Category Archives: Human Moon Missions

Wednesday / 12 June 2013

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CRaTER Reveals Plastics Provide Lightweight Radiation Shielding

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Researchers At University of New Hampshire & SwRI Report That Data From LRO’s CRaTER Validates Computer Models Which Indicate Lightweight Materials Offer Superior Shielding From Radiation; Lead Author Cary Zeitlin Of SwRI Calls Plastics “Pound-For-Pound More Effective For Shielding Against Cosmic Radiation Than Aluminum”; These Lower Mass Alternatives Open The Door To Deep Space Missions & A Permanent Human Presence On The Surface Of The Moon

Image Credit: NASA, SwRI, UNH

Tuesday / 11 June 2013

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USA Moon Missions: Discussions Continue

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Cis-Lunar Development & Human Moon Mission Support Heard At Recent USA House Science, Space & Technology’s Subcommittee Meeting; (Pictured From Left To Right) Lamar Smith (R-TX) & Donna Edwards (D-MD) Say Moon Missions Prepare Us For Mars; Paul Spudis (LPI) Claims Human Moon Missions Can Provide Valuable Research On Space Objects, Material & Energy Resources; Steven Squyres (Cornell) Says Cis-Lunar Space Should Be Developed Next, Regardless Of Asteroid Retrieval Mission Feasibility

Image Credit: NASA, P. Spudis

Friday / 7 June 2013

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Russia Ramping Up Space Spending, Reasserting Lunar Direction

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Roscosmos Director Vladimir Popovkin Announces Decision To Increase Russia Space Budget To Surpass That Of China, Equal ESA; Russia Traditionally Spends 40% Of ROSCOSMOS Budget On Human Spaceflight, Now Seeking To Revamp Applications Satellite Investment; Lunar Exploration Remains High Priority As Country Seeks To Get Back On Track / Finish What They Started By Landing Humans On Moon

Image Credit: Roscosmos

Thursday / 6 June 2013

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Bolden: US Open To Contribute To Human Moon Mission

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Administrator Charles Bolden Clarifies NASA Stance On Human Moon Missions: US Unable To Orchestrate Lunar Surface Mission With Current Budget / Priorities, Yet Is Willing To Provide Engineering Expertise To Existing Moon Mission In Exchange For Sending American Astronaut As Part Of Crew; Comments Made To Institute Of Medicine Panel Which Is Developing Ethics / Health Guidelines For Future Long-Duration Human Spaceflights

Image Credit: NASA, ESA

Tuesday / 4 June 2013

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Moon Orbiters Guiding Future Exploration / Solving Long-Standing Mysteries

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LRO LEND Instrument Provides Definitive Map Of Water Ice Deposits Across Moon Surface, Including South Pole (L) – Likely Destination Of Future Missions / Human Lunar Build-Out; Data From GRAIL Probes Explain Cause Of Lunar Mascons: Ancient Asteroid Impacts Melted Mantle, Caused It To Collapse Inward Creating Denser More Concentrated Areas, Subsequently Causing Gravitational Anomalies

Image Credit: NASA, FIAAA

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 31 May – 3 June 2013

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Japan Lunar Aspirations Highlighted At International Space Symposium

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29th International Symposium On Space Technology & Science In Nagoya Japan 2-9 June; Features 3 Sessions On ‘Missions To The Moon’; Sho Sasaki (Inset) Of NAOJ To Present ‘Sciences Of Human Exploration Of Lunar Polar Regions’; Mitsubishi Electric Corp To Present On Lunar Transfer Vehicle Proposal; JAXA Planing Selene-2 Lunar Lander NET 2018 As A Precursor / Technology Demonstrator For Human Moon Exploration

Image Credit: JAXA, ISTS, NAOJ

Friday / 31 May 2013

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Golden Spike Moon Lander Design Concepts Advancing

GSC SP Lunar Lander

Golden Spike Company Conducts Design Reviews In Denver CO With ULA, Paragon, Masten, ILOA, SwRI, Zero Point Frontiers & SpaceX For Human Lunar Lander Systems Studies; Team Considering Benefits Of Human South Pole Landing; Follow Up Lander Study Expected Later This Year, Aug-Sep

Image Credit: GSC, B. Campbell

Weekend Edition / Fri-Tues 24-28 May 2013

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2013 Rising Lunar Tide

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As USA / World Remembers 52nd Anniversary Of JFK Moon Declaration To Congress, New Generation Of Lunar Pioneers Proclaim Intentions / Outline Plans For Sustainable Return To Moon At Prestigious International Events; ISDC 2013 In San Diego CA, Lunar Track Focusing On Human Explorations Of Moon; Galaxy Forum Canada – Vancouver Featuring Alan Stern (CL) Of Golden Spike, Bob Richards (CR) Of Moon Express, Jim Keravala (R) Of Shackleton Energy Co, Steve Durst (L) Of ILOA, More

Image Credit: galaxyforum.org, isdc.nss.org

Thursday / 23 May 2013

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Space Act Agreement May Help Extend Commercial Activity To Cis-Lunar Space

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‘Media Availability’ Event Today At 13:30 EDT, NASA Associate Administrator Bill Gerstenmaier & Robert Bigelow Discuss Recent Space Act Agreement; Unfunded Study Identifying Common Objectives Between NASA & Private Sector, Companies & Their Potential Contributions To Extend Commercial Activity To All Cis-Lunar Space; If Commercial Interests Demonstrate Capability To Reach / Operate On Moon May Help Cure NASA / Obama Selenophobia

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace, NASA

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 17-20 May 2013

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Harrison Schmitt Headlines Lunar Events At Washington University In St. Louis

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Apollo 17 Moonworker Will Give Seminar On 20 May At WUSTL Entitled ‘Field Geology On Another World’; Schmitt (R) Will Then Participate In ‘Exploratory Forum’ With Students To Discuss Ideas For Future Human Moon Missions; Forum Will Allow WUSTL RASC-AL Team To Refine Presentation Of Their Proposed Investigation Of Potential Landing Sites For Outpost At Lunar South Pole; Tue-Thu Schmitt Will Participate In LROC Science Team Meeting Hosted By Brad Joliff (L)

Image Credit: NASA, WUSTL