Category Archives: Water on Moon

Wednesday / 25 July 2018

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Moon May Have Had Habitability Windows For Previous Life

New Astrobiology Article Identifies Two Possible Windows For Habitability Of Life On Moon: Immediately Following Accretion Of Moon, And 100s Of Millions Of Years Later Following Outgassing From Volcanism; Authors (L) At Washington State University & Ian Crawford (R) At University Of London Call For Obtaining Lunar Samples Of Deposits From Time Of Peak Volcanism ~3.5 Billion Years Ago To Determine Evidence Of Hydrated Conditions & Biomarkers

Credits: WSU, BBK, NASA, SSERVI, GSFC, Arizona State University

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 29 June – 2 July 2018

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Chandrayaan-2 Lunar South Pole Mission To Target Water, Possibly He-3

GSLV Mk II Launch NET Oct / Nov Of 3,290-kg Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter, Lander, 6-Wheel Rover, Will Research Topography, Mineralogy, Exosphere, Prospects For Ice-Water Utilization, Consider Future Helium-3 Extraction; Rover To Operate In Semi-Autonomous Mode For 2 Weeks; ISRO Chairman K. Sivan States India Plans To Be A Leader In Space Resource Utilization, Aims To Put India Crew On Moon

Credits: ISRO, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 22-25 June 2018

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LRO Mission Enters 10th Year Orbiting Moon

On 23 June Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Embarks On 10th Year, Mission Goals Include Temporarily Going Off Nadir (Straight-On Imaging) Fall 2018 To Utilize Camera Stereo, Oblique Imaging; Inertial Measurement Unit Currently Powered Down To Reserve Power For Critical Events, Lunar Eclipses; In Lunar Eccentric Polar Mapping Orbit (20-km Altitude South Pole, 165-km North Pole) With 7 Instruments Providing High Resolution 3D Moon Mapping, Regolith & Radiation Observations, Data May Assist In Future South Pole And Far Side Lunar Landings

Credits: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 27-30 Apr 2018

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Science And Moon Experts Advise Reinstatement Of Resource Prospector Mission

Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Chairs (L-R) Samuel Lawrence And Clive Neal Urge NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine To Reestablish Resource Prospector (RP) Mission Vital For Lunar Economy, Space Exploration; Letter States Cancellation Of NASA Only Polar Lander-Rover Mission A Source Of Incredulity And Dismay To Community; Critical To Provide Strong Leadership As 6 International Lunar Lander Missions Planned Into 2025; International Lunar Observatory Association And Space Age Publishing Company Support RP Reinstatement Within Context of Space Policy Directive 1, Dedication Of Human Return To Moon, First Women On Moon Initiative

Credits: NASA, University of Notre Dame, LEAG, ILOA

Wednesday / 7 Feb 2018

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JAXA To Hold Workshops On Lunar Polar Exploration & Global Exploration Roadmap

JAXA Announces 2nd Workshop On Exploration Of Moon Polar Region To Be Held Feb 19 To Deepen Discussion Toward International Collaboration On Instruments & Vehicles For Exploring Water Ice, In Conjunction With Workshop On International Space Exploration Coordination Group Global Exploration Roadmap Feb 18; Drawing On Results From 2-Day Workshop Dec 8-9, 2017; Both In Tokyo & Open To Public – Soliciting Participation From Private Sectors & Universities; Marks Rapid Growth Of Japan Interest In Moon, Including Human Exploration

Pictured: JAXA lunar scientist Makiko Ohtake (top left), JAXA workshop convener Hiroki Furihata; Credits: JAXA, Makoto Nakamura, SPC

Thursday / 18 Jan 2018

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Lava Tube Entrances May Exist In Moon Polar Regions

