Tuesday / 14 October 2014

Russia: Moon Is Core Of Space Program Russia Moon

Roscosmos Head Of Strategic Planning Department Yuri Makarov States Moon Is Central To Space Program & Will Enable Solar System Missions, Envisions International Cooperation; During This & Next Decade Focus On Automatic Spaceships & Stations, In 2030s Lunar Orbital Stations & Vehicles, 2040s Crewed Lunar Station Near Moon South Pole, 2050s Inhabited Bases & Optical Laboratories; Robotic Missions Luna-25 (Which May Cost Tens Of Billions Of Rubles ~US$250M) Through Luna-29 (2016-2021) To Be Followed By Human Moon Flyby 2025, Landing By 2030

 Image Credit: Roscosmos, Andrey Sokolov, Alexey Leonov, NASA

Wednesday / 8 October 2014

USC Graduate Students Present Innovative Lunar Exploration Concepts

USCMadhu1014

Students In USC Astronautical Engineering Course With Prof Madhu Thangavelu Present Concepts For Future Human Solar System Exploration; Projects Evaluated By Faculty, Industry & NASA Experts; Proposals Include Maglev-Operated Lunar Space Elevator Attached To A Station At L1 Lagrange Point, Lunar Lava Tube Explorations With Spiderbots Capable Of Inverted Climbing With Advanced Sensors, Self-Propelled Inflatable Lunar Rovers Which Could Deploy Swarms Of Small Exploration Rovers

Image Credit: USC

Tuesday / 7 October 2014

4th LunarCubes Workshop: Opening The Lunar Frontier

LunarCubes1014

Scientists, Engineers, Investors & Entrepreneurs Hoping To Open CisLunar Space Through Innovative, Low-Cost Missions Will Convene In Sunnyvale CA For The 4th International Workshop On LunarCubes, 7-10 Oct; Formal Presentations By Speakers Such As Astrobotic President John Thornton, Flexure Engineering CEO Russell Cox & Made In Space CTO Jason Dunn Will Highlight Design, Launch, Payload & Communication Options Available To Future LunarCube Missions, As Well As Overviews Of Missions Currently Under Development; Participants Will Also Contribute To Interactive Design Challenges 

Image Credit: lunarinitiatives.com, Made In Space, Flexure Engineering, Astrobotic

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 3-6 October 2014

International Lunar Geophysical Year Campaign May Help Advance Cislunar Development

ILGY1014

National Space Society International Committee Chair David Dunlop Proposes 2017 Be Labeled International Lunar Geophysical Year; Several Initiatives Such As Organizing New Lunar-Focused Conferences & Highlighting International Lunar Initiatives At Major Conferences Will Aim To Expand Human Econosphere To Moon / Cislunar Space; Campaign Will Broaden & Compliment Lunar Science Mission Initiatives By National Space Agencies, GLXP Teams, Lunar CubeSat Missions & Independent Missions Like Those Of International Lunar Observatory Association

Image Credit: NSS, ILOA

Wednesday / 1 October 2014

ISRO Chair Affirms Lunar Settlement Plans At IAC 2014

KRadIAC2014

While Speaking At International Astronautical Congress 2014 Heads Of Agencies Panel In Toronto, Canada, Top Space Official Of India K Radhakrishnan Affirms That ISRO Looks Forward To Explore & Settle The Habitable Worlds Of Solar System, Including Moon & Mars; Comments Come After India Became 1st Asia Nation To Reach Mars Orbit, & As Country Prepares For GSLV Mark 3 Launch In Coming Months Which Will Test Reentry Capsule For Future Crewed Missions

Image Credit: ISRO, IAC

Tuesday / 30 September 2014

India Mangalyaan Scientist Says Human Moon Mission On Horizon

Mangalaayaaaan

ISRO Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre Director K Sivan Discusses India Lunar Ambitions During Update Of Mangalyaan Mars Orbiter Mission Success / Possible Extended Lifespan; India “Developing Capability & Technology For [Crewed] Mission To Moon. We Have A Policy & We Will Do It When We Mature On It”; Capacity To Conduct Efficient, Cost-Effective Missions (First Country To Reach Mars Orbit On First Attempt, Mangalyaan Orbiter Cost Only US$74M) May Allow India To Advance Human Settlement Of Moon, Multi World Species Status

Image Credit: ISRO

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 26-29 September 2014

IAC 2014 To Provide Extensive Overview Of International Lunar Missions

IACtoronto

Premier Astronautical Event – 28 Sep To 3 Oct In Toronto – To Feature 3 Sessions On Robotic Lunar Exploration 30 Sep: Review Of Past / Present Missions (Including SMART-1, Chang’e-1 & 3 / Yutu, LADEE), Prospective Missions From USA, China, Canada, ESA, Russia, India, Korea, Japan, GLXP Teams, Update On Technology Developments For South Pole Moon Prospector Mission By Nadeen Ghafoor Of Canadensys Aerospace Corp; Human Exploration Of Moon / Cislunar Space 1 Oct: Lockheed & Boeing To Present Ideas For Cis-Lunar / L2 Outpost, Lunar Skylights / Lavatube Exploration, Concepts For Lunar Greenhouse

Image Credit: IAC, NASA

Thursday / 25 September 2014

India Next Steps Into Solar System:
Moon Lander, New Rocket, Crew Module

IndiaNextSteps0914

ISRO Looks To Advance Its Position As Global Space Power With Ambitious Slate Of Missions After Successful Mars Orbit Insertion; Chairman K Radhakrishnan Says Agency Has Completed Moon Rover, Developing Technologies For Soft Landing, Advancing Indigenous GLSV Launch Vehicle, Expects Chandrayaan-2 Mission 2016-2017; First Test Flight Of GSLV Mark-3 Rocket – With 4 Tonne Capacity To GTO – Expected Late 2014; Flight To Include Test Of Crew Module Re-Entry

Image Credit: ISRO

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 19-22 September 2014

India & China Initiate Space Cooperation,
Joint Moon Mission Next?

IndiaChinaMoon0914

Top CNSA Representatives Accompany China President Xi Jinping On First Official Visit To India; ISRO Chair K Radhakrishnan (RF) CNSA Deputy Director Zhang Jianhua (LF) Sign MoU For Cooperation In Peaceful Uses Of Outer Space; Initial Focus Expected To Be On Space Science / Exploration, Remote Sensing & Disaster Management; China Has Asserted That It Is Open In Its Lunar Program For Cooperation With Other Nations; An India / China Partnership Could Facilitate Rapid Advancement Of Robotic & Human Moon Exploration

Image Credit: CNSA, sarkaritel.com

Thursday / 18 September 2014

Commercial Crew Enterprises Advancing
Lunar Aspirations

SpacePeople Commercial Crew Selection Allows NASA To Focus On Deep Space Exploration; Commercial Space Enterprises Not Content With Taxi Service To LEO: Space Adventures (2017) & Excalibur Almaz (by 2025) Planning Circumlunar Tourism Missions, Golden Spike Company Advancing Human Surface Mission Architecture; While At ASE In Beijing Buzz Aldrin Says He Is Supportive Of China & International Human Moon Exploration, Thinks USA Should Advance Robotic Lunar Exploration, Build Permanent Station On Moon As Staging Post To Mars / Beyond

Image Credit: NASA, Golden Spike Company, Space Adventures