CRaTER Instrument Aboard LRO Continuing To Characterize Global Lunar Radiation Environment & Its Biological Impact; CRaTER Website Converts Data From The 6 Instrument Detectors Into Music; Music Shifts From Major To Minor & Main Instrument Transitions Among 8 Options From Piano To Banjo As Cosmic Ray Count Increases; CRaTER Data Critical For Human Moon Mission / Lunar Base Construction Preparations
Image Credit: NASA, Business Insider
China Moon Crafts Resuming Scientific Work After Awakening From 2 Weeks Of Hibernation; Ground Penetrating Radar On Rover Expected To Gather New Information Related To Chemical Composition & Depth Of Lunar Soil, Aid Lunar Mining Preparations; Lunar Ultraviolet Telescopes Will Prove Value Of Moon-Based Observatories, Monitor Earth Plasmasphere, Observe Galaxies / Stars; Pictured (Inset): 1st Image Of Earth From Moon In 4 Decades
Image Credit: Chinese Academy Of Sciences
ISRO Chairman Radhakrishnan Confirms India Working To Conduct Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter / Lander / Rover Moon Mission In 2016; Mission Will Be Launched By GSLV & Include Indigenous Lander & Rover; Major Mission Objective Is To Demonstrate India Capability To Soft-Land On Lunar Surface; Orbiter Will Carry 5 Payloads, Lander / Rover Payloads Will Be Finalized Once Weight / Volume / Power Constraint Of Lander Confirmed
Image Credit: ISRO
Canada Astronaut Chris Hadfield, Veteran Of 3 Spaceflights, Says International Efforts To Return To Moon Should Include Collaboration With As Many Spacefaring Nations As Possible; Cooperation With China Especially Important For Exploration / Development Of Moon As “Next Natural Waypoint Out To Space;” China Lunar Exploration Program Officials Confirm They Are Working On Human Moon Landing, Preparation For Lunar Base Construction
Image Credit: Lauren Crawford, engadget.com
China Moon Lander & Rover To Awaken From 2-Week Lunar Night Hibernation ~8 Jan For 1st Full Lunar Day Of Operations; Solar Panels & Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator Using 238-Plutonium Dioxide Power Lander Instruments During Day, RTG Provides Heat During Night; Yutu Rover Powered By Solar Panels, Uses Radioisotope Heater Units & ‘Fold-Up’ Technique To Survive Cold Nights, Expected Operational Life Is Minimum 3 Months
Image Credit: China Space, NASA
Multi Nation Science And Commerce Human Lunar Expeditions 2019-2020 Preceded By Moon South Pole International Traffic Jam 2015-2016 With Robotic Landings From USA, PRC, Japan, India, Russia, as well as Moon Express / ILOA, Golden Spike, Shackleton Energy, Astrobotic, Lunar Lions, Others; NEOs, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn Next
Ad Astra — Happy New Year / Holidays To All
Image Credit: NASA, ILOA, ME, Penn State Lunar Lions, Astrobotic Technology
Russia Academy Of Sciences VP Lev Zelyony (B) Predicts International Rivalry Over Control Of Lunar Poles In Mid 21st Century Similar To That Of Arctic Shelf – Citing Increasing Value Of Extraterrestrial Water, Rare-Earth Metals; Vladislav Shevchenko (C) Of Moscow State University Says Cooperation Would Be Better Than A Race; Russia Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin (T) Feels Country Should Focus On Building Human Outpost On Moon
Image Credit: Komsomolskaya Pravda, Rianovosti, msu.ru
Use Of Abundant Resources On Moon ‘Will Change Humanity’s Future’ Says Bob Richards Of Moon Express; Iron, Nickel, Titanium, Platinum For Fuel Cell & Clean Tech Development, Lithium For Batteries, Helium-3 Fuel For Future Nuclear Fusion Plants, Water For Life Support / Propellant; May Find Undiscovered Resources As Well; Depots On Moon & In Orbit Can Fuel Robotic & Human Missions, Lunar & Mars Habitats; Kg-Sized Samples Of Lunar Material May Be Valued At US$1B
Image Credit: Popular Mechanics, Shackleton Energy Co.
LADEE Measuring Changes In Lunar Atmosphere Caused By Chang’e-3-Released Dust & Exhaust, Comparing To Baseline Data Collected During Full 29.5-Day Lunar Cycle Prior To China Arrival; LRO Scans Landing Site With LAMP Instrument Looking For Exhaust Plume Signature, LROC Able To Image Lander / Rover At ~2m / Pixel, Will Attempt Image On 24 Dec; ARTEMIS Spacecraft Look For Plume Signatures In Plasma & Magnetic Field
Image Credit: NASA, CCTV
As Chang’e-3 & Yutu Activate Science Instruments, Space Law Experts Glenn Reynolds (Top) – In USA Today Opinion Piece – & Homer Hickam Posit That Mining / Territorial Claims May Follow; Reynolds Suggests Such An Act Could Stimulate Commercial / Government Lunar Development, Says 1967 Outer Space Treaty Is Main Culprit For 4 Decades Of Lunar Vacancy
Image Credit: ImagineChina, Twitter, NASA