Category Archives: Solar System Exploration

Wednesday / 2 April 2014

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Future Of Human Spaceflight Debate Rolls On

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Former Astronauts (Clockwise T-B) Rusty Schweickart, Tom Jones, Garrett Reisman – To Discuss Future Of Human Spaceflight At Caltech On 8 April, Event Co-Sponsored By Planetary Society, Former Director Lou Friedman Believes Asteroid Redirection Mission Is Only Way To Advance USA Human Spaceflight Within Budgetary Constraints; Paul Spudis Points Out National Security Implications Of USA Retreat From Space, Notes Cislunar Space Is The ‘Space Theater’ Of Future, Warns Commercial Space Enterprises Unable To Open Up New Frontier Without Strong Space Presence / Capability Of Government

Image Credit: Popular Mechanics, NASA, Planetary Society, Spudis Lunar Resources Blog

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 28 Feb – 3 Mar 2014

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Who Owns The Moon?
International Missions, Commercial Aspirations

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Successful China Moon Mission Indicates Property Rights / Mining Claims Not Far Off Says Richard Holdaway (R) Of UK Rutherford Appleton Lab; Several Commercial Enterprises Also Making Business Cases For Moon Mining; Richard Bilder (L) Of University Of Wisconsin-Madison Says Process Of Setting Up Legal Regime Should Be Started Soon Before 1 or More Countries / Companies Have Special Stake / Interest; Holdaway Notes Nations Likely To Become Partners & Lunar Resources Will Further Space Exploration, Improve Life On Earth

Image Credit: NASA, CNSA, law.wisc.edu, stfc.ac.uk

Friday / 14 February 2014

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Space Frontier Foundation Welcomes
New Leadership, Developments

SFF Return to the Moon

New Generation Takes Over At SFF: NewSpace Entrepreneur Jeff Feige (R) To Be Chairman, Co-Founder Bob Werb Retires; Next Phase Of Development Should Revisit Past / Fundamental Vision = Open Space Frontier To Human Settlement As Rapidly As Possible With Return To The Moon; Space Settlement & Return To The Moon Projects Still Incomplete; Momentum Of Return To The Moon Conferences (1999-2005) Needs To Be Reestablished

Image Credit: SFF

Thursday / 30 January 2014

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Moon Mining – A Rising Priority

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Private Companies & Government Agencies See Moon Mining As Critical Step Towards Future Sustainability, Expansion Of Humans Through Solar System; China Eyeing Lunar Helium-3; Russia Planning Prospecting & Sample Return Missions By 2020; USA Likely To Collaborate With Japan, Korea, Canada, Private Companies To Achieve US$250M Resource Prospector Mission At Moon South Pole ~2018 To Advance ISRU Capabilities; Moon Mining Plans Lead Inevitably To Property Rights Considerations

Image Credit: NASA, Roscosmos

Friday / 10 January 2014

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Wanted: International Human Moon Mission By 2020

International Moon Mission

More Than 30 Heads Of Space Agencies Gather For IAA Summit On Space Exploration 9-10 Jan, Held In Conjunction With U.S. Department Of State International Space Exploration Forum; Will Highlight Importance / Benefits Of Global Public-Private Cooperation, Ways To Engage Emerging Countries; Moon Is 1st Logical Destination For Continued Discoveries, Refining Technologies & Sustaining Human Exploration Of Solar System & Beyond

Image Credit: ESA / Foster

New Year / Holiday Edition
Wed 25 Dec 2013 – Fri 3 Jan 2014

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2020 Vision: Humanity A Multi World Species

LED-12-12-13Multi Nation Science And Commerce Human Lunar Expeditions 2019-2020 Preceded By Moon South Pole International Traffic Jam 2015-2016 With Robotic Landings From USA, PRC, Japan, India, Russia, as well as Moon Express / ILOA, Golden Spike, Shackleton Energy, Astrobotic, Lunar Lions, Others; NEOs, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn Next

Ad Astra — Happy New Year / Holidays To All

 Image Credit: NASA, ILOA, ME, Penn State Lunar Lions, Astrobotic Technology

Thursday / 5 December 2013

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Human Exploration Rover Challenge: Name Change Reflects Evolving NASA Priorities

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10-12 Apr 2014 Student Competition Held In Huntsville AL, Now Dubbed ‘NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge’; Rules / Format Of 20-Year Old Moonbuggy Race Remain Relatively Unchanged; New Name & Updated Course Are Consistent With Growing Solar System-Wide Focus Of NASA: Moon As 1st Enabling Step For Human Deep Space Exploration, Then On To Asteroids, Mars, Jupiter System & Beyond

Image Credit: NASA

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 22-25 Nov 2013

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JFK 50 Years Downrange And Sputnik 2.0

JFK 50 Years & Sputnik 2

China Moon Landing Next Month
Likely To Energize USA New Space, Moon,
Solar System R&D, And Galaxy Awareness,
Including Moon South Pole Power Station Prototype

 

Image Credit: NASA, CNSA

Tuesday / 19 November 2013

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India Mars Orbiter Gets Assist From Moon

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Mars Orbiter Mission In Elliptical Orbit Around Earth, Testing Sensors / Calibrating Instruments; Mission Uses Moon Pull To Stretch Orbit To 192,000-km Apogee, Orient Spacecraft Correctly, Increase Speed In Preparation For 1 Dec Departure Into Mars Trajectory; Deep Space Navigation Experience Acquired Will Aid India In Preparations For Chandrayaan-2 Moon Lander / Rover Mission

Image Credit: ISRO

Weekend Edition / Fri-Tues 30 Aug-3 Sep 2013

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Neil deGrasse Tyson A Likely Advocate For Lunar Commerce

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Tyson States It Is “Scandal That Private Enterprise Did Not Take Off Sooner;” Feels Space Shuttle Program Should Have Been Undertaken By Independent Business Leaving NASA Free To Conduct Deep Space Exploration; Believes Increased Government Investment In Space Is Needed To Facilitate Establishment Of Successful Lunar / Space Enterprise; Tyson Has Assisted Golden Spike Company In Advisory Role 

Image Credit: Golden Spike Company, brainpickings.org