Category Archives: Moon Exploration

Friday / 20 June 2014

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Smooth Sailing For China Lunar Program,
Next Moon Missions

Chang'e-5, CLEP

Chang’e-5 Flight Test Module Launching To Moon Later This Year To Verify Return & Re-Entry Technology, Successfully Passes Thermal Vacuum Test, Further Tests Upcoming; According To Lunar Program Chief Designer Weiren Wu Presenting At ISCOPS Conference In May, Chang’e-4 Lander / Rover Being Reconfigured For Advanced Science, Expected To Launch 2015-2017; Chang’e-5 Sample Return Able To Carry 2kg Of Rocks & Regolith Launching Late 2017

Image Credit: ILOA, spacechina.com, CNSA, NASA

Thursday / 19 June 2014

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Astrobotic Wants To Facilitate 1st Race On Moon

XPrizeRaceOnMoon0614

Astrobotic Technology Offering To Carry At Least 4 GLXP Team Rovers To Lunar Surface On Its Inaugural Mission To Lacus Mortis Region; Rovers Would  Simultaneously Begin 500-Meter Race To Win GLXP After Landing; CEO John Thornton Says This Will Create More Exciting Race, 1st International Competition On Another World; New Astrobotic Website Features Innovative ‘Configure Your Mission’ Page For Potential Payload Customers; Charging US$1.2M/kg For Delivery To Lunar Surface

Image Credit: GLXP

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 13-16 June 2014

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LEAG & SSERVI Conferences Highlight Scientific Value Of Lunar Exploration

LEAGsservi0614

1st Announcement Of 2014 Annual Meeting Of LEAG, 22-24 Oct In Maryland USA; Call For Abstracts Expected 24 June; 2 Main Focus Areas: Lunar Volatiles & The Global Exploration Roadmap (GER); SSERVI Releases Agenda For 1st Annual NASA Exploration Science Forum, 21-23 July At Ames RC, California USA; Event Also Includes Discussion Of GER, To Integrate Priority Science Objectives Into NASA / International Exploration Plans; Pictured: LEAG Program Chair Samuel Lawrence

Image Credit: LEAG, NASA

Friday / 13 June 2014

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SpaceMETA Becomes 3rd GLXP Team To Announce Official Launch Agreement

SpaceMETA

Brazil-Based SpaceMETA Signs MoU With Alcantara Cyclone Space Co To Deliver ‘Solitaire’ Payload To Orbit For Subsequent Translunar Orbit Injection; Cyclone Family Has 222 Successful Launches, Developing 3-Stage Cyclone 4 With Goal Of ~US$50M Launch Cost; Astrobotic & Barcelona Moon Announced Launches Earlier; Founder Of SpaceMETA Sergio Cabral Cavalcanti – Presenter At Inaugural 2013 Galaxy Forum Brazil – Wants To Create Ambitious Starting Point From Which Future Generations Can Expand

Image Credit: SpaceMETA, GLXP, ACS

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 6-9 June 2014

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LRO Has More Work To Do After 5 Productive Years

LROsymphony

With A Generous Reserve Of Fuel And 7 Instruments Performing “Like A Finely Tuned Symphony” LRO Still A Valuable Tool For Planetary Science / Exploration; Preliminary Goals For Proposed 2nd Extended Mission Include: Evaluate Nature Of Thermophysical Differences Between Permanently Shaded Regions & Rest Of Moon, Complete Mapping (0.5-2m / Pixel) Of Non-Polar Regions, Continue Longitudinal Studies Of Changes On Moon (Impact Cratering Rate, etc), Increase Scientific Productivity Of Future Lunar Surface Missions; Pictured R-L: LRO Project Scientist Richard Vondrak & Project Manager Craig Tooley

Image Credit: NASA

Tuesday / 3 June 2014

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PISCES Extending Hawai`i Apollo Moon Mission Contributions To 21st Century

PISCESalohaMoon0614

Hawaii Island Moon-Like Environments Being Utilized By PISCES To Test Moon / Mars-Bound Vehicles & Technologies; New State Resolution Initiating Project To Develop Basaltic ‘Lunar Concrete’, Installation Of A Test ‘Lunar Sidewalk’ Set For Aug; 2nd Initiative Involves Construction-Scale 3D Printing Using Basalt, PISCES & NASA Plan To 3D Print A Landing Pad, Curved Wall, Dome Shelter; Aloha State Was Important Contributor To Apollo Moon Missions – As Depicted In Recently Released Photos – Astronaut Training, Communication Relays, Recovery Of Returning Moonworkers  

Image Credit: PISCES, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 30 May-2 June 2014

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Chang’e-3 Lander / Yutu Rover Continue To Exceed Expectations

chinaLUTstillHere

China Moon Lander With Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope & Extreme Ultraviolet Camera Continue To Gather Scientific Data / Demonstrate Value Of Astronomy From The Moon, While Yutu Rover & Its Mechanical Problems Dominate International News Coverage Of Mission; Now In Lunar Night 6, Rover Has Exceeded Projected 3-Month Lifespan, Chang’e-3 Lander Also Expected To Exceed 1-Year Projected Lifespan; Chang’e-3 LUT International Partner ILOA (With SPC Affiliate) Has Produced An Estimated Lunar Day-Night Cycle For Chang’e-3 Mission

Image Credit: CNSA, silvercoinstory.com

Tuesday / 20 May 2014

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USA Lunar Surface Mission In The Works: NASA Issues RFI

RFIresolve

RFI Submitted By NASA KSC Seeking Private Industry Sources / Information On Payload Avionics Systems & Avionics Elements For Use In Short-Duration Lunar Surface Resource Prospecting Mission; Submissions Must Be Sent To Christopher Zuber By 20 June 2014; South Pole Moon Resource Prospector Mission (RPM) With RESOLVE Payload Notionally Targeted For 2018 Launch; NASA Has Spent Just Over US$20M On The Mission, Expects Total Mission Cost ~US$250M

 Image Credit: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 16-19 May 2014

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Space Lawyers Outline Challenges Of Commercial Lunar Development At ISDC

ISDCspaceLaw0514

USA-Based Commercial Entities Seeking To Explore, Settle In And Exploit Resources Of Space / Moon May Be Hindered By International Law, Predominance Of Countries That See Space As Shared Resource; Boston Attorney Rosanna Sattler Says Country Of Origin Will Need To Be Responsible For Their Endemic Enterprises, International MoUs Allowing Specific Commercial Activities May Be Easier To Achieve Than A Whole New International Treaty; Other Experts Such As Art Dula Believe Private Companies ‘Absolutely Have The Right’ To Mine / Develop Moon, Asteroids, Etc.

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace, Excalibur Almaz, Here & Now

Friday / 16 May 2014

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European Lunar Symposium Covers Diversity Of Moon Research, Interest

ELS 2014

Second Day Of European Lunar Symposium Focuses On Lunar Samples, Future Missions, Global Partnerships; Sessions Chaired By (L-R) Romain Tartèse, James Carpenter, Greg Schmidt, Ian Crawford; David Kring Talks On Human Exploration Of Lunar South Polar Region & Far Side; Up To 200 Participants Interacting On / Advancing Strategic Considerations For Moon Astronomical, Astrophysical, Geological, Commercial, Resource Utilization Interests

Image Credit: ESA, NASA, SSERVI, LPI, Open University