LROC PI Mark Robinson Speculates Vast Lava Tubes May Be Present Under Lunar Surface Based On Kaguya, LRO Data; Such Caves Could Be Suitable Interim Shelters For Explorers; Scientists At Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Studying ‘Mini-Magnetospheres’, Magnetic Anomalies That Protect Areas Of Moon From Solar Wind; Data May Lead To Artificially Manipulated ‘Deflector Shields’
Image Credit: NASA, RAL
James Fincannon & NASA Glenn Research Center Engineers Provide Evidence That USA Flags Persevering In Harsh Lunar Environment; By Combining LROC Images Of Each Apollo Site Taken At Same Orientation But With Different Sun Angles, Team Produced Video To Show Movement Of Shadow Caused By Flags; All Flags Except Apollo 11 Still Standing
Image Credit: NASA
Scientific Objectives / Payload Design For ESA Lunar Lander Mission (~2018) In Paper By James Carpenter, et al, Accepted For Publication In Planetary & Space Sciences; Mission To Emphasize Human Exploration Preparatory Science; Payloads To Study Effects Of Plasma / Dust / Radiation Environment On Systems & Humans, Distribution / Application Of In Situ Resources For Future Exploration; Moon South Pole Likely Landing Site
Image Credit: ESA
China Chief Lunar Scientist Ziyuan Ouyang Provides Update On Chang’e Program; Chang’e-2 Has Left L2 After 235 Days Of Solar Observation, Now Heading For Rendezvous With Asteroid 4179, Will Arrive To Monitor / Explore Asteroid Around 1 March 2013; Chang’e-3 Lunar Rover Will Feature Atomic Fuel Cells, Radar To Explore 100m Below Surface; Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission To Be Launched By Long March 5 Rocket Currently Under Development
Image Credit: CLEP, CNSA, CCTV
Team Phoenicia Agrees With Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems LLC & Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo To Collaborate On Lunar & Interplanetary Small Satellite Launch Opportunities; Cal Poly / Tyvak Will Utilize Team Phoenicia Excess Launch Capacity On GLXP & Future Lunar Missions; With Projected Costs Between US$5-10M, First Interplanetary NanoSat Missions Could Spark Revolution With Hundreds Of Missions To Moon, Asteroids, Mars & Beyond
Image Credit: Team Phoenicia, Tyvak, CalPoly, NASA
Sally Ride: 26 May 1951 – 23 July 2012
Respectful / Honorable Achievements Extend Beyond Her Being The First American Woman In Space (On 18 June 1983) & Her Efforts To Inspire Women To Consider Careers In Science; Ride Was Also Current PI For GRAIL MoonKAM Initiative, ‘Outpost On Moon’ (With Crew Of 30 By 2010) Was 1 Of 4 Main Initiatives In The 1987 ‘Ride Report’
Speaking At Lunar Science Forum, NASA Planetary Sciences Division Director Jim Green Says Science & Human Exploration Sectors Will Get Closer As Exploration Moves Out From Earth Orbit; Rechartered Lunar Science Institute Will Have ‘Flexible Path’ Focus On Moon, Mars, NEOs; Human Spaceflight Architecture Team Outlines Importance Of Cis-Lunar Space In Future Global Space Exploration
Image Credit: NASA
Neil Armstrong Continues Advocacy For USA Lunar Return 43 Years After Becoming 1st of 12 To Work On Moon, “More Than 14M Miles² (36.3M KM²) Yet To Explore”; Charles Duke To Speak Today At US Space & Rocket Center Moon Landing Celebration; ILOA Concludes Silicon Valley California Board Meeting, 4 Moon Missions / Galaxy Forum Architecture Advancing
Image Credit: NASA, ILOA
Final Day Of NASA Ames Lunar Science Forum To Include Presentations On Prospective USA Human Moon Missions; Jack Burns (TR) Previews 1st Human-Robotic Mission To Lunar Farside Using MPCV At Earth-Moon L2 & Tele-Operated Rover (L), Bill Gerstenmaier & John Grunsfeld Discuss Science & Human Exploration Collaboration; Noah Petro (BR) Sheds Light On Next Generation Of Lunar Scientists / Engineers
Image Credit: NASA, astronomynow.com
Moon South Pole, With Water Ice In Permanently Shadowed Craters / Peaks Of Eternal Light, Is Likely Destination For Future Human Exploration / Settlement As Indicated By Spacecraft Impactors That Have Targeted The Area: USA Lunar Prospector 31 Jul 1999, India Chandrayaan-1 Moon Impact Probe 14 Nov 2008, USA LCROSS 9 Oct 2009
Image Credit: NASA, ISRO