Category Archives: Lunar Science

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 11-14 Jan 2013

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USA Preparing To Delve Deeper Into Lunar Exploration

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As GRAIL Mission Data, Including Imagery Of Spacecraft Surface Approach, Continues To Flow Through Scientific Community, NASA Invests In Technology Development To Search For Water Deposits Inside Permanently Shadowed Moon Craters; US$300K Contract Awarded To Xylem Inc. To Develop Specialized Mass Spectrometer For RESOLVE Mission Lunar Rover; With Sufficient Authorization & Funding USA / Canada Mission Could Land On Moon In 2017

Image Credit: NASA, Xylem Inc.

Thursday / 10 January 2013

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Research Proposals Sought For NASA Lunar Science Institute Successor

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Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute Will Succeed Current NLSI; NASA Soliciting Multi-Institutional Proposals For Research As Participating Members Of New Institute; Scope Of Research Is Fields Of Lunar, NEA, Martian Moon Sciences; Preference Given To Research Involving Both Planetary Science & Human Exploration Of Target Bodies; Approximately 7 New Teams Will Be Selected

Image Credit: NASA

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon, 4-7 Jan 2013

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Moon Lander Scenarios For NASA

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Impending 2013 China Moon Lander Should Inspire USA To Renew National Robustness In Lunar Surface Exploration; NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Working On Mini Lunar Landers, Original 2013 Launch Date Delayed To ~2018 Due To Inconsistent Funding / Support / Incentive; With US Government Commitment Of ~US$200-300M  NASA Could Achieve Robotic Lander / Power Station On Lunar South Pole ‘Peak Of Eternal Light’ Within 2 Years

Image Credit: NASA, ESA

Friday / 4 January 2013

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Next NASA Moon Orbiter

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LADEE Spacecraft Scheduled For Launch Via 5-Stage Minotaur 5 Rocket On 12 August From Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport On Wallops Island, VA; 3 Main Science Instruments Recently Integrated On Craft: Ultraviolet & Visible Light Spectrometer, Neutral Mass Spectrometer, Lunar Dust Experiment; Mission Will Pioneer NASA Modular Common Bus Architecture, Also Set For Use By Moon Express GLXP Mission

Image Credit: NASA

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 21-24 Dec 2012

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ILOA Preparing For Historic Year In 2013

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In 2013 International Lunar Observatory Association Will Participate In The First Moon Surface Mission In 37 Years, Conducting Galaxy / Astro Observations With Chang’e-3 Lander UV Telescope; NET Early 2015 ILO-X Precursor Mission Payload Will Land On Moon Aboard GLXP Front-Runner Moon Express Craft; Primary ILO-1 Observations / Communications Mission With MDA, ME To South Pole NET Late 2015; ILO Human Service Mission By 2020 Advancing Through Partnership With Golden Spike Co.

Image Credit: ILOA, Moon Express, CASC, Golden Spike Company

Lunar Enterprise Daily Will Return NLT 3 January 2013

Aloha

Wednesday / 19 December 2012

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USA Moon Missions Update

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With Crash Landing Of Twin GRAIL Craft Into Side Of Mountain Near Lunar North Pole, USA / NASA Now Has 3 Probes Orbiting Moon (LRO & Artemis); Next Orbital Mission – Lunar Atmosphere & Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) – Set For Launch May 2013; Since Ending Apollo NASA Has Conducted 6 Crash Landings (4 Missions) On Moon Surface, 0 Soft Landings

Image Credit: NASA

Wednesday / 12 December 2012

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GRAIL Mission Coming To Close

Twin Probes Ebb & Flow To Impact Moon Surface On 17 Dec Ending Successful US$496M Mission; Launched Sep 2011, Crafts Arrived In Lunar Orbit Last New Year’s Eve / New Year’s Day; Provided Ultra-Precise Measurements To Construct Accurate Map Of Lunar Gravity Field; Showed Moon Crust Completely Pulverized Suggesting More Violent Early History Of Inner Solar System Than Previously Believed; NASA To Host Press Conference 13 Dec To Discuss Impact

Image Credit: NASA, ESA

Thursday / 6 December 2012

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Telepresence Tours Of The Moon

Peter Kokh Speculates On Plausibility Of Telepresence Tours Of Moon In Moon Miners’ Manifesto Nov 2012 Issue #260; Predicts Telepresence Technology Could Advance Through Private Enterprise Investment; By 2019 ‘Moon Telepresence Booths’ Could Allow Public To Experience Working On Moon; Would Increase Interest / Support Of Lunar Exploration, Technology Could Also Be Used In Science / Exploration

Image Credit: NASA, Moon Society, howstuffworks.com

Wednesday / 5 December 2012

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Lunar Dust-Tracking Laser Has Terrestrial Applications

KSC Physicist John Lane Working On Project To Track Lunar Dust / Protect Apollo Sites From Future Moon Landers; Lane Used Terrestrial Rain Drops As Analog To Calibrate Laser Sensor, Consequently Discovered System Could Improve Rainfall Measurements / Weather Forecasting; NASA Considering Placing Laser Sensor On GLXP Team Lander To Help Formulate Restrictions For Future Landers Concerning Safe Distance From Apollo Sites 

Image Credit: NASA, Popular Mechanics

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 30 Nov – 3 Dec, 2012

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Implications Of Water On Mercury & Moon

Recently Released Results From Mercury Mission MESSENGER Indicate Plentiful Deposits Of Water Ice At Its Poles 10-20cm Thick; Similar To Moon, Deposits Are Collected In Deep Impact Craters; UCLA Professor David Paige Says Studying Moon Poles Helped Researchers Develop Techniques To Research Water On Mercury; Findings Of Water On Harsh Environments Of Moon & Mercury Indicate Water Ice Is Common Component In Solar System / Universe

Image Credit: UCLA, NASA