‘The Unknown Moon’ Workshop Hosted By JHU/APL & NLSI For High School Science Teachers On 24-28 Jun In Laurel MD; Will Provide Hands-On Classroom Resources, Tour Of Facilities, Opportunity To Interact With Lunar Scientists; ‘Lunar Workshops For Educators’ Hosted By LRO Mission Education & Public Outreach Program For Grade 6-9 Science Teachers On 24-28 Jun & 8-12 Jul In Greenbelt MD; Will Focus On Moon Science & Exploration
Image Credit: LRO E/PO, NASA, JHU/APL
Australia Scientists Led By Will Featherstone (R) Use GRAIL Data To Identify 280 Lunar Craters Never Before Mapped, Create Ultra-High Resolution Gravity Map Of Moon; Andrew Jordan (L) & University Of New Hampshire Team Utilize LRO Data To Explain How Galactic Cosmic Rays Penetrate Lunar Regolith & Transform Water Ice Into Molecular Hydrogen; Explanation Could Account For 10-100% Of Molecular Hydrogen Discovered By LAMP Instrument
Image Credit: NASA, University Of New Hampshire, Curtin University of Technology
ILO-X 180 X 70mm Telescope Built For ILOA Of Hawaii USA By Moon Express Launching To Moon 2015; Will Observe Galaxies, Stars, Planets, Moon, Earth; ILOA MoU With National Astronomical Observatories of China Enables Exchange Of ILO-X Observing Time With Lunar Telescope On Chang’e-3 Launching Late 2013; Also Collaborating With Golden Spike Co For Human Moon Missions (2018-2020); Learn More At Galaxy Forum China 22 Sep ‘Human Moon Missions: Giant Steps Into The Galaxy’
Image Credit: ILOA, NAOC
Researchers At University of New Hampshire & SwRI Report That Data From LRO’s CRaTER Validates Computer Models Which Indicate Lightweight Materials Offer Superior Shielding From Radiation; Lead Author Cary Zeitlin Of SwRI Calls Plastics “Pound-For-Pound More Effective For Shielding Against Cosmic Radiation Than Aluminum”; These Lower Mass Alternatives Open The Door To Deep Space Missions & A Permanent Human Presence On The Surface Of The Moon
Image Credit: NASA, SwRI, UNH
LADEE Passes Series Of Qualification Tests Conducted By National Technical Systems Inc At NASA Ames In CA; Spacecraft Subjected To High Levels Of Acoustics, Vibration & Shock Mimicking Launch / Space Travel, Is Now One Step Closer To 5 Sep 2013 Launch; Mission Will Utilize 3 Science Instruments To Gather Data On Lunar Atmosphere / Dust Environment From 50-Km Retrograde Equatorial Orbit
Image Credit: NASA, NTS
LRO LEND Instrument Provides Definitive Map Of Water Ice Deposits Across Moon Surface, Including South Pole (L) – Likely Destination Of Future Missions / Human Lunar Build-Out; Data From GRAIL Probes Explain Cause Of Lunar Mascons: Ancient Asteroid Impacts Melted Mantle, Caused It To Collapse Inward Creating Denser More Concentrated Areas, Subsequently Causing Gravitational Anomalies
Image Credit: NASA, FIAAA
29th International Symposium On Space Technology & Science In Nagoya Japan 2-9 June; Features 3 Sessions On ‘Missions To The Moon’; Sho Sasaki (Inset) Of NAOJ To Present ‘Sciences Of Human Exploration Of Lunar Polar Regions’; Mitsubishi Electric Corp To Present On Lunar Transfer Vehicle Proposal; JAXA Planing Selene-2 Lunar Lander NET 2018 As A Precursor / Technology Demonstrator For Human Moon Exploration
Image Credit: JAXA, ISTS, NAOJ
Up To 25% Of Moon Impact Craters May Be Made Up Of Asteroid Remnants; Study Co-Authored By Jay Melosh Of Purdue University In Cooperation With Chinese Academy Of Sciences, Used Computer Models To Simulate Lunar Crater Formation; Quarter Of Moon Impacts Occur At Less Than 43,130km / hr, Not Fast Enough To Obliterate Asteroids; Findings Also Indicate Protobiological Earth Materials May Be Present On Lunar Surface
Image Credit: NASA, Purdue University
Substantial Amount Of Water In Moon Interior Shown By Studies Of Hydrogen & Deuterium In Moon Rocks; Common Earth / Moon Water Source Indicates Earth Had Water When Impact Occurred & Formed Moon Or Water-Rich Meteorites Showered Both Soon After; Some Say Impact Heat Would Completely Boil Water Off, Others Say Moon Had Impenetrable Shell So Meteorite Water To Interior Not Possible; Separate Study Shows Moon Magnetic Field Present Until 3.56B Years Ago, 160M Years Longer Than Previously Believed
Image Credit: SRO/NASA/JPL-Caltech/Brown Univ./USGS
2013 Meeting Of The Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Will Be Held 14-16 Oct 2013 At The Johns Hopkins University / APL In Laurel, MD; The Scientific Questions, Measurement Techniques & Options For Exploring The Moon With Discovery-Class Missions Or With Payloads Flown On International Or Commercial Missions Will Be Discussed And Evaluated At The Meeting; Abstract Deadline 31 July
Image Credit: LEAG, LPI, usra.edu