Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Continues To Provide Valuable Data From Lunar Orbit; Probe Has Acquired 10,000 Before & After Image Pairs Of Lunar Surface Since It Began Mapping Moon In Summer 2009; 225 New Impact Craters Ranging From 1.5m – 43m Identified; Recent Discovery Of 18.8m Crater From March 17, 2013 Impact Provided Valuable Opportunity To Test Impact Models & Study Top Meter Of Regolith
Image Credit: NASA
Private Enterprises Encouraged To Participate In China Chang’e-4 Lunar Probe / Lander Mission; China Officials Hope This Initial Step To Stimulate Commercial Space Industry Will Accelerate Technological Innovation, Improve Efficiency, Reduce Government Monopoly / Investment In Space Field, & Garner More Popular Support / Involvement; Private Companies Encouraged To Begin With Optical Instruments Before Moving To More Complex Remote-Control & Power Supply Equipment
Image Credit:CCTV, CLEP
Experts In Moon Exploration Such As (R-L) James Head, Carle Pieters, Maria Zuber & David Scott Will Gather In The Woodlands, Texas On 14-15 March For Brown University / Vernadsky Institute Microsymposium 56 The Crust Of The Moon: Insights Into Early Planetary Processes; Data & Discoveries From Recent Missions Chang’e-1 & 2, Chandrayaan-1, Kaguya, LRO & GRAIL Will Be Evaluated Identifying How They Improved Understanding Of Composition, Diversity, Layering, Thickness Of Lunar Crust; Key Outstanding Scientific Questions And Proposals To Address Those Questions Will Also Be Explored
Image Credit: brown.edu, mit.edu, ju.edu, NASA
ISRO Allocated US$1.2B For Space Activities In 2015-2016 Fiscal Year (Begins 1 Apr); Budget Includes $50M For Continued Development / Operation Of GSLV Mk-3 Which Is Capable Of Lifting 4 Metric Tons To GTO, Critical For Next Steps Of Moon Program & Carrying Out India Human Space Missions According To Former ISRO Director Suresh Naik; $47M For Space Science, Including $6.3M For Chandrayaan-2 Lunar Rover / Orbiter Should Land At Moon South Pole 2017 / 2018; India Is Garnering A Reputation For Accomplishing Challenging Space Missions With Efficient / Frugal Budget
Image Credit: ISRO, NASA
Principal Investigator Of GRAIL Mission, Maria Zuber, Will Give Presentation On Recent Discoveries Concerning The Interior Of The Moon, Thurs 26 Feb At University Of Arizona; Host Of International Lunar Orbiters / Landers Continuing To Advance Understanding Of The History & Potential Future Significance Of Earth’s Closest Neighbor; Currently NASA Has 3 Spacecraft Orbiting Moon (LRO, ARTEMIS), China Currently Has An Orbiter (Chang’e-5 T1), Lander & Rover (Chang’e-3 / Yutu) At Moon
Image Credit: NASA, CNSA
Korea Institute Of Science & Technology Displays Moon Rover Destined For Lunar Landing In 2020; Rover Is 50cm Wide, 70cm Long, 25cm High, Weighs 20kg (China Yutu Moon Rover Is 120kg); Project Elevated As National Objective By President Park Geun-Hye; Mission – Which Also Includes A Moon Orbiter – Expected To Cost ~US$630M; 2 Separate Launches Of Korea Space Launch Vehicle-2 Will Boost The Orbiter & Lander
Image Credit: Korea Institute Of Science & Technology, Korea.net
Next Generation Heavy-Lift Rocket, Long March-5, Engines Pass Successful Ground Test According To SASTIND; First Test Flight Planned For 2016; Booster Able To Lift 25 Metric Tons To LEO, 14 To GTO, Key Element For Lunar Sample Return Mission Chang’e-5; Service Module Of Chang’e-5 T1 Mission Currently In Orbit Around Moon, Still Providing China Lunar Exploration Program With Opportunities To Prepare For Sample Return Including Recent Experiment To Test Orbital Operational Capabilities
Image Credit: CNSA, CCTV
22nd LRO Project Science Working Group At Arizona State University This Week To Outline Research Priorities & Opportunities; NASA GSFC Recently Granted 2-Year Contract Extension To ASU For Management Of LRO / LROC Science & Flight Operations, Data Processing & Analysis; New Contract Goes Until 15 Mar 2017; No Operational Funds Were Requested For 2016 LRO Operations By Obama Administration; LRO Costs ~US$12.4M / Year; Strong Senior Review Rating, Support In Congress Indicate LRO Will Continue To Provide Valuable Data In Coming Years
Image Credit: NASA, ASU
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Finds 23 Parts-Per-Million-By-Weight More Hydrogen On Crater Slopes In Southern Hemisphere (Starting Between 50-60° S Latitude) That Face Lunar South Pole Than On Equator-Facing Slopes Possibly Due To Lack Of Sunlight / Evaporation; LRO In 30 X 180-Km Altitude Orbit Passing Over Lunar South Pole With 21st Data Set Release Upcoming, Not Yet Funded For 2016 According To NASA Budget; Team Including Timothy McClanahan Of GSFC To Determine If N Hemisphere Has Same Pattern, & Effects Of Lunar Day / Night Cycle
Image Credit: NASA, Institute for Space Research, GSFC
Chang’e-5 T1 Service Module Enters 127-Minute, 200-Km Lunar Orbit After 2-Month Stay At L2 Lagrange Point; China Officials Will Utilize The Probe To Conduct Long-Range Guidance Tests For Lunar Orbit Rendezvous & Docking In Feb & Mar; Orbiter Will Image Projected 2017 Chang’e-5 Landing Site With Its Dual-Resolution Camera In Early April
Image Credit: CNSA