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
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
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
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
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
Cislunar Space To Be Center Of NASA Activity In 2020s As Country / Agency Develop Technologies / Experience To Conduct Long-Duration, Deep Space Missions; Companies Such As Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Bigelow Advancing Cislunar Habitat Concepts Under NASA NextSTEP Awards; Plans Incorporating Likelihood Of Cooperation From International & Commercial Partners Which May Lead To Lunar Surface Missions / Lunar Base Buildout; Sense Of Urgency To Define / Plan These Missions Growing As SLS / Orion Era Fast Approaching
Image Credit: Lockheed Martin, Bigelow Aerospace
JAXA First Mission To Moon Surface – 120kg Smart Lander For Investigating Moon (SLIM) – Likely To Be Launched To Moon South Pole In Second Half Of Fiscal Year 2019 To Test Landing Capability Within A Few Hundred Meters; Will Launch On Epsilon Rocket From Tanegashima Space Center At 30.4° N, 130.97° E; Mission Will Advance Technologies Needed For Future Human Missions
Image Credit: JAXA
New Horizons Mission May Facilitate Better Understanding Of Formation Of Earth-Moon System, Says Mission PI Alan Stern, As Charon Believed To Have Been Formed Through Similar Process; His Efforts To Study Pluto, Its Satellites & Kuiper Belt With New Horizons Mission Should Garner More Attention / Support & Help In Preparations To Achieve Human Missions To Earth’s Moon Via Golden Spike Company Of Which Stern Is Co-Founder
Image Credit: NASA, Golden Spike Company
Canada Industry Minister James Moore & Commander Chris Hadfield Unveil Plans For Country To Continue To Participate In ISS Through 2024, Promote Innovation / Cutting-Edge Technology & Participate With International Partners On Major Projects; With NASA And Other Partners Shifting Exploration Focus To Cislunar Space, Canada Will Likely Have Opportunities To Showcase Expertise In Robotics & Space / Lunar Mining In Coming Decade, The 2 Current Canada Astronauts May Participate In Moon Orbit Or Surface Missions; CSA Annual Space Budget A Modest US$260M
Image Credit: CSA, NASA, canadianbusiness.com
Initiative Of NSS, ILEWG, & FOTONIKA-LV Garnering Increased Attention After Being Featured At Several Conferences Including ISDC2015; ILD 2017-2029 Seeks To Foster International Collaboration Leading To Industrial Development Of Moon & Cislunar Space Enabling Self-Sustaining Space Economy; Next Step Is To Achieve Support Of COPUOS & UN General Assembly – 58th COPUOS Session 10-19 June In Vienna; Architects Of Initiative Seeking Aggregate 10-Year Investment Of US$150B From Main Spacefaring Powers
Image Credit: NASA, FOTONIKA-LV, cislunarnext.org