Category Archives: South Pole Moon

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 24-27 April 2015

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Moon May Be Critical Stepping Stone To NASA Mars Ambitions

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Moon Mission Advocate Paul Spudis Outlines How Human Mars Mission Is Unfeasible Without Use Of Lunar-Produced Propellant; Propellant Would Comprise >80% Of The ~900,000 Kg Of Equipment Needed For Mars Journey; Harvesting Volatiles At Lunar Poles, Creating Working Fueling Depot Close To Deep Space Staging Areas Where Mars Spacecraft Can Be Assembled; NASA Resource Prospector Mission Could Confirm Feasibility Of Using Volatile Deposits On Moon As Fuel / Consumables For Long Duration Spaceflight

Image Credit: NASA, aaas.org

Wednesday / 22 April 2015

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India Advancing Chandrayaan-2

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Vikram Sarabhai Space Center Director M Chandra Dathan Says Chandrayaan-2 Preparations Are In Full Swing At Various ISRO Centers, Still Planning On 2017-2018 Launch; 2nd India Moon Mission Will Place Lander & Rover Near South Pole To Test New Technologies & New Experiments; Ranked 6th In Global Space Positioning – India Becoming A Role Model For Other Countries Due To Self-Reliance & Cost Effectiveness; India Spends US$3 / Per Capita On Space Technology, Compared To $7.5 For China & $123 For USA

Image Credit: ISRO, K. Murali Kumar

Wednesday / 25 March 2015

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Mojave Volatiles Prospector Preparing For
Lunar Polar Mission

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MVP Project Using 3 Instruments – Near Infrared & Visible Spectrometer, Neutron Spectrometer Subsystem, And Downward Facing GroundCam – On KREX-2 Rover To Advance Robotic Volatile Prospecting Methods For Use At Lunar Poles; Tests Conducted In Mojave Desert Lunar Analog Site; Small Field Team In Mojave & Operational Team At NASA Ames Simulating Real-Time Analysis & Decision Making Needed For Moon Mission; Project Driven By Likelihood Of Water Ice Deposits In Permanently Shadowed Craters At Lunar Poles Colder Than 40K

Image Credit: NASA

Wednesday / 11 March 2015

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India Space Budget Indicates GSLV & Chandrayaan-2 Remain Top Priorities

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ISRO Allocated US$1.2B For Space Activities In 2015-2016 Fiscal Year (Begins 1 Apr); Budget Includes $50M For Continued Development / Operation Of GSLV Mk-3 Which Is Capable Of Lifting 4 Metric Tons To GTO, Critical For Next Steps Of Moon Program & Carrying Out India Human Space Missions According To Former ISRO Director Suresh Naik; $47M For Space Science, Including $6.3M For Chandrayaan-2 Lunar Rover / Orbiter Should Land At Moon South Pole 2017 / 2018; India Is Garnering A Reputation For Accomplishing Challenging Space Missions With Efficient / Frugal Budget

Image Credit: ISRO, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 6-9 March 2015

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China Chang’e-3, -4, -5 Aligning To Realize Full Potential Of Moon Program

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Chang’e-4 Lander & Rover With Reconfigured Instruments To Follow Successful Chang’e-1, -2, -3 & 5-T1 Missions (2007-Present), Perhaps To Unexplored Destination Such As Moon South Pole; Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission On Track For 2017 Launch From Developing Hainan Spaceport On Long March 5 Rocket According To Chang’e Chief Cmdr / Designer Ye Peijian; Chang’e-5-T1 In Moon Orbit Testing Technologies For Chang’e-5; Chang’e-3 At 44.12°N 19.51°W May Study Lunar Terminator / Dust Dynamics, Make Other Observations During Lunar Eclipse 4 Apr & 28 Sep

Image Credit: CNSA, NASA, CCTV, Chinese Academy of Sciences, D. Davis, Chinanews.com, K. Kremer, M. Di Lorenzo, Xinhuanet.com

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 20-23 February 2015

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Moon South Pole Mission Opportunities Draw Southeast Asia Leaders To Series Of Events

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Galaxy Forum Southeast Asia Events In Bandung, Indonesia On Sat 21 Feb & In Bangkok, Thailand On Tues 24 Feb Bring Together Leaders In Astronomy & Space Exploration To Evaluate How Southeast Asia Countries Can Advance Their Space / Astronomy Initiatives And Bring More Of The Subsequent Benefits To The People; ILOA, Co-sponsor Of The Events, Will Be Presenting Opportunities For These Countries To Potentially Participate In Its Missions To The Moon South Pole To Conduct Observations & Communications; A Special ILOA Southeast Asia Executive Meeting Will Follow On Thurs 26 Feb In Singapore

Image Credit: ILOA, galaxyforum.org, ITB, NARIT

Thursday / 12 February 2015

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April Workshop To Highlight Near-Term Lunar Surface Mission Opportunities

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Abstract Deadlines Due Friday 13 February For 5th International Workshop On Lunar Surface Applications; Event – Scheduled For 14-17 April 2015 In Cocoa Beach FL – Will Provide Overview Of Moon Mission Development & Plans Of The 3 Commercial Enterprises Supported By NASA Lunar Catalyst Lander Program, & Opportunities For Science & Commercial Activities On Moon; To Include Additional Presentations About Lunar Polar ISRU & Upcoming NASA Resource Prospector Mission

Image Credit: lunarworkshops.com, NASA, Moon Express

Friday / 6 February 2015

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LRO Finds Most Lunar Hydrogen On Slopes Facing Moon South Pole

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Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Finds 23 Parts-Per-Million-By-Weight More Hydrogen On Crater Slopes In Southern Hemisphere (Starting Between 50-60° S Latitude) That Face Lunar South Pole Than On Equator-Facing Slopes Possibly Due To Lack Of Sunlight / Evaporation; LRO In 30 X 180-Km Altitude Orbit Passing Over Lunar South Pole With 21st Data Set Release Upcoming, Not Yet Funded For 2016 According To NASA Budget; Team Including Timothy McClanahan Of GSFC To Determine If N Hemisphere Has Same Pattern, & Effects Of Lunar Day / Night Cycle

Image Credit: NASA, Institute for Space Research, GSFC

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 30 Jan – 2 Feb 2015

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Russia & ESA Advancing Plans For Human Exploration / Development Of Moon

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RSC Energia Deputy General Nikolai Bryukhanov Says Russia Aerospace Enterprise Is Working On Creating New Crewed Spacecraft For Missions To The Moon; European Space Agency Releases New Video Outlining Plans For Possible Human Mission To Far Side Moon; Agency Sees South Pole-Aitken Basin As Promising Location For Human Habitation & Development, Moon Place Where All Nations Can Come Together To Understand Common Origins, Build Common Future

Image Credit: RSC Energia, ESA

Friday / 30 January 2015

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India Confirms Plans For
Moon South Pole Landing

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Chandrayaan-2 Moon Lander / Rover Will Land Near Moon South Pole According To Anil Bhardwaj, Director Of Vikram Sarabhai Space Center Space Physics Lab; Announcement Confirms India Will Be At Forefront Of The Push To The New Frontier Of Human Exploration And Development, After Confirming Presence Of Extensive Water Reserves In Polar Craters With Chandrayaan-1 Lunar Orbiter; Success Of Mangalyaan Mars Mission Confirms Country’s Ability To Achieve Cost-Effective Planetary Missions; GSLV-Mark 3 Rocket Success Adds 1000-kg Capacity To Chandrayaan-2

Image Credit: ISRO, quazoo.com