Category Archives: Lunar Landers

Friday / 15 March 2013

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Chang’e-3, Chang’e-5 Spacecraft Advancing

Chang'e-3 & 5

China Chang’e-3 Lander Camera Reaches Completion, Being Tested With Lunar Satellite Payload Subsystem; Will Take 360° Color Images Of Moon Surface & Monitor Rover; Mission To Launch Late 2013; Chang’e-5 Prototype Will Consist Of Chang’e-2 Orbiter Base Structure & Chang’e-5 Return Capsule; Capsule To Begin Atmosphere Re-Entry Testing Before 2015; Spacecraft / Lunar Sample Of At Least 2 kg Estimated To Re-Enter At 11.2 km/s; Chang’e-5 Mission NET 2016

Image Credit: xinhuanet.com, dragoninspace.net

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 8-11 Mar 2013

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Pacific Space Access: Hawai`i To The Moon

HawaiiSpaceport0313

Hawaii Spaceport Initiative Is Back On The Table According To Hawaii State Representative Cindy Evans; Unhindered Flight Paths, Optimal Latitude For Launch To Moon & Beyond, Cultural Heritage Of Exploration / Navigation Make Hawaii Best Place In World For Spaceport; Separate UH-Hilo Sponsored Initiative Would Develop Hawaii Island Office To Provide Ground Support For Moon-Exploring Robots

Image Credit: NASA, SpaceX, hawaii.gov

Thursday / 7 March 2013

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Moon Crater Rover System Development In Germany

GermanBots0313

German Research Centers ZARM & DFKI Robotics Innovation Center Developing Robotic System For Lunar Crater Exploration; RIMRES (Reconfigurable Integrated Multi-Robot Exploration System) Project Consists Of 2.4-m / 200-kg SHERPA Rover (R) Which Uses Hybrid Wheel-Leg System To Transport 1-m / 27-kg CREX Hexapod Robot (L) Capable Of Descending 80⁰ Crater Slopes, Conduct Science Investigations; All Modules Connected Via Electromechanical Interface

Image Credit: DFKI, ZARM

Wednesday / 6 March 2013

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Lunar Conferences Upcoming In Houston, Texas

Texas0313

Microsymposium 54, 16-17 Mar, To Feature Summary Of New Lunar Exploration Discoveries, Implications For Future Robotic & Human Missions To Lunar Poles & Far Side; 1,945 Oral / Poster Presentations On Latest Research In Planetary Science Expected At 18-22 Mar LPI / USRA Lunar & Planetary Science Conference, Features Special Session On GRAIL Mission Results; Both Events At The Woodlands, TX

Image Credit: LPI, NASA, Brown University

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 1-4 Mar 2013

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China Rising As Space Power Through Clear Vision, Lunar Aspirations

ChinaPower0313

China Progressing Steadily On Clearly Defined / Consistently Executed Space Plan; Chang’e-2 Arrival In Outer Space 20M km From Earth Is Breakthrough For China Deep Space Exploration; 5th China Human Spaceflight Set For Jun~Aug 2013; China Upgrades Long March-3B Rocket For Late 2013 Chang’e-3 Lunar Lander Mission, Increasing Carrying Capacity By 30 kg & Allowing For Additional Launch Windows

Image Credit: CNSA, 33rdsquare.com, news.xinhuanet.com

Wednesday / 27 February 2013

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GLXP Teams Gearing Up For Team Summit

GLXPupdate0213

April 2013 GLXP Team Summit In Chile Will Provide Opportunity For Teams To Showcase Their Progress; Penn State Lunar Lions, Only University-Led Team, Prototype Propeller-Driven Model Rover In Final Stages; White Label Space Now With Full Operations In Japan; Tim Pickens Advancing Moon Express Propulsion Engineering At New ME Headquarters In Huntsville, AL; Team Stellar Says GLXP Will Lead To Better Meteor Protection

Image Credit: White Label Space, GLXP

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 22-25 Feb 2013

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China On The Moon

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First China Lunar Rover Mission Set For Late 2013; Vehicle, Named ‘Zhonghua’ (China), Will Weigh 120kg, 20kg Of Payload, Able To Travel Up To 10km On Lunar Surface; 2 Solar Panels & Nuclear Fuel Cells Will Power Rover For 3-Month Life Span; Radar On Bottom Will Explore 100m Beneath Surface; Mechanical Arm Will Take Samples; Preliminary Research Underway For Human Mission In 2025-2030

Image Credit: Xinhuanet, theepochtimes.com

Thursday / 14 February 2013

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SpaceIL Hopes To Inspire Israel Youth With Moon Mission

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GLXP Team SpaceIL Claims They Have Raised US$20M Towards US$30M Moon Mission, Announces New Commercial Sponsor: Bezeq; SpaceIL CTO Yonatan Winetraub Says 120kg-Spacecraft Will “Hitch A Ride” With Commercial Rocket, Then Utilize Hopping Technology, Video Cameras Developed By Elbit-Elop, & Bezeq Optical-Fiber Technology To Achieve GLXP Requisite Tasks; Ultimate Goal Is To Inspire Youth, Stimulate Science Education In Israel & Beyond

Image Credit: Israel21c.org, GLXP

Wednesday / 13 February 2013

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CSCA Brings Space / Lunar Entrepreneurs, Mining Industry Together

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Canadian Space Commerce Association 2013 National Conference On 7 March In Toronto, Ontario, Canada; What Can Space Companies Learn From Canada Mining Industry & Vice Versa? Speakers Include Dale Boucher Of NORCAT, Robert Richards Of Moon Express, Rick Tumlinson (T) Of Deep Space Industries Inc., Peter Visscher (B) Of Artemis Jr / RESOLVE Project, Space Law Experts Ram Jakhu & Melissa Force 

Image Credit: CSCA

Tuesday / 12 February 2013

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Could Athena Again Launch Lunar Mission?

AthenaLaunch0213

Athena Emerging As Potential Launch Vehicle For Lunar Missions; More Launch Providers = More Competition / Lower Costs, Thus Goes Argument Inspiring US Air Force To Select Launch Vehicles Like Athena & Falcon 9; With Prior Success Launching A Lunar Mission (Lunar Prospector, 1998) The Lockheed Martin Rocket Could Also Be Viable Option For Emerging Commercial Space Moon Missions 

Image Credit: NASA, GLXP