Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Annual Meeting, 22-24 Oct 2012, To Highlight How Moon Is Necessary Stepping Stone For Mars, Jupiter, Rest Of Solar System, Presentations On Science Objectives, Robotic Human Exploration Strategies / Technologies, Commercial Opportunities, Education & Outreach; Contributed Abstracts Should Be Centered On Plans For Next Decade Of Lunar Exploration
Image Credit: LPI, LEAG, NASA
Now In Extended Mission, LROC has Mapped Entire Moon 33 Times, Each Map With Different Photometric Geometry; About Every Month Spacecraft Makes New Mosaics Of North & South Poles; Found Over 160 Lunar Caves With ‘Skylights’; Project Scientist Richard Vondrak Says LRO Is “Just Getting Started”; Pictured: Recent LROC Oblique View Of Giordano Bruno Crater (35.9°N 102.8°E), Download Video Of Crater Here
Image Credit: NASA
Chang’e-3 Moon Rover Will Utilize Nuclear Battery Which Could Last Up To 30 Years, Survive Cold Lunar Nights; Radar Payload Will Scan About 100 Meters Below Lunar Surface; Vehicle Will Hover 4m Above Moon Before Dropping To Surface; China Conducting Tests Of Next-Generation Engine For Long March 5 Rocket Critical For 3rd Stage Of Lunar Exploration Program, Including Chang’e-5 Sample Return
Image Credit: CNSA
LROC PI Mark Robinson Speculates Vast Lava Tubes May Be Present Under Lunar Surface Based On Kaguya, LRO Data; Such Caves Could Be Suitable Interim Shelters For Explorers; Scientists At Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Studying ‘Mini-Magnetospheres’, Magnetic Anomalies That Protect Areas Of Moon From Solar Wind; Data May Lead To Artificially Manipulated ‘Deflector Shields’
Image Credit: NASA, RAL
Speaking At Lunar Science Forum, NASA Planetary Sciences Division Director Jim Green Says Science & Human Exploration Sectors Will Get Closer As Exploration Moves Out From Earth Orbit; Rechartered Lunar Science Institute Will Have ‘Flexible Path’ Focus On Moon, Mars, NEOs; Human Spaceflight Architecture Team Outlines Importance Of Cis-Lunar Space In Future Global Space Exploration
Image Credit: NASA
Final Day Of NASA Ames Lunar Science Forum To Include Presentations On Prospective USA Human Moon Missions; Jack Burns (TR) Previews 1st Human-Robotic Mission To Lunar Farside Using MPCV At Earth-Moon L2 & Tele-Operated Rover (L), Bill Gerstenmaier & John Grunsfeld Discuss Science & Human Exploration Collaboration; Noah Petro (BR) Sheds Light On Next Generation Of Lunar Scientists / Engineers
Image Credit: NASA, astronomynow.com
5th Annual Lunar Science Forum Begins Today At NASA Ames Research Center, California (17-19 July); Plenary Session 1 Opens With Overview Of 3 USA Missions / 5 Spacecraft Currently In Moon Orbit; Maria Zuber: 1st Science Results From GRAIL; Jasper Halekas: 1st Results From ARTEMIS; Mark Robinson: Exploring The Moon With LROC; Greg Delory To Provide Status Update Of NET 2013 LADEE Mission
Image Credit: NASA
2nd Conference On Lunar Highlands Crust 13-15 July 2012 In Bozeman, MT; Review Of Data Gained Since 1st Meeting In 1979 Through Studies Of Optical Remote Sensing, Lunar Meteorites, Remote Sensing & Individual Rocks; Presentations By (R-L) Carle Pieters, Paul Lucey, Maria Zuber, Bradley Jolliff, Lars Borg; Field Trips To Stillwater Mine, Picket Pin Mountain
Image Credit: LPI, LLNL, brown.edu, hawaii.edu, wustl.edu, mit.edu
Shielding From Earth Ionosphere & Radio Interference Required To Explore ‘Dark Ages’ Of Universe / Receive Radio Waves Below 100 Megahertz; Far Side Of Moon Seen As Ideal Location; Jack Burns / CU Boulder Team Proposing Dark Ages Radio Explorer (DARE) Lunar Orbiter To Collect Neutral-Hydrogen Signals From 80-420M Years After Big Bang; Ultimately Seeking To Deploy Large Antennas In 180-Km-Wide Tsiolkovskiy Crater
Image Credit: NASA, University Of Colorado At Boulder
4 July ILOA Galaxy Forum USA In Silicon Valley CA Sets Transcendent Tone For Space Month 2012; Lunar Initiatives / Research Advancing Through LunaGradCon 2012 / NASA Lunar Science Forum In CA, SFF NewSpace Conference 2012, Lunar / Mars Exploration & Base Construction Event In CO, Lunar Highlands Crust Conference In MT
Image Credit: NASA, SFF, ILOA