Category Archives: Cislunar Space Development

Tuesday / 11 March 2014

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Moon-Based Space Elevator Key To Mining ProfitsLED031014

LiftPort Group Of Seattle, WA Urges LSEI (Lunar Space Elevator Infrastructure) Placement For Soft-Landing Equipment / Human Transport; Advisor Charles Radley(L) Notes Lunar Elevator Tech Could Place Lunar Mining Costs On Par With Terrestrial For Some Commodities; Jerome Pearson(R), President Of Star, Inc., States Lunar Elevator Can Be Made Of Existing Composites / Moon Testing Would Not Endanger Satellites In Earth Orbit / In Place By 2025

Image Credit: LiftPort, ISDC, VK.com

Friday / 7 March 2014

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Japan Diverse Interests In Moon Missions

Japan Moon

Japan Scientists Preparing For 2nd SELenological and ENgineering Explorer (SELENE-2) Moon Mission Consisting Of Orbiter, Lander, Rover To Launch NET 2018; SELENE-3 Sample Return To Follow, Eventually Human Moon Missions & Outpost; Japan Team Hakuto Strong Contender For GLXP / Selected To Compete For Terrestrial Milestone Prizes; Commercial Interest & Advertising From Moon Highlighted By Japan Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Planning To Send ‘Pocari Sweat’ Sports Drink To Moon Surface On Astrobotic Lunar Lander

Image Credit: JAXA, GLXP, Hakuto

Tuesday / 4 March 2014

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Moon Exploration Advocates Look For Clear Vision In White House Budget Proposal

USAMoonAdvocacy0314

White House To Release Proposed USA Budget For Fiscal Year 2015 Today, Should Indicate Specific Space Initiatives To Be Pursued; Space Policy Institute Director Scott Pace Says There Is International Consensus Behind Human Space Operations In Cislunar Space As Next Step Beyond ISS; House Science Committee Chair Lamar Smith (Inset) Says NASA Asteroid Retrieval Mission Inspires Little Public & Scientific Support; Human Moon Missions Could Inspire Nation, Facilitate International Cooperation & Exploration Of Mars, Beyond

Image Credit: NASA, slate.com

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 28 Feb – 3 Mar 2014

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Who Owns The Moon?
International Missions, Commercial Aspirations

MoonpropRights0214

Successful China Moon Mission Indicates Property Rights / Mining Claims Not Far Off Says Richard Holdaway (R) Of UK Rutherford Appleton Lab; Several Commercial Enterprises Also Making Business Cases For Moon Mining; Richard Bilder (L) Of University Of Wisconsin-Madison Says Process Of Setting Up Legal Regime Should Be Started Soon Before 1 or More Countries / Companies Have Special Stake / Interest; Holdaway Notes Nations Likely To Become Partners & Lunar Resources Will Further Space Exploration, Improve Life On Earth

Image Credit: NASA, CNSA, law.wisc.edu, stfc.ac.uk

Friday / 21 February 2014

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Canada In Space, And On The Moon?

Canada on Moon

New Canada Space Policy Framework 7 February Details Government Commitments To Space Exploration, Commercialization, R&D, International Partnerships; Canada Invited To Provide Rover & Drill For NASA 2018 Lunar Resource Prospector Mission; Moon Exploration & Mining Offer Potential Of Billion Dollar Industry / Technology Development / Inspiration; New Promising Canada Enterprise Advancing Canada Space Interests

Image Credit: CSA, NASA

Wednesday / 19 February 2014

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Bigelow Trailblazing Path For Commercial Lunar Development

BigelowGold0214

Bigelow Aerospace Request To FAA Office Of Commercial Space Transportation Is Attempt To Start Discussion On Space / Lunar Property Rights Says Director Of DC Operations Mike Gold; Company Seeking Organic Zone Of Operation Around Future Lunar Habitat In Which No Other USA Entities Would Be Able To Enter; Robert Bigelow Says Moon Mining More Sensible Than Asteroid Harvesting; Commends NASA For Moving From COTS Model To SAA / BAA Customer Model To Support Commercial Space

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace

Friday / 14 February 2014

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Space Frontier Foundation Welcomes
New Leadership, Developments

SFF Return to the Moon

New Generation Takes Over At SFF: NewSpace Entrepreneur Jeff Feige (R) To Be Chairman, Co-Founder Bob Werb Retires; Next Phase Of Development Should Revisit Past / Fundamental Vision = Open Space Frontier To Human Settlement As Rapidly As Possible With Return To The Moon; Space Settlement & Return To The Moon Projects Still Incomplete; Momentum Of Return To The Moon Conferences (1999-2005) Needs To Be Reestablished

Image Credit: SFF

Tuesday / 11 February 2014

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4th International Workshop On Lunar Science Applications In Florida This April

LSA40214

8-11 April Event In Cocoa Beach, FL, USA Will Provide Overview Of Current Lunar Mission Data, Planned USA, Russia, GLXP Missions & Opportunities They May Provide For Secondary Payloads To Lunar Surface / Cislunar Space; LSA 4 Designed To Foster Collaboration Among Scientists, Engineers & Entrepreneurs To Solve Challenges Involved With Going To Moon & Beyond; Abstracts Due 28 Feb

Image Credit: lunarinitiatives.com, NASA, Moon Express

Friday / 7 February 2014

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Centennial Challenges Announces 1st
Competition To Lunar Orbit & Beyond

Centennial Challenges 2014

Proposed 2014 Centennial Challenges For USA Teams Would Allow CubeSats To Launch Aboard NASA Flight, Potentially SLS EM-1 Flight Around Moon 17 Dec 2017; Prizes For 2 Challenges Awarded For Successful Ground Demonstration Of Communications & Propulsion Subsystems, Highest Data Volume Transmitted From
> 356,700 km, Transmission From Farthest Distance Beyond Moon, Achieving Lunar Orbit(s); Request For Information Due 31 Mar

Image Credit: NASA, Flexure Engineering

Thursday / 6 February 2014

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Lunar CATALYST Program Inspiring GLXP, Property Rights Debates

GLXPcatalyst0214

Moon Express & Other USA-Based GLXP Teams Enthusiastic About NASA Lunar CATALYST Program While Barcelona Moon & International Teams Concerned It Unbalances The Competition; Mike Gold (TR) Of Bigelow Aerospace Applauds NASA Initiative, Yet Warns That Private Moon Mission Investment Not Likely Until Rights To Extracted Minerals Clearly Defined; Bigelow Awaiting FAA Response To Recent Moon Mission Licensing Request

Image Credit: Barcelona Moon Team, Moon Express, NASA, Bigelow Aerospace