Category Archives: NASA

Wednesday / 18 June 2014

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CubeSats To The Moon

LunarCubes0614

RFI Released By NASA To Gather Feedback / Gauge Interest In Deep Space CubeSat Centennial Challenge; 1st Challenge Will Award US$3M To Competitor Able To Meet Or Exceed Propulsion, Communication, Longevity Technical Objectives While In Lunar Orbit; 2nd Challenge Will Award Up To US$1.5M For CubeSat Demonstrations Beyond Lunar Orbit; Additional US$1M For Ground Qualification Competition Reviews; CubeSats Will Be Carried Into Trans-Lunar Trajectory On 1st Launch Of NASA SLS In 2018

Image Credit: NASA, pocketspacecraft.com

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 13-16 June 2014

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LEAG & SSERVI Conferences Highlight Scientific Value Of Lunar Exploration

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1st Announcement Of 2014 Annual Meeting Of LEAG, 22-24 Oct In Maryland USA; Call For Abstracts Expected 24 June; 2 Main Focus Areas: Lunar Volatiles & The Global Exploration Roadmap (GER); SSERVI Releases Agenda For 1st Annual NASA Exploration Science Forum, 21-23 July At Ames RC, California USA; Event Also Includes Discussion Of GER, To Integrate Priority Science Objectives Into NASA / International Exploration Plans; Pictured: LEAG Program Chair Samuel Lawrence

Image Credit: LEAG, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 6-9 June 2014

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LRO Has More Work To Do After 5 Productive Years

LROsymphony

With A Generous Reserve Of Fuel And 7 Instruments Performing “Like A Finely Tuned Symphony” LRO Still A Valuable Tool For Planetary Science / Exploration; Preliminary Goals For Proposed 2nd Extended Mission Include: Evaluate Nature Of Thermophysical Differences Between Permanently Shaded Regions & Rest Of Moon, Complete Mapping (0.5-2m / Pixel) Of Non-Polar Regions, Continue Longitudinal Studies Of Changes On Moon (Impact Cratering Rate, etc), Increase Scientific Productivity Of Future Lunar Surface Missions; Pictured R-L: LRO Project Scientist Richard Vondrak & Project Manager Craig Tooley

Image Credit: NASA

Tuesday / 3 June 2014

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PISCES Extending Hawai`i Apollo Moon Mission Contributions To 21st Century

PISCESalohaMoon0614

Hawaii Island Moon-Like Environments Being Utilized By PISCES To Test Moon / Mars-Bound Vehicles & Technologies; New State Resolution Initiating Project To Develop Basaltic ‘Lunar Concrete’, Installation Of A Test ‘Lunar Sidewalk’ Set For Aug; 2nd Initiative Involves Construction-Scale 3D Printing Using Basalt, PISCES & NASA Plan To 3D Print A Landing Pad, Curved Wall, Dome Shelter; Aloha State Was Important Contributor To Apollo Moon Missions – As Depicted In Recently Released Photos – Astronaut Training, Communication Relays, Recovery Of Returning Moonworkers  

Image Credit: PISCES, NASA

Friday / 30 May 2014

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ISEE-3 Team Achieves Contact,
Close Lunar Flyby Upcoming

ISEE-3 Reboot Project

ISEE-3 Reboot Project Team Will Attempt To Command 36-Year-Old Spacecraft, Fire Engines ASAP; ISEE-3 Is ~250,000km From Where It Should Be, Increasing Possibility Of Moon Impact Without Corrective Maneuvers; Lunar Flyby Trajectory Estimated At 50km-Altitude; Recently Established 2-Way Communication Will Allow For Refinement Of Engine Burn Techniques; Goal Is To Use Moon Gravity To Enter Orbit At Sun-Earth L1, Resume Original Mission To Investigate Solar Wind, Share Data With Public

Image Credit: ISEE-3 Reboot Project

Wednesday / 28 May 2014

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LRO Celebrates Moon As Art For 5th Anniversary

LROmoonArt

Public Invited By NASA To Select Cover Image For ‘The Moon As Art’ LRO Image Collection, Voting Open Until 6 June; Finalists: Starry Night, Clerke Crater, Diviner North Pole, Linne Crater & Tycho Central Peak; Full Collection Of 24 Images Will Be Released On 18 June, 5th Anniversary Of LRO Launch; The Future Of LRO Remains Uncertain, Mission Could End Sep 2014 Or Be Extended 2 More Years; Fate Will Likely Be Determined By Results Of Biennial NASA Senior Review Expected In June 

Image Credit: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Tues / 23-27 May 2014

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Morpheus Lander Tests Paving Way For Human & Robotic Moon Missions

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Final Morpheus Lander Flight Test At NASA KSC Next Wednesday Night Will Seek To Fine-Tune Performance & Demonstrate How Sensors Work In Darkness; Latest Free Flight Test Attempted To Rely Solely On ALHAT Landing Sensors To Guide Craft To Best Landing Site; Vehicle Rose To 240m Then Used Laser Sensors To Identify Up To 5 Safe Landing Sites; ALHAT Sensor Performance Not As Precise As Engineers Hoped & Pre-Set Trajectory Was Implemented To Land Morpheus; Successful Flight Tests Will Increase Likelihood Technology Will Be Incorporated Into Human / Robotic Moon Missions

Image Credit: NASA

Friday / 23 May 2014

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LADEE Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration Performance To Be Detailed

LLCD 2014

New Comprehensive Overview Of LLCD To Be Presented At CLEO 2014 Conference 8-13 June By Team From MIT Lincoln Laboratory (Developer Of Primary Lunar Laser Ground Terminal); Will Describe Techniques To Achieve Error-Free Performance Over ~400,000km Distance / Atmospheric Disturbances; Transmitted Data From Earth To Moon At 19.44 Megabits Per Second – Beat Previous Record By Factor Of 4,800; Significant For Moon & Beyond Missions, Real-Time Communication & 3-D HD Video

Image Credit: NASA

Tuesday / 20 May 2014

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USA Lunar Surface Mission In The Works: NASA Issues RFI

RFIresolve

RFI Submitted By NASA KSC Seeking Private Industry Sources / Information On Payload Avionics Systems & Avionics Elements For Use In Short-Duration Lunar Surface Resource Prospecting Mission; Submissions Must Be Sent To Christopher Zuber By 20 June 2014; South Pole Moon Resource Prospector Mission (RPM) With RESOLVE Payload Notionally Targeted For 2018 Launch; NASA Has Spent Just Over US$20M On The Mission, Expects Total Mission Cost ~US$250M

 Image Credit: NASA

Friday / 16 May 2014

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European Lunar Symposium Covers Diversity Of Moon Research, Interest

ELS 2014

Second Day Of European Lunar Symposium Focuses On Lunar Samples, Future Missions, Global Partnerships; Sessions Chaired By (L-R) Romain Tartèse, James Carpenter, Greg Schmidt, Ian Crawford; David Kring Talks On Human Exploration Of Lunar South Polar Region & Far Side; Up To 200 Participants Interacting On / Advancing Strategic Considerations For Moon Astronomical, Astrophysical, Geological, Commercial, Resource Utilization Interests

Image Credit: ESA, NASA, SSERVI, LPI, Open University