Category Archives: Moon Exploration

Wednesday / 16 September 2015

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Florida Coast Attracts More NewSpace Enterprises

9162015Moon Express (ME) Positioning At Florida Kennedy Space Center Promotes Opportunity & More Launch Possibilities To Advance Moon / Deep Space Accessibility; Blue Origin Jeff Bezos (TR) Reveals Use Of Launch Complex 36 For Building & Operations, States “We’ll Be Launching From Here Later This Decade”; ME Continuing Developments With NASA Lunar CATALYST On MX-1 For GLXP; ME Bob Richards (TL) Comments That “Entrepreneurial Innovations…Will Expand Our Sphere Of Influence, To The Moon, The Asteroids – And Beyond”

Credit: Moon Express, NASA, Blue Origin, U.S. Air Force

Tuesday / 18 August 2015

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CNSA & ESA May Cooperate For 2018 Chang`e-4 Lunar Far Side Mission

8182015A Preliminary Suggestion For International Cooperation Of Chang’e-4 Lunar Lander / Rover / Orbiter To Moon Far Side Presented By Chinese National Space Agency (CNSA); Relay Satellite (T-L) In Lunar Transfer Orbit NET 2018 To Assist With Lander – Earth Communication; Primary Goal To Gather Data For Subsequent Lunar Exploration, Including Ultimate Objective Of Chinese Lunar Exploration Program To Pave Way For Human Missions; International Cooperation Proposed By CNSA To ESA On Mission, Equipment & Other Areas Of Research

Credit: NASA, CNSA, CLEP, ESA

Friday / 14 August 2015

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LEAG Extends Abstract Due Date To 14 Aug, Team Preparing For 2015 Annual Meeting

LEAG 2015Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Annual Meeting 20-22 Oct In Columbia MD; Chaired By (L-R) Clive Neil, Supported By Sam Lawrence (ASU), Jeff Plescia (JHU/APL), Steve Mackwell (LPI) & Representatives For LRO, ESA, ARTEMIS, Commercial Space, Next-Gen Lunar Scientists & Engineers; Recent Findings / Recommendations Include Resource Prospecting At Lunar Poles & Interior, Advancing Lunar CubeSats, Maintaining Moon Missions / Pace Of Discovery To Support International Partnerships, Technologies, Future Crewed Missions To Moon & Mars

Credit: NASA, LEAG, C. Neil, JPL/Caltech, ASU, LPI

Thursday / 13 August 2015

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NASA Drones For Moon Prospecting: Paul Spudis Notes Challenges & Benefits

8132015Latest Advances In Autonomous Teleoperated Arial Craft (Drones) May Revolutionize Lunar & Other Planetary Explorations In Areas Too Difficult For Human Maneuvering & At Lower Cost; Drones Could Prospect Lunar Surface For Ice & Resources Further Promoting The Ability To Access Moon / Deep Space; Paul Spudis Comments On Drone Challenges Of Different Atmospheres & Adaptions Required And Advantages Of Prolonged Flight Viewing Ability For Geologic Data Collection, Prospecting & Mapping Lunar Polar Regions, Craters, Lava Tubes

Credit: NASA, NASA Swamp Works

Wednesday / 12 August 2015

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Aiming For The Moon With Aloha:
President Obama On GLXP Astrobotic;
Moon RIDERS Continues Project Testing

Hawaii GLXP

Hawai`i-Born Barack Obama Speaks About Astrobotic Moon Goals, Americans Being Those Who “Explore Next Frontiers… Pioneers With A Vision For Tomorrow, Whether It’s Lewis & Clark, Sally Ride… They’re The Driving Force In A 21st Century Economy”; Hawaii Moon RIDERS (Research Investigating Dust Expulsion Removal Systems) Partnering Hawaii Schools, PISCES, NASA KSC & Undisclosed GLXP Team, Testing Electrodynamic Dust Shield Experiment At Hawaii Island Moon Analog Site Mauna Kea In Preparation For Late 2016 Launch

