5th Annual Lunar Science Forum Begins Today At NASA Ames Research Center, California (17-19 July); Plenary Session 1 Opens With Overview Of 3 USA Missions / 5 Spacecraft Currently In Moon Orbit; Maria Zuber: 1st Science Results From GRAIL; Jasper Halekas: 1st Results From ARTEMIS; Mark Robinson: Exploring The Moon With LROC; Greg Delory To Provide Status Update Of NET 2013 LADEE Mission
Image Credit: NASA
First Test Flight Of Orion / MPCV In 2014 To Cislunar Space, Return To Earth At Speed 80% Of Lunar Return; NASA Managers Considering Using Recycled ISS Module As Way-Station At Earth-Moon Lagrange Point Or Lunar Orbit; Lockheed Martin Space Systems VP John Karas Says Cislunar Space Operations With No Landings Provide “Affordable Step-Wise Push To Mars”, Tele-Operating Lunar Robots From L2 Base Effective Analog For Deimos-Mars Operations
Image Credit: NASA, Space News
ESA / NASA Collaborating On Project To Confirm Effectiveness Of Laser Communication From Moon To Earth & Back; New Optical Terminal Flying On LADEE (NET 2013) Will Transmit Over 600MB / Second To 3 Ground Stations By Beam Of Infrared Light At 1550nm Wavelength; Optical Laser Communication Could Reduce Mass Of On-Board Receiving / Transmitting Equipment & Provide Significantly Faster Data Rates Than Traditional Radio Frequencies
Image Credit: NASA
‘Exploration Gateway / Platform’ Concept Emerging As Preferred Direction For NASA Human Architecture Team; Plan Involves Launch Of Several International Modules For Construction At ISS Using Existing Hardware & Launch Vehicles, Transported To EML2 By 25-40kW Solar Electric Propulsion Vehicle; Provides Immediate Deep Space Destination For Astronauts, Excellent Way-Station For Moon, Rest Of Solar System
Image Credit: NASA
Twin ARTEMIS Crafts Reveal Unexpected Influence Of Complex Lunar Electric & Magnetic Fields On Solar Wind; NASA / GSFC Issues Sole-Source RFP To UCLA For Continuation Of Instrument / Science Management Of LRO Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment From March 2013 – March 2015; GRAIL Crafts Ebb & Flow Preparing For Extended Science Operations 30 Aug – 3 Dec 2012
Image Credit: NASA
Lunar Extreme Workshop 2012 At Ames, Moffett Field CA, 18-22 June; High School Teachers & Students Participating In The DREAM Program Will Interact With Lunar Scientists As They Research The Extreme Environmental Dynamics Of The Moon; NASA Lunar Science Institute To Host 5th Annual Lunar Science Forum 17-19 July 2012, To Include Dedicated Side Conference For Graduate Students & Young Lunar Professionals
Image Credit: NASA
Now In Hibernation, Ebb & Flow Survived Recent Lunar Eclipse; Extended Mission To Run From 30 Aug – 3 Dec; Spacecraft Performed Flawlessly During Primary Mission; GRAIL Will Halve Operating Altitude To 23km During Next Phase To Obtain Even Closer Look At Moon Gravity Field; MoonKAM Program Also Extended, Over 70,000 Student Images Have Thus Far Been Obtained
Image Credit: NASA
3rd Generation Design Of RESOLVE Experiment Set For Mission Simulation Field Test In July 2012 On Slopes Of Mauna Kea, Hawai`i; Next Step In Understanding Available Resources At Lunar Poles; NASA / CSA RESOLVE Payload On Lunar Rover Will Perform 3-5 Sample Collections At Depth Of 1m, Over Area Of Several Square Km During 5-7 Day Mission To Map Horizontal Distribution Of Hydrogen Bearing Volatiles
Image Credit: NASA, JAXA
66 Undergraduate & Graduate School Teams From Around The World Will Compete In 3rd Annual NASA Lunabotics Competition 21-27 May At Kennedy Space Center; Teams WIll Have 10 Minutes To Maneuver Through Obstacle Course Of Lunar Regolith Simulant, Collect As Much Regolith As Possible; NASA Awarding Bonus Points For Autonomous Robots; Lunar Mining / ISRU Critical For Development Of Lunar Outpost
Image Credit: NASA, tuscaloosanews.com
3 Affordable US Lunar Lander Options Advancing Through Commercial & Government Efforts; Armadillo Aerospace Morpheus Lander Passed Several Tethered Tests At NASA JSC, Designed For 1-Way, Uncrewed Missions Up To 500kg; SpaceX Red Dragon Lander Concept Also 1-Way Option, Capsule Useful Component Of Potential Base; Masten Xeus Concept Could Carry 4.5 Tonnes To Lunar Surface & Back
Image Credit: NASA, SpaceX, Masten