Planetary Scientist Pascal Lee Of SETI Institute & Mars Institute Discovers 3 Pits In Philolaus Crater Near Lunar North Pole – Candidate “Skylight” Entrances To Underground Lava Tubes; Permanently Shadowed Inside, These Pits May Give Access To Subsurface Water Ice; Polar Location Provides Solar Power & Direct Earth Communications For Easier Ice Extraction & Human Exploration; New Findings Made At NASA Ames Using Data From Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Credits: NASA, LRO, SETI Institute, Mars Institute, Pascal Lee

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 27-30 Oct 2017

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India Chandrayaan-2 Pioneering
Moon South Pole

ISRO Confirms Q1 2018 Plan To Deploy Orbiter, Attempt Lunar South Pole Touchdown With Lander And Rover; Chandrayaan-2 Project Director Mylswamy Annadurai States Specific Landing Site Is Not Yet Determined, Total Mission Cost US$93M, Lift-off Mass 3,250 kg; First Mission Ever To New Frontier Moon South Pole And India 2nd Mission To Moon Could Prove To Be Game Changer For Lunar Base Build Out, Resource Prospecting, Science, Energy / Technology Advancements; Payloads On-board Lander Include Thermal Sensors For Temperature, And RAMBHA To Measure Near-Surface Plasma & Its Changes

Credits: ISRO, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 15-18 Sep 2017

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New Moon Water Distribution Map Points To Lunar Poles As Vital Areas Of Exploration

Brown University Researchers Including Shuai Li (T) And Ralph Milliken Moon Water Study Shows Concentration In Lunar Soil Within Upper Millimeter Of Soil Reaches Average Max Of ~500 To 750 Parts Per Million In Polar Regions, Largely Uniform With Gradual Decrease Toward Equator; Permanently Shadowed Craters & Deeper Soil Not Analyzed; Concentration Fluctuates Over Day – Indicating Water Formation Is Active And “Raises The Possibility That Water May Re-accumulate After Extraction”; Water Is Important For Habitation (Drinking Water, Oxygen) And Transportation (Fuel); Further Analysis Needed Through Detailed Science Missions Preferably With Humans Landing On Moon

Credits: Brown University, LRO, LCROSS, ISRO MMM, GSFC, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 4-7 Aug 2017

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Buzz Aldrin Calls For International Return To Moon To Get Humans To Mars

Apollo 11 Moonworker Buzz Aldrin Encourages New U.S. National Space Council And President Trump To Formulate Strategic Leadership Plan To Create Lunar Highway Via International Partnerships With Space-Capable Nations Utilizing Moon As a Testing Ground For Technologies And Extracting Resources From Poles ASAP To Catalyze Human Missions To Mars, Rest Of Solar System; Hopes Revolutionary Plan Involving Other Countries, NewSpace Sector, New NASA Budgetary Focuses Will Be Announced 20 July 2019 On 50th Observation Of 1st Human Footsteps On Luna

Credits: NASA, JAXA, NHK, Boeing Co.

SpaceDay Edition
Thu-Mon / 20-24 July 2017

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Buzz, Bezos, Bigelow, Musk Advocate For Lunar Base, Moon South Pole

Recent Comments From Jeff Bezos Receiving Buzz Aldrin 2017 Pioneer Award Include Low-Cost Access To Space, Building Permanent Settlements At Moon Poles For Water And Solar Power; Elon Musk At ISS R&D May Be Capitalizing The Moon, Says In Order To Inspire Public “We’ve Got To Have A Base On The Moon” And It Would Be “Continuance To The Dream” Of Apollo Missions; Robert Bigelow Suggesting Cislunar Refueling Depots By 2020, Illustrates China Advances On Moon, Lunar Property Rights Issues, Stating “There’s No Time To Lose”; SpaceDay 2017 Observes The 48th Anniversary Of 1st Human Footsteps On Moon By Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin, Begins 2-Year Countdown To Apollo @50, Hopes Are High For U.S. Admin To Announce Human Moon Mission, Perhaps 1st Woman On Moon

Credits: NASA, ILOA, SPC, Bigelow, SpaceX, Blue Origin