Category Archives: Moon Exploration

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 26-29 September 2014

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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

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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

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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

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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

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon 12-15 September 2014

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Orion Spacecraft Taking First Steps To Lunar / Solar System Exploration

OrionTest0914

Test Version Of New NASA Flagship Crew Vehicle Moved To Fueling Depot In Preparation For 4 Dec Exploration Test Flight-1; 4.5-Hour, US$375M Mission Will Mimic Return From Moon As Delta 4 Rocket Will Launch Orion ~5,800km Above Earth, Craft Will Return At 32,000 Km/hr; Orion Will Launch Aboard New SLS For 2nd Test Flight In 2018; First Crewed Flight Expected In 2021, Taking 4 Astronauts On Circumlunar Cruise; NASA Expects To Spend US$15B On Orion Through 1st Crewed Flight; Increase In NASA Budget, Prioritization Of Human Lunar / Solar System Exploration Could Hasten Orion Flight Pace

Image Credit: NASA

Thursday / 11 September 2014

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Canada Industry Minister Confirms Lunar Aspirations / Capabilities

CanadaMoonIndustry0914

James Moore Says Canada Has Technological Capability & Political Will To  Send Humans To Moon & Mars; Industry Minister Comments Made In Televised Interview With Astronaut Chris Hadfield; Canada Is Participating With Other National Space Agencies In Global Exploration Roadmap Which Foresees Human Missions To Lunar Orbit & Surface In Mid-2020s; Banking On Its Expertise In Robotics & Mining, Canada Proposes To Send An Astronaut To Lunar Space To Control A Canadian Moon Rover, Assist In Developing Small Lunar Settlement To Learn To Live Away From Earth, Prepare For Further Solar System Exploration

Image Credit: cbc.ca, ESA

Tuesday / 9 September 2014

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Association Of Space Explorers Talk Cooperation In / With China

YangBuzz0914

International Organization Of 395+ Astronauts & Cosmonauts From 35 Nations Will Meet In Beijing, China On 10-15 September To Discuss ‘Cooperation: To Realize Humanity’s Space Dream Together’; China Officials – Including 1st China Astronaut Yang Liwei – Expected To Share Information On Current Human Space Mission Capacity / Future Plans, Opportunities For International Cooperation; Veteran Moonworker Buzz Aldrin Among The 30+ US Astronauts Participating In The Event; Aldrin Is Active Advocate For USA / International Cooperation With China On Moon / Mars Mission Development & Exploration

Image Credit: ASE, CNSA, MIT

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 5-8 September 2014

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International Observe The Moon Night,
Last Super Moon Of 2014

InOMN 2014

The 5th Annual International Observe The Moon Night Takes Place Saturday 6 September While Earth’s Closest Celestial Neighbor Is In Waxing Gibbous Phase Enhancing Visibility Of Lunar Craters; Over 300 Events Registered Worldwide To Promote Science, Education, Awareness Of Moon Exploration & Benefits, Current Moon Missions (Pictured) / Potential & Planned Missions Including GLXP, ILO-1, Golden Spike, LunarCubes; Moon At Perigee (357,986 km) Sunday 7 Sep & Full Harvest / SuperMoon Monday 8 Sep

Image Credit: InOMN, LROC, NASA, CNSA, CCTV

Friday / 5 September 2014

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Planetary Senior Review Panel Gives Green Light To LRO Extended Mission

LROseniorReview0914

Evaluating Proposed New Science & Previous Productivity LRO Received Grade Of Very Good / Good From NASA Planetary Senior Review Panel Chaired By Clive Neal; Panel Suggested Descoping Some LRO Instruments: Mini-RF Operations To End, CRaTER Instrument May Continue With Cost-Sharing With Helio / Astrophysics Programs; After Accepting Descoping Proposal LRO Grade Raised To Very Good / Excellent; 2nd 2-Year LRO Extended Science Mission Will Characterize Changes In Lunar Surface, Interior & Exosphere; LRO Expected 2015 Operations Cost Was US$8.1M Pre-Descoping

Image Credit: NASA

Thursday / 4 September 2014

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GLXP Teams Take Small Steps,
Develop Big Goals

090414

German-Based Team Part-Time Scientists Test The 3 Imaging Systems Of Its ‘Asimov’ Rover At German Research Center For AI Simulated Lunar Environment In Bremen; Japan-Based Team Hakuto Long-Term Goal Is To Develop Space Resources Which Facilitate Human Habitation Of Moon / Space Says Rover Development Lead Kazuya Yoshida (TL) Of Tohoku University; The Man Who Sold The Moon New Novella By Cory Doctorow (BR) About A GLXP-Type NewSpace Moon Mission, Attempts To Reignite Interest In Developing Enterprising Lunar Exploration Ideas

Image Credit: GLXP, Boing Boing