Completing Tests Of David Clark Co. Z-1 Space Suit Prototype With Bearings For Mobility; Will Give Astronauts More Flexibility To Hop Over Lunar / Martian Soil; Increased Radiation Protection For Longer Spacewalks; Port In Back Allows Easy Entry / Exit, Bypasses Need For Airlock; Z-2 And Z-3 Revisions To Follow; NASA Plans To Make Z-3 Ready For Use By 2017
Image Credit: NASA, DCC
Chris Hadfield Is Set To Arrive At The ISS On 21 Dec & Become First Canada Commander Of The Station In March; Hadfield Has Long Been Vocal Advocate Of Missions To Return Humans To Moon; He Is Optimistic About Future Of Human Space Flight, Recognizes ISS Work Critical To Help Prepare For Next Steps In Solar System Exploration; NASA Orion Craft On Track For 2014 Test Flight
Image Credit: CSA, astrofisicayfisica.com
Commander John Young Awarded ILOA ‘Astronaut Of The Century’; Veteran Of 7 Space Flights On 4 Different Crafts: Gemini, Apollo Command / Service Module, Lunar Ascent Module, Space Shuttle; Deployed First ‘Telescope’ On Moon; Lifelong Efforts To Help Humanity Achieve Multi-World Species Status: “Single Planet Species Don’t Last”
Image Credit: NASA, johnyoung.org
New Model Of Human Solar System Exploration Emerges As World Commemorates 40th Anniversary Of Last Human Moon Mission; Private Corporation Golden Spike Company Intends To Sell US$1.5B 2-Person Missions To Lunar Surface By 2020; Company Foresees 15-20 Nations As Potential Customers; Apollo 17 Astronaut Cernan Affirms He “Would Like To Shake The Hand” Of Person Who Replaces Him As Last Human On Moon
Image Credit: Golden Spike, NASA
New Golden Spike Company (GSC) Should Energize Multi-World Property Rights Advocates & Ventures; Independent, Scientific & Commercial Lunar Interests Such As ILOA, GLXP Teams & Other Lunar Enterprises Likely To Advance Reality Of Lunar Acreage Ownership & Utilization Well Before 2020 GSC Astronauts On Luna Firma; Opening Of 8th Continent Vast Resources & Opportunities Enabled, Accelerated By GSC Cislunar Superhighway; Pictured: (TR) Alan Stern, (BR) Gerry Griffin Of GSC
Image Credit: Golden Spike Company, NASA
Researchers At Washington State University Have Demonstrated How Lunar Regolith Could Be Used As Raw Material For 3D Printers; Team Led By Prof Amit Bandyopadhyay Used A High-Powered Laser To Liquefy & 3D Print Simple Objects Out Of Lunar Regolith Simulant Material Provided By NASA; Resulting Material Was Glassy & Brittle, Researchers Suggest Additive Manufacturing Will Likely Be Needed For Printing More Advanced Materials On Moon
Image Credit: Washington State University, NASA
Top Russia Space Officials Indicating Country Moving Focus From ISS To Moon Exploration; ISS Is ‘Closed Chapter In Russia Science‘; 3 Russia Moon Missions Planned For 2015-2017: Polar Lander, Circumlunar Mission, Mission To L2; Russia Scientists At CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Seeking Assistance From Ukraine & Kazakh Colleagues In Moon Research Program
Image Credit: Roscosmos, NASA, flags.com
Ziyuan Ouyang Says Previous Lunar Exploration Is Just “Small Step In Knowing The Whole Moon,” Emphasizes Need To Spread Scientific Knowledge To General Public: How Lunar / Solar System Exploration Provides Benefits In Technology / Economic Development; Lunar Helium-3 As Future Power Source; Cost Effectiveness Of China Chang’e Program; Hopes Chinese People Can “Set Their Footprints All Over Solar System”
Image Credit: cntv.cn
Jack Burns To Provide Update On NLSI Lunar University Network For Astrophysics Research (LUNAR) Activities; Team Of Researchers, Students, NASA Centers & Federal Research Labs Investigating Use Of Moon As Platform For Space Science; LUNAR Team Exploring Technologies That Serve Both Exploration & Science; Research Areas Include Lunar Laser Ranging, Low-Frequency Cosmology & Astrophysics, New Human / Robotic Mission Concepts
Image Credit: NASA, NLSI
Representatives From 20 European Union Member States Meeting In Naples, Italy (20-21 Nov) To Refine & Approve Budget For Next 3 Years Of ESA Activity; Proposed US$15.3B Budget Includes Financing An ESA Contribution To NASA Orion Spacecraft Program Destined For Human Lunar Missions Around 2020; ESA Also Seeking Funding Of Robotic Lander To Explore South Pole Of Moon
Image Credit: ESA, NASA