5th Annual Lunar Science Forum Begins Today At NASA Ames Research Center, California (17-19 July); Plenary Session 1 Opens With Overview Of 3 USA Missions / 5 Spacecraft Currently In Moon Orbit; Maria Zuber: 1st Science Results From GRAIL; Jasper Halekas: 1st Results From ARTEMIS; Mark Robinson: Exploring The Moon With LROC; Greg Delory To Provide Status Update Of NET 2013 LADEE Mission
Image Credit: NASA
9-Day Field Tests Of NASA-CSA Lunar Rover Now Underway At Lunar Analog Environment Of Mauna Kea, Hawaii; RESOLVE Project Demonstrating How Future Explorers Could Extract Water / Resources From Lunar Soil; CSA Contributing Artemis Junior Terrestrial Rover, Versatile Drill, Avionics Suite; NASA Contributing Resource Extraction Payload; Media Day On 19 July
Image Credit: NASA
US$500M Spacecraft Continues To Send Back Important Data After 3 Years Of Service; LRO Camera Taken About 1M Images; Wealth Of High-Resolution Data Allowing Researchers To Map Lunar Surface At Resolution Of 50cm / Pixel; Discovered Vast Titanium & Lunar Ilmenite Fields On Moon Which Could Be Critical For Moonbase Construction; Confirmation Of Over 6B Tonnes Of Water On Lunar Surface
Image Credit: NASA
ISRO Vision 2030 Plan Should Include Human Missions To Moon & Mars Says President Kalam At Indian Institute Of Space Science & Technology (IIST) Convocation Ceremony In Thiruvananthapuram; ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan Seeking To Turn Over Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle & Communications Satellite Fabrication Program To India Industry Freeing Federal Agency To Focus On Exploration & Cutting-Edge Research
Image Credit: The Hindu, ISRO
4 July ILOA Galaxy Forum USA In Silicon Valley CA Sets Transcendent Tone For Space Month 2012; Lunar Initiatives / Research Advancing Through LunaGradCon 2012 / NASA Lunar Science Forum In CA, SFF NewSpace Conference 2012, Lunar / Mars Exploration & Base Construction Event In CO, Lunar Highlands Crust Conference In MT
Image Credit: NASA, SFF, ILOA
2011 Graduate Of NASA Astronaut Candidate Training, Jeremy Hansen (R) Of Canada, Will Join Western University Planetary Geologist Gordon “Oz” Osinski (L) / Research Team In Canada Arctic, 1-12 July To Investigate Possible Meteorite Impact Crater; Will Provide Hansen With Field Geology Training For Future Missions To Moon Or Mars; Team Will Use Traditional & Modern Equipment Including LIDAR From Optech, 3D Stereo Camera From MDA
Image Credit: CSA, University of Western Ontario
Governor Neil Abercrombie Signs Bill Authorizing Creation Of Research Park On Mauna Kea For Private Businesses & International Space Programs To Develop / Test Technologies Needed To Facilitate Human Habitation Of Moon; Pacific International Space Center For Exploration Systems (PISCES) Will Oversee The Project; Target Technologies Include Oxygen / Water / Rocket Fuel Manufacturing, Waste Management, Food Growth
Image Credit: PISCES
JAXA Sees Moon As Next Destination For Human Exploration; Associate Executive Director Yuichi Yamaura Confirms Japan’s Lunar Aspirations At Recent GLEX 2012 Conference; Japan Previously Released Plan For US$2.2B Robotic Base Near Moon South Pole By 2020 As Precursor To Human Habitation; JAXA Has Plans For Polar Lander, In-Situ Lunar Orientation Measurement (ILOM), Equiped With 20cm Optical Telescope
Image Credit: JAXA
‘Exploration Gateway / Platform’ Concept Emerging As Preferred Direction For NASA Human Architecture Team; Plan Involves Launch Of Several International Modules For Construction At ISS Using Existing Hardware & Launch Vehicles, Transported To EML2 By 25-40kW Solar Electric Propulsion Vehicle; Provides Immediate Deep Space Destination For Astronauts, Excellent Way-Station For Moon, Rest Of Solar System
Image Credit: NASA
Former NASA Administrator Mike Griffin Endorses Comments Made By Roscosmos Head Vladimir Popovkin / International Leaders At GLEX: Human Return To Moon Is Humanity’s “Next Outward Step…The Path To Which We Will Return”; Paul Spudis Asserts That World Sees Moon As “The Enabling Asset” To Build Permanent, Lasting Space Faring Capability; Ian Crawford Outlines Scientific Case For Lunar Exploration
Image Credit: NASA, Lifeboat Foundation