ESA ‘Lunarville’ Proposal Attracts Global Attention, Offers International Participation
Human Lunar Missions With International Collaboration Priority Of (L-R) Johann-Dietrich Woerner, ESA Director Stating Desire To “Not Just Land On The Moon, But To Have A Permanent International Moon Station On The Far Side”; Far Side Site Valuable For Radio Astronomy; FAA Associate Administrator George Nield Impressed With ESA Comments / Moon Village Concept As It “Would Enable Countries To Participate” With Private Industries Playing An “Important Role”; Executive Mike Gold Reaffirms Bigelow Aerospace Position Of Supporting Long-Term Aspirations Of A Lunar Base; China Also Considering Crewed Lunar Missions; Energia Space Corp Head Vladimir Solntsev States Russia Desire To Put Humans On Moon By 2029
Credit: NASA, ESA, Foster + Partners, FAA, RSC
Efforts To Kick-Start Commercial Lunar Enterprise Advancing With Verified Launch Contracts, Ride Shares & GLXP Competition Extension; SpaceIL Preparing For SpaceX Launch Mid 2017, Craft To Solar Recharge Batteries Before 500m Race; Astrobotic Offering Ride Share Low-Cost Lunar Delivery Service With CEO Stating Team Will Be “The DHL To The Moon”; Teams Hakuto & AngelicvM Aboard With Astrobotic; Hakuto Additional Goal Will Be The Use Of Second Rover To Explore Caves For Potential Future Human Habitats; Moon Express Aiming For 2017 Launch With Rocket Lab; Part-Time Scientists Developing Space-Grade Parts Via 3D Printing
Public & Private Sector To Discuss Common Goals Of Lunar Exploration, Apply Results Of Recent / Ongoing Missions Toward Future Exploration, Provide A Community Forum At 2015 LEAG In Columbia MD; Along With Various Information Sessions, ESA Will Offer Update On Current Lunar Exploration Activities & Plans With International Partnerships; Rob Kelso Of PISCES To Brief On PISCES-NASA “Additive Construction With Mobile Emplacement (ACME)” Project Demonstrating Technologies Associated With Planetary Robotic Construction Using Basalt; Final Day Includes In Situ Resource Utilization Session About Key Factors For Sustainable Human Spaceflight Programs
MIT Study Suggests Refueling On Moon Could Play Role In Sustainable Human Mars & Deep Space Missions; Takuto Ishimatsu Postdoc At MIT Notes New Mathematical Model Improving On Conventional Straight Shot Route, States “The Idea Of Taking A Detour Into The Lunar System…It’s Very Unintuitive…This Could Be Very Affordable in The Long Term”; Lunar Soil & Water Ice In Craters May Be Mined & Converted Into Fuel In-Situ; Fuel Depots At Lagrange Points Would Potentially Reduce The Launch Mass Of A Mars Mission By 68%; Resource Producing Infrastructure Is Vital To Promote Human Presence, Enterprise & Exploration
Inaugural Space Conference 16-17 Oct With Ted-Style Presentations Named ‘Star Talks’ To Cover Space Exploration Before 1900, Life Extension, Lewis & Clark In Space, Space Medicine; Lunar Sessions Will Discuss New Plans For Human Moon Missions & Lunar Bases; NWI Chairman & Co-Founder Of Space Frontier Foundation Rick Tumlinson Serving As Conference Host States NWI “Goal Is To Plant The Seeds Of A New And Dynamic Space Culture”; Cities In Space Competition For Students Grades 5-12 Held In Conjunction To Create Displays Of Planetary Settlements On Moon, Mars, Free Space With Winning Presentations Exhibited At Conference
