Speculation Growing After Recent Election Victory That Obama Administration / NASA Will Soon Announce Plans To Develop Cislunar Space Through Series Of Human Moon Missions (NET 2021); Likely Scenario Involves Parking Spacecraft At Earth-Moon L2 To Learn More About Supporting Humans In Deep Space; Astronauts Could Then Aid In Lunar Exploration By Teleoperating Rovers On Moon Surface, Etc
Image Credit: NASA
NASA’s Beyond Earth Orbit (BEO) Exploration Era Debuts SLS & Orion / Looks To A Human Return To The Moon; 2017 EM-1 On Lunar Return Class Orion Validates Critical Mission Elements / Human Rating In Lunar Orbit; 2021 EM-2 Adds Crew For 3-4 Days In Lunar Orbit; 2022 EM-3 To Begin Construction Of Exploration Gateway Enabling NEA Missions / Possible Lunar Surface Missions
Image Credit: NASA
Romney / Ryan Space Plan Calls For Setting Clear Goals For NASA, International Cooperation, Support Of Commercial Space, Strengthening Security; Industry Leaders Fear Another Change Of Direction / Cancellation Of Programs, Critics Point To Similarities To Obama Administration Space Policy, Lack Of Bold Plan: Strong Focus On Human Moon Missions / Base Should Be Central Priority For NASA / USA Global Leadership In Space
Image Credit: NASA, floridatoday.com
Lunar Enterprise Daily Will Return NLT 6 November 2012
‘Gateway Spacecraft’ Would Hover 445,000km From Earth At Earth-Moon L2 Lagrange Point, Support Small Crew, Serve As Staging Area For Future Moon & Mars Missions; NASA To Use Orion MPCV / SLS Rocket For Transportation, Leftover Parts Of ISS For Construction; Funding & Radiation Risks Remain Issues; Some See More Value In Human-Tended Lunar Base
Image Credit: NASA
Ouliang Chang Of USC Viterbi School Of Engineering Outlines Plan For Deployment Of Supercomputer & Accompanying Radio Dishes On Moon To Ease Load On Terrestrial Mission Control, Provide Computational Power For 1st Phase Of Lunar Industrial / Settlement Development; Polar Location To Avoid Drastic Temperature Swings, Access To Water Ice For Cooling; Dishes Could Also Be Used For Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry
Image Credit: NASA
Lunar COTS Petition Founded By Doug Plata Gaining Momentum As NASA Commercial Crew & Cargo Program Manager Alan Lindenmoyer (L) Suggests Using Successful COTS Model Elsewhere In NASA; Lunar COTS Would Establish Programs To Support Commercial Cis-lunar Transportation Service, Lunar Surface Operations, Harvesting Lunar Polar Ice, Orbital Propellant & Servicing Depots, Initial Crewed Lunar Base
Image Credit: NASA
Lori Garver, NASA Deputy Administrator, Confirms Ambitious USA Plans To Return To Moon During Speech At AIAA Conference In Pasadena, CA; Uncrewed Mission Scheduled For 2017, Human Orbital Mission By 2021; NASA Report To US Congress Outlines Plan For “Nearly Self-Sustaining Surface Habitat” On Moon For Long-Duration Astronaut Missions, Capable Of Extracting Oxygen, Water, Silicon, Etc In Situ
Image Credit: NASA, Stephan Wlodarczyk
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin Says Russia Should Set ‘Super Goal’ Of Building Large Base On Moon To Refocus Space Industry; Base Could Facilitate Leaps Of Science & Future Deep Space Projects; Possible Collaboration With USA / ESA; Moon Is Seen As Logical Next Step For Russia Exploration As Mars Is “Too Far And Too Expensive”
Image Credit: Roscosmos, wn.com
First Person To Walk On Moon Strongly Advocated Return To Moon As Vital Next Step For USA / Human Space Exploration, Often Noted There Are Over 36 Million Square Km Of Unexplored Lunar Sites, Moon Is Ideal Location For Preparation / Training For Future Solar System Exploration; Memorial Service To Honor Neil Armstrong Will Be Held 13 Sep At Washington National Cathedral
Image Credit: NASA / Bill Ingalls
Abstracts For 11-15 Nov 2012 PISCES Conference On Hawaii Island Due 21 Sep; International Scientists, Government Leaders, Entrepreneurs Will Evaluate Recent Developments In PISCES Vision To Establish Terrestrial Prototype For International, Extraterrestrial Research Park On Hawaii Island; Breakout Sessions To Discuss Revolutionary Surface Technologies, Establish Strategic Partnerships To Enable / Expedite Robotic & Human Missions To Moon, Mars, Beyond
Image Credit: PISCES, usgs.gov