First Private Moon Rovers Could Spur Era Of Lunar Mining, Construction & Tourism; Lunar Lion Team Leader Michael Paul Says NASA Must Harness Strength Of Private Industry To Advance Solar System Exploration, Seeking To Establish Penn State As “Go-To University” For Growing Commercial Space Industry
Image Credit: Penn State, GLXP
As GRAIL Mission Data, Including Imagery Of Spacecraft Surface Approach, Continues To Flow Through Scientific Community, NASA Invests In Technology Development To Search For Water Deposits Inside Permanently Shadowed Moon Craters; US$300K Contract Awarded To Xylem Inc. To Develop Specialized Mass Spectrometer For RESOLVE Mission Lunar Rover; With Sufficient Authorization & Funding USA / Canada Mission Could Land On Moon In 2017
Image Credit: NASA, Xylem Inc.
Rand Simberg Outlines The Valuable Resources Moon / Space Have To Offer, Reviews NewSpace Companies Such As Planetary Resources, Moon Express, Shackleton Energy Company, SpaceX That Are Seeking To Take Advantage Of Said Resources: Argues That New International Treaty Is Needed To Encourage / Regulate Extra-Terrestrial Property Rights Thereby Facilitating Settlement Of Space / Moon By Commercial Enterprises
Image Credit: Whiskey Sierra Graphics, twitter.com
Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Announces New Fleet Of Rovers Developed Under Exploration Science Mobility Project; Lunar Exploration Light Rover Mobile Lunar Lab With Sample Scoop Is Largest & Fastest / Upgradeable For Human Transport; Kapvik Micro-Rover Aids Humans By Doing Light Labor; 40 Academic / Industry Organizations Collaborating; Industry Minister Christian Paradis Notes Continuation of Canadarm / Dextre Legacy
Image Credit: CSA, Industry Canada, Carleton University
Ouliang Chang Of USC Viterbi School Of Engineering Outlines Plan For Deployment Of Supercomputer & Accompanying Radio Dishes On Moon To Ease Load On Terrestrial Mission Control, Provide Computational Power For 1st Phase Of Lunar Industrial / Settlement Development; Polar Location To Avoid Drastic Temperature Swings, Access To Water Ice For Cooling; Dishes Could Also Be Used For Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry
Image Credit: NASA
Lunar COTS Petition Founded By Doug Plata Gaining Momentum As NASA Commercial Crew & Cargo Program Manager Alan Lindenmoyer (L) Suggests Using Successful COTS Model Elsewhere In NASA; Lunar COTS Would Establish Programs To Support Commercial Cis-lunar Transportation Service, Lunar Surface Operations, Harvesting Lunar Polar Ice, Orbital Propellant & Servicing Depots, Initial Crewed Lunar Base
Image Credit: NASA
Lori Garver, NASA Deputy Administrator, Confirms Ambitious USA Plans To Return To Moon During Speech At AIAA Conference In Pasadena, CA; Uncrewed Mission Scheduled For 2017, Human Orbital Mission By 2021; NASA Report To US Congress Outlines Plan For “Nearly Self-Sustaining Surface Habitat” On Moon For Long-Duration Astronaut Missions, Capable Of Extracting Oxygen, Water, Silicon, Etc In Situ
Image Credit: NASA, Stephan Wlodarczyk
In Part 2 Of IPinSpace Extraterrestrial Property Rights Commentary, Andrew Rush proposes USA Institutes A Unilateral System Of Recognition & Enforcement Of Private Land Claims & Tangible Goods Derived From Space-Based Activities; Author Argues That USA Financial Dominance Will Ensure Stellar Enterprises Need To Conduct Business In USA / Abide By USA Regulations To Make Return On Their Investment
Image Credit: Astrobotic Tech, IPinSpace
Peter Kokh In Moon Miners’ Manifesto Considers Shortfalls Of Antarctic Treaty As Model For Settlement / Development On Moon; Article 7 Completely Bans Non-Scientific Mineral Resources Activity; Better To Allow ISRU, Require Strict Environment Protections, Spur Development Of New Clean Technologies and Techniques; Translate To Responsible Approach For Moon, Mars; Treaty Up For Review In 2019
Image Credit: Antarctic Treaty, NASA
US$250M Mission With U-Shaped Canada Rover, Canada Excavation Tools, US Science Instruments Destined For Moon South Pole; KSC In Situ Utilization Project Manager William Larson Says RESOLVE (Regolith & Environment Science & Oxygen & Lunar Volatile Extraction) Is “Next Logical Step For Lunar Exploration”; Prototype To Be Tested On Mauna Kea HI In July
Image Credit: NASA