Category Archives: Advanced Technology

Tuesday / 28 Aug 2018

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First Woman On Moon Aspirant Works With Lunar Dust Simulant, Advocates For Sample Returns

ESA “Spaceship EAC” Initiative Focuses On Creating Bricks From Moon Dust Simulants, Dubbed EAC-1, Made Of Similar Basaltic Silicates To Allow Astronauts To Build Permanent Habitats On Lunar Surface Through ISRU; Unlike EAC-1, Lunar Dust Has Electrical Charge Due To Constant Radiation, Therefore Lunar Dust Topical Team Member Erin Tranfield, Who Dreams Of Becoming First Woman On Moon, Mentions Value Of Obtaining Pristine Lunar Dust To Further Science

Credits: ESA, NASA, Foster & Partners, SPC, ILOA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 10-13 Aug 2018

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Commercial Lunar, Space Enterprises Could See US$44M Through NASA Tech Partnerships

Third “Tipping Point” Solicitation By NASA – Focusing On Expanding Utilization Of Space, Enabling Efficient & Safe Space Transportation, And Increasing Planetary Surface Access – To Award $44M To 6 Companies: Blue Origin, SSL, ULA, Frontier Aerospace, Paragon SDC, Astrobotic; 10 Selected Technology Proposals Include Blue Origin Lunar Lander Cryogenic Liquid-Propulsion Systems Advancement And Precision Systems For Landing Anywhere On The Moon, Frontier Aerospace Deep Space Engine Flight Qualification As Part Of Astrobotic 2020 Peregrine Lunar Lander Mission, SSL In-Space Satellite Servicing

Credits: NASA, Blue Origin

Friday / 3 Aug 2018

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Surviving The Long Lunar Night Studies Ongoing Including Upcoming SSERVI Workshop

Sustainable Return To Moon Efforts Underway Globally To Address Surviving 14-Day Lunar Night At Temperatures As Low As -180°C: NASA R&D For Fission Surface Power, Energy Storage Ongoing At Glenn Research Center, China Lunar Night Survival Capabilities Proven With Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator & Solar Panels On Chang’e-3 Lander In Lunar Day 58, ESA Exploring Lunar Regolith Thermal Mass Techniques For Engine Power, Japan Space Colony Research Center Investigating Thermoelectric Generation Techniques; NASA, SSERVI, USRA Planning 13 Nov Meeting On ‘Surviving & Operating Through The Lunar Night’ In Conjunction With LEAG Annual Meeting

Credits: NASA, JPL, ESA, CNSA, NAOC / CAS, SSERVI, USRA, GRC

Friday / 6 July 2018

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Blue Origin Working ‘Step By Step’ Toward Human Moon / Solar System Expansion

Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin CEO, Vision Of ‘Trillions Of People Living & Working In Space’ Reinforced By Comments From Business Director A.C. Charania At SFF NewSpace 2018 Conference Outlining Company’s Blue Moon Lander Plans To Support People On Moon Surface NLT 2023; Committed To Long-Term Commercial Partnership With NASA And International Collaboration, Blue Origin Currently Developing Descent Stage To Land ‘Multi-Metric Tons’ Of Cargo On Moon Surface (Preferably Poles) To Enable Sustainable Settlement, And Scientific & ISRU Investigations

Credits: A.C. Charania (B) and Jeff Bezos (T) via Twitter, Blue Origin

Friday / 29 June 2018

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Buzz Aldrin Vision For Human SpaceFlight Institute, Lunar Gateway, Global / China Space Collaboration

Iconic Astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin Launching Houston-Based Human SpaceFlight Institute To Pioneer Research For Future Human Space Systems / Missions, Host Workshops & Internships – Will Announce High-Level Strategic Partners Oct 2018; Aldrin Advocates For Return To Moon Surface, Sees Lunar Gateway As Major Opportunity To Work With China, Advance Fuel / Power Tech, Build Deep Space Infrastructures Or Multiple Gateways To Reach Mars & Beyond; Inspiring Announcements Anticipated For 49th And 50th Observation Of Apollo 11 On 20 July

Credits: NASA, Buzz Aldrin via Twitter

Friday / 22 June 2018

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Next Rocket Lab Flight Success Would Boost Ambitions For Lunar Missions

