Category Archives: Lunar Science

Wednesday / 13 November 2013

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9 Research Teams Selected For NASA SSERVI

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William Bottke – Southwest Research Institute, Boulder CO; Daniel Britt – University Of Central FL, Orlando FL; Ben Bussey – Johns Hopkins University APL, Laurel MD; William Farrell – NASA Goddard SFC, Greenbelt MD; Timothy Glotch – Stony Brook University, NY NY; Jennifer Heldmann – NASA Ames, Moffett Field CA; Mihaly Horanyi – University Of Colorado, Boulder CO; David Kring – Lunar & Planetary Institute, Houston TX; Carle Pieters – Brown University, Providence RI

Image Credit: SwRI, UCF, APL, NASA, Stony Brook U, CU, LPI, Brown University

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 8-11 Nov 2013

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LADEE / Chang’e-3 Conjunction: Opportunity For International Cooperation

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Dec Moon Landing Of China Chang’e-3 Could Provide NASA LADEE Orbital Mission Unique Opportunity To Collect Data On Ejected Dust From Descent Engines; Valuable For Planning Future Missions, Heritage Site Preservation, Lunar Base Development; Current USA Policy Impeding NASA From Arranging Such Collaboration With China; Apollo Moonwalkers Advocate For NASA To Begin Cooperation With China On Human Moon Return

Image Credit: NASA, CLEP, CNSA

Wednesday / 23 October 2013

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LunarSail Project Completes First Round Of Funding

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ARES Institute Raises Over US$15K Via Kickstarter Campaign; Mission To Demonstrate Ability Of Spacecraft To Navigate Itself Into Lunar Trajectory & Lunar Orbit With Solar Sail; Spacecraft Will Utilize CubeSat Design, Volume ~1000 Cubic Cm; Applying For Low-Cost / No-Cost Launch Under NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative, Due Date For CLI Proposals 26 Nov 2013; Project Leader Matthew Travis Says Mission Achievable For Under $100K

Image Credit: lunarsail.com

Wednesday / 16 October 2013

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Russia Scientists Look To Uncover
The Origin Of Life At Lunar Poles

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Evidence Of Origin Of Life (Volatile Compounds From Ancient Comets) May Be Found In Permanently Shadowed Craters At Lunar Poles; Russian Academy Of Sciences Space Research Institute Laboratory Head Igor Mitrofanov Says Studying Regolith From Moon Poles Will Provide Valuable Data About Both Moon & Comets; 2200-Kg Russia Luna-27 / Luna-Resurs South Pole Moon Lander (2017~2019) Will Feature Drill Capable Of Penetrating Up To 2 Meters Deep

Image Credit: Russian Academy of Sciences Space Research Institute

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 11-14 Oct 2013

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 LRO Preparing For Future
By Studying Past Missions

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Imaging Of Historic Hardware / Landers On Moon Remains Important Area Of Study For LRO;  Photometric Modeling Of Exhaust Plume Effects On Regolith Environment Using LROC-NAC Images Taken With Different Illumination Geometries Help Define Safe Operational Practices For Future Landing Sites; LROC Investigators Hope To Advance This Study With Before & After Images Of Chang’e-3 Landing Site

Image Credit: NASA, CNSA

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 4-7 October 2013

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GLXP Teams Poised To Make Valuable Contributions To Lunar Exploration

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Astrobotic Conducts Full Deployment Field Test Of Moon Cave Exploration Robot ‘Tyrobot’, Producing 3D Model Of A Pit In PA; Barcelona Moon Provides Info About Their Launcher / Lander / Rover & Budget (US$73M); Omega Envoy Set To Debut Student-Designed ‘Artemis’ Rover At Mini Maker Faire In FL, 5 Oct; Futron Says Potential For Lunar Markets From 2011-2019 Is ~US$1.56B 

Image Credit: GLXP, Futron

Friday / 4 October 2013

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GSC: Enabled Opportunities & Robotic Mission Synergies

GSC Conference 3-4 Oct

Golden Spike Company Lunar Workshop 2nd Day Includes Talks (L – R) On Lunar Exploration Orbiter To Study Environment & Mobile Payload Element To Assist Lander Missions (Ralf Jaumann), Lunar Lander Capabilities (Diego De Rosa), Multi-Mission Space Exploration Vehicle (Steven Chappell), Modular Heat Flow Probes To Understand Moon Interior, Origin & Structure (Seiichi Nagihara), Lunar Drills (Kris Zacny), Next Steps (Alan Stern)

Image Credit: GSC, TTU, DLR, ESA

Thursday / 3 October 2013

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Golden Spike Co Presents Its Human Lunar Mission Capabilities / Opportunities

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3-4 Oct Golden Spike Company Workshop At LPI In Houston TX To Provide Overview Of Plans / Projected Capabilities For Human Lunar Missions, Seek Input Re: Science / Exploration Priorities, Desired Future Capabilities For More Advanced Missions – South Pole Destination, Long-Duration Missions; Day 1: Clive Neal (L) Explains Rationale For Human Lunar Missions, Alan Stern (R) Overviews Golden Spike Missions, Landing Site Priorities, Panel Discussion

Image Credit: GSC, LPI

Wednesday / 2 October 2013

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LADEE In Final Phase Of Moon Trek

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US$280M Probe Completes 2nd Burn Perfectly, No Longer Needs Additional Burn To Reach Desired High Elliptical Orbit; When LADEE Reaches Moon Gravitational Field On 6 Oct It Will Make 197-Second Retrograde Burn Reducing Velocity To 267 Meters Per Second For Lunar Orbit Capture; Craft Will Then Perform 40 Days Of High-Altitude Science Checkouts & LLCD Operations Before Dropping To 50-Km Altitude To Begin 100-Day Science Operations

Image Credit: NASA

Friday / 20 September 2013

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LADEE Update, Moon Regolith Research

LADEE & Moon Regolith

LADEE In 2nd Phasing Loop Orbit Around Earth, Continues Instrument Checkout & Calibration Activities; Ultraviolet-Visible Spectrometer In Bake-Out To Boil Off Any Contaminants; After 3rd Orbital Loop Will Fire Thrusters To Achieve Moon Orbit, Study Moon Atmosphere & Dust; NASA MSFC & USGS Creating Simulated Lunar Regolith From Stillwater Mine Rocks In Nye, Montana To Support Future Lunar Exploration

Image Credit: NASA / GSFC, A. Reinhold