Category Archives: Moon Exploration

Thursday / 13 February 2014

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China Chang’e-4, -5, -6 Missions
Likely To Be Reconfigured

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Chang’e-3 Lander Now Into Lunar Day 3 After Apparent Yutu Rover Loss; In Completing ~50% Expected Mission Duration Rover Successfully Used Its Panoramic & Navigational Cameras, Alpha-Proton X-Ray Spectrometer & Underbelly Radar System, Providing Valuable Data; Paul Spudis Says China Accomplished All Of Its Major Mission Objectives; Chang’e-4, -5, -6 Will Be Upgraded & Possibly Delayed, As Mission Engineers Evaluate / Integrate Experience Gained From Yutu

Image Credit: CNSA

Tuesday / 11 February 2014

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4th International Workshop On Lunar Science Applications In Florida This April

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8-11 April Event In Cocoa Beach, FL, USA Will Provide Overview Of Current Lunar Mission Data, Planned USA, Russia, GLXP Missions & Opportunities They May Provide For Secondary Payloads To Lunar Surface / Cislunar Space; LSA 4 Designed To Foster Collaboration Among Scientists, Engineers & Entrepreneurs To Solve Challenges Involved With Going To Moon & Beyond; Abstracts Due 28 Feb

Image Credit: lunarinitiatives.com, NASA, Moon Express

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon 7-10 February 2014

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Chandrayaan-2 Rover Mission
Details Emerging

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India Moon Rover Preparing For 2016 / 2017 Launch Via 3-Stage GSLV Will Employ Semi-Autonomous Navigation & Hazard Avoidance On Lunar Surface; Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) & Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) Payloads On Board 6-Wheeled Rover Will Perform Element Analysis Of Surface Near Landing Site; Rover Will Be Capable Of Using Both Lander & Orbiter Communications Relays; IIT-Kanpur Reports It Completed Rover Development In 2010, Still Awaiting ISRO Inspection / Payment

Image Credit: ISRO, IIT-Kanpur

Thursday / 6 February 2014

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Lunar CATALYST Program Inspiring GLXP, Property Rights Debates

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Moon Express & Other USA-Based GLXP Teams Enthusiastic About NASA Lunar CATALYST Program While Barcelona Moon & International Teams Concerned It Unbalances The Competition; Mike Gold (TR) Of Bigelow Aerospace Applauds NASA Initiative, Yet Warns That Private Moon Mission Investment Not Likely Until Rights To Extracted Minerals Clearly Defined; Bigelow Awaiting FAA Response To Recent Moon Mission Licensing Request

Image Credit: Barcelona Moon Team, Moon Express, NASA, Bigelow Aerospace

Wednesday / 5 February 2014

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

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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

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LADEE Mission Extended, SSERVI Exploration Science Forum Set For July

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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

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Moon Astronomy Revolution

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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

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Moon Mining – A Rising Priority

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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

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Japan SELENE Symposium In March 2014

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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

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South Korea Initiates Moon Exploration Program

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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