Category Archives: Moon Exploration

Thursday / 14 Dec 2017

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Chang’e-3 Begins 5th Year On Moon Continuing LUT Astronomy While Chang’e-4 Prepares For 2018 Launches With VLF Antennas

Dec 14 Marks Full 4 Years Of Operating On Lunar Surface For Chang’e-3, Currently In 50th Lunar Night; China Plans To Launch Chang’e-4 Lander & Rover In Dec 2018 To Accomplish 1st Ever Lunar Far Side Mission, Likely In South-Pole Aitken Basin; Relay Satellite To Earth-Moon L2 To Be Launched First In June; Both Lander & Satellite To Carry 3 Orthogonal Low-Frequency Radio Spectrometer Antennas For Astronomical Measurements Below 30 MHz; Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission Now Manifested For NET 2018

Credits: SASTIND, Wen Wei Po, CNSA

Tuesday / 12 Dec 2017

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Space Policy Directive 1 Orders Human Return To Moon, Then Beyond

U.S. President Signs SPD-1, Redirecting National Space Policy For Human Expansion Across Solar System, Starting With Landing Humans On The Moon; Plans For Sustainable Program With Commercial & International Partners; National Space Council Scott Pace States “We Want To Expand & Include More Countries In That Effort”; USA To Launch Astronauts With Space Launch System & Orion Crew Vehicle For Moon Flyby ~2021; NASA 2019 Budget Request To Reflect New Directive; Guests Attended Signing Include Buzz Aldrin, Jack Schmitt, Peggy Whitson, Astronaut Candidate Christina Koch, Robert Lightfoot & Eric Stallmer

Credits: NASA, Aubrey Gemignani, CNN, Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum

Friday / 8 Dec 2017

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Russia Advancing Luna-25 Lander & Luna-26 Orbiter Missions With New Contracts

First Russian Return To Moon Luna-25 To Land Near South Pole 2019; Roscosmos State Corporation Contracts ~2 Billion Rubles (~US$34M) For Luna-26 Orbiter To Complete By 2020 Feb 29: NPO Lavochkin Receives 80% Contract Value; Luna-26 Weighing <2200kg Will Relay Data From Luna-25 Lander In Boguslavsky Crater; Together Will Study Solar Wind Interaction With Moon Surface — May Inform Future VLF Astronomy

Credits: NPO Lavochkin

Friday / 1 Dec 2017

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JAXA And ISRO To Collaborate On Lunar Sample Return Mission

JAXA President Naoki Okumura And ISRO Chairman Kiran Kumar Sign Memorandum Of Understanding To Collaborate On Future Lunar Missions: Lander With Rover To Study Water & Return Soil Sample; Agencies To Finalize Implementation Agreement In Next 2 Months After Recent 24th Session Of Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum in Bengaluru; Also To Collaborate On Climate Change Monitoring

Credits: ThePrint, APRSAF, ISRO, JAXA

Thanksgiving Weekend Edition
Thu-Mon / 23-27 Nov 2017

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Lunar Interests / Plans Accelerate Globally

Moon Village Association / ESA Records Progress At ISU In Strasbourg, France; US National Space Council Working Scenarios For 3-7 Year Human Moon Return; India Early 2018 Chandrayaan-2 Moon South Pole Touchdown Could Startle Global Space Communities; China Expanding Astronomy From The Moon Activities With Chang’e-4 VLF Payloads And Technology; India-Japan Announce Lunar Sample Return Collaboration; Canada Space Agency LEAD Project To Support International HERACLES Moon South Pole Mission Concept; Prospective Candidates For ‘First Woman On The Moon’ Rising

 Credits: ESA/ Foster + Partners, WH.gov, ISRO, CAST, JAXA, SPC / ILOA, CSA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 17-20 Nov 2017

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ILOA Participating In Moon Village Association Workshop After Completing 10-Year Commemoration Of ILOA Organization