The 3rd Rocket Lab Electron Flight And 1st Fully Commercial Mission “It’s Business Time” 2-Week Launch Window Opens 23 June In New Zealand From Launch Complex 1 At Mahia Peninsula With Daily Windows 12:30–16:30; Set To Carry 2 Spire CubeSats, 1 GeoOptics CICERO Satellite, IRVINE01 Educational Payload, NABEO Drag Sail Tech Demonstrator; Continued Success On Low-Cost US$5M System Is Encouraging For Launch Customers Such As Moon Express Which Was Originally Slated For 3 Launches For Its Lunar Missions With Option To Purchase 2 More

Pictured: Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck; Credits: Rocket Lab, Moon Express, NASA, HPS GmbH, Spire, Tyvak

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 15-18 June 2018

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Chang’e-4 Relay Satellite Enters Intended Orbit, Prepares For Upcoming Mission

China Relay Satellite Queqiao Successfully Reaches Halo Orbit Around Earth-Moon Lagrange Point 2, Will Undergo Orbit Maintenance Every 7 Days, Equipped With NCLE Low-Frequency Pathfinder To Detect Cosmic Dark Ages Radio Signals, Will Act As Communication Relay For Chang’e-4 Lander & Rover Mission Planned Nov-Dec Launch To South Pole Aitken Basin / Von Kármán Crater; Microsatellite Longjiang-2 Operates In Lunar Orbit, Transmits Far Side Pictures Using Saudi Arabia Optical Camera; NAOC Prof Ping Jinsong Mentions Feasibility Of Flying Near-Future Low Cost Lunar Constellation

Credits: CNSA, CLEP, KASCST, NAOC, CAS, Planetary Society, NCLE, ASTRON

Friday / 15 June 2018

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AAS Advancing Galaxy Science, Human Equality, Astronomy From The Moon

21st Century Directions Apparent At American Astronomical Society 232nd Meeting In Denver CO With 5 Of 10 Plenaries On Galaxies, 5 Of 10 Presented By Women Astrophysicists, Supported By (L-R) Incoming AAS President Megan Donahue And Outgoing President Christine Jones; Pioneering Sessions On Low Radio Frequency Observations From Space And Moon Included Presentations By Heino Falcke, Robert MacDowell, Jack Burns, Joseph Lazio, Which Could Enable AAS Symposium In 12-24 Months On “Astronomy On, For and From The Moon”

Credits: ILOA, SPC, Steve Durst, AAS, NLSI, IAU, NASA, JPL, Radboud Univ., ISIS, ASTRON, Netherlands Space Office, et al

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 8-11 Jun 2018

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LUNAR, DARE Missions Advance Astronomy From The Moon

Jack Burns From University Of Colorado Boulder Continues To Lead Lunar University Network For Astrophysics Research (LUNAR) To Advance Space Science Studies, Lunar Laser Ranging, Heliophysics, Astrophysics; Burns Is Also Principal Investigator On Dark Ages Radio Explorer (DARE) Lunar Orbiter Planning For Launch 2023, 2-Year Mission Would Study Cosmic Dawn Through Heating, Ionization Of Intergalactic Medium, Low-Radio Frequencies Of 40-120 MHz From Moon Farside At 125-km Altitude

Credits: CU Boulder, NASA

Friday / 8 Jun 2018

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Astronomy From The Moon Advancing At American Astronomical Society 232nd Meeting

 AAS 232nd Meeting Highlights Multiple Applications / Benefits Of Astronomy From Moon & In Space: ‘A New Frontier For 21st Century Astrophysics‘ By ILOA Director Steve Durst (R) Discusses Galaxy Observations From Stable & Large Platform Of Lunar Surface, Radio Quiet Far Side, Permanent Darkness In Polar Craters, Thin Exosphere, Access For Future Human Service Missions; Jack Burns Of CU Presents Advantages Of Satellite In Low Lunar Orbit; Robert MacDowall Of GSFC Talks On Possibility Of Low-Frequency Observations From Moon Surface; Heino Falcke (L) Of Radboud University Examines China NCLE & Building Toward Lunar Radio Observatory

Credits: ILOA, NASA, Radboud Univ., ISIS, ASTRON, et al