Category Archives: Astronomy from the Moon

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 27-30 July 2018

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Chang’e-4 Far Side Moon Lander On Track For Dec Launch; Beijing Big Moon Expo Continues

China Long March 3B Set To Launch Chang’e-4 Lander & Rover Dec 2018 To Lunar Far Side South Pole Aitken Basin; Lander To Carry High-Res Cameras, Low Frequency Spectrometer, “Lunar Lander Neutrons & Dosimetry”; Rover Equipped With Panoramic Camera, Lunar Penetrating Radar, Visible / Infrared Spectrometer, “Advanced Small Analyser For Neutrals”; Queqiao Relay Satellite At L2 Orbit; Longjiang-2 Operates In Elliptical Lunar Orbit Transmitting Images From Moon; Lunar Exploration Technology Exhibition Featuring 10-meter Moon Continues To 9 Oct At Beijing National Aquatic Center “Water Cube”

Credits: CNSA, CASC, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing National Aquatic Center, NASA

Wednesday / 27 June 2018

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Astrophysics Enabled At The Moon Being Discussed During NASA Exploration Science Forum At NASA Ames

Fifth Annual NASA Exploration Science Forum Is Being Held 26-28 June, Organized By Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, Featuring Discussions About Moon, Near-Earth Asteroids, And Moons Of Mars, Etc; Dr. Jordan Mirocha (Top) From UCLA Chairs Wednesday Afternoon Session On “Astrophysics Enabled At The Moon”: Prof. Jack Burns (L) Presents Science On Lunar Far Side Facilitated By Lunar Orbiting Platform-Gateway Including Low Frequency Radio Array, And Alexander Hegedus (R) From University Of Michigan Talks On Radio Interferometers On Lunar Surface

Credits: NASA, UCLA, University of Colorado, University of Michigan

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

Wednesday / 6 Jun 2018

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Netherlands-China Low-Frequency Explorer Team Looks Forward To Studying Cosmic Dark Ages From Behind The Moon

Recently Launched Queqiao Relay Satellite For Future Chang’e-4 Lunar Far Side Lander Carries NCLE Instrument On Its Backside – With Three Deployable 5-m Monopole Antennas To Measure Radio Waves Below 30 MHz; Chang’e-4 Expected To Land By End Of 2018; NCLE Antennas To Unfold After Chang’e-4 Primary Mission Completes Around March 2019; Principal Investigator Heino Falcke From Netherlands Radboud University Presents “Radio Astronomy On And Around The Moon” At Ongoing American Astronomical Society 232nd Meeting In Denver, USA

Credits: CAST, NCLE, AAS, ASTRON, Heino Falcke

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 25-28 May 2018

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ISDC 2018 Holding 2 Full Sessions On Moon Development

National Space Society Hosts 37th International Space Development Conference (ISDC) And ~300 Speakers In Los Angeles 24-27 May With Theme “Space Travel: Putting People Into Space”; Thursday Session And Dedicated Entire Saturday Moon Exploration Symposium Co-chaired By (L-R) Madhu Thangavelu & John Mankins Will Feature Clive Neal, Bernard Foing, Henk Rogers, Steve Durst, Kate Arkless Gray And 20 Others On Topics Including International Moon Village, Lunar Economics & Markets, Astronomy From Moon, Lunar Settlement, Commercial Space, Landers, Habitats, Future Directions

Credits: NSS, NASA, ESA, Moon Village Association, University of Notre Dame, ILOA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 May 2018

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Chang’e-4 Relay To Attempt Detection Of Radio Signals From Cosmic Dark Ages

China To Launch Long March 4C / Chang’e-4 Relay From Xichang 20 May, Precursor For November Moon South Pole Lander; Loft 2 Microsatellites To Lunar Orbit For Low Frequency Radio Astronomy & Interferometry, And Relay Satellite (Queqiao) To L2 Which Carries Netherlands-China Low Frequency Explorer (NCLE) Pathfinder; NCLE Scheduled To Unspool Three 2-meter Antennas March 2019, Detect Radio Signals Pre-First Stars, Study Solar Flares & Jupiter Aurora; NCLE PI Heino Falcke Advocates For Radio Astronomy From Moon

Credits: CNSA, NASA, Radboud University, ASTRON Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 4-7 May 2018

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ILOA / Galaxy Forum 10 Years On

International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA) Board Of Directors Meeting 25 May During ISDC In Los Angeles Will Consider 4 Lunar Mission Update Including Project Partners Moon Express & Canadensys, Human Moon Mission, First Women On The Moon Initiative – Highlighted In 2018 Application For IAF 3G Diversity Award, Astronomy From The Moon Major Advancements At Events: NVM2, 232nd AAS, 30th IAU GA, Galaxy Forum Europe – Vienna In Aug, Galaxy Forum Hainan 4-7 Dec China, Galaxy Forum Japan Feb 2019 TBD; ILOA Strategic MMoU Principal Operating Partnership Gaining Momentum Toward Feb 2019 Southeast Asia Benefactors Reception In Singapore

Credits: ILOA, GF, SPC, NASA, Canadensys, ME, ESA, CNSA, ISRO