Moon Village Association 1st Workshop Being Hosted At ISU In Strasbourg, France 19-21 November Featuring ESA Director General Jan Woerner, Bernard Foing, Clive Neal, Experts From China, India, Japan, Russia, USA And Commercial Space Including International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA);  10-Year Successful Observation Of ILOA Founding Celebrated This November With International Directors From Southeast Asia, Europe, Canada, China, Japan – And Specific Proposal Of ILOA Collaboration With Newly-Formed International Moonbase Alliance Of Hawaii Could Add Another Dimension To Global Goal Of Moon Village Advancement

Credits: ILOA, ESA, ISU

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 10-13 Nov 2017

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Human Moon Missions Could Advance World Peace And Cosmopolitan Culture

Hawai`i Galaxy Forum 2017 – Kamuela 8 November Featuring Hawaii Mayor Harry Kim Speaking On Mauna Kea As A Living Monument For World Peace From A Truly Cosmopolitan And Aloha People, Joins Cultural Practitioner Kimo Pihana, International Lunar Observatory Association, A Panel Of Astronomical / Astronautical Experts From Canada, Japan, China, Europe And South East Asia, As Well As A Subaru Astronomer Focusing On Exoplanets – To Explore The Quest For Knowledge, Enhance Collaboration And Mutual Respect Needed To Face Challenges To Reach The Stars, And Highlight The Moon As A New Frontier To Fulfill Pledge “In Peace For All”

Credits: ILOA, CFHT, G. Mitchell

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 3-6 Nov 2017

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American Lunar Updates: CATALYST, Next NASA Admin, HERA, Moon Express New Hire

Lunar Cargo Transportation And Landing by Soft Touchdown (CATALYST) Program To Spur Moon Commercial Cargo Transportation & Enable New Science / Exploration Being Extended 2 Years For Astrobotic, Masten Space Systems, Moon Express – Jason Crusan Of NASA States ‘Its Optimistic These Companies Could Deliver Payloads In 2018’; Nominee For Next NASA Admin Jim Bridenstine Testifies In Front Of Senate Committee, Awaiting Confirmation; JSC In Houston 4-Person 45-Day Spaceflight / Moon / Mars Mission Analog Campaign 4: Mission 3 Of Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) Ongoing Until Dec 4; Dr. Alain Berinstain Of Canada Joins Moon Express As VP Of Global Development

Credits: NASA, Moon Express, A. Berinstain, Astrobotic

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 27-30 Oct 2017

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India Chandrayaan-2 Pioneering
Moon South Pole

ISRO Confirms Q1 2018 Plan To Deploy Orbiter, Attempt Lunar South Pole Touchdown With Lander And Rover; Chandrayaan-2 Project Director Mylswamy Annadurai States Specific Landing Site Is Not Yet Determined, Total Mission Cost US$93M, Lift-off Mass 3,250 kg; First Mission Ever To New Frontier Moon South Pole And India 2nd Mission To Moon Could Prove To Be Game Changer For Lunar Base Build Out, Resource Prospecting, Science, Energy / Technology Advancements; Payloads On-board Lander Include Thermal Sensors For Temperature, And RAMBHA To Measure Near-Surface Plasma & Its Changes

Credits: ISRO, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 13-16 Oct 2017

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Busiest Year For Moon Landings Since 1970s:
2018 India And China Lunar Lander Plans

India Chandrayaan-2 Lander, Rover & Orbiter Expected To Launch To Moon Polar Region March 2018 On GSLV Mk 2; China Chang’e-3 Lander Still Operating On Moon Surface Could See CE-4 Orbiter May-Jun 2018, Followed By Lander / Rover In Oct To Far Side, And CE-5 Sample Return Mission To NW Near-Side Before End Of 2018; New Chapter In Commercial Space For India, GLXP Team Indus Carrying Japan Team Hakuto Planning To Launch On PSLV Early 2018 To Attempt Moon Landing; Enterprises Moon Express, Synergy Moon, SpaceIL Also Working To Win GLXP With Mission Completion Deadline Set Mar 31, 2018

Credits: ISRO, CNSA, NAOC, CAS, ME, GLXP, et al