 2015Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Annual Meeting 20-22 Oct In Columbia MD; Chaired By (L-R) Clive Neil, Supported By Sam Lawrence (ASU), Jeff Plescia (JHU/APL), Steve Mackwell (LPI) & Representatives For LRO, ESA, ARTEMIS, Commercial Space, Next-Gen Lunar Scientists & Engineers; Recent Findings / Recommendations Include Resource Prospecting At Lunar Poles & Interior, Advancing Lunar CubeSats, Maintaining Moon Missions / Pace Of Discovery To Support International Partnerships, Technologies, Future Crewed Missions To Moon & Mars

Credit: NASA, LEAG, C. Neil, JPL/Caltech, ASU, LPI

Friday / 7 August 2015

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Pete Worden In India Discusses Life In Universe, Says Moon More Suitable Than Mars

India Kalam Worden

Breakthrough Listen Chairman Simon ‘Pete’ Worden Meeting Scientists & Senior Representatives In Bengaluru This Week, Gives Talk At Indian Institute Of Astrophysics & Points Out The Moon (As Well As Enceladus, Europa, Titan) Has Chemicals Needed For Life, Whereas Mars Has High Concentration Of Perchlorates Which Are Useful For Fuel, But Not Likely Suitable For Life / Settlement; India & World Observing Passing Of “India’s Original Rocket Man” & Lunar Proponent Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Credit: K. Murali Kumar, NASA, AMRC, GSFC/ASU/LOLA/PDS, SVS, Google, Pockocmoc, APL

Friday / 31 July 2015

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Moon Express & Astrobotic Testing Landers / Developing Flight Software

ME & Astrobotic 2015 Jul

Moon Express (ME) Continuing Flight Testing Of MTV-1A Lunar Lander (Successor Of MTV-1X) At Kennedy Space Center ‘Moonscape’ Test Range, Final Version Will Land On Moon & Hop 500 Meters, ME GNC Software Was Also Tested On NASA Mighty Eagle Lander; Through Lunar CATALYST Agreement, Astrobotic Developing Lunar Guidance Systems / Flight Trajectory Plan Using NASA Core Flight Software & LRO Data To Land In Lacus Mortis Region At 44.96°N 25.62°E, Explore Lunar Cave

Credit: ME, Astrobotic, NASA, GLXP

Friday / 24 July 2015

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16 GLXP Teams Have <6 Months To Confirm Launch, Extend Competition

GLXP July 2015

 One Firm Launch Provider Contract, Designating Launch Window / Date, Required By 31 Dec 2015 To Continue US$20M Moon Challenge; Rideshare Contract Between Astrobotic & Hakuto Confirmed For TBD SpaceX Launch Mid-2016, Team Indus Looking Toward ISRO For Subsidized Launch, Synergy Moon Counting On Interorbital Neptune Rocket, SpaceMETA Has MoU With Alcantor Cyclone Space, Barcelona Moon Working With China Great Wall Industry, Penn State Lunar Lion Launch Reservation Fee Given To Spaceflight Inc / Sherpa Craft

Credit: GLXP, SpaceX, GLXP Teams

Weekend Holiday Edition
Friday-Monday / 3-6 July 2015

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Moon South Pole Landers 2017-19
Point To 2020s Human Lunar Decade

July 4 Edition, Moon South Pole

International Fleet Of South Pole Lunar Landers Developing From India (Chandrayaan-2, 2017), China (Chang’e-4 & -5, 2017), Japan (SLIM, 2019), Russia (Luna-25, 2019), Korea (2020), As Well As Independent Enterprises Moon Express, ILOA, Canadensys, Golden Spike Company & Shackleton Energy Company; American Flags On Moon Commemorated 4 July As Pioneering Individuals Look Forward To Earth / International Flags & Multi World Species Endeavors

Credit: NASA, JAXA, CNSA, IIT-Kanpur, ISRO, ILOA, ME

Wednesday / 1 July 2015

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July Space Month 2015 Accelerates
Apollo 50th Considerations, Preparations

LED Moon Mars Jupiter Saturn

Great Time For Bold Thinking / Planning For Human Solar System Exploration Spanning Entire 21st Century; New Horizons Confirmation Of New, Third, Outer Solar System Region Highlights Jupiter / Saturn Systems ‘Strategic Center’ Planning For Comprehensive 21st Century Goals And Complement For Moon / Mars / Asteroids Inner Region Exploration

Credit: NASA, SpaceX

Friday / 26 June 2015

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Lunar & Planetary Institute Hosting Dual Summer Intern Programs

2015 LPI Summer Intern Programs

 LPI 2015 Student Education Program ‘Exploration Science’ Running 26 May – 31 Jul Focusing On Orion EM-1 & EM-2 Moon Missions Planned For ~2018-2021 & Concepts For Human-Assisted Lunar Surface / Asteroid Sample Return Missions ~2028; Students In ‘Planetary Science’ Program 1 Jun – 7 Aug Working One-On-One With LPI Or Johnson Space Center Scientists On Cutting Edge Lunar & Planetary Research Projects; Experts Include (TL-R) Paul Spudis, Walter Kiefer, David Kring, Allan Treiman

Credit: LPI, NASA, SSERVI, CLSE, ISECG

Friday / 19 June 2015

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LADEE Data Indicate Permanent Asymmetrical Dust Cloud Around Moon LADEE

Moon May Have Permanent Cloud Layer Formed By High-Speed Comet Dust Particles On Eccentric Orbits According To University Of Colorado Study Of NASA LADEE Mission Which Recorded 140,000 Impacts Over 80 Days; Lead Author Mihaly Horányi States Moon May Have 120kg Of Dust In Atmosphere At Any Given Time, Other Bodies With Thin Atmosphere Expected To Have Same Phenomenon; Evidence Also Recorded From Apollo Astronaut Observations From Surface & Of Lunar Terminator

Credit: NASA, University of Colorado – Boulder

Tuesday / 16 June 2015

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Propulsion Expert Tim Pickens Expects

GLXP Launches 2017, 2018

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Tim Pickens Of Huntsville, Alabama, Chief Propulsion Engineer For Moon Express States That ME Is Operating In Cape Canaveral To Centralize Its Developments; While Pickens Mentions No Google Lunar X Prize Team Will Launch This Year, 2017 Or 2018 Is Expected; Pickens Currently Working On Propulsion System For Virgin Galactic SpaceShip Two; When Asked To Support Other Projects, Pickens Criteria Is That Involvement Has To Be Fun

Credit:  Moon Express, Tim Pickens, GLXP, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 12-15 June 2015

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Apollo 11 Moonworker Advocates For U.S.-China Cooperation In Space

China US International Cooperation

Buzz Aldrin Writes Article Supporting U.S. Gov / NASA Engagement With China In Space Beginning With Sustained Human Presence At ISS / LEO, Multiple Moon Bases For All International & Commercial Uses As A Prelude For Mars / Deep Space Exploration, Multi World Species, Global Space Cooperation; China Chang’e-3 Craft Reach 18-Months Of Operations / Astronomy From Moon This Weekend, Country Is Developing Chang’e-4 & 5 Moon Missions, 2nd Generation Space Station For LEO

Credit: NASA, CNSA, CCTV, ESA, ATCM, Buzz Aldrin