Category Archives: Moon Exploration

New Year Holiday Edition
Friday-Tuesday
23 December 2016 – 3 January 2017

Posted on by

Russia Remains Lunar Focused, Sets Realistic Timeline For Moon South Pole, Human Missions, Lunar Base

Russia Lunar Exploration Program Planning To Launch South Pole Missions: Luna 25 Lander In 2018-19 To  Boguslavsky Crater To Look For Water, Luna 26 Orbiter In 2020, Luna 27 Lander In 2021, Luna 28 Sample Return Mission In 2023, Luna 29 Lander & Rover In 2025; According To Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, Russia Moon Program 2025-2036 Includes Development Of New Super Heavy Rocket For Cargo Transport, Human Moon Missions Beginning 2030, Russian Academy Of Sciences Lunar Rovers & National Centre For Technology Development Humanoid Robots To Support Lunar Base Build Out 2031

Credits: Roscosmos, YouTube/Rokossovskiy Konstantin, Russia National Center for Technology Development and Basic Robotics, Lavochkin Research and Production Association

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 16-19 December 2016

Posted on by

Scientists Study Lunar Sonic Boomlets With ARTEMIS Probe Duo, Present Findings At AGU

“Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of the Moon’s Interaction with the Sun” (ARTEMIS) P1 And P2 In Moon Orbit Since 2011 Are Gathering High-Fidelity Measurements Of Lunar Miniature Shock Waves Believed To Be Caused By Protons In Solar Wind Moving At Supersonic Speeds Colliding With Pockets Of Magnetic Fields From Moon Crust; Deputy PI Jasper Halekas To Present On ARTEMIS And The 40 Observed Shock Waves During AGU Which Is Hosting 24,000 Attendees & Presentations On LRO, Moon Processes, Moon-Plasma Interactions; ARTEMIS Also Finds  ‘Limb Shocks’ At Boundary Between Light Side & Dark Side

Credits: NASA, ARTEMIS, SSERVI, AGU, J. Halekas, A. Poppe, et al

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 9-12 December 2016

Posted on by

LRO Providing High-Res, Multispectral Moon Mapping, Prepares For 2017 And Revisits Apollo Landing Sites

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter 7.5 Years Into Mission, Continuing Eccentric Polar Mapping Orbit (20-km Altitude South Pole, 165-km North Pole) Since May 2015; Adding To 3D Map Of Lunar Surface At 100-meter Resolution (98.2% Coverage So Far, Excluding Polar Areas In Deep Shadow); Recent Data From Apollo Sites Provides Modern Views, New Interpretations Of Sample Materials; Release 28 Of LRO Data Expected 15 December; Science Team Schedules August 2017 Total Solar Eclipse Observations Of Moon Shadow Moving Across USA; NASA Planning US$20M / Year To Operate Flagship Lunar Mission Through FY2018

Credits: NASA, GSFC, Arizona State University

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 2-5 December 2016

Posted on by

GLXP Teams Must Provide Launch Contract Before 2017 To Stay In Competition: 4 Verified, 1 Newly Contracted

glxp-teams-dec-2016

Nearing 1-Year Mark To Claim US$20M First Place Prize, GLXP Teams Have Until 31 Dec 2016 To Contract With Launch Provider; Israel SpaceIL With Hopper Lander Has Verified SpaceX Launch, USA Moon Express Hopper Lander Verified Contract With Rocket Lab (And Has FAA Approval For Mission), USA Synergy Moon Lander & 2 Rovers Verified With Interorbital, India Team Indus Lander & Rover Verified With ISRO PSLV; Germany Part Time Scientists Lander & 2 Rovers SpaceX Contract Via Spaceflight Industries Not Yet Verified; USA Astrobotic Lander (With Andy Rover) – Carrying Japan Hakuto 2 Rovers & Chile AngelicvM Uni Rover – Still Planning SpaceX Launch

Credits: Moon Express, Astrobotic, Hakuto, SpaceIL, Part Time Scientists, Synergy Moon, Team Indus, AngelicvM, GLXP

Weekend Edition
Thu-Mon / 24-28 November 2016

Posted on by

USA Lunar Transport Enterprises Submitting RFI Proposals For NASA Payload Delivery 2017-2020

nasa-rfi-lunar

Seeking To Address Strategic Knowledge Gaps In Lunar Resource Potential, Lunar Environment & Its Effects On Humans, NASA Asks USA Commercial Lunar Cargo Transportation Service Providers To Propose (By 9 December) Payload Delivery Options Available In 2017-2020; Moon Express Announces It Will Give US$500,000 For Each NASA Payload On First Three MX-1 Missions ($1.5M Total) Under Lunar Scout Program; Astrobotic Proposes Dollar For Dollar Matching Program (Up To US$12M) – For Every NASA Payload Selected To Fly On Astrobotic 1st Mission 2017, It Will Provide Second Mission In 2021 At No Charge

