Category Archives: NASA

Friday / 17 October 2014

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MIT Celebrates 100 Years Of
Aeronautics & Astronautics

100 Aero,Astro at MIT

MIT AeroAstro Centennial Symposium 22-24 Oct In Cambridge MA Will Feature Panel Discussion Of Astronauts Who Participated In Apollo – Buzz Aldrin, Karol Bobko, Michael Collins, Vance Brand, Philip Chapman, Walter Cunningham, Charlie Duke, Rusty Schweickart & James Lovell; MIT Created Astronautics Program For Buzz Aldrin (1st Person To Receive Doctorate In Astronautics, ScD 1963); Speakers Including Maria Zuber, Jeff Hoffman, Laurence Young & Elon Musk Will Discuss Innovative Research & Technologies, Perspectives On Future Of Space Exploration

Image Credit: NASA, MIT

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 10-13 October 2014

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Moon Orbiter Research, Data Findings & Awards Continue

Orbiters

LRO In Its 6th Year At Moon Traveling In Elliptical 30 X 180-Km Altitude Orbit Passing Over Lunar South Pole, 20th Data Set Release Upcoming – Collecting Data On Moon Radiation (CRaTER), Cold Traps (Diviner), Permanently Shadowed Regions (LAMP), Landing Sites (LOLA), Radio Images (Mini-RF), B&W Optical Images (LROC), Color & Ultraviolet Images (WAC), Hydrogen Distribution & Radiation Neutron Component (LEND), Imaging Chang’e-3; LADEE Receives Popular Mechanics 2014 Breakthrough Award; GRAIL Data Reveals Ocean Of Storms Rift Valleys

 

Image Credit: NASA, Colorado School of Mines

Thursday / 18 September 2014

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Commercial Crew Enterprises Advancing
Lunar Aspirations

SpacePeople Commercial Crew Selection Allows NASA To Focus On Deep Space Exploration; Commercial Space Enterprises Not Content With Taxi Service To LEO: Space Adventures (2017) & Excalibur Almaz (by 2025) Planning Circumlunar Tourism Missions, Golden Spike Company Advancing Human Surface Mission Architecture; While At ASE In Beijing Buzz Aldrin Says He Is Supportive Of China & International Human Moon Exploration, Thinks USA Should Advance Robotic Lunar Exploration, Build Permanent Station On Moon As Staging Post To Mars / Beyond

Image Credit: NASA, Golden Spike Company, Space Adventures

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon 12-15 September 2014

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Orion Spacecraft Taking First Steps To Lunar / Solar System Exploration

OrionTest0914

Test Version Of New NASA Flagship Crew Vehicle Moved To Fueling Depot In Preparation For 4 Dec Exploration Test Flight-1; 4.5-Hour, US$375M Mission Will Mimic Return From Moon As Delta 4 Rocket Will Launch Orion ~5,800km Above Earth, Craft Will Return At 32,000 Km/hr; Orion Will Launch Aboard New SLS For 2nd Test Flight In 2018; First Crewed Flight Expected In 2021, Taking 4 Astronauts On Circumlunar Cruise; NASA Expects To Spend US$15B On Orion Through 1st Crewed Flight; Increase In NASA Budget, Prioritization Of Human Lunar / Solar System Exploration Could Hasten Orion Flight Pace

Image Credit: NASA

Friday / 5 September 2014

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Planetary Senior Review Panel Gives Green Light To LRO Extended Mission

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Evaluating Proposed New Science & Previous Productivity LRO Received Grade Of Very Good / Good From NASA Planetary Senior Review Panel Chaired By Clive Neal; Panel Suggested Descoping Some LRO Instruments: Mini-RF Operations To End, CRaTER Instrument May Continue With Cost-Sharing With Helio / Astrophysics Programs; After Accepting Descoping Proposal LRO Grade Raised To Very Good / Excellent; 2nd 2-Year LRO Extended Science Mission Will Characterize Changes In Lunar Surface, Interior & Exosphere; LRO Expected 2015 Operations Cost Was US$8.1M Pre-Descoping

Image Credit: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 22-25 August 2014

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LRO / CRaTER Continue To Uncover Mysteries Of Lunar Poles

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Solar Storms May Cause ‘Sparking’ In Permanently Shadowed Craters On Moon Poles Says Team Of Researchers From UNH & NASA Led By Andrew Jordan; Data From CRaTER Instrument Aboard LRO Indicates Solar Energetic Particles Build Up Electric Charges In Lunar Surface That Likely Disintegrate Regolith Into Distinct Minerals; Polar Craters Maintain Temperatures ~Minus 240 Degrees C, Known To Contain Water Ice; Team Now Investigating If Other LRO Instruments Can Detect Sparking

Image Credit: NASA, UNH

Tuesday / 19 August 2014

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Stimulating Lunar Enterprise With Earth-Orbital Launch Platform

ColubiaMoonLauncher0814

Revisiting 1996 Proposal To Utilize Space Shuttle Columbia, With Its Extended-Duration Orbiter Modifications, As A Joint NASA / Private Sector Launch Platform For Rocket Stages Bearing Small Lunar Landers Which Would Then Deliver Teleoperated Micro-Robots; Current / Future Orbiter Vehicles Could Potentially Be Used For Such Purposes Helping To “Ignite A Billion Dollar, Sustained Enterprise On Moon” As Proposal Author Carey McCleskey Of NASA JSC Vehicle Engineering Directorate Originally Suggested

Image Credit: NASA, Eberhard Marx

Friday / 15 August 2014

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Moon / Small Body Spacecraft Initiatives Supported By NASA

NASA Mooncraft Intiatives

Scarab Lunar Rover Being Developed By Robotics Institute Of Carnegie Mellon University To Explore Dark Polar Craters At Moon South Pole; Powered By 100-Watt Fuel Cell Created Under NASA Game Changing Development Program, Rover Can Collect 1m Core Samples For Water & Gas Analysis; Marco Pavone Of Stanford University Awarded US$500K Through NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Program To Continue Developing Hopping / Tumbling Craft With 3 Internal Flywheels Capable Of Exploring Small Bodies – Similar Technologies Could Be Applied To Future Mooncraft

Image Credit: NASA, Carnegie Mellon University

Thursday / 14 August 2014

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University Students Advancing Moon Lander Rocket Design

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Purdue University Student Team Designing & Testing Components Of New Rocket Engine For NASA Project Morpheus; Students Of Professor William Anderson (BR) Focused On Engine Thrust Chamber Design & Developed System To Liquefy Methane From Gas, Both Essential Elements To Facilitating High-Performance / Lightweight  Rocket Engine Needed For Moon Landings; Team Now Working To Optimize Cooling Approach For Chamber Walls, Temperatures Inside Chamber Can Reach 2600°C

Image Credit: Purdue University, NASA

Wednesday / 13 August 2014

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Shuttle Astronauts Advocate For Human Moon Missions

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Moon Is Ideal Location To Train & Develop Equipment / Procedures For Mars / Deep Space Missions Says Former Shuttle Astronauts Frank Culbertson (C) & Daniel Brandenstein (R); Astronaut Robert Crippen (CR) Says More Focus On International Cooperation Needed, Especially With China Moon Program; Acknowledged NASA Current Trend Of Risk Aversion, Urged Support For Orion Development: “This Is Our System To Get To The Moon”; Remarks Were Made During AIAA Space 2014 Forum In San Diego CA

Image Credit: AIAA, NASA, ESA