Friday / 21 November 2014

Galaxy Forum Hawai`i Focuses On Galaxy &
Moon Education, Exploration

GF Hawaii 2014

Galaxy Forum Hawaii 2014 In Waimea Raised The Question ‘Why The Moon?’; International Participants From Indonesia, Thailand, Canada, USA Discussed Certainty Of Role Of Moon In Human Space Exploration Future: Resources & Solutions For Earth, 1st Step Into Solar System & Galaxy; During Panel Discussion Moderated By (L-R) Sherry Bracken Of HPR, Panelists Student Melissa Adams, Chris Sallaberger Of Canadensys, Hawaii Educators Justin Brown, Janine Bonham, Janice Somerville Noted Largest Obstacles For Return To Moon Were Lack Of Education & Allocating Funds

Image Credit: ILOA, HPR, UH Hilo, et al

Thursday / 20 November 2014

UK Privately-Funded Mission To
Moon South Pole 2024

UK Moon South Pole

Lunar Mission One‘ Proposed By British Space Consultant David Iron To Send Lander To Moon South Pole, Bore At Least 20 Meters Into Crust, Extract & Analyze Samples; After 6 Months Of Science, Craft Will Then Seal Capsules Of Human DNA (Strands Of Hair) & Digital Data (Messages, Photos, Videos) In Boreholes; Planning To Launch 2024, Mission To Be Funded Entirely By Public, Estimated To Cost £500M (~US$784M); Initial £600K Crowdfunding Campaign Running Until 17 Dec

Image Credit: Lunar Missions Ltd

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 7-10 November 2014

Hawai`i Island Hosting ‘The Next Giant Leap’ Moon Conference

NGLC Hawaii

Hawaii Conference On Leveraging Lunar Assets For Sustainable Pathways To Space 9-13 November At Waikoloa Marriott Will Highlight Benefits / Opportunities / Technologies For Making Use Of Cislunar Space & Moon Resources, Multinational Private-Public Missions & Goals, Extending Human Presence Throughout Solar System; Featured Guests Include (L-R, T-B) Buzz Aldrin, Louis Friedman, Bob Richards, Bruce Pittman, Jim Keravala, Jim Crisafulli, Senator Will Espero

Image Credit: PISCES, UH Hilo, SFF, Telegraph, ME, NSS, et al

Friday / 7 November 2014

Moon Educator & Cislunar Space Workshops Promoting Lunar Science

Lunar Workshops

Lunar Educator Workshop For 45 Teachers Will Feature Apollo Missions Moon Rocks & Regolith At JPL In Pasadena CA 8 Nov; International Workshop On Scientific Opportunities In Cislunar Space: Lunar Science Illuminating The Universe On 9 Nov In Tucson AZ To Focus On Testing Deep Space Instruments In Cislunar Space (LEO To Moon Far Side Halo Orbit LL2) & Cislunar Scientific Analogs Which Can Imitate Many Extreme Conditions From Mercury To Pluto

Image Credit: NASA, Select Investor

Wednesday / 5 November 2014

USA Advancing Moon Resource Prospecting Missions

NASARPMflashlight

2 Separate NASA Moon Missions Seek To Advance Human Capacity To Live Off-World; Lunar Flashlight PI Barbara Cohen Of NASA Marshall SFC Says Solar Sail Orbiter Mission, With The Goal Of Obtaining Data Of Purity & Accessibility Of Lunar Volatiles, May Launch On Debut SLS Flight In Late 2017; Resource Prospector Mission Project Scientist Tony Colaprete Of NASA Ames Says Rover Mission Will Map & Collect Samples Of Surface / Subsurface Hydrogen At 2 Yet-To-Be-Determined Polar Sites; Demonstration Of ISRU Could Facilitate Human Moon Settlement

Image Credit: NASA

 

Tuesday / 21 October 2014

Lunar Scientists Gather For
LEAG Annual Meeting 22-24 Oct

LEAG Oct 22-24

Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Meeting Taking Place 22-24 October In Laurel MD At JHU/APL; 3 “Current Understanding” Sessions On Lunar Volatiles With Major Focus Moon South Pole / Permanently Shadowed Craters, Solar Wind, Data From LRO / LADEE / ARTEMIS, Potential For Human Stays On Moon; 2 Sessions On Future Exploration Instruments, Missions, Techniques, Strategies & Opportunities; 50+ Speakers (L-R) Include Jacob Bleacher (NASA), John Thorton (Astrobotic), James Carpenter (ESA)

Image Credit: LEAG, JHU/APL, NASA

Wednesday / 15 October 2014

Space Horizons 2015:
McMurdo On The Moon?

LED101514Brown University Hosts Annual NASA Sponsored Event Space Horizons 2015, 18-19 Feb; Antarctic McMurdo Station Inspires Asking “What Can 50+ Years Of Science In The Toughest Setting On Earth Tell Us About Working On The Moon?”; Workshops Examine Analog For Breakthrough Technologies To Realize Lunar Settlement; Brown’s 250-Year Anniversary Celebration Highlighted By Contributions In Planetary Science; Cutting Edge Virtual Reality Exhibit Allows Viewer To Fly Over Moon And Antarctica; Online Registration Now Open

 Image Credit: USAP, NASA, Brown University

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 10-13 October 2014

Moon Orbiter Research, Data Findings & Awards Continue

Orbiters

LRO In Its 6th Year At Moon Traveling In Elliptical 30 X 180-Km Altitude Orbit Passing Over Lunar South Pole, 20th Data Set Release Upcoming – Collecting Data On Moon Radiation (CRaTER), Cold Traps (Diviner), Permanently Shadowed Regions (LAMP), Landing Sites (LOLA), Radio Images (Mini-RF), B&W Optical Images (LROC), Color & Ultraviolet Images (WAC), Hydrogen Distribution & Radiation Neutron Component (LEND), Imaging Chang’e-3; LADEE Receives Popular Mechanics 2014 Breakthrough Award; GRAIL Data Reveals Ocean Of Storms Rift Valleys

 

Image Credit: NASA, Colorado School of Mines

Friday / 10 October 2014

Moon Spacecraft Lunar Eclipse Observations

Spacecraft Lunar Eclipse

China Chang’e-3 Moon Lander At Sinus Iridum / Mare Imbrium, 44.12°N 19.51°W Operating In Lunar Day 11, Observations / Images Expected From 8 Oct Total Eclipse Of Sun By Earth As Seen From Moon; Through MoU With NAOC, ILOA Encouraging These & Other Types Of Innovative Lunar Astronomy Observations; NASA LRO In Moon Orbit Will Transmit Data Collected On Effects Of Lunar Eclipse On Moon Surface Temperatures; Next Eclipse 4 Apr 2015

Image Credit: CCTV, CNSA, Stellarium, K. Kremer, M. Lorenzo, B. King, NASA

Thursday / 9 October 2014

Russia To Outline Lunar Exploration Plans At Solar System Symposium

5MS3

The 5th Moscow Solar System Symposium On 13-18 Oct At The Russia Space Research Institute (IKI) Will Feature An Overview Of Upcoming Russia Lunar Missions; Lev Zelenyi (C) & Igor Mitrofanov Of IKI Will Detail The Planned Sequence Of Missions: Luna-Glob, Luna-Resurs, Luna Grunt & Then Discuss The Integrated Program Of Roscosmos Human & Robotic Missions; Bérengère Houdou (L) Of ESA Will Address Europe-Russia Lunar Exploration Cooperation;  Additional Lectures Will Evaluate Potential Lunar Subpolar Landing Sites & The Boguslawsky Crater Landing Site Selection For Luna-Glob

Image Credit: IKI, ESA