Tuesday / 1 September 2015

Russia To Launch Luna-Glob To Moon South Pole 2016?

9012015 Despite Recent Budget Cuts & Technical Difficulties Lunar Mission Announced For 2016 Launch With Russia Space Research Institute (IKI) Luna-Glob; IKI Researcher Vladislav Tretyakov Comments Inaugural Moon South Pole Landing In Boguslawski Crater “Research Will Be Carried Out Directly On Board The Probe”; Temperature Variations Of -153° To 123° C Will Be Moderated With Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator; Studies Include Landing / Extreme Environment Operations / Thermal Properties Of Lunar Soil; Possibility To Further Astronomy From The Moon

Credit: IKI, Lavochkin, Roskosmos

Tuesday / 4 August 2015

29th IAU General Assembly & Hawai`i Astronomy Developments

8042015IAU 2015 Beginning 2nd Conference Day At Hawaii Convention Center, Addressing Key Topics In Contemporary Astronomy & Assessing Latest Scientific Progress; ILOA Based In Kamuela HI Working Toward New Frontier For Astronomy – From The Moon – With ILO-1 Instrument As Alternative To Maintain Hawaii’s Excellence In Astronomy; Another Innovation Not Requiring Earth / Hawaii-Based Development Is Project (OHANA) Collaborative Effort Proposed By CFHT In 2000

Credit: IAU Press Image, David Cornwell, ILOA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 31 July – 3 August 2015

ILOA Astronomy From The Moon At 29th IAU In Hawai`i 3-14 August

MSPA LEDInternational Lunar Observatory Association ILO-1 “Moon South Pole Astronomy” Vision To Be Featured In Honolulu At International Astronomical Union (IAU) Triennial General Assembly Poster Session 3-7 August; ILOA Galaxy Imaging Is Being Conducted With Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope Aboard Chang’e-3 Lunar Lander; ILOA Advancing Astronomy From The Moon With Contractor Canadensys Aerospace & Human Moon Missions With Golden Spike Company; IAU Is The Largest Gathering Of Professional Astronomers

Credit: ILOA, Michael Carroll

Thursday / 16 July 2015

ESA Envisions Lunar Village

7162015New Director General Of European Space Agency (ESA) Johann-Dietrich Woerner (TL) Proposes “Moon Village On The Far Side Of The Moon”; Collaborative Efforts Would Incorporate World Participation; Far Side Of Moon Long Supported By Dr. Jack Burns (TR) Of University Of Colorado Boulder; Motivation For Village Includes Telescopes For Deep Space Observation, Stepping Stone For Mars Missions / Training, 3D Printing Trials & Multi-Nation Astronaut Settlement / Expanded International Involvement

Credit: NASA, ESA, Foster + Partners

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 12-15 June 2015

Apollo 11 Moonworker Advocates For U.S.-China Cooperation In Space

China US International Cooperation

Buzz Aldrin Writes Article Supporting U.S. Gov / NASA Engagement With China In Space Beginning With Sustained Human Presence At ISS / LEO, Multiple Moon Bases For All International & Commercial Uses As A Prelude For Mars / Deep Space Exploration, Multi World Species, Global Space Cooperation; China Chang’e-3 Craft Reach 18-Months Of Operations / Astronomy From Moon This Weekend, Country Is Developing Chang’e-4 & 5 Moon Missions, 2nd Generation Space Station For LEO

Credit: NASA, CNSA, CCTV, ESA, ATCM, Buzz Aldrin

Wednesday / 13 May 2015

India Advancing Historic Mission To Lunar Pole

AnilChandrayaan

ISRO Officials Inform India Parliament That Chandrayaan-2 Mission Is On Schedule For 2017 Launch; Space Physics Laboratory Director Anil Bhardwaj Notes Mission Will Be 1st-Ever India Soft Landing On Planetary Body & 1st Attempt By Any Nation To Land At Lunar Pole; Mission Will Be Entirely Indigenous & Include Orbiter, Lander & Rover; Will Be Launched By GSLV Rocket; Orbiter Expected To Include 5 Scientific Payloads, & 2 More On Rover, Still Possible Lander Could Host Astronomical Observatory Payload Similar To Successful LUT Of China Chang’e-3 Lander

Image Credit: K. Ragesh, Vikram Sarabhai Space Center, ISRO

Thursday / 30 April 2015

Chang’e-3 Telescope Demonstrating Value / Feasibility Of Lunar-Based Astronomy

LUTeclipse0415

Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT) Successfully Operates For Entire 4.28 Hours Of Recent (4 Apr) Lunar Eclipse, Capturing 246 Images During Its 1st Operation Without Sunlight; Imaging Was Part Of Extended Experiments To Test Power Supply & Thermal Control Support For Payload Equipment During Lunar Eclipse; NAO Astronomers Publish Data Gathered From LUT That Indicate Concentration Of OH / H2O Molecules In Lunar Exosphere ~100 Times Less Than Previous Value Reported By Hubble & Chandrayaan-1

Image Credit: NAOC, CNSA, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 17-20 April 2015

ESA, China Consider Human Missions
To Moon Far Side

FarSideESAchina

Incoming ESA Director General Johann-Dietrich Wörner Wants To See Establishment Of Base On Far Side Of Moon To Enable Radio Astronomy; Current DLR Chairman Wörner Will Assume ESA Leadership On 1 Jul; China Lunar Exploration Program Chief Design Consultant Ye Peijian Says He Is Confident Country Will Accomplish Human Lunar Landings, Envisions Human Expedition To Far Side Of Moon 

Image Credit: ESA, china.org.cn, NASA

Friday / 3 April 2015

Moon Spacecraft To Observe Shortest Lunar Eclipse Of 21st Century

Lunar Ecplise Apr 4

Total Lunar Eclipse 4 Mins 43 Secs Starting 01:58 HST 4 April Will Be Shortest Of 21st Century & Shortest Since 1529; NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter To Study Lunar Surface Temperature Changes; China Chang’e-3 At Sinus Iridum / Mare Imbrium May Observe Lunar Terminator & Dust Dynamics, Take Images Along With Chang’e-5-T1 In Moon Orbit;  NASA Media Teleconference & Live Feed Of Eclipse From Griffith Observatory In CA Available; Next Total Eclipse 28 Sep To Last 1 Hr 12 Mins

Image Credit: NASA, LRO, CNSA, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Phil Hart

Friday / 6 March 2015

Chang’e-3 Lander & Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope Still Functioning / Providing Data

Chang'e-3Lunar-Eclipse315

LUT Payload On China Chang’e-3 Moon Lander Sending Back Unique Stellar Images, Fully Funded For Rest Of 2015, Likely More Years Of Operation To Come; CNSA / NAOC Officials Considering Observations During Upcoming Lunar Eclipses On 4 Apr, 28 Sep, May Be Opportune Time To Acquire Milky Way Galaxy Imagery Sought By ILOA; Chang’e-3 Now In Lunar Day 16

Image Credit: CNSA, NASA