Category Archives: NASA

Friday / 6 November 2015

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Who Will Be The Next Astronaut To Reach The Moon?

Humans to MoonNew Class Of NASA Astronauts To Be Chosen Mid-2017, Agency Accepting Applications 14 Dec 2015 To Feb 2016; More Than 6,100 Applied During Last Call 2011 – 8 Chosen In 2013: 4 Women & 4 Men Who May Be The First Humans To Perform Lunar Mission Since 1972, Flying Aboard Orion ~2023; Private Golden Spike Co. Still Hoping For ~2020 Flights; China & India Steadily Advancing Moon Missions & Human Spaceflight Capabilities; Russia Proclaims Human Moon Mission 2029; ESA Discussing Eventual Permanent International Moon Station On Far Side

Credit: NASA, ESA

Tuesday / 27 October 2015

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USGS Lunar Maps Using LRO Reveal Data ‘Contrary To Conventional Wisdom’

10272015Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Providing Mosiac Map With Data From Wide Angle Camera & Topographic Data With Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA); Dr. Mark Robinson, ASU Professor & LRO Camera PI States “Images From The LRO Camera Have Greatly Advanced Our Knowledge Of The Moon” & Images Reveal Volcanic Activity Younger Than Previously Thought; LOLA Gathering Topographic Data; Co-Investigator Dr. Erwan Mazarico Comments “The LOLA Data Are A Foundational Dataset To Be Used In Multiple Types Of Studies For Years To Come”; Maps Indicate Elevation Areas – Highest Point Near Engel’gradt Crater (200° E Longitude, +6° Latitude) & Lowest Area Within Moon South Pole-Aitken Basin Near 188° E Longitude, -70° Latitude

Credit: USGS/NASA/ASU

Wednesday / 14 October 2015

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Space Agency Heads At IAC2015; Discussing “Moon First” Approach To Space Exploration

10142015International Participation & Cooperation, IAC2015 Plenary Session Includes Israel Space Agency Chairman Isaac Ben-Israel, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, CNSA Administrator Xu Dazhe, ISRO Scientific Secretary Krishna Murthy, Roscosmos Head Igor Komarov, JAXA President Naoki Okumura, ESA Director General Jan Woerner With Panel Moderated By German Journalist Uli Bobinger; 3 Goals Emerging: Need For Stronger International Cooperation, Moon As Next Destination, Need For Measurable Benefits To The Public; CNSA Xu Dazhe Discussing China CE5 Moon Sample Return Mission & CE4 Lander on Far Side Moon; HOA Panel Consensus Of Further Moon Exploration & Moon Before Mars As Logical Step

Credit: IAC2015, NASA, ESA

Wednesday / 7 October 2015

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5th International LunarCubes Workshop Brings Scientists, Engineers, Enterprise To San Jose 6-9 Oct

1072015Robust Lunar Enterprise Workshop Over 4 Days  Focusing On Space Exploration, Collaboration, Technology & Commercial Strategies; NASA Ames Research Center Manager Jim Cockrell (R) Highlights First In-Space Cube Quest Challenge (US$5.5M Prize) To Develop Small Moon Orbiters & Deep Space Satellites; Steve Durst (BL) Discussing ‘Astronomy From The Moon’ As A New Frontier With The International Lunar Observatory (ILO-1); Interorbital Systems Randa Milliron (TL) Will Talk About IOS Neptune Modular Rockets; Annual LunarCubes Workshop Provides Hands-On Activities & Educational Sessions To Further Moon & Space Exploration

Credit: LCW5, ILOA, NASA, Jim Cockrell, IOS, Randa Milliron

Wednesday / 23 September 2015

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Astronaut Thomas Reiter: Returning Humans To The Moon In The Next Decade

