Category Archives: Human Moon Missions

Tuesday / 19 July 2016

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Women On The Moon & USA 21st Century Leadership

LED-7-18-16

Eileen Collins, Former NASA Astronaut & 1st Female Space Shuttle Commander, Set To Make 3-Minute Apolitical Speech On 20 July At Republican National Convention, Cleveland OH; The Auspicious Day Marks Apollo 11 47th Observation; Collins Previewed Focus Of Speech “We Landed On The Moon ‘In Peace, For All Mankind’ And I Know That Is A Message We Can All Get Behind”; She Also Openly Criticized, As Did Many Others Of All Sides, The Obama Administration Decision To Scrap The Constellation Program Launched By George Bush; Newt Gingrich And Ted Cruz, Active In Space Exploration Policy, Are Also Set To Speak

Credit: NASA, GOP, SYU / S. Sartori

Thursday / 7 July 2016

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LPI Seminar 8 July: Micro Cold Traps On The Moon Presented By Paul Hayne

LED-7-6-16

Lunar And Planetary Institute Seminar Series Hosts Paul Hayne, Geophysics & Planetary Geosciences, JPL On Fri 8 July; Recent Observations Of Moon, Mercury Confirm Predictions Of Water Ice In High-Latitude Permanent-Shadow Craters; Some Discrepancies Exist As To Concentrations / Locations Of Volatiles, Presence Of Super-Volatiles (CH4, CO2, Methanol), Heterogeneous Thermal Environments; Hayne Presents New Theory To Explain These Based On Evidence Of Micro Cold Traps, Discusses Importance For Future Robotic / Human Exploration

Credit: LPI, JPL, UCLA/NASA/JPL/Goddard

Weekend Edition
Fri-Tue / 1-5 July 2016

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2017 USA Space Program And The Moon – Galaxy Forum USA Inaugurates Spacemonth July 2016 / July 4th Weekend

LED-7-1-2016

 GF USA 2016 In Santa Clara CA On 2 July; Presentations By Bruce Pittman Of NASA Ames On USA Space Direction 2017, Imke de Pater Of UC Berkeley Astronomy On Jupiter, Steve Durst Of SPC / ILOA On Getting Human Moon Missions & Jupiter Back Into American Space Program, Considerations For 21st Century Solar System Complete; Bipartisan Support & Implementation Of Evolvable Lunar Architecture (ELA) Study Partly Funded By NASA, Proposed July 2015 By Charles Miller Of NexGen Space; ELA Designed To Lead A Return Of Humans To The Moon Surface Within 5-7 Years For US$10B (+/-30%) Via Development Of 2 Independent Competing Commercial Service Providers

Credit: Space Age Publishing Company (SPC) , International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA), NASA, NexGen Space LLC, A. Nesterova, UC Berkeley, FreeFlagIcons.com

Thursday / 30 June 2016

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New Hainan Spaceport / Moonport  “China’s Cape Canaveral” Opens With LM-7 First Launch

LED-6-29-16

New Wenchang Satellite Launch Center At 19°N 110°E On Hainan Island, Southern-most Province Off Southeast Coast of China Is 20-km2 Complex With 2 Main Launch Sites, Rocket Assembly Plant, Command Center, Tracking Stations; Will Host China’s Largest, Most Ambitious Launches For Decades To Come, Including Chang’e 4-6, Mars Probes, Eventual Human Moon Missions, China Space Station; Astronaut Leroy Chiao Sums Up China Space Program “The Message Is The Same That It’s Been For Some Time. They’re In This Game To Stay. They’re Making Long-term Plans To Stay In Space & Expand Their Presence In Space”

Credit:Google, CNSA

Wednesday / 29 June 2016

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Russia Industry To Prepare Lunar Orbital Station Proposal For ISS Partners

LED-6-28-16

RSC Energia Working On Configurations, Elements, Interfaces Of International Habitable Periodically-Tended Circumlunar Platform; Proposals To Be Submitted To Heads Of ISS Partner Agencies 1st Half Of 2017, Working Group Signed Into Existence Late 2014; Scenarios In Line With National Interests Of Partners Including Human Exploration Of Lunar Surface, Mars, Asteroids; Sergei Krikalyov, Director For Human Spaceflight At Roscosmos, Notes Logic In Establishing Permanent Human Moonbase Using Circumlunar Station For Temporary Visits & Transfers