Credit: GLXP, PISCES, Moon RIDERS, NASA, Gig Greenwood, `Iolani, Robin Bourne, Astrobotic

Friday / 7 August 2015

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Pete Worden In India Discusses Life In Universe, Says Moon More Suitable Than Mars

India Kalam Worden

Breakthrough Listen Chairman Simon ‘Pete’ Worden Meeting Scientists & Senior Representatives In Bengaluru This Week, Gives Talk At Indian Institute Of Astrophysics & Points Out The Moon (As Well As Enceladus, Europa, Titan) Has Chemicals Needed For Life, Whereas Mars Has High Concentration Of Perchlorates Which Are Useful For Fuel, But Not Likely Suitable For Life / Settlement; India & World Observing Passing Of “India’s Original Rocket Man” & Lunar Proponent Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Credit: K. Murali Kumar, NASA, AMRC, GSFC/ASU/LOLA/PDS, SVS, Google, Pockocmoc, APL

Friday / 31 July 2015

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Moon Express & Astrobotic Testing Landers / Developing Flight Software

ME & Astrobotic 2015 Jul

Moon Express (ME) Continuing Flight Testing Of MTV-1A Lunar Lander (Successor Of MTV-1X) At Kennedy Space Center ‘Moonscape’ Test Range, Final Version Will Land On Moon & Hop 500 Meters, ME GNC Software Was Also Tested On NASA Mighty Eagle Lander; Through Lunar CATALYST Agreement, Astrobotic Developing Lunar Guidance Systems / Flight Trajectory Plan Using NASA Core Flight Software & LRO Data To Land In Lacus Mortis Region At 44.96°N 25.62°E, Explore Lunar Cave

Credit: ME, Astrobotic, NASA, GLXP

Wednesday / 29 July 2015

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Further Details Of ESA Director’s Lunar Vision

7292015Johann-Dietrich Wörner, Director General Of  European Space Agency Clarifies His Vision “To Establish An Infrastructure On The Moon… To Do First-Class Fundamental Research”; International Research Station On Lunar Surface NET 2024 Should Serve As Next Foothold Of Human Expansion Into Solar System After ISS; Moon Focus Increasing ESA Collaboration With China, Russia, Japan & U.S. On Moon / Mars / Space Missions

Credit:  ESA, Foster + Partners

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 24-27 July 2015

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New Moon Plan For “Evolvable Lunar Architecture” & Campaign 2016 Considerations

7242015Paul Spudis (TR) Of LPI Supports Refining Lunar Water Into Rocket Fuel To Assist Deep Space Exploration; Spudis Raises Concerns On Projected Cost & Quasi-Commercial Lunar Authority Proposing NASA Base To Protect American Interest; Charles Miller (TL) NexGen President & Study’s Principal Investigator Outlines Feasibility Of Returning To Moon By Leveraging Commercial Partnerships; Paper Opens Discussions & Considerations With Upcoming Presidential Elections

Credit: NASA, National Press Club, Lunar and Planetary Institute

Friday / 24 July 2015

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16 GLXP Teams Have <6 Months To Confirm Launch, Extend Competition

GLXP July 2015

 One Firm Launch Provider Contract, Designating Launch Window / Date, Required By 31 Dec 2015 To Continue US$20M Moon Challenge; Rideshare Contract Between Astrobotic & Hakuto Confirmed For TBD SpaceX Launch Mid-2016, Team Indus Looking Toward ISRO For Subsidized Launch, Synergy Moon Counting On Interorbital Neptune Rocket, SpaceMETA Has MoU With Alcantor Cyclone Space, Barcelona Moon Working With China Great Wall Industry, Penn State Lunar Lion Launch Reservation Fee Given To Spaceflight Inc / Sherpa Craft

Credit: GLXP, SpaceX, GLXP Teams