Category Archives: Moon Exploration

Tuesday / 9 June 2015

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ESA To Collaborate On
China Chang’e-4 Mission

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China National Space Administration Officials Confirm That ESA Will Participate In Chang’e-4 Mission, Collaborating On Mission Science & Payload Development; Agreement Came Out Of Beijing Meetings With CNSA Administrator Wu Yanhua & ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain; Chang’e-4 May Launch 2020, Be 1st Craft To Land On Lunar Far Side, Likely In South Pole-Aitken Basin; Final Decisions Regarding Chang’e-4 Plan Expected Sep 2015

Image Credit: ESA, CNSA, NASA

Friday / 5 June 2015

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Japan SLIM Moon Mission Now Planned For NET Oct 2019

JAXA SLIM

JAXA First Mission To Moon Surface – 120kg Smart Lander For Investigating Moon (SLIM) – Likely To Be Launched To Moon South Pole In Second Half Of Fiscal Year 2019 To Test Landing Capability Within A Few Hundred Meters; Will Launch On Epsilon Rocket From Tanegashima Space Center At 30.4° N, 130.97° E; Mission Will Advance Technologies Needed For Future Human Missions

Image Credit: JAXA

Wednesday / 3 June 2015

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Canada Space Program Announcement
Sets Stage For Lunar Exploration Involvement

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Canada Industry Minister James Moore & Commander Chris Hadfield Unveil Plans For Country To Continue To Participate In ISS Through 2024, Promote Innovation / Cutting-Edge Technology & Participate With International Partners On Major Projects; With NASA And Other Partners Shifting Exploration Focus To Cislunar Space, Canada Will Likely Have Opportunities To Showcase Expertise In Robotics & Space / Lunar Mining In Coming Decade, The 2 Current Canada Astronauts May Participate In Moon Orbit Or Surface Missions; CSA Annual Space Budget A Modest US$260M

Image Credit: CSA, NASA, canadianbusiness.com

Tuesday / 2 June 2015

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China Showcasing Lunar Exploration Program Successes, Eyeing Next Steps

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China Lunar Exploration Exhibit Open At Museum On Hainan – Site Of Wenchang Launch Center / Future Moon Program Launches Including Chang’e-5 Sample Return In 2017; Additional Exhibit To Be Featured In Kunming, Yunnan Province 12-16 June; Exhibits Feature Objects From CLEP, Models Of Chang’e-3 Lander / Yutu Rover, Presentations By Lunar Experts; Chief Lunar Exploration Engineer Wu Weiren Says Chang’e-4 Mission May Be Destined For Far Side Of Moon, Likely South Pole-Aitken Basin Region

Image Credit: CLEP, Huang Benqiang, Li Peng

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 29 May – 1 June 2015

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International Lunar Decade Initiative
Gaining Momentum

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Initiative Of NSS, ILEWG, & FOTONIKA-LV Garnering Increased Attention After Being Featured At Several Conferences Including ISDC2015; ILD 2017-2029 Seeks To Foster International Collaboration Leading To Industrial Development Of Moon & Cislunar Space Enabling Self-Sustaining Space Economy; Next Step Is To Achieve Support Of COPUOS & UN General Assembly – 58th COPUOS Session 10-19 June In Vienna; Architects Of Initiative Seeking Aggregate 10-Year Investment Of US$150B From Main Spacefaring Powers

Image Credit: NASA, FOTONIKA-LV, cislunarnext.org

Thursday / 28 May 2015

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GLXP Planning To Extend Deadline To 2017

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XPRIZE & Google Providing Teams Competing For US$30M GLXP Extra Time To Secure Launch; At Least 1 Team Must Confirm Launch Contract By Dec 2015 For Extension To Go Into Effect; If Prize Extended, All Other Teams Will Have Until End Of 2016 To Confirm Launch Contract To Continue In Competition; Deadline For Landing On Moon & Completing Objectives Is End 2017

Image Credit: GLXP

Wednesday / 27 May 2015

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Lunar Initiatives Newsletter LunarCube Mission Opportunities, Upcoming Events

LunarInitiatives

Deep Space CubeSat Missions – Including LunarCubes – Is One Of The Fastest-Growing Elements In Space Exploration, The Lunar Initiatives / Workshops Continue To Organize Events To Support The Growth Of This Field; Its Latest Newsletter Includes Updates Of Upcoming LunarCubes Workshop On 6-9 Oct In San Jose CA, The 2nd International Workshop On Scientific Opportunities In Cislunar Space On 8 Nov, & News From Recent LSA 5 Workshop

Image Credit: lunar-cubes.com, Flexure Engineering

Tuesday / 26 May 2015

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China Advancing Human Moon Mission Preparations, Russia Collaboration

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China Lunar Exploration Program Chief Designer Wu Weiren Says Researchers Working To Develop Life Support, Escape & Rescue Systems, Larger Carrier Rocket To Facilitate Human Lunar Surface Missions, Continued Development Of New Launch Center In Hainan; Russia & China Devising Unified Standards For Space Technologies To Soon Begin Cooperation Beyond LEO, Including Human Lunar Program; Plans Include Standardizing Docking Units, Electrical Connectors & Spacecraft Atmosphere

Image Credit: Phil Smith, RIA Novosty

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 22-25 May 2015

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LEAG Releases 1st Announcement Of
2015 Annual Meeting

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2015 LEAG Annual Meeting 20-22 Oct In Columbia MD; Abstract Deadline 11 Aug, Registration Deadline 6 Oct; Leaders In Science, Engineering, Government, & Private Sector To Explore Common Goals Regarding Identification, Evaluation, Extraction & Use Of Lunar Resources; Evaluate Data From Recent & Ongoing Missions, Speculate On Future Mission Objectives; Meeting Findings Will Be Published & Forwarded To NASA HQ

Pictured: LEAG Conveners: Stephen Mackwell (L), Clive Neal (R)

Image Credit: USRA, LEAG, LPI, University Of Notre Dame

Thursday / 21 May 2015

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ISDC 2015 Focusing On Breakthrough Technologies For Lunar / Space Exploration

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Over 1,000 Attendees Meeting At NSS International Space Development Conference In Toronto, Canada 20-24 May; Robert Richards Of Moon Express To Speak Today On ‘Breakthrough Technologies Shaping Our Future’; Friday To Feature Presentations On The International Lunar Decade By Dave Dunlop & Vid Beldavs, Plus A Keynote Presentation By Apollo 11 Moonwalker Buzz Aldrin; Lunar Workshop To Include Presentations On Lunar Surface Solar Power / Power Beaming, Supporting A Cislunar Econosphere, Mapping Lunar Lava Tubes

Image Credit: National Space Society, Canadian Space Commerce Association, Moon Express, LinkedIn