Credit: NASA, RSC Energia

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 24-27 June 2016

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Lunar CubeSats Queuing Up For Unique Boost Toward Moon

LED-6-24-16

13 CubeSats Hitching Ride To Translunar Space Aboard SLS EM-1 Test Flight 2018; Each No More Than 6 Units, 14 Kg; 10 Payloads Already Confirmed; 7 Selected By NASA Through NextSTEP (SkyFire, Lunar IceCube), Human Exploration & Ops Mission Directorate (NEA Scout, BioSentinel, Lunar Flashlight) And Science Mission Directorate (CuSP, LunaH-Map); 3 International; 3 TBD Pending Outcome Of CubeQuest Challenge; SLS Will Release Primary Payload Orion On Lunar Trajectory, Then 13 CubeSats To Deploy From Stage Adapter

Credit: NASA, Morehead State University

Friday / 24 June 2016

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China Chang’e-5 Propulsion System Completing Tests, Hainan Spaceport Maiden Launch 26 June

China Human Moon, CE5

CE-5 Sample Return Mission On Track For 2017 Launch With Lander, Rover, Orbiter Completing Final Propulsion System R&D, General Assembly & General Testing At CASC; China In Prime Position To Help Lead Effort To Put Humans On Moon With Inaugural Hainan Spaceport / Moonport Launch Of Long March 7 On 26 June, Development Of Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, Tiangong-2 Space Lab Launch NET Sep, Long March 5 Launch Sep-Oct, Tiangzhou-1 Crewed Launch Apr 2017, CE-4 In 2018, CE-6 In 2020

Credit: CASC, CNSA, China.org.cn, Xinhua, CCTV News

Thursday / 23 June 2016

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Multiple Human Moon Missions Evolving As Major National / International Goals

LED-6-22-16

Astronaut Tim Peake Has New Focus On Lunar Missions As ESA Plans To Establish A Cislunar ‘Deep Space Habitat’ For Lunar Surface & Solar System Exploration; Dave Parker Of ESA Human Spaceflight Cites Upcoming Discussions At Ministerial Conference In Lucerne, Switzerland In December; China Manned Space Program Deputy Chief Zhang Yulin Recently Proclaimed The Goal Of ‘Crewed Lunar Exploration’, With Analysts Predicting This Could Be Achieved As Soon As 2020s; Russia Plans To Permanently Station 12 Cosmonauts On Lunar Surface, Starting With 2-4 People By 2030

Credit: ESA, Roscosmos, CNSA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 17-20 June 2016

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‘Moon First’ Is Only Viable Route To Mars & Beyond

LED-6-17-16

Lunar Luminary Clive R. Neal, Professor Of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences At University Of Notre Dame, Argues Human Return To Moon Surface Is Crucial To Future Of Space Exploration In June 2016 Issue Of Scientific American; Human Moon Missions Provide Experience In Off-World Living & Opportunity To Utilize Rich Resources, Most Notably Water Ice Which Can Be Split Into Oxygen & Hydrogen Via Electrolysis To Power Fuel Cells And Feed Rocket Motors; Emphasis On Sustainability And Return On Investment Via Commercial Services Integration

Credit: ESA, NASA, University of Notre Dame

Friday / 27 May 2016

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Russia Lunar Reports: Nuclear-Powered Moon Base, Mission Cost Estimates, Moon Shuttle Service

Russia Moon 2016

Russia Overarching Plan To Put Humans On Moon By 2029 / Set Up Lunar Base 2030-2035 May Involve Inflatable Modules & Nuclear-Power According To Russian Academy Of Cosmonautics President Igor Barmin; Deputy President Of Energia Aleksandr Derechin States Mission To Moon Will Cost 10x More Than LEO With Mars Being 50x More; Energia Rep. Yuri Makushenko Details Reusable 4-Person Ryvok Craft (Launched By Angara A5 From Vostochny) Which Could Dock At ISS & Transport Crew, Cargo To Moon Surface

Credit: NASA, ROSCOSMOS, Architecture and Vision / A. Vittori, A. Vogler, D. Martini, R. Tchakerian