Category Archives: Lunar Geology

Thursday / 27 March 2014

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Meteorite Impact Risk On Moon Greater Than Formerly Known

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Future Moon Settlements / Human Operations Should Be Underground, Rely On Robots For Majority Of Surface Activity To Protect From Meteorite Impacts Says Russia Astronomer Vladimir Surdin (R); Over 300 Impacts Recorded On Moon Since 2005; At LPSC, LROC PI Mark Robinson Details Data Of Secondary Impacts From Recent Lunar Impact, 248 Small Debris Impacts Found Up To 30km From Fresh 18m-Wide Crater, These Secondaries Could Pose More Threat To Surface Assets Than Primary Craters

Image Credit: NASA, Moscow State University

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 14-17 March 2014

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45th LPSC This Week In Texas

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Future Moon Missions & Exciting Results Of Current Missions Will Be Examined By Nearly 2000 Planetary Scientists At 45th Lunar Planetary Science Conference At The Woodlands TX On 17-21 Mar; Moon South Pole Will Be Featured As Ideal Site For Future Robotic / Human Missions In Presentations By Brad Jolliff, Debra Hurwitz (BL), Others; Importance Of This Annual Event Would Be Significantly Boosted With Clear Imminent Plan For USA Presence On Moon; Pictured (BR) Conference Co-Chairs: Steve Mackwell, Eileen Stansbery

Image Credit: NASA, LPI

Friday / 31 January 2014

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Europe / World Interest In Moon Exploration Featured At ELS 2014

ELS 2014

European Lunar Symposium To Be Held 15-16 May In London, United Kingdom, Hosted By European Nodes Of NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI); Science Committee Includes (L-R) James Carpenter (ESA), Mahesh Anand (Open University), Ralf Jaumann (DLR); Will Focus On Moon Astronomical, Astrophysical, Commercial, Geological, Resource Utilization, Human Outpost Considerations; 4 Broad Themes Cover: Science Of / On / From Moon, Future Lunar Missions

Image Credit: SSERVI, ESA, Open Univ.

Tuesday / 12 November 2013

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GRAIL Data Explains Asymmetry Of Craters On Lunar Nearside vs Farside

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Study of GRAIL Moon Maps Show Same Total Number Of Craters But Large Variation In Size; Data / Simulations Compiled By Study Lead Katarina Miljković Of Paris Institute Of Earth Physics Predict Craters On Nearside Up To 2x Larger Than Farside Craters From Similar Impacts; Variation In Crust Temperature And Thickness Affects Impact-Related Topography;  Warmer Nearside Crust Also More Prone To Giant Lava Flows Filling In Craters To Create Basins

Image Credit: NASA

Wednesday / 2 October 2013

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LADEE In Final Phase Of Moon Trek

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US$280M Probe Completes 2nd Burn Perfectly, No Longer Needs Additional Burn To Reach Desired High Elliptical Orbit; When LADEE Reaches Moon Gravitational Field On 6 Oct It Will Make 197-Second Retrograde Burn Reducing Velocity To 267 Meters Per Second For Lunar Orbit Capture; Craft Will Then Perform 40 Days Of High-Altitude Science Checkouts & LLCD Operations Before Dropping To 50-Km Altitude To Begin 100-Day Science Operations

Image Credit: NASA

Tuesday / 17 September 2013

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LRO Continuing To Produce Valuable Data

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Release #15 Of LRO Data Now Available At Planetary Data System Archive; New Data Was Acquired Between 15 Mar & 14 Jun 2013, From CRaTER, Diviner, LAMP, LEND, LOLA, LROC & SPICE Instruments; 6 More LRO Data Releases Scheduled, Final Release In Mar 2015; LROC WAC Data Used To Create Time-Lapse Video Of Full Rotation Of Moon

 Image Credit: NASA

Wednesday / 28 August 2013

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Magmatic Water Detected On Moon

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Scientists Use Moon Mineralogy Mapper Data From Chandrayaan-1 Lunar Orbiter (R) To Make 1st Remote Detection Of Magmatic Water On Moon Surface; Significant Amounts Of Hydroxyl Discovered In 60-Km  Wide Lunar Impact Crater Bullialdus (L) Near Equator Indicates Presence Of Water Which Originated Deep Within Lunar Surface; Data Provides Clues About Volcanic Processes & Internal Composition Of Moon

Image Credit: NASA, ISRO

Thurs-Fri / 4-5 July 2013

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Lunar Dust Poses Challenges For Moon Rovers

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New Computer Simulations Show How Dust Can Wreak Havoc For Machinery & Humans On Moon, Especially At Terminator; Farideh Honary Of University Of Lancaster Presents Findings To RAS In Scotland, Shows How Moon Dust Becomes Electrically Charged & Rises Above Height Of Most Rovers During Sunrise & Sunset; Apollo Missions Found Moon Dust To Be Abrasive, Wearing Down Equipment In Days; Honary Suggests Using Dome-Shaped Rover

Image Credit: NASA, lancs.ac.uk

Tuesday / 2 July 2013

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LADEE Mission Seeks Help From Amateur Astronomers

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LADEE Teaming Up With ALPO Lunar Meteoritic Impact Search Program In Call To Watch For Impacts On Moon; Dedicated Amateurs Require Telescope With Minimum 20cm Aperture, Video Recording Equipment, LunarScan Program, Ability To Continually Monitor Moon During Lunar Night; Micro-Meteoroid Issues Of Crucial Importance For Long-Duration Human Habitation Of Moon; LADEE To Launch 5 Sep, 1st Mission From Wallops Island VA To Venture Beyond LEO

Image Credit: NASA

Wednesday / 26 June 2013

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Lunar Science Conference Goes Virtual

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15-19 July 2013 NASA Lunar Science Forum To Be Broadcast Via Adobe Connect & Telecom Line; Updates On Current & Future NASA Moon Missions, Lunar Geology, Volatiles, Dust, Astrophysics From The Moon; Ben Bussey To Speak On Potential Benefits Of Human Exploration Of Poles; NLSI Will Transition To Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute Later In 2013 

Image Credit: NASA, JAXA