Category Archives: International Cooperation

Thursday / 9 January 2014

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Veteran Canada Astronaut Calls For Cooperation With China Moon Program

HadfieldChinaMoonbase

Canada Astronaut Chris Hadfield, Veteran Of 3 Spaceflights, Says International Efforts To Return To Moon Should Include Collaboration With As Many Spacefaring Nations As Possible; Cooperation With China Especially Important For Exploration / Development Of Moon As “Next Natural Waypoint Out To Space;” China Lunar Exploration Program Officials Confirm They Are Working On Human Moon Landing, Preparation For Lunar Base Construction  

Image Credit: Lauren Crawford, engadget.com

New Year / Holiday Edition
Wed 25 Dec 2013 – Fri 3 Jan 2014

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2020 Vision: Humanity A Multi World Species

LED-12-12-13Multi Nation Science And Commerce Human Lunar Expeditions 2019-2020 Preceded By Moon South Pole International Traffic Jam 2015-2016 With Robotic Landings From USA, PRC, Japan, India, Russia, as well as Moon Express / ILOA, Golden Spike, Shackleton Energy, Astrobotic, Lunar Lions, Others; NEOs, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn Next

Ad Astra — Happy New Year / Holidays To All

 Image Credit: NASA, ILOA, ME, Penn State Lunar Lions, Astrobotic Technology

Tuesday / 24 December 2013

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USA Return-To-Moon Advocacy Picks Up Momentum

USAMoonAdvocacy1213

Chris McKay (T) Of NASA Ames Affirms That USA Should ‘Boldly Stay’ On The Moon To Maintain Space Leadership, Pave Way For Competent Multi-Planet Species Status; USA Rep Frank Wolf (R-VA) (C) Calls On President Obama To Hold Early-2014 White House Conference To Develop International Plan To Return Humans To Moon Within Next Decade; GWU Space Policy Institute Director Scott Pace (B) Notes Moon Offers Advantage Of Varying Levels Of Mission Complexity / Cost

Image Credit: NASA, usa.gov, George Washington University

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon 20-23 December 2013

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Russia Officials Foresee International Competition For Lunar Resources

RussiaMoonPriority1213

Russia Academy Of Sciences VP Lev Zelyony (B) Predicts International Rivalry Over Control Of Lunar Poles In Mid 21st Century Similar To That Of Arctic Shelf – Citing Increasing Value Of Extraterrestrial Water, Rare-Earth Metals; Vladislav Shevchenko (C) Of Moscow State University Says Cooperation Would Be Better Than A Race; Russia Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin (T) Feels Country Should Focus On Building Human Outpost On Moon

Image Credit: Komsomolskaya Pravda, Rianovosti, msu.ru

Thursday / 12 December 2013

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Chang’e-3 Catalyzing Collaborative International Lunar Interests

ChinaMoonCollaboration1213

Pakistan Prime Minister Congratulates China On Moon Program Success; Turkey Expresses Desire To Work With China On Astronaut Program & Lunar Exploration; ESA Assisting With Chang’e-3 Communications, Additional Collaboration In Future Missions Likely; Deputy Commander-In-Chief Of China Lunar Program Li Benzheng Says China Interested In Space Cooperation With India, Open To Working With Other Countries 

Image Credit: CNSA

Friday / 6 December 2013

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Chang’e-3 To Enter Moon Orbit Today

Chang'e-3 LOI

China Spacecraft To Enter 100Km Circumlunar Orbit 09:30 UT After 112-Hour Cruise & Prepare For 14 Dec Landing At Sinus Iridum 44°N, 31°W Between 08:00-12:00; Chief Designer Sun Zezhou (L) States Mission Success Based On Safe Landing, Rover Functionality, Imaging Of Rover & Lander, Reception Of Data By Ground Control; Greg Kulacki (R) UCS China Project Manager Says China May Prefer International Collaboration On Human Moon Missions

Image Credit: CCTV, NASA GSFC, Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering, CNS

Wednesday / 4 December 2013

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Preserving Historic Lunar Sites From Rising Tide Of Moon Exploration

PreserveMoonSites1213

With China Moon Landing Fast Approaching & Commercial  Missions Soon To Follow, US Legislators Propose Bill To Qualify Apollo Sites As National Park; Space Law Experts Henry Hertzfeld (R) & Scott Pace Say This Action May Violate UN Outer Space Treaty, Suggest Government Officials Open Dialogue To Establish Ground Rules For Respecting Mission Sites / Equipment / Artifacts; May Also Help Ease Strained International Relations

Image Credit: NASA, CNSA

Friday / 15 November 2013

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South Korea Commits To
2020 Moon Mission

KARI 2020 Moon Mission

Prime National Objective Announced By S Korea President Park Geun-Hye To Send Lunar Lander, 10-20 Kg Rover To Look For Rare Minerals & Orbiter To Moon In 2020 Aboard Korea Space Launch Vehicle-2 Rockets; 15 Government-Funded Research Institutions Led By KARI To Begin Collaborating In 2014, Hope To Overcome Challenges With NASA Support; May Need ~$655M To Complete Project By 2020; Also Potential For KARI Associate Membership In SSERVI

Image Credit: KARI, K. Dietsch/UPI/Newscom

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 8-11 Nov 2013

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LADEE / Chang’e-3 Conjunction: Opportunity For International Cooperation

MissionConjunction1113

Dec Moon Landing Of China Chang’e-3 Could Provide NASA LADEE Orbital Mission Unique Opportunity To Collect Data On Ejected Dust From Descent Engines; Valuable For Planning Future Missions, Heritage Site Preservation, Lunar Base Development; Current USA Policy Impeding NASA From Arranging Such Collaboration With China; Apollo Moonwalkers Advocate For NASA To Begin Cooperation With China On Human Moon Return

Image Credit: NASA, CLEP, CNSA

Tuesday / 5 November 2013

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Huge China Moon Lander A Precursor To Human Module

chinaLander1113

Chang’e-3 Lander Is 42% Mass & Scale Of Apollo Lunar Descent Module (1200kg Unfueled), Apollo Veterans Aldrin (L) & Cernan Say Size & Design Indicate Craft / Mission Is Precursor To Human Descent Stage; Moonwalkers Encourage NASA / USA To Seek Cooperation With China On Human Moon Return, Form International Lunar Outpost Authority, South Pole Base For ISRU / Prepare For Mars Habitation

Image Credit: China Space News, NASA