Category Archives: Advanced Technology

Friday / 7 November 2014

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Moon Educator & Cislunar Space Workshops Promoting Lunar Science

Lunar Workshops

Lunar Educator Workshop For 45 Teachers Will Feature Apollo Missions Moon Rocks & Regolith At JPL In Pasadena CA 8 Nov; International Workshop On Scientific Opportunities In Cislunar Space: Lunar Science Illuminating The Universe On 9 Nov In Tucson AZ To Focus On Testing Deep Space Instruments In Cislunar Space (LEO To Moon Far Side Halo Orbit LL2) & Cislunar Scientific Analogs Which Can Imitate Many Extreme Conditions From Mercury To Pluto

Image Credit: NASA, Select Investor

Thursday / 6 November 2014

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Bootstrapping A Moon Base

Metzger1114

In 3-Part Interview, Former NASA KSC Research Physicist Philip Metzger Outlines How NASA / Global Private / Public Community Could Begin Today To Develop Sustainable Lunar Base With Fraction Of Current Budget; Plan Relies On Robotic Manufacturing / Extracting Of Resources In Space To Reduce Launch Mass, Advance Immediate Payback Opportunities, Spread Cost & Development Over Extended Period Of Time; Progressive Robotic Technological Development In Cislunar Space Could Bring Benefits To Life On Earth While Facilitating Settlement Of Solar System & Beyond

Image Credit: NASA, PhilipMetzger.com

Wednesday / 5 November 2014

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USA Advancing Moon Resource Prospecting Missions

NASARPMflashlight

2 Separate NASA Moon Missions Seek To Advance Human Capacity To Live Off-World; Lunar Flashlight PI Barbara Cohen Of NASA Marshall SFC Says Solar Sail Orbiter Mission, With The Goal Of Obtaining Data Of Purity & Accessibility Of Lunar Volatiles, May Launch On Debut SLS Flight In Late 2017; Resource Prospector Mission Project Scientist Tony Colaprete Of NASA Ames Says Rover Mission Will Map & Collect Samples Of Surface / Subsurface Hydrogen At 2 Yet-To-Be-Determined Polar Sites; Demonstration Of ISRU Could Facilitate Human Moon Settlement

Image Credit: NASA

 

Friday / 31 October 2014

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India Public, Private Moon Missions 2015-2016

ISRO, Indus Moon Missions

India ISRO Satellite Centre Director S. Shiva Kumar Says Indigenous Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter / Lander / Rover Launching To Moon 2016 Will Enable Spacecraft Development For Proposed 2nd Mars Mission In 2018; GSLV Mk 3 Rocket, Expected To Launch Again First Half Of Dec, Vital For High-Mass Moon, Mars, Deep Space & Human Missions; Privately-Funded GLXP Team Indus Aiming For Moon 2015, Integrating Engineering Model Of Lander & Prototype Of Rover, Needs To Secure PSLV Launch & US$35M

Image Credit: ISRO, Team Indus

Thursday / 23 October 2014

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China Preparing To Launch Chang’e-5 Test Mission

Chang'e5TestP

1st Launch Of A Long March-3C/E Rocket Is Set To Boost The Next China Mission From Xichang Satellite Launch Center Sometime Between 24-26 Oct; Probe Will Test Earth Reentry Technologies / Capabilities Needed To Complete 2017 Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission (L); Based On Modified Chang’e-2 Probe Design, Carrying A Re-entry Capsule, The Probe Will Travel Around The Moon And Return To Earth At >40,230 km/hr Before Parachuting For Earth Landing; 8-Day Mission Will Also Carry Payload Developed By LuxSpace Of Luxembourg

Image Credit: CNSA, CLEP

Thursday / 16 October 2014

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China To Launch Reentry Test Orbiter
To Moon 23 October

Chang'e Test Orbiter, 4M OHB

Moon Orbiter To Test Reentry Technologies For 2017 Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission Set To Launch 23 Oct On Long March 3C/E From Xichang Satellite Launch Center; 14-Kg Manfred Memorial Moon Mission Designed By OHB To Measure Radiation & Transmit Radio Signals Is Attached To 3rd Stage Booster; Chang’e Capsule Carrying Cameras (Perhaps Other Science Instruments) Filled With Samples, To Separate From 3rd Stage 20 Mins After Launch, Closest Approach 28 Oct At 00:33 UT ~13,000 Km Altitude, Return To Earth Oct 31/Nov 1 At 11 Km/s, Parachute-Assist Landing

Image Credit: CASC, CNSA, CCTV, OHB, LuxSpace

Wednesday / 15 October 2014

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Space Horizons 2015:
McMurdo On The Moon?

LED101514Brown University Hosts Annual NASA Sponsored Event Space Horizons 2015, 18-19 Feb; Antarctic McMurdo Station Inspires Asking “What Can 50+ Years Of Science In The Toughest Setting On Earth Tell Us About Working On The Moon?”; Workshops Examine Analog For Breakthrough Technologies To Realize Lunar Settlement; Brown’s 250-Year Anniversary Celebration Highlighted By Contributions In Planetary Science; Cutting Edge Virtual Reality Exhibit Allows Viewer To Fly Over Moon And Antarctica; Online Registration Now Open

 Image Credit: USAP, NASA, Brown University

Tuesday / 14 October 2014

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Russia: Moon Is Core Of Space Program Russia Moon

Roscosmos Head Of Strategic Planning Department Yuri Makarov States Moon Is Central To Space Program & Will Enable Solar System Missions, Envisions International Cooperation; During This & Next Decade Focus On Automatic Spaceships & Stations, In 2030s Lunar Orbital Stations & Vehicles, 2040s Crewed Lunar Station Near Moon South Pole, 2050s Inhabited Bases & Optical Laboratories; Robotic Missions Luna-25 (Which May Cost Tens Of Billions Of Rubles ~US$250M) Through Luna-29 (2016-2021) To Be Followed By Human Moon Flyby 2025, Landing By 2030

 Image Credit: Roscosmos, Andrey Sokolov, Alexey Leonov, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 10-13 October 2014

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Moon Orbiter Research, Data Findings & Awards Continue

Orbiters

LRO In Its 6th Year At Moon Traveling In Elliptical 30 X 180-Km Altitude Orbit Passing Over Lunar South Pole, 20th Data Set Release Upcoming – Collecting Data On Moon Radiation (CRaTER), Cold Traps (Diviner), Permanently Shadowed Regions (LAMP), Landing Sites (LOLA), Radio Images (Mini-RF), B&W Optical Images (LROC), Color & Ultraviolet Images (WAC), Hydrogen Distribution & Radiation Neutron Component (LEND), Imaging Chang’e-3; LADEE Receives Popular Mechanics 2014 Breakthrough Award; GRAIL Data Reveals Ocean Of Storms Rift Valleys

 

Image Credit: NASA, Colorado School of Mines

Wednesday / 8 October 2014

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USC Graduate Students Present Innovative Lunar Exploration Concepts

USCMadhu1014

Students In USC Astronautical Engineering Course With Prof Madhu Thangavelu Present Concepts For Future Human Solar System Exploration; Projects Evaluated By Faculty, Industry & NASA Experts; Proposals Include Maglev-Operated Lunar Space Elevator Attached To A Station At L1 Lagrange Point, Lunar Lava Tube Explorations With Spiderbots Capable Of Inverted Climbing With Advanced Sensors, Self-Propelled Inflatable Lunar Rovers Which Could Deploy Swarms Of Small Exploration Rovers

Image Credit: USC