Category Archives: Moon Exploration

Thursday / 30 April 2015

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Chang’e-3 Telescope Demonstrating Value / Feasibility Of Lunar-Based Astronomy

LUTeclipse0415

Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT) Successfully Operates For Entire 4.28 Hours Of Recent (4 Apr) Lunar Eclipse, Capturing 246 Images During Its 1st Operation Without Sunlight; Imaging Was Part Of Extended Experiments To Test Power Supply & Thermal Control Support For Payload Equipment During Lunar Eclipse; NAO Astronomers Publish Data Gathered From LUT That Indicate Concentration Of OH / H2O Molecules In Lunar Exosphere ~100 Times Less Than Previous Value Reported By Hubble & Chandrayaan-1

Image Credit: NAOC, CNSA, NASA

Wednesday / 29 April 2015

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Bigelow Developing Expandable Technology With Eye Towards Lunar Operations

BigelowCarswell

Expandable Habitats Pioneered By Bigelow Aerospace Could Facilitate Lunar Settlement More Quickly & Affordably Than Generally Believed; Bigelow Set To Launch BEAM Module – With 16 Cubic Meter Volume – To ISS Sep 2015; Larger BA 330 Modules To Follow Before Company Begins Enabling Individuals, Companies & Countries To Extend Human Activity To Moon Utilizing Its Habitat Systems; Basic Lunar Habitat Could Consist Of 3 BA 330s, 4 Propulsion Buses & 4 Docking Nodes

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace, Space Age Publishing Company

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 24-27 April 2015

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Moon May Be Critical Stepping Stone To NASA Mars Ambitions

SpudsMoon0415

Moon Mission Advocate Paul Spudis Outlines How Human Mars Mission Is Unfeasible Without Use Of Lunar-Produced Propellant; Propellant Would Comprise >80% Of The ~900,000 Kg Of Equipment Needed For Mars Journey; Harvesting Volatiles At Lunar Poles, Creating Working Fueling Depot Close To Deep Space Staging Areas Where Mars Spacecraft Can Be Assembled; NASA Resource Prospector Mission Could Confirm Feasibility Of Using Volatile Deposits On Moon As Fuel / Consumables For Long Duration Spaceflight

Image Credit: NASA, aaas.org

Friday / 24 April 2015

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Russia 2016-2025 Space Program Draft Outlines Human Moon Landing By 2029 Russia Moon

Russia Space Program Submission For 2016-2025 Due June 1, To Consist Of ~US$38B Proposal Including Human Circumlunar Flight 2025, Human Moon Landing 2029, Construction Of Super-Heavy Rocket (Modified Angara-A5 To Increase Payload Capacity By 12,000 Kg, First Test Launch 2021 & Launch To ISS 2024); Construction Of ~1,000 Sq Km Vostochny Cosmodrome First Launch Planned Dec 2015

Pictured L-R: Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, Russia President Vladimir Putin, Roscosmos Head Igor Komarov

Image Credit: Russian Ministry of Defence, Dmitry Rogozin, NASA, kremlin.ru

Thursday / 23 April 2015

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Japan Moon Plans Stimulated By Ambitions & Successes Of Asian Neighbors

JapanMoon0415

JAXA Moon Program Proposal – Which Includes Announcement Of Plan To Send Robotic Lander Mission To Moon In 2018 – Cites Increased Competition For Resources On Moon, Risk Of Power Imbalance As Russia, China, India Advance Lunar Surface Development Plans; Proposal Includes Initial Phase Of Robotic Missions, Possibility Of Human Lunar Visits – Facilitated By International Cooperation – In Post-2025 2nd Phase

Image Credit: JAXA, CNSA, ISRO

Wednesday / 22 April 2015

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India Advancing Chandrayaan-2

Chandrayaan-2Dathan2

Vikram Sarabhai Space Center Director M Chandra Dathan Says Chandrayaan-2 Preparations Are In Full Swing At Various ISRO Centers, Still Planning On 2017-2018 Launch; 2nd India Moon Mission Will Place Lander & Rover Near South Pole To Test New Technologies & New Experiments; Ranked 6th In Global Space Positioning – India Becoming A Role Model For Other Countries Due To Self-Reliance & Cost Effectiveness; India Spends US$3 / Per Capita On Space Technology, Compared To $7.5 For China & $123 For USA

Image Credit: ISRO, K. Murali Kumar

Tuesday / 21 April 2015

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Japan Planning Moon Landing In 2018

SLIMjaxa0415

JAXA Reveals Plans To Become 4th Nation To Achieve Soft Moon Landing With Smart Lander For Investigating Moon (SLIM) Mission ~2018; Mission Expected To Cost Between US$84-125M, Use Epsilon Solid-Fueled Rocket; Funding / Development To Begin FY 2016; Goal Is To Achieve Landing Within ~100m Of Intended Landing Site; Japan Considering SLIM Stepping Stone To Human Moon Mission & Mars Landings; India Also Planning Moon Lander In 2017 / 2018 

Image Credit: JAXA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 17-20 April 2015

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ESA, China Consider Human Missions
To Moon Far Side

FarSideESAchina

Incoming ESA Director General Johann-Dietrich Wörner Wants To See Establishment Of Base On Far Side Of Moon To Enable Radio Astronomy; Current DLR Chairman Wörner Will Assume ESA Leadership On 1 Jul; China Lunar Exploration Program Chief Design Consultant Ye Peijian Says He Is Confident Country Will Accomplish Human Lunar Landings, Envisions Human Expedition To Far Side Of Moon 

Image Credit: ESA, china.org.cn, NASA

Friday / 17 April 2015

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5th International Lunar Surface Applications Workshop Last Day

LSA5

Final Day Of LSA5 In Cocoa Beach FL Will Feature Russell Cox (L) Of Flexure Engineering On ‘The Lunar Initiatives’, David Dunlop (R) Of NSS On ‘International Lunar Decade’, & Presentations On The Business Of Being An Astropreneur; Other Lunar Leaders Include Bob Richards (Moon Express), Dan Hendrickson (Astrobotic), Jim Keravala (Shackleton Energy); Conference Advancing Collaborations, Ideas For Robotic Science / Resource Prospecting & Human Exploration / Settlement Missions; 5th LunarCubes Workshop To Be Held Oct 6-9 In San Jose CA; LSA5 Speech By Astronaut Cady Coleman & Panel Discussion Available

Image Credit: Flexure Engineering, NSS, Bigelow, Isaac Brekken/The New York Times/Redux/Eyevine

Wednesday / 15 April 2015

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Abstract Deadline For NASA SSERVI Exploration Science Forum

SSERVIrpm

2nd Annual NASA Exploration Science Forum To Be Held At Ames Research Center, Moffett Field CA On 21-23 Jul; Tomorrow Is Last Day To Submit Abstracts; Forum Will Feature Scientific Discussions Of Human Exploration Of Moon & Other Destinations Of Interest; Event To Be Followed By Resource Prospector Mission Meeting, Will Provide Introduction To Parameters & Capabilities Of Mission & Current Status Of Landing Site Analysis; Follow Up RPM Meeting In Conjunction With LEAG Meeting This Fall

Image Credit: NASA