Category Archives: Japan

Thursday / 23 April 2015

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Japan Moon Plans Stimulated By Ambitions & Successes Of Asian Neighbors

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JAXA Moon Program Proposal – Which Includes Announcement Of Plan To Send Robotic Lander Mission To Moon In 2018 – Cites Increased Competition For Resources On Moon, Risk Of Power Imbalance As Russia, China, India Advance Lunar Surface Development Plans; Proposal Includes Initial Phase Of Robotic Missions, Possibility Of Human Lunar Visits – Facilitated By International Cooperation – In Post-2025 2nd Phase

Image Credit: JAXA, CNSA, ISRO

Tuesday / 21 April 2015

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Japan Planning Moon Landing In 2018

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JAXA Reveals Plans To Become 4th Nation To Achieve Soft Moon Landing With Smart Lander For Investigating Moon (SLIM) Mission ~2018; Mission Expected To Cost Between US$84-125M, Use Epsilon Solid-Fueled Rocket; Funding / Development To Begin FY 2016; Goal Is To Achieve Landing Within ~100m Of Intended Landing Site; Japan Considering SLIM Stepping Stone To Human Moon Mission & Mars Landings; India Also Planning Moon Lander In 2017 / 2018 

Image Credit: JAXA

Tuesday / 31 March 2015

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Japan & India GLXP Teams Advancing

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Japan-Based Team Hakuto Working With Anime Show Evangelion In Crowdfunding Campaign To Recreate Scene From The Show During Lunar Mission; Campaign Quickly Became Fastest Growing Japanese Crowdfunding Initiative  Ever, Has Raised US$338K Of $832K-Goal, Deadline For Campaign Is 5 April; India-Based Team Indus Set To Close US$1.5-M Pre-Series A Funding Round After Significant Investments From Infosys Co-Founder Nandan Nilekani (Inset) & Others; Indus Goal To Raise $30M For Mission, Including $20-25M For ISRO Launch

Pictured: (R) Japan Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki, (L) Celebrity Natsuki Katou

Image Credit: Team Hakuto, Pradeep Guar

Tuesday / 24 February 2015

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Independent Moon Missions Advancing

Independent Moon MissionsTeam Hakuto Of Japan Announces It Is Teaming Up With Astrobotic To Land Rovers On Moon; Astrobotic Hopes To Carry Rovers From Several Teams On Its Griffin Lander, Setting Up An Actual 500-M Race To Win The US$20M GLXP; More Teams In Talks With Astrobotic About Ride-Share Possibilities; Team Hakuto Intends To Explore Lunar Skylights With Rovers Moonraker & Tetris; ILOA Also Advancing Mission To Land Observation / Communication Payload Near Moon South Pole Through Southeast Asia Meetings Including Galaxy Forum In Thailand Today

Image Credit: Astrobotic, Hakuto, NARIT, ILOA

Thursday / 22 January 2015

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GLXP Team Hakuto Advancing Mission
With Milestone Prize Tests

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Japan-Based GLXP Team Hakuto Awaiting Announcement Of Results After Completing Milestone Prize Tests To Prove Flight Readiness Of Pre-Flight Model Rovers Moonraker & Tetris; Team Conducted Vibration, Thermal Vacuum & Field Mobility Tests; Field Tests In Nakatajima Sand Dunes, Overseen By GLXP Judge David Swanson & 25 Media Reps; 2 Rovers Successfully Climbed 30-Degree Slope, Navigated Through Obstacles, Completed 500-m Trek In ~4 Hours, Demonstrated Potential For Skylight Navigation Through Dual-Rover Towing System

Image Credit: Hakuto

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 16-19 January 2015

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Moon South Pole
Drawing New Lunar Pioneers

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New Moon South Pole Ventures Including UK-Based Lunar Mission One & Russia-Based Lin Industrial Join Established Declarations Of Interest In Moon South Pole Missions By USA (RPM), American Enterprises Such As Shackleton Energy Corporation, Japan (SELENE-2), India (Chandrayaan-2), Russia (Luna-Glob), ESA, ILOA; Moon South Pole – Replete With Valuable Resources & Providing A Relatively Stable Thermal Environment – Is Generally Considered Optimal Location For Human Lunar Exploration / Settlement

Image Credit: JAXA, Lunar Mission One, Lin Industrial

Thursday / 4 September 2014

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GLXP Teams Take Small Steps,
Develop Big Goals

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German-Based Team Part-Time Scientists Test The 3 Imaging Systems Of Its ‘Asimov’ Rover At German Research Center For AI Simulated Lunar Environment In Bremen; Japan-Based Team Hakuto Long-Term Goal Is To Develop Space Resources Which Facilitate Human Habitation Of Moon / Space Says Rover Development Lead Kazuya Yoshida (TL) Of Tohoku University; The Man Who Sold The Moon New Novella By Cory Doctorow (BR) About A GLXP-Type NewSpace Moon Mission, Attempts To Reignite Interest In Developing Enterprising Lunar Exploration Ideas

Image Credit: GLXP, Boing Boing

Friday / 29 August 2014

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GLXP Teams: Moon Missions More Valuable Than Cash Prize

Penn State & Hakuto

Penn State Lunar Lion Aiming To Launch To Moon Dec 2015 Would Use US$20M Prize Money To Set Up Space Research Institute / Student Scholarships, Working On Integrating Propulsion & Control System Into Spacecraft – Recognize GLXP Isn’t Just An Investment To Make Money, But Make History; Japan Team Hakuto Stresses Lunar Skylights As Sites Of Potential Human Habitats (As Does Team Astrobotic), Hopes To Contribute To Human Understanding Of Moon, Working On Pair Of Rovers: 4-Wheeled 8kg Moonraker Would Lower 2-Wheeled 2kg Tetris Into Holes Using Tether

Image Credit: Penn State Lunar Lion, Team Hakuto

Thursday / 17 July 2014

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Japan Advancing Plans For Moon Missions

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JAXA Unveils Plans For Robotic Missions To Lunar Surface Commencing In 2019; Missions Will Conduct Research On Inner Structure Of Moon, Recover / Analyze Samples & Exploit Resources, While Establishing Technical Platform Capable Of Landing On Moon & Returning To Earth With Potential Applications For Other Celestial Bodies; Prominent Hi-Tech Industry & Impressive Space Exploration Resumé Could Position Japan As A Valuable Contributor In Collaborative International Strategy To Expand Human Presence Throughout Solar System

Image Credit: JAXA

Thursday / 5 June 2014

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Japan Government Affirms Plan For Exploration Of Moon & Mars

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Science & Technology Ministry Of Japan Submits Space Exploration Plan Focusing On Robotic Exploration & Long-Term Settlement Of Moon, Contribution To International Human Missions To Mars; Next Step Is SELENE-2 Lander / Rover Mission ~2018; Original Primary Mission Landing Site Was South Pole Eternal Light Region, Now Also Considering Equatorial Sites Of Scientific Interest; Follow-On SELENE-X Advanced Robotics Mission Will Demonstrate Technologies To Support Outpost Development  

Image Credit: JAXA