Lori Garver, NASA Deputy Administrator, Confirms Ambitious USA Plans To Return To Moon During Speech At AIAA Conference In Pasadena, CA; Uncrewed Mission Scheduled For 2017, Human Orbital Mission By 2021; NASA Report To US Congress Outlines Plan For “Nearly Self-Sustaining Surface Habitat” On Moon For Long-Duration Astronaut Missions, Capable Of Extracting Oxygen, Water, Silicon, Etc In Situ
Image Credit: NASA, Stephan Wlodarczyk
50th Anniversary Of JFK “We Choose To Go To The Moon” Speech Commemorated As Man Who Took That Giant Leap Is Memorialized In Washington DC; NASA TV Will Broadcast Public Memorial Of Neil Armstrong Today 10:00 EDT; Support Growing For 20 July Federal ‘Exploration Day’ Holiday; 100-Year Starship Event Underway In Houston TX Projecting Human Interstellar Travel Within Next 100 Years
Image Credit: NASA, 100yss.org
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin Says Russia Should Set ‘Super Goal’ Of Building Large Base On Moon To Refocus Space Industry; Base Could Facilitate Leaps Of Science & Future Deep Space Projects; Possible Collaboration With USA / ESA; Moon Is Seen As Logical Next Step For Russia Exploration As Mars Is “Too Far And Too Expensive”
Image Credit: Roscosmos, wn.com
Program & Abstracts Now Available For 22-24 Oct 2012 LEAG Annual Meeting In Greenbelt Maryland; Presentations / Discussions On Science Objectives, Robotic Human Exploration Strategies & Technologies, Moon As Necessary Stepping Stone To Rest Of Solar System; Organizers Plan To Celebrate Apollo Legacy 40 Years After Apollo 17, Look Forward To Next Generation Of Lunar Missions; Pictured (BC): LEAG Chair Charles Shearer
Image Credit: LPI, NASA, University of New Mexico
First Person To Walk On Moon Strongly Advocated Return To Moon As Vital Next Step For USA / Human Space Exploration, Often Noted There Are Over 36 Million Square Km Of Unexplored Lunar Sites, Moon Is Ideal Location For Preparation / Training For Future Solar System Exploration; Memorial Service To Honor Neil Armstrong Will Be Held 13 Sep At Washington National Cathedral
Image Credit: NASA / Bill Ingalls
Mini-RF Radar On LRO Estimates Maximum Amount Of Ice Likely Inside Shackleton Crater; 5-10% Of Material In Walls Of The Permanently-Shadowed Crater Could Be Patchy Ice According To Team Led By Bradley Thomson Of Boston University; Instrument Detects Distinctive Radar Polarization Signature Of Water Ice To Depth Of 2m Below Surface; Mini-RF Currently Acquiring New Bistatic Radar Images To Locate Volatile Deposits Using Arecibo Radio Telescope
Image Credit: NASA, bu.edu
Indiegogo Campaign Raising US$120,000 To Fund Memorial For The Man Who Inspired Entire Planet; Renowned Craftsman Stanley Watts Will Create 2.75m Hand-Detailed Cast Bronze Statue Of Armstrong With Engraved Granite Base Housing “Hidden Safe” Time Capsule To Be Opened When Human Sets Foot On Mars; Finished Work Will Be Donated To NASA, Smithsonian Or Other Suitable Custodian
Image Credit: Jose Jordan, atlasbronzecasting.com, NASA
Space Elevator On Moon To Transport Humans / Robots To & From Surface Could Be Built Today Says Michael Laine Of Liftport Group; Company Seeking To Raise US$8K Via Kickstarter To Create 2km High Terrestrial Prototype Elevator To Test System, Just 4 Days Into Campaign Group Already Raised Over US$17K; Laine Claims Group Made Fundamental Civilization-Changing Breakthrough 6 Months Ago
Image Credit: Mark Garlick, Liftport Group
Flightglobal Releases Analysis Of Nations Most Likely To Win ‘Race’ To Return Humans To Moon; USA In 1st Place With Progress On Orion / SLS (L), Yet Lacking Lander / Service Module (6-4 Odds); China & Russia Tied For 2nd With Strong Political Will, Space Exploration Capabilities, Yet Lacking Heavy Lift Launcher (5-2 Odds); Isle Of Man Unlikely 4th With Excalibur Almaz, Odyssey Moon (20-1 Odds); India A Distant 5th With 100-1 Odds
Image Credit: flags.com, NASA
Energia Space Corporation Of Russia Proposing Joint Project With Kazakhstan & Ukraine To Launch Missions To Moon; Russia Would Supply Updated Version Of Super-Heavy Carrier Rocket Used In The Energia-Buran Project Of The 1980s, Ukraine To Contribute Side Boosters, Kazakhstan To Provide Launch Facilities; Proposed System Could Launch Up To 70 Tonnes, Sufficient To Orbit Moon
Image Credit: Energia, NASA, flags.com