Friday / 23 Mar 2018

Japan Funds Space Start-Ups And Considers Lunar Land Ownership Laws, India Researching Lunar Habitats

Japan Government To Offer US$940M (100B Yen) To Space Start-Ups To Double The Scale Of $11B Space Industry In Japan By 2030s; Planning To Give Commercial Companies Up To $100,000 Each, Japan Also Considering Drafting Laws Similar To USA And Luxembourg For Ownership Of Space Materials & Property; India In Talks With Japan For Lunar Polar Exploration Through 2018 Meetings, Hopes For Mission Proposal By March 2019; India Junior Minister For Space Jitendra Singh Confirms ISRO R&D On Lunar ‘Igloo’ Habitats

Pictured (L-R): Japan Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India Junior Minister Jitendra Singh, ispace Founder Takeshi Hakamada; Credits: ISRO, JAXA, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Tue / 4-8 November 2016

Reclaiming The Moon: America’s Preeminence In Space Starts With The Moon

return-to-moon-campaign-2016

Days Before USA 2016 Presidential Election, Congressman Jim Bridenstine (Rep-OK, Center) Discuses American Space Renaissance Act At LEAG Meeting For National Security, Economic Growth & Leadership, Stating “NASA Should Utilize Somewhere We Have Already Pioneered – The Moon”; Moon Could Provide Resources (Water, Solar Power, Regolith, Helium-3), Testing Ground For Human Solar System Complete Exploration & Settlement; Putting The First Woman On The Moon, Venturing For Science & Observation To Unexplored Moon South Pole, Solidifying Humans As Multi World Species Would Boost Any & Every Nation; Clear Vision Outlined By Incoming 2017 USA Administration From LEO To Moon And Beyond Could Set Up Strategic Path To Human Exploration Of Outer Solar System By End Of Century

Credits: NASA, US.gov, ESA, Foster + Partners

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 3-6 June 2016

SSR / PTMSS In Golden CO To Advance In Situ Resource Utilization

LED-6-3-16

Space Resources Roundtable (SRR), Planetary & Terrestrial Mining Science Symposium (PTMSS) In Collaboration With Colorado School Of Mines (CSM) And Lunar & Planetary Institute (LPI) Will Convene The 7th Joint Meeting On June 7-9 In Golden, Colorado; There Is Renewed Interest Worldwide In ISRU Activities And The Program Will Cover Related Issues With Regards To Moon, Mars And Asteroids Over 9 Technical Sessions; SRR Is Led By Angel Abbud-Madrid (T) Of CSM And The Program Speakers Includes John Hamilton (B) Of PISCES (Hawaii), Byung Chul Chang Of ISERI, Hanyang University (South Korea), Numerous NASA Representatives, And Others

Credit: SRR / PTMSS, CSM, PISCES

Friday / 22 January 2016

Rocket Reusability Significant For Cislunar Space Development

Moon Rocket, Mining

Paul Spudis Article In Air & Space Notes Advancement Of Reusable Craft Capable Of Soft Landing, As Demonstrated By SpaceX & Blue Origin, Directly Relevant For Permanent Return To Moon & Supporting Missions To Mars / Solar System; Would Require Automated Landers & Reusable Propulsion Systems Utilizing Propellants Manufactured On Moon (Cryogenic Liquid O2, H, Methane); Inevitable Frequent Moon Missions & Cheaper Access To Space Bolsters Need To Define Lunar Property Rights

Credit: P. Spudis, NASA, EADS Astrium

Tuesday / 24 November 2015

Lunar & Planetary Exploration Advance With Mining Potential Under U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act (CSLCA)

11242015H.R. 2262 Bill To Allow American Enterprises To Own / Sell Materials Mined From Other Celestial Bodies May Spur New Off-Planet Economy; House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R) States “This Bill Will Unite Law With Innovation Allowing The Next Generation Of Pioneers To Experiment”; Honeybee Robotics Beginning Field Testing Of Drill For Hard Surfaces On Mars / Other Planetary Bodies & Has Several Lunar Technologies Addressing Lunar ISRU With Robotic Percussive Digger & Pneumatic Miner; Shackleton Energy Co. Working On Solutions To Mine Lunar Ice For Conversion Into Rocket Fuel; Moon Express CEO Bob Richards (L) Also Praises CSLCA Stating “Our Goal Is To Unlock The Resources Of The Moon For The Benefit Of Humanity”

