Category Archives: Moon Mining

Tuesday / 20 May 2014

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USA Lunar Surface Mission In The Works: NASA Issues RFI

RFIresolve

RFI Submitted By NASA KSC Seeking Private Industry Sources / Information On Payload Avionics Systems & Avionics Elements For Use In Short-Duration Lunar Surface Resource Prospecting Mission; Submissions Must Be Sent To Christopher Zuber By 20 June 2014; South Pole Moon Resource Prospector Mission (RPM) With RESOLVE Payload Notionally Targeted For 2018 Launch; NASA Has Spent Just Over US$20M On The Mission, Expects Total Mission Cost ~US$250M

 Image Credit: NASA

Friday / 11 April 2014

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Moon First, Then Mars And Beyond

US Moon First

Scientists, Policy Makers, Astronauts Urge U.S. Gov To Support Return To Moon As Discussions Continue At NASA Global Exploration Roadmap Workshop 10-11 Apr; Don Brunell (TL) Points Out Moon Program Would Solidify USA Space Leadership, Facilitate Testing / Development Of Technologies For Living / Working / Transporting In Deep Space, Help Keep Pace With China; David Criswell (TC) Believes Moon Could Supply Clean Renewable Energy For Entire Planet; Harrison “Jack” Schmitt (B) Says Helium 3 Is Key To 2nd Generation Fusion Reactors

Image Credit: eoearth, D. Brunell, ISECG, NASA

Wednesday / 12 March 2014

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5th Joint Meeting Of SRR / PTMSS In June

SRR0314

Space Resources Roundtable And The Planetary & Terrestrial Mining Sciences Symposium Release 2nd Announcement Of Their 5th Joint Meeting At Colorado School Of Mines (CSM) On 9-12 June; Held In Collaboration With The Lunar & Planetary Institute The Event Will Provide A Forum To Discuss Near & Long-Term Strategies For Taking Advantage Of Emerging Opportunities For Space / Lunar Resource Utilization Activities On Planned National & Private Missions; Pictured: Angel Abbud-Madrid Of CSM

Image Credit: CSM, NASA

Tuesday / 11 March 2014

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Moon-Based Space Elevator Key To Mining ProfitsLED031014

LiftPort Group Of Seattle, WA Urges LSEI (Lunar Space Elevator Infrastructure) Placement For Soft-Landing Equipment / Human Transport; Advisor Charles Radley(L) Notes Lunar Elevator Tech Could Place Lunar Mining Costs On Par With Terrestrial For Some Commodities; Jerome Pearson(R), President Of Star, Inc., States Lunar Elevator Can Be Made Of Existing Composites / Moon Testing Would Not Endanger Satellites In Earth Orbit / In Place By 2025

Image Credit: LiftPort, ISDC, VK.com

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 28 Feb – 3 Mar 2014

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Who Owns The Moon?
International Missions, Commercial Aspirations

MoonpropRights0214

Successful China Moon Mission Indicates Property Rights / Mining Claims Not Far Off Says Richard Holdaway (R) Of UK Rutherford Appleton Lab; Several Commercial Enterprises Also Making Business Cases For Moon Mining; Richard Bilder (L) Of University Of Wisconsin-Madison Says Process Of Setting Up Legal Regime Should Be Started Soon Before 1 or More Countries / Companies Have Special Stake / Interest; Holdaway Notes Nations Likely To Become Partners & Lunar Resources Will Further Space Exploration, Improve Life On Earth

Image Credit: NASA, CNSA, law.wisc.edu, stfc.ac.uk

Friday / 21 February 2014

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Canada In Space, And On The Moon?

Canada on Moon

New Canada Space Policy Framework 7 February Details Government Commitments To Space Exploration, Commercialization, R&D, International Partnerships; Canada Invited To Provide Rover & Drill For NASA 2018 Lunar Resource Prospector Mission; Moon Exploration & Mining Offer Potential Of Billion Dollar Industry / Technology Development / Inspiration; New Promising Canada Enterprise Advancing Canada Space Interests

Image Credit: CSA, NASA

Wednesday / 19 February 2014

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Bigelow Trailblazing Path For Commercial Lunar Development

BigelowGold0214

Bigelow Aerospace Request To FAA Office Of Commercial Space Transportation Is Attempt To Start Discussion On Space / Lunar Property Rights Says Director Of DC Operations Mike Gold; Company Seeking Organic Zone Of Operation Around Future Lunar Habitat In Which No Other USA Entities Would Be Able To Enter; Robert Bigelow Says Moon Mining More Sensible Than Asteroid Harvesting; Commends NASA For Moving From COTS Model To SAA / BAA Customer Model To Support Commercial Space

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace

Thursday / 30 January 2014

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Moon Mining – A Rising Priority

MoonMining0114

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

Tuesday / 14 January 2014

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Chang’e-3 Lander & Yutu Rover Operational After Long, Cold Lunar Night

Chang'e-3Awake0114

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

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon 20-23 December 2013

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Russia Officials Foresee International Competition For Lunar Resources

RussiaMoonPriority1213

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