9232015Sustainable Moon Exploration 2020-2030 Critical For Further Expansion Of Human Solar System Competence; Astronaut & ESA Director Of Human Spaceflight & Operations, Thomas Reiter States “The International Vision For Lunar Exploration Calls For New Era Of Coordinated Human And Robotic Missions”; ISECG Global Exploration Roadmap Providing Strategic Coordination To Enhance Global Space Enterprise Using Lunar Surface For Research & Economic Development With International Collaboration

Credit: NASA, ESA, ISECG

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 September 2015

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International Observe The Moon Night Draws Worldwide Attention

9192015Annual Event InOMN 2015 Will Bringing Awareness / Education / Deeper Understandings Of The Moon At More Than 500 Registered Locations Across The Globe On 19 September; Activities At Many Sites Include Telescope Use, Public Talks, Planetarium Shows And Lunar Related Activities Showcasing Moon & Connections To NASA Planetary Science & Exploration; Moon Will Be At First Quarter With Shallow-Angle Sunlight Reflecting & Illuminating Lunar Surface In Extraordinary Detail Enhancing Ability To View Moon Valleys / Mountains / Craters

Credit: NASA, InOMN, SSERVI, LPI

Thursday / 17 September 2015

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LRO Observes Forming Moon Surface Faults

9172015Gravitational Tidal Forces From Earth Influencing Orientation Of Young Fault Scarps Caused By Cooling & Contracting Of Moon’s Interior; LRO Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) Identifying ~3,200 Thrust Fault Scarps Sampled In Areas 40° Longitude By 20° Latitude; Arizona State University & LROC Principal Investigator, Mark Robinson States “Now That We Have NAC Images …Structural Patterns Are Starting To Come Into Focus”

Credit: NASA, Arizona State University, Smithsonian Institution

Wednesday / 16 September 2015

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Florida Coast Attracts More NewSpace Enterprises

9162015Moon Express (ME) Positioning At Florida Kennedy Space Center Promotes Opportunity & More Launch Possibilities To Advance Moon / Deep Space Accessibility; Blue Origin Jeff Bezos (TR) Reveals Use Of Launch Complex 36 For Building & Operations, States “We’ll Be Launching From Here Later This Decade”; ME Continuing Developments With NASA Lunar CATALYST On MX-1 For GLXP; ME Bob Richards (TL) Comments That “Entrepreneurial Innovations…Will Expand Our Sphere Of Influence, To The Moon, The Asteroids – And Beyond”

Credit: Moon Express, NASA, Blue Origin, U.S. Air Force

Friday / 11 September 2015

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SLS Moon / Deep Space Rocket Developers Hoping For Upper Stage Funding

NASA SLS 2021

Exploration Mission-2, First U.S. Gov Declared Human Moon Mission Since Apollo 17 In 1972, Planned For 2021 Dependent On Proposed Budget Request Of Additional ~US$500M With $50-100M Devoted To Enhanced Upper Stage For Fiscal Year 2016 (Begins 1 Oct); Bill Hill Of NASA Exploration Systems Development Says With Current $1.356B Budget EM-2 Would Be Pushed Back; Boeing Company To Develop Core / Upper Stages; EM-1 Set For Nov 2018 To Use 1 RL10 Engine Modeled On ULA Delta 4; EM-2 To Use 4 RL10 Engines

Credit: NASA, Spaceflightnow

Thursday / 27 August 2015

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ASU CubeSat May Lead Moon South Pole Water / Ice Search

8272015 Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper (LunaH-Map) CubeSat Is A Candidate To Launch On NASA SLS Exploration Mission-1, Would Be ASU First Interplanetary Mission; Lunar Water Exploration Objective Vital To NASA Strategy For Future Human Space Missions; ASU NewSpace Initiative Led By Scott Smas, Jim Bell & Craig Hardgrove (L-R) With Bell As Deputy Principal Investigator; Principal Investigator Hardgrove Reaffirms ASU Achievements / Commitments To NASA & “Abundance Of Hydrogen At Lunar Poles”


Credit: ASU, NASA