Release #15 Of LRO Data Now Available At Planetary Data System Archive; New Data Was Acquired Between 15 Mar & 14 Jun 2013, From CRaTER, Diviner, LAMP, LEND, LOLA, LROC & SPICE Instruments; 6 More LRO Data Releases Scheduled, Final Release In Mar 2015; LROC WAC Data Used To Create Time-Lapse Video Of Full Rotation Of Moon
Image Credit: NASA
Team Indus Drawing Up Launch Contract With ISRO To Buy PSLV Launch For US$15M, Estimating Total Cost Of Mission ~US$30M; Several GLXP Team Members Present At European Planetary Science Congress In London To Raise Awareness Of NewSpace Lunar Missions Value / Credibility; Even Missions With No Scientific Payloads Could Provide Valuable Data: Action Of Dust During Landing, Surface Properties, Degradation Of Solar Panels By Dust & Radiation
Image Credit: GLXP, ISRO, EPSC2013
LADEE Launch — 6 Sep, 23:27 EDT, Wallops Island VA, Via Minotaur 5 Rocket — Promises To Provide Spectacular Show To East Coast USA Viewers; US$248M-Mission Will Test New System For Ultra-Fast Optical Data Transmission — 600 Mbit/s, Unravel Mysteries Of Lunar Atmosphere / Dust Environment, Premiere Common Spacecraft Bus; Next Flight Of The Bus Likely On Moon Express (ME) GLXP Mission NET 2015; ME Announces Paul Spudis New Chief Scientist, Jack Burns Added To Science Advisory Board
Image Credit: NASA, Moon Express
1000 VIPs Expected To Attend LADEE Launch This Fri, 6 Sep 23:27 EDT From Wallops VA; Scientists Enthusiastic To Learn More About Lunar Atmosphere, 1 / 100,000th The Density Of Earth’s, & How Atmosphere / Dust Will Affect Future Human & Robotic Explorers; Whether / When Any Of Those Explorers Will Be American Remains Unclear However As NASA Lacking Any Follow-Up Moon Missions On Current Schedule
Image Credit: NASA
Scientists Use Moon Mineralogy Mapper Data From Chandrayaan-1 Lunar Orbiter (R) To Make 1st Remote Detection Of Magmatic Water On Moon Surface; Significant Amounts Of Hydroxyl Discovered In 60-Km Wide Lunar Impact Crater Bullialdus (L) Near Equator Indicates Presence Of Water Which Originated Deep Within Lunar Surface; Data Provides Clues About Volcanic Processes & Internal Composition Of Moon
Image Credit: NASA, ISRO
Launch Of US$280M Mission, Scheduled For 23:27 EDT On 6 Sep, Will Be Visible To Tens Of Millions Of People Along America East Coast; First Lunar / Planetary Launch From Wallops Island Spaceport, VA; Inaugural Launch Of Minotaur 5 Rocket, 3 Of 5 Stages Made From Converted Cold War Ballistic Missiles; Debut Of Modular Common Spacecraft Bus Developed At NASA Ames, Smaller Version Of Which Will Be Used For Moon Express GLXP Mission
Image Credit: NASA
Michael Poston Georgia Tech Chemist Gives Update On Modern Lunar Water At LPI In Houston TX; IR Spectroscopy & Neutron Depletion Remote Sensing Data Support Idea Of Hydroxyl & Water Loss, Migration, Replenishment Cycle Each Lunar Day; Will Discuss Origins & Retention Mechanisms Of Volatiles, Discrepancy Of Water-Ice In Permanently Shadowed Regions, Apollo Sample Experiments, Solar Wind & Lunar Regolith Interactions
Image Credit: LPI, NASA, JHU/APL, CIW, NAIC, Arecibo Observatory
LADEE Partnering With Lewis Center For Educational Research & NASA JPL To Provide Students Opportunity To Help Track & Monitor Status Of Spacecraft In Flight; Students Will Remotely Control 34-M Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope From Their Classrooms To Determine Status & Position Of Craft; University Of Hawaii-Hilo Raising Funds To Send Intern Krystal Schlechter To Witness 6 Sep LADEE Launch From Wallops Flight Facility In VA
Image Credit: NASA, lewiscenter.org/gavrt/, imiloahawaii.org
After Unexpected Passing Of Long-Time NASA Lunar Scientist Mike Wargo, NASA Officials Petitioning IAU To Name Crater On Moon In His Honor; Initiative Sets Precedent For Those Seeking / Deserving A Lunar Presence In Some Form, Advances ‘Put Your Name On Moon’ Campaigns Of LRO, ILOA Lunar Missions To Another Level; High-Def Images Captured By Lunar Probes Reveal Millions Of Craters On Moon, Many Yet Unnamed
Image Credit: NASA, IAU
Innovative NASA Moon Orbiter Completes 3 Years Of Its Extended Science Mission, Additional Extension Likely As Probe Has Delivered Unprecedented Amount Of Data / Images; LRO Has Orbited Moon Over 18,000 Times, Traveling Over 200M Km, Produced Over 434 Terabytes Of Data, Laser Altimeter Conducted Over 6B Topographic Measurements; LRO Expected To Continue To Send Back Data Until Oct 2014, Though Additional 2 Years Possible
Image Credit: NASA