Category Archives: NASA

Wednesday / 15 July 2015

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USA NASA / India ISRO
Partnerships Strengthen

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Richard Verma, U.S. Ambassador To India States Positive Relationship Of ISRO & NASA For Chandrayaan Mission / Moon Surface Exploration “From Outer Space To Cyberspace, We’re In It Together”; ISRO Charting Other Planetary Opportunities For Mars, Venus & Return To Moon With Chandrayaan-II Expected NET 2016; Recurring Successful ISRO PSLV Program Bolsters Future Launches Including GSLV-MKII

Credit: NASA, ISRO, United States Dept. of State

Tuesday / 14 July 2015

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Astrobotic Progressing
Notwithstanding SpaceX Setback

7142015Cooperation With NASA For Lunar CATALYST Program Providing Confidence In Astrobotic Technology Inc Ability For Precise Future Lunar Landings; Astrobotic Software Tested With NASA Core Flight Software, Modeling & Simulation Technology; GLXP Contender Moon Launch On SpaceX Falcon 9 May Experience Delays, Astrobotic Awaiting Further Details From The Investigation; NASA Administrator Charles Bolden Reiterates Spaceflight Challenges & Success Of Previous Six SpaceX Launches

Credit:  NASA, Astrobotic, SpaceX

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 10-13 July 2015

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Cislunar Communication Making Advances

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NASA Successful Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration (LLCD) Paving Way For Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) 2017 Launch As Payload On Space Systems Loral (SSL) Commercial Satellite; LLCD Which Utilizes Laser vs. Radio Frequency (RF) Has Many Benefits Including: Quick Data Transmission 10-100x Faster Than RF, High Bandwidths & Less Mass / Power

Credit: NASA

Friday / 26 June 2015

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Lunar & Planetary Institute Hosting Dual Summer Intern Programs

2015 LPI Summer Intern Programs

 LPI 2015 Student Education Program ‘Exploration Science’ Running 26 May – 31 Jul Focusing On Orion EM-1 & EM-2 Moon Missions Planned For ~2018-2021 & Concepts For Human-Assisted Lunar Surface / Asteroid Sample Return Missions ~2028; Students In ‘Planetary Science’ Program 1 Jun – 7 Aug Working One-On-One With LPI Or Johnson Space Center Scientists On Cutting Edge Lunar & Planetary Research Projects; Experts Include (TL-R) Paul Spudis, Walter Kiefer, David Kring, Allan Treiman

Credit: LPI, NASA, SSERVI, CLSE, ISECG

Friday / 19 June 2015

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LADEE Data Indicate Permanent Asymmetrical Dust Cloud Around Moon LADEE

Moon May Have Permanent Cloud Layer Formed By High-Speed Comet Dust Particles On Eccentric Orbits According To University Of Colorado Study Of NASA LADEE Mission Which Recorded 140,000 Impacts Over 80 Days; Lead Author Mihaly Horányi States Moon May Have 120kg Of Dust In Atmosphere At Any Given Time, Other Bodies With Thin Atmosphere Expected To Have Same Phenomenon; Evidence Also Recorded From Apollo Astronaut Observations From Surface & Of Lunar Terminator

Credit: NASA, University of Colorado – Boulder

Friday / 12 June 2015

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Lunar Terminator Distilleries May
Provide Water Supply

LRO Moon Terminator

LRO Data Study Conducted By Tim Livengood (Top) & Team From NASA GSFC States Frost Buildup At Lunar Terminator May Be ~1/5 MM Thick Yielding 190 ML Of H2O Per Square Meter Each Lunar Day – Much Less Than Quantities At Lunar Poles But Advanced Technologies Could Produce Continuous Water Supply; Andrew Jordan From Univ Of New Hampshire Says LRO Measurements Could Also Indicate Hydrogen Is Leaking From Local Sources

Image Credit: NASA, Univ of New Hampshire

Wednesday / 10 June 2015

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USA Advancing ‘NextSTEP’
Lunar Mission Concepts

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Cislunar Space To Be Center Of NASA Activity In 2020s As Country / Agency Develop Technologies / Experience To Conduct Long-Duration, Deep Space Missions; Companies Such As Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Bigelow Advancing Cislunar Habitat Concepts Under NASA NextSTEP Awards; Plans Incorporating Likelihood Of Cooperation From International & Commercial Partners Which May Lead To Lunar Surface Missions / Lunar Base Buildout; Sense Of Urgency To Define / Plan These Missions Growing As SLS / Orion Era Fast Approaching

Image Credit: Lockheed Martin, Bigelow Aerospace

Tuesday / 12 May 2015

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Canada Event Explores Extraction, Utilization, Commercialization Of Lunar Resources

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6th Annual Planetary & Terrestrial Mining Sciences Symposium / Space Resources Roundtable Continues Through Wednesday 13 May In Montreal, Canada; Event Intended To Promote Closer Relationship Between Space & Mining Sectors; Featured Speakers Today Include (L-R) NASA JSC ISRU Chief Engineer Jerry Sanders, John Hamilton Of PISCES; John Gruener Of NASA JSC Will Outline An International Lunar Polar Volatiles Strategy; Alex Ellery Of Carleton University Will Detail How ISRU & 3D Printing Can Facilitate A Self-Replicating Infrastructure On Moon

Image Credit: NASA, PISCES, Carleton University

Thursday / 7 May 2015

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Radiation Environment May Alter Lunar Regolith

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Researchers From UNH & NASA Goddard Publish Study Detailing How ‘Sparking’ May Affect Lunar Regolith In Permanently Shadowed Craters; High-Energy Particles From Large Solar Storms Or Cosmic Rays Buildup Electric Charges Faster Than Regolith Can Dissipate Them, Particularly In -240°C Permanently Shadowed Polar Craters, Regolith Then Disintegrates Into Smaller Particles Of Distinct Materials; Researchers Used LRO CRaTER Instrument & Custom Computer Model; Team Will Now Utilize LRO Instruments At New Lower Orbit To Find Evidence For Sparking

Image Credit: NASA, UNH

Wednesday / 6 May 2015

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LRO Taking Closer Look At Moon South Pole

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Orbit Of NASA Lunar Orbiter Lowered To Within 20km Of Lunar South Pole, Closest The Craft Has Been To Moon; New Orbit Enables Improved  Measurements Of South Pole Areas With Unique Illumination Conditions – Permanently Shadowed Craters (e.g. Cabeus), Peaks Of Eternal Light (e.g. Malapert); LOLA & Diviner Instruments Will Now Produce Better Signal / Higher Resolution Data; Maneuver Indicates Continued Interest In Moon South Pole Exploration Within NASA

Image Credit: NASA