Category Archives: Moon Exploration

Wednesday / 19 November 2014

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GLXP Teams Gaining Visibility As Missions Advance

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Team Synergy Moon Announces Plan To Use Hang W/ Video Social Media Platform To Engage Public In Mission; iPhone Or Android Device Users Can Watch Live Video Broadcasts & Participate In Live Chat As Team Works On Moon Mission; Synergy Moon Consists Of Members From 15 Countries; Penn State Lunar Lion Team To Be Featured On 20 Nov Episode Of Higher Education In Focus TV Program; Undergraduate Team Members Will Join Penn State President Eric Barron (TR) To Discuss Mission Development; Lunar Lion Team Comprised Of ~170 Students

Image Credit: Synergy Moon, Penn State Lunar Lion, Higher Education In Focus

 

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 14-17 November 2014

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LRO Continues To Prepare For Future Moon Exploration

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Maintaining American Presence At Moon, 45 Years After Apollo 12 Mission, LRO Consistently Adding More Data & Imagery To Increase Global Understanding Of Value Of Moon For Humanity To Thrive In Solar System; Recent Imagery Of Lava Tubes And Sinuous Rilles In Oceanus Procellarum Region, Exploration Of This Area Could Provide Data On Timing & History Of Lunar Volcanism, Natural Radiation Shielding For Human Explorers, & In-Situ Resources Such As Large Pyroclastic Deposits; Keep Track Of LRO Current Location  

Image Credit: NASA

Friday / 14 November 2014

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S Korea Advancing Toward 2020 Moon Mission

KARI 2020

S Korea Indigenous Lunar Orbiter & Module / Launch Vehicle-2 Feasibility Study Conducted By Ministry Of Strategy & Finance States Project May Create ~US$296M Added Value & 4,800 Jobs, Potential Value From Lunar Exploration Is ~US$3.5B (5.17 Times Budget Allotted – $677M); Hopes To Launch Orbiter In 2020 With Help From NASA Joint Research Agreement, 15 Government-Funded Research Institutions Led By KARI; Also Planning To Develop 10-20 Kg Rover To Look For Rare Minerals

Pictured: S Korea President Park Geun-Hye (L) & KARI President Seung Jo Kim

Image Credit: KARI

Thursday / 13 November 2014

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ISRO Chief Affirms Lunar Exploration Plans

ISROMoon1114

Chairman Of India Space Research Organization KS Radhakrishnan Says “3 Years From Now, Indian Lander & Indian Rover Will Land On The Moon”; Successful Dec Launch Of GSLV Mark 3 Rocket Will Keep India On Track For Chandrayaan-2 2016/2017 Moon Landing; Rocket Will Also Help The Country Achieve Its Goal Of Obtaining Greater Slice Of US$300B Global Space Market; India Currently Ranks Among Top 6 Space-Faring Nations; Country Also Prides Itself On Financial Efficiency, With ISRO Budget Only 7.5% Of NASA

Image Credit: ISRO

Wednesday / 12 November 2014

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China: Space Dominance Or Key International Partner?

ChinaDominantCooperate

Noting Ambitious Series Of Lunar Missions – Chang’e-2 Elaborate Post-Moon Trajectory, Chang’e-3 Expansive Payload Capacity, Chang’e-5 Plans For Lunar Orbit Rendezvous – Paul Spudis Speculates That China Is Moving Ahead With Cislunar Space Dominance / Permanence / Control; Xu Dazhe, Head Of CNSA & China State Administration Of Science Technology & Industry For National Defense Says Country Welcomes International Colleagues To Join China Lunar Exploration Program; Buzz Aldrin Declares Cooperation With China Is Most Important Priority To Ensure USA Success In Space

Image Credit: Xinhua / Gin Ying, spudislunarresources.com, ama2007.com

Tuesday / 11 November 2014

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Hawai`i Conference Looks To Advance Lunar Initiatives

HawaiiBuzz

PISCES-Sponsored ‘Next Giant Leap’ Conference Underway On Hawai`i Island; Separate Working Groups Examining Goals For Leveraging Lunar Assets, Collaborative Pathways To Sustainable Lunar Ventures & Mechanisms For Program Development; Feature Speaker Buzz Aldrin Discusses New Horizons For Space Exploration; Sam Lawrence Of Arizona State U / LEAG Says Rich LRO Data Has Allowed Researchers To Identify Location & Resources Of Optimal Lunar Exploration Site

Image Credit: PISCES, Aerospace Hawaii, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 7-10 November 2014

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Hawai`i Island Hosting ‘The Next Giant Leap’ Moon Conference

NGLC Hawaii

Hawaii Conference On Leveraging Lunar Assets For Sustainable Pathways To Space 9-13 November At Waikoloa Marriott Will Highlight Benefits / Opportunities / Technologies For Making Use Of Cislunar Space & Moon Resources, Multinational Private-Public Missions & Goals, Extending Human Presence Throughout Solar System; Featured Guests Include (L-R, T-B) Buzz Aldrin, Louis Friedman, Bob Richards, Bruce Pittman, Jim Keravala, Jim Crisafulli, Senator Will Espero

Image Credit: PISCES, UH Hilo, SFF, Telegraph, ME, NSS, et al

Thursday / 6 November 2014

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Bootstrapping A Moon Base

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In 3-Part Interview, Former NASA KSC Research Physicist Philip Metzger Outlines How NASA / Global Private / Public Community Could Begin Today To Develop Sustainable Lunar Base With Fraction Of Current Budget; Plan Relies On Robotic Manufacturing / Extracting Of Resources In Space To Reduce Launch Mass, Advance Immediate Payback Opportunities, Spread Cost & Development Over Extended Period Of Time; Progressive Robotic Technological Development In Cislunar Space Could Bring Benefits To Life On Earth While Facilitating Settlement Of Solar System & Beyond

Image Credit: NASA, PhilipMetzger.com

Wednesday / 5 November 2014

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USA Advancing Moon Resource Prospecting Missions

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2 Separate NASA Moon Missions Seek To Advance Human Capacity To Live Off-World; Lunar Flashlight PI Barbara Cohen Of NASA Marshall SFC Says Solar Sail Orbiter Mission, With The Goal Of Obtaining Data Of Purity & Accessibility Of Lunar Volatiles, May Launch On Debut SLS Flight In Late 2017; Resource Prospector Mission Project Scientist Tony Colaprete Of NASA Ames Says Rover Mission Will Map & Collect Samples Of Surface / Subsurface Hydrogen At 2 Yet-To-Be-Determined Polar Sites; Demonstration Of ISRU Could Facilitate Human Moon Settlement

Image Credit: NASA

 

Tuesday / 4 November 2014

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China Becomes 3rd Nation To Conduct
Round Trip Moon Mission

Xiaofei

Continuing Its Methodical Approach To Lunar Development, China Successfully Recovers Chang’e-5 Test Probe ‘Xiaofei’ After Its 840,000-km Journey & Landing In Inner Mongolia; Probe Was Intact, Though Charred From Reentry Heat; Host Platform Dodged Earth And Headed Back Out Into Space To Continue Operations After Releasing Reentry Test Probe; Next Mission, Chang’e-4 Lander May Become First Craft To Soft Land On Lunar South Pole, Will Help Prove Systems Required For More Ambitious Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission, NET 2017

Image Credit: Xinhua