Credit: Honeybee Robotics, Shackleton Energy Company, Moon Express, Congress.gov

Thursday / 12 November 2015

Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act Bolsters NewSpace, Encouraging For Lunar Property Rights

11122015Private Aerospace & NewSpace Enterprise Emboldened By The Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act (S. 1297) Passed Earlier & Further Passage Of H.R. 2262 Allowing U.S. Citizens To Own Asteroid Resources They Obtain As Property; “This Off-Planet Economy Will Forever Change Our Lives For The Better Here On Earth” (L-R) Chris Lewicki President Of Planetary Resources; Rick Tumlinson, Deep Space Industries Co-Founder “This Bill Is A Historic Step Forward”; Bob Richards Of Moon Express Plans To Mine The Moon For Resources Including Gold, Cobalt, Iron, Palladium, Platinum, Tungsten & Helium-3; President Of Polispace & Co-Founder Of Space Frontier Foundation James Muncy Avidly Supports Commercial Space Entrepreneurship

Credit: NewSpace 2015, Deep Space Industries, Planetary Resources, Moon Express

Friday / 23 October 2015

Stanford On The Moon 2015:
Sustaining And Realizing The Vision

SOM 2015

Stanford On The Moon Conference Being Held 23 Oct 15:00-17:00 At Stanford Campus Bld 260, Rm 113 In Conjunction With 2015 Stanford Homecoming Reunion; Will Feature Presentation By (Pictured L-R) SOM Founder Steve Durst & Stanford Director Of Development (Humanities & Sciences) Denise Ellestad On SOM Endowment Fund, Sasha Maldonado From Stanford Student Space Initiative, Jim Keravala From Shackleton Energy Co. On Lunar Property Rights: Who Owns The Moon?; And Introduction Of SOM Advisory Committee Members

Credit: SOM, ILOA, SSSI/S. Maldonado, D. Ellestad, Shackleton

Thursday / 14 May 2015

Space Law Issues Raised As Asteroid & Lunar Mining Initiatives Advance

AsteroidMoon0515

Planetary Resources Launches 1st Of 2 Planned 2015 Asteroid Mining Demonstration Spacecraft Missions; Space Mining Experts Meeting In Canada Note Upcoming NASA Resource Prospecting Missions To Lunar Poles, Existing Canada & ESA Rovers That Could Be Used For Lunar Missions In Search Of Water-Ice; Experts Posit That Commercial Space Mining Is Likely Decades Away, Though Many Assert That A Mechanism For Regulating Space Mining / Addressing Property Rights Claims Needs To Be Established ASAP Before Commercial Asteroid & Lunar Missions Commence

Image Credit: Planetary Resources, NASA

Friday / 24 October 2014

Stanford On The Moon:
2014 Homecoming Reunion Conference

SOM 2014 Reuninon Conference

SOM 2014 Conference With The Themes “Sustaining & Realizing The Vision: The Next 50-75 Years” And “Who Owns The Moon?” Will Feature Dr. Bob Richards Of Moon Express Inc. & Steve Durst Of SOM, SPC / ILOA On Friday 24 Oct From 15:00-17:00 PDT; SOM Focuses On Significant Lunar Presence & Center For Stanford University In The 21st Century

Image Credit: ILOA, NASA, Moon Express, Stanford University

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 15-18 August 2014

Bigelow Aerospace Advancing Towards Goal Of Lunar Base

BigelowAstronauts0814

Preparations Underway To Launch BEAM Module To ISS In 2015, First Step Towards Independent Space Stations & Lunar Bases; Robert Bigelow (L) Believes Company Will Be Ready To Land Functional Lunar Bases On Surface Of Moon In 10 Years; ‘Lunar Depot Ares’ Would Have 990 Cubic Meters Of Habitable Space, House 12-18 Astronauts; Plan Hinges On Success Of Its Space Habitats, Lunar Property Rights Recognition, Interest From Private Companies / Nations; Bigelow Aerospace Intends To Form Sizable Astronaut Corps, Already Hired 2 Former Shuttle Astronauts, Plans To Have 4 More On Team By End 2014

Pictured: Bigelow Astronauts Kenneth Ham (R) & George Zamka

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace, NASA