Category Archives: Lunar Landers

Thursday / 23 April 2015

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Japan Moon Plans Stimulated By Ambitions & Successes Of Asian Neighbors

JapanMoon0415

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

Wednesday / 22 April 2015

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India Advancing Chandrayaan-2

Chandrayaan-2Dathan2

Vikram Sarabhai Space Center Director M Chandra Dathan Says Chandrayaan-2 Preparations Are In Full Swing At Various ISRO Centers, Still Planning On 2017-2018 Launch; 2nd India Moon Mission Will Place Lander & Rover Near South Pole To Test New Technologies & New Experiments; Ranked 6th In Global Space Positioning – India Becoming A Role Model For Other Countries Due To Self-Reliance & Cost Effectiveness; India Spends US$3 / Per Capita On Space Technology, Compared To $7.5 For China & $123 For USA

Image Credit: ISRO, K. Murali Kumar

Tuesday / 21 April 2015

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Japan Planning Moon Landing In 2018

SLIMjaxa0415

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

Thursday / 16 April 2015

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China Lunar Sample Return Mission Progressing On Schedule

CLEP0415

Command Structure Formed To Oversee Long March 5 Development & 3rd Phase Of China Lunar Exploration Program; CLEP General Director Xu Dazhe Gives Speech At Group’s 1st Meeting Calling For Phase 3 Objectives To Be Reached On Schedule; Ascender Of China Chang’e-5 Lunar Explorer Inspected & Accepted For Plume Testing; New Generation Rocket Long March 5 Successfully Undergoes 20-Minute Test Run, Launch Site Drill Planned For End 2015, 1st Launch In 2016, Will Be Used To Launch Chang’e-5 ~2017

Image Credit: CLEP, CNSA, AMA

Wednesday / 15 April 2015

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Abstract Deadline For NASA SSERVI Exploration Science Forum

SSERVIrpm

2nd Annual NASA Exploration Science Forum To Be Held At Ames Research Center, Moffett Field CA On 21-23 Jul; Tomorrow Is Last Day To Submit Abstracts; Forum Will Feature Scientific Discussions Of Human Exploration Of Moon & Other Destinations Of Interest; Event To Be Followed By Resource Prospector Mission Meeting, Will Provide Introduction To Parameters & Capabilities Of Mission & Current Status Of Landing Site Analysis; Follow Up RPM Meeting In Conjunction With LEAG Meeting This Fall

Image Credit: NASA

Friday / 10 April 2015

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Google Lunar XPrize Developments GLXP

GLXP Team Omega Envoy Reveals New Look For Rover “Sagan” With 3D-Printed Parts & Prepares For Testing; Lunar Lion Working To 3D Print Thruster Model For Prototype; Moon Express Developing KSC Space Launch Complex 36 For MTV-1X Lander Testing; Hakuto & Astrobotic Plan For Rideshare To Moon Late 2016 Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9; Remaining 18 Teams Work To Achieve Moon Landing Before Dec 31, 2016; Discovery Channel & Science Chanel To Air ‘Lunar XPrize’ Documentary Miniseries In 2015-16

Image Credit: GLXP, Astrobotic, Google, SpaceFlorida, Omega Envoy, Penn State Lunar Lion

Wednesday / 8 April 2015

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Lunar Workshop Highlights Opportunities Of Upcoming Surface Missions

IWLSA5

5th International Workshop On Lunar Surface Applications 14-17 April In Cocoa Beach Florida Will Provide Overview Of Lunar Surface Missions That Are In Development & Opportunities They Present For Scientists & Space Entrepreneurs; Representatives From NASA Lunar Catalyst Program Participants Moon Express, Astrobotic, Masten Will Present; Workshop Will Also Feature In Depth Look At Engineering & Science Of Lunar Polar ISRU & NASA Lunar Resource Prospector Mission

Image Credit: Flexure Engineering, NASA, Moon Express, Masten

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 3-6 April 2015

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China Advancing Human Moon Mission Elements

ChinaHumanMoonElements

Research Paper On New Generation Multi-Purpose Space Crew Capsule Published By Aerospace Manned Flight Center Of China Aerospace Technology & Research Institute, Media Reports Reveal It As 1st China Human Moon Capsule Concept Design; Chang’e-5 Lander, Mission Design Indicate Mission Will Test Elements / Procedures For Human Mission – Large Lander & Reentry Vehicle, Apollo-Like Mission Scenario; China Working On Long March-9 Rocket With 130-Metric Ton Payload Capacity, Reportedly To Facilitate Human Moon Missions

Image Credit: CNSA, China Aerospace Technology & Research Institute

Friday / 3 April 2015

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Moon Spacecraft To Observe Shortest Lunar Eclipse Of 21st Century

Lunar Ecplise Apr 4

Total Lunar Eclipse 4 Mins 43 Secs Starting 01:58 HST 4 April Will Be Shortest Of 21st Century & Shortest Since 1529; NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter To Study Lunar Surface Temperature Changes; China Chang’e-3 At Sinus Iridum / Mare Imbrium May Observe Lunar Terminator & Dust Dynamics, Take Images Along With Chang’e-5-T1 In Moon Orbit;  NASA Media Teleconference & Live Feed Of Eclipse From Griffith Observatory In CA Available; Next Total Eclipse 28 Sep To Last 1 Hr 12 Mins

Image Credit: NASA, LRO, CNSA, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Phil Hart

Tuesday / 31 March 2015

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Japan & India GLXP Teams Advancing

StabMoon0315

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