Category Archives: South Pole Moon

Thursday / 31 July 2014

Posted on by

SLS Maiden Voyage To Deliver Cubesats To Moon

FlashlightSLS0714

11 Cubesats Will Be Delivered To Cislunar Space On First Uncrewed Mission Of SLS Rocket / Orion Capsule In Late 2017; 3 Missions Have Already Been Selected Including Lunar Flashlight; Led By Barbara Cohen Of NASA Marshall SFC; Mission Will Utilize 80m² Solar Sail To Navigate Into A Highly Elliptical Lunar Polar Orbit That Passes Near Moon South Pole, Solar Sail Will Then Be Redirected To Shine 50kW Of Sunlight Into Shaded Craters While On-Board Spectrometer Measures Surface Reflection & Composition; Data Will Identify Sites With Ample Volatiles Near Surface Ideal For More Expansive Lander / Rover / Human Missions

Image Credit: NASA, Rob Staehle

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 July 2014

Posted on by

Apollo 11 Moonworker Urges USA Space Program To Confront The Future

BuzzMoonMars0714

Upon 45th Commemoration Of Historic Mission, Buzz Aldrin – Member Of First Crew To Visit Lunar Surface – Says Space Enthusiasts Need To Look Forward Rather Than Simply Reveling In “Taking Rear-View Mirror Looks At Apollo 11”; Sees Permanent Human Settlement On Mars As Kennedyesque Goal To Pursue, Acknowledges Importance Of Advancing Human & Robotic Moon Missions Through International Partnerships With China & Other Space Powers, Along With Commercial Enterprise Lunar Development; South Pole Moon Promising New Frontier For Human Exploration & Settlement

Image Credit: NASA

Thursday / 3 July 2014

Posted on by

ILOA Partnering With Canadensys Aerospace Corp On ILO-1 Flagship Moon Mission

ILOAcanadensysGraphic1

International Lunar Observatory Association Of Hawai`i Contracts Canadensys Aerospace Corporation To Work On ILO-1 Moon South Pole Multifunctional Lander, Expected To Launch Later This Decade; Canada-Based Company Will Serve As Prime Contractor For ILO-1 Main Observation & Communications Payload; Collaborate On Galaxy Forum Canada 21st Century Education Program At 65th IAC In Toronto; Current Contract Focused On Refining ILO-1 Instrument Design & Program Definition In Light Of Recent International & Commercial Interest In Developing Lunar South Pole

Image Credit: Canadensys Aerospace Corporation, ILOA

Tuesday / 20 May 2014

Posted on by

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

Thursday / 15 May 2014

Posted on by

Moon Poles Offer Lab To Study Origin Of Life

PolarCraterOrganics0514

Lunar Poles Differ Dramatically From Any Part Of Moon Already Visited Says UH Professor Paul Lucey Of HIGP; Missions To Moon Poles Could Allow Field Testing Of Models Of Inorganic Synthesis, Along With ISRU Of Extensive Water Deposits – Over 600M Metric Tons Of Water / Hydroxyl At North Pole Alone; University Of Hawaii Team Led By Sara Crites Demonstrates How Small Amounts Of Volatiles Irradiated With Galactic Cosmic Rays Over 1B Years Could Have Produced Organic Compounds Detected By LCROSS

Image Credit: UH, NASA, Facebook

Wednesday / 30 April 2014

Posted on by

China Lunar Exploration Program Advancing With Fleet Of Missions

ChinaMoonBase0414

Launch Of Test Probe Later This Year Will Verify High-Speed Reentry Capability Of 2017 Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission; Chang’e-4 Lander May Not Just Repeat Chang’e-3 Mission But Could Achieve Something More Innovative, South Pole Landing Would Be Just That; China Officials Confirm Goal Of Building 36-Square Meter Lunar Base Known As ‘Lunar Palace 1’, Beijing University Of Aeronautics & Astronautics Reportedly Has Completed Design, Details Of The Moonbase Plan Will Be Released Later In 2014

Image Credit: CNSA, CLEP, Moonbase Alpha

Wednesday / 16 April 2014

Posted on by

Russia Leaders Use Cosmonautics Day To Catalyze Moon Exploration Plans

Rogozin2Moon0414

Russia Defense & Space Industry Deputy Minister Dmitry Rogozin Affirms Country’s Determination To Establish Permanent Operations On Moon; “Moon Is Not Intermediate Point In The [Space] Race, It Is A Separate, Even Self-Contained Goal;” Roscosmos Announces It Has Launched Project To Design Spacecraft Suitable For Human Moon Missions & Super-Heavy Carrier Rocket To Deliver It There; 3 Moon Missions Scheduled Later This Decade Beginning With Luna-25 To Moon South Pole In 2016

Image Credit: Phil Smith, Roscosmos

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 14-17 March 2014

Posted on by

45th LPSC This Week In Texas

LPSCled0314

Future Moon Missions & Exciting Results Of Current Missions Will Be Examined By Nearly 2000 Planetary Scientists At 45th Lunar Planetary Science Conference At The Woodlands TX On 17-21 Mar; Moon South Pole Will Be Featured As Ideal Site For Future Robotic / Human Missions In Presentations By Brad Jolliff, Debra Hurwitz (BL), Others; Importance Of This Annual Event Would Be Significantly Boosted With Clear Imminent Plan For USA Presence On Moon; Pictured (BR) Conference Co-Chairs: Steve Mackwell, Eileen Stansbery

Image Credit: NASA, LPI

Thursday / 6 March 2014

Posted on by

China Moon Program Might Benefit From
Mid-Course Correction To South Pole

ChinaMoonSouthPole0314Ideal Time For Leaders Of China Lunar Exploration Program To Reconsider Future Chang’e Missions To Moon South Pole; Future Problems Similar To Yutu Rover Control Circuit Malfunction Might Be Mitigated By More Thermally Stable Polar Environment; Chang’e Chief Scientist Ye Peijian Says Chang’e-4 Mission Should Be “More Innovative And Meaningful,” Achieving 1st-Ever Polar Landing Would Be Just That; Russia, India, USA, Private Enterprises All Advancing South Pole Missions

Image Credit: NASA, cnsphoto

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon 7-10 February 2014

Posted on by

Chandrayaan-2 Rover Mission
Details Emerging

ISROlander214

India Moon Rover Preparing For 2016 / 2017 Launch Via 3-Stage GSLV Will Employ Semi-Autonomous Navigation & Hazard Avoidance On Lunar Surface; Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) & Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) Payloads On Board 6-Wheeled Rover Will Perform Element Analysis Of Surface Near Landing Site; Rover Will Be Capable Of Using Both Lander & Orbiter Communications Relays; IIT-Kanpur Reports It Completed Rover Development In 2010, Still Awaiting ISRO Inspection / Payment

Image Credit: ISRO, IIT-Kanpur