Weekend Edition / Fri-Tues 30 Aug-3 Sep 2013

Neil deGrasse Tyson A Likely Advocate For Lunar Commerce

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Tyson States It Is “Scandal That Private Enterprise Did Not Take Off Sooner;” Feels Space Shuttle Program Should Have Been Undertaken By Independent Business Leaving NASA Free To Conduct Deep Space Exploration; Believes Increased Government Investment In Space Is Needed To Facilitate Establishment Of Successful Lunar / Space Enterprise; Tyson Has Assisted Golden Spike Company In Advisory Role 

Image Credit: Golden Spike Company, brainpickings.org

Thursday / 29 August 2013

China Moon Lander / Rover Moves Into Launch Phase

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Chang’e-3 Now Scheduled For Launch Dec 2013; While Confirming Mission Shifting From Design To Launch Phase, CNSA / Lunar Program Chief Commander Ma Xingrui Acknowledges 1st China Attempt To Land On Planetary Body Is “An Extremely Difficult Mission That Carries Great Risk;” Crewed Lunar Missions Could Follow If China Decides To Combine Human Spaceflight & Lunar Exploration Programs

Image Credit: CNSA

Tuesday / 27 August 2013

Canada Wants To Send Astronauts To Lunar Space

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1st Canada Astronaut To Moon Could Come About Through International Collaboration; Global Exploration Roadmap Crafted By 14 Nations Includes Development Of New Space Station At Earth-Moon L2 Lagrange Point In Early 2020s; Canada Intends To Develop Lunar Rover, Have Canada Astronaut Control Rover From Orbit Or Lunar Surface; Canada Chairing ISECG This Year

Image Credit: NASA, University of Western Ontario

Thursday / 22 August 2013

Global Community Working Together On Moon / Solar System Exploration

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12 ISECG Member Agencies Including NASA, ESA, Roscosmos Release Update Of 2011 Global Explorations Roadmap; New Plan Confirms Intention To Include Both Moon & Asteroid Missions Instead Of Either / Or Approach; Human Moon Missions Seen As Preparatory To Mars Missions In 2030s; NASA Administrator Bolden Says Agency Willing To Contribute Expertise / Resources To Multinational Human Moon Missions

Image Credit: ISECG, NASA

Wednesday / 14 August 2013

Pacific Space Access, Hawaii Moon Initiatives Featured At Galaxy Forum Event

Galaxy Forum Hawaii 2013 On Sat 17 Aug At University Hawaii Hilo, To Advance 21st Century Galaxy Education & Hawaii-Based Space / Moon Initiatives; Steve Durst (R) Of ILOA Will Update The Pacific Aloha Offshore Spaceport Initiative; ILOA Will Outline 4 Active Moon Missions & Global HQ Development Campaign; UHH Professor John Hamilton (L) Will Speak On PISCES Activities & Kim Binsted Of UH-NASA Will Report On The Mauna Loa HI-SEAS Mars Experiment; Distribution Of New ILOA Galaxy Map 2013 To All Participants

Image Credit: ILOA, PISCES, UHH, Sea Launch

Tuesday / 30 July 2013

Sustained Presence On Moon Suggested By US Space Agency Leader

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 Lori Garver, NASA Deputy Administrator, Seems To Flip Flop On Previous Comments Re Moon Plans; Speaking At NewSpace 2013 Garver Says Asteroid & Moon Complimentary, Not Competitive Target Destinations; NASA Has “Increased Focus On Sustainable Lunar Activity”; Contrasted With Recent Comment That Agency Has No Funds For Lunar Activity; Likely Influenced By US House Republicans Calling For Sustained Human Presence On Both Moon & Mars

Image Credit: NASA

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 26-29 July 2013

Zero Point Frontiers Aids Golden Spike Moon Mission Design

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Golden Spike Company Human Lunar Missions Plan Advanced Through Zero Point Frontiers Corp Architecture Analysis; Company Identified Several Combinations Of Vehicles That Can Support Golden Spike Mission, Using Beyond LEO Architecture Sizing Tool (BLAST) Software It Developed For NASA; Report Provided GSC With Confidence In Technical Approach / Business Model; GSC Will Soon Issue Request For Proposal To Select Launch / Space Vehicle Providers

Image Credit: Golden Spike Company, Zero Point Frontiers Corp

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 19-22 July 2013

Golden Spike To Lunar South Pole?

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To Be True Leaders / Pioneers In 21st Century Lunar Exploration Golden Spike Company May Focus On Ideal Destination For Enabling 1st Permanent Off-World Settlement: Moon South Pole; Plentiful Ice Water / Resources For ISRU In Permanently Shadowed Craters / Aitken Basin, Relatively Stable Temperature, Access To Near-Continuous Sunlight To Power Long-Duration Missions & Permanent Settlements; GSC Working To Achieve Commercial Human Moon Missions By End Of Decade

Image Credit: Golden Spike Company, NASA

Friday / 19 July 2013

Commemorating Space Exploration Day

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Frontiers Of Flight Museum In Dallas TX Hosting 5th Annual Moon Day Event On Sat 20 July, Celebrating 1st Lunar Landing While Exciting Youth About Current Space Activities & Inspiring Them To Shape Future Of Space Exploration; Utah NSS Chapter Organizing Petition To Establish 20 July – Space Exploration Day – As Legal Non-Paid USA Holiday, Requesting Presidential Executive Order With Accompanying Vision For Human Return To Moon / Future In Space

Image Credit: NASA, Frontiers of Flight Museum, NSS

Thursday / 18 July 2013

ILO Mission Demonstrates Rising Importance Of Moon South Pole Destination

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South Pole Destination Of NET 2016 ILO-Moon Express Lunar Mission Selected To Ensure Long-Duration Nature Of Mission – Thermal Environment (~-50°C) / Solar Power Access On Malapert Mountain / PEL, Continuous Line Of Sight To Earth For Commercial Communications, Ability To Image Milky Way Galaxy Center; ILO Also To Observe & Report Human Lunar Buildout, Private & Public Parties Pointing To South Pole / Aitken Basin – With Prevalent Water Ice / Mineral Deposits – As Ideal Location For Development 

Image Credit: ILOA, Moon Express, NASA