Category Archives: Moon Exploration

Wednesday / 4 February 2015

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US Government Takes Step To Support Commercial Development Of Moon

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Federal Aviation Administration Supports Request From Bigelow Aerospace To Recognize Private Sector’s Need To Protect Assets & Personnel On Moon, Expanding Scope From Launch Licensing To Lunar Activities Of US Companies; More Legal & Diplomatic Work Still Needed As Issues Regarding Lunar Property & Mineral Rights Pending; Bigelow To Test Inflatable Habitat At ISS This Year, Moon Habitats Around 2025; Moon Express Intends To Return Moon Rocks / Regolith In 3rd Mission

Pictured: TR- FAA Associate Administrator George Nield, BL- Robert Bigelow

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace, faa.gov

Tuesday / 3 February 2015

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Shackleton Energy Company Seeks To Fuel
Human Solar System Exploration

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1.6B Tonnes Of Water At Moon Poles Is Likely Prize That Will Stimulate New Lunar Gold Rush; USA Texas-Based Shackleton Energy Company Advancing Plan To Mine Moon Water With Robotic & Human Missions, Convert It To Rocket Propellant (Hydrogen & Oxygen), & Sell It At Orbital Fuel Depots; Company Continues To Advance Business Plan After Pursuing Crowdfunding Campaign & Lobbying For NASA Support

Image Credit: Shackleton Energy Company, Popular Mechanics

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 30 Jan – 2 Feb 2015

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Russia & ESA Advancing Plans For Human Exploration / Development Of Moon

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RSC Energia Deputy General Nikolai Bryukhanov Says Russia Aerospace Enterprise Is Working On Creating New Crewed Spacecraft For Missions To The Moon; European Space Agency Releases New Video Outlining Plans For Possible Human Mission To Far Side Moon; Agency Sees South Pole-Aitken Basin As Promising Location For Human Habitation & Development, Moon Place Where All Nations Can Come Together To Understand Common Origins, Build Common Future

Image Credit: RSC Energia, ESA

Thursday / 29 January 2015

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Africa2Moon Mission Funding Campaign Closes In 2 Days

Africa2Moon

Africa2Moon Wants To Send Robotic Craft To Moon Orbit Or Surface To Provide Live Images For Africa Classrooms Thereby Raising Space Awareness, Providing High-Tech Project To Keep Graduates In Country, Bringing Investment Opportunities & Skills Training To Africa; Partnered With UN Foundation #GivingTuesday Initiative, Seeking Private Funding For US$150,000 For Phase 1 Mission Concept & Feasibility Study; Fundraising Campaign Ends 31 Jan

Pictured: Mission Administrator Professor Peter Martinez (L); Project Administrator Jonathan Weltman

Image Credit: Africa2Moon, Rueters, Foundation for Space Development of South Africa, NASA

Tuesday / 27 January 2015

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Milestone Prizes Start Off 2015
Decisive Year For GLXP

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Successful GLXP Moon Mission Would Provide Validation Of Critical NewSpace / Commercial Dimension Of Lunar Exploration & Development; Milestone Prizes May Provide Boost / Momentum To Leading Contenders As They Seek To Confirm 2016 Launch Plans By End Of This Year, Thereby Extending The Contest For An Additional Year; Total Of 9 Prizes Were Awarded, With Teams Receiving: Astrobotic US$1.75M, Moon Express $1.25M, Team Indus $1M, Part-Time Scientists $750K, Hakuto $500K

Image Credit: GLXP

Friday / 23 January 2015

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Moon Express, Space Florida, NASA
Advancing Florida Moon Missions Legacy

ME FL

ME Testing & Developing MTV-1X Lunar Lander At KSC Shuttle Landing Facility, Will Begin Operations By End Of Q2 2015 At Space Launch Complex 36, Which Was Used To Launch Surveyors To Moon, Mariners To Mars, Pioneers To Jupiter / Saturn / Beyond; Bob Richards (CEO) Says Agreement With Space Florida, & ME Initial Investment Of US$500K Will Allow For “Immediate” Infrastructure Improvements To Make Site Operational; Likely To Build Own “Moonscape”; Block House & Engineering Building To Be Dubbed “Moon Mountain” 

Image Credit: ME, NASA

Wednesday / 21 January 2015

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Moon Landing Upcoming Priority
For New ISRO Chair

Kumar2MoonSP

Upon Assuming Leadership Of India Space Agency, New Chairman A S Kiran Kumar (R) Asserts That ISRO’s Current Primary Focus Is Readying Chandrayaan-2 Moon Lander / Rover Mission For 2016 Or 2017 Launch; ISRO Leaders Such As Prof UR Rao (BL) Have Long Indicated Moon South Pole As An Optimal Destination For Chandrayaan-2; Achieving 1st Landing At This Next Great Frontier May Be Even More Rewarding / Exciting Feat Than Becoming 1st Asia Nation To Orbit Mars

Image Credit: ISRO, missionchandrayaan2.blogspot.com, Pravin Indrekar dna

 

Tuesday / 20 January 2015

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State Of The Union, USA:
The Moon, Mars, Stars, Beyond

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21st Century Pioneering Americans Work To See Multi World Citizens Once Again, This Time For Good; New Frontier At Moon South Pole Has Resources, Energy To Enrich And Empower, Perspective To Solve Earth’s Most Intractable Conflict – In Peace For All; Nothing Gained By Presiding Over Greatest Retreat In US History

Image Credit: Sol Loeb, pdxmim.com, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 16-19 January 2015

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Moon South Pole
Drawing New Lunar Pioneers

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New Moon South Pole Ventures Including UK-Based Lunar Mission One & Russia-Based Lin Industrial Join Established Declarations Of Interest In Moon South Pole Missions By USA (RPM), American Enterprises Such As Shackleton Energy Corporation, Japan (SELENE-2), India (Chandrayaan-2), Russia (Luna-Glob), ESA, ILOA; Moon South Pole – Replete With Valuable Resources & Providing A Relatively Stable Thermal Environment – Is Generally Considered Optimal Location For Human Lunar Exploration / Settlement

Image Credit: JAXA, Lunar Mission One, Lin Industrial

Wednesday / 14 January 2015

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China Service Module Back In Lunar Orbit, Preparing For CE-5 Sample Return Mission

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Chang’e-5 T1 Service Module Enters 127-Minute, 200-Km Lunar Orbit After 2-Month Stay At L2 Lagrange Point; China Officials Will Utilize The Probe To Conduct Long-Range Guidance Tests For Lunar Orbit Rendezvous & Docking In Feb & Mar; Orbiter Will Image Projected 2017 Chang’e-5 Landing Site With Its Dual-Resolution Camera In Early April

Image Credit: CNSA