Category Archives: Moon Mining

Thursday / 5 February 2015

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FAA Commercial Space Conference Evaluating Future Direction Of Commercial Space

FAAHuerta2

US Gov Officials, NASA & Industry Leaders, Space Entrepreneurs, Astronauts And Space Enthusiasts Meeting On 4-5 Feb In Washington DC For 18th Annual FAA Commercial Space Transportation Conference; Event Comes On Heels Of Announcement That FAA Will Ensure Commercial Activities On Moon / Celestial Bodies Can Be Conducted On Non-Interference Basis; On Day 1 Of Conference FAA Administrator Michael Huerta Says It Is Not Too Early For Industry & Government To Plan For Future Of Regulations

Image Credit: Astrobotic, faa.gov

Wednesday / 4 February 2015

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US Government Takes Step To Support Commercial Development Of Moon

FAABigelow0215

Federal Aviation Administration Supports Request From Bigelow Aerospace To Recognize Private Sector’s Need To Protect Assets & Personnel On Moon, Expanding Scope From Launch Licensing To Lunar Activities Of US Companies; More Legal & Diplomatic Work Still Needed As Issues Regarding Lunar Property & Mineral Rights Pending; Bigelow To Test Inflatable Habitat At ISS This Year, Moon Habitats Around 2025; Moon Express Intends To Return Moon Rocks / Regolith In 3rd Mission

Pictured: TR- FAA Associate Administrator George Nield, BL- Robert Bigelow

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace, faa.gov

Tuesday / 3 February 2015

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Shackleton Energy Company Seeks To Fuel
Human Solar System Exploration

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1.6B Tonnes Of Water At Moon Poles Is Likely Prize That Will Stimulate New Lunar Gold Rush; USA Texas-Based Shackleton Energy Company Advancing Plan To Mine Moon Water With Robotic & Human Missions, Convert It To Rocket Propellant (Hydrogen & Oxygen), & Sell It At Orbital Fuel Depots; Company Continues To Advance Business Plan After Pursuing Crowdfunding Campaign & Lobbying For NASA Support

Image Credit: Shackleton Energy Company, Popular Mechanics

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 16-19 January 2015

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Moon South Pole
Drawing New Lunar Pioneers

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New Moon South Pole Ventures Including UK-Based Lunar Mission One & Russia-Based Lin Industrial Join Established Declarations Of Interest In Moon South Pole Missions By USA (RPM), American Enterprises Such As Shackleton Energy Corporation, Japan (SELENE-2), India (Chandrayaan-2), Russia (Luna-Glob), ESA, ILOA; Moon South Pole – Replete With Valuable Resources & Providing A Relatively Stable Thermal Environment – Is Generally Considered Optimal Location For Human Lunar Exploration / Settlement

Image Credit: JAXA, Lunar Mission One, Lin Industrial

Tuesday / 13 January 2015

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Helium-3 2015 Revisit: India, Europe, China

moonminingRaoCraw

Ever-Increasing Activities Towards Moon Exploration Indicate India, China & Other Space Powers Driven By Potential Economic Value Of Lunar Resources Including Helium-3; Former ISRO Chairman Prof UR Rao Says India Interested In Power-Generation Capacity Of Lunar He-3; UK-Based Researcher Ian Crawford Says Lunar Poles May Hold Higher Concentrates Of He-3, Polar Lander Required To Confirm; Orbiters Have Confirmed Presence Of Resources, ISRU Systems Already Tested On Earth, Time Has Come To Demonstrate Systems On Surface Of Moon

Image Credit: NASA, ISRO, Birkbeck College

Thursday / 8 January 2015

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Is Helium-3 Most Valuable Resource On Moon?

He3Change5

Projections Indicate Clean Fusion Technology Powered By Helium-3 Can Produce 18.4 MeV Of Energy, 1 Metric Ton Of The Rare Element Could Power Tokyo For 1 Year; Could Be Used To Propel Spaceships Facilitating Trips To Mars In <100 Days, Jupiter In <200 Days; Potential Fuel For Thermonuclear Weaponry Which Could Be Used To Protect Earth From Dangerous Asteroids; Speculation Abounds That Interest In He-3 Is Primary Driver Of China & Perhaps India Lunar Program, Next Step For China Is 2017 Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission

Pictured (TR): Chang’e-1-Produced Map Of He-3 Distribution On Nearside Moon

Image Credit: NAOC, ocw.mit.edu

 

Friday / 12 December 2014

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China Chang’e-4 Mission To
Moon South Pole?

Chang'e-4 MSP

Building Upon Success Of Chang’e-3 Mission, Backup Craft Chang’e-4 Could Be Launched 2015-2016 To Potentially Ignite The Race To New Frontier Of Exploration – Moon South Pole; With Other Nations / Private & Public Ventures Considering South Pole For Scientific Research, Resources Mapping & Mining, And Human Base Build Out, Chang’e-4 Could Provide Valuable Data As 1st Mission To Lunar Pole For Landing, Communications & Solar Power Technologies

Image Credit: CNSA, CCTV, NASA

Wednesday / 3 December 2014

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Demand For Moon Mining On The Rise

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Moon Mining Beneficial For Future Exploration & Economic Development Of Moon Through ISRU, Advancing Cislunar Space / Solar System Exploration With Fuel Depots, Satisfying Terrestrial Demand For Rare Resources; Ian Crawford, Science Advisor Of UK Lunar Mission One Project, Argues That Providing Products For Cislunar Infrastructure Is Most Compelling / Economically Viable Application In Near Future; Russia Indicates Importing Rare Earth Elements To Earth Is A Primary Goal Of Its Moon Mining Plans, Backed By US$2.5B In Private / State Funding

Image Credit: NASA, Birkbeck University

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 7-10 November 2014

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Hawai`i Island Hosting ‘The Next Giant Leap’ Moon Conference

NGLC Hawaii

Hawaii Conference On Leveraging Lunar Assets For Sustainable Pathways To Space 9-13 November At Waikoloa Marriott Will Highlight Benefits / Opportunities / Technologies For Making Use Of Cislunar Space & Moon Resources, Multinational Private-Public Missions & Goals, Extending Human Presence Throughout Solar System; Featured Guests Include (L-R, T-B) Buzz Aldrin, Louis Friedman, Bob Richards, Bruce Pittman, Jim Keravala, Jim Crisafulli, Senator Will Espero

Image Credit: PISCES, UH Hilo, SFF, Telegraph, ME, NSS, et al

Wednesday / 5 November 2014

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USA Advancing Moon Resource Prospecting Missions

NASARPMflashlight

2 Separate NASA Moon Missions Seek To Advance Human Capacity To Live Off-World; Lunar Flashlight PI Barbara Cohen Of NASA Marshall SFC Says Solar Sail Orbiter Mission, With The Goal Of Obtaining Data Of Purity & Accessibility Of Lunar Volatiles, May Launch On Debut SLS Flight In Late 2017; Resource Prospector Mission Project Scientist Tony Colaprete Of NASA Ames Says Rover Mission Will Map & Collect Samples Of Surface / Subsurface Hydrogen At 2 Yet-To-Be-Determined Polar Sites; Demonstration Of ISRU Could Facilitate Human Moon Settlement

Image Credit: NASA