Category Archives: Moon Exploration

Tuesday / 21 October 2014

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Lunar Scientists Gather For
LEAG Annual Meeting 22-24 Oct

LEAG Oct 22-24

Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Meeting Taking Place 22-24 October In Laurel MD At JHU/APL; 3 “Current Understanding” Sessions On Lunar Volatiles With Major Focus Moon South Pole / Permanently Shadowed Craters, Solar Wind, Data From LRO / LADEE / ARTEMIS, Potential For Human Stays On Moon; 2 Sessions On Future Exploration Instruments, Missions, Techniques, Strategies & Opportunities; 50+ Speakers (L-R) Include Jacob Bleacher (NASA), John Thorton (Astrobotic), James Carpenter (ESA)

Image Credit: LEAG, JHU/APL, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 17-20 October 2014

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“Forget Mars, We Should Live On The MOON”

LED-10-17-14

Canada Hero, CSA Astronaut, Former ISS Commander, Chris Hadfield Advocates For Permanent Settlement Of Moon As Among Highest Priorities For Human Space Exploration; Mars About 500 Times More Distant On Average, Making Many Things Much More Difficult: Communications, Mission Timeline, Safety Parameters, Abort Procedures, Earth-Based Mission Control; Hadfield Suggests We’ll Be Living On The Moon Several Generations, Then Eventually Go On To Mars

Image Credit: CSA, NASA, ESA, L. Oleastri

Thursday / 16 October 2014

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China To Launch Reentry Test Orbiter
To Moon 23 October

Chang'e Test Orbiter, 4M OHB

Moon Orbiter To Test Reentry Technologies For 2017 Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission Set To Launch 23 Oct On Long March 3C/E From Xichang Satellite Launch Center; 14-Kg Manfred Memorial Moon Mission Designed By OHB To Measure Radiation & Transmit Radio Signals Is Attached To 3rd Stage Booster; Chang’e Capsule Carrying Cameras (Perhaps Other Science Instruments) Filled With Samples, To Separate From 3rd Stage 20 Mins After Launch, Closest Approach 28 Oct At 00:33 UT ~13,000 Km Altitude, Return To Earth Oct 31/Nov 1 At 11 Km/s, Parachute-Assist Landing

Image Credit: CASC, CNSA, CCTV, OHB, LuxSpace

Wednesday / 15 October 2014

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Space Horizons 2015:
McMurdo On The Moon?

LED101514Brown University Hosts Annual NASA Sponsored Event Space Horizons 2015, 18-19 Feb; Antarctic McMurdo Station Inspires Asking “What Can 50+ Years Of Science In The Toughest Setting On Earth Tell Us About Working On The Moon?”; Workshops Examine Analog For Breakthrough Technologies To Realize Lunar Settlement; Brown’s 250-Year Anniversary Celebration Highlighted By Contributions In Planetary Science; Cutting Edge Virtual Reality Exhibit Allows Viewer To Fly Over Moon And Antarctica; Online Registration Now Open

 Image Credit: USAP, NASA, Brown University

Tuesday / 14 October 2014

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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