Category Archives: Lunar Science

Tuesday / 15 October 2019

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Canada Institute For Earth And Space Exploration Works With Lunar Analog Mission

Canada Western University Opens Institute For Earth And Space Exploration; Opening Ceremony Includes Director Gordon Osinski (L) And Astronaut-Physician Dave Williams, Chair Of Western Space Advisory Council; Osinski And Ed Cloutis From University Of Winnipeg Will Participate In Future CanMoon Lunar Sample Return Analog Missions On Canary Islands With Mission Operations Manager Cassandra Marion; International Industry Days At CSA-ASC Headquarters In Quebec 17-18 Oct Will Include Representatives Of Brazil And Germany Space Industries

Credits: Western University, McGill University

Friday / 27 Sep 2019

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Zhongguo Scientists Measure Lunar Dust At Chang’e-3 Landing Site

Chang’e-3 Lander At Mare Imbrium Since December 2013 Contains Quartz Crystal Microbalance Used For Weighing Dust; Lanzhou Institute Of Physics Researchers Find That At Chang’e-3 Height Of 1.9 Meters Dust Accumulates At 0.0065 mg Per Square Centimeter Over 12 Lunar Days; Dust Is Considered Important For Human Return To Moon Both As A Challenge And Potential Resource; Now In Lunar Night 73, Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope Is Still Operational While Lander Is Powered Down To Allow For Chang’e-4 Communications

Credits: NAOC, CAS, NSA, ILOA

Friday / 13 Sep 2019

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Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter Resized And Rescheduled For 2022

Republic Of Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) Rescheduled To Launch July 2022; Size Of Spacecraft Increased From 500 Kg To 678 Kg To Allow More Science; US$166M Spacecraft Will Carry 4 Korea Payloads And Fly 9 Months Of 1-Year Mission In Elliptical Orbit To Maximize Science Return; Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) Will Use SpaceX Falcon 9 Booster; KPLO Will Carry NASA-Built ShadowCam Instrument To Search For Water In Permanently-Shadowed Lunar Craters

Credits: CNSA, NASA, KARI

Friday / 6 Sep 2019

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Zhongguo Chang’e-4 Makes Discoveries On Lunar Far Side While NCLE Tests Radio Astronomy Antennae

Chang’e-4 In 9th Lunar Day At Statio Tianhe In South Pole-Aitken Basin On Lunar Far Side; Lander Neutron Radiation Detector And Low-Frequency Radio Detector, Along With Yutu-2 Rover Infrared Imaging Spectrometer, Are Activated; Rover Discovers Mysterious ‘Gel-Like’ Substance On Surface; Netherlands-China Low-Frequency Explorer On Queqiao Orbiter Deploys And Tests Five 3-meter Antennae; NCLE Will Detect Frequencies Between 1 MHZ And 80 MHz; Radio Astronomical Observations Below 30 MHz Are Only Possible In Space

Credits: CNSA

Friday / 23 Aug 2019

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Planetary Scientists Support NASA Budget Request For Lunar Discovery And Exploration Program

76 Lunar And Planetary Science Community Members Sign Letter Supporting Lunar Discovery And Exploration Program Along With An Increased NASA FY2020 Budget Request; Scientists Point Out That Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Program Provides Opportunities For Science Payloads; Signers Of Letter Include (L To R) Clive Neal Of Notre Dame University, Jeffrey Taylor From University Of Hawai’i, Jack Burns From University Of Colorado, Carle Pieters Of Brown University, Astronaut Harrison Schmitt, And Bob Richards Of Moon Express

Credits: Moon Express, Notre Dame University, University of Hawaii

Tuesday / 13 Aug 2019

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LEAG Meeting In Washington DC To Analyze Lunar Exploration Issues – Abstracts Due 14 Aug

Lunar Exploration Analysis Group To Hold Annual Meeting 28-30 Oct At Washington DC Hilton; LEAG Aids NASA On Issues Related To Lunar Exploration; Executive Committee Includes Clive Neal (L) Of University Of Notre Dame, Louise Prockter Of Lunar & Planetary Institute, And Noah Petro (R) Of Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Team; Due Date For Poster Presentations Is 14 Aug; Meeting Is Supported By NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) In A Worldwide Collaboration

Credits: Hilton, Notre Dame, LPI, NASA, LEAG

Tuesday / 2 July 2019

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Buzz Aldrin Pivots Support Toward Moon Before Mars 

Buzz Aldrin, On Eve Of July Apollo 11 Observations, Says Stephen Hawking Convinced Him That Humans Should Return To Moon First; At Starmus V Festival In Zurich With Theme ‘A Giant Leap’ Aldrin Receives Stephen Hawking Medal For Lifetime Achievement, Recalls Visit To Cambridge UK And Late Physicist Tapping Out ‘Moon First’ On Computer; Aldrin Will Land In Luxembourg For USA Independence Day, Hopes That Costs Of Lunar Return Will Be Shared By International Partners

Credits: Starmus Festival, NASA

 

Tuesday / 14 May 2019

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European Lunar Symposium Draws NASA And International Scientists 

The 7th European Lunar Symposium Opens 21-23 May At Museum Of Science And Industry In Manchester UK; On Opening Day NASA Chief Scientist Jim Green (L) Will Talk About The Importance Of The Moon; Astronomer Tim O’Brien (R) Will Describe The 76-m Lovell Radio Telescope At Jodrell Bank And Its Historic Role Tracking Lunar Missions; On 23 May Emily Law Will Talk About Lunar Laser Retroreflectors; The Symposium Is Sponsored By ESA And The NASA-Created Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, A Worldwide Collaboration

Credits: NASA, Earth Science Information Partners, BBC

Thursday / 9 May 2019

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Korea Space Agency And NASA To Cooperate On Lunar Payloads And Science

Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) And NASA Agree To Jointly Develop Lunar Payloads And Launch Exploration Science Working Group; Stephen Clarke Of NASA Signs Agreement In Gwacheon With Choi Won-Ho And Choi Young-Jun Of KASI; Korea Scientists Will Develop Three Types Of Payload For Nine Privately Developed NASA Lunar Landers Starting In 2020; Soyeon Yi (L) Is Only Korea National Astronaut So Far; Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter Planned For Dec 2020 Launch On SpaceX Falcon 9

Credits: NASA, Ministry of Science, Korea Aerospace Research Institute

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 15-18 Mar 2019

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Symposium On Going To Moon To Stay Opens Lunar And Planetary Science Conference 

The 50th Lunar And Planetary Science Conference Opens 18-22 March At The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Near Houston, Texas; The Conference Close To NASA Johnson Space Center Will Draw Scientists From Around The World; LPSC Will Be Preceded 16-17 Mar By Microsymposium Organized By Brown University And SSERVI On Going To The Moon To Stay; Participants Will Discuss Transformative Lunar Science With Commercial Partners; Presentations Will Be From 6 NASA-Selected Lunar Payload Services Providers Including Lockheed Martin And Moon Express, Along With SpaceX And SpaceIL

Credits: Marriott, Wikimedia, CNSA