Wednesday / 5 February 2014

Posted on February 4, 2014 by LED Editor

Space Property Rights: Viable First Steps To Advance Commercial Space Initiatives

Space Advocates Berin Szoka (T) & Jim Dunstan (B) Outline Plan To Advance Space Property Rights In Near Term; USA Government Should Recognize Ownership Of Extracted Resources By Commercial Space Enterprises, & Bar Interference From Other USA Companies; Territorial Rights Would Be Limited In Scope, Contingent On Ongoing Operations; Need To Clarify Which Government Agency Has Jurisdiction Over Lunar / Asteroid Activities; Remind Global Community That Space Is Vast: Plenty For All Who Make Effort

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace, Space Frontier Foundation, Picasa

Tuesday / 4 February 2014

Posted on February 3, 2014 by LED Editor

LADEE Mission Extended, SSERVI Exploration Science Forum Set For July

Moon Orbiter, Already With Over 1000 Lunar Orbits Completed, Surprises Mission Team By Having Enough Fuel Remaining For 1-Month Extended Mission; 383-kg Craft Will Be Lowered To 5-Km Orbit Where It Should Find Denser Atmosphere / Dust Environment; Richard Elphic (BR) & LADEE Team Still Investigating Data From Chang’e-3 Landing; NASA / SSERVI Announce 1st Annual Exploration Science Forum At Ames RC, CA, On 21-23 July 2014

Image Credit: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 31 Jan – 3 Feb 2014

Posted on January 31, 2014 by LED Editor

Moon Astronomy Revolution

Chang’e-3 LUT Operating Nominally, According To Jianyan Wei Of NAOC/CAS, After 2 Productive Lunar Days In Which It Observed 23 Stars Of Draco Constellation, Conducted Long-Duration Observation Of Variable Stars & Produced Mosaic Sky Survey; This Historic Precedent Of Viability Of & Opportunity For Astronomy From Lunar Surface Should Give Encouragement & Confidence To Global Astronomy, Space Exploration & NewSpace Communities Seeking To Advance Humanity As Multi World Species

Image Credit: NAOC/CAS, ILOA

Thursday / 30 January 2014

Posted on January 29, 2014 by LED Editor

Moon Mining – A Rising Priority

Private Companies & Government Agencies See Moon Mining As Critical Step Towards Future Sustainability, Expansion Of Humans Through Solar System; China Eyeing Lunar Helium-3; Russia Planning Prospecting & Sample Return Missions By 2020; USA Likely To Collaborate With Japan, Korea, Canada, Private Companies To Achieve US$250M Resource Prospector Mission At Moon South Pole ~2018 To Advance ISRU Capabilities; Moon Mining Plans Lead Inevitably To Property Rights Considerations

Image Credit: NASA, Roscosmos

Wednesday / 29 January 2014

Posted on January 28, 2014 by LED Editor

Japan SELENE Symposium In March 2014

2nd SELENE Symposium On 4-5 March At NAOJ, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan; Regional & International Scientists Will Review New Lunar Mission Science Results, Discuss Opportunities For International Collaboration On Lunar Research & Future Missions; 1st Symposium (Jan 2013) Had Over 90 Participants From 7 Countries; SELENE-2 Orbiter / Lander / Rover Mission Expected 2017; Pictured: Science Organization Committee Chair Junichi Haruyama

Image Credit: JAXA, NAOJ

Tuesday / 28 January 2014

Posted on January 27, 2014 by LED Editor

South Korea Initiates Moon Exploration Program

2020 South Korea Moon Mission Preparations Initiated With Launch Of Program For Research & Development Of Basic Lunar Exploration Technologies; 15 State-Run & Private Institutes Will Collaborate To Develop 4 Major Technologies In Information-Technology, Nuclear Energy, Robotics & Resource Exploration; Pictured (TR): Choi Mun-Kee, Minister Of Science, ICT & Future Planning

Image Credit: msip.go.kr, KARI

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 24-27 January 2014

Posted on January 24, 2014 by LED Editor

Chang’e-3 Producing Valuable Data On Moon

China Moon-Based Telescope Carrying Out Continuous Observation In Near-Ultraviolet Spectrum, Already Captured Images Of 23 Astronomical Phenomena; Lunar Radar Acquiring Data In 2 Channels Exploring Structures 10m & 140m Below Lunar Surface, Identified 11 Chemical Elements In Regolith Including Magnesium, Aluminum, Titanium & Iron; Chang’e-3 Youth Team Receives Elite Youth Of China 2013 People Of Year Award

Image Credit: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Thursday / 23 January 2014

Posted on January 22, 2014 by LED Editor

Clementine Mission Pivotal In Illuminating Importance Of Lunar Destination

Advocating For Strong USA Initiative To Realize Robotic & Human Missions To Lunar Poles ASAP, Paul Spudis Reviews Impact Of 1994 Clementine Moon Orbiter On America / World Space Policy; Over 71 Days Mission Collected >2M Images, 1st Global Topographic Map Of Moon, Revealed Aitken Basin / South Pole Features That Could Sustain Human Outpost: Peaks Of Near Permanent Sun Illumination, Evidence Of Water Ice / Hydrogen; Spudis On The Space Show Sunday 26 Jan

Image Size: NASA

Wednesday / 22 January 2014

Posted on January 21, 2014 by LED Editor

ESA Looking To Collaborate With Russia On Lunar Exploration

European Space Agency Leaders Advancing Collaboration With Russia On Luna-27 / Luna- Resurs 1 Mission ~2019 To Research Frozen Volatiles Near Moon South Pole & ROSCOSMOS Lunar Polar Sample Return Mission Envisaged In Early 2020s; Meetings On 17-19 Feb 2014 At ESA ESTEC Will Explore Collaboration Possibilities, Evaluate Sample Return Science Proposals

Image Credit: ROSCOSMOS, ESA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon 17-20 January 2014

Posted on January 17, 2014 by LED Editor

Partnership Opportunities For Commercial Lunar Landers Offered By NASA

Lunar Cargo Transportation And Landing By Soft Touchdown (Lunar CATALYST) Initiative Announced By NASA Calls For Proposals From USA Private Sector, Will Lead To 1 Or More No-Funds Exchanged Space Act Agreements; NASA Will Offer Technical Expertise, Access To Test Facilities / Equipment & Software For Lander Development / Testing; Pre-Proposal Teleconference 27 Jan, Proposals Due 17 Mar, Selections Made In Apr