Credits: Moon Express, Astrobotic

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 November 2016

Posted on by

Japan Epsilon Launch Set For 20 Dec, Intended To Carry SLIM Lander To Moon 2018-19

japan-epsilon-slim

The 2nd JAXA Epsilon Rocket Launch Planned 20 Dec Lofting ERG Satellite Should Further Qualify Technology Enabling 1st JAXA Lunar Landing With Smart Lander For Investigating Moon (SLIM); Epsilon Launch Estimated At US$38M (Half Cost Of Predecessor M-5), Uses H-2A Solid Booster, M-5 Second & Third Stages; SLIM To Test Technologies For SELENE-2 (Lander & Rover) And Future Human Missions; JAXA, ISAS, Lunar & Planetary Laboratory ‘Workshop On Planetary Science Enabled By Epsilon Class Missions’ 15-16 Nov Establishing Potential International Collaborations & Inputs For SLIM, Penetrator Probe For Moon Or Airless Bodies, DESTINY+ For Meteor Shower Study

Pictured: ISAS Associate Professor Shinichiro Tokudome (responsible for developing Epsilon propulsion systems & integration)

Credits: JAXA, ISAS

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 11-14 November 2016

Posted on by

India Chandrayaan-2 Landing Tests Underway For 2017-18 Lunar Mission, Possibly To Moon South Pole

chandrayaan2

ISRO Performing Chandrayaan-2 Ground & Aerial Tests At Challakere “Science City” Site With 10 Craters Simulating Lunar Surface ~400 km From Bengaluru; ISRO Satellite Center & Chandrayaan-1 Project Director M. Annadurai States Sensors, Avionics, Electronics, Lander Legs, 8 Throttleable Engines To Be Tested Through March 2017, Followed By Full Combined Test; GSLV Mk 2 To Launch Orbiter Carrying 1,250 kg Lander & Rover End 2017 Or Early 2018; India 2nd Moon Mission, Chandrayaan-2 Destination May Be Moon South Pole / Malapert Mountain, Which Could Make India 1st To Land In & Explore New Frontier

Credits: ISRO, The Hindu

Weekend Edition
Fri-Tue / 4-8 November 2016

Posted on by

Reclaiming The Moon: America’s Preeminence In Space Starts With The Moon

return-to-moon-campaign-2016

Days Before USA 2016 Presidential Election, Congressman Jim Bridenstine (Rep-OK, Center) Discuses American Space Renaissance Act At LEAG Meeting For National Security, Economic Growth & Leadership, Stating “NASA Should Utilize Somewhere We Have Already Pioneered – The Moon”; Moon Could Provide Resources (Water, Solar Power, Regolith, Helium-3), Testing Ground For Human Solar System Complete Exploration & Settlement; Putting The First Woman On The Moon, Venturing For Science & Observation To Unexplored Moon South Pole, Solidifying Humans As Multi World Species Would Boost Any & Every Nation; Clear Vision Outlined By Incoming 2017 USA Administration From LEO To Moon And Beyond Could Set Up Strategic Path To Human Exploration Of Outer Solar System By End Of Century

Credits: NASA, US.gov, ESA, Foster + Partners

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 28-31 October 2016

Posted on by

Could 2016 Lunar Advocacy For 1st Woman On Moon Impact USA Presidential Candidates?

leag-nw-2016

Upcoming Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Meeting 1-3 Nov & New Worlds Conference 4-5 Nov Held Before 8 Nov USA Election Could Support A New Dimension To Lunar Exploration & Vision For Humanity – Putting Women On The Moon; Esteemed LEAG Leaders Including Clive Neal, Stephen Mackwell, James Carpenter, Noah Petro, Samuel Lawrence Convening On Themes: Building A Moon Village, Commercial Space Opportunities, Lunar Capabilities Roadmap, New Lunar Mission Concepts, New Views Of Lunar Regolith; At New Worlds Conference, Rick Tumlinson, Bob Richards, Bernard Foing Could Make The Case For Exploring New Frontier Moon South Pole With Women & Men, And Sustaining Humans As A Multi World Species

Credits: New Worlds Institute, NASA, JAXA, NHK, G.Skidmore, M.Vadon

Special Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 7-10 Oct 2016

Posted on by

The First Woman On The Moon?

women-on-the-moon-2016

USA Presidential Candidates Hillary Clinton (D) And Donald Trump (R) Addressing Nation’s Issues Could Focus On Viable, 21st Century, Inspiring Way Forward By Supporting Mission For 1st Woman On The Moon; Women On The Moon Would Advance Technology Development, Science Research, Equal Rights, And Boost Economy Through New Jobs, Lunar Resources / Commerce, Innovation; Human Moon Mission Much Easier To Achieve Than Mars, Could See Women & Men Landing Via SLS / Orion, Inspire Next-Gen Americans And World, Encourage International Collaboration, Solidify Humans As Multi World Species

Credits: SPC, ILOA, NASA, JAXA