Category Archives: Human Moon Missions

Friday / 18 Sep 2020

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Artemis 2024 Human Mission: Moon South Pole vs Equatorial Landing Site Speculation 

Target Of First Crewed Lunar Mission Of 21st Century, Artemis 3, Called Into Question At Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Online Meeting; Focus For Sustainable Occupation Has Been On Polar Region Since 2008 ISRO Chandrayaan-1 Confirmation Of Water Ice; NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine Says “Inspiration Of Going Back To An Original Apollo Site Would Be Pretty Amazing” While HEOMD Administrator Kathy Lueders Comments “We’re Looking At Different Ways To Get More Communities To Participate In That [Landing Location] Decision”; Equatorial Landings Require Less Fuel / Technical Challenge

Credits: NASA / LRO

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 28-31 Aug 2020

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NASA Head Of Human Exploration And Operations Expresses Confidence On Meeting SPD-1 Human Moon Landing 2024

Kathy Leuders Gives Upbeat Assessment Of USA Space Program; Notes SLS Cost Is Now US$9.1B + $2.4B For Ground Support, Core Stage Evaluation Past Midpoint As Test 5/9 Underway At Stennis Space Center; Final Construction Of Orion Spacecraft Nears With Successful Pacific Recovery Trial, Installation Of 4 Solar Arrays, Currently Undergoing Thermal And Electromagnetic Endurance Tests In Preparation For Artemis II Human Lunar Orbit Mission; Operational Efficiencies Ensure NASA Is “Working At The Best Possible Pace”

Credits: Kim Shiflett, NASA, Northrop Grumman, ILOA

Tuesday / 25 Aug 2020

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2-Crew Artemis III South Pole Mission Lunar Science Ideas Solicited 

NASA Science Mission Directorate Planetary Science Division, Led By (L) Lori Glaze, Forming Science Definition Team To Prioritize Lunar Science To Be Conducted By Artemis III Crew At Undetermined Site Within 6 Degrees Of Moon South Pole; RFP For 2-Page White Paper For Human Moon Surface Science Ideas To Be Integrated With Aggregated Recommendations From Lunar Exploration Analysis Group / Decadal Survey Publications; NASA Planetary Scientist Sarah Noble Is Lead On Vetting Submissions Via USRA Portal, Due 17:00 CDT 8 September

Credits: NASA, Twitter

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 14-17 Aug 2020

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USA, China On Fast Track For Human Moon Missions Through Sustained Science, Exploration Programs

NASA LRO Surpasses 5 Years In Polar Mapping Orbit Collecting Data For Landings; Part Of Extensive Artemis SPD-1 To Achieve Humans At Moon South Pole (MSP) 2024, CLPS Program To See 1st Commercial Landings [Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines] Second Half Of 2021, Masten To MSP 2022, VIPER MSP 2023, PRIME-1 & 19D Contracts Upcoming; China / Zhongguo Chang’e-4 Operating On Farside, CE-5 Sample Return Launching 24 Nov, CE-6 Payloads Being Selected, CE-7 Collaboration With Russia Developing, CE-8 In 2027 May Be Final Robotic Landing Before Crew

Credits: NASA, CNSA, NAOC-CAS

Tuesday / 30 June 2020

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SpaceMonth July 2020: Moon, Mars, Galaxy Stars Provide Stronger, Transcending Reality Over Covid Alien Virus

July Is De Facto Space Month, Starting With Canada, USA Founding Celebration On 1st And 4th; 14 July Starts Month-long Mars Launch Window For UAE-Japan HOPE, USA Endeavor, PRC Tianwen-1; 51st Observation Of Apollo 11 Moon Launch, Landing And Return 16, 20, 24 July Respectively; Space Exploration Day 20 July Marks Humankind Beginning As Multi World Species With 1st Human Landing On Another World, 1969 Luna, 1st USA Robotic Landing On Another Planet, 1976 Mars; Advances In Biomedical Sciences Inexorably Linked To Space Travel Technology

Credits: UAESA, CNSA, NASA, KSC

Friday / 27 March 2020

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Artemis Program Continues As Long-Term Stimulus In Current Crisis

Orion Spacecraft For Artemis 1 Arrives At KSC Despite Lockdown At NASA Centers; Virus Crisis Seen As Reason To Accelerate Not Delay Human Moon Landings; Economic Downturn Means USA Needs Lunar Return Now More Than Ever; Turning Back Would Add Thousands Of Moonworkers To Unemployment Rolls; Studies Show That Spaceflight Investment Has Positive Multiplier Effects On Economy; Sustained Lunar Program Would Be Long-Term Stimulus For Earth

Credits: NASA, ILOA, SPC, Lockheed Martin; Mark Whittington – The Hill

Weekend Equinox Edition
Fri-Mon / 20-23 Mar 2020

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Artemis Goal Of Human Lunar Landings May Be Aided By SpaceX

Orion Spacecraft For Artemis 1 Completes Testing At NASA Plum Brook Station And Moves To KSC; Orion And Space Launch System Production And Testing Temporarily Pause Due To Virus Cautions; SpaceX Prepares for Historic American Commercial Crew Launch In May; Moon Landings In 2024-25 Are Seen As Imperative For Future Human Survival; Though SpaceX CEO Musk Expresses Doubts About Reaching Mars, Opportunity Exists For SpaceX To Capitalize The Moon


Credits: SpaceX, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 7-10 Feb 2020

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Aldrin Urges Timely Return To Moon While State Of Union Reaffirms Commitment To Artemis

Moonwalker Buzz Aldrin Urges America To “Dare Greatly” In Returning To Moon As Step Toward Mars, Emphasizes That “Time Does Matter” In Space; Following State Of Union Call To Fully Fund Artemis Program “To Ensure That The Next Man And First Woman On The Moon Will Be American” White House Will Request NASA Budget Boost, Perhaps US$3B; Administrator Bridenstine Will Focus On Moon To Mars Plans Monday 10 February At State Of NASA Events

Credits: NASA

Monday-Tuesday / 20-21 January 2020

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Buzz Aldrin Begins 10th Decade

Buzz Aldrin (UL) Passes 90th Birthday Following 2019 50th-Year Observations Of Apollo 11; One Of First Two Men And Four Surviving Humans Who Have Walked On Lunar Surface Eagerly Awaits New Missions; Aldrin Is Joined On Earth By Dave Scott Of Apollo 15 (UR), Charles Duke Of Apollo 16 (LL)  and Harrison Schmitt Of Apollo 17 (LR); Eight Other Men Survive Who Have Piloted The Apollo Command Module Around Moon; All Look Forward To Seeing Future Moonwalkers In Lunar Decade Of 2020s

Credits: NASA

Thursday / 9 January 2020

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2020s: International Lunar Decade Commences With Artemis Leading Way

International Lunar Decade (ILD) Concept Long Championed By Space Advocates, Scientists And Entrepreneurs Relies On The Capability Of 6 Major Spacefaring Powers And Independent / Commercial Enterprises: USA, India, China, Russia, Europe, Japan; SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing, Lockheed, Others; 5 Planned Human Moon Landings In 2020s And 8 On 2030s Horizon To Be Initiated; Coordination Of These Efforts Within UN-Sanctioned ILD Body Can Accelerate Actualization Of Community And Individuals On Lunar Surface By Optimizing Economic And Policy Conditions; Moon Build-out Is Recognized As Essential Platform From Which Wider Solar System Can Be Reached

Credits: NASA, ESA