Category Archives: Moon Exploration

Tuesday / 15 October 2013

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LADEE Settling Into Lunar Orbit,
Preparing Communications Demonstration

LLCD1013

Lunar Atmosphere & Dust Environment Explorer Now In 250-Km Near-Circular Equatorial Orbit; Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration To Begin 17 Oct, LADEE To Link Up With Ground Stations In New Mexico, California & Canary Islands, Achieve Downlink Speed 622Mbps / Uplink Speed 20Mbps, Technology Could Revolutionize Deep Space Communication; Around 11 Nov Probe Will Drop To ~50Km Altitude For 100-Day Science Mission

Image Credit: NASA

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 11-14 Oct 2013

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 LRO Preparing For Future
By Studying Past Missions

LROlanders1013

Imaging Of Historic Hardware / Landers On Moon Remains Important Area Of Study For LRO;  Photometric Modeling Of Exhaust Plume Effects On Regolith Environment Using LROC-NAC Images Taken With Different Illumination Geometries Help Define Safe Operational Practices For Future Landing Sites; LROC Investigators Hope To Advance This Study With Before & After Images Of Chang’e-3 Landing Site

Image Credit: NASA, CNSA

Thursday / 10 October 2013

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LADEE Set To Enter Commissioning Orbit

MaceWindu1013

US$280M Probe Now Orbiting Moon Once Every 4 Hours After Completing 2nd Orbit Insertion Maneuver Early Wed Morning; 3rd Maneuver Planned For Sat 12 Oct Will Move LADEE From Elliptical To Circular ‘Commissioning’ Orbit (250-Km Altitude); Mission Scientists Will Use This Time To Test Science Instruments & Conduct Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration Before Dropping To 50-Km To Begin Science Operations In Late Nov

Image Credit: NASA

Wednesday / 9 October 2013

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New Moon Race Heating Up

RaceToMoon

China, India, Russia, USA All Planning Moon Missions In This Decade; UK, ESA, South Korea To Follow Post-2020; As Many As 3 GLXP Teams Could Also Land On Moon By 2015 Heralding Age Of Commercial Mining / Exploration; With Well-Funded Lunar Program, First Moon Lander In 37 Years (Chang’e-3 In Dec 2013) & Serious Study Of Human Moon Missions – China Is Leading Way & Compelling International Rivals / Partners To Keep Pace

Image Credit: Dreamstime, GLXP, History Channel

Tuesday / 8 October 2013

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GSC Workshop Outlines Viability / Importance Of Human Moon Missions

GSCworkshop1013

Gerry Griffin Of Golden Spike Company Says Emerging Entrepreneurial Commercial Sector Can Fill Gap Left By Governments Unwilling To Fund US$100-$500B Space Programs; Group Of 30 Distinguished Scientists, Engineers Note Vital Role Of Humans In Lunar Exploration: Can Deploy More Equipment / Return More Lunar Material Than Robots, Learn To Live Off In Situ Resources In Space, Provide Hope & Inspiration To Youth

Image Credit: Golden Spike Company

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 4-7 October 2013

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GLXP Teams Poised To Make Valuable Contributions To Lunar Exploration

GLXPupdate1013

Astrobotic Conducts Full Deployment Field Test Of Moon Cave Exploration Robot ‘Tyrobot’, Producing 3D Model Of A Pit In PA; Barcelona Moon Provides Info About Their Launcher / Lander / Rover & Budget (US$73M); Omega Envoy Set To Debut Student-Designed ‘Artemis’ Rover At Mini Maker Faire In FL, 5 Oct; Futron Says Potential For Lunar Markets From 2011-2019 Is ~US$1.56B 

Image Credit: GLXP, Futron

Friday / 4 October 2013

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GSC: Enabled Opportunities & Robotic Mission Synergies

GSC Conference 3-4 Oct

Golden Spike Company Lunar Workshop 2nd Day Includes Talks (L – R) On Lunar Exploration Orbiter To Study Environment & Mobile Payload Element To Assist Lander Missions (Ralf Jaumann), Lunar Lander Capabilities (Diego De Rosa), Multi-Mission Space Exploration Vehicle (Steven Chappell), Modular Heat Flow Probes To Understand Moon Interior, Origin & Structure (Seiichi Nagihara), Lunar Drills (Kris Zacny), Next Steps (Alan Stern)

Image Credit: GSC, TTU, DLR, ESA

Thursday / 3 October 2013

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Golden Spike Co Presents Its Human Lunar Mission Capabilities / Opportunities

GSCevent1013

3-4 Oct Golden Spike Company Workshop At LPI In Houston TX To Provide Overview Of Plans / Projected Capabilities For Human Lunar Missions, Seek Input Re: Science / Exploration Priorities, Desired Future Capabilities For More Advanced Missions – South Pole Destination, Long-Duration Missions; Day 1: Clive Neal (L) Explains Rationale For Human Lunar Missions, Alan Stern (R) Overviews Golden Spike Missions, Landing Site Priorities, Panel Discussion

Image Credit: GSC, LPI

Wednesday / 2 October 2013

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LADEE In Final Phase Of Moon Trek

LADEElunarInsertion1013

US$280M Probe Completes 2nd Burn Perfectly, No Longer Needs Additional Burn To Reach Desired High Elliptical Orbit; When LADEE Reaches Moon Gravitational Field On 6 Oct It Will Make 197-Second Retrograde Burn Reducing Velocity To 267 Meters Per Second For Lunar Orbit Capture; Craft Will Then Perform 40 Days Of High-Altitude Science Checkouts & LLCD Operations Before Dropping To 50-Km Altitude To Begin 100-Day Science Operations

Image Credit: NASA

Tuesday / 1 October 2013

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GLXP Forms Judging Panel

GLXPjudges0913

8 International Experts In Astronautics & Robotics Announced As Judges For Google Lunar XPRIZE; Panel Includes (T-B) David Swanson Of OSC, Alan Wells Of NEREUS & John Zarnecki Of ISSI; Judges Will Verify Team Launch Agreements, Payload / Mobility Plans, Examine Data To Confirm Mission Completion; Judges May Also Aid In Awarding Proposed Early Milestone Prizes

Image Credit: GLXP, OSC, NEREUS, ISSI