Category Archives: Human Moon Missions

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 11-14 April 2014

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China Unveils Human Lunar Rover

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China Human Moon Rover Model Unveiled At Chongqing High Tech Show; Rover Being Developed By Ministry Of Education Joint Research Center For Deep Space Exploration, Comprised Of 27 Chinese Universities; PI Of Project – Zhan Hanqing Of Chongqing University – Says Structural & Mechanical Designs Completed, Zero-G & Thermal Control Experiments To Follow; Preliminary Conceptual Study Of 4-Wheel, Foldable, All-Terrain-Vehicle-Sized Rover Should Be Completed By End 2015

Image Credit: chinanews.com, rccm.tsinghua.edu.cn

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 4-7 April 2014

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PISCES Advancing Lunar Base Analog Development In Hawai`i

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340-kg Rover Unveiled By PISCES; Vehicle Will Be Integral Feature Of Robotic Village The Group Is Developing On Hawaii Island To Pave Way For Human Moon / Mars Bases; Companies From Around World Invited To Send Their Technology To Be Tested On Canada-Manufactured Rover; PISCES Will Utilize Rover & Analog Facilities To Promote STEM Education In Hawaii; Hawaii Aerospace Caucus & Groups Such As ILOA Also Helping To Advance Aerospace Technology & Development Opportunities In Hawaii; Pictured: PISCES Robotic Village Project Manager Rodrigo Romo

Image Credit: PISCES

Wednesday / 2 April 2014

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Future Of Human Spaceflight Debate Rolls On

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Former Astronauts (Clockwise T-B) Rusty Schweickart, Tom Jones, Garrett Reisman – To Discuss Future Of Human Spaceflight At Caltech On 8 April, Event Co-Sponsored By Planetary Society, Former Director Lou Friedman Believes Asteroid Redirection Mission Is Only Way To Advance USA Human Spaceflight Within Budgetary Constraints; Paul Spudis Points Out National Security Implications Of USA Retreat From Space, Notes Cislunar Space Is The ‘Space Theater’ Of Future, Warns Commercial Space Enterprises Unable To Open Up New Frontier Without Strong Space Presence / Capability Of Government

Image Credit: Popular Mechanics, NASA, Planetary Society, Spudis Lunar Resources Blog

Thursday / 27 March 2014

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Meteorite Impact Risk On Moon Greater Than Formerly Known

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Future Moon Settlements / Human Operations Should Be Underground, Rely On Robots For Majority Of Surface Activity To Protect From Meteorite Impacts Says Russia Astronomer Vladimir Surdin (R); Over 300 Impacts Recorded On Moon Since 2005; At LPSC, LROC PI Mark Robinson Details Data Of Secondary Impacts From Recent Lunar Impact, 248 Small Debris Impacts Found Up To 30km From Fresh 18m-Wide Crater, These Secondaries Could Pose More Threat To Surface Assets Than Primary Craters

Image Credit: NASA, Moscow State University

Tuesday / 25 March 2014

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Apollo Moon Camera Sells For Nearly US$1M

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Purchase Of Camera Used By Jim Irwin On Apollo 15 Demonstrates Demand For Moon Mission Artifacts, May Add Incentive To Investors Of Commercial Human & Sample Return Moon Missions; Japanese Businessman Terukazu Fujisawa Secured The Hasselblad Electronic Data Camera For US$910,400 After Close Bidding War At Auction In Vienna; Camera Opened For Sale At US$110,000, Was Expected To Sell For About US$250,000

Image Credit: westlicht-auction.com, alanbeangallery.com, flickr

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 21-24 March 2014

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Scientists / Experts Expound Imminent Need & Means To Realize Human Moon Base

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Panel Of Experts: (L-R) Paul Spudis, Mike Gold, Haym Benaroya, Will Discuss Pressing Scientific, Technological & Economic Issues Involved In Human Moon Settlement, 25 March In Arlington VA, Hosted By Marshall Institute, TechAmerica; Gene Grush Publishes 5-Part Series Of Articles Outlining How USA Can Put Humans Back On The Moon Within The Decade; Stephen Hawking Warns Of Humanity’s Need For Plan B, Predicts Human Moon Base / Multi World Species Status Vital To Long-Term Survival

Image Credit: NASA, Rutgers University, Bigelow Aerospace, dailymail.co.uk

Thursday / 20 March 2014

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LRO Data Produces Interactive Mosaic Of Lunar North Pole

LRONpoleMoonMap

Largest High-Resolution Map Of Moon Ever Made Released By NASA; 10,581 Pictures From LRO Narrow-Angle Cameras Were Stitched Together To Create North Pole Map; Entire Image Measures 931,070 Pixels Square, Nearly 867B Pixels Total; Complete Printout Would Be ~100 Square Meters; Creation Of Mosaic Took 4 Years, Huge Team Effort Across LRO Project; Map Will Be Useful Identifying Landing Sites / Planning Robotic & Human Moon Missions

Image Credit: NASA

Thursday / 13 March 2014

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Apollo Marketing Success: Lessons For Modern Human Space Endeavors

MarketingTheMoon

New Book By David Meerman Scott (L) & Richard Jurek (R) Examines How NASA Successfully Marketed Apollo Program; Authors Then Evaluate Applicable Lessons For 21st Century Space Exploration: NASA Needs Unified Theme / Powerful Story To Focus Highly Fractured Global Audience, Work With Contractors Such As SpaceX On Human Mission Marketing, Allow Contractors To Take PR Lead; Challenge For Commercial Space Entrepreneurs Is Identifying Demand, Not Marketing Strategy

Image Credit: marketingthemoon.com

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