NASA / USRA Hosting Lunar Night Workshop 13 November Before Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Meeting; European Space Agency Investigating Capacity Of Lunar Regolith To Absorb And Store Heat; ESA System Would Use Mirrors To Channel Sunlight Through Regolith To A Heat Engine; Canadensys Aerospace Is Investigating Thermal And Energy Storage Technologies For Low-Temperature Environment Of The Moon
Image Credit: JAXA/NHK
JAXA And ANA Holdings Partner On AVATAR X Program To Develop Robotic Avatars To Remotely Build Lunar Camps, Support Long-Term Missions & Deep Space Exploration; Aims For Remote Lunar & Mars Construction, Space Station Operation & Maintenance, Space Entertainment & Public Travel; Consortium Phase Begins In 2018, Opening Construction Designs To Interested Space Industry Companies; Phase Two 2019 Building Of “AVATAR X Lab@OITA” In Oita, Japan To House Infrastructure, Telecommunication Hardware, Testing Facilities; Early 2020s Phase Three To Test In LEO, Leading To Final Phase On Moon, Beyond
Credits: JAXA, ANA Holdings, Inc.
Dedicated Scientist And Lunar Visionary Paul Spudis Passes On, Leaving Decades Of Vital Moon Research And Inspiring Advocacy For A Human Lunar Return; Spudis Emphasis On Value Of Moon, Human Spaceflight, Solar System Exploration Speaks To Latest USA National Space Program Goals To Create Permanent & Sustainable American-International Human Lunar Presence, Explore South / North Poles & Far Side, Utilize Resources, Conduct Varied Science Experiments; Lunar Community Sends Their Ad Luna, Ad Astra, And Aloha To Spudis
Credits: LPI, NASA, LRO
Third “Tipping Point” Solicitation By NASA – Focusing On Expanding Utilization Of Space, Enabling Efficient & Safe Space Transportation, And Increasing Planetary Surface Access – To Award $44M To 6 Companies: Blue Origin, SSL, ULA, Frontier Aerospace, Paragon SDC, Astrobotic; 10 Selected Technology Proposals Include Blue Origin Lunar Lander Cryogenic Liquid-Propulsion Systems Advancement And Precision Systems For Landing Anywhere On The Moon, Frontier Aerospace Deep Space Engine Flight Qualification As Part Of Astrobotic 2020 Peregrine Lunar Lander Mission, SSL In-Space Satellite Servicing
Credits: NASA, Blue Origin
Indian Space Research Organization Is Postponing Launch Of Chandrayaan-2 Moon Orbiter, Lander & Rover From October-November To Likely January — To Change Lander Design To Eliminate Risks From Vibrations During Rethrottling; U R Rao Satellite Centre Director Dr M Annadurai (M) Says The Mission Will Now Use GSLV MK-3 Rocket Instead Of MK-2 Due To Increased Rover Weight: Spacecraft Weighing ~3,290 Kg Total Will Take Max 2 Months To Reach Lunar Orbit; Annadurai Hopes To Manage End Of This Year To Roll Out Rs 800 Crore (US$117M) Chandrayaan-2 From Bengaluru To Sriharikota For Launch
Pictured: U R Rao, M Annadurai, ISRO Director K Sivan; Credits: ISRO, SAC
China Long March 3B Set To Launch Chang’e-4 Lander & Rover Dec 2018 To Lunar Far Side South Pole Aitken Basin; Lander To Carry High-Res Cameras, Low Frequency Spectrometer, “Lunar Lander Neutrons & Dosimetry”; Rover Equipped With Panoramic Camera, Lunar Penetrating Radar, Visible / Infrared Spectrometer, “Advanced Small Analyser For Neutrals”; Queqiao Relay Satellite At L2 Orbit; Longjiang-2 Operates In Elliptical Lunar Orbit Transmitting Images From Moon; Lunar Exploration Technology Exhibition Featuring 10-meter Moon Continues To 9 Oct At Beijing National Aquatic Center “Water Cube”
Credits: CNSA, CASC, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing National Aquatic Center, NASA
New Astrobiology Article Identifies Two Possible Windows For Habitability Of Life On Moon: Immediately Following Accretion Of Moon, And 100s Of Millions Of Years Later Following Outgassing From Volcanism; Authors Dirk Schulze-Makuch (L) At Washington State University & Ian Crawford (R) At University Of London Call For Obtaining Lunar Samples Of Deposits From Time Of Peak Volcanism ~3.5 Billion Years Ago To Determine Evidence Of Hydrated Conditions & Biomarkers
Credits: WSU, BBK, NASA, SSERVI, GSFC, Arizona State University
Apollo 11 Landing 49th Anniversary Honored This Year As Global Entities / Enterprises Plan Latest Moonrush With New Urgency: USA Allocates Resources To Return Humans To Moon 2020s With Long-Term Sustainability Goals, Leads Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway Development, Signs Collaboration Agreements With ESA, Israel, UAE; China Likely To Boost Space / Lunar Investment And Commerce In Response To New Trade Barriers, With Expected Innovation, Cooperation On New Frontiers; New Robust Lunar Programs / Partnerships Manifested By India, Japan, Russia, S Korea
Credits: NASA, White House, ESA, JAXA, CNSA (Pictured: Jim Bridenstine, Jan Woerner, Buzz Aldrin, President Trump)
Huntsville, Alabama Plans Apollo 11 Lunar Landing Celebrations Throughout Entire 2019; Saturn V Rocket Developed In Huntsville Launched 16 July 1969 To Take Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, & Michael Collins To Moon; Space & Rocket Center Aims To Have 1 Million Guests From All Over The World In 2019; Mayor Tommy Battle Says Huntsville Still “Working On A Pivotal Role In Producing The New Engines That Will Take Us Back”; Astrobotic Selects Dynetics Of Huntsville As Provider Of Propulsion System For Peregrine Lunar Lander
Credits: Space & Rocket Center, Lee Roop, Astrobotic
Space Week Apollo 11 Mission Anniversary 16 July Launch, 20 July Moon Landing, 24 July Splash Down Includes 2018 Apollo Contest At GSFC 15 July; Many Honor Unofficial Space Day 20 July With Reflection Of 1st Moon Landing; ‘Moon Day’ In Dallas 21 July To Include Lunar Classes, Moon Sample Viewings; Apollo Celebration Gala 21 July At Kennedy Space Center Will Observe 49th Apollo 11 Touchdown & Start 50th Year Observations; It Will Host Apollo Era Astronauts (LL-LR) Walt Cunningham, Harrison Schmitt, Rusty Schweickart, Tom Stafford, Plus 14 Additional Astronauts; NASA Plans Human Return To Moon & Beyond, Hopeful To Land 1st Women On Moon
Credits: NASA (Pictured: (TL-TR) Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin)