Category Archives: Advanced Technology

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 25-28 September 2015

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Total Lunar Eclipse To Inspire Astronomy From, On, Of The Moon

9262015Chang’e-3 Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope On Moon Surface At Sinus Iridum / Mare Imbrium, 44.12°N 19.51°W Will Attempt Observations During 74-Minute Total Lunar Eclipse Beginning 27 September 16:10 HST; Through MoU With NAOC, ILOA Supporting Unique Milky Way / Other Galaxy Imaging Opportunities From Moon Surface; ILOA Working To Establish Observatory At Moon South Pole, Lunar Base Build-Out; LRO Diviner Instrument Will Collect Data From Orbit, Professional & Enthusiast Groups To Observe / Study Eclipse

Credit: NASA, CNSA, NAOC-CAS, CCTV, Higherlearning.com

Friday / 25 September 2015

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Galaxy Forum Canada 2015:
Astronomy From The Moon

GF Canada 2015

 ILOA 2015 Galaxy Forum 26 Sep To Be Held At University Of British Columbia In Vancouver, Canada; Will Feature (L-R) Paul Hickson, Steve Durst, Howard Trottier, Mark Halpern, Alma Barranco-Mendoza, Eldon Yellowhorn; Topics Include The Future ILO-1 Moon South Pole Observatory For Milky Way Galaxy Imaging / 21st Century Astronomy Education, Large Optical Telescopes On The Moon Taking Advantage Of The Airless Environment & Slow Lunar Rotation, Canadian Space Society & Canadian Space Agency Perspectives On Human Exploration & Development Of The Solar System, Archeoastronomy & The Cultural Importance Of The Moon

Credit: ILOA, NASA, CSS, UBC, SFU

Thursday / 24 September 2015

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Canada Space Sector Innovating Strategies For Lunar Exploration

9242015 Lunar Night Survival Technologies Being Advanced By Canadensys With Endorsement Of ILOA Evaluating Extreme Moon Surface Temperature Variations From ~50°C In Sunlight To -230°C In Permanently Shadow Areas; Goal Is To Develop Alternative Non-Radioactive Heat Source For Missions Such As ILO-1 Moon South Pole Obervatory; Canadian Space Agency Performing Training & Field Work, Analyzing Data Of Lunar Geology Simulations From Arctic Analog To Aid In Future Moon, Mars, Asteroid Missions

Credit: CSA ACS, Canadensys, NASA, ILOA

Wednesday / 23 September 2015

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Astronaut Thomas Reiter: Returning Humans To The Moon In The Next Decade

9232015Sustainable Moon Exploration 2020-2030 Critical For Further Expansion Of Human Solar System Competence; Astronaut & ESA Director Of Human Spaceflight & Operations, Thomas Reiter States “The International Vision For Lunar Exploration Calls For New Era Of Coordinated Human And Robotic Missions”; ISECG Global Exploration Roadmap Providing Strategic Coordination To Enhance Global Space Enterprise Using Lunar Surface For Research & Economic Development With International Collaboration

Credit: NASA, ESA, ISECG

Tuesday / 22 September 2015

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China Preparing Long March-5 Carrier Rocket To Aid Future Lunar Missions

9222015First Trial Of New Booster Designed By China Academy Of Launch Vehicle Technology & China Aerospace Science And Technology Corp (CASC) Set For 2016; Long March-5 Rocket (CZ-5) Scheduled To Carry Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission In 2017; CASC Official Gao Xinhui States CZ-5 Will Utilize YF-100 Engine “That Uses Fuel Free Of Toxicity And Pollution”; CZ-5 Innovation Could Reduce Cost While Increasing China Space Access Capabilities Including Human Moon Missions In The Next Decade

Credit: NASA, China News, CASC, CCTV

Thursday / 17 September 2015

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LRO Observes Forming Moon Surface Faults

9172015Gravitational Tidal Forces From Earth Influencing Orientation Of Young Fault Scarps Caused By Cooling & Contracting Of Moon’s Interior; LRO Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) Identifying ~3,200 Thrust Fault Scarps Sampled In Areas 40° Longitude By 20° Latitude; Arizona State University & LROC Principal Investigator, Mark Robinson States “Now That We Have NAC Images …Structural Patterns Are Starting To Come Into Focus”

Credit: NASA, Arizona State University, Smithsonian Institution

Wednesday / 16 September 2015

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Florida Coast Attracts More NewSpace Enterprises

9162015Moon Express (ME) Positioning At Florida Kennedy Space Center Promotes Opportunity & More Launch Possibilities To Advance Moon / Deep Space Accessibility; Blue Origin Jeff Bezos (TR) Reveals Use Of Launch Complex 36 For Building & Operations, States “We’ll Be Launching From Here Later This Decade”; ME Continuing Developments With NASA Lunar CATALYST On MX-1 For GLXP; ME Bob Richards (TL) Comments That “Entrepreneurial Innovations…Will Expand Our Sphere Of Influence, To The Moon, The Asteroids – And Beyond”

Credit: Moon Express, NASA, Blue Origin, U.S. Air Force

Tuesday / 15 September 2015

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India Considers RTG For Upcoming Chandrayaan-2 Moon Mission

9152015ISRO Work Pace Increases With Goal Of ~2017-18 Launch Of Chandrayaan-2, India Inaugural Soft Landing On Lunar Surface; Second Lunar Mission May Get Boost With Non-Fission Nuclear Energy Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG); Chandrayaan Project Director, Mylswamy Annadurai Affirms ISRO Success With Chandrayaan-1 Confirming Water Traces On Moon & Second Mission To Include Configuration Changes To Orbiter To Accommodate Lander

Credit:  ISRO

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 11-14 September 2015

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Chang’e-4 Radio Astronomy From Moon Far Side Creating Opportunity With ILOA

9112015Observation Of Low Frequency Cosmic Rays Among Primary Astronomy Objectives Of CE-4 Mission To Moon Far Side NET 2020, According To Chinese Academy Of Sciences Zou Yongliao During LDSE Beijing Conference; Prof Wei, National Astronomical Observatory China & Steve Durst, International Lunar Observatory Association Speaking At Galaxy Forum China 2015 Affirm CE-3 Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope Continues Gathering Images & Data As Only Active Lunar Surface Mission; Further Cooperation Expected With ILOA ILO-X (NET 2016),  ILO-1 (NET 2017) & CE-4

Credit: Copyright ILOA, Michael Carroll, NAOC/CAS, CNSA, NASA

Friday / 11 September 2015

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SLS Moon / Deep Space Rocket Developers Hoping For Upper Stage Funding

NASA SLS 2021

Exploration Mission-2, First U.S. Gov Declared Human Moon Mission Since Apollo 17 In 1972, Planned For 2021 Dependent On Proposed Budget Request Of Additional ~US$500M With $50-100M Devoted To Enhanced Upper Stage For Fiscal Year 2016 (Begins 1 Oct); Bill Hill Of NASA Exploration Systems Development Says With Current $1.356B Budget EM-2 Would Be Pushed Back; Boeing Company To Develop Core / Upper Stages; EM-1 Set For Nov 2018 To Use 1 RL10 Engine Modeled On ULA Delta 4; EM-2 To Use 4 RL10 Engines

Credit: NASA, Spaceflightnow