Category Archives: Lunar Science

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

Tuesday / 5 March 2013

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LOIRP Crowdfunding For Technoarchaeology

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Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project Crowd Funding To Continue Work Restoring Imagery From 1960s Moon Missions; Team Led By Dennis Wingo Has Created Over 600 Images & Processed Over 20 Terabytes Of Data, Still Have Over 700 Remaining Tape Drives / 850 Images To Process; Donations Received Will Be Used To Purchase 5 New Tape Drive Heads, Pay Engineering Team

Image Credit: LOIRP, Rockethub.com

Thursday / 28 February 2013

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Interplanetary Cubesat Missions Could Open Lunar Opportunities

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INSPIRE Mission Among 24 Small Satellites Selected By NASA To Fly As Auxiliary Payloads In 2014-2016; Dual 3U INSPIRE CubeSats Will Be 1st To Travel Beyond Earth Orbit, Demonstrating Functionality In Interplanetary Space; Relatively Affordable (~US$3M) Moon Missions By Universities & Private Organizations Likely To Follow; LunarCubes Missions Briefing 11 April 2013 At NASA KSC

Image Credit: NASA

Thursday / 21 February 2013

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  Australia Off Earth Mining Forum Introduces New Lunar Regolith Simulant

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Leonhard Bernold Of University Of New South Wales Presents At Australia ‘Off Earth Mining Forum’ About New Lunar Simulant Created By His Research Team; Substance – Made Up Primarily Of Fine Basalt Particles – Facilitates Tests Of Moon Mining Techniques, Equipment Such As 3D Printers, Waterless Lunar Concrete Formulas To Build Landing Pads & Habitats On Moon

Image Credit: University of New South Wales

Wednesday / 20 February 2013

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Wet Moon Rocks Challenge Moon Origin Theory

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Analysis Of Apollo Moon Rocks –  Led By Hejiu Hui Of University Of Notre Dame – Throws Moon Origin Theory Into Question; Modern Instruments Able To Detect 6 ppm Of Water In Interior Of Genesis (R) & Other Apollo Rocks Once Thought To Be Dry; Researchers Estimate Early Moon Magma Contained Up To 320 ppm; Impact Theory Of Moon Formation (L) Does Not Account For These Damp Findings 

Image Credit: nasa.gov, nd.edu

Friday / 8 February 2013

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LRO Increases Knowledge Of Crater Morphology On Moon & Earth

LRO LED

Recent LRO Narrow Angle Camera Images Of 2.2-km Wide 0.6-km Deep Linné Crater, Less Than 10M Years Old & Very Well Preserved, Provide Detailed Topography Of Cratering In Mare Basalt; Laser Mapping Shows Truncated Inverted Cone Shape, Flattened Interior Floor, Sloping Walls; 3D Model ‘Barnstorming’ Flyover Video Created

Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

Thursday / 7 February 2013

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Lunar Exploration Summer Intern Program

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Application Deadline 1 March For LPI Summer Intern Program At NASA JSC; Interns Will Evaluate The Study Generated By Previous Student Teams – ‘Global Landing Site Study To Provide Context For Exploration Of The Moon’ – Then Conduct Detailed Assessment Of 1 Or 2 High-Priority Landing Sites Identified In That Report; Will Utilize Latest Lunar Data, Explore Potential Traverse Routes / Stations, ID Challenges; Program: 28 May- 2 Aug 2013

Image Credit: NASA, LPI