Category Archives: Moon Exploration

Tuesday / 14 April 2015

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International Lunar Decade Initiative Seeking UN Support

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Initiative Of ILEWG, NSS & University Of Latvia Seeks To Build Foundations For Permanent Human Presence Beyond LEO Through Detailed Framework Of International & Public-Private Partnerships, Legal / Property Rights Resolutions; ILD Working Group Seeking UN General Assembly Sanctioning As Global Activity, 1st Step Is COPUOS Approval, Possibly In 10-19 June 58th COPUOS Session; ILD To Be Discussed / Advanced At Upcoming Conferences In Florida USA, Frascati Italy, Toronto Canada

Image Credit: NASA, ILEWG, UN

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 10-13 April 2015

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LRO Providing Opportunities For Researchers & Educators

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US$504-Million LRO Mission, Costing US$12.4M To Operate Annually, Will Achieve 6 Years In Lunar Orbit This Jun; Extension Of Operations Into 2016 Still In Question; Data Set 22 – With Data Collected From Dec 2014 To Mar 2015 – Expected In Jun 2015; Slides From Recent LRO Data Users Workshop Now Available; Registration For Jul 2015 Lunar Workshops For Educators Still Open

Image Credit: NASA

Friday / 10 April 2015

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Google Lunar XPrize Developments GLXP

GLXP Team Omega Envoy Reveals New Look For Rover “Sagan” With 3D-Printed Parts & Prepares For Testing; Lunar Lion Working To 3D Print Thruster Model For Prototype; Moon Express Developing KSC Space Launch Complex 36 For MTV-1X Lander Testing; Hakuto & Astrobotic Plan For Rideshare To Moon Late 2016 Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9; Remaining 18 Teams Work To Achieve Moon Landing Before Dec 31, 2016; Discovery Channel & Science Chanel To Air ‘Lunar XPrize’ Documentary Miniseries In 2015-16

Image Credit: GLXP, Astrobotic, Google, SpaceFlorida, Omega Envoy, Penn State Lunar Lion

Wednesday / 8 April 2015

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Lunar Workshop Highlights Opportunities Of Upcoming Surface Missions

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5th International Workshop On Lunar Surface Applications 14-17 April In Cocoa Beach Florida Will Provide Overview Of Lunar Surface Missions That Are In Development & Opportunities They Present For Scientists & Space Entrepreneurs; Representatives From NASA Lunar Catalyst Program Participants Moon Express, Astrobotic, Masten Will Present; Workshop Will Also Feature In Depth Look At Engineering & Science Of Lunar Polar ISRU & NASA Lunar Resource Prospector Mission

Image Credit: Flexure Engineering, NASA, Moon Express, Masten

Tuesday / 7 April 2015

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Moon Reemerging In NASA Plans?

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Reports Surfacing That NASA Is Shifting Plans To Incorporate More Cislunar / Lunar Surface Elements Into Its “Evolvable Mars Campaign”; Chief Of NASA Human Exploration Admits Current 900-Day Direct Mars Mission Plan Not Achievable, Harnessing Reservoirs Of Ice At Lunar Poles For Rocket Fuel & Testing ISRU Technologies At Moon Is Under Consideration; NASA Officials Still Deny Lunar Surface Plans / Any Changes To Current Human Space Exploration Plan; NASA Advisory Council Human Exploration & Operations Committee Meeting In Washington DC 7-8 April

Image Credit: NASA

Thursday / 2 April 2015

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Lunar Dust Experiments Opening Future Exploration Possibilities

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LADEE Results Indicate Tail Of Nanoscale Particles Trailing Moon, Likely Expelled By Asteroid Impact, <0.001g / Square Meter; LADEE Spectrometer PI Says Phenomenon Could Offer New Way To Study Surface Of Airless Planetary Bodies, “Collect Their Tails Rather Than Landing On Them”; Moon RIDERS Educational Project Testing System To Remove Lunar Dust From Moon Lander Equipment Using High Voltage Square Waves Being Tested At NASA Ames; Project Is Collaboration Of Hawai`i High Schools, NASA, GLXP Teams, PISCES

Image Credit: NASA, kealakeherobotics.org

Wednesday / 1 April 2015

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Russia USA Moon Mission Collaboration
In The Works?

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Space Agency Leaders Of NASA & Roscosmos Confirm Intention To Work Together On Exploration Of Moon & Mars; Roscosmos Chief Igor Komarov Acknowledges More Tasks Can Be Solved & Expenses Saved By Acting Together, Says Deep Space Exploration & Protection Of Earth From Space Threats Must Be Solved By ‘Entire Humanity’; The 2 Countries Will Collaborate On ISS Until 2024, Will Not Build Another Station In NEO, Discussing Potential Cooperation On New Space Station In Lunar Orbit

Image Credit: gaetanomarano.it, Roscosmos, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 27-30 March 2015

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Golden Spike Company Progressing Towards Commercial Human Lunar Missions

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GSC Optimisitic 2015 Will See Advancement Of Business Plan / Lunar Mission Development; Board Of Directors Newly Reconfigured – With New Members (L-R) NASA Astronaut Terence Henricks & Dylan Taylor Of Space Angels Network – To Reflect Increased Focus On Fundraising For Human Moon Missions; Gerald Griffin, Doug Griffith, Alan Stern, Taber MacCallum Continue In Director Positions; Additional Meetings With Potential Asian Customers Likely In 2015; Company Working To Implement Human Space Transportation Systems To The Moon At Commercially Successful Price Points

Image Credit: GSC, LinkedIn, NASA, Paragon

Friday / 27 March 2015

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ARM Project To Revive NASA Human Missions To Cislunar SpaceARM

Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) Under Development By NASA To Launch Humans To Moon Orbit, While Private Companies Such As Golden Spike Aim For Moon Surface 2018-2020s; US$1.25B Robotic Mission To Launch Dec 2020, Travel 2 Years To Asteroid (Potentially 2008 EV5), Spend 400 Days Searching For 4-Meter Diameter Boulder, Bring Selected Boulder To Moon Orbit; Astronauts Will Then Launch 2025 To Moon Orbit, Dock With & Study Rock Via SLS / Orion; Additional Cislunar / Moon Surface Missions Under Consideration

Image Credit: NASA, Boeing Co., New Scientist

Thursday / 26 March 2015

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New Russia Cosmodrome Key For Lunar Plans

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With Over US$5B Investment, Russia Leaders Making Every Effort To Complete New Vostochny Spaceport & Begin Initial Steps Of New Moon Program; 885-Square Km Facility Will Have 7 Launch Pads & 25,000-Person ‘Satellite City’ For Rocket Scientists; Delays & Corruption Threatening Timeline For 1st Soyuz Launch, Projected Dec 2015; Site Will Be Critical For Russia Goal Of Creating Permanent Base On Moon By 2035, Likely At North Pole; Russia Leaders Foresee International Competition For The Limited Amount Of Locations Ideal For Moon Base Development

Pictured: (R) Russia President Vladimir Putin, (L) Deputy Premier Dmitry Rogozin

Image Credit: Siberian Times