Category Archives: Lunar Science

Friday / 5 April 2013

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Russia Solidifies Moon Exploration Plans

Russia Moon 5 Missions

Igor Mitrofanov Of IKI Reveals Russia Moon Exploration Missions: 2015 Luna-Glob South Pole Lander To Analyze Regolith / Exosphere & Test Volatiles; 2016 Luna-Glob 100-km Altitude Polar Orbiter To Map Surface / Landing Sites; 2017 Luna-Resurs-1 South Pole Lander To Test Drilling System For Cryogenic Sampling; 2019 Luna-Resurs-2 Polar Sample Return Mission; 2020 Luna-Resurs-3 Rover To Study Surface & Store Subsurface Samples; Human Missions Could Follow

Image Credit: IKI, NASA, RSA

Thursday / 4 April 2013

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Lunar Geology: New Data, New Questions

LunarGeo0413

3 Years Of Ground-Based Monitoring Show Potential Volcanic Activity On Moon; Arlin Crotts (Inset) Of Columbia University Says Lunar Monitors In New York City & Chile Observed Instances Of Brightening On Lunar Surface In Aristarchus Plateau (R) & Other Areas Where Previous Lunar Orbiters Recorded Radon Outgassing; Research Led By Brown University Grad Student Deepak Dhingra Shows Lunar Impact Melt Not Always As Homogeneous As Previously Assumed

Image Credit: NASA, Columbia University, Brown University

Wednesday / 27 March 2013

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Moon & Vesta Commonalities Reveal Solar System History

LED Moon & Vesta

Scientists From NLSI Discover That Same Projectiles That Hit Moon 4B Years Ago Also Hit Vesta & Other Large Asteroids; Data Linked From Apollo Moon Rocks, Howardite / Eucrite / Diogenite (HED) Meteorites On Earth, Dawn Spacecraft Vesta Images & Computer Models; Supports Theory / Provides Details About Start & Duration Of Lunar Cataclysm – Jupiter / Saturn Were Repositioned Causing Destabilized Asteroid Belt & Solar System Wide Bombardment

Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/ASU/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 22-25 Mar 2013

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How To Illuminate A Permanent Shadow

ShadowsLRO0313

New NASA Goddard Video Shows How LRO Instruments Have Mapped Moon Polar Craters, Which Have Not Seen Sun For Over 2B Years Due To 1.6-Degree Lunar Tilt; LOLA Uses Lasers To Compose Topographic Maps; LAMP Measures Faint Light Of Other Stars; Diviner Measures Extreme Cold Temperatures; LEND Measures Speed Of Neutrons To Detect Elements Such As Hydrogen

Image Credit: NASA

Thursday / 21 March 2013

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LRO Helps Enhance GRAIL Legacy

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GRAIL Impact Craters Imaged By LROC; Twin 200-kg Orbiters Crashed Near North Pole On 17 Dec 2012 At Speed Of 6,070 km/h; Coordination Between 2 Mission Teams Allowed LRO LAMP Instrument To Analyze Ejecta Plume From Crash; Instrument Detected Mercury, Surprising For Sunlit Area; Results Added To Growing Understanding Of Nature Of Volatiles At Lunar Poles & How They Are Transported Around Moon

Image Credit: NASA

Wednesday / 20 March 2013

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Characterizing The Lunar Poles: Ben Bussey Seminar

BenBussey0313

Ben Bussey Of John Hopkins University APL Presenting Data – Acquired By Recent Fleet Of International Lunar Spacecraft – Characterizing Moon Poles, 27 Mar At NASA Lunar Science Institute In CA, USA; Results Useful For Planning Future Robotic & Human Missions; Geology Of Poles, Surface & Subsurface Properties, Possibilities For Surface Operations / Regolith Excavation / Drilling & Potential Instrumentation Needed For Science From / On Moon

Image Credit: NASA

Tuesday / 19 March 2013

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Golden Spike / LPI Human Moon Mission International Science Workshop

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International Science Workshop Hosted By Golden Spike Co & LPI, 3-4 Oct 2013 In Houston, TX; Overview Of Potential Landing Sites, Experiments & Geological Traverses GSC Astronauts Will Undertake On Moon Starting In 2020; Theme: Lunar Science After 20 GSC Human Moon Missions; Program Committee – Including Alan Stern (L), Steve Mackwell (R), Clive Neal – Hope Event Will Multiply Interest In GSC Missions From International Science & Space Agencies 

Image Credit: Golden Spike Co., Lunar And Planetary Institute

Thursday / 14 March 2013

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LRO Data Continues To Flow In

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13th LROC Planetary Data System Release Now Available; Includes 150,548 Images Totaling 24.77 TB, 9 LROC Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) Digital Terrain Models, 6 NAC Region Of Interest Products; Release Composed Of Data Collected Between Sep-Dec 2012; To Date LROC Team Delivered 970,789 Images & Over 8,743 Data Products (RDR); US$583 Million Mission Was Launched In June 2009

Image Credit: NASA

Wednesday / 13 March 2013

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Impact Seas Help Explain History Of Moon

BrownMoonLavaLake

Large-Scale Molten Seas Were Present On Moon Long After Early Moon Cooled Say Brown University Planetary Scientists Led By Grad Student William Vaughan; Data Shows 355-km Wide, 9.6-km Deep Sea Of Melted Rock Was Formed By Impact; 30 Large Lunar Impact Basins Produced About 100 Million Cubic Km Of Melt, Making Up 5% Of Moon Crust; May Account For Puzzling Findings From Lunar Samples

Image Credit: NASA, Brown University

Wednesday / 6 March 2013

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Lunar Conferences Upcoming In Houston, Texas

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Microsymposium 54, 16-17 Mar, To Feature Summary Of New Lunar Exploration Discoveries, Implications For Future Robotic & Human Missions To Lunar Poles & Far Side; 1,945 Oral / Poster Presentations On Latest Research In Planetary Science Expected At 18-22 Mar LPI / USRA Lunar & Planetary Science Conference, Features Special Session On GRAIL Mission Results; Both Events At The Woodlands, TX

Image Credit: LPI, NASA, Brown University