Category Archives: Lunar Landers

Friday / 4 October 2013

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GSC: Enabled Opportunities & Robotic Mission Synergies

GSC Conference 3-4 Oct

Golden Spike Company Lunar Workshop 2nd Day Includes Talks (L – R) On Lunar Exploration Orbiter To Study Environment & Mobile Payload Element To Assist Lander Missions (Ralf Jaumann), Lunar Lander Capabilities (Diego De Rosa), Multi-Mission Space Exploration Vehicle (Steven Chappell), Modular Heat Flow Probes To Understand Moon Interior, Origin & Structure (Seiichi Nagihara), Lunar Drills (Kris Zacny), Next Steps (Alan Stern)

Image Credit: GSC, TTU, DLR, ESA

Thursday / 3 October 2013

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Golden Spike Co Presents Its Human Lunar Mission Capabilities / Opportunities

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3-4 Oct Golden Spike Company Workshop At LPI In Houston TX To Provide Overview Of Plans / Projected Capabilities For Human Lunar Missions, Seek Input Re: Science / Exploration Priorities, Desired Future Capabilities For More Advanced Missions – South Pole Destination, Long-Duration Missions; Day 1: Clive Neal (L) Explains Rationale For Human Lunar Missions, Alan Stern (R) Overviews Golden Spike Missions, Landing Site Priorities, Panel Discussion

Image Credit: GSC, LPI

Tuesday / 1 October 2013

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GLXP Forms Judging Panel

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8 International Experts In Astronautics & Robotics Announced As Judges For Google Lunar XPRIZE; Panel Includes (T-B) David Swanson Of OSC, Alan Wells Of NEREUS & John Zarnecki Of ISSI; Judges Will Verify Team Launch Agreements, Payload / Mobility Plans, Examine Data To Confirm Mission Completion; Judges May Also Aid In Awarding Proposed Early Milestone Prizes

Image Credit: GLXP, OSC, NEREUS, ISSI

Thursday / 26 September 2013

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Give China Moon Rover A Name

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China Officials Will Collect Name Nominations For Chang’e-3 Lunar Rover; Domestic & Oversees Residents Can Submit Names Via The Internet, Official Name To Be Announced In Nov; Global Name-Collecting Campaign Initiated To Enhance Awareness / National Enthusiasm Of Mission; Lander / Rover Now At Xichang Satellite Launch Center In Preparation For Dec 2013 Launch

Image Credit: CCTV, CNSA

Wednesday / 25 September 2013

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GLXP Team Partners With NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

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Moon Express (ME) Signs Reimbursable Space Act Agreement With NASA Marshall Space Flight Center To Test ME Guidance, Navigation & Control Flight Software On ‘Mighty Eagle’ Lander; ME Reimbursing MSFC For Cost Of Providing Test & Technical Support; 1st Test Flight With ME Software Successfully Completed; ME CEO Bob Richards Says Team Hopes To Land Its Craft On Moon Late 2015

Image Credit: NASA, ME

Tuesday / 24 September 2013

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ILOA 4 Moon Missions Update To Global Space Community

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International Lunar Observatory Association Presenting At IAC 2013 In Beijing, China, Today: Chang’e-3 – ILOA Galaxy Imaging Program, ILO-X Precursor Mission, ILO-1 Polar Mission, Human Service Mission; 24 Sep ILOA Board Of Directors Meeting To Build Upon Successful Pioneering Galaxy Forum Program, International Partnerships With China / International Space Agencies & Commercial NewSpace Enterprises To Realize Multifunctional ILO, Humans On The Moon Within Decade

Image Credit: ILOA, IAF

Thursday / 19 September 2013

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International GLXP Teams Advancing

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Barcelona Moon (Spain) Has Set Launch Date For June 2015, China Great Wall Industry Corporation Is Launch Provider (L); Team Space IL (Israel) Has Reportedly Raised ~US$25M From Israel Citizens; Euroluna Team (Denmark / Italy) Looking To Exploit Budget Microsatellite Market, Base Technology On CubeSats, Ion Thrusters & Tether; Team Indus (India) Finalizing US$15M Launch Contract With ISRO

Image Credit: Barcelona Moon, Space IL, Euroluna, Team Indus

Thursday / 12 September 2013

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Chang’e-3 Rally In Beijing As China Prepares For Launch

YanJuChang'e3

Chinese Academy Of Sciences (CAS) Holds Rally To Send Off Payload Testing Team For Chang’e-3 Lunar Explorer; Director Of Space Science & Applied Research At CAS Ji Wu, Senior CLEP Leadership Team Advisor Ziyuan Ouyang (T), CLEP Applications Chief Scientist Jun Yan (B) & Other Top Officials Present At Rally; About 80 Days Remaining Until Launch Of 1st China Lunar Lander / Surveyor

Image Credit: CLEP, CNSA, ILOA

Wednesday / 11 September 2013

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GLXP Teams Negotiating Launches, Garnering Support

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Team Indus Drawing Up Launch Contract With ISRO To Buy PSLV Launch For US$15M, Estimating Total Cost Of Mission ~US$30M; Several GLXP Team Members Present At European Planetary Science Congress In London To Raise Awareness Of NewSpace Lunar Missions Value / Credibility; Even Missions With No Scientific Payloads Could Provide Valuable Data: Action Of Dust During Landing, Surface Properties, Degradation Of Solar Panels By Dust & Radiation

Image Credit: GLXP, ISRO, EPSC2013

Friday / 6 September 2013

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China Chang’e-3 Publicists Fail On Eve Of USA LADEE Launch

LADEE launch Chang'e-3

America Pioneering Lunar Atmosphere And Dust Environment Explorer, With Revolutionary Modular Spacecraft Bus And Ultrafast Laser Optical Communications, Counts Down To Dramatic 23:27 Virginia Coast Night Launch; Equally Innovative PRC Chang’e-3 Moon Lander Mission Suffers Public Relations, Lunar Progress Setbacks With Grave Translation Errors Of UV-Telescope, UV-Camera, Advanced Radar Instruments

Image Credit: NASA, Wallops/P. Black, Dragon in Space